A/N: I don't own Glee, its characters, A Christmas Carol, or its characters. This was just for fun.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Chapter 5 - The Ghost of Christmas Future
Rachel closed her eyes in pain. She was startled to hear the clock chime again. Opening her eyes, she saw that Brittany and Santana were no longer in front of her, and she was back in her room. She was not alone.
A tall person clothed in a black robe, wearing a hood that obscured her face was standing in front of her. Rachel felt a chill of pure fear run down her spine. She knew this was the final Spirit.
This was the ghost of Christmas Future.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Rachel was filled with fear and dread. This Spirit was different from the other two who had come before her. It was clearly a woman, but she couldn't make out who it was behind the cloak. She was suddenly afraid of the future. A future she had once looked forward too with great excitement, now scared her at the foot of this stranger.
Rachel took a closer look at the hooded figure standing in the shadows of her bedroom. She was tall, stately, and solemn. In the moonlight, she looked familiar. Rachel said softly, "Quinn?"
"You're my Ghost of Christmas Future? Quinn, baby, talk to me, I'm sorry for our fight. It was my fault," she sobbed.
With long, slender fingers the tall, regal ghost pulled back the hood revealing her face. The beautiful face wore a sneer, "Save your fake tears, I'm not your precious Quinn. I'm not like the other Spirits you've met with tonight. I am the Ghost of Things Yet to Come. I will show you the road to come if you continue on your selfish path of self-fulfillment, and blindness to the needs and concerns of those around you."
"Beth? Oh my god, it is you. You're all grown up now. You look so much like Quinn. You are beautiful."
Beth scoffed, and held out her hand. Rachel sighed, and took it. She was afraid of looking into her future. What if it wasn't everything she had worked so hard for, sacrificed for, and dreamed of? She was afraid of this grown-up version of Quinn, her own younger sister really, who seemed so resentful towards her.
They were transported to a New York stage. The audience was milling around, and they were getting loud and impatient. Entertainers were running around backstage frantically. The organizers were standing around talking to someone. Rachel got close; she could see it was Kurt talking to the men with notebooks.
"Gentlemen, I assure you; Rachel Berry will be here tonight. She would never miss a benefit concert for homeless children. I'm sure she's just been held up! I've known her since we were kids, she wouldn't miss this," Even Rachel could tell he was lying.
"Why would I miss a concert for homeless children?" she turned to look at Beth.
Rachel turned as Kurt stormed off to her dressing room. He slammed the door, "That's it; I am done with her drunken, drugged up, selfish ass. I am done covering for her; I am done fixing her fuck-ups. Done, done, done!"
Sam stood up, and put his hand on Kurt's forearm, "Babe, come on. She's been a wreck since Quinn and the kids left. She needs help."
Rachel was amused at the idea of Kurt and Sam as lovers. She turned to tell Beth she had always suspected Sam was gay, but Beth was watching the scene with barely concealed anger. Then what Sam said finally sunk in. Quinn had left her. Quinn had left her with their children. She was all alone. According to Kurt she was drinking and using drugs. It was so not like her.
"Come," Beth said brusquely. Rachel took her arm again.
They were in a hospital, her big, strong, Daddy lay withered and wasted in his bed. He was a pasty gray color, and couldn't weigh more than 75 pounds. It was awful. His breathing was labored, and he was in and out of consciousness.
Her dad, Hiram was at his bedside crying. He was holding his hand gently. Her daddy, LeRoy was whispering something over and over. Hiram bent closer, and then put a hand to his mouth to muffle his sobs. Rachel moved forward to hear what her daddy was saying.
"Rachel, I want my baby girl Rachel. She promised to come home every Christmas. Hiram, is Rachel here yet?" He was delirious.
Hiram leaned towards his love, and whispered softly, "Lee, I just got off the phone with Rach. She says she loves you, and she'll be here soon. It's ok to rest, she said. She won't be long."
Rachel whispered to Beth, "Please tell me that I'm on my way home to be with my dying father."
"I wish I could. You haven't spoken to them in years. You cut them off when you felt they took Quinn's side over yours in the divorce. Your father, Hiram doesn't even have your private phone number. You threatened to fire anyone who gave it to them."
"What happens to them?"
Your Daddy, LeRoy dies later this evening calling for you. Your Dad, Hiram is a broken man after tonight. He exists for another year, before having a heart attack. He dies alone in the house you grew up in. No one finds him for two weeks until the mailman starts to smell…."
"STOP!" Rachel screams loudly, "It's not true. I would never let either of my fathers' die alone. I love them, and I would never stop speaking to them. You hate me for some reason, and you are lying to me."
"I am not lying. I am merely showing you the future that exists for you, if you do not change your selfish ways. This can all be changed, but only by you. Continue on the path you are on, and this is indeed your future, and the future of your loved ones."
