A/N: So this is where the headcanon suddenly jumps forward in time. Inspired by the song Incredible by Celine Dion feat. Ne-Yo (which I highly recommend people listening to if they want to experience what I was feeling), it was originally meant to be its own one-shot, but of course it exploded once we got into it. This is also the first of our many split-offs. Heh.

Once again, I am in italics, pupofstuff is in bold, each new paragraph is a new text, and the line breaks mean a sudden change in the general subject.

Okay, so I was listening to Incredible on repeat while I was driving in to the gym today, and I thought, because my headcanon for that song is when Rachel is a very popular Broadway actor, Santana's a very popular actress, and Dani's the lead singer for a very popular band or something, like, maybe what Pamela Lansbury turned into. Anyway, in public, Santana and Dani are in a committed relationship, and Rachel's their best friend, and they're always showing up at each other's things like 'you buy one, you get all three'. Anyway, it's not weird to see Daniberry hang out, or Pezberry to hang out, or whatever, and everyone knows they've been friends for YEARS so it's not surprising to see how affectionate they all are with each other (even if Dantana's the "actual" relationship). Of course, there are people who are convinced it's actually Pezberry who are together and Dani's a beard because Rachel has to be seen as straight or something, or Daniberry stans, and even those who are all for Dantanchel (we don't talk about those who ship the girls with boys). Any thoughts so far?

This is what I've kind of always thought. Or like, on events where there is no way around the plus one rule, the three have a rotating pattern for who goes to what.

Exactly! There have always been whispers now and again, but pretty much everyone around the girls are loyal and just laugh off the worst of the questions. Only, suddenly, a couple pictures of Rachel and Dani kissing on a beach surface in some gossip mags from when Daniberry (and Santana to join them later) vacation on a private tropical beach - thankfully tasteful kisses, nothing too torrid - do people really start clamoring. Magazines tout it's the end of Dantana, Santana's heartbreak - betrayed by her best friend!, Dani's a lying cheater, Daniberry's secret hook-ups going on for years, etc. etc. However, aside from being angry about being photographed, Daniberry's keeping silent. Santana, suddenly getting slammed with calls while she's finishing up her shoot on her movie, lets out a barrage of angry expletives at anyone foolish enough to come to her personally, even if she doesn't seem bothered at all by the content of the pics (either she believes they're photoshopped or she has emotions of steel, professionally getting this movie finished, sources state). Her official statement reads that it's a private matter, and please respect her need for space at this time.

While the three would love to come out as all being together, they know while being gay in itself isn't the career killer it was, saying you're in a three way relationship definitely is. So the girls decide they need to stay on the DL, and once the media has found the next new thing to hound after, they can stop being so secretive.

And this works - for a while. Except this time it's a blurry, barely focused picture of Rachel and Santana tipsily kissing on the balcony of Jesse St. James' manor at night during one of his parties, that makes waves. About three months after it's been pics of romantic Dantana and happily friendly Daniberry and Pezberry and Dantanchel, the controversy amps up again. Dani, who's on tour, just angrily rolls her eyes at the press, saying nothing, and suddenly there's two camps: those who say it's Santana's turn to get payback at her girlfriend, sleeping with Rachel to get even with Dani, and those who lash out at Rachel for getting her mitts on Dantana, trying to break them up for some egotistical, cruel need to be in the spotlight. There are those who are waiting for explanations, agreeable to not jump to conclusions, but their camp is small. Fortunately, almost accidentally, this drama seems to make all three even MORE in demand and help their careers, in twisted ways, and Rachel even manages to salvage her spokesperson roles with whoever she's spokespersoning for. Dantana's already openly gay, so anything they endorse don't suffer at all.

Basically, their private lives are in shambles, but their public lives and careers are booming.

There is animosity that grows between the three, that starts because they're mad that people are prying. It starts as resentment that they got caught, and it starts with being aimed at Rachel.

