Hello Again
By: marauderette-47
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of the songs that the characters sing! I don't even own the summary at the beginning of the episode idea or the pagebreak that says 'glee'. None of this is mine except for the plot!
A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys! I hope everyone enjoys Chapter 1:) (Or, rather, episode 1, entitled Flashes and Mobs)
So here's what you missed on glee:
Rachel got into NYADA, but Kurt and Finn didn't. All of the Seniors from New Directions graduated except for Brittany, which came as a real shocker even though it shouldn't have. Finn told Rachel that he was taking her to get married, but he was really taking her to the train station, where he made her go to New York. And on the way, Rachel was having some romantic thoughts about Jesse St. James, even though they've been broken up for, like, a year. Literally. And that's what you msised on -
glee!
Episode 1: Flashes and Mobs
"You'd think after three weeks in New York City, I'd at least have a job." grumbled Rachel angrily as she strolled down the busy street. She'd had a long, aggravating day - she'd spent all morning looking for a job opening anywhere within walking distance of her apartment, but nothing was available. New York - though it was beautiful and filled with talent - wasn't exactly what Rachel had been hoping and dreaming about. In all of her wildest dreams, she'd been discovered and put on Broadway as the female lead in Phantom of the Opera or Funny Girl by the end of her first week, but it seemed to finally be sinking in that she would have to work very, very hard to make those dreams come true.
A man going in the opposite direction of Rachel bumped into her, thus causing her to drop the cappucino she had just stopped to get. Aggravated, Rachel bent down to pick it up, and was run into by another man, who yelled at her for being in the way. Trying her hardest not to cry, and thinking that a slushie facial would be better than the treatment she was getting here, Rachel stood back up, and walked through the throngs of people confidently and with purpose. She was Rachel Berry - she would not be treated like garbage! The people next to her were going to start respecting her, or forever regret it! She was a star!
Humming the tune of Don't Rain On My Parade, Rachel turned around quickly and re-entered the coffee shop to purchase another drink. Smiling, she took a sip of the steaming liquid, and headed back out onto the sidewalk. She found that she was headed in the direction of Central Park, and - since she had yet to visit the place - she decided she could spend the afternoon around trees and birds. That was probably one of the only things she missed about Ohio - the wildlife. Choosing the ignore the tiny pang of homesickness forming in her heart, Rachel put on her best showface and met the eyes of everyone who passed her on her way to the park. Upon arriving, Rachel found a bench that looked at least semi-clean, and settled herself on the edge of it. She sipped her cappucino leisurely, allowing her eyes to lazily trail the greenery and shrubs around her. She noticed the squirrels that happily played among the branches of the trees, and the small children that were walking on the paths. But then a sight caught Rachel's eye that made her both want to stare and look away.
There were roughly twenty of them, about ten feet to her right. They were all dressed in rags, and cloths and - in some cases - even garbage bags. Most of them wore baseball caps to protect their scalps from the blistering sunlight of mid-afternoon, but the hats were all in poor shape. They were huddled on the ground sadly, curling up next to trees and bushes. Rachel wasn't naive - she knew that sometimes there were people who couldn't afford to live in homes. But the sight of all of these poor, helpless people made her feel sad and sick.
Suddenly, one of the girls from the front stood up, and jumped onto a rock. The rock added about a foot to her height, and she cleared her throat loudly, grabbing the attention of everyone within a fifteen-foot radius of her. Everyone - including Rachel - was expecting her to give a long speech about the hardships of New York, but instead, she opened her mouth and sang loudly:
Hey - let me welcome you ladies and gentlemen
I would like to say hello.
She was good - and as the first few notes rolled expertly off of her tongue, about ten of the others stood up and joined her in her rendition of Queen's Let Me Entertain You.
Are you ready for some entertainment?
Are you ready for a show?
Gonna rock you, gonna roll you
Get you dancing in the aisles
Jazz you razzmatazz you
With a little bit of style
C'mon let me entertain you
Let me entertain you, let me entertain you.
By this time, nearly all of whom Rachel had assumed to be homeless were standing up, dancing and singing. They began to rip the garbage bags and rags from their bodies, revealing flashy and glamorous costumes. Rachel was reminded of Vocal Adrenaline, and the fact that this particular flash mob had chosen a Queen song made the whole situation even more ironic. Suddenly, however, the smile died from Rachel's face as the final performer emerged, singing the next part of the song as a solo.
