When midnight finally rolled around, Jesse found himself having a strange sense of satisfaction. It was nice to watch the people who would actually be able to compete sweating their asses off while he got to sit in a chair out in the audience with Shelby.

"Not bad," Shelby mused as she watched the club pant as they grabbed their Carmel High bags and headed for the door.

"Thanks," Jesse replied as he grabbed his phone off the table. Looking at the screen, he saw that he had two voice mails. He was about to check for who they were when he heard Shelby speaking again.

"You're a good influence on them. I think you're motivating them to be more like you," Shelby smiled.

"That might not necessarily be a good thing," Jesse smirked.

"Right," Shelby said, unconvinced. "I've only known you for five days and I can already tell you're a good kid."

"I am an actor," Jesse replied.

"You're also a high school boy," Shelby laughed.

"Touche."

"I'll see you Monday," Shelby said as she turned and walked out of the auditorium to go to her office.

Once she was gone, Jesse pulled his phone out of his pocket and resumed what he had been doing before. He dialed his voicemail and prepared himself for whatever message he was about to hear.

"Jesse," Jesse let out a groan at the voice that came over the line. "Listen, the area that you're mother and I are going to be in for the next two weeks won't be receiving cell phone service, so you won't be able to get in contact with us." Please, Jesse thought to himself, as if I would have been calling you anyway. "After those two weeks, we're being given a week off to come back to the States, so we'll be stopping by Ohio to come and visit you. We're hoping we can use this time to discuss some details about your future. We're looking forward to seeing you. Goodbye."

Jesse rolled his eyes. Leave it to his father to leave a message that was both irritating, yet completely expected at the same time. It looked as if in two weeks he and his parents would be back to the same old arguments about the careers they see fit for his future and the things he wanted to do with his life. Deciding not to think about it for the time being, Jesse deleted the message and moved on to the next one.

"Hey," the much more welcome voice came over the line. "I know you're helping out Vocal Adrenaline right now, but I was hoping that tomorrow we could spend the day together. I didn't get to see you at all today, so I thought, maybe, you'd want to relax at my house with some movies and check out the music store again. Anyways, call me whenever you get this. Or tomorrow morning, which I guess is now for you since you don't get done with practice until midnight. So, I guess I mean for you to call me later today. Okay, I think voice mail has been long enough. I'll see you later!"

Jesse was grinning by the time he had finished listening to the voice mail. Her cuteness even translated through the phone. A day with Rachel sounded exactly like what he needed. In fact, he had had the exact same thing in mind as far as his plans for the next day went. What better way to get plan SBH, curse John, on the way than to spend the day with her? He checked the time on his watch, it was fifteen minutes past midnight. Before he could second guess himself, he sent her a message.

Wouldn't miss it. See you today.


When Rachel woke up the following morning she leaned over and grabbed her phone off of the bedside table. She read the message that Jesse had sent her and smiled brightly. Suddenly, her phone began to ring. Speak of the devil...

"Hello?" Rachel answered.

"So what time do you want me to come over?" his voice came over the line.

"As soon as possible! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever," Rachel replied.

"My thoughts exactly." Rachel grinned and opened her mouth to reply when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Hold on," she sighed. "One of my dads must have forgotten his keys." Rachel walked down the stairs to her front door. When she opened it she found that she wasn't all that surprised by who was standing on the other side.

"Sorry," he grinned. "I'm not Leroy or Hiram, but I like to think I'm some vague form of entertainment."

"Did you really just call me only so you could say that you've done the whole on-the-phone-with-the-girl-while-I'm-really-at-her-door cliche?" Rachel asked as she stepped aside and let him in.

"Pretty much," Jesse shrugged.

"Well," Rachel smiled. "I'm slightly flattered that you have dubbed me worthy of a cliché such as that."

"You're a special girl," Jesse grinned.

"Aw," Rachel laughed. "You're special too!"

"Why does that sound like an insult coming from you?" Jesse asked as Rachel led him to the living room.

"Why do you always wear black?"

"Touche."


"You know," Rachel frowned. "I'm glad I've never experienced heartbreak like Barbara in The Way We Were."

"This is my least favorite Barbara movie almost for that very same reason."

"Details?"

"Who would let someone have that much control over them?" Jesse explained. "It's unhealthy, really."

