Wordcount: 5,029 Rating: Probably G, nothing really crazy goes on Author: Britt

Credits:

All characters that are not mine, Including The Berry's, The St. James, and Brad are all from the minds of the creators of glee, we just use them as a ship to sail the rest of our Ideas and to bring the rest of our characters to life. The song The World Of Your Body was created by the brilliant minds that brought us the Musical Spring Awakening and any song/script that is in here and was in the show is credited to them. I do not own or claim to own any of them. :3 Enjoy!

It had been way to long since the girl had put on a performance—one of this size or grandeur or importance, not to say that the impromptu performances to her neighbors weren't grand just not the same size, just didn't come often—and she was going to shine, a bright light flickered in her dark walnut colored eyes and she would keep it there for the world, or the majority of Lima Ohio, to see. It had been a decision that she, and of course Jesse, had made a while back and had yet to put forth into action. Pulling as much money into the hands of the New Directions from the pockets of the people living in the little town would help them tremendously, even if that meant putting the ticket price a little higher than they normally did. "Jesse! This is nearly highway robbery!" Rachel nearly squeaked as the warm programs were being folded between their hands as the two stars stayed after, working tirelessly to make sure everything was perfect—well, Rachel was folding and Jesse was leaning against the piano watching her stack one after one into baskets, meticulously checking each for the perfect fold—because it was only perfection for those who came to a performance of Rachel Barbra Berry.

"I don't think so." He shrugged off her comment, crossing his arms over his chest, "Money is money and people will come to see the performance no matter the price. Look at Broadway." The two of them had been dating for maybe six months. There was a rock in the Finnchel relationship, a shaky ship that lead only to a breach in a hull and they sunk—albeit with much fuss from Rachel—slowly. That was when Jesse, to the dislike of the rest of the glee club members, came and pulled Rachel out of the water, dried her off, and gave her something to love. They had always been close, but Rachel was now starting to see the similarities between the two of them that was hidden before, "People pay lots of money to see one performance, fifteen dollars won't break the bank for anyone."

The cock of his attitude made Rachel look up from her folding, a hitch in one of her neatly groomed eyebrows. There were many families that would have problems with pulling in that money, especially Sam. His junior year was hard, but his senior year wasn't getting any better. Someone would help pay for the tickets if his parents wanted to come, but there was no way that Rachel, or the rest of them, would let the kids go without seeing their brother preform. Locking eyes with him, his brow scrunched in confusion, but the brunette gave in. She knew that they didn't have time to fight—nor did she want too—so she went back to folding.

"So, Rachel…?" The sound of his feet kicking off of the ground—walking around the piano, sitting at the edge of the stage, a mere foot away from her—echoed in the nearly empty theatre, "Have you decided what solo you are singing tonight..?" Pulling her eyes once more up from the multi-colored paper she looked through her bangs, feeling her heart race as she watched the boy look down at her, a bit of a sweat formed at the nape of her neck as she shrugged, looking away from his gaze.

"There are a lot of songs to choose from, and I really haven't decided exactly what I want to do." Keeping her orbs glued to the paper she lined it up with the light, checking the seam before placing it down on the pile, putting her small hands on the paper smiling back up to Jesse, "But I had an Idea if you are up for it." Tilting his head the grin prompted her to continue. Tacking her hair behind her ear, Rachel obliged, "Well, there was a song that I wanted to do, but it's not something I can do alone."

Jesse's ego hit an all-time high, and his grin spread across his face, "Is that your way of asking someone to sing with you…?" The cocky smirk fell across his face as he jumped off of the stage, leaning against the table.

"No, it was more of a challenge," Rachel shrugged off his eyes that were glancing down at her button up blouse, her face serious, "Its not an easy song, but if anyone can do it. It's you." She smiled, picking up another paper licking her fingers and aligning the edges while she spoke, "So if you are up for a struggle you can sing with me, if not I will probably just pick something I've done before." Staying in her comfort zone was always a good plan when she hadn't practiced anything, but coming from such a competitive background—and knowing how Jesse would never live down a challenge, or even allow someone to put down his abilities—helped her decision to choose to do the duet. As her lithe fingers pulled at another sheet, his hand came down on it, keeping her from continuing, making her pay attention to every move he made.

"What song..?" There was passion in his voice, overflowing as his facial expression and the way his theatricality pulled on her.