I've come here to sell you my body
I can show you some good merchandise
I'll pull you and I'll pill you
I'll Cruela-de-ville you
And to thrill you I'll use any device
It was him - it was the ex-lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline himself! With his curly brown hair and enchanting eyes - and cocky attitude - all in tact. He looked as thrilled about performing as Rachel had ever seen him, and as he continued the song, his eyes lit up with a fire that Rachel recognized all too well. As the final lyrics of the song finished, the flash mob performers were applauded, and Rachel realized for the first time just how many people had stopped to listen. So many New Yorkers - fifty at least - were crowded around Rachel's bench just to get a good look. Even the newhs was there!
When the song was over, Jesse St. James stood up on the rock upon which the first girl had stood, and thanked everyone for listening. The rest of the performers walked away in separate directions, until only Jesse was left. Slowly, the crowd which had formed began to disband, leaving Rachel the only one by her bench. Well, maybe not the only one. Standing there - staring at her with a sad expression - Jesse remained. He took a hesitant step forward, his eyes burning into Rachel's, and said, "Hey, Rachel."
glee
"I wonder what Rachel's doing right now," wondered Kurt aloud, while he and Blaine were flipping through magazines in his room. The two had been unusually quiet for most of the morning - or, rather, most of the last three weeks. It had finally hit everyone that high school was over and Rachel was gone. Santana was getting ready to leave, and was working her hardest to convince Brittany to come with her to New York. It seemed like everyone was Manhattan-bound except for Kurt, and it was killing him.
Blaine chuckled warmly, and looked up from his magazine to meet Kurt's eyes. "Maybe she's singing a duet of Don't Rain On My Parade with Barbra Streisand."
Kurt's eyes were murderous, and he grumbled, "That better not be the case for one of two reasons. One, Barbra has reached the fragile age of 70 and shouldn't be skipping down the streets of New York City with boistorous little Rachel, and two, I would be on speaker-phone with Rachel as the duet was happening so that I would be forced to believe it was true."
Blaine laughed, his eyes filled with mirth. "I was only joking, Kurt. I'm sure Rachel's fine - looking for a job, maybe, if she hasn't found one already. Why don't you call her?"
Kurt sighed, and looked down sadly. "No," he murmured. "I think talking to her will actually make me miss her more."
"I'm sure she misses you too, Kurt." said Blaine knowingly. "You were all so close...it's not going to be easy to adjust to being on your own."
"That's just the thing," admitted Kurt. "I'm not alone - I have you and Finn, and all of the underclassman staying at McKinely. I have my Dad and Finn's Mom, and I'm sure I could drop in on Mr. Schuester and Ms. Pillsbury and they wouldn't mind. But it seems like everyone has what they're doing for next year figured out and I don't."
"What do you mean? I thought you were going to stay in Lima for the fall until you could get another audition booked for NYADA." said Blaine, confused. He didn't understand what Kurt meant - just three days ago they'd discussed Kurt's plans for the year. Had Kurt decided to change them without him?
"I know," Kurt sighed, putting his head in his hands. "I just wish they would have let me in the first time - it would have made everything so much easier."
"Life isn't easy." said Blaine softly. "You of all people know that, Kurt. Look at everything you've gone through - I'd say almost none of it has been easy. But you've gotten through it because you're strong. And I know you'll get through this."
There was a short pause before Kurt looked up at Blaine and smiled. "You know, if you didn't have your heart set on Law School, you would be a fantastic motivational speaker."
Blaine shrugged, and moved himself closer to Kurt so he could give his boyfriend a peck on the cheek. "I try."
*commercial*
Yup. Bet you thought you wouldn't have to deal with these.
"Hey, Rachel."
Rachel swallowed once before filling herself with courage and saying, "Hello, Jesse." Rachel was not impolite, but she wasn't warm and inviting. The last time Jesse had seen her she had been preparing for Nationals and was still engaged to Finn. Adrenaline had been running through her veins and her mind had been so clouded with happiness and love for Finn, that seeing Jesse had not been too difficult. But now - in an unfamiliar town with no career and no finacee - everything was different. Being alone with Jesse was making Rachel feel things that she wasn't sure she was ready to feel again.
"How have you been?" asked Jesse conversationally, taking a step towards Rachel. The latter was frozen to the spot.
"Fine," replied Rachel curtly. "And you?"
