Chibi-Kari: So I did not like the last two episodes. Jesse in Funk was just wrong. Did the writers forget everything they wrote? And then Shelby in Journey was awful. Seriously, Rachel got shafted this season. And then she goes right back to Finn? So much wrong with that. Anyway, I don't own because I obviously would not have just crapped on some great storylines like they did. I have added in the egging to this story, but changed it slightly. Oh and if you haven't seem Journey there is a slight spoiler with Shelby. Please leave me a message after the button! And I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the season finale!
Maybe there's a God above and all I ever learned from love was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you.
And it's not a cry you can hear at night. It's not somebody who's seen the light. It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.
-"Hallelujah" Rufus Wainwright (cover)
It was her third party in a week and she had never had more fun. These people were just as passionate as she was so shop talk wasn't frowned upon. They were also open about everything. She fit here. Something that never happened anywhere else. Alicia handed her another beer before sitting down to join the group.
"Ray here was just telling us about why she's here. Broken heart and all." Ryan smiled brightly at her as he slung his arm over her shoulders.
She couldn't even bring herself to feel upset. It might have been Ryan or the forth beer she was starting on, "Well his team egged me in the parking lot. He wasn't there, but it hurt. I'm vegan and they said the souls of all those little baby chicks were on me. It was low." Rachel could feel her vocabulary slipping as she got more and more 'loose' as Alicia called it.
"Dude, egging? That's so cliché. Seriously, did they just watch Never Been Kissed and decide 'oh that would be a great idea.' What douches." Ashley flicked her blonde bangs out of her face as she shook her head.
"And the baby chicks comment was low. Not even witty. Do you want my Uncle Mario to take them out? He's a garbage man. No one would ever know." Damien leaned back. He had dark hair and dark eyes that Rachel found entrancing. She assumed it was the Italian in him.
"I don't think dumping them in a trash heap would help anything." Rachel shook her head slightly.
"Not that type, Ray. You know the Mafia type." Alicia laughed lightly while Damien tried to shush her.
"Oh." Rachel knew she had way too much to drink when she found herself swaying slightly. "I'm done after this, Ali."
Alicia waved in acknowledgement before leaning forward, "The dick probably was in on it."
"No. Jesse wouldn't do anything like that. He told me he loved me."
"Seriously? And he wouldn't some something like that? Break your heart right before a competition? Spy for your mother? Hell, pass a secret tape for your mother to you by planting it none-the-less?" Ryan shook her lightly.
Rachel's eyes opened. She knew all that. The tape part she had found out after talking to her fathers, but now that someone tallied it up it was surprising, "You're right. He's a douche."
"He is." Alicia nodded.
"Want Day and I to go over there and harass him when we go visit my dad and Angelique in Dayton?" Ashley grabbed Rachel's hand.
"Yeah, A and I would be all over that kid if you want." Damien sat back with a gleam in his eye.
"No. No. My team will just beat them in Nationals. Fair and square. We'll just crush his dreams and break his heart." Rachel shook her head quickly.
"You're too nice, Ray-ray." Ryan shook his head slightly before turning to her, "You should take all that crap and find a song to express it. You could sing for the party. Li says you can sing. Should be a breeze for you and would help. I know it always helps me."
To her shock she had never even thought of singing up there in this type of setting. Sure Alicia had joked about it that first party, but actually going up there in front of a group like this was completely different. "It could be fun."
Ryan nodded, "Alicia has done it before so she could sing with you. Hell, the guys and I could play for you guys."
Rachel laughed slightly.
"Come on, let's dance." Ryan pulled her up and away from the group before going out to the makeshift dance floor.
Even though Rachel had told them not to Ashley and Damien found themselves standing in Carmel's parking lot a week later. It was summer so the school was pretty much empty except a lot full of Range Rovers with Voc A on the back.
"These kids are retarded. Seriously?" Damien gestured to one of the SUVs with his hand.
"Shhhh. That must be the glee club." Ashley nodded towards the group of kids in blue coming towards them.
"What the hell?" Jesse walked forward looking at his car, "Did you do this?" He turned to them wide-eyed and his hands buried in his hair.
The rest of Vocal Adrenaline just looked at their cars in shock.
"Why would we? I don't even know who you guys are. We just saw the mess from the road and decided to take a closer look." Damien responded pushing himself up off Ashley's father's car.
"And seriously this is stupid. Eggs just wash off of paint." Ashley walked forward towards Jesse's car. "If it was me. Oh shit. Well I guess someone hates you guys. That's boloney there. You try to remove that it'll pull up the paint and it reeks. Good luck guys." She walked back around the car and opened the door before getting in.
Damien took another look at them before opening his car door and getting in, "It could be worse. Cars can't be vegan so at least the souls of those poor baby chickens won't be on their conscience."
"What?" Jesse gestured after the car that had just pulled on to the road.
The female lead just sneered, "Berry."
Jesse's voice was tight as he turned to her, "What?"
"That's the last thing we said to her after we egged her." She shrugged before narrowing her eyes, "We can get her and that stupid little team disqualified for this."
"And like she couldn't for what you did? You guys do realize that she's Shelby's daughter, right? What's she going to say if she finds out?"
The group was silent as they looked at their cars. "Crap."
