A/N: What a week this has been! I honestly wonder how I got this chapter written by my self-imposed deadline, given that I've been out every day but one since last Thursday. I suppose almost falling asleep at work yesterday is a bit of a clue. ;)

I actually managed to score last minute tickets to Sunday's Glee concert! The seats were in the nosebleed section, but the music was well played, the actors were energized, and the crowd was wildly enthusiastic. Sadly, they didn't perform very many of my favourite songs, and the absence of a certain curly-haired guest star was keenly felt...

Almost more exciting for me was being given the chance to meet one of my readers a couple of days later. 1booklover11 came to town for the concert and stayed for a bit of a holiday, and we had a lovely time getting to know each other.

Based on that limited writing time, this chapter is shorter than I had originally intended. For those of you still wondering what the second favour Jesse asked of Nate is, you'll now be finding out in chapter 39. And for those of you who multi-ship and are Puckleberry fans, I do hope you'll enjoy their interaction here. :)

Finally, a shout-out to couragetcd for supplying my 600th review! Your comments and thoughts, as well as those of so many others who take the time to tell me what they think, really do feed my muse. Please, keep that feedback coming!

Someone to Love You – Chapter 38

Shelby had barely slept. In addition to pacing the floor with a sniffly Beth, she'd kept replaying the previous day's conversation with Jesse in her mind. She hadn't intended to threaten him, or even to comment on any possible relationship he might have with Rachel. Rather, she'd wanted his help – yet again – in renewing ties with her daughter.

Because that turned out so well the last time.

But the harshness of his tone and his dismissive words had angered her, and she'd lashed out in response. Truth be told, she was relieved that Jesse had managed to patch things up with Rachel.

If she can forgive him, then there's hope for me, too.

She'd come to the realization – far too late, of course – that she had made a serious mistake in deciding to push Rachel away. The girl was her daughter. And not only was she beautiful and talented, she had dreams and ambitions to rival any that Shelby had harboured in her own youth. Rachel might be grown, and she obviously didn't need help learning to walk or talk or tie her shoes, but in terms of becoming a performer...

There's so much I could teach her. Why didn't I see that sooner?

She shook her head regretfully, silently lamenting her choices. Noting that Beth had finally fallen asleep, Shelby lowered her gently into her crib, then resumed her pacing.

If Rachel and Jesse truly were close, then she should be able to use that to her advantage. Clearly, if she was persistent enough, Jesse would take her calls – if only to ensure she didn't attempt to contact Rachel directly. And maybe, once she reminded her former protégé of all he owed her, he'd be willing to put in a good word for her. But that could take weeks, or even months, and waiting had never been her strong suit.

Stopping in front of the patio doors, she stared at the gradually lightening sky. In just a few short hours, Rachel and her teammates would take to the stage in the hopes of securing their second Sectionals win. Yes, Jesse had warned her to stay away, but really, what harm could there be in slipping inconspicuously into the back row in order to watch her daughter dazzle yet another crowd? A slow smile crossed Shelby's face as, her mind made up, she pulled out her phone to make arrangements for the day ahead.

Once again, Jesse was the first to wake, and he lay as still as possible, not wanting to disturb the beautiful girl still sleeping soundly beside him. He watched, enthralled, as her chest rose and fell with her every breath, its slow and steady rhythm lulling him into a profound tranquility. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as she shifted slightly within his hold, unconsciously closing the minuscule gap that had existed between them. His body couldn't help but respond to her nearness, and a low moan escaped him. Her eyelids fluttered, and he found himself gazing into her gorgeous brown eyes.

"Good morning."

He tilted his head to kiss her lightly.

"I love waking up with you," she whispered.

"The feeling's mutual. How'd you sleep?"

"Wonderfully. Just as well as I have the last couple of days."

"Me, too."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. What are you thanking me for?"

"For being here with me last night. I would have been a mess, stressing out about Sectionals and no doubt tossing and turning for hours. But instead, I'm fully rested and relatively calm."

"Happy to have been of service," he grinned.

Nestling into his embrace, she sighed contentedly.

"I could stay like this forever."

"There's someplace you need to be," he reminded her.

"I know. But this is so much better."

"Tonight will be better still. It's Friday. We can stay at the tree house."

Her entire face lit up at his words.

"You really know how to make a girl's morning."

"And her evening, too," he murmured seductively, before growing serious once again. "But you've got to get out of bed now, or you won't have enough time to complete your pre-show routine."

Her eyes became noticeably wider.

"You remembered!"

"I remember everything about you."

"I'm beginning to think so."

