Getting It Right - A Forgone Conclusion


"This isn't about doing your best anymore. It's about doing better."

Jesse frowned and glanced over, unsure if he had heard correctly or was just having a particularly vivid flashback. Had those words really just left the affable and doting Will Schuester's mouth? Boy, the mild-mannered, 'feel-good' coach of the underdogs was really channelling the ethos of Vocal Adrenaline in a big way today. He raised his eyebrows in silent thought, not entirely convinced as to whether the current display was impressive or simply cringeworthy. It was just an outsider observation, but 'tough love' didn't really sit well with Schuester. Then again, he dismissed with a mental shrug, the guy was fairly new to it and maybe he would grow into his newly acquired backbone.

As the group dispersed a short while later, Jesse made his way over to the practice bars that had been moved into the auditorium for the benefit of boot camp. Crossing his arms over the wooden railing, he observed Mercedes stomping away out of the corner of his eye, exiting the stage rather sullenly and without even bothering to acknowledge a goodbye to the rest of her team.

"That was interesting," he said at last, speaking low enough that only the person closest to him could hear.

The intended recipient of his comment cast a look in his direction, taking in the casual poise of his manner as he slouched against the bars next to her, an understated elegance and balance in his body that was quietly enviable. Flicking some short, blonde flicks of hair out of her face, she rolled her eyes and returned to her stretches. Her limbs were burning with the familiar sting of exertion and her face ached from the parade of false smiles she had forced onto it, but all her years in the Cheerios had only reinforced the invaluable routine of stretching before and after any rigorous exercise. It was still second nature to her.

"Tantrum of the week," she sighed in response, her face contorting in a small grimace as she continued to ease out her bruised muscles. "We take it in turns, don't you know. Someone's always having a crisis."

Jesse smirked in agreement but still looked somewhat thoughtful, tilting his head in detached curiosity. "Is it just me, or did all that hard-line attitude seem to come out of left field?"

Quinn shrugged. "Welcome to McKinley," she muttered. "Where the leanings of favour are just as changeable as the winds."

"Yeah, I remember."

She caught his eyes for a moment and thought she glimpsed a dark shadow stir behind the benign smile on his lips. But then he glanced away and there was no trace of any such troubled emotion when he spoke again, his voice light and teasing once more.

"Still, I wonder who's been slipping Schuester the testosterone supplements."

She raised an eyebrow, amusement playing at the edge of her mouth. "You suspect drug abuse?"

"Either that or the man's seriously not getting any."

Quinn laughed before she could help it, flashing him the first genuine smile she had given anyone in what felt like forever. "What the hell makes you think that?"

"It's a guy thing."

"Male PMS?"

"Perhaps," Jesse chuckled, meeting her gaze with a suggestive grin. "And to think, you nearly missed out on all this riveting new drama. Aren't you glad you came back?"

"Oh yeah," she grumbled sarcastically, taking a swig from her water bottle before dropping it back into the bag that sat at her feet. "Every damn day."

/o/

As Rachel walked through the backstage wings of the auditorium, she began to have doubts. She hated to admit it, but she couldn't actually remember if they had agreed to meet here or in the parking lot after dance practice. If she didn't find him soon, she would head back outside and double check. Of course, she wasn't about to admit that she'd got it wrong if that was the case, she would simply put it down to a miscommunication. One of these things that happen.

Wandering along with increasing irritation and no sign of her wayward boyfriend, Rachel sighed and stole a quick glance out onto the auditorium stage where boot camp was usually held. She didn't see Finn, but what she did see stopped her in her tracks just the same.

There were only two members left behind in the rehearsal space and they were standing close together at the dance bars, talking in low tones that didn't carry. He said something that made her laugh reluctantly and roll her eyes, a grin breaking out across his own face as the idle exchange continued. They seemed in no real rush to part from each other – indeed the body language between them seemed almost relaxed and comfortable, and the unexpected sight unnerved Rachel more than she would ever admit to.

She couldn't remember the two of them ever sparing anything more than passing word of strained civility for each other in the past, and now here they were acting as if they had suddenly found some kind of common ground to bond over. When the hell did that happen?

As she watched, she saw the former cheerleader give him a brief smile before moving to retrieve her jumper from the floor, zipping up the garment over her tank top and picking up her bag. Jesse straightened up from the railing and walked around to meet her, standing way too close for Rachel's comfort, even as she found herself straining to get a better view despite herself. She felt her heart clench without permission as she saw him reach out to tug up the collar of Quinn's pink hoody, his hand brushing over her shoulder as his lips moved in words she couldn't decipher. There was something that could almost pass for friendly affection in the small gesture, and it made Rachel's gut twist up painfully.

