A/N: This is going to be a complete story, not a series of one shots. I thought it would be more of a challenge this way. Of course I would love reviews since it is my first foray into writing for this fandom. Even though I am such a hardcore shipper, I also love the idea of Fuinn so you might get hints of this.

She stayed for another hour before she realized how late it was. She didn't even know what the bedding arrangements were and now it was 2am. Jesse couldn't help but forget the ring on her finger and everything she had told him about the past year. He hadn't asked about the circumstances of the engagement when Rachel let it slip that she had slept with Finn. The long pause afterwards was the only awkward moment of their conversation. The other boys were excited about meeting the " Siren of the plains" as they dubbed her. She was happy to know that this was not Jesse's primary job and neither of the others. Some things didn't change as Jesse explained that he still like to give impromptu performances and had gotten his roommates to join him.

"It helps perfect my craft plus you never know who could see you" Jesse pointed out

Jesse couldn't help but feel helpless again as Rachel was saying her goodbyes to his friends. Last time he thought they were together she broke his heart in such a manner he didn't think possible. New York had helped heal those wounds but the reappearance of Rachel had broken them open all over again. When he saw her start to dig into her purse for cab fare, he grabbed her hand to stop her.

"I'm paying and I will not take no for an answer"

"Jesse, its fine, I did my budget perfectly to include emergency cab fare just in case I was running away from a mugger." She replied with a grin

"No, I'm paying and you are taking my number" as he dug into his pocket and took out two 20's. He placed them into Rachel's hand and closed it shut. Rachel couldn't help but smile when he took the map from her bag and starting to writing on it.

"What are doing that is too much? And that definitely looks more than just a number" she said quietly as she tried to peek a look at the map.

"Don't look at it until you are in the cab" Jesse asked. She tucked the map into her bag just to take away the temptation. Jesse got a cab for her with ease and opened the door for her. Rachel couldn't figure out whether to kiss him goodbye or hug him. She gave a quick kiss on the cheek and hopped in the cab with vigor just from the excitement to see what was on the map.

This is my number and I circled my address. Just in case you missed it I am going to write out again. Now you have no excuse not to find me or give me a call. I love you, Rachel Berry and even if you leave me to marry Finn. Give me these few days to bask in your sunlight and prove that there is nothing back there for you

She squeezed the map close to her racing heart. Even though she had enjoyed their moments tonight the further away the cab took her away from him, the guiltier she felt.

"Maybe it was just sexual attraction or wedding day jitters." She thought to herself while playing with her ring. "Maybe this is what was always suppose to happen or maybe I love Jesse"

Rachel hurried to her hotel room opening the door slowly the lights were off so she figured she would be able to sneak into bed without anyone noticing until she heard the cough.

The lights came on suddenly causing her to be temporarily blinded but when her vision returned she saw all of the girls sitting on the bed very much awake.

" I told you it would work. Just like the movies and I can be the bad guy too. Sit down, slut" Harmony said childlike

Brittney turned to look disapprovingly at Harmony "You can't call Rachel a slut for catching us, we were playing hide and seek and Rachel just caught us. Right?"

"Sit down, Ms. Kissy face" Mercedes commanded

"What are you talking about?" Rachel said quietly while clutching her purse.

"You have some nerve to be playing dumb. Me, Brittany, and Harmony saw you and your amante in Union Square, Biyatch" Santana shouted at her

" I hope this isn't true, Rachel" Tina murmured quietly while playing with the hem of her skirt

Rachel felt like she was about to burst from the tension. Her hands had begun to stick to the faux leather purse that held the evidence of her encountered. She kept swallowing trying to cure her sudden case of dry mouth. Her world was crumbling and it was all Jesse's fault.

"You better start speaking! Nothing is going to make you seem any worse than a fiance cheater" Mercedes snarled.

"And you called me the whore" Santana chuckled deeply.

Maybe it was the fact that she was trapped or maybe it was because of the comments but when she looked to see the only quiet person in the room. It took her over the edge and she bolted out the room. She ran with one shoe off and the other left in the hotel room with her purse and didn't turn back. It was only when she found herself knocking on an apartment door did she realize what she had done.

