Hey, guys. Sorry it took so long to update this. I wrote like, bit by bit. I didn't know what to do for this chapter. So it took a while. Also, I've had a busy summer so far. What can I say? I'm in high demand. –flips hair-

Kidding, of course. Well, kind of. I have been super busy lately.

I don't own any recognizable characters, blah blah blah.

Rachel took the small washcloth that Jesse held out for her and wiped the slight sheen of sweat from her forehead. She grabbed his arm and checked his watch, groaning when she saw the time.

"Oh my god, Bryan is killing me," she said sadly. She still had a lot to do that night- she was supposed to cook, clean, call her fathers, Kurt, and Mercedes, and it was already ten.

"That was nothing," Jesse chuckled. "You should have gone to one of Vocal Adrenaline's practices. They went until midnight, and they were so grueling we had to use IVs to keep going."

"Yeah, well that's not normal," Rachel said stubbornly. "You were all a bunch of kids back then. Shelby is a nutcase."

Jesse stopped laughing and stared at her for a second, surprise written all over his face. He quickly rearranged his expression to impassive, but the shock had been there long enough to worry Rachel.

"What?" she asked nervously. He tried to look innocent, annoying her deeply. She placed her hands on her hips and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Jesse St. James, you tell me what you were thinking right now or… I'll do something to you so mortifying you won't be able to recover for weeks to come."

He sighed, but he hardly appeared threatened. "I just… I'm surprised you're so blasé about the whole Shelby thing now. I can remember how much it hurt you. The fact that you can talk about her without bitterness is really surprising. I would still hold a grudge."

Rachel had a weird twist in her stomach that told her he was lying, but she decided it was his business and didn't press further. "I don't see the point in holding a grudge. I'm over it." She was partially lying, but she knew she was being convincing enough- she had been acting for years. She had practice, unlike Jesse. "Frankly, she's as good as dead to me."

-break break break-

"So, what's for dinner?" Jesse asked as Rachel collapsed unto the couch, smiling at the soft suede as it rubbed against her cheek.

"I can't make anything right now," she mumbled. "There's a place about two blocks over that makes vegan pizza. Order a small one of those and whatever you want."

"Okay, what's the number?" he asked. Rachel groaned and buried her face in the couch, wanting nothing more than a warm blanket and some silence. She had to eat, though, so she pushed herself up on her elbows and recited the number two times, very slowly, before collapsing once more. She could hear Jesse ordering in the background, but she ignored him to the best of her ability. She always got pretty drained during her rehearsal, and she could keep up enough energy to hold herself together in the time it took to get home, but the second she got there, she was dead to the world.

Jesse seemed intent on resurrecting her. "So, how have you been the last few years?" he asked from the kitchen, seemingly oblivious to her exhaustion. She grumbled for a few seconds before she finally got into a sitting position. There was no point sleeping, anyway. Her food would be there soon, and she needed to eat. Plus, she needed to call everyone.

"I've been good. Life has treated me very, very well," she said. She knew that talking to him was a bad idea, but she had told him that he had to earn her friendship. She should at least give him a shot.

"That's good to hear." She could hear the smile in his voice. "Though I pretty much already knew. You're living your dream."

"Yes I am," she replied, a warm smile on her face. She often felt that rush of pride, whenever she was reminded of that fact. She, Rachel Berry, had done it. She was living her dream. Sometimes, she still couldn't believe it.

Jesse was silent for a moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was reproachful. "Whatever happened to you and Hudson?"

Rachel's face fell, and the usual anger twisted her gut, as it always did when Finn was brought up. "We broke up after graduation." She wondered if she should go on. Knowing Jesse, he would ask, so she continued. "He thought Lima was enough for him. When I didn't agree…. Well, he was very, very cruel to me about my chances of making it."

"I always knew he was an ass," Jesse said, though when he emerged from the kitchen with two coffees, his expression was remorseful. Rachel accepted the cup gratefully.

"I wish I had known sooner," she admitted, taking a long sip. "This is decaf, right?" When Jesse nodded, she polished off the coffee quickly. "He still calls, sometimes. I talk to him, but it's awkward. He ended up marrying Quinn."

"Not surprising. They were the golden couple," he sneered. "For Christ's sake, their names rhymed. They probably thought that meant it was destiny or some shit like that."

