A/N: Here you go guys, please enjoy the new chapter :D

It had been a month since Jesse left for Chicago. They talked occasionally on the phone, but since Jesse was extremely busy he hadn't had a lot of time. Rachel didn't really mind, in fact she enjoyed being single and not having to think about jealous partners, but rather enjoy her time with her most favourite people in the world.

If Rachel was being honest, she also felt like Jesse sounded happier on the phone. Maybe it really had been a step, they should have done a while ago. Still they had not yet again discussed their divorce, for the moment they were only separated with an option of getting back together - at least in Jesse's opinion. Rachel knew she wouldn't want to get back with Jesse, she treasured him, but only as a friend. The fights they had prior to his move to Chicago, had shown her that she and Jesse would not have a future. Even more important, she had realized she didn't love him anymore.

For the moment Rachel just enjoyed being Rachel. Kurt, Blaine and Dalton were in San Francisco for vacation and wouldn't return until the end of the following week.

She had just come from a meeting with Carmen Tibideaux and had discussed the vocal course, Carmen wanted Rachel to teach. They had agreed, that Rachel would teach a summer course at NYADA, which was only for eight weeks, twice a week. It was not a full time position, but it was good for her as she needed time to get her life back on track.

She was taking a walk through Central Park and having some FroYo, enjoying the beautiful weather, when she suddenly heard someone calling out her name.

"Rachel? Rachel!"

Rachel turned around, looking for the voice calling her out. Her face changed from confused to delighted surprise.

"Dani! Oh my gosh, how are you? I haven't seen you in ages!" Rachel exclaimed, pulling Santana's ex-girlfriend into a tight hug. When Dani and Santana used to date, they had frequently seen each other and had become quite close. However when Santana and Dani had split, it was as if Dani had never existed. It was sad, since Rachel did really like her.

"I am great, how are you? You look amazing!" Dani said, hugging Rachel back and flashing her a happy smile.

"Thank you! You look great too. I see you gone brunette." Rachel said, thinking back to the blue hair Dani used to have years back.

"Yes, I went rainbow and figured I give my hair a break." Dani laughed. "So tell me Rachel Berry how about we have a drink and talk about old times?"

"Well I would say, this is a splendid idea Dani! Would you mind stopping at my place real quick, so I can rid of all my stuff? I just had an appointment at NYADA. We could refresh ourselves and do a girls night out? Like old times?" Rachel said, showing Dani her heavy bags.

"Sure, sounds like a great plan." Dani agreed and so the plan was made.

Rachel and Dani took a cab to Rachel's, where they opened a bottle of wine and got changed and all dolled up. They had a good laugh about old times and enjoyed doing each other's make up. Rachel felt like she was having an amazing girl's sleep over with Dani, just without the actual sleepover.

After about an hour of getting ready, they were looking at themselves in the mirror.

"Dani, you look stunning!" Rachel said. Dani was wearing a black dress with lace cutouts, that fit her perfectly. Her brown hair was put up into a messy bun and her makeup was made of simple black eyeliner, lots of mascara and perfectly ruby red lips.

"Say's the amazing Rachel Berry, Broadwaystar? Well thank you, you look stunning yourself! I would say we are some sexy babes!" Dani said, laughing.

"You bet we are!" Rachel was wearing a tight red mini dress, that was fitting her curves perfectly. Her dark curls were open and well in soft waves down her back. She was sporting smoky eyes and was indeed looking absolutely stunning.

Rachel and Dani hauled a cab and drove to a cocktail bar in downtown New York. Thursdays was karaoke night, so Rachel and Dani thought it would be a nice place to talk, sing and drink.

Three daiquiris later, Rachel and Dani had sung four songs and were now giggling and laughing on a table, while sipping on another drink.

When a Blonde walked up and asked for Dani to dance, Rachel stared a moment into her drink, when she felt someone sitting next to her.

"Well hello there pretty lady. How about another drink?"

"I am good, thanks." Rachel replied, giving a quick smile.

"Why so cold? Let's have a good time. You are hot, I am hot - let's have a good time and enjoy ourselves!" The guys said, moving closer towards Rachel and putting a hand on her leg.

Rachel was startled by the hand on her leg and shoved it immediately away.

"Woah hands off. Look I am sure you are a nice guy, but I am not interested. I would appreciate, if you could leave me alone!" Rachel said and moved further away with her chair. She was feeling rather uncomfortable. The guy, even though not bad looking, intimidated Rachel - also he was way to handsy, for his own good.

"Sweetheart, don't be so difficult. Let me buy you a drink and then I'll take you home, we have some fun and you will be all better!" He said, smirking and eyeing her once over. Rachel brought her arms over her chest, as she felt being undressed by that guys eyes. His hands were moving back to her legs, pressing her upper thigh tightly.

Appalled Rachel jumped off her chair, giving that guy an disgusted look.

"I said HANDS OFF!" She loudly said. She wanted to move away, but the guy had her cornered between the wall and the table, putting Rachel into a very uncomfortable situation.

The guy was not getting the hint or maybe he didn't want to, because he also got up and pushed Rachel to the wall. Her hands automatically tried to push him away, but he was too strong for her petite figure.

"I like my girls wild!" He said giving her a dirty smirk.

He was about to get closer to her, when someone grabbed him at the shoulder and ripped him away from Rachel.

"She said, she is not interested! I think you should leave!" A tall dark blonde guy had joined the scene and put himself between Rachel and the sleazeball.

