Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of it's characters. If I did, St. Berry would be endgame, all the deleted scenes would NOT have been deleted, and Finchel would get out of our faces.
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How I Know You - Chapter 8
"My dads don't know you're here." Rachel warned Jesse, looking out into the hall. They hadn't moved from their position on the threshold of the Berry's hotel room.
Jesse nodded knowingly, "They are probably on their way back to the room right now. Skylar said he wouldn't be able to hold them off for too long."
"Wait, you arranged all this just to speak with me?" Rachel asked incredulously, "What if I had denied you?"
"You wouldn't have." Jesse stated confidently, that smirk of his intact. "Admittedly, at first I worried that you'd refuse to speak to me or you'd slam the door in my face, but then I remembered that you're incapable of resisting me."
Rachel crossed her arms defiantly. "You don't know me that well."
"I think I do, Miss Berry. I know exactly how you act."
"Is that so?"
Jesse studied her for a moment. "Right now, you're relieved to see you haven't lost me forever and you're thinking about how to ask for my number again because you deleted it last night." Jesse said smugly, coaxing a dramatic eye roll from Rachel. "Yet, I know that you are still extremely hurt by all the things I said to you and are curious as to how I will apologize for it. You are also curious as to how I found you. I won't go into any more details, seeing as your dads are probably in the elevator right now. But you're curiosity trumps your better instinct to slam the door in my face, and so you agreed to hear me out. Don't pretend like I don't know you, Rachel. I do."
Rachel stood speechless in the doorway, unsure what to say after that incredibly accurate description of her feelings.
"Here's my number again, call me when you want to see me and resolve our issues. I'm close by, so whenever you're ready. "
He kissed her on her right cheek and left her alone in the doorway, stunned, holding a card with his number in both hands.
Rachel retreated back into the hotel room, pondering everything that had just happened. Sitting down on one of the plush chairs in the common room, she set aside Jesse's number and touched her cheek where he had kissed her. She felt uneasy, and doubted whether she really wanted to call Jesse and reconcile. She didn't feel ready for any of it. Picking up her phone, Rachel inputted Jesse's number, then returned to the outstanding text from Finn.
R: It's O.K., Finn. I understand.
F: Good. I was worried about you, but then got all nervous and sort of freaked out... I listened to your message btw. R U O.K?
R: I'm doing better. I miss you.
F: I miss you too.
R: Have you enlisted yet?
F: No. I have to wait for my final transcripts. They want to see that I completed high school.
R: That will probably take a month or so, McKinley is known to take their time.
F: Yeah...
R: So, Do you think we'll see each other before you go?
F: Yeah, we will. You know, I haven't stopped loving you Rach.
R: Me neither. You'll always be my soul mate.
F: faithfully?
R: faithfully.
Rachel set down her phone as her fathers walked through the door, Hiram seeming content while Leroy lagged behind, huffing and muttering to himself.
"Did everything work out downstairs?" Rachel asked innocently, secretly knowing Jesse was somehow involved in what had happened.
Hiram opened his mouth to speak, but Leroy cut in. "Well, seeing as there was nothing to work out, then yes!"
"Leroy, calm down. At least there wasn't a problem. It was probably some prankster dialing up different numbers throughout the hotel." Hiram said in reassurance.
"Yes, I know, I know." Leroy said, swatting his hands. "It was just so embarrassing! This is a classy place and we went and made fools of ourselves downstairs!"
"You are definitely overreacting. We didn't make fools of ourselves," Hiram argued, "The man at the front desk was very understanding, he even gave us a voucher for a free breakfast tomorrow. We got free breakfast out of a prank call, this is a good thing."
"Very well," Leroy sighed, then turned to his daughter, "Rachel honey, we are going to head in for the night. Don't stay up too late."
"I won't Daddy, goodnight." she replied, standing up with them and heading into her separate room.
Flipping her phone open , Rachel found Jesse's number in the contacts and pressed the phone to her ear. After two rings she heard his melodic voice answer.
"Hello."
"Hi, Jesse." Rachel said hesitantly.
"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Can we talk?"
"Right now?"
"Well, can we meet somewhere?" Rachel suggested nervously, "I'd rather do it face to face"
"Of course, but what about your dads?"
"They went to bed. I can step out for a bit."
"Okay, well, I'll come down and get you."
"Wait, what?" She answered, confused by his course of action.
"Just be out in the hall in five minutes."
"Okay,"
Rachel hung up and hurried around, slipping on a pair of flats and digging through her suitcase for her long cardigan in case she got cold. She dropped her phone into one of the large pockets and tiptoed to the front door, making sure she had her room key before stepping out into the hallway.
The hallway was empty and quiet, Rachel paced around, curious as to why she had to meet Jesse on her own floor. She perked up when she heard the elevator "ding" down the hall and saw Jesse step out. Taking one look back at her hotel room door, she jogged over to where Jesse stood, looking like he had just woken up.
"Hi."
"Hey,"
"Were you asleep when I called?" Rachel asked, looking over Jesse's disheveled appearance. His hair had never looked so messy and he was dressed in a dark t-shirt and sweatpants. The idea that Jesse St. James owned sweatpants was inexplicable enough.
"I had only just gotten into bed, so I wasn't actually asleep."
"Sorry to wake you," Rachel said, realizing now how inconsiderate her actions were.
"Don't apologize. I said to call me whenever you wanted to talk, and you called. I couldn't say no."
"Where are you staying?" Rachel asked curiously.
"I'll show you, come with me."
Jesse pressed the button for the elevator, which opened immediately, and stepped in, Rachel following him hesitantly. Taking out his key, Jesse slipped it into the spot designated for the Presidential Suite and closed his eyes as he felt the elevator begin to rise.
