Disclaimer: I may own "musical sex", but I do not own Lionel Richie's "Hello" or Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back" (or 'the strut'... didn't John Travolta sort of revolutionize that?)
Author's Note: Wow. It's finally here. The last ever chapter.
First of all, you guys... are there really any words to describe how AMAZING each and every one of you are? Not just the reviewers (though, you guys are my favourite hehe) but every person who has READ this and made it accessible to everyone else. I've written this piece to spread the St. Berry love and just as a creative outlet for all my pent-up fangirl obsession with St. Sexy over here.
I never thought it would get this much response and feedback and oh snap! Is that a tear in my eye? (just ignore it, okay?) You ALL deserve a Jesse St. James. And the fact that a majority of you are quite taken with my rendition of the sex magnet... that is an honour. Because, really, I think we Jesse fangirls have pretty high standards when it comes to men, don't we? I think so.
Besides you awesome people, I was very, very much inspired by the 1996 'Romeo & Juliet' soundtrack to write this. If you haven't watched it or at least listened to 'Angel' by Gavin Friday and 'To You I Bestow' by Mundy... DO SO NOW OMG. It's amazing, I kid you not. I was inspired by the fact that Romeo & Juliet had this sort of 'admiring from afar' thing going on.
True, they did the whole 'admire from afar', 'fraternizing with the enemy', 'both want to sex each other up senseless anyway' (I swear, I'm not making fun of Shakespeare. I am madly in love with the man. I was just oversimplifying things, that's all) all in the span of a very short while. I incorporated that into 'When Rachel Met Jesse', but dragged it out a little longer. My main mission was always to ensure that the evolution of their relationship remained relevant. I sincerely hope you all got a sense of what I was trying to portray in this story.
From the very beginning, I was set on writing only their pre-actual relationship. I didn't really see any need in writing what happened after that because I try to stay very close to canon. So, what happens after they meet in the music store... is exactly what happens in the show.
Except, in 'When Rachel Met Jesse', Shelby asks for Jesse's help only after he has actually gone out on his first date with her (the one he was referring to at the end of the Lionel Richie song... the Friday date). And the only help she actually enlisted was for him to somehow slip the tape she made into Rachel's possession. Everything else is real.
I'd also like to address some wonderful reviews/questions/messages from you guys:
FromTheBrain: In answer to your hope for a sequel/companion piece to 'When Rachel Met Jesse' and what it would contain... I don't think you'll be disappointed. ;)
C.L. Winters: Your review totally made my day. Come over to the St. Berry side, girlfriend. It's fun and full of sexiness over here. Hahahah...
VenusRising: Whether or not he remembers his drunken night is something I leave totally up to the interpretation of the reader. It could go both ways. (yes, I totally went all 'Inception' on that one)
SpringAwakening01: Yep. Last chapter. No worries, though. It's going to take a pack of wolves to keep me away from this fandom. I'll be writing a sequel/companion pieces. I'll get to that later ;)
FantasticallyFanatical: Haha... yes, as much as I hate to end it, I have to. They've gone to the music store. That's where my job ends. Sigh. But, alas! This is not the end of the companion pieces! You didn't think I wouldn't come back and bring Nick, Madison, Freddy, Tom, Tristan and more (not to mention more fic time for the rest of 'New Directions'), did ya? Of course not!
cut-thestring: I SWEAR THAT ISN'T A TEAR IN MY EYE, IT'S JUST DUST! You are such a sweetheart, thank you for that amazing compliment. Anytime someone relates me to 'master' and 'sexual' and 'Jesse'... I feel whole. Seriously. Does that mean I have no life? Probably... just a little. Hahah... as I explained above, there really is no point in me writing the entire second half of the season seeing as we know what happens.
Athena: You, my friend, have just been promoted to 'SUPA-FLY AWESOMENESS' due to the fact that you think my rendition of Jesse is one of the sexiest. Heck, you deserve a copy of him in your bedroom like right now! Thank you so much!
