"Someone egged my car while I was at Glee."
"Shit- you're a vegan too aren't you?"
Rachel nodded but realized that he couldn't see her.
"Shit. I'm sorry Rachel." Sebastian sighed not knowing what to do. Two to ten year old girls he could deal with, beyond that was out of his range. "Rachel it's not worth crying over, it's not. Don't give them the satisfaction of seeing your tears. So suck it up." Sebastian could hear the offended gasp on the other line but he was relieved that the crying had stopped. "Now take your keys and get in your car, put me on speaker so that I can hear your engine. Turn the car on and drive to the nearest gas station and go to the car wash, do you want me to stay on the phone?"
"Please." Rachel said hating the lifelessness of her voice.
Sebastian sighed. "Okay, fine."
For a few minutes there was complete silence on both ends.
"So…"
"When did you start playing lacrosse?" Rachel asked as she finally drove out of McKinley's parking lot.
"Freshman year of high school."
"Why?" Rachel asked genuinely curious.
"I had too much anger over my parents divorcing and moving me away from all I knew. I needed an outlet and the lacrosse teacher was my trig teacher. He told me that I needed to try out."
"Your parents are divorced?"
"Yes but don't go all apologetic to me, I don't need any sympathy. So don't-"
"I have two gay dads." Rachel interrupted.
Sebastian couldn't help but let the "huh" he was thinking, out loud.
"Everyone has dysfunctional families." Rachel said simply. "Don't just assume everyone's going to judge." She said knowingly.
"Don't be so snippy." Sebastian said but gave a crooked grin. For some reason, Rachel's parentage explained A LOT. Her style, her no nonsense, princess/diva attitude, plus her strong will against bullies and asses like him.
"What are you thinking?"
"With two dads it was pretty impossible that you wouldn't turn into an attention seeking, spotlight hogging diva like princess."
Rachel gave an outraged gasp. "Excuse me?"
"Most girls are daddy's girl- you're daddies' girl."
Rachel hmphed but said nothing. "Should I buy the premium wash?"
"Yeah, yoke's not going to be the easiest thing to get out."
Sebastian could hear when the car wash came on but he was torn between making sure the girl stayed okay and hanging up. Deciding he rather have a clear conscience, Sebastian stayed on the phone but placed his phone down as he got dressed. Sebastian could faintly hear Rachel's radio as Sara Bareille's Love Song came on. Sebastian hummed to it as he finally put on his shirt. Sebastian was about to say something when he realized that it wasn't he radio that was on but Rachel singing. Sebastian but his phone on speaker so that he could hear the rest.
!
"You're good Rachel, really good." Sebastian said when she finished.
"I know, thank you." Rachel said, the slight pause told Sebastian that the thank you had a double meaning. "Bye Sebastian." Rachel said at last.
"Bye Barbra."
!
"Hey man hands,"
Rachel stopped at the terrible nickname. "Santana,"
"Okay I'll just get to the chase, Q's going to be at Glee later- and for good reasons, she does not want to talk to you or see you. So for once could you not show? Bye." Then Santana left as fast as she had come, leaving Rachel pale and on the verge of tears. Not all the slushies in the world hurt as much as Santana's words.
!
"Rachel,"
Rachel turned at the sound of Finn's voice. "Hi," Rachel said as she stood on her toes to give Finn a kiss on the lips.
"Did Kurt tell you that Quinn's coming back to school tomorrow?"
Rachel shook her head.
"Oh." Finn said awkwardly. "We decided that we should do a glee piece for welcoming Quinn back."
Rachel wanted to ask who 'we' was but said nothing. "That, that's a good idea."
Finn beamed. "Yeah, but we're all stuck on what song to sing."
"There's that new song by that British band, One Direction. Right now I think that Quinn needs all the pick me up she can get. It'll be perfect." She smiled somewhat sadly.
"What's the song?"
"Ask Sam, Finn. I'm sure Sam knows or Blaine. I have to go."
Finn's excited expression turned into confusion. "Wait you're not going to glee?"
Rachel bit her lip. "No, I have an errand to run."
!
Rachel drove straight to the hospital, a copy of The Sound of Music with her. Rachel was going to introduce the kids to the true wonders of Broadway and how else but the classic DoReiMe. Even unenthusiastic music lovers knew the iconic song.
When Rachel arrived however, she was met with a flurry of movements as nurses and parents were bundling their kids up in regular clothes and packing essentials.
"Rachel!" Several of the kids cried as they spotted their second favorite volunteer. Lori and Anya ran up to hug Rachel who gratefully returned the warm hugs.
"Are you coming with us?" Lori asked.
"Well I was planning to spend the rest of the day with my favorite princesses and princes but-"
"Come with us to Sebastian's game!" Sarah cried.
Rachel blinked. "Sebastian?"
"Sebastian invited the kids to one of his games. We decided that the weather couldn't get any better than today and all the kids needed some fresh air anyway. So we thought what better day than today?" A nurse said as she went around and put the correct medication in each child's emergency aid.
"Please Rachel!"
"Come with us," Several kids cajoled.
"Well I guess I can't really say no- I would love to come with you guys."
"Yay!" The kids cried.
"Will Rachel ride the bus with us Ms. Taylor?" Jason asked.
