Hi everyone...two chapters in one day - what can I say, I am inspired! Or more like I watched 'Goodbye' and got incredibly annoyed and this was the only way to work out my frustration. As if Kurt wouldn't get into NYADA but Rachel would? No matter how amazing her Nationals performance or how lovely Jesse was speaking up for her (swoon) when Kurt was given the praise that he was given, and when he nailed it at his audition, I refuse to believe he'd lose out but Rachel would get in. It REALLLY annoyed me...and so there was nothing I could do but sit down at my computer and write this chatper, make believing that Kurt and Rachel are BOTH where they belong.

So here is the result, I hope you like it.

Disclaimer - well judging by my above rant I think we can all agree I don't own this show...both the songs belong to the incredibly talented Chester See and not to me, or Jesse St James for that matter - although in this story they do.

The songs are - That Girl and Fairy Tale...look them up on Youtube they are BEAUTIFULLLLL (or they are in my humble opinion)

Rachel pushed the front door to her apartment open glad to be home after such an intense day. First her ballet teacher had insisted she kept re-doing her pirouette because they weren't as 'neat' as they could be. Spinning over and over again could really take it out of, by the end of it her head was dizzy and her feet were aching and blistered. Then she'd had her one to one signing practice with Carmen, who had been anything but thrilled at the performance she had given, and Rachel couldn't blame her either – even she knew she was having an off day. She just couldn't get along with the new song at all and the more she tried to push herself the worse it seemed to have got. In the end Carmen had asked her to start the piece so many times that she had started to lose her voice. So all in all the day hadn't been great.

There were only two things that could help her make it through days like today. One was constantly repeating the line 'Me singing 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' in front of a sold-out crowd is not a fantasy. It's an inevitability.' In order to keep her spirits up. The other was coming home and going through the contents of the top shoe box in her bedroom closet. There were three shoe boxes nestled in there, each with a special tag alerting her to which was which, each holding separate memories of the three things that had been most emotionally important to Rachel throughout her life, excluding her dads of course...but she didn't need a box for them. The top however was the one with the memories she liked to revisit the most, as it was the one that brought the most comfort.

Tonight she opened it and stared in at the contents, letting out a rather sad sigh as she thumbed through the things in there…photos and news clippings of her and the rest of New Directions after they won Nationals, song sheets from some of their performances, and a million other Glee club memories. On days like today when she felt like she was out of her depth and alone she missed them all so much…she longed to be surrounded by people who would love her whether she managed to bag them a nationals title or not…the day had been a hard one, one that had made her feel like she was insignificant in the grand scheme of things, a nobody if you will. She wished right now she was able to go and stand in the McKinley auditorium and feel like a somebody again. The five minutes she spent looking into the contents of the box was enough to spring her into action again though. It revived her and reminded her that out there there were people who thought she was a somebody, people who believe 100% in the fact that Rachel Berry was going to be a star someday. That was all she had needed, so just as carefully as she had removed it she returned the shoe box to its proper place on top of the other two. Slowly she ran her hand along the other two before standing and changing into her sweats. It had been a long day and Rachel felt like she deserved this moment of slobbery.

As she stepped into the lounge she let out a groan….seriously she loved living with Kurt and Blaine – especially since having Blaine actually living with them this year was a lot better than Kurt's melancholy pining for him last year, and it had put an end to those accidental times she had walked in on Kurt and Blaine in the middle of a 'private' SKYE session – but at the same time since Blaine had moved in it always seemed like things were out of place in the house. It wasn't that they were messy…they were impeccably clean…it was just whenever they had people over their guests tended to mess up the way things were supposed to be. Case in point her musical programmes where no longer on the shelf under the coffee table where they belonged, but piled neatly on top. Rachel would bet anything that had been Santana last night after Rachel had excused herself and gone to bed….

