Hi again! I'm sorry for not updating sooner but I've just gotten better from being sick. I want to thank you all for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
He is extremely surprised when she agrees to come with him to New York. The producers wanted to meet him as soon as he let them know he was taking the role and he asked her if she wanted to join him, not expecting her to agree given how much it scares her to return to the city. But she does.
She explains to him that she wants to talk to Carmen Tibideaux, to see if she might be able to get a second chance and to apologize for the way she acted when she quit NYADA. He doesn't think she needs NYADA, he thinks she just needs to get out there again and audition but he keeps these thoughts to himself. Instead he sits next to her waiting to talk to the dean, giving her the support he can before she faces her.
"I can do this," he hears her trying to motivate herself. He takes the hand entwined with his own and places a soft kiss on it, drawing her attention to him.
"It's going to be okay," he reassures her. "No matter what happens in there I'll be here with you."
"Thank you," she says softly, giving him a soft smile.
"Rachel Berry?" they hear the dean's secretary call from the now open door. "Madame Tibideaux will see you now, briefly," Rachel stands up squeezing his hand. "But I wouldn't get my hopes up. She's been looking forward to this."
He sees the panic and fear rise in her eyes and he quickly moves to reassure her.
"No matter what," he repeats to her.
She visibly relaxes and he watches as she goes into the office. As he waits he feels a phone vibrating and quickly reaches in his pocket to see who it is. He's surprised to see that it's not his agent or the producers as he was expecting but Kurt.
"Kurt? I think you called my number by mistake again," he quickly tells the young man upon answering the call. "I told you to not have us both as that ridiculous name of 'St. Berry'."
"No I didn't mess up this time, Jesse," Kurt answers back.
He knows something serious has happened. Kurt doesn't usually call him Jesse, especially if Jesse starts off their conversation by teasing him.
"What's going on?" he asks, all previous playfulness gone from his voice.
"Dalton Academy it…it burned to the ground," the words struggling to come out of the young man and leaving the other speechless.
"I… I'm so sorry Kurt. How's Blaine handling it?" he asks, genuinely concerned for Kurt's husband.
"He's hanging in there," Kurt informs him.
"What's going to happen to the Warblers?" Jesse asks, his mind moving to the show choir.
"That's actually why I'm calling you. We've talked with Mr. Schue and he suggested combining the Warblers with the New Directions. But before we make any decision I wanted to get your input," Kurt explains.
"I don't know what to say, Kurt," Jesse sighs, for a moment missing his curls when he tries to run his fingers through his hair. "I mean it would definitely be making lemonade out of lemons. It would help the situations for both teams. So I can't say I'm against it."
"Then what's making you hesitate?" Kurt asks.
"The teams themselves. We're not sure how they're going to react. They're going to have to adapt to each other and quickly since sectionals is just around the corner. I'm just concerned if we're going to be able to pull it off," he admits.
"Well we're going to have to since there's no better option," Kurt warns.
"You're right. Combine them and try to work the issues out. I'm not sure when I'll be able to head back but I'll tell Rachel to return to Ohio ASAP to help you guys out," Jesse says with resignation.
"Thank you so much, Jesse and good luck with everything over there," Kurt says.
"Thanks Kurt. I'll see you when I get back," he says. As he hangs up he sees the door opening and Rachel coming out of the office.
"How did it go?" he asks, unable to figure out her emotions for the first time since they've been together.
"Um, I'm not exactly sure. Can we talk about it somewhere else?" she asks, as he tries to get a read on her but fails.
"Of course," he assures her as he begins to lead them out. "I also have something to talk to you about. I had planned out a lunch date at this nice place near the theater, we can go there if you want?"
He's surprised when she abruptly stops.
"You had a lunch date planned?" she asks both in disbelief and awe.
"Yeah," for the second time that day wishing he hadn't cut his hair. "I wasn't sure how the morning would end or how long I would be occupied in the afternoon but I wanted to give you our first official date in New York," he explains, a blush rising in his cheeks.
He feels her lips press a soft but passionate kiss on his lips which he eagerly returns.
"That is one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me," she reveals softly against his lips.
"Epic romance, remember? It isn't exclusive to what we do in the bedroom," he whispers playfully, causing her to laugh.
"How do you always manage to make my day better?" she asks with a bright smile.
"That's simple. I love you. And part of loving you is making sure I do anything I can to make you happy," he explains.
And for the first time he notices the look on her face. The one that he sees reflected in the mirror when thinking about her, the one he saw on her friends' faces as they got married, the one he had seen on her when she had looked at or talked about Finn.
He might be getting ahead of himself and he might be getting his hopes up and seeing too much into it, but…
She might be in love with him.
And as they start walking to their date, he can't fight the hope and happiness that fill his heart with the idea that the love of his life may possibly love him back.