I can see how that would unfortunately happen. It doesn't help that Rachel's chafed for years how she's just "the best friend", always forced to play it safe when the other two can be as open as they want to be. Even worse, it was she who suggested them doing that, so long ago. Because she was so focused on her career, and just seemed easier for her to do that if she also didn't have to worry about homophobic backlash or gossipmongers. I don't think she would have approved of the arrangement all throughout the years, but unfortunately it's too late.

Rachel had hoped that at some point one of them would bring up a change in the dynamic, but neither ever did, too comfortable, and thinking Rachel was still okay with it.

Oh god. I can see her heart steadily breaking over the years. Oh Rachel. *cries*

Poor Rachel. D: Eventually Rachel hits her breaking point, and leaves. No fight, just a note explaining why.

Before that, she's spending more and more time at her other friends' houses. Her rehearsal runs late? It's not odd for Rachel to just bunk with someone else than make her way to where they're all living together (with the press having ALWAYS a field day with that, and especially lately, even with all three's differing schedules). She doesn't want to hurt anymore, and she doesn't want to feel betrayed any more. Santana and Dani's reassurances are getting hollow and angrier, and she just… She doesn't feel like she fits with them anymore. That they're done with her. She's the weak link, the interloper (at least in the eyes of the public), and it's starting to look the same in their private life too. So she leaves. She takes the bracelet they all have to symbolize their relationship, hires movers to get her clothes and everything else when Dantana's out, and a couple of photos. But the rest, she doesn't bother with. If they really want her or want her to deal with her stuff, they'll find her. (Also, listening to the song over and over again, it HURTS how much it's perfect for this story.)

When Dantana comes home that night, they're a little tipsy, and they come through the door giggling and kissing. Santana calls out to Rachel, while Dani is busy trying to remove Santana's dress. Santana keeps calling, while they retreat to the bedroom. Santana guesses Rachel is in the bedroom with her headphones on. When they enter the room, the pair tumble on the bed, but when Santana's head collides with the mattress, she immediately notices that there isn't a third body where there should be. Santana stops Dani, who had been attempting to give Santana the biggest hickey possible, with a "Where's Rachel?" and the two look around, realizing things are missing from their bedroom.

Sitting up, trying to keep herself upbeat, Dani suggests they look in the bathroom. Because at first glance, the amount of stuff gone correlates with the times Rachel's donated to charity before. But no, Rachel's not there, and dread rises in both women's chests. "No, no," Dani protests, Santana starting to cry to cover up anger when she finally spots the note on the kitchen table.

Santana grabs the note, hands shaking. Dear Santana and Danielle… And at that, Santana couldn't read any further. Rachel never called Dani Danielle unless it was serious.

Dani drops the letter when she first takes it from Santana, but manages to read it through watery eyes at the same time Santana's dialing Rachel's phone. It rings and rings, but Rachel doesn't pick up, and Dani can barely get past the first few lines before she's snapping her own phone out to try herself.

The two leave message after message, until they fill her inbox. They keep sending texts, but receive no response. Eventually, they both receive a text from a friend of Rachel's, which simply states that Rachel is safe, and she has no desire to talk to them. Tomorrow the three will meet up and discuss the financial side of it all.

That knocks the breath out of Dantana's chests. Financial situation? How…? FINANCIAL SITUATION? What about THEM? Their life together! Love! Santana and Dani can barely look at each other , now feeling sick and guilty about how they came home. Retiring to the living room and bathroom respectively, Santana to try and relax with a bath and Dani needing to play some Guitar Hero, they both end up texting Rachel through the night, sobbing and stumbling into bed together where they collapse into each other.

They don't receive a reply until the next day. It's a quick short text from Rachel, explaining where to meet her and what to bring. She has some papers for her to sign and then they'll part ways after that.

