I've gotten several requests over the years for a letter to Rachel on the night she wins her first Tony, so here it finally is! I hope I've done it justice. It was so nice to expand on my version of Rachel, I've neglected her in this story a bit so this was fun.
I am taking any and all requests for chapters currently, so if there's something you're dying to read, please don't hesitate to demand it.
Enjoy!
When Rachel was 26, she landed her first Broadway role. A new original work called Lightblind written by an enthusiastic man named Teddy Olivier, even younger than Rachel, who had taken his idea to countless producers before finding one willing to say yes and take a chance on the newcomer. Rachel didn't audition; Teddy came to her.
"It's yours, if you want it," he had said to her, handing over a script with the lead role circled. "I mean, technically I guess you still have to audition for the actual director but I wrote it with you in mind. You're the only one I ever pictured for Genevieve."
Rachel was bewildered. "Have we met?" she asked, taking the script and beginning to flip through the pages. "I'm so sorry if we have, I'm usually impeccable with memorizing faces, but yours draws a blank and I just can't imagine how you'd even know who I am unless we've met…"
Teddy had grinned, "We haven't. Not officially. I was a year below you at NYADA. My brother is a professor there and he always brings me the showcases. When I saw you, when I heard you, I thought to myself, now there's a girl with a voice worth writing for. So, I did."
And that was that. Rachel sang for Kenny, the director, who had agreed to cast her halfway through her audition. They rehearsed until Rachel was ready to drop dead on her feet, and then rehearsed even more. Teddy quickly became Rachel's close confidant, and Kenny like a third father.
"I love my Glee family more than I can comprehend," she had once told Teddy; he knew all about… well, everything at this point. "You know I do. But sometimes it's so nice to be able to talk to someone who didn't know Quinn or Finn, someone I didn't grow up with, someone who just knows me as Rachel the professional performer, not Rachel the girl who once sang a song about her headband."
"I get it. I'm fresh eyes," Teddy laughed. "And don't even think you're not getting up and singing that headband song for me right this second."
Lightblind had been an immediate hit, from the minute Rachel opened her mouth on opening night. They had done New York first, then a country-wide tour, and had just finished making their way through Europe when Rachel got the call.
"Rach? What's up, who was on the phone?" Teddy asked.
"That was Michael," she said, her words coming out slowly, moving towards Teddy like she was in a trance. "I seem to have been nominated for a Tony. For Lightblind. Lead Actress in a Musical."
There was a beat of silence. And then—
"OH MY GOD!" Suddenly Rachel felt herself being lifted up into Teddy's arms and before she knew it, she was laughing and crying and screaming all at once. The entire cast flocked her, hugging her, congratulating her, and then a hand was shoving a phone in her face and she was suddenly staring into the joyful faces of Santana, Brittany, Puck, Beth, Shelby, and her fathers.
"Kenny facetimed us," her dad wailed. "Rachel, we are so proud!"
"HELLS yes, Berry!"
"Hi, big sis!"
"Rachel, we love you!"
Rachel laughed as she wiped tears from her eyes. Finally. After so much heartbreak. Happiness.
On the night of the awards show, an hour before she was set to leave, Brittany showed up at Rachel's house with a white envelope and a red rose.
"I asked Puck if I could be the one to deliver this one," she smiled. "Q would be so proud of you, Rach. We all are. No matter what happens tonight, whether you win or not – even though you obviously totally will – we all love you so, so much."
"Thank you, Brittany," Rachel beamed as she pulled her longtime friend into a hug. "And thank you for bringing these to me."
Brittany kissed Rachel's cheek and winked as she left, "San says don't forget to thank her in your speech!"
Rachel chuckled as she closed the door and made her way back upstairs to her room. Her deep red dress was laid out on her bed, ready for her to put on. She took a seat on her desk chair, setting the rose down and carefully opening the envelope marked "Rachel's First EGOT Awards Night."
...
Rach,
Your first big award night. If I had to take a guess, I'd say it's probably the Tony's. Lead Actress, unless I'm wrong, which I rarely am. Cue Santana rolling her eyes.
What can I say that you don't already know? What can I write that I haven't written before? I could say again and again how proud of you I am. I could badger you with congratulations and tell you I've always known this was your future. I could write forever about how I would give anything, anything, to be there for you tonight. Holding your hand. Screaming your name. Kissing you and causing media mayhem. And I would, Rach. I would kiss you whether you won or lost. I would kiss you in front of everyone. I miss kissing you, Rachel. I miss you.
Sometimes I think about what life might have looked like if we had stayed together. Sometimes I forget why we even broke up in the first place. But no matter what the scenario is, tonight is always inevitable – you at an awards show and me watching you, loving you, even if I'm gone.
I need you to know that no matter what happens tonight, YOU already won. You did it, Rach. You did what everyone said you couldn't do. You did what I said you couldn't do. You took every single insult and criticism and harsh word said to you and you turned it into fuel. You turned it into fire. You took your pain, the pain we caused you, and look what you've done, Rachel. You're on Broadway. You're nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in the world. People adore you and your talent and are finally giving you the recognition you have deserved all along. And it's not because you're lucky, Rach. It's because you are incredibly brave and the most hard-working person I know, and you are so, so beautiful.
I am so proud of you it shatters my heart. I'm with you, baby. I always am.
All my love, Quinn
...
"And the winner is… Rachel Berry!"
The audience erupted into cheers as Rachel made her way to the stage, people reaching out to her, clapping their hands, their shouts ringing loudly in her ears. She graciously accepted her award and stood in front of the mic, waiting until the crowd quieted down.
"First and foremost, I have to acknowledge the other actresses in this category. You are all so incredible, I am truly in awe and so grateful to be in this industry alongside you." She paused as she looked down at the trophy in her hands and laughed, "Thank you Teddy, for writing the musical of a lifetime, and Kenny, for taking a chance on two kids who dreamed of Broadway. I owe you both so much. Thank you to the entire cast and crew of Lightblind, and anyone who came out to see it. Thank you to my fathers. My people. Santana, Brittany, and Noah. Finn Hudson. I love you. My mother Shelby. My sister Beth. My glee family. I love you all more than I could ever express. And finally, to Quinn. With me always." Rachel looked up and beamed, tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much for this award. I am forever grateful."
...
At some point during the after party, Puck pulled Rachel aside, kissed her forehead, and handed her a white envelope.
...
Congratulations, superstar.
Thank you to everyone who continues to read this piece of work. This story is so close to my heart. Mucho love.
