The Man You'll Marry

The response for this fic was WOW just WOW…. Thanks for all the support I hope this chapter continues to impress….sadly IDK when the next update after this one will be and not for the lack of enthusiasm/inspiration. My computer crashed a few weeks back and I'm using the factory trial version of word which is almost up so until I buy a new program I can't write which sucks…

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After submerging herself into a long bubble bath and sending a long e-mail to her former classmate in hopes that she could get a meeting Rachel wanted to push the travesty of a day she had behind her and thankfully fell into a dreamless and peaceful slumber.

Maybe, just maybe her slumber wasn't so dreamless at all…. Perhaps what she thought happened the day before was just a dream…. The rejection, the maternal meddling, and most of all Aunt Chloe's dress… all figments of her imagination.

Letting out a relaxing breath Rachel got out of bed and walked toward her closet thinking that today would be the day that she'd get the call that would signify that she finally landed the role she was meant to play and was on the path to becoming a star.

Shifting through her closet it was then she spotted it, hanging there in the back like a scarlet letter of sorts. No, it wasn't a dream it was real. She had indeed received her Aunt Chloe's dress and if that stupid family legend held true then the next man she would meet would be the man she married.

She wanted to let out a long lingering scream vocals be dammed however she knew that if she did the neighbors would come knocking asking what was wrong and she didn't want to exclaim to them about the 'magic' dress as they would surely think she was nuts and send her away in a straitjacket, however there was one person she could talk to that wouldn't think her crazy when they heard about her gift, at least not crazier than usual. That one person was Quinn Fabray her best friend since forever. Reaching over to her night stand Rachel picked up her cell, briefly glancing at the date and letting out a grimace as she noted that it was Friday the 13th before she let her fingers dance across the key pad to dial the familiar number willing that despite the date luck would be on her side and her friend wouldn't be off to work as of yet.

"Hello," Quinn's voice soon spoke into Rachel's ear.

"Thank god it's you and not your machine."

Quinn let out a sigh from her end taking in the tone of her friend's voice.

"So, from the sound of your voice I take it you didn't get the job."

"No, they went another direction but that's not the point. The point is that I'm getting married Quinn."

"Married? Rachel have you been dating someone behind my back?"

"No," Rachel paused to catch her breath, "remember the story about my Aunt Chloe."

"The one about the dress?"

"That would be the one."

"Ok…I'm still lost."

"Well," Rachel said clicking on her laptop to see if she received a message from Tina yet, "I came home yesterday and guess what was sitting in a package in front of my door?"

"And your sure it was THAT dress?"

"Came with a note from Chloe and everything…. Apparently she had a dream about me."

"A dream?"

"Yea a dream….," Rachel said as she paused momentarily to look at her inbox, smiling at the message that she just read, "anyway did you hear Tina got married."

"Wow that was a sudden subject change, anyway Tina? Like Tina from High School?"

"That would be the one, anyway I brought it up because her new husband apparently is this up and coming director and I landed a meeting with him tomorrow and what if he's the next man I meet…I don't think I'll be able to sleep at night knowing that I'm meant to be a homewrecker….. And sleeping with the director well that will just toss my integrity as an artist out a window now wouldn't it?"

"Well then you'll just have to get out there and try to meet someone before tomorrow now won't you….say lunch with me this afternoon, Breadstix….perhaps today will be your lucky day."

"Lucky Quinn? It's Friday the 13th not St. Patrick's Day."

"Well you're not Irish so it shouldn't matter, anyway perhaps we'll get a cute waiter and he'll be your soul mate."

"Ha…you're funny."

"I'm serious…Breadstix, noon I'm dying to hear more about the dress and besides we've both been busy and haven't had a girls afternoon in forever."

Rachel had to let out a laugh at her friends comment. It was true that they hadn't seen one another on a face to face level in at least a month what with both of their busy schedules.

"It's a date," Rachel said as she soon hung up the phone letting a wash of panic overcome her. Yes, Quinn was joking when she mentioned them having a cute male waiter but seriously what if while out she did run into a man….well then she wanted to at least make a good first impression.

Getting back up off of her bed Rachel let out a sigh as she headed back toward her closet, her eyes avoiding the dress, as she picked out her outfit of the day, something simplistic and sophisticated yet cute just in case . Smoothing out the black skirt she just slipped on she had to laugh, was she actually taking this magic dress thing seriously in the moment? Shaking thoughts out of her head she pulled her hair back with a headband and made sure everything she needed for the afternoon was tucked into her handbag before lacing up her boots and heading out however before she could take more than two steps out the door she was greeted with a smile.

"Hello Rachel," Emma said with a bright smile on her face.

Smiling Rachel exchanged pleasantries with her neighbor hoping that she would go into her own apartment so she could head off to the mall however this was not the case.

