Disclaimer: I own nothing if I did there would be a lot more Jesse on the show.

A/N: Just to let everyone know this is a fic with Finnchel friendship thrown into the mix. My apologizes if Jesse seems out of character a bit. I promise that things will get better.

When Rachel awoke the next morning she was met with a pair of hazel colored eyes and a glass of water.

"Rough night?" Finn asks as he hands her the glass of water and two aspirins.

"Something like that." She said giving him a nod as she took the pills and a sip of water.

"I can tell." He says laughing at the way she looks.

"What's so funny?" She asked placing the glass on the nightstand.

"Nothing." He smiles.

"Oh…my god I look like one of the children of the corn." She says as she gets a glance of herself in the mirror her hair is all over the place and her makeup is smeared everywhere. "Oh…dear I need a shower." She says getting up.

"Rachel you look fine. Sit we need to talk." He says pulling her back to the bed.

"Ok...um…what's up?" She asked noticing Finn's face turn serious.

"It's about Jesse…" He begins.

"Finn…not you too." She tells him.

"I'm not here to tell you to get back together with him. It's just he came into the bar last night and asked if I would at least talk to you on his behalf." Finn explains.

"Well…whatever it is you can save it. You said it yourself I have to move on and that is what I am doing." Rachel says getting up from the bed.

"Ok…when was the last time you went out?" Finn asks

"Last night." She said grabbing a brush from her dresser.

"Without Kurt, Blaine, myself or anyone from High school for that matter…all I am saying is that ever since Jesse left you haven't dated anyone." Finn says trying to prove a point.

"I really don't think you're one to give relationship advice. After all aren't you the one that went running for the hills when Quinn said she wanted to move in?" Rachel says turning the table on him as she drags the brush through her hair.

"Look…this isn't about me and Quin you know nothing about how things went. Besides this is about you and how you're still in love with Jesse." Rachel gets this unsettling feeling when Finn mentions that she is still in love with Jesse.

"It doesn't matter." She says placing the brush on the dresser and walking over towards the closet.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?" Finn asks giving her a strange look. "I don't get it if you're still in love with him then why haven't you told him?" Finn says wondering what was going through her head.

"It's not that simple Finn." She says pulling out a shirt and a pair of jeans from the closet.

"Sounds pretty simple to me, I mean if you both still love each other than what's the problem?" Finn asked.

"It's easy I don't trust him." She simply stated as she shrugged her shoulders.

"You're afraid that he's going to leave again." It was a question it was just a simple statement.

"Well…can you blame me?" She says closing the closet.

"Well…not really but…Rachel he is really trying to make things right." Finn says getting up.

"Why are you of all people defending him? I thought you hated him?" Rachel asked wondering why Finn has changed his mind.

"I don't hate him I mean the guy is a total ass but…I saw how happy he made you and that's what matters to me. I want you to be happy and if he makes you happy then you need to stop being afraid and at least go talk to him." Finn tries to explain.

"Finn…do you know how bad I want to go over there and tell him everything that's going through my head?" She asks as she feels the tears fall from her eyes.

"Then go." Finn says taking her hand. He really hated seeing her like this he missed the fire that she once had.

"What if I put it all out there and he wants nothing to do with me. I don't know if I can open myself up like that again just to get my heart shattered into a million pieces again." She says moving closer to Finn.

"I don't think that will happen and if it does I will be here to pick up the pieces." He says pulling her into a hug and kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you." She says wiping her face.

"Hey it's what friends are for." He says giving her a smile.

"I think I'm going to take a shower. You can stay if you want." She says as she walks towards the bathroom.

"Na…I gotta get to the bar." He tells her.

"Ok…well I will see you later." She gives him a nod.

"Sure…call me and let me know what happens." She gives him a nod as he walks out of her room.

-00-

Jesse was sitting in the kitchen listening to the radio hoping that it would keep his mind off of Rachel and her words from last night. "Alright ladies and gentlemen hope everyone is enjoying our throwback Thursday jam. This song up next has been our most requested one of the day so you asked and we listened." Jesse stopped dead in his tracks when he recognized the song on the radio. His mind instantly flashed back to when they performed this song.

I know there's something in the wake of your smile

I get a notion from the look in your eyes, yeah

You've built a love but that love falls apart

Your little piece of heaven turns too dark

(Flashback Lima 2015)

He had heard from a few people that Rachel had taken over the Glee club at McKinley so he figured he would stop by and find out why she came back to Lima. He could hear the sound of her voice coming from the auditorium. He stood by the door for a minute taking in her voice god…he missed her voice so much.