"Well I mean, it's a great song, but I don't know if you—"

"Rachel." His voice was nearly sharp—probably the fact she had possibly bruised a portion of his ego and he was looking for it to be stroked, not smacked—as he pushed the papers slightly, "Tell me what song you want to do."

Eyes like marble gazed up at him, shocked for a moment, before swinging back in time and nodding, "It's from this musical that is looking for talent right now, the sheet music was just downloaded so I could maybe practice." There was a pause as she looked down at her pleather bag, "It's called Spring Awakening. They have a few songs up because supposedly they are going around the states looking for new talent to join their ranks." Grasping her bag, she pulled it over the table and searched for the music, pulling out the neatly pressed folder and handing it to him. His hands grasped the material and looked it over as she continued, "The song is 'The World of Your Body.' And-"

"I know the show." His words weren't harsh, but instead thoughtfully brisk as he put his fingers over his lips, reading over the music. "Well as much as you can know, seeing as script and music alike are pretty much hidden." Blue eyes shifted from the paper as he handed it back to her. "You should leave those papers so we can do a quick run though."

Looking down at the stacks of hundreds that still needed to be folded, "Oh Jesse, I don't know…?" the sound of her voice trailed off at the syllables following her questioning tone. There was a hint of hesitation to the diva's voice as she looked from the work that needed to be done to the action that her body was so driven to do. He couldn't bribe her with a duet, could he..? Jesse couldn't be that devious. "I have all this stuff to do," she pulled her hair over her shoulder, running the soft of her fingers through the curls that danced around her angelic face—which was twisted into a confused air that lingered in her eyes and lips—but her words continued to fall, "These papers need to be folded and I don't see you helping me."

A light scoff, and Jesse had her arm, pulling her from around the table and closer to the stage, "Oh Rachel, don't give me that." He chuckled, "I know you want to perform this."

Pouting Rachel pulled at her arm, "But Jesse!" She whined lightly, the back of his perfect curled hair was the only thing she could see as he spun on his heels to pull her—gently of course—in a ruse to make her want to sing.

"Really." He turned, an amused smile lingering on his upturned lips. Her heart softened as Rachel watched him look her over, "Rachel don't tell me you would rather stand and fold countless pieces of paper, instead of singing. That isn't the Rachel that I know."

Jesse was right, the longing to sing was nearly overpowering the need to finish what she had promised to the fellow members in glee. "Once…?"

"One time"

There was a small pause as Rachel thought everything through, "Then I can get back to the folding,"

"Yes."

"And I won't be bothered at all."

His grin widened, "Well I can't promise that one, but I can promise that you will missing a wonderful opportunity if you decide to skip out on a duet with Jesse St. James."

Rachel's face fell into a smile and she laughed shaking her head and rolling her eyes, "Okay okay! Let's go." Her tone held a pinch of anxiety but it was overpowered by the excited way she linked her fingers with his as he led her up on the stage, one hand in hers and the other holding the sheet music with the other. "Brad has to be around her somewhere—" grinning she let their clasped hands fall as she walked to the center of the stage—walking around the piano that was tilted and perfectly placed downstage right—peering into the wings looking for the man, "—he always is up for playing a piano tune or two." Hands akimbo she called for him. Once. Twice, before the man appeared, as if a ghost, from stage left, looking at the both of them as he walked to the piano, Rachel following him, a light skip in her step as she spoke, "Jesse and I have a duet that we are going to be doing tonight, and we were going to see if you would like to play the music for a test run."

Shrugging lightly his eyes went from Rachel to Jesse, before the boy brought forward the music, placing it in his hands. "You think you can do it..?" Jesse questioned, met only by a nod as Brad looked over the notes and placing the sheets in preceding order on the piano, sitting on the stool with an ambience of cool composure that Rachel had grown to love over the last three years, Jesse of course had yet to understand his quiet style. "He doesn't talk much, does he..?" The boy commented, almost like an afterthought as he looked up into the bright stage lights that flooded the area with a warmth that only a performer would understand.

"Not really." Shrugging she continued, "But it's really nice, just having him play for you and not really ask questions." Taking his hand in both of hers, a bat of her lashes was followed up by a smile, "and he's always here just for us—though mostly me, because I'm the only one that takes advantage of a personal piano player." A twinkle lit up her face before she turned away from the boy and pivoted to the lights, "I'm ready." She shot a quick look at Brad and waited for the music to start, trying to gaze at the seats, only glimpsing the white of the light washing the rest of the colors out, leaving behind only the white of the light.

