Jesse's hands were still entangled in Rachel's dark waves when he finally detached his mouth from hers. He didn't precisely know what had possessed him to pull her to him as he did. He only really knew that angry Rachel was crazy attractive, and fighting with Rachel was hot, and yelling at each other had been a major turn on. And with all the contradictory thoughts running through his head, the only thing Jesse could say was:

"This is a bad idea."

And it was... or he thought it was. Honestly, the intense and amazing feelings that came from their kiss had other opinions coming in from left and right. He hadn't kissed a girl for himself in a long time – his most recent make-outs had been for scenes in a romance that was already plotted out for him. And, as an actor, he knew how to tell real feelings from fiction ones. Those feelings coursing through him after kissing Rachel were as real as anything in his life had been in a long time.

And that was really what terrified Jesse the most because if there was one thing he had a talent for, other than acting and playing the piano, it was fucking up the things that meant something to him.

So maybe that's why acting came so easily to him. He truly had mastered what most struggling in the field had problems with. To be an actor, you have to be able to morph into someone else. You have to be able to become someone entirely different than who you are and do so in a convincing matter. To do this you have to leave everything – and everyone – in your real life outside of the profession. To some this would be challenging, but Jesse found it easier to just lay down his real life and pick up another one. Sometimes, he even forgot to pick up the real stuff on his way off set. Detachment was something Jesse could always handle. At least, it used to be... but right now, Jesse could practically feel the ties that were pulling him closer and closer to the girl he was so certain was no more than a friend.

So when Rachel said, "This is a really bad idea," the ties only seemed to constrict him more and pull harder because before he could tell himself to stop, he was kissing her again.

This time it was her hands that wandered into his hair while his slipped down to her lower back.

When he pulled away again, Jesse said, "Okay, now we have to stop."

They didn't...

But when they finally did several minutes later, they both had flushed faces, a dismay of hair, pounding hears, and a very important discussion ahead.

So, with a knowing glance at each other, they retook their seats on the couch making sure to keep a proper level of distance between them.

Jesse ran a hand through his hair and licked his lips quickly. Rachel straightened her shirt and tried to return her hair back to how it had looked before their rendezvous. And once they were out of distractions, Rachel spoke.

"What just happened."

A light smirk graced Jesse's face before he replied, "I think we both know what just happened." His voice, unlike his features, held no humor.

Rachel just raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry," Jesse mumbled and then he let his voice rise back to a normal level. "Obviously we just crossed a line I didn't even think we were standing near."

"And now we have to figure out where it leaves us," Rachel finished.

Rachel's feelings were running ramped in her mine after the recent events. Kissing Jesse had felt better than kissing Finn ever had. If felt better than going to the Tonys and landing an audition for a TV series. It felt like the climax of a Nicholas Sparks novel – the end of a Barbara movie. It felt fearless and perfect.

It did to her, at least. But, if there was one thing she could detect in Jesse's eyes, it was fear.

"This doesn't have to change anything," Jesse frowned. Rachel could sense a bit of desperation in his tone that he was trying vainly to conceal. "I really shouldn't have done that, so I'm sorry. I don't want you to think I want to be around you for... sexual relations... So, if you can forget about how ungentlemanly I've acted today, I can promise it won't happen again. And, sorry about the fight. You're right, I over reacted."

Rachel took in the sincerity of his words and the ego-bruising it must have taken to say them. And before her heart could tell her not to, she found herself sighing and giving him a tiny smile.

"What fight?"

Things after that had pretty much gone back to normal. Rachel's dads came home not to long after, and they had told them that Jesse had flew in to help Rachel some more with her lines. While they ate dinner they stayed on neutral topics, and conversation flowed smoothly and comfortably. Only Rachel and Jesse knew about the emotional burdens they were currently carrying, and they didn't even let it show to one another.

After dinner, Rachel had dismissed herself to go take and shower. Rachel's dads told Jesse he could have the guest room, so he went up there to get settled. He had just finished slipping into his sleepwear when he heard his phone start vibrating from where he had placed it on the nightstand. Groaning when he read the name, he hit the answer button.

"Hello?"

"Dude, where are you? I've got two invites to Mary Kate and Ashley's after party for the premiere of their clothing line! I've been calling your house all day!" Puck's excited, yet somewhat annoyed, voice exclaimed.

"I can't go," Jesse answered flatly.

"Great! I'll have the car – I'm sorry. Did you just say you can't go?"

"Yeah," Jesse sighed.

"You're kidding, right? What could possibly be keeping you from attending what is going to be a majorly kick-ass party?"

Jesse took a deep breath and prepared for what was sure to be the retort before he answered. "I'm in Lima."

"Dude, like I said before, you're officially a jackass."

"I know," Jesse finally admitted. "I know, and it gets worse."

"How?"

"We kissed."

"No way! You got a piece of Berry, man-"

"No, Puck," Jesse groaned. "This is not a good thing."

"Not a good thing? I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"Think about it, St. James. You just said that making out with a hot chick wasn't a good thing. I think we both know what that means."

"Explain it to me."

"You're in love with Berry."

Puck waited for a retort, but the only reply he got was the sound of a dial tone.

Rachel had a lot to think about.

Which is really why she had lied and said she was going to take a shower while she really sat on her bed locked in her room trying to sort out the days events.

Jesse had come all the way from California to see why she wasn't returning his calls.

He had risked being mobbed by her glee club so he could meet her at school.

He had gotten royally pissed off when she wouldn't give an explanation for remaining MIA for three days.

And during the middle of a fight, he had kissed her.

Repetitively.

She ran the facts over and over in her head. The first conclusion she came to was ridiculous.

She tried again.

Same answer.

And when she ran them through the third time with the same results, she knew that she had to be right.

Jesse St. James was in love with her.

And she was going to make him realize it.

That night as they sat together at the piano with Jesse playing and Rachel singing both laughed there way through every song. Neither could conceal a smile, and both could easily mark it as one of the best moments they had had together.

So, when Rachel had gotten up to retrieve another song book for her room, Jesse pulled his phone out and typed a message to Puck.

Yeah... I think I am...

Chapter 13 is now complete!

And it brings with it some questions for the future...

Questions you'll have to wait for the answers to:)

Thoughts?