It had been a month since she arrived in New York and was having the time of her life, but in ten seconds her break from reality came crashing back into her. It was her weekly email from New Directions that broke her in a way that she never imagined it being able to. Quinn had finally given birth, something Rachel was thankful for. The last few months of Quinn's pregnancy was trying for all of them. Her hormones were off the charts and she was increasingly uncomfortable. It really wasn't much of a surprise when she made everyone else as uncomfortable as she was. The fact of her little girl's birth was a good thing in Rachel's mind. That was until she read the very next line. Shelby agreed to an open adoption for Quinn and Puck.
Rachel could barely hold back the tears as she read that line. She couldn't bring herself to look at anything the email contained after that line. In a fit of anger she deleted the email and stood up.
Her mother, the woman that gave birth to her, didn't want to be her mom but had no problems becoming someone else's. And on top of that it was Quinn's baby. Everything she had ever wanted was taken away by Quinn. Perfect Quinn. Even in her shame she is able to take away everything from her. First there was any chance of popularity. Not to mention her horrible tryouts for the Cheerios. Quinn had mocked her out of the auditorium before she was even able to tryout. Then Finn. Then Puck. Everyone was always focused on her. And now Quinn's very own baby was taking away every chance for her to have a mother.
Rachel closed her eyes tightly and balled her fists. She couldn't even bring herself to move out of the center of the room.
She stood there even as she heard Sherry enter the room. "Ray, baby."
Her aunt's voice couldn't even shake her out of this. Her mother didn't want her. Her mother never really wanted her. She wanted the idea of her, but as soon as she met her Shelby had decided Rachel wasn't enough.
"Rachel." Her aunt's voice was firm as she took Rachel and shook her slightly by the arms, "What's happened?"
"She didn't want me." Rachel's voice cracked slightly and she was even more ashamed.
Aunt Sherry shook her head slightly before pulling her into her arms, "Baby, Shelby is stupid. She'll come around sooner or later."
Rachel shook her head briskly, "No. No she won't. She doesn't want me. She has a new baby now. She-she adopted Quinn's baby. She never wanted me."
Sherry's eyes widened slightly before pulling her niece closer, "Oh, baby." There wasn't anything she could say to Rachel. Nothing would make this better.
"I can't go back there, Aunt Sherry. Not where Quinn is. Not where Noah is. Not where-where I'll see the baby. I-I can't do it. I-I-"
"Hush, Rachel. Just don't worry about it right now. I'll talk to your fathers. We'll come up with something." Shelby looked over to the door where Alicia was standing.
Rachel pulled back after a minute smiling tightly at her aunt, "Sorry about that. It was juvenile of me to get so work-"
Aunt Sherry held her hand up, "You have every right, Rachel. What happened to you was wrong.
Rachel shook her head slightly, "Don't worry about it, Aunt Sherry." She took a deep breath, "But I can't go back."
"I'll talk to your fathers." Sherry nodded knowingly, "I think Alicia's waiting for you."
Rachel walked over to her cousin who stood awkwardly for a moment, "Ryan called. His parents are out of town and everyone is going over there. But we can just watch a movie tonight. Maybe get some Ben and Jerry's?"
Rachel shook her head with a smile, "Going over to Ryan's sounds great. I could use a distraction."
The ride to Ryan's was quiet and Alicia was starting to get worried for her cousin. "You should stay here and audition for my school. You'd get in easily."
Rachel nodded enthusiastically, "I'll have to talk to Daddy and Aunt Sherry about it. I'm sure I could convince them that I would only benefit from this! You are genius, Ali."
Alicia couldn't help but smile back at her cousin before grabbing on her arm and pulling her off the train, "Ryan's is close and really nice."
Rachel nodded to herself as they walked through the small neighborhood and up to a house. She almost laughed to herself as when she saw someone already leaning off the front porch, "I can see it's in full swing!"
Alicia scoffed, "Freshman. I'll say, though. His parties are always the best!"
Rachel relished the feeling that just a month ago she was disgusted by. The music was so loud it became a part of you. It was like getting lost in everything around you and Rachel loved it. She loved every second that she didn't have to feel anything else. All she really wanted to do was erase the last few hours of her life. Hell, if she could she would erase everything starting with high school. She would reinvent herself. She would be here.
"Girls!" Ryan appeared behind them beers in hand and slung an arm over each shoulder.
He handed them each a beer before Alicia took off to go and talk to some senior she was hooking up with.
Ryan laughed slightly, "That girl bounces from one to the another way too fast." He shook his head slightly before looking closer at Rachel, "Ray, you look bad."
Rachel scowled slightly before shrugging, "I just found out how unfair life is."
"Ahhh." Ryan nodded knowingly, "Life's a bitch. Need to talk about it?"
Rachel watched as he smiled brightly at her. Her body filled with warmth. Ryan wanted to help her. He wanted to be with her. An idea struck her quickly and she knew if she thought about it twice she would change her mind. She didn't want to think about anything right now. She just wanted to keep feeling like this. "No, but I wouldn't mind going somewhere quieter."
He raised his eyebrow slightly before grabbing her hand, "My room is upstairs."
Rachel let him pull her along. This was easier than she had ever thought. It seemed easy with Finn, but not like this. It was hard with Jesse. He made her nervous. Ryan. Ryan made this seem easy. She nodded to herself as she saw the room come into view. She wouldn't regret this.