Original Grofette: (I love the title 'Grofette'. I'm going to start calling myself that more from now on) Thank you so, so, so, so, so much for your suggestions. I LOVE the idea of the unseen moments between Jesse and Rachel. I can kind of see that as a series of related one-shots. What do you think? I'll definitely put that on my 'to-write' list. Thanks so much again! You and your friend are AWESOME, darn it! (Damn these allergies... making me tear up again)
Alright, on to the chapter. I'm going to keep this short and sweet.
It is the music store scene.
It is the duet.
What's different about the duet this time is that I've used the entire 'Hello' song (check it out on YouTube, homies). Also, I've incorporated 'flashback scenes' in the song. The 'flashbacks' feature snippets from the story, which I feel suit the certain lyrics of the song very well. The 'flashbacks' also feature some "deleted" (so to speak) scenes I started writing but ended up not putting into the story as I didn't know where it would fit. So, they're now here in the song. "Deleted" scenes include a snippet of Jesse's dream and some Madison St. James love.
Flashbacks are written in italics and are at the centre. They are also separated by line dividers to make reading easier.
Well... I've prattled on as much as I could (probably earning a few groans here and there as you scroll down to just get to the story already)...
There really is nothing left for you to do but READ, ENJOY and REVIEW.
At least one last time. =)
It had been almost a month since they last saw each other.
Rachel thought about him every single one of those days.
She was still optimistic even after the first week of zero 'Jesse-run-in'(s).
She began to doubt their questionable destiny after the second week.
She wanted to die once the third week came around.
The young star realized that she had a choice to make: either spend the rest of her life regretting her cowardice in really pursuing something she had put her faith into ('something' being the potential going-ons between her and the curly-haired hero of her [now] fantasies) or simply move on. The second option seemed more painless. Little did she know, she was further from the truth... by about a light-year.
In fulfilling that second option, the brunette began to shift her attention back to Finn. She figured her attempt this time would be able to lead to something, considering the special attention he kept giving her throughout 'Sectionals'. And she was pretty sure that (this time) it wasn't something she had creatively cooked up within the confines of her imagination.
Rachel needed to focus her energy on something or at least someone. Her mind, body and spirit were in constant need of continuous rejuvenation through any (natural) means necessary. It was the way she was built. Granted, a majority of the human population would agree that being in a relationship with someone like that required patience and enthusiasm... a lot of it.
So, it wasn't a surprise when Finn decided she was smothering him.
Consequently, the footballer (at that moment: basketball captain) told her off. He gave her the four-one-one on what was up between them. And 'what was up between them'... was anything but genuine want to be with one another. In fact, the lowdown of the matter was that he just didn't want to be her boyfriend anymore. And he told it to her straight.
Rachel didn't take it lightly. But, not for the reasons one may think.
She cried.
She gave him what-for through a song (it was her style).
She was angry.
And it had nothing to do with the male lead of 'New Directions'.
It was the fact that she had allowed herself to be that silly, little girl who jumped into things she didn't really want in the first place.
Because what she really wanted... was someone so far out of her dimension, he may as well have been deemed an extra-terrestrial.
So, she took all that pent-up energy and channelled it into the 'Hello' assignment Mr. Schue had given the club. From that point on, she decided that she was going to be a cold, hard bitch to anyone who tried to get close to her. She was going to be ruthless. She wouldn't give a damn about Finn or any other boy for that matter. She was going to get rid of her mushy, sappy, silly feelings and become 'untouchable'.
And then he happened.
Again.
The boy who would break down her barriers.
He was standing before her like something out of a dream.
Surrounded by music sheets of love songs, Rachel realized that her faith in destiny was renewed once more.
What she didn't realize was the fact that she began to sputter out his name and relation to 'Vocal Adrenaline'. Why did she do that? She didn't know. That information was somewhat irrelevant to the two now that they had experienced so much together... but, at the same time: been through nothing at all.
She stared into his hazel eyes as he peered right back into her own orbs. His gaze was magnetizing.
It stripped her naked and bare before him.
