A/N: Okay guys, here comes the Rachel chapter! She is a tricky little thing to write, let me tell you. I know I've gone wrong and/or been too harsh with her before. I will try not to let that happen again. This chapter starts somewhere between Choke and Prom-asaurus. Rachel's flashback appears through a dream, because I just thought it seemed in character for Rachel to dream about things that have actually happened, at least when she feels all her dreams for the future are crushed. Maybe she then would dream of the past? I kind of like that thought.

There is some homophobia going on in this chapter, if that's a trigger warning. I planned on making the homophobes someone who already is on the show, in canon, but that wouldn't really go over all that well with the storyline. Only people I could imagine would be relevant, and make sense in this situation, would be Quinn's parents, but I don't think they signed their girl up for a singing competition when she was a kid, so I made them OC's.

This chapter is very similar to the Mike one, but what can I say? I am not that creative this week.

Anyway; here we go!

Rachel Berry was a high-maintenance girl. She knew that much. She also knew that she was one of the most talented people she had ever met, and the fact that she now had lost all the chances she ever had at life because of a stupid choke, was deeply unfair.

She might have appeared angry to the world, she didn't really know. She didn't even know if anything seemed off or different about her to the rest of the world, but the fact of the matter was that she just felt empty on the inside. She had cried enough tears for a lifetime during the past five days, and to be honest, she was just really tired. It seemed like her heart had just shut down due to exhaustion. She didn't know if she was able to breathe it and move on yet, but maybe, just maybe, in time she would be.

To be honest, despite the total numbness that had taken over her body, she was in a constant possession of mood swings. Sometimes she felt like her entire life was over, like she had no future. Sometimes she even went far enough to believe that she would one day soon just stop dreaming, give up entirely. That meant she would be stuck in Lima for the rest of her life. Maybe do some singing at Breadstix from time to time again. Those thoughts weren't constantly present in her mind, though. Other times she would look in the mirror and say to herself that this was far from over. It had just begun. Mercedes had been right: She had two parents who supported her, and she was lucky to have them as well. They would help her on her way, and she would get to New York, with or without NYADA.

Honestly, she was a mess. She knew people would say it made her a spoiled brat, but this was actually one of the strongest hardships she'd had to face in her life. The biggest disappointment, at the very least. She had been so sure, so determined. She had it in her bag. Hell, she hadn't even been nervous. She was never letting herself getting overly-confident next time.

If there would even be a next time.

She didn't really want to think about it, however difficult it was not to.

At least she still had her boyfriend, but tough luck! He would be gone by summer too. Everyone would be gone and she would be staying right there with the juniors, and Puck and Brittany who wouldn't graduate this year. At least she wasn't there yet. But still… Stuck in Lima. Rachel Barbra Berry, stuck in Lima, Ohio? Something about that just didn't sound right.

With a heavy sigh, she sank back into bed. She guessed that was what you got for having no back-up plan. That was stupid, she realized that now, but it is easy being smart in hindsight. Oh well, guess she would just have to reapply in December or next year sometime. She had brought this on herself, after all.

With yet another defeated sigh, she sank back into bed. Whatever happened to Rachel Berry?

RBRBRBRB

She was four years old, and about to participate in a talent competition. That wasn't exactly news. She had participated in three already, in her short little life. She knew she was a good singer. She had always known. People told her, and she was quick to tell herself too. It was just a fact, or so it seemed.

She knew better than to hold her hopes up too high, though. She knew that being no older than four years old, there would be quite a lot of children older than her and not very many children younger. The children she would be competing with would undoubtedly be more… What was it called? Experienced? She was sure that was it. They would be more experienced than her. She didn't really mind. She knew that it wasn't all about winning; her dads had made sure to print that into her young skull from the day she was born. It was about being the best she could be, and she would. You bet she would.

She entered the audience of the competition with her dads, and perhaps she was a lot of things, but she was far from stupid. The way a group of people in the back row were looking at them didn't go unnoticed by her. Her dad, Leroy just gave them a somewhat cynical, yet formal nod, while Hiram just grabbed his arm and whispered that they should just go find their seats.

The people in the back-row (judging by the looks of them, a grandfather, two parents and a girl who looked a little too young for a mother but too old for a sister – probably an aunt or cousin or something), weren't exactly subtle in the expression of their disgust.

"What has this world come to?" said the woman who was obviously someone's mother.

The father shook his head. "Mortifying. And look at that poor little girl, imagine when she gets older…"

In an almost comical unison the family drew a heavy sigh. It wasn't like Rachel's family was unfamiliar with such comments; they were familiar enough with them that they didn't bother giving them a piece of their minds anymore. That just got too tiring in the long run.