Rachel, seeing where they were headed, pushed him accusingly, "You've been staying here all this time and you didn't even tell me?"
"I didn't really get a chance, Rach." Jesse quipped, recovering from her assault.
"That's completely besides the point! It's a little creepy that you are staying at the exact same hotel as me. Don't you think?"
"No, I stay here all the time. The St. James' have a big investment in this hotel chain. So really, I should be asking you why you're at the exact same hotel as me." Jesse shot back, a smug smile gracing his face.
Before Rachel could reply, the doors of the elevator opened to reveal Jesse's hotel room. The presidential suite took up an entire floor of the hotel; there was a panoramic view of the city, which in the night time was particularly breathtaking, and several elaborately decorated rooms. Jesse stood aside to let Rachel explore, wide eyed and mouth ajar, each room's exquisite detail. There was everything from a fully stocked bar to an ornate, canopied, king sized bed; chandeliers were in every room, even the bathroom, and the bathtub doubled as a jacuzzi.
"This place is amazing, and so big. You're here all alone?" Rachel asked, coming out of the 3rd bathroom.
"Yeah, it's just me," Jesse said, lounging on one of the many plush couches around the main room.
"This is too much for one person, if you ask me." Rachel remarked, sitting on the couch opposite Jesse, still admiring her surroundings.
"I agree, it is a bit much, but I'm not the one paying for it, so it's not all that bad." Jesse smirked.
"You're always so proud to spend your parents money on such big things, I'd just feel lonely up here."
"I didn't say I wasn't lonely." Jesse admitted, looking back at Rachel, who turned her eyes away from his. "So you wanted to talk?"
"Yes, I do." Rachel paused, "Well first of all let me apologize for how I acted towards you the other night, I jumped to conclusions, and it was unkind."
"I forgive you-" Jesse started
"But, what you said to me was out of line. You had no place to judge me for my life choices, nor do you have the credibility to decide whether I am right for Broadway or not."
"And I'm sorry for that, Rachel! You know how I get, I just wanted to hurt you." Jesse reasoned.
Rachel, who had started out so determined, sunk back into the chair and admitted sadly, "Well, you succeeded."
Jesse rushed over to her side to comfort her, "Rachel, you know what I think of you. You're the most talented person I've ever met, and I can't wait for the day when you debut on Broadway."
"Thank you," she replied meekly.
"But, Rachel," Jesse continued, "The determination that you used to have, I don't see it anymore. You used to only ever want to talk about theatre and singing and New York, and I'd never met anyone like that before. It bothered the hell out of me when I brought you to the Karaoke bar for a night of fun and all you could think about was Finn, and don't tell me that's not true."
"Of course I was thinking about Finn the whole time, we were engaged and he had just sent me off on a train that day! Why don't you understand how horrible I feel right now? I'm just trying to get back on my feet." Rachel said, moving out of Jesse's reach, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Then let me help you, Rachel." Jesse pleaded.
"Jesse, I can't—"
"You need a friend right now"
"Exactly, I need a friend." Rachel confessed, " You know you're not just a friend, Jesse, and I'm not ready for that."
"So, what are you trying to say? You don't want to see me?"
"No, I'm not saying that. I just... I need time, Jesse."
"How much time?" Jesse asked.
"I don't know, I just need to spend time with my family. I need to spend time by myself. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, yeah it's okay. I understand."
"Thank you, Jesse." Rachel rose, giving him a hug. "I still care about you, deeply"
"I still care about you too, Rach." Jesse said. "You know how to find me."
Jesse sat and watched as Rachel left through the elevator and descended back down to her own floor. Taking out his phone, he dialed in Skylar's number and waited for his friend to pick up. When there was no answer, Jesse resigned to leave a message and go to bed.
"Hey, Skylar. Just called to give you an update, but you're probably too busy playing Call of Duty or hanging out with your internet friends to answer your phone." Jesse teased, "Anyways, Rachel came up to talk to me and she wants to be alone for a while, so that's what happened with that. I'm just going to head to bed, so I'll call you in the morning, we can get breakfast or something. Alright, goodbye."
Jesse hung up and threw his phone across the room. Running his hand through his hair and climbing into the oversized bed, he agonized over everything that had happened between himself and Rachel in the past two years. He had never fought hard enough for her, he screwed up every chance he got, stepping aside and letting Finn take her away again. But what could he do now? He had tried to get close to her and she only pushed him away; she said she needed space and he couldn't possibly deny her, even though he knew that space would lead her back into Finn's arms. Jesse felt helpless, a feeling he had not experienced before meeting Rachel Berry. He was powerless to her whims, and her whims had taken him to New York and left him alone in a presidential suite. Now, all he could do was wait, and wait he would.
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The lateness of this chapter is partially my fault...Well its actually mostly my fault. Life has been really hectic, I moved out of my house and into an apartment and I started college. I haven't even been on tumblr much! So writing has been a difficult task to focus on and I apologize. Also, I had this written a while back and it basically spent a couple weeks in the hand of my beta (sorry for outing you). I admit I didn't do enough nagging to get it back because honestly I wasn't even on tumblr to talk to her anyways...I've been a shitty person with a hectic life.
So this is where I tell you that Chapter 9 may take a while as well. Once I get settle I believe it will be easier. BUT ALAS I AM NOT GIVING UP ON THIS STORY NO WAY NO WAY! I have it all planned out, all that needs to be done is the writing.
And yes, I know this chapter was disappointing, but you can't expect Rachel to take Jesse back immediately! As much as we all hate it, she is seriously in love with Finn and he is in love with her. It's not going to be that easy!
You have been ever so kind with reviews and waiting...you are such lovely readers and I feel bad when I don't update every week. Keep being lovely.
Thank you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, I will answer for you :D
