Song Title: Let's Dance by M. Ward
Rating: M
Disclaimer: Yet again, no ownership coming from this gal. The only thing I own is my imagination. And a dog.
Let's dance - put on your red shoes and dance the blues
Let's dance - to the song they're playin' on the radio
Let's sway- while color lights up your face
Let's sway- sway through the crowd to an empty space
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
Because my love for you
Would break my heart in two
If you should fall into my arms
And tremble like a flower
Let's dance - for fear your grace should fall
Let's dance - for fear tonight is all
Let's sway - you could look into my eyes
Let's sway - under the moonlight, this serious moonlight
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
Because my love for you
Would break my heart in two
If you should fall into my arms
And tremble like a flower
Let's dance - put on your red shoes and dance the blues
Let's dance - to the song they're playin' on the radio
Let's sway - you could look into my eyes
Let's sway - under the moonlight, this serious moonlight
I will rarely do this in this particular fic, but if you haven't heard this song, I'm going to strongly recommend you YouTube it before proceeding. It's originally by David Bowie (who I looove) but this cover is incredible, and it really sets the tone for the entire one shot. Okay, no more demands. I promise. *hugs*
Rachel Berry grunted as she once again tried to clasp the buckle on her red heels. This particular pair of shoes had given her nothing but trouble since she bought them nearly two years ago at a vintage shop in Queens, but they were also her favorite. She knew they were Jesse's favorite as well, and she wanted to look perfect for their anniversary dinner later that evening. With one more huff, she finally felt the clasp slide into place, and she mentally patted herself on the back for her achievement.
"One task down, twenty more to go," she said to her reflection in the vanity mirror. They had both promised to enjoy a low-key anniversary this year, what with Jesse starring as Seymour in Broadway's revival of Little Shop of Horrors and Rachel herself having just completed her run in Wicked, but if she knew Jesse at all, she knew he had no doubt reserved a table at their favorite dining establishment overlooking the city. Regardless, Rachel had devised her own plans for the evening, and they included a dinner she had spent hours preparing. As she tied the loose fabric of her stunning red dress around her waist, she once again examined herself in the mirror. "Perfect," she concluded, before making her way into the kitchen to put the finishing touches on their evening.
"Jesse! Jesse! Over here!" At this point, Jesse St. James was used to the media interest that surrounded him wherever he went. To put it mildly, it was the attention he felt he deserved, and he was not about to show a lack of gratitude to those who kept his run in the current revival afloat. The thirty or so minutes he spent at the stage door of the theatre signing autographs and posing for pictures were some of his favorite times. However, as much as he adored his fans and appreciated their commitment to his work, he was in a bit of a hurry on this particular night. He'd made reservations at the best restaurant in the city, and he wanted to surprise Rachel in plenty of time for their anniversary.
After the last fan blushed profusely in the picture taken of the two of them, Jesse bid the crowd farewell and promised to be back the following night. As if on cue, a cab pulled up alongside the alley and Jesse stepped inside before he could get roped into reshoots with people who didn't feel satisfied with their initial photos of the star. As the wave of disappointment overshadowed the crowd, Jesse rolled up the window of the cab and sighed as he leaned back into the seat, finally able to remove the mask of a show face that he'd plastered on that evening. The only thing he'd been able to see for the duration of the day was the image of his wife's face, and it was currently a twenty minute cab ride away.
During the ride, he allowed his mind to wander back to those first nights he shared with Rachel after reconnecting with her in London's West End district. Although they were both admitted theatre-lovers, neither had known that they were mutually starring in separate productions in the booming European city. At that point, Jesse had been a veteran actor with three different plays below his belt, but his run in London's new musical was the first that allowed him to showcase his vocal range. He had started to build up not only a reputation in the theatre world, but also a fanbase that ranged through multiple media agencies. When he walked to the street where his musical had been playing on his third night in the city, he peered across the street and saw Rachel's name in the lights illuminated above her own theatre. He'd stopped dead in his tracks at the time, wondering but not questioning if fate had given him a second opportunity with the girl he'd never been able to forget after high school.
He spent numerous nights afterwards staying behind at the stage door in an attempt to see her exit her own, but it was to no avail. Regardless of the thwarting fans that surrounded him on the street corner, he was never able to catch Rachel without making it too obvious that he was loitering for unknown reasons. After a few weeks, he felt safe and secure enough to call off one evening so that it would allot him a free night to participate in his ex-girlfriends own musical as an innocent audience member. The moment she stepped on the stage, his breath escaped him. She was always beautiful, she was always vocally talented, but the years since high school had shaped her into a young star that would no doubt take the world by storm. At the end of the production, her character died a tragic death on stage, and Jesse caught himself with tears in his eyes at her convincing portrayal of a dying lover. The act had sealed his fate, and he waited patiently outside of the theatre for Rachel to emerge.