The grandfather went next: "I swear to God, this country is promoting sin nowadays…"

"Excuse me?" a voice spoke, a bit louder than the family. Turnings slightly in her seat, Rachel could see a woman, quite young, long brown hair pulled behind in a loose pony tail and neat clothes, who was sitting in the row in front of the family. Beside her was a little boy, just as neatly dressed, and about her age, if she was supposed to guess. "Mind speaking up a little, I don't think the piano man heard you over there," she said, pointing towards the piano in the other end of the hall.

"I beg your pardon?" the grandfather asked in a scandalous voice.

Giving a dry chuckle, the woman subconsciously ran her hand over the little boy, who must have been her son's, hair. "Okay, look," she said, - "I will try to be nice, because this is obviously a bit difficult for you: You were talking about sin… Mind telling me what Jesus said about gay people?"

Scoffing, the father crossed his arms over his chest, stating firmly: "Homosexuality is a sin in the Bible, everyone knows that."

Rachel had to hide her chuckle as the woman obviously resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Her fathers had turned around as well now, a couple of amused expressions on their faces.

"I wasn't talking about the Bible, I was talking about Jesus… You know, the guy who walked around telling everybody to love each other? Maybe a bell's ringing somewhere by now?"

"Look," the father said, - "I don't care what they do in the privacy of their own home, that's their business. Alright?"

The woman impeccably cocked one eyebrow, and Rachel could tell she was wondering where the man was going this time. "But flaunting it… In public…"

"I'm gonna stop you right there, because this is getting embarrassing," the woman interrupted, - "They," she stated, pointing towards Rachel's dads, - "are here with their daughter. Same way you are. Just show some respect and keep your thickheaded mind to yourself, that's all I'm asking."

And by that she turned her head towards the couple, and shot a threatening, but still somehow polite facial expression towards anyone who dared to give her a questioning look. Then she turned towards Rachel and gave her a warm real smile and a wink.

Rachel wasn't usually one to admire a lot of people; she was usually busy rising above them, but this woman… Well, she really was something special, even she could tell that.

The talent competition went flawlessly, of course. She belted out "Don't Rain on My Parade" as epically as she'd done for the past two years now, and the incredible woman's son had sung "Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera. He had a very nice voice, even Rachel had to admit that.

Rachel had won the competition. Kurt had come in second. Although she would be devastated if that had happened to her, he didn't seem all that sad as he accepted his silver trophy and hugged his mother.

After the competition, Hiram walked over to the woman. "Hi," he said, reaching out his hand, - "I'm Hiram Berry, this is my partner Leroy and my daughter Rachel." He gestured to his family, and they all shook hands, as the woman introduced herself as Elizabeth Hummel, and introduced her son as Kurt.

"Pleasure to meet you," she said, a big smile on her face, before catching Rachel's eye. "You did great, Rachel!" she exclaimed, before turning to her son. "Didn't she Kurt?"

Kurt nodded and gave a smile. "He's just a bit tired," Elizabeth said.

"You did good too," Rachel admitted to Kurt, - "You obviously haven't…"

"Rachel," Hiram scolded, and Rachel immediately shut up, for once. This wasn't exactly the best time.

"Thanks for what you said in there at the beginning," Leroy told Elizabeth, - " That hasn't really happened all that much before."

Elizabeth just nodded solemnly. "No problem," she said, casting an almost unconscious look to her son. A somewhat melancholic expression graced her beautiful features, before she put on a sly smirk. "Oh well," she said, -"We can be comforted by the idea that in fifty years we'll be looking upon those people like we are looking at the edgy parts of the Civil Rights Movement today."

Hiram and Leroy had to laugh at that. "I suppose you're right," they said.

She gave a light shrug. "I know I am right." Then she sighed. "Well, we'd better get going. Say goodbye, Kurt."

"Bye," Kurt said, with a small wave.

As she was about to leave, she turned to Rachel. "And you," she said firmly, but with a smile on her face, - "Not that I am the best judge or anything, but as far as I can see and hear, you've got something special. Don't lose that along the way."

And by that she was gone. They still saw her around town from time to time, and they attended her funeral when she died. More out of personal gratitude than out of respect.

When they started school, and Kurt and Rachel ended up in the same class, Elizabeth let Hiram and Leroy know that Rachel would always have a friend in Kurt if the bullies at school were too tricky to deal with, and the same way Elizabeth had told Kurt to be nice to Rachel, Hiram and Leroy told Rachel to be nice with Kurt after Elizabeth passed.

A good pact was made that day, and it was all thanks to Elizabeth Hummel.

RBRBRBRBRBRB

Rachel woke abruptly. Had she been sleeping? She wasn't all that sure, but she suddenly felt a little lighter at heart. Maybe everything would now be okay?

She knew one thing: Somewhere along her way, she had lost herself. The old Rachel Berry who claimed that the Glee Club wasn't enough for her would never have settled for a life in Lima, Ohio. She'd rather die before that.

So she gave a sigh. She would figure something out. Her life wasn't over. She would just have to take some time, relax, and focus on herself. And then the "her" she knew would eventually return to her.

That much she was sure of.