Chapter 1

The Pitch

Rachel sighed as she glanced at the clock on her bedside table for the third time that hour. It had been another rough night, and at 5:46 A.M was ready for daybreak to make its arrival. The kind of erratic sleep she had experienced during the previous evening was not out of the ordinary for Rachel. In fact, since she had been a sophomore at McKinley High School, her constant sleep disturbances became a part of her nightly routine.

"I guess I should get a move on," she whispered and quietly climbed out of bed, slipping into her silk robe. Her feet patted gently across the cream carpet of her bedroom as she made her way to the window that had been left open a crack. A cool breeze blew through, circulating the stuffy heated air around her body; Rachel's teeth chattered as a shiver raked through her and she peeked down at the busy street below.

Although the sun had not yet risen, the city still filled the sleeping quarters with the sounds of screaming sirens, impossibly loud shouting and an indefinable pounding that rattled the walls. Rachel watched from her window as cars zoomed down the roads, honking at the pedestrians that attempted to jaywalk too early. The lights of the city, which still shined brightly in the early morning sky, reflected in the sidewalks that were still damp with the rain from the previous night. The noise, however, as earth shattering at it seemed, had not assisted in her early waking.

Rachel had almost expected herself to awake from the same vivid nightmare; even before her alarm had a chance to ring, her dream managed to coax her out of bed. Whether it was a few minutes or a few hours, every time her eyelids drifted shut and she allowed her mind to be submerged by the slumber that she desperately craved, Rachel seemed to be presented with his face glowing against the empty backdrop, and this morning was no different.

It was a face that shook Rachel out of her slumber; it was words that whispered in her dreams and forced her out of bed. The voice, which only came when she slept, sang the sweetest melody and drove her from the comfort of Finn Hudson's arms each night. It acted like a siren call, begging her to join him in song; it was the very voice that lingered in her mind and had only grown stronger with each recent nightly visit. A stray tear drop slid down her cheek, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand before closing the window and glancing over at Finn, who was still asleep in the heated cocoon she had once been tangled in.

Rachel allowed a laugh to escape her lips when Finn snorted in his sleep, and she suddenly realized that the closing window would not have disturbed him. He had miraculously slept through the racket just a few stories below and much to her dismay, he had also managed to sleep through her constant stirring. Rachel found herself on the floor several times during the night, due to her shifts in positions; she shook, kicked, talked, and even sang in her sleep before finally awaking. The sound of a slamming window frame would be like a lullaby to Finn, she thought as she left the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

Passing by the movie posters that covered the walls of the hallway leading to the living room only caused her heart to ache more; each step she took down the dreadful passage reminded her of the shattered dreams that haunted her waking hours. Rachel had allowed Finn to convince her that the movie posters plastering the walls were a more dignified artwork than the Broadway play posters she would have much rather enjoyed. Old School, Road House, Varsity Blues and The New Guy greeted her instead of Evita, West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, and Rocky Horror Picture Show, and she could not help but feel as though she had betrayed her true calling further.

It had been a year since Rachel left Tisch, but she had yet to land a respectable role on the theatre stage, the one place she felt at home. She had spent the year after graduation going to countless auditions, even attempting to land a minor chorus role where she would stand in the back and sway, but nothing had ever happened. No call had ever come. No part had ever been offered to her. She had left school with a degree in the craft she loved, and no one wanted to use her immense talent. Not performing was a concept not only foreign to Rachel, but completely terrifying, and each time she glanced down the hallway, that concept became fresh in her mind once more.

Letting out a frustrated groan, Rachel lowered her eyes and hurried past the large photos that hung up with tape and thumbtacks towards the kitchen, dreading the thoughts that would take over her mind if she lingered. To be honest, Rachel was depressed. She had spent a year of her life getting nowhere with auditions and her failed attempts at acting had resulted in a dependence on Finn's salary.

His photos only brought in a hundred dollars at the most, which was hardly enough to afford food. Rachel pushed the idea of acting out of her mind since she was unable to get a job anywhere in the city, and, with financial pressure, it had just seemed reasonable that she earn some sort of income to help support the household they shared. So, when Finn suggested she work somewhere other than a theatre, Rachel got a job at O'Leary's Bar and Grill, successfully placing her dreams of Broadway stardom on hold and sending her into a downward spiral of longing and misery.

