Chapter 9
A/N: I want to thank everyone for sticking with me and continuing to review. I am very sorry for the delay in this chapter. I'm going to start setting aside time a couple of days every week to work on my writing, so I do hope to start updating more regularly! This is a shorter chapter; however, the next part is more of a transition and it just felt like the right place to end this one.
Rachel couldn't believe this was happening and the worst part was that she knew she couldn't stop it. She was up in her room, sobbing into her pillow. She wanted to leave but her dads told her she need to focus on her homework. But what was the point? It was all over anyway. Her life was ruined.
She thought about calling Will. Even if she couldn't see him, she could tell him what was going on. Maybe he could figure out a way for them to get out of this. There had to be a way. But she could hear her dads outside of her room. They'd hear her if she was on the phone, and maybe that was for the best. She had to tell Will something like this in person.
Listening to her dads' muffled voices, she frowned. Things sounded tense between them. Maybe that meant there was a chance to change their minds. Something had to be done. Taking a deep breath, she quietly thought about what had just happened, trying to figure out a way to stop this…
-An hour earlier-
…. "Pumpkin, we need to tell you about something and we know it's going to upset you, but we've talked about it and it's what your father and I decided needs to be done," Hiram said, looking up at her.
She looked between the two of them. She didn't know what to think. Did they find out she wasn't at glee this afternoon? Did something happen? She couldn't panic yet. Maybe it was nothing she was thinking.
Shaking her head slightly, she focused on LeRoy. "I don't understand. Daddy, what's going on?"
She watched LeRoy look over at Hiram almost as if he wasn't sure about this. She wondered if she should confess that she was with a friend instead of at glee. She didn't know what to really say and she hated feeling as if she was a step behind. She was starting to get scared.
Sitting down in front of her, LeRoy took a deep breath. "Well, sweetheart, I got an offer to run the firm in Chicago. I was going to say no. Your father and I talked and decided it wasn't the right time…" he paused slightly.
Rachel froze at the mention of Chicago, calming slightly only when he said it wasn't the right time. She couldn't leave. She had Will. She finally had friends. However, that relief soon disappeared.
"But, things have changed," Hiram jumped in. He sounded upset and she didn't know what she had done. "I requested a transfer. We'll be moving in a couple of weeks, as soon as the school year ends," he told her bluntly.
LeRoy gave Hiram a look. He had been hoping to soften the blow but he knew Hiram wasn't entirely happy with this decision. He still wanted to go to the police but at least the relationship would end and she would never see her teacher again.
Rachel could feel her world falling apart. She didn't even notice her fathers having a silent conversation over this. Her eyes filled with tears and she blinked quickly trying to make them go away. It was over; everything was ruined.
"But Lima is our home," she tried. "I have school and glee club and friends. I'm going to be a senior," she said, pleading as the tears started to fall rapidly. "Please, I don't want to lose this."
LeRoy had to look away. His daughter's heart was breaking in front of him, and he felt like it was his fault. But this was for the best, he reminded himself. She would move on once she was away from Will Schuester.
Hiram stood from his chair, biting his tongue to keep from saying any more. "They have glee clubs in Chicago," he told her. "It's already been decided. You should start packing."
With that, he walked away, leaving Rachel slightly stunned and confused. There was no family discussion. There was always a family discussion about major decisions. She didn't understand what was going on, why this was happening. There was no way they could know about Will, so it couldn't have to do with that. She looked at LeRoy hoping for an explanation.
"I'm sorry, Rachel," he said, his voice softer. "I can't pass up this opportunity.
She nodded, still trying to make sense of it all. She needed to see Will. Standing from the couch, she spoke quietly and wiped at her eyes. "I- I need to go out," she said walking towards the door.
"No, Rachel. You will go upstairs and work on the paper you have due tomorrow."
She turned back to him, pleading. She had to see Will. "Please, daddy!"
"You can see your friends tomorrow at school. You have two weeks left to see them. Tonight you need to do your homework."
She wanted to scream and yell. She had an overwhelming desire to stomp her foot but she didn't. Instead, with a defeated sigh, she turned and walked upstairs to her room. She couldn't stop herself from slamming the door though.
She had spent the night crying, trying to find a way to change this but she knew it was no use.
It was over. She would go away to Chicago, and Will would find someone else, someone his age. She was sure of that. One day, she would hear about his wedding to Miss Pillsbury and she would be alone in her apartment, surrounded by cats. She couldn't even respond to his texts that night, too afraid that she would never stop crying if she did.
Instead, she texted Mercedes and asked if they could talk before school. With the promise of coffee, she agreed. Rachel put her phone to the side and tried to fall asleep, shutting her eyes tightly.
xxx
"So, you're moving?" Mercedes asked the next morning as they sat in her parked car outside the school.
"In two weeks," Rachel nodded, "as soon as school is over. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm so happy here, finally, and with Will," Rachel cried.
At that moment, both saw Will's blue, beat-up car pulling into the parking lot. Rachel took one look at it and started sobbing once again.
Mercedes reached across the seat and rubbed her hand gently up and down her friend's back, hoping to soothe her at least a little. She didn't know what to do though. She liked Sam and if he had to move away, she she'd be sad but okay. She was seeing now how deeply in love Rachel really was with their teacher.