It was still funny to think that Santana spent most of her Wednesday nights here with then…things had changed a lot over the last year and a half. If someone had asked her before she moved out to New York what her life here would have been like she'd have said she would have been married to Finn, most probably living with him and Kurt and then Blaine when he got here, and that the Glee member she'd speak to the least would be Santana. But life has a funny way of surprising you. Now half way through her second year at NYADA she had to marvel at the changes she'd seen. She was no longer with Finn and the two of them now only really spoke when they were around other people. And while she did live with Kurt and Blaine it wasn't how she might have imagined…and strangely enough she found herself having an almost weekly friendship date with Santana. Granted those dates wouldn't have progressed without Kurt, who took pity on Santana when she was struggling to find her feet in New York. And then both Rachel and Santana had spent a weekend going to visit Quinn at Yale and it had proven to them that they could at least spend time together just the two of them without killing each other, but this regular meet up hadn't happened until Blaine had moved in. It was all part of his mission to make them an outgoing social trio…he seemed rather delighted taking on the role of social butterfly of the group and in all honesty Rachel and Kurt just hadn't had the heart to stop him.

Even when Rachel and Kurt weren't around on a Wednesday evening Blaine would still drag Santana along to whatever it was he had planned. And over the past couple of months Santana had landed a couple of gigs, which had been attended not just by her three New York glee companions, but also by Quinn and Brittany. It had been nice being personally invited to see her perform on stage, and Rachel couldn't deny that she was incredible.

Now as Rachel flopped onto the sofa, her muscles aching, all she could think about was relaxing tonight before she had to do it all over again tomorrow. She flicked the TV on and wondered where Kurt was…he was almost always home before her on Thursday's and he would never usually miss the start of 'Hot and Famous' the truly awful celebrity talk show they watched together every time Thursday. Whilst it truly was a terrible show, they had unwittingly started watching it because Mercedes had once been one of the back-up singers for the hot new music talent of the week act. Ever since then the two of them had been hooked on it, and it was a great way to scout out the latest music talent…half the time the musical act featured was awful, but the other half of the time the person performing was brilliant. And Kurt and Rachel would know about them before many of their peers…and scouting out the next best thing and learning their repertoire was essential in this business.

The chat show host was half way through the first interview when Kurt walked in, dropping his keys down on the table and flopping down next to her.

'You're late home.' Rachel stated.

'Yeah I took Jenny out for a drink after rehearsals…she had a terrible day. Nicole was a total bitch to her in front of everyone, shouting at her and telling her her dress didn't fit right – all because she wants to believe she is two sizes smaller than she actually is…actresses, they can be such temperamental bitches at times.' Kurt answered her shooting her a cheeky wink.

Rachel laughed and rolled her eyes, 'Nicole is a bitch. She's always telling me I need to remember the costume designer's proper place is at the bottom of the heap, not socialising with the actors. I think she thinks we are betraying the social order of things by having befriended Jenny.'

'Well that is what makes us different, our hearts and our acceptance of outsiders…New Directions taught us how to do that and to be proud of it.' Kurt said.

Rachel smiled, turning her attention back to the interview on screen.

'Have they had the musical artist of the week yet?' Kurt asked after a moment.

'No they haven't even announced them yet. We gonna take a bet…bad or good this week?' Rachel replied.

'Bad, the last two have sucked and I have a feeling this is going to be a third time round.'

Rachel laughed good naturedly at him and popped her feet up on the sofa so they were draped over his legs before saying, 'You're so pessimistic Kurt…I say it will be best out of three and this week's artist is going to be super.'

They carried on laughing and teasing each other whilst the boring celebrity interviews were taking place, but the minute the presenter said it was time to introduce this week's musical guest both fell into comfortable silence.

'And now ladies and gentlemen it is time for our featured musical artist of the week. As always they'll be invited onto the sofa after their first song to discuss their work, before playing us out after the show with something else. I'm really excited to have this artist here, he's been making quite a stir in the UK and he's here tonight to play for you…please welcome playing his new song 'That Girl' Mr Jesse St James'

For a second Rachel thought she was dreaming. She pulled her legs off Kurt, sat forward in her chair to see the TV screen better, and pinched herself for good measure. But no she was definitely awake, and that was definitely Jesse. She turned to find Kurt looking at her with a look of surprise she suspected mirrored her own.

'.GOD' he punched out the words, and they came out a little louder than he perhaps intended.

Jesse was going to be sick. He couldn't do this…he just couldn't. He didn't understand why he felt so nervous, he performed on stage all the time. He'd won four, FOUR, Nationals titles…he'd played in sold out theatres, he'd even played on TV back in the UK. But for some reason now his chest was contracting.