Rachel laughed. "I know. Besides, they were quarterback and head cheerleader. It was practically written in the stars."

They laughed for a few moments, and a comfortable silence fell over them. It was relaxing, and Rachel was very content, until she heard what sounded like 'Just give me the damn pizza!' from the other side of the front door. She got up and looked through the peep hole. What she saw shocked her.

Kurt was staring down the delivery man, hands on his hips and his chin jutted out. The poor boy looked appropriately frightened, and after a few more seconds, handed over the pizza. Kurt smiled in satisfaction and handed over the cash, along with a generous tip. Rachel bit back a laugh, but when she heard Jesse approach, she panicked.

"You have to hide!" she whispered as she pushed him toward his bedroom. "If Kurt sees you, he will throw a fit!"

"Will he now?" Jesse seemed much to amused at the idea.

"Yes. Stay!" she ordered. She slammed the door just as she heard Kurt say, in a terrible attempt at a deep voice, "Pizza delivery!"

"Coming, Kurt!" she called back. She opened the door with a smug smile on her face as he cursed.

"How'd you know?" She took the pizzas from his hands and set them on the counter before she pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.

"I saw you mug the real delivery boy," she laughed, letting go and leading him to sit at the kitchen table.

"Want some? I'm pretty sure there's a meat lovers in here," she said, opening one of the boxes. Sure enough, there was. Rachel felt proud that she remembered that it was Jesse's preference.

"Why did you order that?" he asked, confused. "Did Blaine tell you I was coming?"

"What? No," she replied, equally as confused, until it hit her that the only reason she would order anything with meat was if it was for someone else. "Oh… Um, Scarlett was supposed to come over, but she bailed last minute, and I couldn't cancel the order."

Kurt was unconvinced. "I'm sure. So, who have you gotten hidden in your bedroom right now?"

Rachel smiled. "Nobody," she said. At least she was being honest.

"Okay, so who's hiding in your apartment right now?"

Rachel cursed internally and tried to remain casual. But Kurt's burning stare made it hard not to squirm. "Nobody."

As if on cue, Jesse walked out of his bedroom with only a pair of cotton pajama pants on. His shirt was nowhere in sight. Kurt made a choking sound and turned to Rachel, his eyes accusing.

"Again, Rachel? Really? I thought you got over him in high school!" he whined. Rachel hadn't expected him to say that.

"It's seriously not like that," she started, but Jesse decided to go even further and pressed his lips to Rachel's temple.

"No need to be ashamed, Rachel," he said, smiling wickedly. She glared and shook her head at him, but as much as she tried, she couldn't be really mad at him. She was actually pretty amused. But she would get him back later. "Hello, Kurt."

Kurt watched in awe and shook his head. "Rachel, I can't believe you!"

"I'm not dating him!" she denied, shaking her head wildly. Jesse was chuckling. Rachel had never wanted to punch anyone so badly in her life. "He works for him!"

"He's a prostitute?" Kurt gasped. Jesse laughed harder. Rachel's cheeks darkened and she buried her face in her hands.

"Jesse, I'm going to kill you," she moaned. "Kurt, calm down," she said, finally removing her hands from her cheeks. "He's my assistant. He's just being a jackass and messing with us."

Kurt pursed his lips suspiciously. "You sure that's it?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Yes, Kurt, I am positive that I am only Jesse's employer. I think I would know if I've slept with the guy."

"I would definitely remember that, too," Jesse smirked, much to Rachel's annoyance. She piled some pizza for him onto a plate and shoved it into his hands. "Go."

He raised his hands in surrender and departed for his room, much to Rachel's relief. "I swear, he's going to kill me," she sighed. "It's his first day on the job, and he's already pulling stuff like that."

"Fire him," Kurt replied easily, cutting his pizza into little bits so he could eat it with his fork. Rachel sighed again and stared down at her own slice.

"I couldn't do that to him," she whispered, remembering the look on his face when she told him he was hired. "Kurt, he was having a really rough time before. I couldn't fire him."

Kurt frowned. "What happened?"

"He was working in a really, really bad job, he lived in a crappy apartment… He was miserable. I felt so bad I hired him on the spot," she said. "Enough about him, though. How's Blaine?"

Kurt seemed happy enough to change the subject, and Rachel was more than happy to listen.

So, how'd you like it? Drop a review! Doooo it! Remember, ten till the next :D

Cheers!

Harlot