All the kids looked at Rachel who nodded. More cries of joy chorused and Rachel found herself overwhelmed as the kids grabbed her hand to begin their march to the bus.
Several of the kids tried to sit as close to Rachel as possible but Lori, Anya, and Matthew were the ones that got to sit beside her. The nurses just shook their heads as they took their seats while parents followed in cars.
The ride was going to take a little over an hour and after they got on the highway several of the kids began to grow bored.
"Let's sing a song." One of the nurses chimed so that soon the bus was full of rambunctious laughter and a chaotic "the wheels on the bus go round and round."
Rachel found herself falling more and more in love with the kids as all the bad in her world disappeared. The children expelled a warmth that made her laugh and enjoy these kinds of moments.
"Rachel can you sing us a song?" Matthew asked when they finished. Other ears perked up and soon were echoing please.
Rachel looked at the nurses whom nodded warmly. Rachel grinned. "I would love to. Any song in particular?"
"Taylor Swift?" One girl asked causing the three boys to groan. But all the girls cried happily at the suggestion.
"At least a female badass-"
"Tommy!" One of the nurses cried.
"I mean someone like Pink or Rihanna." Tommy amended.
Rachel laughed. "Why don't I sing somewhere between Taylor and Rihanna?"
I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned
Rachel started to sing causing her audience to fall completely quiet except for the sound of the bus.
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Anya, the youngest, two years old laid her head in Rachel's lap as she closed her eyes, Rachel's voice luring her to a peaceful nap.
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Rachel smiled as she kept on singing all the while stroking Anya's hair.
Oh, oh, oh…
!
When Rachel finished , the kids kept asking for more. Rachel only agreed if they sang with her. Soon the bus was full of everyone, nurses and bus driver included, singing the Sound of Music classic, being led by none other than Rachel Berry.
!
"Sebastian!"
Sebastian was warming up when he heard his name. To his shock, he saw all the kids… and Rachel.
"Go Sebastian!" All the kids cheered together bringing a grin on Sebastian's lips. Sebastian waved at them before telling his team he was taking a break.
"Twachel,"
Rachel looked down to see Anya tugging on her skirt.
"Yes Anya?"
"Up ple, plea," Anya struggled with her S's but Rachel understood her and picked the girl up, to her delight as she was now able to see.
Sebastian was practically taking two steps at a time to get to them. When he reached his large party, the kids swarmed around him.
"We're here!" Lori announced giddy.
"I see," Sebastian grinned.
"We're all here to cheer you on!" One of the boys said.
"Why thank you."
"And Rachel's here to give you a good luck kiss!" Lori and Sarah announced.
Rachel and Sebastian looked at each other abruptly.
"Lori," Sebastian warned.
"Sarah," Rachel said.
Lori shook her finger at them. "A princess always has to give the prince a kiss so he'll be back safely."
"Uh huh, a kiss is always the answer." Sarah agreed.
Sebastian warily looked down at the two girls. Lori returned a stubborn look. The two had a short stare down before Sebastian surrendered in mock defeat.
Rachel didn't know what to say when Sebastian gave her a quick, chaste kiss on the cheek.
"Lip, lip!" Anya said in indignation.
"Yeah!" A bunch of the girls agreed.
"Princess Rachel's already betrothed Anya." Sebastian said laughing.
Several jaws dropped kids and nurses alike.
"Nooooo, what? When?" Lori and Sarah cried in horror as their fairytale story was ruined before them.
Sebastian and Rachel shared a look, Sebastian arched a brow at the two girls as if saying girls and their imaginations, causing Rachel to giggle.
"The game's going to start in ten, I have to go back to warm up," Sebastian affectionately rubbed both Lori's and Sarah's heads. "All of you are going to cheer for me right?"
"Of course." Everyone practically chirped even Rachel.
!
Rachel was seriously shocked at how much fun she was having. After attending Finn's and the other Glee boys' games, Rachel couldn't help but think that lacrosse was much less complicated in rule. Plus Rachel found watching Tommy and Annie yell at the referee every time he called on Dalton hilarious. Lori was even better as her knowledge of the game was on par with Rachel, but yelled every time someone hit, stole, or even interfered with Sebastian during the game.
"Sebastian's the best, isn't he Anya?" Lori asked the young one that was sitting in Rachel's lap. Since neither of her parents could make it, the situation caused her to latch onto Rachel.
Anya nodded furiously.
"Rachel,"
"Yes, Lori?"
"If Sebastian's isn't your prince, is he like your knight?" The girl inquired.
Rachel really wasn't sure how to answer the question. "Lori, sometimes people aren't all bad or good."
Lori gave Rachel a look that clearly stated that that was not the answer to her question.
"For me I guess Sebastian's the dark horse."
Lori gave Rachel a confused look. "A horse," She said horrified that Prince Sebastian was being called a horse.
Rachel laughed; Lori was seriously just as dramatic as Rachel was. "Lori, I don't mean it literally. It's a metaphor, a comparison of two unalike things. Sebastian's a dark horse because he's become my unexpected hero that manages to be there when I least expect him to and in the nick of time."
Lori put on her most serious expression. "The princess always falls in love with the hero," Lori said knowingly.
Rachel chuckled before affectionately hugging the young girl with one arm. If only all of us could stay that innocent to believe in fairy tales, Rachel thought before turning back to the game.
Hope you all liked,