CHAPTER 8 – THE ENCOUNTER

It had been two months after Finn's death, and Rachel still didn't believe it. At first she spent her days in their room, looking at their pictures, watching their videos, smelling his clothes. She could not believe she would never see her husband, her best friend ever again. That she would never be in his arms again. She lost him before they even started planning a family "We should wait until we're 30" he had said, and she had agreed because their schedules where so crazy back then. But she could not fathom that she had nothing left of him, that she didn't get to say goodbye…

The days after he died went in a haze. Her dads were there, Shelby, Beth, Will, Tina, Kurt and Mercedes. Jesse. People coming and going from the house, trying to talk to her, but she wouldn't listen. She just wanted to be lost in thoughts of him. Rachel slept a lot those days and barely talked to anyone. She just nodded, slept and cried.

It's been two months Shelby, you should talk to her" one of Rachel's dads said as she slept. "She listens to you, if I've gotten ten words from her in the past two months, it's a lot. And she needs to wash those shirts of his, they have to be filthy…. I just want her to get better…" he said clearly frustrated.

"I don't know what to do, maybe find a therapist?" replied Shelby. Jesse interrupted them.

"Leave her alone, she needs to grieve, her husband for the past five years just passed way unexpectedly, she doesn't know what to do. Let her grieve her own way." he said while heating some water on the kettle, he knew she would wake up soon, and he wanted her to have hot tea just in case.

Shelby's phone rang, it was Paul. The show where Rachel worked was about to start a new season and they wanted her back. Paul tried reasoning with them, telling them, that she was not ready, but they wouldn't listen, they needed her more than ever. There was no way in hell Jesse would let them take advantage of her sorrow to improve ratings.

"I'll talk to them" Jesse said and left.

When he got back to the house he found that Rachel was out of her room, wearing an oversized football jersey that read HUDSON on the back. She was curled up on the sofa, her legs under the shirt, looking outside while others tried to make small talk. But she wasn't talking, just nodding and looking out. When she saw Jesse she just looked at him with pleading eyes and he sat next to her. "Hi" he said while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hi" she replied to him, with a hint of a smile. She put her head on her shoulder and closed her eyes. After a while she could see she was asleep, and didn't dare to move.

"What did they say" Shelby whispered.

"They were being really difficult, one of them even threatened with going to court. I offered to buy her out of the contract, but they replied that they'd rather spend months in court than settling for money. They used to be decent, now they've turned into a bunch of assholes. But I solved it." Jesse whispered back.

"How?"

"When they didn't settle, I offered them myself. I'll be replacing Rachel next season, so she can rest and get better. Now let her rest, can't you go anywhere else" Jesse said protectively. He stayed there alone with her, and when everyone left she whispered to him without moving "Thanks Jesse". "Anything for you Rachel Berry, anything" he said while kissing the top of her head.


"I want to go" she said, without lifting her head from his shoulder and her eyes still closed. Jesse lifted an eyebrow and asked her "Where?"

"I saw him today in my dreams. He was beautiful and peaceful, and he said I needed to go, to get out of here. He said that he loved me but he had to go, and that I should also leave. And he said to tell you Jesse, to tell you that I had to go, that you'd understand. He was so serene… He smiled at me and said goodbye, and repeated over and over that I would be fine." She didn't move or opened her eyes, she just talked.

Jesse kissed the top of her head. "When would you like to leave?"

"As soon as possible"

"Do you want to go alone, or with your dads, Shelby… One of the girls…"

"Just Shelby" she replied.

"I'll make the arrangements as soon as I can" he said. He had no idea where he could take them, or if she was just talking on her sleep. She just stayed there, and he felt her relaxed, actually sleeping now.

He just stayed with her for a couple of hours, he also fell asleep. Suddenly he woke up. "I know" he said.

Rachel uncoiled herself from the couch, and carefully stood up. Even when she looked like a mess she was beautiful. He also stood up, stretching a little. "Thank you" she said while getting closer to him, she just stood there with her head in his chest and her arms still down, while he hugged her and kissed her head one more time. Then he pulled apart and she stepped away. "Anything" he said again, and she looked at him and nodded before leaving for her room.

"Bali? You want us to leave for Bali?" one of her dads said.

"Actually, she just wants Shelby to go with her. She didn't say Bali, she just said that she needed to get out of here, and I thought of my parent's place in Bali. It's spectacular, I had the place remodeled a while ago and they did a wonderful job. Now it's a very spiritual place, with ponds, waterfalls, praying trees and rocks where you can sit in the gardens. And it is right in front of a beautiful white sanded beach."