He thought back to Mary's phone call earlier. It was her fault he was so nervous, if she hadn't asked that bloody question about what he was going to say when they asked him about all his soppy, broody music and what inspired him to write it then it would be ok.

It was a question he'd been asked before on plenty of occasions, but of course it was always easy to answer when you're in another country and there is no way your muse will hear about it. Not that he imagined Rachel would be watching now…this show was incredibly low budget on a little known channel…but still there was a chance.

Before he had time to worry any more about the impending performance and following interview he heard the host announce him and before he knew it the lights where shining brightly on the piano where he was sitting. For a fraction of a second Jesse panicked and thought he wouldn't be able to go through with the performance…that he had forgotten how to play the song and the lyrics. But then without him even really registering it his fingers were sweeping over the keys and the lyrics were rolling off his tongue.

As Jesse started playing the keys Rachel realised she was holding her breath and she didn't exhale until his voice started, filling her with a million memories from her past.

Oh tonight I'm feeling fine

I'm alone just wasting time

No Friday movie nights, or romantic candlelight

I'm just having conversations

With the thoughts in my head

All I hear are angels crying

Oh won't they just sing instead

It would be wrong for me to say

I don't need that girl by my side

I don't need that girl in my life

I don't want to talk it out

Or hold her when she cries

I don't want to say she's my kind

I don't want to say that she's mine

I don't want to tell her that I love her more than life

More than life...

I love her more than life

Just then the door opened and Blaine walked in.

'Hey guys…'

'Shhhh' both Rachel and Kurt said in unison, eyes fixed on the screen.

'Oh my God is that-'

'Yes! Shhh' both Rachel and Kurt said again.

Blaine sat down on the chair across from them and joined them in their focus on the television.

Honestly, this won't do

How is she doing?

I tell myself that I'm feeling swell

But I know I'm such a fool

I can take it as a new beginning

But you know I don't feel that way

Who will take all this pain away?

I know it's wrong for me to say

I don't need that girl by my side

I don't need that girl in my life

I don't want to talk it out

Or hold her when she cries

I don't want to say she's my kind

I don't want to say that she's mine

I don't want to tell her that I love her more than life

More than life...

I love her more than life...

Talk about a sin

Was the day I walked

Into the other side

I would run back in

I wouldn't waste no time

I know it's wrong for me to say

I don't need that girl by my side

I don't need that girl in my life

I don't want to talk it out

Or hold her when she cries

I don't want to say she's my kind

I don't want to say that she's mine

I don't want to tell her that I love her more than life

More than life...

I love her more than life

When the song was over the three of them sat there in utter silence not really knowing what to say. Suddenly Kurt's phone beeped breaking through the quite. He flipped it open muttering 'It's Mercedes…'

'What did she say?' Rachel asked.

'She says holy crap did you guys see that…how did that soulless monster create that beautiful ballad…'

'Jesse maybe a lot of things but I hardly think it is fair to call him a soulless monster.' Rachel reasoned, her mind flashing back to the last time they had seen each other.

'Didn't he egg you once?' Blaine asked

'It was a long time ago. People change, look at us!' she pointed out.

'Perhaps' Kurt said.

The three of them lapsed into silence again as the adverts finished and the shows started again, each eager to hear what Jesse had to say during his interview.

'Jesse St James thank you for joining us.'

'Thank you for having me' Jesse answered politely, after all he had to make people like him…and what better way to do that than to make everyone believe he was a well-mannered, sweetie pie?

'Now Jesse is it true that you found fame in London creating music for and starring in an off West End musical production of 'Much Ado About Nothing'?' the host asked.

Jesse was impressed…someone on this show had obviously done their homework.