"Hi," he'd said that night, a breathy whisper that had somehow caught in his throat. They both stood outside of the theatre with the lights shining down, causing shadows to dance along Rachel's face that proved to be intoxicating in the late night air. She'd stood immobile for what felt like hours, staring at Jesse's eyes as though they were suddenly the only other thing in the world, before she had replied with a simple, "Hello" of her own.
Their chemistry had always been ignited through some centrifugal force, and neither of them were surprised when they found themselves emotionally and physically drawn to one another throughout the remainder of their contracts in the city. Afterwards, Jesse had returned to New York a full month before Rachel, who had gained international fame through her previous role, but they both knew that they were home when they returned to their concrete jungle. It was only a handful of months before they shared a home in the Upper East Side, fully committing to one another now that life's unnerving obstacles no longer played a role.
It was on the rooftop of that very same home, the apartment they still shared with one another after four years, that Jesse had proposed to Rachel under the moonlight. They had spent the evening slow dancing and making love, discussing the pros and cons of the current rumors of a Judy Garland biopic musical being in the works, and sharing a vegan meal over two mismatched plates that Rachel still wouldn't part with after all this time. Jesse smiled in the cab as he recalled Rachel's reaction.
They were lying on a blanket on the rooftop of their building, still basking in the afterglow of being with one another, when Rachel released a sigh and commented on the fact that she never imagined being this happy – this in love with another human being.
"I know I messed up in high school, Jesse, but I need you to know that that's never going to happen again. It's only you. It's only ever been you," she whispered as she turned her body to face the man she loved. He reached up to stroke the side of her face with his thumb, smiling at the commitment Rachel had just promised.
Jesse leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on Rachel's lips, lingering for longer than he'd planned. He rolled over on top of her to deepen the kiss for a moment more, and he felt a physical protest coming from his girlfriend as he stood to collect something from the picnic basket they'd brought with them. He turned around in time to see her frowning, a look of confusion on her face, before he reached out to hand her a very worn out Care Bear that she recognized instantly.
"You kept this?" she asked, a tear forming in her eye. It was the Care Bear she'd won for him in a raging game of skeeball after their first date in high school. It had been nearly ten years ago now, and Jesse had been all over the world… always tucking the Care Bear into a side pocket to help ease the loneliness while he was miles away from everyone that mattered.
"Of course I did. Am I wrong to assume you kept the Adele album I gave you your senior year of high school?" Rachel blushed at Jesse's accusation. The album – although scratched and worn at this point – was tucked away in her memory box under their bed. Jesse broke her blush by asking her to lift the t-shirt he had placed on the stuffed animal. Underneath, she found a box that held a beautiful, sparkling ring. She gasped, both at the event that was currently taking place and the originality of it all.
"You're far too special for diamonds," Jesse stated, as he slipped the elegant gold star ring onto Rachel's finger, "but the meaning is the same."
Always one for the dramatics, Rachel exploded with tears as she screamed "YES!" loud enough to surpass every taxi in New York that was currently honking its horn. This was it. This was their beginning. All of their childish antics from so long ago could remain in Ohio with their past. From now on, it was Jesse and Rachel – two souls that were once so lost in themselves, they were able to find each other.
"Rache?" Jesse called as he entered their apartment, the aroma of his favorite dish filling the air. "Rache? You home?" He knew she wouldn't miss their anniversary, but he was starting to wonder if he should have played a little less coy over his plans for the evening. The traffic had been horrible during his ride home, and they were sure to miss their reservations now. Just as he was about to dial her number from his cell phone, he found a note waiting for him on their kitchen counter.
Jesse,
Call the restaurant and tell them we won't make it.
Meet me on the rooftop.
XoXo,
Rachel
He laughed as he reread the note. At this point, he didn't know why he tried to keep anything from her. Of course she knew he had made reservations, and of course she had made plans of her own for the evening. After a quick call to the establishment with an apology and a reservation for the following week, Jesse dropped off his keys and wallet on the counter and made his way to the top of the building.
Even after two years of marriage, Rachel still had the ability to surprise him. He stepped through the railing and found his wife sitting on a blanket with a picnic spread out before her, candles of various shapes and sizes waving in the chilled air. He took in the sight of the only woman he'd ever loved as she stood to greet him, her red dress flowing behind her in the same rhythm of her chestnut locks of hair. Yes, Rachel still had the ability to take Jesse's breath away, and damned if he didn't appreciate it.