It had surprised her friends when she informed them that she so easily put her dreams on hold at Finn's request, however logical working at the diner instead of acting may have seemed. Normally she would be full of ambition and enthusiasm, striving to get a role in the first show that would offer her a spot on the cast. Those closest to her saw a change in her demeanour; placing Finn's ambitions ahead of hers was something that had been so out of her character. They all suspected the rejection hit her pretty hard, but they had no idea that Rachel had convinced herself that she had failed in achieving the career she strived for, and could only watch in an envious melancholy as Finn strived for his.

Rachel rummaged through the cupboards and grabbed a mug, setting it gently on the counter before filling the kettle with water. Like any college student at Tisch, she had become addicted to coffee. It was the only substance that had gotten her through the long hours of studying and rehearsing while she attended the school, and that addiction carried on after graduation. With the sleep that had her dreams consistently been ripped away from her, and the lengthy working hours at the restaurant, Rachel needed to have at least one cup of coffee to keep her going through her day and to keep her mind off the broken dreams she longed to fulfill.

She poured herself the daily dose of caffeine that she required and walked to the living room. With only two free hours before Finn woke up and they both made their way to their respective jobs, Rachel decided that relaxation was vital. She wanted an hour to calm her mind before dealing with the demands of the double shift along with the demands of her boyfriend.

Each time Rachel had brought up the idea of acting to Finn, he would become slightly insulted. A fight that sounded like World War Three would result most of the times, and Rachel would ultimately be reminded of her previous failures, along with the issues of time and money, something that she and Finn had very little of. The idea of landing a role sent mixed emotions through her mind; while acting made her feel whole, the pursuit of her dreams would harm Finn's career, so Rachel worked as a waitress instead.

Once she began working at O'Leary's, Finn's contributions to the household had slowly started to dwindle. He became focused on his career, his ambition for photography mimicking her previous ambition for acting; Finn spent most of his pay cheques on tickets to sporting events he had to be in attendance for. Since Rachel's pay had been far steadier and surprisingly more profitable than Finn's salary, her assistance to his ambitions began financially, just as Finn had done with for Rachel. As upset as Rachel was about her career, her support had to be unconditional. After all, Finn's support during her year was unconditional. So, to pay for most of the living conditions, along with Finn's entrance to most of the games he had attended, Rachel began working full time. And then overtime.

The sunlight had begun to seep through the large windows of the living room as Rachel walked into the room while taking a sip of her coffee. The white curtains allowed the light to bleed through the fabric and illuminate most of the apartment. She took a seat in front of her laptop, which rested on the coffee table, and placed her cup down on a coaster before glancing at the time. Only fifteen minutes passed since she had left a sleeping Finn but she would soon have to deal with the rude morning crowd.

Rachel yawned and relaxed into the couch, letting her head fall backwards to rest against the cushions. Her exhaustion finally seemed to win as her eyes fluttered closed and she drifted into a light slumber. Her mind was still conscious to her surroundings allowing her thoughts to circle as she began reminiscing over the better times in her life: her younger years.

Rachel descended further into her thoughts as she recalled her life. Her time in high school played like an old movie in her mind; the film reel seemed all scratched and torn as it projected in a fast forward across her lids. How unappreciated she was still stung her greatly, but when she still rose to conquer the show choir circuit in both her junior and senior year, allowing her to receive a scholarship out of Ohio, the burn was immediately numbed by excitement. She recalled her journey to New York with Finn and her years in college much more thoroughly, as the film strip, with all its blemishes, continued to spin through the projector.

She and Finn had gotten back together at the end of her senior year, and he had followed her to the Big Apple after he discovered a love of photography. The first two years Rachel spent in Tisch only fueled Rachel's desire for acting, while Finn's love of sports and taking photographs drove him to contact the newspapers in hopes of landing a job as a famous sports photographer. Rachel had immersed herself in her singing and acting, perfecting her voice and the control she had over her emotions; a control she needed to hide her exhaustion. She had often sung to Finn while he learned to develop photographs at the community center near her campus and the two had a gotten into a good rhythm, both striving for excellence in the field that held their passions.

Good fortune had been bestowed upon them during the summer that followed Rachel's second year of college when the couple had moved into a two-bedroom apartment that her fathers paid for. The apartment was a gift to Rachel for being such a dedicated student and actress. Both she and Finn were ecstatic that they had such a nice apartment to share; instead of having to rent a dirty studio apartment across town from Rachel's school, they paid her fathers for the utilities, as rent was not necessary.