She laughed quietly, recalling the time she'd impulsively divulged the rather unusual sequence of steps she followed to deal with her performance day jitters. He hadn't made fun of her then, and wasn't doing so now. Glancing at the clock, she realized he was right. Slipping from his grasp, she kissed his cheek lightly before swinging her legs over the side of the bed and padding across to her bathroom. As soon as the door clicked shut, Jesse threw off the covers, pulled on his jeans, and made his way downstairs. He planned to ensure that every part of her routine went smoothly.

Rachel was surprised, upon exiting the bathroom, to discover that Jesse was no longer in her room. Belting her robe tightly, she headed for the hallway, smiling as the sound of three distinct male voices floated up to greet her. As she approached the kitchen, she paused just outside its entrance, listening in as Jesse gave her dads instructions.

"I'm sure you both know this, but the tea has to be chamomile, with a teaspoon of honey and the juice from two slices of lemon."

"You are definitely unlike anyone Rachel's had in her life before," Hiram observed. "Even I can't recall every bit of her routine, and I've witnessed it for years."

"Have you got it written down and stored somewhere as a reference?" Leroy wondered.

Jesse scoffed openly at the question.

"Of course not. It's all in my head. There's absolute logic to everything she does, so it's easy to remember."

"You really are so much like her. It's a little scary," Leroy remarked.

"Given that I think she's perfect, I'll take that as quite the compliment," Jesse declared.

Picking that moment to make her entrance, Rachel walked straight to Jesse, who wordlessly opened his arms, wrapping them around her tiny waist. Leaning her head against his chest, she cast her gaze to the table, where breakfast awaited her. She couldn't help but notice that Jesse had gotten everything right. He pushed her ever so gently towards her chair.

"Eat. You don't have that much time."

As she nibbled on her fruit – strawberries and banana – and took small bites of her oatmeal, Jesse sat by her side, rubbing soothing circles on her free hand. She quirked a brow at him.

"That's not on the list."

"You made the list before you met me. You should add this."

"If I do, you'll have to be with me before every performance."

"I intend to be," he vowed.

They lapsed into silence, allowing Rachel to go over the set list in her mind. Once she was done eating, she hurried upstairs to shower, get dressed, apply her makeup and style her hair. She concluded her ritual with a few minutes of deep breathing and silent meditation, then left her room without a backward glance.

She smiled broadly at the sight of Jesse waiting for her at the foot of the stairs. As she reached the bottom step, he pulled her into a tight hug, before resting his forehead against hers.

"Everything good?"

"Everything's great."

Lacing their fingers together, he led her out to the porch, where she inhaled a welcome lung-full of the fresh morning air. Suddenly noticing that Cat's car was no longer in the driveway, Rachel aimed a quizzical look in Jesse's direction.

"Your dad's on his way to Drew's as we speak. He's going to swap the Volvo for the Rover so that we'll have our own transportation later."

The prospect of being alone with her boyfriend when the craziness of the competition was over brought a smile to her face. Climbing into the back seat of Leroy's Jeep, she waited for Jesse to follow suit, then curled into the crook of his arm as her daddy put the SUV in gear and sped towards the highway.

Having exchanged hugs with her dads and a brief kiss with Jesse, Rachel was currently making her way through the assembled throng, searching out the dressing room that had been assigned to New Directions. As she reached the end of a long hallway, she finally spied a familiar face.

"Noah!"

"Hey, Berry. It's about time you got here. Lauren's going nuts about this candy she insists was part of the deal for her joining Glee Club. She swears she won't sing without getting it, and I need you to go buy some while I try to calm her down."

"Where are my damn Raisinets, Puckerman?" Lauren yelled from somewhere beyond Rachel's field of vision.

"Why me, Noah?"

"Because I know I can trust you to actually get this done as fast as possible. And because you've always asked for calm before a performance, and this room is anything but calm right now."

She grimaced slightly at his news, and moved swiftly towards the concession stand. Her eyes darted over the various offerings, frustration mounting at the apparent absence of Lauren's requested treat.

"Excuse me! I need Raisinets here, now!" she demanded, her voice rising in both pitch and volume.

"Rachel? Why are you in such a state about a box of candy?"

Whirling around, Rachel's eyes lit up as she spotted Kurt approaching her.

"They're for Lauren Zizes."

At Kurt's baffled expression, Rachel hastened to explain.

"She's the person Noah convinced to join Glee Club in your place. But she only agreed if she could have a steady supply of various candies, and seven minutes in heaven with him."

Kurt chortled at the last piece of information.

"Who knew Puck could be so selfless?"

"Apparently, she gave him quite the thrill, so it wasn't all noble on his part."