"You're late," she noted as they joined their arms in an embrace.
"You know how I like to make an entrance," he whispered in her ear before capturing her mouth with his. Forgetting about the food, Rachel opened her lips to allow Jesse more access as they massaged their tongues together, creating a friction that both were beginning to feel in their lower stomachs. Just as Rachel began to feel Jesse pressed against her thigh, she broke the kiss and stepped away.
"First, we eat. Then, we dance." Rachel was always the one in charge. "Then," she continued as she flashed a wicked smile to her husband, "I ravage you on this beautifully padded blanket I've conveniently set aside for our picnic this evening."
They both hurried through their meal as quickly as possible, equally needing something far more physical to curb their appetites. Jesse replaced the used dishes into the picnic basket as Rachel pressed play on the iPod dock that she had brought with her for the night. He recognized the song immediately, as it was the very song they played for their anniversary the previous year. Just as the haunting voice of M. Ward began playing softly through the speakers, Jesse took Rachel's hand and led her to the open space in the middle of the candles. Their bodies began to sway as they listened quietly to the lyrics, enjoying their time together for as long as the moon would allow them.
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
Because my love for you
Would break my heart in two
If you should fall into my arms
And tremble like a flower
Let's dance - put on your red shoes and dance the blues
Let's dance - to the song they're playin' on the radio
Let's sway - you could look into my eyes
Let's sway - under the moonlight, this serious moonlight
The song had barely ended before they found their way to the blanket, locking arms and legs between one another as though it was their first time experiencing the sensations. Jesse rolled on top of his wife as he placed soft and lingering kisses from her palm to the inside of her elbow, pausing for a moment as he felt her pulse through the vein there. Her very life was more important to him than his own, and he marveled at the feelings she created just by being in his presence. Noting his suspension, Rachel reached behind and ran her fingers through his curls, drawing him back to the action at hand before she took control and rolled over him, forcing Jesse onto his back.
His fingers danced along her sides before finally reaching her shoulders, and shivers followed on the skin as Jesse continued his path along her body. He slid the straps of her dress down at such an ease that it would appear he was afraid to rip the material, although Rachel couldn't care less about the fabric. In her mind, it was the only thing keeping them apart, and she maneuvered her arms to allow the top to fall along her waist. She sat up slightly, allowing enough room between them to remove Jesse's dress pants, and their speed increased slightly as they helped the other remove the remainder of their garments.
Jesse arched his back to place a kiss on Rachel's lips, drawing their tongues together in an addiction that neither of them ever wished to fight. As he raised his knees slightly, creating a perfect seat for Rachel to enjoy, he felt himself slide into her and allowed a small gasp to escape his throat. They moved together in sync, and Rachel repositioned herself slightly as Jesse lost his hands in her hair. So many feelings overcame them both as Rachel's body rocked above his, releasing tiny yelps with each thrust that Jesse managed to get in deeper. Each time together was different – each time was like new.
And like so many times before, they let go together - each of them staying perfectly still as the jolts of electricity flowed through their bodies. After the crash, Rachel slid her leg over Jesse's thigh, joining him on her back against the cool fabric of the blanket.
"I never get tired of you taking control," Jesse stated, tucking Rachel's hair behind her ear. "Seeing you above me is one of the most erotic sights on the planet."
Rachel laughed as she took in his words, blushing despite herself. "It's not like we have a choice at the moment," she noted, rubbing her swollen stomach where Jesse's own free hand was currently placed. "We still have another three weeks before little Judy gets here."
"Tell me again how you convinced me to name our daughter Judy? Barbra is obviously superior in every way."
"I agree, but you know that Barbra is my middle name, and I don't want to name any of our children after ourselves. There's just something too arrogant in that, I think." She smiled as Jesse leaned in for another kiss. This was their middle. They had the rest of their lives to enjoy the end, and the beginning was more beautiful than either of them could have imagined. Now, after years of being together, they were finally ready to enjoy their central point with another pair of feet in their apartment, as well as their lives.
"Happy anniversary," he whispered, as the moon knowingly smiled above them. There were so many years to come…
Again, thank you guys soooo MUCH for the reviews! This one is for rae of sunshinexx. In all my months of shipping, I never even imagined Rachel and Jesse ever having a child. Hopefully I'll find another way to incorporate it in the future, but I hope this will work for now. xoxo.