Spirit Beth took Rachel's hand, and removed her from the bedside of a dying LeRoy. They were in the living room of a very nice house. A teenage Beth was being yelled at by a frazzled Shelby, "I don't even know what to do with you anymore. You are uncontrollable. I've tried everything I can to enforce rules and discipline, and you could care less. Maybe boarding school will be able to help you, God knows I can't."
Beth sneered at her mother, "Sure send me away. That's what you're good at anyway, isn't it? Giving away your daughters?"
Shelby slapped her youngest soundly across the face. The sound of the loud slap echoed around the room, startling both women. Shelby reached out, "Beth, I'm…."
Beth yanked herself out of Shelby's grasp, "I hate you," she walked to her bedroom door, and slammed it hard, "I will always hate you!" she screamed.
Shelby sat down on her couch, and cried bitter tears. She was a terrible mother, she always had been. Even Rachel had told her that the last time they saw each other. When Rachel had heaped all the failures of her life, at the feet of her mother. Out of guilt, Shelby had accepted it all.
Rachel turned to Beth, "What happened, Beth?"
"When she showed up at your show senior year, you turned her away. You told her she was not your mother, and never had been. You devastated her. Still, she kept trying. You went on to New York, becoming more and more famous, and more alone. Mom took us to New York to see you. You showed up alone, drunk, angry, and over an hour late. Your life was falling apart, Quinn had left you, and you told us it was because of us. You blamed mom, and then you blamed me. I was the daughter that took you away from Shelby. You were bitter and hateful."
"How old were you, Beth?" Rachel whispered.
"I was 13 years old, and I idolized you. I told everyone who would listen that you were my older sister, even if you had never treated me as such. You broke us that day, Rachel. Mom came home, and from then on she stopped spending time with me. She stopped caring about me. I didn't understand, so I acted out to try to get her attention. I did so many bad things, just to get her to love me, to discipline me, to care about me. She just sent me away. She had failed you, she thought, so she let me go as well."
"What happened to you Beth?"
"Are you sure you really want to know, Rachel?" Beth asked eerily.
"I'm sure," Rachel cried out, "I have to know."
"So be it," Spirit Beth took her hand, and they were in a dark, wind-whipped, cemetery. Beth walked in a straight line. She didn't veer at all; she knew exactly where she was going.
Rachel was terrified, but she obediently followed along behind the spirit. Beth stopped and pointed down to a tombstone. It read simply:
Beth Allison Corcoran
Born: May 24, 2009
Died: December 18, 2025
Forever loved in life and death by many
"Oh God," Rachel sobbed, her hands covering her mouth, "How did you die?"
The Spirit pointed, "Watch, and listen."
Rachel turned and saw someone coming. As they got closer, she saw it was Quinn. She looked terrible. She was crying, and carrying flowers. Brushing off the headstone, she placed a rock on it, in the Jewish tradition. Then she placed the flowers near the headstone, "Hi baby, I've come to visit again. Just like I promised you I would. Your little brother, Dylan is five years old tomorrow. He is so beautiful, smart, funny, and so mischievous. Allison is eight years old now. She is artistic, and sensitive. I worry for her. Being away from Rachel hurts her, but it's for the best. Rachel is just so selfish, and toxic. I hate to say that about her, but it's true. I never thought I would ever leave her, but I had to if I wanted to save our kids. I wish I had done it sooner, and could have saved you. I'm so sorry, Beth. That night you called, I wish I had known how much you needed me. I would have dropped everything, done anything. I'm so sorry, baby girl. I always loved you. From the first moment I felt you kick. I would have never left you alone on the streets, especially if I knew you were dying. I wish you had told me about all those pills you had taken, baby. I would have come for you, Rachel's birthday or not." The tall blonde fell to her knees at the grave of her firstborn, and sobbed openly, "I knew Rachel was jealous and hurt because Shelby was raising you. I stayed away to keep the peace at home, but I was wrong to have shunned you. I'm so sorry. I hope wherever you are, you see me and hear that I love you and have always loved you. I chose Rachel over you, and I will regret that until the day I die. I'm so sorry, Beth! Rachel Berry only loves Rachel Berry, and I've known that for a long time. Please forgive me, my angel. I'll never leave you alone again."
A broken Quinn knelt in the snow, unmoving for a long time. She just stayed at Beth's grave. Shelby walked over and sat down next to Quinn. Rachel was stunned at how old her mother looked. She watched as Shelby silently reached over and took Quinn's hand. Rachel watched as the two broken mothers sat on the hard frozen ground holding hands, and grieving over the dead teenager they had both loved in life and now more in death. They both shared a heart wrenching guilt over the dead teenager, and knew that nothing they ever did could salve that guilt. Beth Corcoran had died from their neglect, and they both knew it.
"You killed yourself on my birthday? how you must have hated me? Oh Beth, I'm so so sorry."
The specter sneered at Rachel, "you had plenty of time when I was alive to love me. I don't believe you now, Rachel."
Rachel cried openly, "No more, take me away from here, please Beth, take me away."