"Just too unreal, all this," touching each note with a twinkling splendor that was she had always been known for. "Watching the words fall from my lips," Rachel had pulled her hand from Jesse's and had run a light index finger along the length of her bottom lip.

Above the light flitting of Brads fingers on the perfectly cut ivories, Jesse's steps could be felt as Rachel brought her hand back down to her side. His breath could be heard as he grasped her hand, pulling it over her stomach. "Baiting some girl with—" a smile crossed his mug as his other arm snaked around her waist, "—hypotheses. Haven't you heard the word or your body..?" Their harmonizing had always been lovely, but the sound had made Rachel's heart skip a beat, "Don't feel a thing, you wish." The words were nearly whispered into the girls ear before she lightly broke from his grasp, placing her fingers at her collar bone, her eyes closed as she searched for her notes.

"Grasping at pearls with my finger tips."

Rachel's eyes only opened at the sound of Jesse's voice next to her. When had he gotten that close…? Rachel ignored the thought, the character completely overwhelming the girl. "Holding her hand like some little tease." Jesse held out his own hand, to which Rachel looked down and slowly grasped it, "Haven't you heard the word—" Their voices twisted into a perfect harmony, "of my wanting…?"

The two took in their breath, ready to hit the chorus before the musical interlude was broken and a voice cut them off. "Stop!"

Brad's fingers stopped, as if he was hit with a cold wind across the soft of the man's face. The character that Rachel had built crumbled and her eyes flashed and searched for the sound—for the voice—that had interrupted the duet that the two had been so willing to work on.

"This is a closed rehearsal." Jesse snapped, having come out from behind Rachel, crossing his arms over his jacket eyeing the man that had made his way down the aisle.

"No—"Rachel put a hand on her boyfriend , "Jesse stop." and put a hand over her eyes, casting a shadow over her face, glimpsing the man, "Excuse me sir, Is there anything I can do for you..?"

"I had just heard that there was going to be a performance here tonight, is this" he pointed up to the stage, indicating and hinting at their rendition of the song, "What the singing will be like tonight..?"

Stepping forward, Rachel looked down on the man who was at the edge of the stage, trying to figure out how to explain what they were going to do tonight. "Well," A happy smile twitched on her lips as she continued, "We are the New Directions, a glee club where we sing and perform songs both together and apart. The group had asked me to do a solo, but I decided to do a duet with Jesse instead." She turned motioning to her boyfriend who had yet to accept the man. "He's not in the group, but he stays around and helps." The man listened and nodded at all the right places, his phone buzzing all the while.

Walking up to the table, he pointed at one of the folded programs, "May I…?"

"Yes, of course." She smiled and looked up to Jesse with an 'I told you so' looked hovering on her face.

Flipping through it he didn't really seem to read it, but instead he seemed to be thinking, and he spoke, "So what were you singing there…?" The man looked up only momentarily before putting his greyish eyes back down at the paper, "Is it something I should know…?"

"I didn't know about it until recently actually, It's a song from an upcoming Broadway show. I've heard that they are searching for their leads, they are having a bit of a problem trying to find someone to really fit the characters well enough—probably because all of the great Actors in New York are known for other things." She leaned over lightly speaking to the man, "I think that they want someone new—great talent that hasn't been on Broadway yet."

The man looked amused as he looked back up to the two, "Are you guys heading out to broadway?"

"Eventually" Jesse chimed in, "Rachel isn't going to leave school unless she gets a part, but after we both want to get out of here and make our names big."

"We just love to perform." Rachel laughed, "It's in our blood."

"I can see that." Chuckling, the man picked up his phone, giving them only a finger as if to tell them that he would speak with them in a moment. Jesse looked to Rachel, and they walked off the stage, deciding that if they were going to talk to him, they might as well get on the same level. "Yeah….Yes." The man paused, listening to whoever was on the other side of the line. "Lima Ohio, right." He looked over the two of them smiling as he spoke, "You got what I sent to you, right..? Yes…Right…..They seem fine, interested even." Laughing the man shook his head as he continued to speak—pausing only to let the other person talk, "Right! I thought the same thing." He let his eyes go back to the two, to which Rachel looked away, trying not to pay attention to the man and his conversation. "Let me call you back Reginald….Yes… Alright. Bye. Sorry about that." He shoved his phone back down into the denim of his pants, "My name is Robert Leggard. I assume you are Rachel Berry…?" Putting out his hand to shake the girls, Rachel took it lightly and shook it tentatively, "And you Jesse St. James." He turned to Jesse, who eyed his hand for a moment before taking it.

