Title: Intoxication

Rating: T

Summary: Abandoned, again. Left to wallow in her own self pity, to question what she did wrong this time. And then he appears and suddenly her world is turned on its head all over again. When Jesse appears in the Christmas Tree Sale, Rachel finds where she could always control Finn, Jesse is a force of nature. Dangerous, but intoxicating.

Disclaimer: Obviously I do not own Glee, if I did Jesse would still be there and St. Berry would be alive and kicking. But he isn't. From this we can conclude that I don't own Glee.

xxx

He was chained to his computer, continually pressing the refresh button over the hours that Rachel played. He managed to get a hold of live streaming and caught the last half of the half time performance. He had to admit that it was pretty spectacular, even against Vocal Adrenaline standards. He was glad to see that the earlier absent football team had reappeared and continued the game. They won, rather amazingly and Jesse let a relieved smile spread over his lips as he watched Rachel run with her friends out onto the pitch and embrace the team tightly. His smile fell a little when she hugged Finn closely and his teeth gritted together as he closed the laptop down quickly.

He didn't need to see anymore.

It took her around an hour to call him. She was still breathing hard, the adrenaline from her most recent performance running through her veins.

"Hi!" She cried, breathlessly.

"Hey," He replied, smiling and leaning back in his chair.

"We won!"

"I know," He smiled a little.

"You do?" She was slightly disappointed for a moment, before curiosity seeped into her tone. "How?"

"I was watching."

"You were...?" She trailed off before asking, alarm in her voice, "Are you here?"

He could almost picture her glancing around her room, as if expecting him to materialize before her.

"No," He hurried to add, "No, I watched it online. You were amazing."

"Doing what?" She teased, laughing.

"Both." He replied and then added, to lighten the sudden tension. "I enjoyed the customisation."

"Thank you," She replied, laughing. "You were my inspiration."

"I gathered, and I noticed you were number 1."

"As always," She rolled her eyes in reply and then laughed again.

"As long as you weren't hurt." He smiled. "It's a pretty dangerous sport."

"Well, I wasn't," She answered, pushing away the flutter in her stomach at his concern. "You know Brittany, Quinn and Santana?"

"How could I not?" He quipped. "What of them?"

"They were going to quit the Glee club, I told you, remember?"

"Oh yeah!" He leant back further in his chair as he spun himself gently. "So?"

"They didn't, they came back at the last moment."

"What?" He shot up in his sheet, knocking half of his books across the room as he careened forward, spluttering. "They did what?"

"They rejoined, I don't know what changed their mind… but at least now we have enough members to compete."

"That's great Rache, I'm really happy for you."

"You are?" He frowned at the shock in her voice, replying with the utmost sincerity.

"Yeah… I am."

Xxx

A few days later, Rachel emerged from her English Literature classroom, smiling widely at the prospect of Glee club. The crinkly pink hearts and sparkling pink stars that lined the walls of the corridor were easy to ignore as she mulled over her options for the next solo she would sing. Stopping to flip through the folder in her arms, she was half way through deliberating over two pieces of music, making a mental pros and cons list, when she felt someone collide roughly with her shoulder. Looking up in surprise, she sighed when she saw Santana stop in front of her.

"Hey, Yentil."

"What do you want?" Rachel snapped, her patience already wearing thin.

"Just to tell you that now that I am out of my Cheerios uniform, I can see how much better I dress that you, I mean honestly… could you get anymore unattractive?" Santana sneered, her lip curling. "Proving once again how much better I am than you."

Rachel scoffed, rolling her eyes and slamming her folder shut.

Obviously sensing she had made no real impact, Santana stalked closer and continued. "I mean, honestly dwarf, you've been out with what, three guys? Two were only using you and the other, well, let's be honest, has the mental capacity of a tea spoon. I mean hell, you even dated Puck and he isn't exactly picky about who he dates, he even dated that geek that won the maths fair two years ago. But you," Santana laughed nastily. "You couldn't even keep hold of him."

Turned, she strutted away into the crowds and Rachel clenched her teeth together. Santana was starting to get on her last nerve.

Xxx

There was a strange tension in the room, when the Glee club gathered together. The kids talked quietly amongst themselves, only stopping once Mr Shue started talking.

After his rousing speech about love songs, Finn clambered awkwardly up and stood at the front, his hands in his pockets, a goofy and strangely superior smile on his face as he said.

