MOTHER, SISTER, FATHER, BROTHER

Story Title: Mother, Sister, Father, Brother – 02: For another stolen hour

Story Summary: Sometimes, it takes an outsider to see just how messed up life can be. Jesse/Rachel, Jesse/Shelby.

Chapter Summary: Flashback. Shelby is "you"

Author's Note: Another recommendation is to read Most Likely to Succeed and Most Changed Since High School by LJ user miggy; absolutely beautiful writing of both Kurt and Rachel's characters as they deal with New York together and apart. It's not romantic, but it gives that same warm fuzzy feeling inside.

I changed the title; it used to be "Eterne". Each chapter is now being given a lyric from Next to Normal as a title. Now, on to the chapter.


02 - FOR ANOTHER STOLEN HOUR


Every time someone says, "I don't believe in love," a young girl gets her heart broken. So many people don't believe because to them, seeing is believing. But it's quite the opposite. Believing is understanding, knowing, and accepting. Believing in itself is love.

When you began this (what is this even called? An affair? A relationship?) liaison, it was light and simple. He was a prize, and you were someone hell-bent on anything worth having and headed for the stars. As with most things, this is nothing like how it started.

It's more serious than what you expected. He loves you. He loves you more than any man should love a woman. Because there are rules to love that people should understand. They may sound sexist, or out-dated, but ultimately, they're true.

When a woman loves a man, it's cards; she relies on him, needs him, craves him, and relishes the ground he walks on. She does this until the day that ground sends him in another direction, towards someone else. In the end, the woman who loves always winds up by herself, left to look for the cards fluttering to the ground. She never will find all of them, but she finds enough to play a new card game. And for that game, she will eventually find a new partner.

Things are more complicated when he loves her. For he lets himself feel everything, falls into the trap of her beauty and wit, and he cannot let go. He holds onto the smallest things she says and does. Cherishes her the way he would a Tony. It's the stuff of fairytales and Disney movies; that being said, it's not what is supposed to happen.

Jessie looks at you, pleading from the deep inner-workings of his soul that you will not reject him. You don't know if there's enough strength inside of you to turn him away. You do know that there's not enough strength inside of him to handle it.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you. I blanked out."

You give him an out, but leave it to Jessie to stay on track.

"You never blank out. Besides, where else would you want to be?" he asks.

Nowhere.

Everywhere.

"Shelby." Your name comes from his lips in a low whisper, shattering any illusions you tried to build.

Right fucking here.

There's nowhere else you want to be. You like it here. That's the problem.

"Jessie, what are you doing?" you ask, exhaustion creeping from your heart to your vocal chords, "We can't bring feelings into this. Not any more than we already have."

You don't have to convince yourself it's one-sided anymore. All the cards are on the table, just ready to be knocked down.

"But, Cor, I can't help it. I can't just be around you and not feel these things. Every second with you is emotive because you are my Evangeline."

Damnit.

Damn him. Damn Disney. And, damn your weakness for stars.

You taught him too well; he doesn't play fair. Stars are your thing. He can't use them against you. Rather, he shouldn't. But, he does.

He opens his cute little mouth, and his lustrous voice invades your senses.

"Look how she lights up the sky, ma belle Evangeline. So far above me yet I, know her heart belongs to only me. J'et adore."

He adores you.

"J'et aime."

He loves you.

"You're my queen of the night, so still, so bright. That someone as beautiful as she, could love someone like me. Love always find a way it's true, and I love you, Evangeline."

How could he do this? Why does he do this? Why can't he just leave things be?

"Love is beautiful, love is wonderful! Love is everything, do you agree? Mais' oui!"

He reaches out to you again, wrapping his thin fingers into yours. His warm hands make yours complete, as ridiculous as it sounds. When you look up, he sings straight to your eyes.

"Look how she lights up the sky, I love you, Evangeline. I love you, Shelby."

For a moment, you let yourself imagine how things could be. You slip into that fantasy world where people wouldn't glare at you walking down the street, where your job would be safe, where adoption agencies wouldn't look down at you as a pedophile or a pervert.

Care to know another thing about the love of men and women? An older man can love a younger woman. He can shower her with gifts and praise, take her to parties, and he will hear the songs of the choir so long as she is eighteen. Truthfully, it is rarely ever acceptable for an older woman to love a younger man. Not in normal society, and certainly not in a town so small that the only fun thing to do is leave.

No, you can't do it.

Yet, you can't break his heart either.

"I know," you say.

He seems to accept that. You didn't tell him no, and that seems to be enough.

You scoot closer, pulling his arms around you like a blanket. He holds you and you breathe into the air before your bodies. Inside, you know which song you would sing to him at this moment.

There is love in heaven.

All will be forgiven.

There is love in heaven.

All will be forgiven.

Peace and joy be with them.

Harmony and wisdom.

Peace and joy be with them.

Harmony and wisdom.

Softly, you sing, "I believe, I believe, I believe, oh I believe."


Review please.