The sound of someone calling to her caused Rachel to turn around, and she exhaled in relief as the attendant proffered the requested sweets. Slapping her payment on the counter, Rachel snatched up the coveted box, then paused before heading backstage.

"How was your audition? Did you get the solo?"

The look on her ex-teammate's face told her all she needed to know.

"No. It would seem that it was always a long shot. The other guys I was up against had tried multiple times in the past."

"I'm sorry. It sounds like the Warblers must be amazing, if someone of your talent is denied a solo."

"Why, Rachel, I think that's one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me. How come you were never this nice when I was your teammate?"

"You must know the answer to that, Kurt. You were my only true competition. I couldn't have you thinking I was a pushover."

"That's not a word I would use to describe you. You're an opinionated diva, and no one forces you to do anything you don't want to."

"Unless it's buying candy so that we have the numbers to compete today," Rachel quipped, only half-joking.

"I suppose you'd better get back, then, before Miss Zizes has a total meltdown."

"I should."

As they shared a hug, Kurt brought his mouth to her ear.

"Say hi to everyone, and tell them I miss them."

She pulled back to catch his gaze.

"Aren't you happy at Dalton?"

"It's a great place, but they insist that everyone conform. No one there appreciates my specialness."

"But no one there slushies you or bullies you, right? Life's full of trade-offs, and you made the one you had to, to be safe. Of course, there are things that you miss about us. But you made the right choice. And I'm sure that the Warblers and your classmates will eventually come to value all of the unique attributes you bring to any situation."

"Have you been taking lessons from your boyfriend? Because he always seems to know the right thing to say, and you're starting to sound an awful lot like that, too."

"Why, thank you, Kurt. I happen to think that Jesse and I bring out the best in each other."

"I happen to agree. Tell him I said hi," Kurt requested with a smile as they were about to go re-join their respective choirs.

"You could tell him yourself, later. He's in the building."

"If I see him, I will. Best of luck, Rachel. If we don't win, then I hope it's you guys."

"Right back at you, Kurt."

Clutching the precious Raisinets in her hand, Rachel gave Kurt a quick wave before hurrying back to the rest of her team.

At that very moment, New Directions seemed anything but a team. As Rachel neared the group's room, the sound of raised voices caught her attention. Stepping cautiously inside, she immediately handed the candy to Lauren. Puck shot her a grateful look and mouthed his thanks as the club's newest member finally ceased her complaints. Turning around, Rachel observed Artie and Brittany in mid-fight, while Tina appeared equally upset with Mike. Addressing herself to no one in particular, Rachel attempted to obtain an explanation as to the two couples' behaviour.

"What's going on here? Is there a problem?"

"There has been for a while," Artie responded coldly.

"I'll say," Tina echoed.

"I'm co-captain. Why didn't anyone tell me that so many of you were having issues?"

"Nobody tells you anything because we just pretend to like you," Santana snarked.

Rachel shot Santana a death glare as Puck made his opinion known.

"I kind of like her."

"Thanks, Noah. Does that mean I can count on you to help me?"

He eyed her warily, uncertain as to what helping her would entail.

"With what?"

"Getting these people back on track. We have to perform soon, and before that, we should be out there supporting Kurt and the Warblers."

"Have you forgotten that we're competing against him now, Dwarf? In what universe does supporting him make sense?" Santana questioned.

"In the one where Kurt's our friend, and he left to be safe, not to do us harm," Puck interjected before Rachel could get a word in.

Over in their corner, Artie and Brit's quarrel was escalating in volume.

"Nothing you can say will sway me. I won't sing with her," Artie announced loudly, pointing to his clearly confused girlfriend.

"I won't either," Tina added.

"Guys," Puck tried again, just as Rachel began to argue with both Artie and Tina in an effort to convince them to change their minds.

Walking into the chaos, Will Schuester completely lost his temper for the second time in recent memory, screaming at his students to remember how they'd pulled together in the past and managed to win despite incredible odds.

"I don't care if you hate each other right now. Whatever's going on, you need to put it aside and focus on what matters – going out there and nailing our set list. If winning is at all important to you, you'll make this work."

Still smarting from the week's run-ins with her choir director, Rachel retreated into silence. When Finn failed to take charge in her stead, Puck reluctantly assumed the mantle of leader.

"Berry and Mr. Schue are both right. Kurt's about to sing, so we need to get our asses out into those seats and cheer for him even if we end up thinking his new team sucks. And we're not here just to get time off school, although that's one of the best things about today," he grinned, eliciting chuckles from several of those around him. "We're here to kick butt. So let's do it!"

With increased zeal, the members of New Directions shut their collective mouths and made their way to the auditorium, arriving just as the Hipsters were concluding their opening number.