"I don't…" Rachel paused for a moment, "Really understand."

"Then here, let me explain." He motioned for them to sit, which they did, taking front row seats next to each other, "I was just talking to my boss Reginald, Reginald De Vouge, have you heard of him." Rachel thought lightly, but he really didn't give either of them time to really think about what or who he was before Robert continued, "He has sent—well I think it was seven—eight now of us all across America looking for people like you." Her heart stopped, only to be jolted forward by what the man continued to say what he did, "Reginald has us looking for—like you said—a perfect Wendla and Melchior." A hand covered the girls mouth as she had tears hiding behind the whites her eyes, Jesse wasn't so sure.

"And…? Have you found them…?"

"Well, we were hoping that you two would be willing."

There was a silence, a long silence that hung over both of their heads before Rachel spoke, a hand over her heart and one covering her mouth which was hung agape at even the thought of what the man was saying. "A-are you serious…?"

"Dead serious love. Would you like to talk to him…?" He put his hand in his pocket pulling out his phone, "I know he wants to talk to you."

Looking up to Jesse, he nodded once and Rachel reached out for the phone, praying that the person that answered the phone actually was De Vouge, and not some sick joke that another team had played on her. The last thing the girl needed now was a horrific joke going wrong and blowing up in her face.

"Rovert? Is zat you..?" The man's thick Russian accent folded over the line and tears streamed down her face. And for a moment she couldn't even speak, the shock that it was actually him hit her so hard. "'ello..?"

"H-hello, um, this isn't Robert, this is Rachel Berry, Robert told me that you would want to speak with me..?" She looked up to Robert who prompted her to continue talking.

"You are zee girl in zee video, ya..?'

"Yes, I am." Rachel brought a finger under her lids and pulled the tears away from her eyes.

"We want you, we want you bad." He started, not even letting the girl speak before he continued, "Listen, whatever we can do to get you two out here to perform, we will do. We have an apartment waiting for you, payment, practice." There was a pause. One in which the girl was in so much shock that she couldn't even speak to him. "We want you out on a plane tonight to come and make your way out to New York."

"i-I don't know what to say…"

"Say yes, both of you, say yes."

Jesse was watching the conversation with much interest, but Robert had pulled him aside to talk to him. Eyes the size of saucers the boys excitement was completely hidden from the shock of what was going on. Where they really going to Broadway…? Was this really their chance…? "Let me get my dads down here and I will call you back."

"Not a problem, I'll talk to you soon." And then he was gone.

The next hour was the longest hour of her life consumed at the stomach of the girl. She couldn't even fold the rest of the programs her mind and heart were racing so hard. Sitting there, Rachel was silent until her fathers rushed into the room, a concerned look on their face—probably because the diva failed to tell her fathers anything but the fact that she needed them and she needed them now. "Daddy!" Rachel pulled herself from the chair and rushed her way into his arms, wrapping her frail arms around his frame, the sobs that shook her body concerned both of them and they pulled her in, continuously trying to console her.

"Baby, Ray… What's wrong…?"

She shook her head. "N-nothing's wrong…I-i-I…."Robert came over to the three of them, leaving Jesse and his parent who were hugging and laughing. Something so joyous on their side should be good for Rachel, and oh she was so happy, happy to the point of tears, but her parents had no idea what was going on.

"Hi, I'm Robert, I'd like you to come see something." He motioned for the two to come over where Jesse was holding an iPad, talking with his parents to a man on the other side. "Reginald…?" Robert spoke into the screen to which the man looked for the voice, smiling, "These are the Berry's, they just got here, and Rachel's a bit of a mess, so excited and everything. If you want to talk to them…?"

"Yeah, no problem."

Robert explained what he needed to in a quick and timely fashion before turning to Rachel and Jesse, Pulling them aside to speak with them. "Now Rachel, Jesse has already signed his papers. He's officially the Spring Awakening's Melchior. And when your parents allow you to go, we need you both to go home as quickly as possible and pack, we are flying to New York tonight, and getting you settled so we can have a full cast reading tomorrow and get costume stuff worked out."

The excitement was hard to hide on either of their faces, but then it hit her, "What about tonight…? We have a performance tonight. We can't just bail on them, we have to do this. New Directions needs us."