A man only clad in his boxers opening the door slowly. "Rachel? What are you doing here?" he mumbled out with his eyes halfway open. She thanked the NYC gods that Jesse had been the one to open the door. She pushed her way through to look around at the loft that he inhabited. Jesse slowly started to wake himself up from the sleep that had just recently claimed him.

"I don't think you came here to see my apartment" he grunted out.

"Show me your room" Rachel commanded while glancing at his bare torso. She had remembered it less defined when they were going out but it seemed like he was even leaner and toned. She used to muse to herself how Jesse body was more like Brad Pitt in Fight Club and Finn's body was like Brad Pitt in Troy. She had wrote it down in her diary if she remembered correctly.

Jesse was about to ask about the missing shoe that he could not locate around the apartment when he heard Rachel's request. He loved it when she demanded things, something about divas made his blood boil. "Right this way and I recommend you taking off the other shoe" he informed her. He was located on the top floor. Well half a floor Jesse would call it. It had a brilliant view of the city since one side of the apartment walls was just a huge window. He led her best he could up the steep narrow stairs walking behind her just in case she stumbled. He was also enjoying the view also as the dress revealed the matching blue underwear that matched her dress. "Only Rachel Berry..." he thought to himself.

Rachel began to take off her clothes instantly taking off the stifling clothing. She didn't care anymore now that she was with Jesse. The clothes wore the stain of the judgments everyone had given her. In her hurry to undress she forgot the man who was standing in the corner with a oddly placed hat over his boxers.

"Ummm Rachel , as nice as this is, I have to ask what exactly are doing. I mean besides the stripping part I mean undressing, I don't know what I'm even saying" Jesse stuttered.

She found herself staring at a man that had once almost claimed her virginity. His face looked so innocent as he tried to hide his desire from her. In that moment she realized that she loved him without a question. She walked towards him maintaining eye contact with him.

"I want you to prove that it was worth it" she whispered to his ear.

"Rachel, I have always imagined our first time better than this" he choked out

"I already did a first, I want you to make me forget it ever happened" she replied.

Rachel had always been his one and only before he ever realized his ablitiy to love. He wanted to restrain himself from the desire that threaten to take over. His body had a mind of his own when he leaned forward to kiss her lips. The dim light did no justice to the beauty that was in front of him but he couldn't even pretend this anything but Rachel Berry. He kissed her forcefully pushing her to his bed that he wished looked better.

Rachel was happy that for once she was in control of her situation. At this moment it didn't matter how it came to be but that she was here now. She felt the soft locks of his hair as he kissed her for the first time in this foreign environment. She couldn't believe that for the first time her dreams matched her reality, kissing a gorgeous man with the city skyline as the background. She pushed her towards the bed she wished it had truly been her first. The soft covers of the bed made her even forget what place she was in.

" I want you know you were the first that I have ever had since our break up…our real break up" he muttered into her lips as his hand ventured to areas it had only wished. He wanted her to know how much he wanted her. He needed it

She felt herself get emotional at his confession because she wishes she could say the same. The thought of what she did before her trip here began to flash before her closed eyes. Yet every touch he did help banish those memories to the past.

"Jesse, I want you to be my last" she choked out. She hated that he always invoked raw emotion from her

He had started to take off her bra slowly when he heard her barely audioable statement. He stared at her for a moment. He slowly kissed her from her forward down to her lips. Hovering over lips and looking at her.

She felt herself becoming anxious with his lack of contact. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked quietly while stroking his back. She wanted him to be happy but he looked so neutral. "Is neutrality a bad thing" she thought to herself.

Jesse watched her lips moving but the words barely enter the fog that was formally his brain. He pushed Rachel's hair away from her face. He kissed her deeply inhaling her scent as he tasted her.

"Nothing wrong, I just want to memorize the moment I finally got my girl and wondering how I'm so lucky" he said as he smiled into her lips.

In the twilight of the night they washed away the regrets of the past and for the first time truly lived in the moment.