He omitted the part where Finn told her in her dreams to go.

Jesse expected a faceoff with her dads, they were very possessive of their little girl, and they wouldn't be easy to convince.

"I think it's a great idea Jesse" said one of them, while the other replied "I think that this exactly what she needs, some time off to grieve and find herself again. When are they leaving?"

Jesse could not believe their reaction, and he was sure there had to be some kind of divine intervention, this was just too easy.

She packed lightly, and asked her dads to pack everything while she was gone. She needed to get a smaller place, probably in Malibu near the beach. They could stay in the house or sell it was their choice. She just needed to come back to a different place. The dads were happy that they could be useful and would be busy for the next months.

Jesse took them to the airport. Rachel did not want him to get down, just a quick goodbye. She kissed him on the cheek and said "Thank you Jesse. I hope you can visit when the show is over." And she just left.


Jesse did the show unwillingly, he was still mad at the way they had handled the situation, but after a while he softened up on the contestants and started to have a good time. But he missed Rachel, he just wanted to see her, to be with her, she was so pale and thin and fragile when she left… He made sure that there were vegan foods and supplies delivered every week, and he sent her a different DVD twice a week: mostly musicals he knew she liked. They hadn't spoken on the phone, he only spoke to Shelby.

The first month Shelby said that Rachel was coming out of her shell and was spending time outdoors in the gardens and walking in the beach. By the second month in Bali, Rachel started talking more, and by the third month she even laughed. Four months passed before she talked to him.

"This place is amazing, Jesse, you don't know how grateful I am for all you've done…"

"Don't say more, Rachel. It's the least I could do…"

"When are you coming to visit? I want to see you."

"The show will be ending in almost two months and I'll be free again. I wish you were closer so that at least I could spend the weekend with you…" For the first time in many months he was longing for her, he was thinking of her like he used to. But he knew it was too soon for her, so maybe waiting was for the best. "Do you want me to send your dads and some of your friends over?"

"Oh Jesse, that would be wonderful, I can't wait to see them! I can't wait to see you!" she sounded happy for the first time since he died, and he was very pleased. "I miss you too, Rachel Berry."

They talked on the phone almost every day, sometimes for hours: about their lives, about Finn, about her plans for the future… "I realized that I am very lucky. Even though he's not here anymore, at least I got to experience the kind of love that many never experience their whole lives. Our time together was wonderful, I couldn't have asked for a better partner, and I'm grateful that he was part of my life… Things come and go, but what we had will last forever."

After a moment of silence he said "I'm glad for you Rachel, I really am. I knew that it was a matter of time, that you'd thrive and shine again…."

"Thanks to you Jesse. I couldn't have done this without you".

Jesse smiled on the phone. He was allowing himself to feel hopeful now.

" I think I have good news, Rachel" he said a month later. Even though the season is ending, next week they are doing a tribute how that I squeezed out off. I could visit if you want…"

"Oh my god, yes, what a surprise! When?"

"I'll get there on Friday, and need to leave by Wednesday, but at least I'll be there 5 days…"

"I can't wait to see you Jesse!" she said, and she sounded genuinely happy. And so was Jesse.


He arrived two hours early. When he got there it was stepping on a different house, there were flowers everywhere, and the place itself seemed full of life. Jesse saw her before she could see him, she was sitting on the back terrace overlooking the beach with Tina and Kurt, they were laughing and drinking one of the exotic concoctions Rachel had been making lately, alcohol free, of course. Kurt saw him first and said "Hey", then Rachel turned around and ran towards him, and gave him a big hug "Jesse, I'm so glad you're here!" She looked radiant, her hair was shorter, and she had bangs now, she had gained a few pounds and the color was back in her skin. She had no makeup, just a simple short sundress and no shoes. After Jesse greeted everybody, Rachel just stayed by his side the whole time, he was starting to feel nervous, it had been so long since he'd be with someone, and she was just getting too close…

"Show me the beach, he said" She never let go of his hand during the walk, she just talked and laughed and was a whole different person form the sad girl he left at the airport six months ago. Almost eleven months had passed since that fateful morning. Now Rachel could talk about him without crying.

Jesse wanted to stay longer with Rachel, but he was exhausted from the long trip and his eyes kept closing. Rachel went up to his room and prepared the bed while he took a shower. When he got out he was only wearing a towel, and Rachel was in his room. "I was just preparing the bed for you…" She held the covers up and instructed him to lay down, he needed to rest. "Rachel, I need to undress first."