"Rachel! Listen to yourself!" Jesse laughed, "This is Broadway we are talking about. Lead roles if I might add! If they need us tonight then we need to go. Don't let the New Directions get in the way of your dreams.." Taking her hand, he kissed the top portion before flipping it over and kissing her palm. "Broadway. Our dream."

Closing her eyes, she nodded, leaning into him, praying that she wouldn't upset anyone on the team, that maybe instead of being upset they would be happy, gleeful, glad to see that she was going to get her dream. It was clear to her, no matter how much she wished it wouldn't be like that, that they would be upset. Some would be happy, but most would be shocked, upset, mad that she was leaving them in the middle of the year. Nodding Rachel spoke, "Right, our dream." Jesse pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back gently before moving his hand to the back of her head, running his fingers through her thick curls. "I Love you."

He smiled, resting his head on hers squeezing her lovingly, "Love you too starshine." The term of endearment came accidently, thankfully to Jesse, Rachel had loved it, and blushed at any time it was used.

Rachel's Dads squealed—a shock to both Robert, and the two future stars that were locked in an embrace—as they heard the news from the man, "Yes! A Thousand times yes!" Their excitement was only exacerbated when the y handed over the device to its owner and pulled their daughter out of Jesse's arms and into their own. "Oh Rachel baby! We are so excited for you! We know you can do this, and you are so talented! We've been waiting for this day for years, waiting for a call or waiting for them to find you and they have!" Their eyes welled up with pride and they pressed their lips against her scalp. "You do us proud baby. You have to go."

Taking a deep breath, Rachel gazed up at them, trying to blink away the tears that were forming in her eyes, crystalized on her cheeks, she just shook her head and pulled them close. "I love you guys, I love you so much."

"Excuse me….? I hate to break this up, but if you are going Mrs. Berry, we need to take you to get your things and get you on the plane. Keep in mind that we still have to get Jesse's things as well so we can't take too much time." Rachel pulled away from her fathers, kissing each of them before looking to the man.

"Are you two going to stay here and tell everyone where I am…?" There was a pang of regret as she realized she wouldn't be the one to tell everyone the exciting news, instead it would be their parents.

"If that is what you want baby doll." Smiling at her, they blew her kisses. "You and Jesse get everything ready, and you call me when you get on that plane okay…?"

"I will, I'll make sure that you two know everything." There was a twinkle in their eyes and Rachel smiled at them, taking Jesse's hand, a sad, but excited look flashing on and off her face as it raced through her mind that this was it, she had finally made it, she had her dream and she wasn't going to let that go—ever.

Jesse had to hold her throughout the whole trip, the one to her house, to his house, and was currently holding her now as they were on their way to the airport. Taking a deep breath, Jesse lightly pulled Rachel away, making the girl give him a confused look. "Hey Rachel, there was something that I was going to do tonight, but everything got so crazy and exciting that it was pushed aside."

Furrowing her brows, the girl questioned him, "What do you mean…?"

"Well I had assumed that you wanted everything perfect, being Rachel Berry and all, but I think I need to do this now before we get on the plane."

Her eyes read shocked again and Jesse smiled, placing a hand on her cheek, "Stop worrying." Nodding Rachel watched as Jesse reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulling out a small black satin box. Her heart skipped once more, her stomach jumped into her throat as her eyes dashed from the box to his face and back again. "Rachel, I know that we haven't really been dating very long, but there is just something about your crazy attitudes that make me love you—and with your fathers blessing," Rachel covered her mouth, tears spilling over her hands as she looked at Jesse, his hands nimbly flicking the top over, a Jesse grin locked on his face, "We have one dream coming true, would you like one more..?"

Holing the box up he motioned for Rachel to answer him, but she was locked into a silence. What in the world would she say…? There was so much shock in this day that Rachel could barely even breath through everything that was going through her mind, swirling through her head and her heart begged for her to speak but nothing audible could come out of her mouth besides the little puffs of breath that fell from her lips. Robert watched from the rear-view-mirror in the front of the taxi, trying to gauge Rachel's reaction—but she herself didn't even know what to do. The ring sparkled marvelously in the box as the gold ring held the halo of diamonds encased a larger diamond. The emerald cut was beautiful and brought a strong essence to the soft perfection of the gems.

Itching in his seat, Jesse watched the girl, as Rachel's fingers flitted over the ring, feeling the metallic part, and tracing up to the white crystal before holding out her hand to him. "Yes." Her smile grew and she nodded, "I will be Mrs Rachel St. James."