"As you wish," the spectre said coldly.
"We're in Times Square?" Rachel was looking around confused, "What year is this?"
Beth just pointed. A news ticker was streaming across Times Square….. Star of Stage and Screen, Rachel Berry found dead in her apartment…. Cause of death pending toxicology report says coroner.
Rachel fell to her knees. Beth took her arm and they were in a very fancy, very upscale apartment. Two strangers were sitting around drinking very expensive liquor. They were laughing.
"How long ago did you find her?" The young woman in a maid's uniform took a large drink, and refilled her glass.
"About a half an hour ago, I called you first," the young man took a drink too, "I was supposed to drive her to some lame interview. I thought she was just keeping me waiting like always. God, she was such a fucking bitch. I never met anyone like her. I thought we could clear out some of her jewelry and fancy gadgets before we call the cops. She was always cheating us out of overtime, and not paying while we sat around waiting on her drunk ass, she owes us!"
The woman looked nervous, "I don't know? I'm not sure it's right to steal from someone who's dead, even if it was the Queen Bitch herself. "
"When your mom was sick in the hospital, and you asked for time off, what did she say to you?" he scoffed.
The woman's face hardened, "She said to grieve on my own time. She paid me to wait on her. If I didn't like my job, I could go stay with my mom for as long as i needed and find a new job," the woman said bitterly.
"She let her own dead father rot in his house for two weeks alone. Did you really think she cared about your dying mother?"
"Fuck her; let's go check out her stuff."
They laughed, clinked glasses, and went up to rob her as she lay dead in the next room.
Rachel just stared, "I would never say that to someone. I would never have let Quinn leave and take our kids. You are lying to me. I love you and Shelby. I'm sorry if I don't show it, but I do love all of you. I don't know why you are being so horrible to me, Beth, but I will never turn into this horrible person."
"You are already becoming her, Rachel. You have laid the groundwork this December for the selfish, lonely life you are to live in the future. You will push away everyone who loves you, and die alone. Forgotten by Quinn, shunned by your own children, robbed by strangers. But take comfort Rachel Berry, you are famous. You become the star you always wanted to be, and your name will live on forever. If only as another cautionary tale."
They watched as the maid came back into the room, "I called her wife, and do you want to know what she said?"
"What?" He stopped rifling through her drawers, and looked up curiously.
"She said Rachel Berry was no longer her problem. She told me to call 9-1-1. She no longer cared what happened to her."
The guy went back to digging through drawers, "Fuck, that's some cold shit," he whistled through his teeth.
The maid looked upset, and started to cry.
"Oh please tell me you aren't crying for that bitch. She didn't love anyone but herself. She didn't even love her own kids. She doesn't deserve your tears!" he spat angrily, "she treated all of us like shit, everyone who worked for her. Hell, she didn't have a single friend. The only people who ever came around wanted something from her. She was a loser, and she doesn't deserve your pity."
"I don't know, it's just, look at this place. She had everything money could buy! She was beautiful, talented, rich, adored by millions, and she couldn't even get her wife and kids to show up to claim her body. It's just so fucking sad," The woman set down the jewelry she had in her hands.
"I'm going to go call the police. Put down everything you took, and leave now."
"You gotta be kidding me?"
"I'm not, maybe she was everything you said she was, but she was still a person. She deserves some respect, and privacy. If not for her, at least her kids do."
Rachel was weeping loudly, "Why did you show me all this, if I am just doomed to an empty life?" she got on her knees, and grabbed the bottom of Beth's robe, "Please tell me there is still time to change? Please tell me that I can save you, our mom, my dads, Quinn, and my own kids? Please Beth, give me some sign that it's not too late.
"I swear, I can change! I will stop being so selfish, I will try so hard to put others first. Oh Beth, please?" Rachel was pulling on the robe, as Beth was drifting away from her. Rachel tried to scramble to her feet, but she tripped over the robe. She fell hard, and smacked her head on the floor. Holding her head in both hands, she realized she was in a strange room.
She felt like she was floating. She looked down, and saw her dads', Quinn, Shelby, Ann Corcoran, Beth, Santana, and Britttany. They were all crying. She saw a bright silver light shimmering above her. It was warm and comforting, and it called to her. She wanted to go to it so badly. But…..Quinn needed her; she had no one, no home. Her dads loved her so much, and had given their lives to her. She needed Shelby to know she loved her. Beth needed a big sister to look out for her. She wanted to meet, and get to know Ann Corcoran and her grandparents.
Staying here would be hard, and painful. She knew bad things could happen. They always did in life, no one escaped unscathed. Still, it would be so selfish if she just went to that beautiful light without letting everyone know how much she loved them.
Rachel turned from the light, and immediately felt herself merge with her body. Then everything went black.
-0-0-0-0-0-
Next chapter is Christmas morning….. It is the last chapter. Let me know if you've enjoyed my little Christmas Carol. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all! Peace, love, forgiveness, and joy I wish for everyone!
