"Ms. Berry. Ms. Berry- Rachel!"
Rachel's head shot up, and she looked to the director from her spot on the stage.
"Lost in thought, I presume?"
Rachel grinned sheepishly, and nodded. "Yeah, sorry Mr. Brockett. The bar scene, right?"
"Yes. Places everyone! If we can rehearse this last scene we'll be done for the day! And… action!"
Rachel immediately fell into character, submerging herself in the identity of Felicity Worsley, a struggling singer trying to make a name for herself. It all sounded so familiar – it reminded Rachel greatly of her own struggle to become a star. They were only a couple weeks away from opening night, and Rachel was already well-prepared. She knew all of her lines, and could do every song in her sleep. In fact, this was one of the scenes that she was most prepared for – mostly because it was the hardest song. She had spent countless nights practicing until she got the notes just right. For her work ethic, her boss had been most impressed. But that didn't mean he'd let up on her in rehearsal.
After speaking her lines to the patrons in the bar, she launched into her song. Half-dancing and half-walking the familiar path around the stage, she gave her whole self to every note. One of her favorite parts of this scene was the fact that whenever they rehearsed it, cast and crew alike would pause in what they were doing to watch and listen. She loved the attention she received, and craved the feeling of astounding her audiences. The song was coming to an end, and she prepared herself for the final note, centering herself on the stage. As she belted it out, holding the note for an extraordinary amount of time, she could hear applause and whistles coming from a few crew members to the side of the stage. As she finished, the curtain dropped, signaling the end of the scene.
She grinned, and thanked the people who had congratulated her. She didn't leave the stage however, and waited for the curtain to come back up so everyone could get their schedule for the next day. The red curtain rose before her, and she patiently awaited instructions.
"Great job, everyone. Fantastic performance, Ms. Berry. Alright, tomorrow morning we'll be working on some of the minor scenes in the show, which means we don't need the main stars until noon. Have a good evening everyone, see you tomorrow."
Rachel clapped along with everyone, and then headed to her dressing room. She grabbed her bag and checked her phone. 4:00. They were done early today, which was a rarity. Happily thinking of the extra time she would get to spend with Finn, she decided to walk home instead of calling a cab. It was a beautiful September day, and she didn't want to waste it.
Since finally getting her big break after graduation, she always had offers to star in Broadway shows. The name 'Rachel Berry' had become a household name. Well, for show enthusiasts at least. After marrying Finn, she had decided to keep Berry as her stage name because she was so new to the Broadway scene. However, her legal name was Rachel Hudson, and she was proud of it. She was so glad that they were able to overcome all of the trials they faced in high school to be where they were today.
Much like it was in high school, Rachel's determination and drive were off the charts. She cared too much about her stardom to even think of slacking off or not trying hard. She didn't want to give up her hard work for anything. She was persistent in the things she wanted, whether it was a part in a show or a change in the script.
A half hour later, she had arrived home. Unlocking the door, Rachel stepped inside to find the home silent. She shut the door and put her things away, and checked the rooms for Finn. He wasn't in the kitchen or living room, nor was he in the study. Really, the study was a place for their music – for Finn to listen to new music and for Rachel to practice. She then noticed the bedroom door was cracked, and tip-toed over. She carefully opened the door wider to find Finn asleep on the bed.
Rachel smiled at his sleeping form. He was just so cute. Sliding off her shoes, she climbed up on to the bed, crawling over to where he lay on his side facing the wall. She nestled herself behind his back quietly, trying not to wake him, and wrapped an arm around his waist. He shifted, and she froze. Whoops.
He rolled over sleepily and looked at her. "Hey," he whispered, smiling.
She smiled back as he rolled onto his back, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer. Laying her head on his chest, she said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay. I needed to wake up anyway. How was your day?"
She shrugged. "It was fine. Normal. Sang my favorite song, but you know, just everyday stuff."
"You've got the life," he chuckled.
"What about you? How was your day? Pretty regular?"
He hesitated. "Uh- yeah, the morning was pretty normal. I had a lunch meeting though, so that was unusual."
"Oh yeah? Who were you meeting with? Someone with the station?"
"Well… No, not exactly. It was actually an old friend."
Rachel glanced at him, instantly curious. "Who? Do I know them?"
Finn scratched his head. "Yeah, you do. Pretty well, in fact."
"Who is it? Is it someone from glee club?" He noticed the way her eyes lit up at the mention of her favorite club.
He nodded. She bit her lip in thought, and then looked mischievously at him.
"Want to make a game out of it? If I guess who it is in five guesses, you have to make dinner. Something delicious. And if I get it wrong, I'll make you whatever you want. You game?"
He laughed, and nodded again. He knew he'd be getting dinner made for him tonight.
"Alright. Hmm… Kurt?"