Elsewhere in the audience, unseen by those he'd briefly called teammates, Jesse frowned as he gave the aging choir his complete attention. Rachel would expect him to be able to dissect this performance in their post-show discussion, and he had to be able to provide more than a cursory analysis of the group's strengths and weaknesses. In his opinion, the Hipsters were decidedly average, and posed no serious threat to his girlfriend's objectives. When they finished, he applauded politely, and after glancing at his programme, slumped in his seat to await the team from Dalton.

Shielded by the darkness that surrounded her at the very back of the auditorium, Shelby struggled to stay awake. The current performers were not up to her rigorous standards, and her lack of sleep the previous night was beginning to exact its toll. In her haste to escape detection, she'd neglected to pick up a programme, leaving her with no idea as to the order of the teams' performances. Desperately, she offered up a silent wish.

Please, let Rachel be next.

She cursed under her breath as the MC's call summoned the Warblers to the stage. She was preparing to be underwhelmed when the opening strains of an a cappella rendition of Hey, Soul Sister soared through the venue's sound system. Sitting up a little straighter, she shook off her tiredness. This choir might well end up giving New Directions a run for their money.

As he gazed out into the sea of faces, it was easy for Kurt to spot his former teammates, with the girls' white and the boys' burgundy clearly visible, even from a distance. Zeroing in on Rachel, his spirits were buoyed by the encouraging look she was directing his way. Aware that she had his attention, she signalled for him to smile, grinning to herself when his lips curved upwards in response to her prompt.

Unlike the audience's subdued reaction to the Hipsters, the applause and cheers that greeted the Warblers as they took their bows was enthusiastic and heartfelt. Jesse sensed instantly that the bar had just been raised, and he once again swore inwardly at Mr. Schuester's lackadaisical training methods and at his refusal to position Rachel front and centre. Taking a deep breath, he willed himself to remain calm. The outcome was out of his hands. He could only hope, for his girlfriend's sake, that her teammates would do everything in their power to rise to the occasion.

While waiting in the wings for her cue, Rachel peeked out and scanned the crowd. Her eyes lit on her dads right away, settled in their customary seats – sixth row, dead centre. She was surprised to note the presence of total strangers on either side of them, however, having assumed that Jesse would be sitting with them. Her efforts to locate him were in vain, and a small edge of panic rose within her.

Relax. You could do this in your sleep.

The sound of his voice in her head was instantly soothing, and her anxiety ebbed. Stepping back behind the heavy curtain, she composed herself, readying for the moment when Sam would break into the first lines of (I've Had) The Time of My Life. As if on cue, the blond-haired boy's vocals could be heard from the far reaches of the theatre. Once he and Quinn ascended the stage, Rachel emerged with the rest of her teammates and, plastering on her best show face, she harmonized effortlessly on the chorus. Just as Jesse had suggested, she gave the performance her all, determined to be remembered as the best background singer the judges at Sectionals had ever heard.

Fully focused at last, Shelby assessed her daughter's choir with a practiced ear. The lead-off couple were, in her expert opinion, not much beyond mediocre. Their voices were weak, unable to project as widely as necessary across the breadth of the auditorium. And what was Will thinking, starting the two of them at the top of the aisles, just like he had the previous year? Sure, they'd won when Rachel had come down belting out Don't Rain on My Parade, but repeating the manoeuvre at Regionals hadn't gained them a thing, and using the same tactic a third time simply demonstrated a dearth of imagination on his part. In fact, it almost screamed 'diversion' now, a ploy designed to shift attention from the group's lacklustre choreography. Not to mention the fact that he had yet to use Rachel to her ultimate potential in this number. Shelby hoped that the young brunette would get to demonstrate her vocal prowess as soon as they moved to their next selection.

Much like his former mentor, Jesse was also weighing New Directions' chances, and he was coming to an uncomfortable conclusion – unless Santana totally kicked ass on Valerie, the Warblers could well end up victorious. Aware of the devastation Rachel would feel if her team was knocked out as early as Sectionals this time around, Jesse's mind began to whirl as he formulated a plan he hoped would mitigate her disappointment. Hunching forward, his elbows on his knees, he waited impatiently for McKinley's final chance to wow the judges.

For her part, Rachel was trying to gauge the audience's reaction. They were clapping, hooting and whistling, but she couldn't quite determine if they'd been more responsive to the Warblers. Shaking her head to clear it of her doubts, she drew in a deep, calming breath, then strode swiftly into position and awaited her cue to begin.