"Is there something you need Emma? A cup of sugar or something else neighborly."

Emma softly bit her lip.

"Oh no…I would never borrow sugar…but…well…between us girls what was in the package you got yesterday?"

"Just a dress," she spoke casually as she hoped that would be enough to get her neighbor off her case. Sure Emma was sweet and all but at the moment she was getting to be just as meddlesome as her previous neighbor Holly who while in her mid thirties still was under the impression that she was a college co-ed partying all night and sleeping all day and just wanting to gossip about everything and anything in between. However if this were Holly she wouldn't of accepted the answer of 'just a dress' and would be asking for more details however Emma just smiled telling her that was nice before opening the door to her apartment and going inside.

Standing in the stairwell Rachel willed god to give her strength as she made it out of her building toward the mall to meet Quinn, hoping that she didn't have any unfortunate run ins with any mystery men on the way. Letting the sounds of one of her many many many Broadway soundtracks take over her attention as she drove, Rachel almost missed the turn into the mall's parking lot letting her car skid a bit as she abruptly turned.

This was not the time to get into an accident, she mused to herself though the thought of a hot EMT did intrigue her ever so slightly.

Shaking that idea from her brain she finally managed to pull into a space just as the clock on her dash turned to noon.

"Crap," Rachel muttered under her breath as she turned off her car and seemingly sprinted across the parking lot entering the closest mall entrance which coincidently had to of been the entrance the farthest away from their ultimate destination.

Heading toward the escalator her mind was so set on making it up to Breadstix and Quinn as soon as possible that as she placed her foot on the first tread she lost her footing and soon she began to slip. Flailing her arms, she tried with all her might to reach the hand rails as she fell backwards. However her hands never reached and soon her petite body managed to land in a pair of arms sending a wave of shock to overcome her body while at the same time she seemed to be silently laughing. This was un freaking believable, she thought to herself as she twisted around to thank her rescuer. This motion however caught the young man off guard and seconds later as the escalator reached the top floor both parties came crashing to the floor gathering a small crowd around them.

"Sorry," Rachel managed to squeak out after a few moments of silence, "are you alright?"

"I should be asking you that question," he said with a sweet smile crossing his lips.

"I'm fine," she replied still lying on the ground watching as her rescuer began to stand up and dust himself off. He was a young man, most likely in his mid twenties like she was, with shaggy blonde hair and blue-grey eyes, and those lips….her thoughts however were broken when another masculine voice spoke out breaking the silence.

"Miss, are you alright," a security guard asked her as she began to sit up.

"I'm fine," she replied with a smile, "just a little disoriented that's all."

The older man nodded as he began to scribble something down on a clipboard.

"Do you know what date it is?" he asked beginning a long line of questions which Rachel answered with flying colors.

"Ok, you seem alright," he replied, "now if I can get your names and a formal statement then we're good to go."

"Rachel Berry," Rachel said.

"Sam Evans," her rescuer replied.

'Sam'- she let his name echo in the back of her mind while she gave the officer an account of just how she fell while Sam did the same.

As the officer left Rachel smiled as she looked over to Sam.

"I can't thank you enough for saving my life."

"I really wouldn't go to that much of a dramatic," he replied with a half smile, his eyes now seeming to give her the once over.

"Oh you want dramatic, I'll give you dramatic," she said with a wide smile thinking about her Aunt Chloe's letter and how the description of her hypothetical husband seemed to fit this Sam Evans to a T, "are you married?"

He let out a laugh.

"That was more invasive then dramatic," Sam said holding out his hand to her to show her the absence of a wedding band, "anyway no, I'm not married."

Rachel let out a sigh.

"This can't be happening," she spoke thinking it was to herself however soon Sam's eyes caught hers making her realize that her muttering was indeed out loud.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"Do you have a girlfriend," Rachel blurted out, "I mean let's face it a guy like you has to have someone, and I mean you're adorable…"

She could swear Sam was blushing as she rambled on.

"Are we done with this game of twenty questions cause I'm running late as it is and…"

At those words Rachel was reminded of Quinn and their lunch date for the first time and wondered just how much time had passed before replying.

"Just one more question, I swear…what do you do for a living?"

"Graphic designer," he said with a smile.

"Interesting," Rachel said, "anyway like I said that was it with the questioning and all and once again I want to give you thanks for well you know."

Sam nodded.

"anyway don't take any offence to this, I mean I'm sure you're a nice guy and all but I just want you to know I'm not interested in marriage right now."

Rolling his eyes Sam muttered a brief OK before walking in the opposite direction of where Breadstix was while Rachel continued to her restaurant hoping that Quinn was still there waiting for her.

TBC

OK so I was going to include the Faberry lunch date this chapter but I really wanted to update this now. Anyway hope you liked this update, feedback is loved.