She doesn't want to leave them. She has to. She HAS to be this detached so she can survive this. It's what's best for them, for the future. She doesn't know how she's going to make it through seeing Santana and Dani again. She's afraid that they''ll touch her. That Santana will touch her waist and kiss her, and that Dani will grab her hand, hugging her and not letting her go. After staring at each other, Santana and Dani send a text back, agreeing only if Rachel will let them talk, and to give them time to cool down before making any big decisions. She owes them that. It takes Rachel a long time to answer because she starts sobbing too hard to do anything else.

THIS HURTS TOO MUCH TO CONTINUE

Sweetie, it has to hurt to get better! Remember the song? They didn't even know if they'd make it. I'm just trying to figure out if Rachel is going to try and date someone else in between, or stay completely single when they try to figure everything out.

Honestly I think she wouldn't date anyone. She would throw herself back into work, accepting deal after deal, not allowing any time to think. Thinking hurts.

Yeah, I was more thinking along the line that she'd date someone for publicity's sake, but I think she'd be past that by that time. She has more respect for herself, even if Dani and Santana left her raw.

It would take a while for Rachel to date someone, even for publicity's sake, yes. The two women she thought she would spend the rest of her life with have, in her eyes, abandoned her.

They've thrown her under the bus, and it hurts her even more because that's clear to her, but Dantana's not getting it. Not completely. That day, when she sees the two, words are said, hearts are broken even more, and though they end up having one last love-making, tear "I love you"s slipping out, Santana still catches her slipping out in the early morning. "Always running away," she husks, holding onto Rachel's wrist softly enough she only has to pull away, but hard enough that Rachel can feel her tremble, "I thought you were done running." And Rachel looks at her, at Dani who had shown up at the door of their (not anymore) bedroom, just dressed in the hoodie Rachel always loved on her, and swallows, keeps her chin up, whispers loud enough to be heard but low enough to hide the breaking of her voice, "I thought you were, too," turns on her heel, and walks out of the apartment. Ignoring Dani running out behind her, calling her name and begging her to stay, it early enough there's no paparazzi out, Rachel thinks unkindly, she gets into the first taxi, and cries herself all the way back to where she's staying.

There it all is. I got it all. And now I'm going to cry.

When Mikayla finds out what happened, she shows up at Dantana's door with the ultimate judgement face on. Dani may have been her friend first, but these two messed up HARD, and Mikayla is going to make them see at least that much.

God, how tangled this thing is. Their history together, their love for each other, and all wrapped up in needing to be aware of everything they do or how they seem in public… Mikayla's going to have trouble getting through to the girls, I think. Especially with how hurt and stubborn and 'in the right' they think they are. After all, even though they know how stupid they're sounding, Rachel had agreed, and had been the one to suggest this arrangement. Besides, Mikayla doesn't understand, as she's not a celebrity (ouch ouch ouch).

Then Mikayla would just get angrier and angrier, eventually blowing up at the duo. How DARE they talk to her like that? Also, of course Rachel would suggest it, but that was years ago! How on earth did they never consider the burden she was under all these years? How could they never think about how Rachel was dealing?

You two can be OUT, she'd roar, be public! Open! Enjoy being together without worrying about ANYTHING. But Rachel couldn't - EVER! She had had to be on guard, feel less like an equal partner in this relationship because she could NEVER have what she wanted, and got EVEN LESS from you two! You honestly think she LIKED always doubting her relationship with you two? That she wasn't important enough to be acknowledged away from your bedroom? How would YOU feel, especially after you two started blaming HER for expressing her feelings for you in times she NEVER HAD A REASON TO PRETEND? Getting angry at her for LOVING YOU? And you wonder why she left. She didn't fit in your own precious world anymore, and, I can't believe it, but you didn't see it coming. You ever think, maybe, THAT'S why you're so hurt? When you should be ASHAMED of yourself instead? Because suddenly she's gone when you two were practically already gone from her? Hurts, doesn't it? Good. Now maybe you can get your heads out of your asses and understand what's REALLY going on.