"You are so cynical," Rachel argued. "She loved him, and thought he was the only one for her only to find that he was cheating on her with his old girlfriend while she was pregnant with her child. That would be completely devastating! How could you not like this movie. She has just a deep emotional connection to the character. She's flawless."

"No one is flawless, Rachel," Jesse scoffed.

"Except for you," Rachel remarked, incredulously.

"Except for me," Jesse sighed.

"That did not sound nearly as conceited as I was expecting," Rachel said sceptically.

"I got a call from my dad last night," Jesse admitted. Rachel's expression changed to one that held concern for her best friend.

"What did he say?" She asked as she leaned into his side. Jesse slipped his arm around her and explained what the voicemail had said.

"Look, it doesn't matter what you're parents say. We both know that you're headed back to Broadway. It's where you belong."

"Try telling that to my parents," Jesse replied.

"You're parents don't have to approve-"

"But I want them to! I may sound crazy, but I wish that my parents could just understand that performing is what I want to do with my life! They just don't get it! I even heard my dad ask my mom if she thought I was gay! I don't even know what's worse, my father who openly disproves of what I do, or my mom who remains completely indifferent to everything! She never stands up for me, she just sits there while my father belittles all I've accomplished! You, of course, wouldn't understand. I envy you so much. Your fathers worship the ground you walk on! They want everything to do with you! You aren't having to constantly wonder what you did that was wrong enough for them to want to be out of the country helping people they don't even know rather than spend time with you! Do you have any idea what it's like to feel so unwanted?"

The room was completely silent, and then Jesse realized what he had just said.

"Rachel-" he sighed and he noticed how she pulled away from him slightly.

"It's fine," she muttered and suddenly she was staring at her shirt as if it was the most interesting thing on the planet.

"No," Jesse frowned, "it's not. I was just venting and it all came out. I forgot, honestly, I was just so frustrated."

"I understand," Rachel said softly.

"I know how hard it must be for you not knowing who your mom is or why she gave you up. But, whoever she is and whatever reason she did it for, it was the stupidest decision she's ever made. She missed out on having the most amazing daughter. You have two amazing dads who would do anything for you."

Rachel glanced up at Jesse and noticed the sincerity in his eyes. She slid herself back under his arm and adjusted back to the position she was in before.

"Really," Rachel smiled. "It's okay. I have my dads and you. I don't need my mother, whoever she may be."

"So," Jesse decided to change the subject, "I guess you've gotten the news that we can't compete in Regionals."

"I have," Rachel nodded. "And though I am slightly depressed that I won't be singing, I am extremely excited to be helping the team out by coaching."

"Last time I checked, New Directions wasn't entirely Team Rachel," Jesse mused. "How did you manage to swing coaching?"

"I pointed out all of their flaws," Rachel explained.

"Oh yes," Jesse agreed. "Everyone knows that the way to make people like you is to tell them about all of their imperfections."

"Don't be such a smart ass," Rachel said while rolling her eyes. "I also told them of all the potential they had and about how stupid they are if they're going to throw it all away on some stupid pathological need to be popular!"

"Well done," Jesse praised. "Though, I feel the need to inform you that your assumption last night was correct and I am helping out with the coaching of Vocal Adrenaline. Looks like our competition has reached a whole new level."

"I'm looking forward to seeing you get your ass kicked."

"That comment hurts."

"Oh please," Rachel scoffed.

"Fine," Jesse ceded. "Okay, so I've watched three classic musical movies with you. Is it safe to say that we can break for lunch and a trip to the music store?"

"I guess that would be acceptable," Rachel teased. "But only if I get to drive your car."

As Jesse found himself handing her the keys, he suddenly realized that maybe Barbara's character wasn't so crazy for letting herself be so controlled by Hubbell. He was starting to understand that when you were in love, you were willing to do just about anything.


And there we have Chapter 9!
And I would now like to take a moment to praise the reviewers of this story!
You guys are amazing! After only eight chapters, you have managed to give me over 100 reviews which is so amazing!
It makes me wish that I could send Jonathan Groff to all of you so he could give you a hug for me!
And to anybody who has PM-ed me, thank you for your personal letters! They're really sweet:)

Oh, and I do not own The Way We Were.