"I just want to point out that a whole week has gone by without any of us being slushied." A ripple of agreement and applause spread through the room and Finn continued. "I think the fact that I led the team to a conference championship might have something to do with it. The fact is, I'm the closest thing this Glee Club has top a celebrity right now." The group glanced at each other and Rachel suppressed a chuckle as she saw Mercedes' eyebrows shoot upwards. "And like any great celebrity," Finn continued. "A want to give to a charity- you guys."

The group bristled slightly. Being called a charity case, by Finn no less, was slightly insulting.

"So I'm setting up a kissing booth, a dollar a smooch, for you guys." Finn finished, oblivious to their distaste and smiling proudly.

There was an outcry of protest and Rachel was surprised when she noticed Finn snap at Santana.

"Do you ever get tired of pulling people down?"

"Not really, no." Santana shot back.

"You're just a bitch." Lauren commented, her hard eyes glaring at Santana as the Latina scowled back.

"Excuse me, you've just got eyes for my man."

Another argument ensued, until, after watching Santana flick her hair once again, Rachel finally snapped.

"The truth is Santana that you can dish it out, but you can't take it, maybe you're right, maybe I am destined to play the leading role in the Broadway version of Willow, but the only job you're going to have is working on a pole!" She trailed off, breathing heavily, scowling down at the unusually quiet girl.

Watching Santana storm out was strangely satisfying. The amount of times Rachel had wanted to do that but hadn't… It gave her a strange feeling, a feeling of strength. At least she could stay in the room.

After a while, you got used to the insults.

Xxx

Sitting heavily down on her bed, she leant back in her pillows and smiled as she pressed speed dial.

"Happy Valentines Day," He answered happily.

"It isn't Valentines Day yet," She chastised, lightly.

"But it will be soon, so I'll say it now."

"Well you're right, it is a happy day." She smiled, leaning back further.

"Oh really, and what has put you in such good spirits?"

"Finn," She answered, slightly reluctantly.

There was a long silence and she knew he was repressing his comments. "Oh?" His voice was too light, too innocent.

She ignored it and continued. "He's setting up a kissing booth, all proceeds go to Glee."

Jesse snorted loudly.

"What?" She asked hotly.

"Nothing, nothing," He replied quickly, still laughing a little. "He's just got more brains than I thought."

"Shut up," She commanded, saying loudly. "Anyway, I plan on getting a one hundred dollar bill and when he isn't able to change it, he will be forced to kiss me a hundred times."

She smiled proudly and there was nothing but silence at the other end.

"Jesse?" She asked.

"That… sounds like a clever plan Rache."

"I thought so," She replied, smiling and missing the reluctance in his voice. "So how's UCLA?"

"Just as good as ever," He responded, with no smugness. "Hard, but it's all worth it. I feel so close Rache, so close to everything we dream of."

She sighed. "I envy you," She admitted, softly. "I wish I was there."

There was a silence and then he asked, quietly. "Even if it meant leaving Finn?"

"Even then." She replied, firmly. "My career is more important."

He sighed a little and then said. "I'd better be going Rache, good luck."

"Bye Jesse, I'll talk to you soon?"

"You'd better count on it."

Xxx

"Oh come on, you have to be kidding!" Mercedes' voice rang through the Berry household and Rachel laughed uproariously when Kurt shook his head.

"No," He responded, giggling. "I made out with Brittany."

"But she is so dumb she's almost dysfunctional!" Mercedes cried, grabbing the cushion closest to her and throwing it at her.

"It didn't really matter to me at the time." Kurt responded.

"Oh yeah, so you'd make out with Brittany but not me?" Mercedes sounded affronted and Rachel stifled her giggle, wary of the girl's thunderous look.

"Oh come on," Kurt appealed as the sharp ringing of her phone got him off. They stopped their argument to watch as she answered and she waved them off, causing the fight to resume immediately as she said.

"Hello?"

"Rache?"

He face flushed immediately and she glanced back at Mercedes and Kurt, clutching the phone closer to her even though she was certain they couldn't hear her.

"Oh, hey," She slipped out of the door silently, leaning against the cool wall of her landing.

"How you doing? Have you got company?"

"Yeah, Mercedes and Kurt have come round."

"Good," She could hear the pleasure in his voice. "I'm glad."

"How's it going at the big school?" She teased lightly.

"Great actually, that's why I called."

"Huh?" She frowned in confusion.