Jesse continued towards Rachel until their bodies were nearly pressed together. Rachel felt a spasm of white-hot desire for the boy - no, man - in front of her, but suppressed it to the best of her abilities. She took a deep breath through her nose and released it from her mouth. She tried to collect her thoughts, but her closeness with Jesse was clouding her mind, and she couldn't focus. She clumsily took a step back, and straightened her plaid skirt. She took another deep breath, and put on her best showface.
"I've been better," admitted Jesse, trying not to look too hurt at Rachel's reluctance. He wanted her so badly...couldn't she see that?
"Oh," said Rachel, trying to be sympathetic. "Well then, I'm sorry to hear that, Jesse."
"You're doing well, Rachel." smirked Jesse. "After that 'Run Joey Run' video, I wasn't sure you could act. But boy...you almost have me believing that you don't want me."
"Jesse," said Rachel, perhaps a bit too quickly. "While I am more than happy to see that you're still performing despite your unfortunate circumstances, I'm afraid that I have a life to begin in New York, and I have to get back to it now. So if you'll excuse me-"
"Whoa," laughed Jesse, grabbing Rachel's arm and thus stopping her from leaving. "What do you mean, 'unfortunate circumstances'? I'm not really homeless, Rachel - those stupid rags were just for the effect. I'm a St. James after all - I'm living in a penthouse just across the street from Broadway. And don't think you're getting out of talking to me so easily - it's apparent that you still have some feelings for me, and I plan to use that weakness to my advantage."
Rachel tried so hard to release herself from Jesse's grip, but the fact of the matter was that he was much stronger than she was and he knew it. After a few tries, Rachel gave up, and settled for just not meeting Jesse's eyes. She mumbled, "I don't know what you're talking about," and hoped that he would just leave her be.
But she could never be so lucky.
"So how's Hudson?" Jesse nearly whispered, smoldering Rachel with his gorgeous brown eyes and closing the distance between them. She couldn't even respond - at that point, it wouldn't even matter if she had never met Jesse St. James before in her life - she wouldn't have been able to stand his charm and wit. He was so close...his breath was tickling her ear...she was going to kiss him...after everything, Rachel was just going to kiss him...
And then, as quickly as it all began, it stopped. Jesse ran a hand through his hair, Rachel swore she saw a blush creep up on his cheek, and he just turned around and walked away. It took Rachel several minutes before she could think straight, and when she could, her only thought was What just happened? Her mind still revolving around Jesse St. James, Rachel reached into her coat pocket to find her cell phone, but before her fingers made contact with her rhinestone phone case, they hit a folded piece of paper. Curious, Rachel removed the stationary from her pocket, and read the hastily scribbled note upon it.
You're all I've ever wanted and my arms are open wide.
"Cause you know just what to say, and you know just what to do...and I want to tell you so bad...I love you." Rachel whispered the lines of the song, and wondered what Jesse could have meant. Surely he wasn't the kind to just bare his soul that way? Although...he had stated more than once that Rachel deserved epic romance, and he was in show choir...but then, so was Puck...
"Is it me you're looking for?" wondered Rachel aloud. Sighing, she slipped the paper back into her pocket, and began to walk back towards her apartment, leaving her cappucino abandoned on her bench.
Finn hadn't heard from Rachel in two weeks. He'd been checking his phone and e-mail for new messages every fifteen minutes, but he never got anything from her. It was only to be expected - Finn had broken her heart, and he had lost the right to be a part of Rachel's life. But he'd made up for that, hadn't he? He proved his love for her by letting her go. That was what he was supposed to do, right? If you love something, let it free and all that?
Sighing, Finn reached over to his bedside table and grabbed his phone. He unlocked it, and his heart ached when he read, No new messages. Create new message? He set the phone back down, and began to sing quietly,
I'm lying alone with my head on the phone
Thinking of you til it hurts
I know you hurt too but what else can we do
Tormented and torn apart
I wish I could carry your smile in my heart
For times when my life seems so low
It would make me believe what tomorrow would bring
When today doesn't really know
Doesn't really know.
Meanwhile, in New York City, Rachel was staring at the note Jesse had written her nearly twelve hours earlier. He had been on her mind ever since, and she kept debating whether or not she should give him another chance. Surely it would hurt Finn if she did, but what did it matter if it hurt Finn? He had broken up with her! And Rachel wasn't sure she had any more love to give away. Sighing sadly, she began to sing:
I'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I'm all out of love, what am I without you
It can't be too late to say that I was so wrong.
