Heeey. I do realize it's been almost two years since my last update. What can I say? Life happened. And although I still wrote some other things. This story was just not flowing, even though I tried my hardest. So, here's my best attempt, because I do really want to finish this story. And be prepared because I've got more drama to come. Enjoy!

Love beyond breath, beyond reason.

Yes, she had loved beyond her own capabilities. She had given so much and renounced even more to be with the people she loved. She could remember a time when she purposely had to shine less bright, just so that she could keep loving. She had to be another person just so she could fit into somebody else's heart. And she had thought she was done with that by now.

She was one year away from twenty and sometimes she wondered if she was ever going to understand love. If high school would ever get behind her. As she saw things, she highly doubted so.

Rachel watched as Kurt excitedly opened his invitation to Will and Emma's wedding. He recited the whole invite out loud with a smile on his face. Yes, of course he was happy; he had a hot boyfriend and another hot guy pinning for him back in Ohio. She had, currently, no one waiting in line to even talk to her.

She eyed her cellphone one more time. No messages. No missed calls. No nothing. She kind of had expected him to be the one to call. Rachel thought she had not done or said anything wrong. That he had been once again just too convinced of what he had been day dreaming about. He had been the one to blow things out of proportion. She believed that, in spite of Kurt's opinion.

Yes, he had sided with Jesse on this one. Still, just to avoid any following battles, he didn't mention his opinion in the matter again. And as always, the same thing couldn't be said about Santana, who was currently close to outstaying her welcome.

Two weeks had passed since she arrived with Quinn. All she had done in those fourteen days was complain. And that, complain about Rachel's relationship with Jesse. It got to the point where Rachel just started to ignore her. As she was doing currently.

"No texts yet, huh?" Rachel suppressed the need to roll her eyes. Not again. "It's been two weeks, Rachel."

"I'm awfully aware of that, Santana." She said, as she carefully counted the days her friend had been annoying her.

"Hey, but don't worry, there's nothing wrong about going stag to a wedding." Santana sighed. "I should know, I'm doing the same."

In the past weeks, Rachel hadn't wondered at all why Santana was still sleeping in their couch. Time had just flown by her. She had spent the three days following her fight with Jesse, watching movies and eating ice cream. Then, she had just been a working machine, ready for the next task, just so she could forget him for a while. Fascinating thing was that, given this was a new semester, all her classes had changed, and she didn't have a single one with Jesse. So, she had also been deprived of a chance to speak to him in person. She closed her eyes, tired of watching Kurt gasp at some ordinary wedding invitations. What if she was the one who had to apologize? And what for?

"What if Jesse was right?" She broke out suddenly. Her voice running over Kurt's.

"About what?" His best friend asked. When she had first told him about their fight, he could say he agreed with almost every single thing Jesse had said. Obviously, only if Rachel's narrative skills were to be trusted.

"Finn. What if never truly got over him? What if I'm just as bad as he accused me of being?" She grimaced at that thought. "Was Jesse just a rebound...again?"

Santana said nothing. It was too much for her. But Kurt eyed her secretive smirk closely.

"Honey, no, I don't think so. Trust me when I say that there's no fucking way Jesse was just a rebound." He paused. "Not this time, no."

Rachel gulped at his words. She was calmer. So, no, she hadn't been lying to him. She did still love him. But what about those other things? Her friends didn't know about their story. And yes, she had been way too comfortable letting them out of her life. Knowing fully well that it would come back and bite her in the ass. She had known there would eventually be a problem, but she hadn't cared. Subconsciously she hadn't.

"Hey, Berry. Why don't you open yours?" Santana suggested calmly, pointing at the two invitations still closed on the coffee table.

"I already know what it says Santana, what's the point?" She asked. Santana shrugged and said nothing. Kurt curved an eyebrow pointedly at the Latina beauty sitting at the dining table with his best friend. Something was odd.

"Why don't you open yours?" He asked to Santana in return. He didn't wait to hear her answer, as he had already thrown the invitation her way. "Or was it something special about Rachel's?"

Their eyes met. Warm blue and fiery brown. It was like they knew all about the other's intentions. But they didn't have the slightest clue. All the while, Rachel was unaware: aloof. Too tired and too sad to pay attention to what was happening right in front of her.

