Everyone says New York City is big, but for the amount of people living in it, it's actually pretty small. Is that why, out of 8 million people, Rachel can't seem to escape the one person she wants to? AU Season 4. Eventual St Berry


Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. Nor have I ever been a part of or know anyone in Newsies the musical, and I do not know any of the real people in this story. It is all fiction Starting after the end of Season 3, AU season 4

Living two months straight in a hotel room was… annoying. Especially when a certain brunette could not fall asleep and the TV in her room has been broken for the past three weeks. Consequently, Rachel Berry discovered Netflix. Specifically, a British show called Doctor Who.

And now, in the early hours of August 20th, Rachel was staring at her computer screen with tears running down her cheeks, mumbling "Poor Donna…. Oh, the Doctor is all alone…." Over and over again. That's exactly what she was doing when Kurt decided to skype her.

"Rachel! Ho- Are you okay?" Kurt greeted. He and Blaine were staring at her with concern.

"Yes, I am." Rachel wiped her eyes. "I just watched an episode of a show with the saddest ending ever. I mean, the Doctor lost everyone he loves in the span of ten minutes!"

"Are you… talking about Doctor Who?" Blaine questioned, clearly amused by the girl's antics.

"Yes! That stupid show decided that it'd be a good idea to rip out my heart, flatten it with a bulldozer-roller thing, cut it into a million pieces, wipe a dog's—I've been spending too much time with Mike Faist…"

"Well," Kurt said, clearly unsure of how to reply. "It's a good thing you're going to an Academy of Dramatic Arts soon."

Rachel smiled at his humor. I miss them…

"But Ms. Berry," Her friend continued, "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Why are you and Blaine sitting in his room at one in the morning?"

"Touché."

"Well, I heard that your Newsies cast is basically all male. Scandalous!" Blaine commented, a smirk playing on his lips.

"It's heaven." Rachel said, sarcastically. "They're all muscular dancers."

"Oh, to be in the theatre world…" Kurt sighed. He turned his attention back to the girl. "It's not like you to be up past eleven, with your night and morning routines. What's going on?"

Rachel's mind flashed to a memory from two weeks before, when she stayed at a castmate's birthday party until 4am. "I couldn't sleep… I have a date tomorrow."

Kurt and Blaine's faces lit up. "With who?" Kurt shrieked.

"I don't know!" Rachel said, her nerves evident on her face. "It's a blind date and my friend won't tell me his name so I can't google him or anything."

"This must be your first first date since-"

"- Jesse." Rachel suddenly wondered what the disheveled guy she saw on the subway was doing now. Was he okay?

"Moving past that horrible human being, are you really over Finn?"

Rachel paused. With everything going on in her life, between rehearsals and searching for a cheap apartment, she hadn't had that much time to think about her ex. Or anyone in Ohio, for that matter.

"I suppose going on a date may help… Is Finn over me?"

Kurt stayed silent for a moment, as if he was thinking about how to answer. "He… he's enrolled in the army. I haven't really spoken to him since he went to Indiana. Carole has, but it's not like he's going to tell his mom about his romantic life."

"Oh." Rachel was unsure about how she should feel about that…. "Since you guys are up, would you mind helping me pick out an outfit? Kurt, you should see some of the new clothes I brought! You're going to love them!"


"I haven't been on a first date in over a year." Jesse stated, drumming his fingers on the table. Did one-night-stands even count as dates?

"Don't worry." Ryan reassured him, "You will love this girl. She's awesome." He and his boyfriend, Matt, were siting opposite Jesse in a booth, waiting for this mysterious girl to arrive.

"You would have met her already if you came to the party two weeks ago…" Matt said in a sing-song voice. "But I would have thought that the ladies would be all over you."

Jesse sighed, "I'm not much of a…. relationship man. Besides, while you guys were damaging your livers, I made $300 in tips."

"Didn't you work, like, four shifts in a row?"

Jesse replied by shushing Matt and placing his middle finger on his lips.

"I see her!" Ryan jumped up, "Rachel!"
Jesse felt his stomach drop. Please no… Please, please, please no. Rachel is a very common name.

"Hey guys!" A familiar voice rang out.

"Fuck." Jesse muttered as Rachel Berry drew closer to the booth.

"Hi, I'm-" She turned to her date, "- Jesse." Disbelief was evident on her face. For an actress, she really doesn't hide her emotions well.

"Rachel. Hello." Hello, Is it me you're looking for?

"Oh crap, do you guys know each other?" Ryan groaned, glancing between the two who were now sitting on the same side of the booth, but trying to keep as much space between them as possible.

"We dated." Rachel answered, looking at her ex. His hair was unstyled again, but not limp like in the subway. Instead, soft curls covered his forehead and behind his ears. He was in the too-small jeans again, complete with black skate shoes. His black shirt, however, was replaced with a green and white striped polo. She suddenly wondered if that was as soft as his other shirt….

He knew she was looking at him. He also now knew that, yes, she as the girl on the subway. Her bangs were longer, reaching her eyelids. Jesse wondered if she was growing them out. He like her forehead showing; it was easier to kiss. Her outfit was a simple blue dress—someone probably helped her pick it out. He remembered how she'd always freak out about what to wear to their dates—

Wait. Rachel Berry was on a date. Was she not engaged anymore? Of course not, Ryan wouldn't have set this up if she was in a relationship. Jesse felt his heart soar at that thought. Rachel, his wonderful Rachel, might finally be done with that tall douchebag.

"Wow, I guess it is a small world after all!" Matt joked, trying to ease the tension that had arrived with the 17 year old.

"Man, that's the scariest ride in Disney." Ryan said with a shiver. "Why'd you mention it?"

"You're scared of singing robots?" Jesse laughed, knowing that it irked the girl next to him. Why is she made at me? She was the one who broke my heart last… Okay, I was mean at Nationals, but I also got her into college!

"Not everyone is fearless, Jesse." Rachel snapped. You know I'm not fearless, Berry. You're the only one who does… You know my fear of flying… how I feel about my dad… I know you don't like squirrels…. That you can't resist being kissed under your ear… Does Finn know that? Does he know the scar on your collarbone is from when you had chickenpox as a baby? Jesse could feel the eyes of the two men on him, yearning to know what he did that made their bubbly friend so… un-Rachel.

The tension seemed to become stronger when a waitress came to take their orders.

"I have to poop." Ryan declared, getting up from the table and heading to the bathroom. A moment later, Mat said, "So do I."

Jesse watched the boys walk away as Rachel sipped her water, clearly trying to avoid him.

"I bet they're going to have sex." He said. She ignored him. "You look nice."

"Thanks."

Jesse sighed, playing with the straw in his diet coke. "We already went through the apologies."

"That doesn't make it any less awkward."

He turned to her, and found her looking at him. How could I have forgotten how amazing her eyes are? Jesse could not have sworn his heart skipped a beat. "Congrats on Newsies. Was it one of the roles you were born to play?"

Rachel snorted, although she was still uncomfortable, "Yeah, it's my destiny to play teenage boy who lives on the streets and smokes cigars."

"Fascinating."

Rachel took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I can't do this… I'm not even ready to date. Tell Ryan and Matt I saw bye."

"Bye Rachel." As he uttered those words, Jesse felt as though something left him. Hope, he realized. With each step Rachel took, his hope diminished more and more.


Hey guys, your opinions and review would be greatly appreciated :)

-Bri