(She had never felt so violated, yet untouched in her entire life)
It registered to her that he had just mentioned her name. 'Rachel Berry' rolled off his tongue easily. He seemed to relish that realization just as much as she did. But, Rachel couldn't help wondering: had he known all this while? (The brunette watched his gaze lower to her lips for the briefest of moments before he cracked a casual smile, returning those heated eyes of his back to her own). She really couldn't tell.
Before she knew it, he was giving her a summarized review on what he thought of her performance from 'Sectionals'. It seemed that he had had the chance to really put more thought into what he witnessed from her that day. Definitely more well-thought-out than "Good job up there, Barbra" (she blushed at the memory). Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of him appraising her every note, every move. She wondered what it would take to please him. Musically (of course).
He straightened back up to his full height, his eyes never leaving hers. The smirk that had been playing on the edge of his inviting lips transformed into something more genuine as he gave her a slight nod of approval.
"... you're talented."
She figured he didn't say that very often. She knew because the moment he said it, he immediately moved towards another shelf of books. The young starlet sensed the foreign undertone behind his uttered words. Not regret. Just...slight awkwardness.
Rachel's heart still soared to the high heavens, nonetheless.
She trailed after him as he moved from one spot to another, a casual strut in his stride. Almost as if Justin Timberlake's 'Sexy Back' followed him around as the soundtrack to his saunter. Not that Rachel was complaining. Did she mention she happened to often dance like a video ho to JT's music? Alone in her room, of course.
The sophomore listened to him speak, the rise and fall of his deep voice describing everything and nothing to her as they jumped from topic to topic. He kept glancing back to her, smiling expectantly as if eager to hear her voice. It was only then had she realized she was being very uncharacteristically shy in his presence. Whenever his gaze met hers, making sure he hadn't lost her, his smile seemed to grow a little more. That provided her with much more confidence to step it up a little (even though that same gaze was enough to turn her into a bubbling puddle of goo).
And suddenly out of nowhere, he invited her to sing with him.
He returned the stunned expression on her face with a genuinely amused chuckle (he found her humility to be endearing) as they moved towards the piano in the centre of the music store.
The brunette blurted out that she was nervous. Okay, so it wasn't like she never performed before. She gave shows countless of times all the time. It was practically ingrained within her.
But, she never performed with him.
The memory of watching him perform a duet with that girl he ended up making out with onstage suddenly flashed in her head. She tentatively turned her attention to him as he was already seated by the piano bench.
He gave her a smile before averting his hazel eyes to the music sheet before him. Rachel couldn't help but give a light, soundless laugh at what he said next. The tinge of arrogance mixed with the subtle humour behind his words sent shivers down her spine. He managed to ease her nerves somewhat effortlessly with a grin, convincing her that she was with a pro who would ease her right into it. He'd take care of her.
The excited glimmer in her eyes answered everything.
Jesse's fingers began to glide across the keys, playing the opening notes of the all too familiar Lionel Richie song. His eyes remained on the music sheet as he was in the midst of getting the feel of the piece. Rachel's eyes, however, remained on him.
"Jesse, I want to sing with you," Rachel managed to utter, her fingers entangled within his soft hair.
They paused.
He looked at her.
"Let's do it then. Right now," he smiled.
She remembered that dream of hers. It was the first of many.
Jesse's lips parted.
"I've been alone with you inside my mind,
And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times."
He placed feather-light kisses on both her cheeks and upon her forehead, down her nose, teasingly avoiding her plush lips. Pulling back, he took to undoing her blouse button-by-button, slowly decorating every inch of skin exposed with a caress of his lips. Her heartbeat accelerated from beneath his tongue as he gently traced his way down to her navel. He then realized his aching need of tasting her lips once more and rose up to satisfy that need. He was like a diver rising to the surface for oxygen in order to continue his journey further.
He remembered that dream of his. It was the first of many.
"I sometimes see you pass outside my door.
Hello... is it me you're looking for?"
He was looking over in her direction.
Without really thinking, Rachel sunk lower in her seat. And in just that split second, his gaze had absent-mindedly wandered over to her before he disappeared from sight completely.
Rachel smiled carefully and began to join in with him.