Mercedes watched as Mr. Schue started walking towards the school. He smiled and waved when he saw the two girls, though his face quickly changed to concern when he saw Rachel. It was clear then that their teacher was also very much in love with Rachel. She waved at Mr. Schue – Rachel unable to do the same – and tried to give him a reassuring smile. She didn't feel at all like this would actually be okay but there wasn't much else she could do. Rachel had to be the one to talk to him.
With a sigh, she looked over at the other girl, the one she had grown close to over the past two years. In the beginning, she never thought she and Rachel would be this close, that Rachel would confide in her the biggest secret she had. But here they were and she wanted to be there for Rachel as best she could.
"It's one year," she finally spoke. "I think with how much you love each other, you can make it work." Mercedes was confident of that.
Rachel looked up a little then, trying to dry her eyes without getting mascara everywhere. "Do you really think so?" she asked.
"You want a future with him, right?"
"Yes, more than anything." Rachel nodded.
"Then this is just a bump in the road. If you love each other, you'll make it work. You just have to talk to him and don't give up."
Rachel thought about it, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down.
"You're right," she whispered eventually. "It will be okay," she nodded, "and you and I will stay friends," she stated.
"Of course we will," the other Diva confirmed. The two girls hugged and after fixing Rachel's make up, they went off to begin the day, Rachel feeling better than she had since the night before.
She was antsy throughout the day though. She needed to talk to Will in person. Ignoring the texts from him that asked if she was alright, she reminded herself that she would see him later. She couldn't say anything until they could really sit down and talk.
As glee was winding down, she decided to send Will a text.
Your place after glee? Please.
She watched as he looked down at his phone and then up at her, confusion swimming in his eyes. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod, and she smiled slightly, not betraying her emotions.
She thought about what she was going to say on the drive over but as soon as she was in front of his door, she found herself almost paralyzed, unable to knock. What if he ended it? Took this as a sign that it was over? What if he was relieved she was moving away? If he was looking for a way out? What if she lost the only person she had ever loved?
She didn't have much time to contemplate any of those questions. Instead the door swung open, surprising her.
"Are you going to stand out there all day?" he asked with a smile, thought she could tell he was nervous. She wished she could assure him that everything was alright but nothing felt okay and she couldn't lie.
Will didn't know what was going on. She had avoided him all day. She was crying this morning. She didn't answer his texts. What if their conversation a couple weeks earlier actually scared her away the more she thought about it? Maybe she wasn't ready for forever.
"I'm sorry if I've been moving too fast," he said, quickly, not sure what else to say. He just wanted to fix this. "We can slow down. I just love you more than I ever thought possible."
It was his voice, his words that caused her to break again. She shut the door behind her and flung herself into his arms, wrapping hers around his waist and sobbing into his chest.
Confused and concerned, Will wrapped his arms tightly around Rachel and pulled her close, whispering words of comfort as his hand moved up and down her back. Neither of them said anything for several moments. Will didn't even know where to begin and Rachel's sobbing made it hard for her to speak.
But eventually, she started to calm down, much to Will's relief. It physically hurt him to see her this way.
"Rachel, what happened?" he tried again.
Rachel slowly untangled herself from his arms and took a couple of deep breaths. Taking his hand, she led them over to the couch and sat down, her body angled so that she could face him.
"I don't want to lose you," she started softly.
"You never will," she said quickly.
She shook her head slightly. She didn't know how they could survive this.
"I'm moving away," she said, continuing on when she saw his confusion. "My dad got a job in Chicago and they decided he would take it. We move in two weeks and I'm going to lose you," she finished with a sob.
Of all the things going through his head, he hadn't expected this. He didn't know what to say, how to assure her that it would be okay. In all honesty, he didn't know that their relationship could survive it but he knew one thing: he wanted to try; he wouldn't just give up.
Scooting closer to her, he wrapped her in his arms once more. "We can try to make this work," he said softly. "We can call each other, and there's email. It's only a year and you'll be in college in New York. Maybe that's where I'll be too. You know I've always wanted to live there. One year, and then we can have that."
He knew his promise was big, maybe even something he couldn't deliver. But in this moment, it was the only thing he wanted and he would work towards making it a reality.
Rachel looked up at him hopefully. "Do you really think we can do it?" she asked.
"I think we always knew this relationship would be hard. This- this is just a bump in the road, however unexpected." He tried to remain positive. They could do this. "We just have to fight."
"I can fight," she promised with a small smile.
"I can too. And in the meantime, we'll make the most of these last two weeks."
Leaning in, he kissed her deeply, sealing the promise that he had made. She was the love of his life and he never wanted to lose that.
Rachel pulled him closer, pressing herself to him as she straddled him.
"Bedroom," she murmured. He didn't waste any time before lifting her and taking her into the next room.
As they made love, Rachel tried to tell herself that they would be okay. He wasn't going anywhere; he loved her and would wait for her. It wasn't ideal but what love story was ever easy. The love stories that withstood time, that were true, would always test the two parties. If they overcame those tests, then they knew that they were meant to be.
Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think with a review!