"Jessie St.James." Rachel said in shock that he was standing there in front of her.

"Hmm." He says taking in how beautiful she looks.

"What are you doing here?" She says looking him in the eyes.

"I'm from here, remember? And I'm just in town for a couple of days.

My mom is getting a tummy tuck and a little eye work done.

So I thought she could use a little help around the house.

The real question is, Rachel Berry what are you doing here?" He explains as he lets out a laugh.

"What? I'm coaching the glee club. Yeah, we're-we're cramming for sectionals right now" She tells him not looking him in the eye/

"So Well, I heard you were offered a new role in the Russell Simmons musical opposite one of Broadway's hottest up-and-coming young actors, but that the producers are still waiting to hear back from you." He tells her as she moves to where the piano is.

"Wait, how do you know that?" She asks with a shocked look.

"Because I'm the hot up-and-coming young actor that you're going to play opposite of." He says standing next to her as she shuffles through some papers.

"You're playing Tino?" She asked giving him a look.

"The Iraqi War vet who was discharged for covering the American embassy with the graffiti that he used to make him a famous Philly street artist, and when he comes home crippled with PTSD, it's only his love of hip-hop that can save his life? (laughs) Yeah…The producer spent a month trying the cast the role of Segovia Shade until I finally reminded them they found their Segovia Shade. She auditioned for them. Her name is Rachel Berry." He explains to her still trying to figure out why she would give up on her dream it was so unlike her.

"Jessie, I really appreciate you doing that for me, but I just I-I haven't made up my mind yet." She tells him not really wanting to talk about this right now.

"Rachel (quiet laugh) It's really fun to come home every now and again and coach a glee club or in my case, help your mom use her grabber tool to pull a box of cereal off the top of the fridge, but you and I both know that you belong on Broadway. You need to get your ass back to New York." He tells her knowing that she needed to be back on the stage.

"I am going back to New York. Right after sectionals I just don't know yet if it's going to be for college or for Broadway." She tells him.

"What?! You can't be serious." He says in shock ok…this was definitely not the Rachel Berry he knew. There had to be more but…what was it?

"Look, my career was on track. And then I dropped out of NYADA, and-and my whole life fell apart. So now I have the chance to rectify that mistake by going back to college, so what if that's the right choice?" She says trying to rationalize the fact that she was scared.

"Rachel, your mistake was not leaving NYADA. You got the lead role in Funny Girl. Nobody could've expected you to turn that down. Your mistake was leaving the show too early to do that stupid sitcom.

Look, I'm sure that NYADA is a great place, and maybe it's because I'm a little biased because she personally rejected me, but unless you want to be Carmen Tibedeaux and run a school that claims to be the nation's top performing arts institution when they have a known track record for rejecting really talented young actors (sighs) you don't need to go to college." He tells her seeing through her bullshit.

"Well, thank you for your input. I really appreciate your opinion I just I have to make this decision on my own." Rachel takes in his words knowing that he is right.

"Fair enough. I know that you'll make the right decision I just we make really great music together, Rachel." He tells her moving closer to her.

"We always have." She says giving him a small smile.

"Think about it." He tells her as he leaves the auditorium.

Jesse turns off the radio and grabs his coat and heads towards the door. He opens it and Rachel is standing outside it about to knock on it.

"Bad timing…you're on your way out?" She says as she clears her throat.

"Cosmic timing actually I was on my way to see you." He says still surprised that she is there.

"Really?" She asked surprised.

"Yeah. Yeah. I was, uh, I was hoping that we could stand awkwardly in the doorway, which, uh, huh, is working' out perfectly for me." Jesse says trying to make a joke.

"Jess…it's not awkward." She tells him as they both just stand there not knowing what to do next. Rachel lets out a sigh. "How about I come in." She says.

"Great idea. Come in. Uh...can I get you anything? You want somethin' to drink?" He says stepping inside allowing her to come in.

"Uh, no, I'm ok." She tells him looking around the apartment.

"You, uh, you hungry?" He asked not sure of what to say.

"You know what would be nice?" She asks taking off her jacket and placing it on the couch.

"Pizza? That's funny. I was actually thinking' pizza myself." He says to her as he grabs the phone.

"It would be nice if we could stop being so polite." She tells him hoping he gets why she is here.

"Oh. You know, actually, I'm really glad that you said that, because I've been meaning to emotionally abuse you for weeks. I just wanted to make sure you're up for it." He says making a joke.

"Jess…" she says giving him a look.

"Ok…fine." He tells her placing his hands in the air.

"What happened?" She says taking a seat at the table.