"I can see it in your eyes,
I can see it in your smile,"
The girls daintily spun and sauntered their way onto the floor, teasing smiles playing on their faces. One that really captured Jesse's attention even gave him a fleeting glance, her smile growing before she turned her full attention on herSaut de Chat.He grinned, breathing a little heavily from the work-out as the other guys wolf-whistled and cheered along.
"You're all I've ever wanted
And my arms are open wide,"
"Come on, I'm taking you home," the brunette declared, stuffing the wallet back into his pocket.
"Uh-uh... stranger danger, stranger danger..." he argued in a sing-song voice, refusing to a move a step.
"Coz' you know just what to say,
And you know just what to do,"
Rachel had no idea how someone as drunk as he was could even recall such a random story, but she found herself staring at his lips as he spoke. And no other thought seemed to enter her mind.
She had listened intently, not realizing that they're faces kept inching closer and closer as he had gone further into the story.
"And then?" she whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from his full lips.
"And then..." he murmured huskily, his nose almost brushing against hers...
"And I want to tell you so much..."
"You really are an angel," he uttered whilst leaning forward towards her, his face becoming more apparent in the light.
God, he's so beautiful.
"I'm not," Rachel whispered, her heart pounding in her ears as he didn'tstopleaning forward.
His lips began to brush against hers...
Rachel felt her face heat up as she stared at his fingers while they stilled momentarily upon the keys.
She bit her lip and looked up to him carefully from under her eyelashes to find him staring down at her, a half-smirk on his handsome face.
"... I love you."
She didn't dare meet his gaze in fear of totally losing her words there and then as Jesse continued to play the song effortlessly. He may have even been carrying out some improv here and there.
"Oooh, yeah..." she shut her eyes, allowing the music to flow right through her. She felt the notes he played ingraining itself in every fibre of her being. It nearly left her breathless.
Jesse smiled to himself and continued the song.
"I long to see the sunlight in your hair,"
"I'm sorry... at the risk of sounding cheesy... have we met before?" it was an honest question Jesse had been pondering on ever since he saw her. Especially her voice. There was definitely a familiar ring to it.
She cleared her throat, crossing her arms across her chest with a shrug. "Um... no, I don't think so."
Jesse stared at her. Either he was the biggest idiot in the world or she was just this serendipitous thing that happened to him. He didn't know which idea was more daunting.
Rachel chanced a glance to the boy by her side.
"And tell you time and time again how much I care,"
I never thought I had to help with Jesse. I actually didn't know what to expect. Hence... I didn't know whether I was capable in helping him with whatever problem he may have.
He left my car that night. But, at the same time he left me feeling... Spent and empty from trying to understand him... but, whole from allowing me in to at least try.
I wanted more, but I knew I couldn't have it.
Jesse met her gaze and joined in with her.
"Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow,"
Feeling someone's stare on her, the young sophomore slowly looked back over to meet with her couch buddy's gaze. She felt her breath hitch in her chest as an unspoken question flashed in his eyes. He glanced once more to her soaked shirt.
His intense gaze made her feel stripped down to her underwear (flowered underwear she now regretted terribly). Rachel felt her cheeks heat up. She was somewhat thankful for the darkness of the atmosphere, so he wouldn't be able to see how much she wanted to kill herself in that moment.
"Hello. I've just got to let you know,"
Seeing as her smile began to grow from gaining more confidence in her being there with him, the Carmel High senior gave her a wink as his own cool smile displayed the genuine enjoyment of being there with her.
"Coz' I wonder where you are,
And I wonder what you do,"
Jesse leaned back in his leather study chair. His eyes had strayed once again to the black duffel bag in the corner of his bedroom. The very same he brought with him to the Youth Centre from the other day. The very same he had with him when he saw her. The very same he had with him when she confused him and enticed him all at the same time. When bringing up the subject with Madison, all she had to say was "You're a dumbass. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that you should've tried harder with her. Dipshit."
He didn't do it often, but he kind of agreed with his sister.
"Are you somewhere feeling lonely?
Or is someone loving you?"