"No. He's my half brother. We see him at Christmas and stuff, and he and Blaine came to your last show. He wouldn't be so secretive."
"Right. Santana?"
"Nah."
"Well there goes the fellow New Yorkers. Quinn?"
"No, she's in Los Angeles, remember?"
"Damn. Uh… Artie?"
"Nope. Last try, Rach. Looks like you'll be making me dinner!" He grinned.
"Grr. Alright. Hmm…Mercedes?"
He shook his head. "Nope to all, you lose! For dinner, I want pasta. And breadsticks. Yum."
Rachel huffed. "Fine. But who was this mystery friend? You have to tell me!"
"Alright. But I bet you won't believe me." He eyed her carefully.
"Yes I will. Just tell me."
He paused. "Erin Braham."
The shock was evident on her face. That was definitely not the name she expected to hear. She had expected pretty much any other name, even Mr. Schuester.
"You're joking."
"I'm not. I said you wouldn't believe me."
"You- you talked to her? No one's heard from her in years!"
"I know. And yeah, she called me, and asked to meet me for lunch."
"What did she want?"
"Well- it's kind of complicated. Let's go in the living room and I'll tell you."
She raised an eyebrow, but followed him into the living room. Was it just her or was he acting a little strange? Trying to push it out of her mind, she settled herself next to Finn on the couch, facing him.
"Spill."
"Uh, right. Well. When she left, she actually went to another school. She got her degree in science education, but also got one in criminal justice. When she graduated, instead of becoming a teacher, she joined the FBI."
"What? That doesn't sound like her at all."
"I know. Well, she told me that she was now at the level where she could work on her own projects." He paused, trying to figure out how to word what he was going to say next. "The project she's working on would mess with a police report, so she can't get any other FBI agents involved. She has to hire outside help."
Rachel wrinkled her forehead in confusion. "But why did she tell you this? I don't really understand."
"Well, the reason she told me this was because she needs my help. In fact, she needs all of our help – the whole glee club."
"What? Why us?"
Finn fidgeted. "Well, she has good information pointing toward the theory that after all these years, Puck is still alive. And we're the only ones she can trust to help her find him."
Rachel's jaw dropped. "You're joking."
"Again, no, I'm serious. And so is she. She needs our help because she can't get other FBI agents involved, or the police. She said she'd be able to take care of our jobs and we'll get reimbursed for the time we spend helping her. We'd have to live in a different place for a while, and not talk to many people, because of security or something. I dunno."
"So she expects us to just drop everything and help her when we haven't so much as heard from her in five years?" There was a hint of anger in Rachel's voice.
"Yeah, I guess it sounds like that. But come on, Rach. She was our good friend, and she needs our help. You don't turn your back on friends."
"So you're seriously considering doing this?" she asked incredulously.
He shrugged. "I thought about it the whole time after I talked to her. And… I think I want to help. I'll get to be like a spy, so that will be cool. But that's not why I'm doing it. I mean, if there is even a slight chance that I'll see Puck again…"
Rachel frowned, and put a hand on his shoulder. "Look, Finn, I know it was tough losing him. But you can't just put your whole life on hold just to go on a wild goose chase! It's not logical!"
"Screw logic, Rachel. I have this gut feeling that I have to do this. I can't just stand by and ignore it – I at least have to try."
"So you're choosing this insane idea over me?" There was a quietness in Rachel's voice that both scared and frustrated Finn.
"I'm not choosing anything over you. You can come too. It's not like it'll be forever! A few months, maybe a year at the most-"
"But don't you see, Finn? I can't give up a year. I have shows to do! What would happen to my career if I suddenly disappeared?" She looked at him exasperatedly.
He sighed, and ran a hand over his face and through his hair.
"I… I'm not changing my mind, Rach."
Rachel looked at him and saw the obvious determination reflected in his eyes. She turned away, biting at her thumbnail and closing her eyes. He stayed still, waiting for her to say something. After thinking for a minute, she turned back to him. Placing one hand on his shoulder and the other on his cheek, she looked him in the eyes.
"While I may not understand or even like your decision, I'm not going to stop you from doing what you have to do. I love you, and I'll support you. Even if I'm not happy about it."
Finn reached up tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. "You seem really calm about this all of a sudden. Why?"
"I learned in high school that I can't control everything you do or our relationship will fall apart. I don't want that to happen, so I'm just going to try to let things be."
Finn smiled, and leaned his forehead to rest on hers. "Thank you. That means a lot, really. I love you."
He kissed her deeply. Ending the kiss, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tight. Pulling back, she looked up at him with a smile.
"Now, I believe I owe you a pasta dinner?"
Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Review and let me know what you think! I won't be updating for a few days – I have a final exam coming up that I really need to concentrate on. There is a possibility of another update this weekend, but don't count on it. Hope you're enjoying the story so far!