'Yeah sort of. I was taking part in a performing arts summer programme that was organised through RADA and one day I was in the music room on my own, so I sat down at the piano and started playing a song I had been working on. It was one of those rip you heart out, angry, kind of songs kind of based around three girls I know and the effect their relationship had had on me…only one of which had any romantic connection to me before you start thinking of me as a player or anything like that. Anyway I am sitting at the piano, belting out this tune with all my heart and soul, expressing all of my longing and emotion in it and then one of the organisers of the programme and a major musical theatre producer in his own right walks in because he's heard me from outside. He says he's really impressed and asks me if I have any other songs I can play him so I play him a couple of other ones and then he goes away, and I think that is it. Then a couple of weeks later he calls me into his office and he says he's working with one of his friends to put together this musical Shakespeare thing and he wants to know if I am willing to put a couple of my songs into it, and whether I want a part in it. Well obviously I said yes, if one of the leading producers of London musical theatre offers you a shot like that, you'd have to be an idiot to turn him down. So that was how I ended up creating the music for the show and how I ended up with the part of Claudio.'

'But going into writing and playing music full time wasn't your intention was it?' the host asked

'No and it still isn't if I am completely honest. After the musical gig I got offered a role in Arthur Miller's 'Danger Memory' at the Jermyn Street Theatre, this really cute little off West End theatre in London that used to be a changing room for the restaurant next door, and that really gave me the chance to do a bit of straight theatre for the first time, without music, which was totally new for me. Then from that I landed a couple of other acting jobs…some musical some not and I was bumping along quite slowly trying out these new roles when the same guy who gave me the 'Much Ado About Nothing' shot phoned me up and asked me if I was still composing some stuff and whether I'd be interested in recording a soundtrack for a little British movie. Again this was never really something I planned, but I didn't feel like it was the kind of offer I could say no too…and I did have a hell of a lot of songs to my name by that point. So I agreed and the film was a huge hit over in England. I mean I don't really understand what the film is about, that's how British this movie is, but they loved it. And they loved my music…the soundtrack was a hit and I released a couple of songs off of it and they did well. The next thing I know I was being offered recording contracts, all of which I turned down. Not because I wasn't interested but because musical theatre is still my main passion.' Jesse explained.

'And that was when you decided you'd record your own album, not on a label but by yourself, and see how it faired over here in the US?'

Jesse smiled, that made him sound almost pompous, 'Yeah, I've been wanting to do some work in the US for a while. I have a couple of people over here I am really eager to see again and it seemed like the best way around it. I also wanted to see how well my songs would stand on their own…you know no shows, no films, to support them – just my songs, on their own, speaking to people as standalone pieces of music. So I spoke to a couple of contacts I had and now here I am. If I had signed to a label there was a good chance I was going to have to give up theatre, and to be honest that just wasn't an option for me. But this way, well I get the best of both worlds.'

Man he hoped he'd explained that well enough. Now that part of the interview was over he knew the harder part was coming. Well Jesse St James you're just going to have to suck it up and answer those questions like a man he told himself.

'Now your songs, you've described them before as being your own personal way of expressing your emotion and your way of communicating. Is there someone special you write about when you write? You said earlier the song that started it all was about three women?'

'All my songs express personal things I've been going through at the time of writing or composing them yes, and of course within that there are people who factor more than others. I'd definitely say I have one muse that drives all the music I write.'

'And that muse is?'

'The girl that got away. She's my muse, she's the reason I wrote 'That Girl' and I'm pretty sure a part of her is in every other song I've ever written.' Jesse answered within a heartbeat.

At that comment Rachel was sure her face must have lost its entire colour. She was also sure Kurt and Blaine must have noticed her emotional change, but alas they seemed oblivious to the confusion running through Rachel right now.

It took all she had to carry on focusing on what was being said on the TV screen, her heart was beating so loudly she could hear it in her ears.

On the screen Jesse was busy explaining the meaning behind the song he was about to play to close the show for this week. Something he said had, of course, been inspired by the girl that got away – but something a bit happier than 'That Girl' perhaps, because this song was apparently about believing dreams come true.

From the TV Rachel vaguely registered that the host was now speaking again and Jesse was moving back towards the piano. Despite how hard it was to focus she forced herself too so she could hear what the host was going to say before Jesse played the closing song.

'Well Jesse St James thank you for coming on to talk to us and enlightening us on your impressive career so far and now we'd be delighted if you could play us out with your song 'Fairy tales'…now ladies and gentlemen give it up one more time for MR JESSE ST JAMES people!'