He turned to see Tara standing there with her hands on her hips, obviously impatient with him. He had almost forgotten the ride he promised he'd give her.
And no, that was not an innuendo.
He meant an honest-to-goodness car ride (not that she knew that yet).
Turning back to the brunette, he saw the look on her face drop briefly before she met his eyes once more with what seemed to be a determined strength.
"Tell me how to win your heart,
For I haven't got a clue,"
Rachel laughed and didn't think the day could get any better.
Then she saw him.
Time stopped. It literally stopped as she found him standing a few feet away from her and her teammates. His hazel eyes were on her alone.
She didn't know how much time had passed as their gazes met and both remained unmoving.
"But let me start by saying..."
The two of them paused to catch their breaths. Rachel felt a little flushed as the song had rose into a more passionate feel (or maybe it was just them), which demanded more emotion (that wasn't exactly a problem... on either part, as a matter of fact). Breathing a little hard, brown eyes met hazel ones. There was no playful lilt in the way they kept sending each other cute, flirtatious glances. They were full-on into the song and there was no turning back now.
"... I love you..."
This time, Rachel didn't break their gaze as quickly as before. They took their time in studying each other's faces, memorizing that moment. Smiles and smirks were gone. They actually began to allow the song to sink into their senses. They began to realize... the song was perfect for them and everything they had been experiencing and not experiencing with each other: they now released it into the song at hand.
"... Is it me you're looking for?"
Rachel raised both her eyebrows, losing herself in the lyrics. It was a legitimate question. A question she herself had been dancing around when she realized he was right there in front of her in the music store mere minutes ago.
"Coz' I wonder where you are,"
Their voices harmonised perfectly and in that moment: Rachel Berry and Jesse St. James weren't even performing anymore. This was who they were. Stripped down to their bare essentials. They were exposed to one another, vulnerable. And they did it beautifully together.
"And I wonder what you do,"
Jesse tilted his chin upwards as he held those last few notes, hitting them perfectly. Rachel felt a smile grace her pretty face as she stared at him in awe. This was actually happening.
"What do I have to do?"
Her eyes screwed shut, belting out those lyrics to layer Jesse's own words. The said partner of Rachel's moistened his lips whilst stealing a look at her. His heart pounded loudly as accompaniment to the keys he played upon the piano with his fingertips. Being there with her... was an out-of-body experience.
"Are you somewhere feeling lonely?"
Jesse shook his head, his face contorting in sheer passion as Rachel returned his fiery look with one of her own. One may even coin the term "musical sex" to fully explain the way the two just meshed perfectly together.
"Or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart,
For I haven't got a clue,
But let me start by saying,"
Eyes never leaving each others', they held their tongues briefly. Almost as if they were reluctant in ending the song so soon. But, they knew they had to. Because frankly... they were excited to actually see how it was going to end.
"I love you."
They held onto that last note tenderly, putting the song to rest as they would a priceless porcelain vase: afraid to break such perfection.
Jesse averted his eyes to his fingers as they played the ending notes of the song almost wistfully before returning his gaze upon Rachel who never once looked anywhere else.
They remained that way for what seemed to be forever.
Until a smile began to graze upon her face, prompting him to return it with one of his own.
The song may have ended.
But, they both realized (as their smiles spread into light laughter)...
This was the start of something beautiful.
Finally.
The Beginning.
Author's Note: That's right. This is only the beginning for our favourite pair. They are far from the end.
And if you thought this was the last chapter of 'When Rachel Met Jesse'...
YOU THOUGHT WRONG.
Come on, guys! Did you really think that I would leave you all without my promised 'And then some'?
I haven't even given you a hint of what 'And then some' is all about, don't worry.
Just be sure to check in for a new chapter in the very near future for your 'And then some' treat.
And don't forget to review because reviews prompt the 'And then some' to arrive faster, to be honest (*winkwink*)... I promise you won't be disappointed.
I think I've said the catch phrase of "And then some" quite enough, I'm actually starting to bug myself out.
Until next time, lovelies! (Because you have not seen the last of 'When Rachel Met Jesse'...)