Shelby's jaw dropped as she observed Rachel once again taking up a place at the rear of the stage. Had her daughter done something to antagonize her choir director? Even if she had, the best way to deal with students who annoyed him was the way she herself always had – by pushing the offender extra hard in rehearsals and lobbing a constant stream of criticism at the boy or girl in question. Under no circumstance should he be permitting his personal feelings to interfere with the assigning of solos, however. Narrowing her eyes, Shelby examined Rachel closely, and nodded silently in approval. The show face? It was perfect.

From several rows forward, Hiram took in his daughter's expression, and beamed with pride. She may well have been disappointed and upset at having been denied the spotlight, but she'd been giving her all and her face revealed none of her inner turmoil. As if reading his husband's thoughts, Leroy leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"Gotta wonder how much she's able to hide from us, huh?"

"More than we want to know," was Hiram's quiet reply.

In his own dark corner, Jesse had to admit that he was impressed. Santana was a stronger singer than he'd realized. Not that her vocals could hold a candle to Rachel's, but she clearly possessed a talent for interpreting a rock tune, while Mike and Brittany were putting on a display of moves so acrobatic that they might well have been able to keep up with Vocal Adrenaline's tamer routines. Perhaps New Directions still had a chance…

The twelve teens had assembled in their dressing room once more. Except for Rachel, they were all on a high, certain that the title and its accompanying trophy would soon be theirs. Artie and Tina had thawed measurably towards their significant others, and the foursome were exchanging high fives and congratulations as they relived every moment of Brit and Mike's dance. On the couch, Sam and Quinn sat side by side, hands clasped, talking in hushed tones. Finn was staring at Santana as if he'd never really seen her before, while Lauren was clearly amused by Mercedes' stories of her short-term hook up with Puck. The latter was currently nowhere to be seen.

As the minutes ticked by, Rachel's stomach clenched, and her nerves threatened to overwhelm her. She was about to pull out her phone to send Jesse a quick text when she was startled by a voice right behind her.

"What's up, Berry? You don't look as happy as the rest of them," Puck observed.

"I'm not as confident as they are that we have this in the bag, Noah."

"The Warblers?"

"They were good. Really good. I don't know if we matched them vocally."

"Which we would have if Schue had let you sing lead."

Her expression darkened at his words, but he held up a hand to appease her.

"Don't get all huffy on me, Berry. I wasn't being sarcastic. As much as I love both Quinn and Santana, you are the best singer we have."

"Why didn't you stand up for me, then?"

"Sometimes I'm just a jerk. At other times, I actually try to avoid getting on people's bad sides."

He chuckled softly at the smirk she directed his way.

"And sometimes you just don't want to choose the unpopular option of agreeing with me."

"True. But I do back you fairly often."

"More than most, and I appreciate it, Noah."

"You're welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a hot chick that requires my attention."

Giving her shoulder a supportive squeeze, he made his way over to Lauren, who greeted him with a playful shove. Digging in her bag, Rachel retrieved her phone and quickly fired off a one word text.

Prediction?

His answer came within seconds.

Too close to call. Sorry.

Don't apologize. I need to be prepared for the worst.

Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

But if it does, I know you'll help me deal with it.

Count on it.

A smile replaced the frown she'd been sporting, and she closed her eyes, humming quietly to herself. Being closest to the door, she was the first to notice Mr. Schue make his entrance.

"The results are in, guys. We need to get back out there."

They filed out, most of them giddy with anticipation. Not for the first time that day, Rachel faked a cheerfulness she didn't feel. Standing slightly apart from her teammates, she attempted to pick Jesse out of the crowd, but his handsome face and gorgeous head of curls somehow remained elusive. She tensed imperceptibly as the head judge faced the audience, envelope in hand.

To no one's great surprise, the Hipsters claimed third place. The remaining two choirs stood anxiously, holding their collective breath, as the judge glanced at the card in his hand.

"The winner of this year's West Central Sectionals is…"

The man paused, and several of the contestants stifled impatient groans. His next words stunned every member of both teams.

"It's a tie. Congratulations. You're all going to the Regionals."

While Mr. Schue and Blaine stepped forward to claim their trophies, the members of both New Directions and the Warblers milled about on stage, trying to absorb this astonishing turn of events. Walking to Kurt's side, Rachel offered him her sincere congratulations.

"Same to you, Rachel. Hey, we all get to move on. That's a good thing."

"Yeah. I know. I just wish we didn't have to compete against you guys again. I wish you were still on our team."

"Me, too. But at least, for now, neither of us has to stay home." His eyes shone with curiosity. "So, has Jesse weighed in on the outcome yet?"

"I haven't heard my phone ring, but I should check."

At that precise moment, a very familiar voice rang out from the farthest reaches of the auditorium…