Then those skilful fingers once again flew across the piano keys and again Rachel held her breath. A million emotions were running through her body as he started to sing and for the first time since they started having this Thursday ritual Rachel wished Kurt and Blaine weren't there. She wanted to be alone, to try and process what all this meant, what these beautiful words could mean…

Once upon a time you were left crying in the rain and hurt

You said, you'd never love again

He came along, he broke your heart

Now it's been crushed and needs new parts

You feel like it will never heal

You say you've been feeling like giving up on dreaming

'Cause love will only let you down

You tell me that you've been thinking that your prince will never come around

Well, I'll say

Happy ever after ending

Close your eyes and start pretending

You're the princess to this story

And I can be your Prince Charming

Sleeping beauty, Cinderella

I'll be Edward, you'll be Bella

So take my hand and dance with me

Just one kiss and you'll believe

We can turn the night into anything for you

'Cause sometimes fairy tales come true

It's not about what happened then

But what will happen in the end

And I know how this story goes

So every time you're feeling

Like there's no use in believing

All the stories you were told before

And you can't find a reason to believe in something anymore

Well, I'll say

Happy ever after ending

Close your eyes and start pretending

You're the princess to this story

And I can be your Prince Charming

Sleeping beauty, Cinderella

I'm the Beast but you're my Belle

So take my hand and dance with me

Just one kiss and you'll believe

We can turn the night into anything for you

'Cause sometimes fairy tales come true

We can turn the night into anything for you

'Cause sometimes fairy tales come true

After he finished playing Kurt and Blaine were quick to start dissecting everything they'd just heard. They both wondered aloud who this girl could be that had inspired such beautiful music. It seemed they were in agreement that it hadn't been a lie, that the emotion in his voice as he sang had been real. According to Mercedes texts though she did not buy this, she thought it was the same old Jesse St James.

'What do you think Rach?' Kurt finally turned to her and asked.

'Ummm yeah I think it is all real. You can't fake that kind of emotion…even Jesse isn't that good of an actor.' She said, still reeling from everything.

'You never know maybe you're the girl that got away' Kurt joked as he wiggled his eyebrows at her clearly teasing.

If only you knew Kurt, if only you knew Rachel thought.

After what felt like an acceptable amount of time as to not raise any suspicions Rachel removed herself from the room, saying she was tired and going to bed.

When she reached her room and had securely shut her door she fell against it, put her head in her hands and exhaled.

'Oh god' she breathed.

It was funny but the first thing she thought was 'well at least now I know what he's been doing for the past year and a half, I don't need to keep wondering about whether he is in London, chasing his dreams, or still flitting between projects that sell his talent short.'

But in regards to the rest of it…she didn't understand. What she did recognise though was that once again, without meaning too or even realising it, Jesse St James had saved Rachel Berry. She had been having a horrible day, feeling alone and doubting her ability…thinking perhaps she really would never get to Broadway. She hated that she had days like this now, she never used too…but ever since the choke incident she had been unable to block out the niggling doubts she had. Even after so long. But on a day that had been particularly bad Jesse had come along and sang the most beautiful song about Fairy Tales coming true, and it was meant for her. A beacon of light to remind her that her dreams were an inevitability.

The first song he had sung as well, it burned within her soul. It was probably one of the most beautiful things she had ever heard, a pure depiction of love unrequited…and he had written it about her. That was hard to believe. That she could stir that in him was something she found hard to accept.

Slowly she stepped forward to her closet and opened it and once again reached for the pile of shoe boxes, putting aside the Glee memorabilia box she came face to face with the Finn memorabilia box, and setting that aside too she came face to face with the one she needed to open now. The one she barely looked at. Walking over to her ipod she hit play on 'The One That Got Away' sat down on her bed and started pulling out the memories of their short time together. There was nothing outstanding in there, the ticket to The Wiggles concert they went too, the sheet music for Lionel Richie's 'Hello', a few photographs, one from her Prom in junior year…not much to really convey all he had done for her, and apparently all she had meant to him.

For the first time in a long time Rachel Berry cried over a boy who wasn't Finn Hudson…and if you asked her why she was crying, she wouldn't have been able to tell you. She wasn't sure whether she was even upset…nostalgic…all she knew was once again she wondered what would happen if she could once again see the one that got away