Dani and Santana are looking more and more uncomfortable, like they're starting to see where Mikayla is coming from, but both refuse to say they were in the wrong. When Mikayla sees this, she almost growls, and then takes her phone out. After she types on the screen for a second, she pushes the phone in front of the girls' faces, making them look at the article on the screen. It's a piece about one of the most recent premieres that they had all attended, and listed the top ten best dressed ladies there. Dani, Santana, and Rachel were of course all among the chosen (it's a personal insult to Kurt if you think they wouldn't be) but the difference in the photos, is that in every photo Santana and Dani are in, they are together, wrapped in each other's arms and in love. Rachel however, always appears alone, neither of them with her at any point on the red carpet. They click on some other links, and find the same thing, over and over again. Dantana standing together, happy as can be, while Rachel is constantly alone. Besides posing with an occasional co-star, or sharing a laugh with a friend, Rachel never seems to have someone by her side. Upon realizing this, the girls finally break down, realizing what had happened.

Before they break down, they shake their heads and look up an event where they know they actually attended together. It's better, but not by much. There are the requisite pics of all three with their arms around each other, all together and two by two, and it's striking how much happier and radiant Rachel looks as opposed to the other event. But still, all of her touches can be construed as platonic, while Dani and Santana are obviously together and in love. They're all happy, but eventually, Dani and Santana notice that there's a marked distance appearing between Rachel and Dantana. They're together, but they're not "together". It's Dantana and Rachel, not Dani and Santana and Rachel. It's subtle, but there's no doubt in Dantana's minds that Rachel's all too aware of it. How had she never said anything? Santana and Dani feel sick. Had they… How had they really gotten so comfortable in their roles they'd done this to Rachel?

Mikayla snatches her phone away from them, still incredibly angry. NOW do you get it? She yells, do you understand what you've done to her? And then Dani gets angry, yelling back about why didn't Rachel talk to them, why didn't she say something, they would have listened! They love her, they would do anything for her!

I just want to slap (metaphorically speaking, of course) all three women (not Mikayla). My response will come in a bit after I gather up the needed 'gird my loins' protection for myself, my GOD.

And Santana would chime in that it wasn't THEIR job to know what Rachel's thinking or feeling. Mikayla would stare at them in disgust. Do you even HEAR yourselves, she'd snap harshly, you don't even SOUND like someone who understands what being in a relationship is like. No wonder she felt separate from you.

And you ever think she'd know you'd respond like this? Or laugh it off. Seems to me Rachel knows you two better than you knew her.

With that, knowing she wouldn't get much more out of talking to them, Mikayla would walk out, heading back to her place where Rachel's been staying. She loves her friends, and she knows they're not really that dumb, but it IS beyond the pale, and she just… Needs to know they're gonna work it out. All three of them do love each other, and it's really not Dantana vs. Rachel, but for now… She knows a lot of talking will have to happen, when all three are ready to do so.

I don't want this to be Dantana vs. Rachel, but unfortunately the situation lends it to that. Heavily.

I think, in this installment of the series, we should delve into all three of the women. Their thoughts and motivations and fears and yearnings. They've fought together through the years, and it's certainly not their first almost-crumbling time, but this is the worst. Compounded by the tabloids and their own worst fears and anxieties, all three are going to backfire their relationship with the other two. Dantana's gonna feel guilty about being able to lean on each other when Rachel can't, but they're also going to cling to each other, too. Rachel's gonna know this, which will make it worse for her. Also, I've been thinking. Rachel should have her own apartment, for appearance's sake, even if most of her stuff used to be at the Dantanchel house. They'd have the money to keep it up, and they had perfected the rotating schedule to keep the paparazzi off of them. This'll set up either Dani or Santana showing up to try and get Rachel to talk to her… And finding the locks changed.

Who gave you the right to send me these things at work, huh? :P

I did. :D

To Dani and Santana, it's like Rachel's shutting them out. Refusing to see them, and making it clear they're OVER. They're blindsided and hurt and left reeling.