In the middle of her third year of college, when Rachel was buried in both schoolwork and audition tapes, it seemed that Finn had finally got his big break. The New York Post offered to buy one of his photographs, urging him to bring more. And bring more he did. Finn began to spend all his time working. He went to every sports game he could get tickets for, taking as many photos as he could. Finn would be locked up in the guest room, which Rachel managed to split into both a studio and a darkroom, developing all his film for hours. Finn had refused to allow Rachel to sing to him while he worked, naming her voice as a distraction from his future career and in the span of a month, the time that the couple spent together dwindled drastically.

Rachel barely saw her boyfriend, but the lack of quality time was not bothersome to her. She had been nearing the end of her final year of college and her schoolwork was taking up all of her waking time. The stress of her upcoming graduation rattled her nerves, resulting in a consistent need to be alone, and when graduation finally arrived, Rachel was slightly relieved. Her fathers flew in from Ohio to join Quinn and Puck at the ceremony, supporting Rachel proudly.

Unfortunately Finn was not in attendance; the big Knicks' game was at the same time as her graduation, and it was a game that he was unable to miss. Rachel took the news surprisingly well, brushing off her normal diva antics and supporting Finn's new found work ethic, which shocked both her family and friends. She celebrated her milestone with her best friends that evening, and went to bed dreaming of a better time.

"Wait a minute and your eyes will adjust" His words floated through her mind, and she sighed blissfully as she was taken deeper into her thoughts than she had intended to. "You're shaking." Rachel felt his arm pulling her closer to him, his breath hot against her cheek as he guided her backwards to the pillows. The scent of his cologne and cedar filled her nose, and she instantly relaxed into the couch. "Rachel, you don't have to whisper you know? We are just in the harbor." His laugh rang through her mind, acting like a siren, causing her eyes to shoot open.

"Not again," Rachel groaned and sat up straight as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She glanced at the clock once more, 6:30 am it read, and she reached for the remote, brushing the idea of sleep out of her mind since she knew it would be futile. Rachel flipped through the channels absently but her attention quickly turned to the flashing light of her laptop. She clicked the button of her mouse and was surprised to see a new message from her friend Rylie Graham.

From: Rylie Graham

Subject: Best news ever.

Hey Rach,

It's been forever since we saw each other; two months to be exact and I'm hurt, nay wounded and mortified.

Rylie and Rachel had been roommates in college during the first two years. They were in the same program for the first semester of their freshman year and had become close within a month. While Rachel chose to have her major in acting and anything theatre, Rylie had struggled to decide which major was a better option: writing theatre or acting it. Eventually Rylie dropped her acting dreams, but remained close with her friend even after graduation.

After college, Rylie continued to write but had eventually formed a band with three boys, who Rachel was not too keen on, while Rachel pushed to get herself on Broadway. Unfortunately for both girls, their dreams were not a success. Rylie and her band had fallen apart, and none of her plays saw the light of stage. She ended up getting a job as an assistant to a talented upcoming director: Arthur Hamel. Rachel landed in the unknown pile of failed actresses, and ended up working in the dark dingy bar that passed her time, still waiting for that big break, which slowly seemed to slip further from her grasp.

You still have not come to see the material I have written (Ouch). I would love to get your opinion on it, I have some harmonies I am having issues with and the melodies are just spastic at times.

Rachel rolled her eyes and smiled. She and Rylie had always clashed on musical tastes, but when they combined their talents the result was always beautiful. It was an interesting mix of blues and theatre, which Rachel assumed Rylie's new piece would consist of.

The two still got together on occasion, but not like they had when they attended school. Writing to each other constantly was their best way of staying in the contact, since their hectic schedules made meeting up more difficult than they imagined, and they took full advantage of it. They listed the events of their daily lives in great detail making sure the other was aware of exactly what was happening with one another. She was intrigued as she continued to read the update from her friend.

Listen, you know this isn't about MY work.

This triggered Rachel's interest further.

I told you a while ago I was working with Arthur Hamel right? Well I got some great news for you: he is opening a new show!

It is close to you and so far no one has been cast as the female lead. The male lead is very picky, and he keeps saying to the director "there is better out there, just you wait." He is actually a bit of an arrogant fuck-wit. He thinks he is the best thing to hit the stage since the stage itself and he no doubtingly thinks he is god's gift to the world; to his defense he is extremely talented. The BEST male lead I have ever seen. I would probably cast him as the leading man in any play I write.