"Oh sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were ok. I'm gonna go now, unless you want to stay talking a little longer.." And then she put her arms around him.

"Thank you Jesse, you've been wonderful".

He was standing there in his towel praying she left, he could not hide his need for her much longer. Was she coming onto him? No. Not possible, she was just grateful. He wasn't expecting to get THAT lucky…

" I think I need to rest for a while" he said while yawning.

She planted two big kisses in his cheek before saying "Sweet Dreams!" and closing the door behind her. He wanted her so badly, and it showed. He just went to bed thinking that it was too soon before he dozed off…

The next day when he got out they were by the pool, Rachel, Tina and Kurt, unfortunately, in bikinis. Rachel's was tiny. It was only ten in the morning, how was he supposed to last through the day in a bathing suit while looking at her walk around in that tiny thing. She kept hugging and holding his hand through the day, she was definitely coming onto him. And he tried to keep his distance all day, mostly sitting with a big towel on his lap and unable to get up most of the day. At night Kurt cooked for everyone and they were just laughing and drinking wine in the terrace. This was definitely not what Jesse was expecting, he didn't know what to make of her reaction. By the fifth or sixth bottle of wine, Jesse had to go to bed. This time Rachel did not follow him, to his relief. She and the girls were laughing and a bit tipsy already. He took a very cold shower for the third time that day and went to bed.

He woke up to Rachel beside him, looking at him. "God, you scared me!" he said while sitting on the bed. "What are you doing here?"

She was drunk. Jesse had never seen her drunk, and he wanted to make sure she made it to her room.

"Can you turn around please?" he told her so that he could get out of bed and into some shorts. Rachel turned around for a second. Then he heard her say

"So you're a briefs guy! I thought you were a boxers guy? Briefs?" and she busted out laughing. "Jesse St James is a briefs guy!"

He smiled at her and just sat on the edge of the bed in his briefs. Rachel went to him, and was about to sit on top of him when he asked her "What are you doing?"

"Well, you've been ignoring me all night, and I just want to be close to you Jesse. I've missed you, haven't you missed me?"

"Of course I have!" he said standing up and putting his hands on her shoulders." But now you have to go, you don't know what you're doing…"

He kissed her check and went back to bed. And she got in bed with him.

"I just need to touch you a little, that's all" She said while laying next to him all sexy and drunk. Her hands were all over his chest, and Jesse held them with his. "Rachel…" Apparently she thought this was an invitation and just went on top of him. She leaned down and kissed him on the lips.

"Just let me kiss you a little"… And he did let her, he pulled her head to his and kissed her back, he had forgotten how good that felt. They just kept kissing and Rachel was grinding against him.

"Please Rachel" he pleaded while she sat up, still on top of him, and removed her dress, she was not wearing a bra, only tiny panties. She took his hands and placed them on her breasts.

"Touch me Jesse" she said full of lust. He had to touch her, and she leaned down again and kissed him hungrily "Jesse I want you so bad…"

He lifted her head. "Rachel, please, do you think I'm made of stone? Don't do this, not like this, I want to make love to you sober"

"You wanna make love to me? And yes, it seems you are made of stone after all" she said while trailing her hand down and grabbing him over his briefs. He groaned in pleasure as Rachel snaked her hand under his briefs to have better access. She held his hardness and he groaned again.

"Oh god, you're BIG Jesse, really really big!" She said while groping him, "My, your're even bigger than.." and she placed her other hand over her mouth while containing her laughter. He took her hand from under his briefss but she grabbed him again over them. He groaned again as he pushed his hips against her hand.

"What is this Jesse? How come you never told me? This is like, like… Anaconda!" she almost shouted, and now he had to laugh. No one had ever compared him to an anaconda, but appreciated the remark. Now he took her hands in his.

"Rachel, you have to go, you'll regret this tomorrow…" he started saying, but now she was moving against him and breathing harder.

"You feel sooo good Jesse" and she just kept moving against him. She leaned down and kissed him, now moving faster against him and moaning, "oh, oh, oh god!" she said.

Losing control, he pushed against her and with his hands ground her hips against him rhythmically, while both of them where still on their underwear.

He had the best orgasm of his life and he wasn't even inside of her… And apparently so did she. His briefs and her panties were drenched. She just laid on top of him and nuzzled against him, and fell asleep right there. He wasn't sure if she'd remember the next day, but he didn't care. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep too, holding her still on top of him. Life was good.


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