At the same time, Rachel and Finn were lying in bed, singing Air Supply all alone, and feeling completely worn out from romance for two completely different reasons. And together they sang:
Oh, what are you thinking of?
What are you thinking of?
Oh, what are you thinking of?
What are you thinking of?
I'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you
I know you were right believing for so long
I'm all out of love, what am I without you
It can't be too late to say that I was so wrong.
Rachel and Finn simultanously sighed, leaned their heads against their pillows, and dreamt of all that had transpired in such a short amount of time.
"And you can start on...Friday, dear." smiled the manager politely. She handed Rachel an apron and nametag, and shoo'd the younger girl out the door.
It had taken long enough, but Rachel had finally found a job. It wasn't anything particularly spectacular - she was just going to be a waitress for a quaint little cafe' about a mile from her apartment. But at least she would be getting paid, and she wouldn't have to use all of the money that her dads had been setting aside for her for New York for the last 18 years. Feeling very accomplished, Rachel walked out of the office of her new employer with a large grin on her face. She was floating on fluffy clouds (metaphorically, of course) all the way home. In fact, she was so happy, she didn't see where she was going...and she bumped right into someone walking off of the elevator that she was about to get on.
"Oh, I am so sorry!" apologized Rachel quickly. However, she didn't wait for a response from the man she had walked into, because she knew who it was! "Noah!" she said quickly. "What are you doing here?"
Puck laughed, and flicked Rachel on the head. "Well of all the places to run into you, Jew-babe. You live here?"
"As a matter of fact, I do." said Rachel cutely, giving Puck one of the best smiles he'd ever seen on her. "Are you planning on moving in too, Noah?"
"Nah," replied Puck, dismissing the idea with a careless wave of his hand. "I'm scoping the region out for Santana - she's coming up here, did you know that? Yeah, she's been trying to convince Britt to try out for the Rockettes, but Britt really wants to finish high school at McKinley before she moves anywhere."
"You came up here for Santana?" inquired Rachel, raising a perfectly waxed eyebrow. Puck laughed.
"She paid me," he explained. "This building was one of the nicer ones in the area, so I thought it was worth a look. There's was only one free room, though, and that stupid jerk upstairs literally just signed the papers to move in, so Santana's screwed. She's not gonna be too happy, but whatever. I've already got the money."
Still smiling, Rachel inquired, "So how long are you in town?"
"Ah," said Puck sourly, giving Rachel a guilty look. "I've actually gotta run - I'm gonna miss my train back to Hell-hio if I don't leave now. It was good seeing you though, Berry."
"Likewise." grinned Rachel. She gave Puck an awkward hug before pressing the Up button on the elevator and pressing the number 6 to signify her floor. The elevator moved very quickly, and before she knew it, Rachel was standing in front of her door. She dug through her pockets in an attempt to find her keys, but they were nowhere to be found. Sighing, Rachel bent down to the Welcome! mat she had placed in front of her door and lifted it up. Rachel had had a feeling that she might forget her key one day, and so she had stuck a spare one under her mat. But alas, her spare key wasn't there either. Frustrated, Rachel kicked her door, and heard someone chuckling behind her. Angrily, Rachel spun around with all the art of a ballerina, to face a smirking Jesse St. James dangling her key in front of her.
"Looking for something?"
Dear Glee Clubbers,
I know that summer has begun and you are all probably enjoying yourselves, but I just wanted to get a chance to tell you all what a difference you've made in my life. You were my first Glee Club, and you took Nationals! At the beginning of my first year at McKinley, I made it my personal goal to make Glee Club great again, and with the hard work and dedication from I got from each and every one of you, we made that dream a reality. I will never be able to thank you enough.
Now, on a more personal note, Ms. Pilsbury and I have set a date for our wedding. It will be held at the Centre Town Chapel at two o'clock on the afternoon of September 3. I hope to have all of you come, and maybe sing at the ceremony or reception. It could be a reunion of sorts. I know that at some point we'll have to let go, but that doesn't mean it has to be any time soon. Remember, if any of you ever need me, you have my phone number.
Thank you again for all of the wonderful memories, and remember - don't stop believing.
~Mr. Schue
Quinn read the e-mail three times before shutting her computer down. It was so sweet that Mr. Schue still cared about all of them, even though they had graduated and were starting new lives. As for her, she couldn't wait to get out of Lima, but she'd promised herself and her friends that she wouldn't leave until summer was over - she wished with all her heart that Rachel would have done the same, so the Glee Club could have had one last summer together, but she knew that it was Berry's dream to be in New York, and it was Finn's stupid fault that she was there so early. There was no getting her back now.