"I wanted to tell you about the play I've been cast in, in the drama department."

"You were cast in something?" She exclaimed. "That's so amazing Jesse!"

"Yeah, I was cast in the-"

"Rachel?"

Snatching the phone away fro her ear Rachel looked up to see Kurt stood beside her.

"Kurt! You scared me." She clutched a hand to her chest.

"Who are you talking to?" He asked, peering down at the phone curiously.

"Oh, no one," Rachel glanced away, whenever she lied she would flush… or you were able to see it in her eyes.

"Seriously Rache, who is it?"

She cringed internally as she reached for the red button, pressing it without giving herself chance to think twice about it, cutting Jesse off immediately.

"It's Jesse isn't it?" Kurt had already guessed.

"Maybe," Rachel responded, still flushing as she pushed away from the wall, going to move past Kurt. He grabbed her arm, holding her back.

"Why are you talking to Jesse?"

"Kurt!" She hissed, glancing back at her room. "Shh!"

"She doesn't know?" Kurt demanded, nodding his head towards her ajar bedroom door.

"No, please, you can't tell her Kurt!" Rachel begged, shaking the boy's shoulder.

"Okay, okay I won't." He replied, stepping out of her reach and towards the door, stopping before he opened it, his hand hovering over the handle. "But I'm warning you, no good ever comes of keeping secrets."

Watching him turn back into her room Rachel sighed in relief, glancing down at the phone still clutched in her hand. Texting a quick apology to Jesse, she stuffed it in her pocket and squared her shoulders, going back into her room after Kurt.

Xxx

Clambering into her car, Rachel pulled the door shut with a bang and rested her head gently against the wheel, sighing heavily.

Pressing the speed dial on her phone was almost instinctive by now and she sighed as she brought it to her ear, slowly sitting up, waiting for him the answer.

"Rache?"

"Hey," She could hear the clattering of cutlery and clinking of china in the background. "Where are you?"

"Just popped out for some coffee, are you okay?" She smiled a slightly watery smile- it was strange how he could pick up on her emotion in less than five words.

"I think Finn kissed Quinn."

"What?" He asked, immediately, shock reverberating through his voice.

Quickly she explained the situation in a small voice, stopping once or twice to breathe heavily, trying to stop herself from crying. "So I'm not sure what I should do." She confessed finally.

"Well, I wouldn't go on just what Santana says, she isn't exactly the most reliable source is she?" Jesse answered.

"You think I should confront Finn." She said as realisation dawned.

"As much as it pains to tell you this, you should at least give him a chance to explain."

She sighed heavily again, "You're right, as always. I didn't think you'd be so responsible when I came to this, I thought you might egg me on."

They both cringed at her choice of words and then Jesse said, his voice a little staggered.

"I want you to be happy Rache, I'm your… friend."

"Thank you," She replied softly, then asked, in a quiet voice. "Do you think they did?"

He was quiet for a moment, before replying. "Probably, people like that, they will always tend to stray back to each other, they can't help it." He took a deep breath and said. "But maybe this is the right thing, maybe you both need to move on."

Xxx

It was kind of sad, sitting down to the lonely hearts club alone on Valentine's Day. More than kind of sad actually. Very sad, very very sad. But there was nothing she could do, she supposed, as she ordered a soda water, ignoring the waitress' pitying glance.

Sipping her drink gently, she wished Kurt and the Warblers would hurry up and arrive, because once they had performed she could go home and watch old films like she always did on this day.

The buzzing of her phone distracted her and she glanced down, smiling when she saw the text he had sent her.

Happy Valentines Day, remember that your best friend loves you. X

She flushed a little, looking up guiltily when Mercedes, Tina and Mike squeezed in beside her. As the Warblers performed, Rachel kept her hand on her phone, clinging to it and a tingling warmth shot through her.

She wasn't as alone as she thought.

Xxx

Oh my God, talk about rattling this out in record time! I'm so sorry for the wait, it has been far too long and I will not leave it that long again. I've been under the weather and lacking inspiration and had about a million exams, but the recent Glee episode inspired me.

How amazing is that by the way?

Argh, words cannot describe… The ND performance… The Klaine kiss… The fact that Rachel may POSSIBLY get over Finn fingers crossed!

Anyway, amazing stuff, I literally screamed when New Directions won!

I hope for around eight reviews… desperately hope for it I may add ;)

Love y'all!

Ray

xxx