"Porcelain, can we talk outside?" Santana asked condescendingly.

"Sure." He replied evenly. The days of Kurt fearing Santana López and her schemes were done.

The two stepped outside the apartment. Rachel was still concentrated on anything else but her problems and her feelings. She did notice the tension between her friends but didn't care enough to ask about it. Once they closed the door behind them, each person living in the apartment could turn to what concerned them the most at the time.

"What are you playing at Santana?" She smirked at his question. He couldn't outsmart her.

"Whatever do you mean?" Innocence did not fit her, thought Kurt.

"You've been staying with us for who knows what reason for two weeks and all you've done was try to push Rachel out of her relationship. And, not very smoothly may I add. Also, I didn't see why the eagerness for the invitations to arrive." Kurt argued. The frown in his face deepening.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Hummel. And if my presence is so undesired at your apartment, I'll leave tomorrow." She was about to walk inside again, when Kurt's hand stopped her.

"Wait." He looked like he was on to something. "Is maybe something inside Rachel's invitation? Like, I don't know, say, a note from my step-brother?" He inquired with a smile. Yes, he got her.

Santana was awfully silent for a second or two. She was speechless, she couldn't believe. She had thought she hadn't been obvious in the least.

"That's a very wild guess there, Hummel. I think you haven't been sleeping alright. Matt keeping you up?" She tried to weasel her way out of this one, but Kurt's expression told her, that indeed he had outsmarted her this once.

"Stop it, Santana, I know. And I would really much appreciate it if you'd stop trying to venom my best friend's mind." She sighed, finally letting her crumbling facade down.

"How?" She asked. "How did you just figure it out?"

"Finn isn't the big mastermind he thinks he is. He asked me for my help first, about one month ago. Pretty much explained me the whole invitation system. I told him no. Crazy plan. I thought he had left it alone. Plus, I know when Rachel is in love. And she is right now." He grinned. "And also, I know how to respect other people's lives"

"Well, I owed him, so, I felt like I had to." She explained. "Finn was just so sure that St. Jerk was practically just a joke in Rachel's love life. Was easier to believe that, if something was going to be torn apart, it was that." Kurt nodded.

"Well, you tried. You can tell him that. And I know he's still hanged up on Rachel, but he will have to let go sometime soon."

Santana nodded her agreement. Truth was, she was dying to get out of there. She didn't much like to live with the freaky twins. And wasn't a fan of their couch either.

Now, Kurt was the one to lead the way inside his apartment. He found Rachel, with a piece of paper on her hand. She was sitting on the floor, a tear streaming down her face. And one hand covering her mouth up. Oh no.

"I heard you." She said. "Found the note." She explained.

Santana rolled her eyes. Did she have to be this freaking dramatic always? It was tiring to see, she couldn't imagine what it was to live it. Exhausting.

"Rachel, I'm sorry." Santana said and sighed. Apologizing was still something she had to work on. "I didn't mean to try to push you away from Jesse." Pause. "Well, actually I did mean it, but I'm truly sorry."

Santana was met with silence. Rachel was reading the note again, and she was crying still. Kurt was frozen on his spot, waiting for his best friend to say something. He watched as the girl on the floor broke to pieces and held tightly onto the piece of paper. Rachel took in a long breath and let it out. Kurt prepared to hear her next words.

"I think Jesse was right."

Jesse had been asked to go to California that weekend. A delayed engagement party they said. Patrick had called and said that it was his duty as best man to be in every single event concerning the wedding. Also, he had slipped that he wanted the single most out of control bachelor party, and Jesse would be the one in charge to make that happen.

So, complying to his friend's request, he was on a plane to California on a Friday morning. He smiled, Patrick had always been a great friend, aside from the whole Hannah feud they had lived through, but that was mostly Jesse´s fault. And because of that Jesse was truly happy to see his wedding happen. Only thing he disliked: it was happening on February 14th. Such a cliché. But he didn't get to complain about that.

He checked his phone one more time before he had to turn it off for the landing. No messages. No missed calls. No nothing. Yeah, Rachel had officially ghosted him. He knew he had been harsh that last night they met, but he thought it was necessary. If he hadn't spoken about how he felt in their relationship then, he would've exploded much worse later. Still, he didn't think she wouldn't even call.