Speaking of people that Quinn would never get back, her thoughts trailed to her daughter. She missed her so much...she should have never given her up. She was sure that Beth loved her life with Shelby, but that must have just been because Beth had never experienced a life with Quinn. Her daughter was growing up so quickly...and Quinn was missing all of it.
"Is it wrong of me to wish that Shelby would get hit by a bus so that I could have Beth back?" mumbled Quinn to herself, sprawling out on her bed. It was times like this when she wished that she had someone she could talk to - just someone to chat with on the phone or text. She didn't want to talk about anything heavy - just a simple conversation would be fine with Quinn. But who was she going to talk to? Santana and Brittany had time only for each other, Puck was still in New York, Berry was in New York, she'd never been close with the two gay wonders, and Finn was probably still moping about Rachel.
Finn...he had been her first love. She'd been a virgin when they dated, and back then, she'd been a model daughter. She remembered the way things had once been with Finn...so simple and fun that she had always been smiling. But then she'd ruined it by sleeping with Puck - and the times with Puck had been nearly as good as her times with Finn had been. She wondered what would happen, if she took one of them back now...but no. There was really no point, unless she was just looking for a summer fling. Once she was at Yale, she'd never be able to keep up a long distance relationship with anyone from Lima.
Quinn knew she wouldn't be feeling so lonely if she still had Beth. But even if she didn't, Beth had changed her. And she'd been changed for good.
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today because I knew you
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good.
Wow. Rachel must have really changed Quinn - now she was singing songs from Wicked! But it really didn't matter what the song was from - it reminded Quinn of her daughter, and she hoped that she had done the right thing by giving Beth to Shelby. Sometimes, those feelings of doubt just engulfed the blonde beauty, and she wasn't sure what to do. After she finished her song that was secretly dedicated to a lot of people, Quinn Fabray burst into tears for the first time in quite a while.
Taking a deep breath and crossing his fingers, Finn dialed Rachel's number and pressed 'Send' before he could chicken out.
One ring.
Two rings.
Three rings.
Four rings.
Just as he was about to start planning what his voicemail would say, the ringing stopped, and someone answered Rachel's phone. "What do you want?" spat the all too familiar voice.
"I want to talk to, uh, Rachel." sputtered Finn for a moment, trying to figure out where he'd heard the voice before.
"She can't talk right now," said the voice quickly and angrily. "She's in the middle of something important."
"Is she okay?" asked Finn in immediate concern. Why else would someone be answering her-?
"No, thanks to you." said the voice. Finn could tell that she was preparing to hang up, so he asked quickly -
"Wait! Who is this?"
Instead of a reply from the girl, Finn heard soft sobs from the other end of the line. The crying was heartbreaking and distinct and definitely Rachel. All Finn could make of her words was, "All your fault! Jesse hates me! Don't ever call me again, Finn! Just leave me alone!"
Heart sinking, the other line went to the dial tone, and Finn hung up his phone. In almost a trance, he put his phone back on the bedside table, and sang softly:
What can you do when your good isn't good enough?
When all that you touch tumbles down?
'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things
I just want to fix it somehow
But how many times will it take?
Oh, how many times will it take for me?
To get it right.
stick around for a sneak peak of the next 'episode'!
So this season on glee...
"Kurt, I did something so bad. Please help me. I need you." -Rachel
"Sometimes, I think it would just be easier to like you, Schuester. But then I remember that...you're Schuester." -Sue
"Quinn? C'mon, babe, I know you're in there. Why don't you just come out so we can talk about this? I know Beth hates to see her mommy cry." -Puck
"I've been thinking, Santana...why do we have to go to New York? Why can't I just be a Rockette here?" -Brittany
"What do you think about...a Glee Clamp, Emma?" -Will
"I'm going to mess up your face, Hudson! You're going to regret the day you ever stepped foot in New York! You touch her again, and you won't live to regret it!" -Jesse
"What is she doing in New York?" -Finn
"I love you Rachel. I love you so much." -Finn...and Jesse...and then Finn again...and once again with Jesse...lots of people love Rachel...
And that's it for episode one! Remember, if you recognize it, I don't own it. Let me know what you guys thought! Thanks a jillion!