"Who the HELL ARE YOU?" The guy yelled, wiped his face and tried to tackle his opponent.. The other guy avoided the tackle without any issues, laughing and pushing the guy down to the floor.

"Your girl?" The other guy laughed. "Rachel you know that guy?" Rachel shook her head, staring at her protector, trying to figure out if she was in an absolute crazy dream or if that was really happening.

"Listen up dude, walk away and nothing else happens."

The sleazy guy glared angrily at his opponent, but after letting his gaze wander between Rachel and her protector he pushed himself off the ground and walked away. He would get back to them another time.

"Are you alright Rach?"

Rachel was still staring with disbelief. It took a few seconds before she found her voice again. "Sam?"

"The one and only!" He said, flashing her a smile.

Rachel reached out her hand and put it on Sam's arm, as if she couldn't believe that he was standing in front of her. "Sam." She said once again and finally threw herself into his arms.

It was so good to see his familiar face, to feel how his strong arms responded to her hug and pulled her close, to smell his familiar scent of wood and musk, the smell of home.

Rachel's hand found her way underneath Sam's dark leather jacket, gripping his navy blue shirt tightly. She couldn't believe that he was here, she couldn't believe that he was protecting her, she couldn't believe that Sam always seemed to know when she needed someone to pick her up and take care of her. He did when Finn died, he did when her heart was badly hurt, he did when Jesse and she were fighting and he did now.

She could feel his hand softly stroking her back, drawing little circle with his hands. She could feel how his fingers were playing with her stray curls and how his chin was resting on top of her head. This felt so right.

"Sam..." she finally said again, loosening the hug and looking into his face. "Thank you!"

"Always, Rach. Always." He simply said.

That evening Sam had brought Rachel home, after she said goodbye to Dani. He had made sure that Rachel came home alright and they had decided to meet up soon. While Rachel was really eager to talk to Sam, she was to shaken to actually have a proper conversation - also she had definitely drunken too much alcohol.

They and exchanged numbers and promised to meet each other the following day.

When Rachel woke up around noon, she felt her head spinning.

"Ugh..." She moaned, pushing her head in between the pillows. She was just about to close her eyes once again, when she suddenly jumped by the very shrill and way too loud noise of her phone ringing.

"Rachel speaking?" She answered with a low groan, cursing herself.

"Well good morning sunshine, you sound awful." Sam joked on the other end of the phone.

"Sam. Morning..." Rachel mumbled. "I feel terrible and I will never drink again..."

"Funny story, I am sure I have heard it before!" He laughed. "Also it's Friday night and with Blaine out of town, you are my only good friend in town! So you have to go out with me!"

"No way... I am not leaving my house... I feel like a truck hit me over.."

Sam chuckled. "Well how about I come over tonight, bring some veggie Pizza and still water and we watch a movie or so?"

"Still water? Really?" Now Rachel had to laugh, but she regretted it only a second later, as her head hurt.

"Well I can also bring that bottle of wine and that six pack I have stored." He replied.

"Pizza sounds fine, how does 8pm sound?" She said giggling.

"I'll see you at 8!"

Rachel remembered darkly, that she had mentioned to Sam that Jesse had left, when he had brought her home. She wasn't sure if Sam knew any details, but she didn't mind either way. In fact at the moment she was just happy to see her good, old friend and spent a nice evening with him. All other worries had been pushed into the very back of her mind, even though there was that tiny, nosy and very annoying voice, telling Rachel that it might not be a good idea to let Sam into her house, since this could endanger her secret with Dalton.

At the moment Rachel was ignoring it foolishly, Sam wouldn't go into her study or the bedroom, where most of the pictures where stored anyways.

Rachel decided to drowse a little longer. She got up around 2pm and took a very long shower. When she was dressed and thought of herself to look acceptable (basically not to hangover, but also not to heavily dolled up), she ate some soup and was relaxing in the living room until Sam was going to come around.

It was shortly before 8 pm, when her phone rang.

"So I am having a big veggie delight, some mango froyo, a bottle of chardonnay and a six pack beer. Also I got a bottle of Evian, because I wasn't sure if you were joking or not. Anyways what I am trying to say is, my hands are really full and if you don't open this door in a second, I am sure everything will fall down!"

Only moments later, Rachel opened her front door, finding Sam juggling with said items in his hands. She had to laugh, when she saw him and quickly took some of the items out of his hands.

"Hi Sam, come on in!"

A/N: So what did you guys think? Please let me know!

NaleyOTH123 - Thank you so much for your comment! I really love reading them :) I absolutely agree with you regarding Jesse's and Rachel's relationship. I also think they are too similar and that is probably the reason, why it is or rather was so easy for them to be together. I always felt they are better as friends, supporting each others dreams. Sam on the other always kept Rachel down on earth and he was never afraid to tell her his opinion, even if it hurt (he always worried for her in the sweetest way). This relationship between Rachel and Sam was and probably always will be complicated, but that is the reason why it is such a great relationship :)

WaterLilyFlower - Thank you so much for your comment - and please let me tell you, I never feel bothered by them. In fact I am always so excited to read them :) Glad you liked the chapter and trust me I am equally excited about Kurt's reaction. I have a couple of versions drafted and I am not sure yet, which on to take :D

Amelia - Thank you :) I also love Rachel's relationship with Blaine and Kurt and I wish it would never change, but they still have some hardships to face. ^^

Blamchel - Thank you so much for your comment :) I am also excited what is going to happen with Sam and Rachel. I absolutely adore them together :)