The more Rachel read, the more entranced she became with Rylie's words. She knew Rylie very well, and the one thing Rachel knew best about her friend was that she would never have made a decision on casting before she had finished a piece; especially one she was yet to start. The only person that received that honor was Rachel, because Rylie had a mammoth amount of respect for Rachel's talent.

He actually kind of reminds me of you,

"What." Rachel mumbled under her breath, not caring that she was about to converse with an inanimate object. "I am not a fuck-wit, Rylie."

Not in the bad way or anything, he has his good moments, don't get me wrong, Rach. The moments where you can see he just wants perfection and strives for it every bloody second that it makes you want to put a gun in your mouth; what I am trying to say is, he surprisingly has your... drive.

"That's better." She spoke softly to the screen.

Anyway, Arthur has been dying for a female lead and,

"No, wait, and? No and. And is bad, very, very bad."

I figured what better person than you, of course. AND...

"Dear lord, there is that 'and' again."

You will never guess what part it is, YOU WILL DIE. I will give you a hint... Freshman year, semester one ... our first play? Come on, Rach, you know this part like the back of your hand, or the palm of mind since I like to 'slap' you back into sense with my honesty.

Rachel finally let out the giggle she had been holding in the entire time. As panicked as she was with the direction the email had been taking, she could see the hilarity in the situation. Rylie's comedic way of breaking news along with the picture of how she must have looked slouched over, talking and shouting at the computer while praying to God, made it difficult for Rachel to contain her laughter. She also knew exactly what play Rylie was talking about it: it was the first production Rachel took part in at Tisch.

You guessed it, Moulin Rouge!

Rachel had been cast as Satine when she had auditioned, while Rylie played the part of the Moulin Rouge dancer Nini. Rachel could still hear their neighbors shouting at them through the walls as they sung Sparking Diamonds in their dorm room. The play had been one of Rachel's favorites, and she remembered all the lines, all the blocking, and all the emotions needed to pull the female lead off flawlessly.

You have to come audition, Rachel; I already told Arthur about your Satine, which you and I BOTH know is perfect. You have to come in and audition.

Rachel groaned loudly in frustration. She had known that was going to be Rylie's request, a request that could not be fulfilled. This part, as much as she had adored it, would not be the one that Finn would agree too. If she even landed the role, Rachel would be playing a prostitute, which her boyfriend would not be happy about. Rachel was convinced that failure in acting once more would not only threatened her self-esteem, but Finn's career as well, and the sexuality in this play would act as icing on the cake of Finn's disapproval.

It is at the Cannon Theatre, we are booked to rehearse there for the next two months, and I already signed your name up for an audition: this Thursday at 1:00pm. You cannot back out, Rachel, I am serious.

"What, no!" Rachel yelled at the screen and almost pushed the computer off the coffee table as she rose from her seat. "Damn you, Rylie, you always schedule things without asking me first," Rachel huffed and jumped over the sofa to grab her phone, which sat on the kitchen table. Not bothering to finish Rylie's email, she immediately started dialing her friend's number despite the early hour, and paced across the tile floor. "Finn is going to kill me. He is going to kill me," she repeated to herself as the rings persisted, but Rylie's machine clicked on much to her dismay.

"This is Rylie, leave a message. Oh, and if this is Rachel," There was a pause, which Rachel was sure was for dramatic effect, before Rylie's machine screamed through the earpiece of the telephone, "You will not back out!" Rachel held the phone away from her head to ensure she did not lose her perfect pitch at the sound. Once Rachel heard the silence she brought the receiver back to her ear.

"Rylie Michelle Graham, how dare you do this to me again. I know you are there, I know it." Rachel completely disregarded her boyfriend, who lay asleep just down the hall as she stomped around the apartment, alternating between the kitchen and living room while yelling into the phone. "I will give you ten seconds to answer the phone before I start. 10, 9, Oh screw counting. " Rachel would have gasped at the curse that left her lips, but in the heat of the moment she really did not care. Rylie was the only person Rachel was comfortable to let loose around, and that included being vulgar with her vocabulary. "I told you before you cannot schedule me to come for an audition without asking me. How do you even have my head-shot? What if I had work, did you even think of that? Well, just to clarify, the answer is no. I am not going to be there. Finn would kill me, Rylie, he would KILL me and further—" Rachel was interrupted when she heard the phone answer and a very groggy voice come barreling through the silence.

"Listen, Rach, this is not up for a discussion. You are going to be there, I already know you are. You may say no now, but I told everyone at the theatre that if you called to cancel, they are, under no circumstances, allowed to grant your request." Rylie's words were filled with evident sleep, and she let out a quick yawn, allowing Rachel to interject.