For one, Jesse was certain he didn't have to apologize about anything. Plus, he had practically thrown the ball to her side of the court. It was her choice. And the fact that she hadn't tried to contact him at all, made him a little more anxious than usual. He did not care for the uncertainty.

Once he had finally pushed Rachel out of his mind and he was out of the plane, he looked for his luggage. Then, the sight of his long-lost best friend brought a smile to his face.

"I'll be dammed, Jesse St. James. You did make it." Robert said with a grin on his face. Jesse walked up to him and they hugged. For a moment there, it felt like they were still in high school. But they broke out of the hug just as easily.

"Of course I did. I'm the best man, aren't I?" Jesse spoke with a smirk. One that apparently only broke out when he was with the Carmel crowd. His self-conceded ways were back when he was with the right people.

"Indeed, you are. You're not going to believe what I'm about to tell you." Robert spoke. Jesse only popped an eyebrow his way as they walked to the exit. "Andrea and Zac eloped, got married three weeks ago. In Vegas. They've been too lazy," he said the last word with air quotes, "to go and get an annulment."

Jesse laughed out loud. Oh, he knew some of the people he went to high school with were real morons. He saw Robert's old Range Rover come into view and smiled.

"Guess they really liked each other's company then." He offered. "Or money."

"Yeah, gotta watch out for that last one this weekend, St. James." Robert warned with a grin as he helped put his luggage on the trunk. "A few of Hannah's friends may have figured out that you're old money and want in, so...just make sure you wear a condom, dude." He joked.

"Please tell me you're not serious." Jesse pleaded.

"I'm not, unfortunately." The two stepped inside the car. "But, hey, don't you have a girlfriend?" His friend suddenly remembered. "That Lima girl?"

"This weekend I don't." Jesse answered quickly.

Robert grinned at the road. This was just what he needed. His best friend single and ready to party. He missed the beast that St. James used to be when he was out of control. And so did the rest of their Carmel High.

"That's good. Chloe and Maddie are coming tonight. Heard they're both single and one of them asked me about you."

Jesse's heart skipped a beat at that. It had been years since she saw either one of those girls. In fact, since he had seen anyone from Vocal Adrenaline. And he was about to see them all. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel terribly excited.

"Maddie?" He watched his friend smile.

"She's Hannah's maid of honor. You two should handle walking down the aisle together just fine."

Jesse felt weirdly on edge. Madeline Solari had been his greatest conquest back in high school. She had been a hidden story to everyone he had met after. Mainly because of how it had ended. Hannah and then Rachel. And then, Maddie again back in UCLA. But he hadn't dared to speak that part of his story out loud yet. So, he decided to stop looking at the phone, and focus on what he did have.

"I think we'll do just fine." He agreed.

At about the same hour that day, both Rachel and Jesse had forgotten. In completely different ways. That what they had lived this past few months had been the closest to reality and clarity they had ever been.

9pm in New York: She was still crying. Kurt was eyeing her worriedly. Since that afternoon her eyes hadn't stopped watering. She looked like a complete and utter mess.

10pm in California: He was downing shots with Patrick and Cole, his best friends from high school. One of which had let him know that Maddie was staring at him. He looked around until he found her and decided to make the next move.

11pm in Ohio: Santana had just arrived. She had taken the first flight back. She looked at Finn, who was sitting on his mom's couch. She congratulated him spitefully. "I think she's all yours". She hadn't enjoyed her little quest.

Midnight:

Rachel was sleeping now, trying to rest her eyes. She would look puffy all day long tomorrow. But she hadn't been able to stop her tears from flowing. Kurt had been exasperated about her not giving him any answers, so he went to sleep too. What were the tears for? What did the note say?

Jesse was at the beach, Maddie by his side and a bottle of champagne on the other. He was smiling. Mainly because of the alcohol and his friends being reunited. He loved the sound of the ocean. He knew this weekend would either be his salvation or his doom. He didn't really mind. Maddie inched closer. And closer. Jesse knew for sure that he had never been Maddie's second best.

All through midnight to eight in the morning things would've changed for both Jesse and Rachel. For good. Only, one was happy, the other was miserable. Because one had realized that love just doesn't go away that easily, and that a chance at it is rarer than they realized.

Thank you to the ones still reading this story. It means a lot. Please comment and tell me what you think.