"What do you mean what happened?" He asked dumbfounded.

"To us…I mean how did we get to this point?" She said hoping to get some kind of answer. Jesse takes a deep breath and grabs a chair and sits in front of her.

"I…I…don't know Rachel." He says looking into her eyes.

"Jess…you have to know something." She says getting caught up in his eyes. Jesse reaches for her hand and takes it in his. Rachel can feel the electricity coarse through her body.

"I know I am not perfect and sometimes I do really stupid stuff… I know that I love you more than anything in this world and that it scares the shit out of me… I know that when my dreams come true you're the one I want standing beside me... I know that the past doesn't matter… I know when I close my eyes and think about the future I see you…I know that no matter what it is and will always be you." He tells her as Rachel can feel the tears start to fall. Jesse reaches up and takes his thumb and brushes a tear from her face. "I love you." He says placing a kiss on her lips. Rachel quickly pulls away and shakes her head.

"Jesse…I want all of that too but…" Rachel takes a deep breath trying to collect her thoughts. "The thing is Jesse how do I know that you will not leave and break my heart again? Because the thing is Jesse I love you more than I have ever loved anyone and I am so scared that you will leave again and I don't think I can handle it again." She says to him hoping that he understands.

"Hold on…" He says as he gets up and walks to the other room. While Rachel gives him a strange look wondering what's going through his head. Jesse comes back in the room and turns his chair around to where he is face to face with Rachel.

"Ok…so it seems to me that we communicate better through song. I know it's not much but…it is how I feel and I hope you will listen to the words because I mean every word." He tells her as he gives her a smile and takes a deep breath before singing the first verse of the song.

When the road gets dark

And you can no longer see

Let my love throw a spark

And have a little faith in me

Rachel can feel the familiar chills run down her spine as he sings. She closes her eyes and takes in the words.

And when the tears you cry

Are all you can believe

Give these loving arms a try, baby

And have a little faith in me

Jesse reaches his hand up to touch Rachel's cheek wiping away the fallen tears never taking his eyes of her.

And have a little faith in me

And have a little faith in me

And have a little faith in me

Have a little faith in me

Rachel closes her eyes taking in his touch and listening to the words and it is in that moment that it hits her that their past doesn't matter. All that matters is that he is here now and he isn't going anywhere.

And when your secret heart

Cannot speak so easily

Come in darlin' from a whisper start

To have a little faith in me

"Ok…" she said her voice thick with emotion. Jesse pauses for a minute wondering what she meant.

"What did you just say?" he asked wondering if he had heard her right.

"Jesse I love you more than anything in this world and our past…well it's the past. I don't want to dwell on it anymore. I want a future with you and only you." She tells him her voice thick with emotion.

"Are you sure?" He asked trying to read her expression before reaching into his pocket. "Because this is it Rachel no turning back it's all or nothing." He tells her with is hand still in his pocket. Rachel smiles and gives him a nod. "Ok…then." Jesse takes a deep breath and gets down on one knee.

"J…Jesse what are you doing?" She asks as she feels panic start to set in.

"Rachel…I have known since the first time I laid eyes on you that you were something special and while my intentions may not have been the purest my heart had known what took my head so long to realize. I could spend a thousand years making it all up to you but…it wouldn't be enough you didn't deserve any of it I was young and all I cared about was winning another trophy. But…you…(he shakes his head and smiles at her) you taught me that none of that mattered you showed me how to love unconditionally no matter how big of an ass a person was. You pushed me like none other to be the man that you knew I was meant to be. Even when I was an intolerable ass you still managed to forgive me. . .You reminded me of what I'm capable of feeling. It's like I was... walking around seeing my life through a smudged window, and then I saw you and the smudges were gone. The window was clean. So…(He takes a deep breath) with that being said will you Rachel Barbra Berry marry me?" He says holding the ring as she covers her mouth and starts to cry.

"Jesse…I…" She says trying to compose herself. Jesse's face falls knowing what her answer is.

"It's fine. I know too soon." He says placing the ring back in his pocket and getting up. Rachel stops him.

"Jesse Anthony St. James where do you think you're doing?" She asks with her hands on her hips giving him a flirty smile.

"I…I…thought you…." He begins to say as Rachel cuts him off.

"I was going to say no." She asks as he nods his head. "You silly boy yes…I will marry you." She says giving him a wide smile.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yes really now kiss me before I change my mind." She says jokingly. Jesse pulls the ring out of his pocket and places it on her finger before pulling her into a kiss.

Ok….so there you have it I will have more up later. As always reviews are not only welcomed but they are greatly appreciated.