"Rylie, you know I can't, please." Rachel was almost begging into the phone and she instinctively lowered her voice because of it.

"Rachel, you know that I won't take your name down. It is staying up there, which I think is for your own good." Rachel understood by the sound of the running water that Rylie had gone to get a glass of water. She immediately felt guilty about waking her friend at the early hour that she had, especially since Rylie's schedule began much later than Rachel's.

"What do you mean my own good?" Rachel whispered, dreading the answer for the knowledge of Rylie's impeccable sense of perception.

"I mean," The sarcasm slipped off her tongue as she spoke before she took a gulp of water and continued, "These are your dreams you are contemplating giving up, and I, as your friend, will not let you do that. You are far too good to let that dingus control your career actions."

"He's not a dingus, Rylie."

"You think what you want, but I am telling you he is a dingus." Rylie let out a defeated sigh as she climbed back into bed; she once again she had failed to prove to Rachel how badly her boyfriend was behaving. "Regardless, I know you very well. You cannot be late or miss anything, ever. So you might as well just give up on this 'I'm not going' crap because you are going."

"How do you know I don't have work that day?" Rachel asked as if a light bulb turned on in her mind. She never lied, especially to Rylie, but it had been her last minute resort.

"Since you said before 'What if I had work?' Had being the operative word, I assume I picked the perfect day." Rachel had always claimed she was an honest person, but it was mainly because she was a horrible liar. She could play any role she wanted, her facade never slipping from anything short of perfection, but once Rachel tried to tell a lie as Rachel Berry, her face crumbled, the truth bleeding through the cracks. Her honest reputation managed to convince many that even the most ridiculous lie was the truth, and only a few who were able to see through her disguise; Rylie, Quinn, Puck, Kurt and him.

"Damn you and your perception." Rylie let out a laugh at Rachel's submission and pulled the blanket over her once more. She knew she had won; she knew Rachel would come to the audition and blow them all away. I single handily kick-started the career of the newest Broadway star, Rylie thought arrogantly and beamed, knowing that she had been some sort of catalyst for Rachel's potential career.

"Now, I am going back to sleep, what are you doing up anyway?"

"None of your concern," Rachel answered sharply, the frustration present and threatening. "Rylie, I don't even know what I will do for the audition."

"Well, you better start working on that now shouldn't you?" Rachel could practically hear the smirk forming on her friend's lips as she spoke, a smirk that she found far too similar to the one that made her heart melt. "See you Thursday, Rach, 1:00pm sharp." And with that, the phone line went dead, leaving Rachel in a dumbfounded state of shock.

"What the hell am I going to do?" she asked herself as she flopped back on the couch. "It's Tuesday, I have work until midnight tonight, and Wednesday is Santana's engagement party. Finn is going to kill me." She dropped her head in her hands, and sighed.

She had to admit it, although Rylie's forceful help was unwanted, Broadway was calling her. Rachel's desire to audition burned within her soul. Her heart ached to be freed from the cage it had been placed in. Acting was her destiny, and fate had just shoved her back on the right path.

All she had to do now was convince Finn.

Author's Note:

DISCLAIMER: I do not own glee. Just Rylie Graham, and maybe the plot, because they both came out of MY head.

Firstly. I am SO sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I ended up writing so much that I had to cut it into several chapters. I might be a bit long (this one) and I apologize if it drags on a bit with the "Rachel history" I just wanted to get it out of the way (as much of it as possible) so i didn't have to say the pointless history later. This is a Rachel chapter i know, next one will be Jesse. I am already working on it, and it is in the process of my edits. I would say it is nearing it's final draft before i send it to my editor.

for those Finn Fans out there, I apologize if you hate what I have/will be doing to him. I take him REALLY out of character. I frankly haven't been a fan of him with Rachel. I think he is too much of an opposite, and instead of complimenting her crazy, he just clashes far to much with her. But it is my opinion, and i am entitled to it.

Second. Please check out the story Common Ground by Gottabeelove. I am her Beta, and she is mine (though she didn't edit this chapter my sister did AND she ripped it to shreds so that's why it took so long).

Thirdly, please review, i would LOVE to hear feedback. Let me know what you like, what you don't like. What you want to happen maybe? I love reading reviews and they help me get ideas along with motivation.

As i said before next chapter is Jesse, for those who can't want to see him, and it will be up very soon!