Caught by surprise and deeply confused by the response of her body, Rachel quickly backed away and turned to leave, determined to shake off such dangerous feelings before she could overly dwell on them.

/o/

The locker door swung open with a rusty squeak, making her pull a face even though the sound was barely audible over the crush of noise around her. She really wished they would bother to repair the damn hinges now and again, but then again maybe that was asking too much from a school that could barely manage to provide a regular supply of toilet paper. With a disgruntled huff, Rachel tossed her English notebook back into the metal shadows, too distracted to even file it away properly with the rest of her folders. Her fingers hovered over the spine of her Biology textbook, lacking the enthusiasm to remove it and unable to shake the parting words that still echoed around her head.

She didn't even feel him approach, effortlessly slipping through the hurried stream of students that swarmed through the corridor, looking up only when she felt the light touch of his hand skim over the small of her back. Surprised, she glanced around to find him studying her with those ever piercing eyes, a soft frown of concern creasing his brow.

"What was all that about?"

"What?" she mumbled evasively.

Jesse nodded his head in the direction of where Mercedes had just strode off through the milling press of bodies a few minutes ago, unprepared to let her avoid the question.

Rachel turned back to her locker with a stiff shrug. "Mercedes just didn't feel like celebrating our call back. It's not a big deal."

He said nothing for a moment though she could feel his gaze on her face, the calculating assessment in his silence. When he did speak up again there was a subdued note of tension in his voice that she couldn't quite place.

"Are you okay?"

She didn't know why the simple question broke the floodgates, why he had to be the one to ask her. Rachel took a deep breath that seemed to wash away her reservations, the words rushing out of her before she could censor them. "It's just…" A reluctant sigh escaped her lips as she leant back against the lockers, crossing her arms behind her and staring out into the anonymous bustle of activity that surrounded them. "I guess I've just felt us drifting apart recently. She's had this attitude lately…like I'm in her way or something." A frown crossed her face as she tried to explain herself, to somehow reason away the knot of apprehension that sat heavy in the pit of her stomach. "I don't know. I can't help feeling that this whole Maria thing might just drive a wedge between us for good."

There was a thoughtful pause before he finally offered a response.

"Quite possibly."

Rachel gave him an indignant look which he calmly returned without a hint of contrition or apology. "Come on, Rach. You had to have seen this coming at some point. All that resentment was bound to rear its head eventually."

"Mercedes doesn't –"

"Of course she does," he interrupted dismissively, impatience riling his tone before he seemed to curb it back with some effort. "They all do – on some level or another. It's the natural order of things. You're all in competition with each other just as much as you are with the other teams."

Rachel shook her head, angry at the assumption in his tone. "We mean more to each other than that."

"When are you going to grow out of this childish naivety?" he demanded with a sigh, his expression somewhere between irritation and imploring. "All it will do is end up hurting you."

She threw him a heated glare, her words sullen and pointed. "Maybe I'm just not as quick to discount the people in my life as you are."

Jesse held her gaze equally stubbornly, a sharp intensity flickering through his eyes that sent a shiver down her spine. "Maybe you need to figure out the ones that really matter."

Rachel hesitated, unsure what to make of the veiled challenge in his tone or the fire of unease it sparked in her mind. Glancing away, she quickly brought her thoughts back to the main track of their conversation, as depressing as it was. Letting her head tilt back against the cool metal, she exhaled a tired breath, speaking so quietly she wasn't sure if he even heard her.

"I don't want to lose her over this."

"I know," he said softly, the abrupt change in his tone catching her off guard. There was something almost sympathetic in his gaze when she met his eyes again, a weariness that only came from hard-learned experience. "But it happens. It's the nature of the business and the world, and you just have to deal with it and move on."

Despite the bitter wisdom in such truth, Rachel just couldn't bring herself to accept it. She let out a deep sigh, frustrated with the whole situation. "I just don't know what her problem is."

"Yes you do." Rachel cast him a frown to which Jesse just shrugged in response. "Look at it from her point of view. You're the heart and soul of that club, Rachel. You're head and shoulders above them all and everyone knows it. But we both know it's been far from smooth sailing. You've paid more than your fair share of dues."

Rachel looked down uncomfortably. She well remembered the stories and the tears that she had shared with him during their sweetly doomed relationship all that time ago. All the bullying and isolation she had told him of, the glimpses of vulnerability she had foolishly entrusted to a comforting confidant – back before his own cruel streak had been revealed.

Jesse observed her silence and averted eyes with a dark gaze, firmly pushing down the echo of torn memories that pulled at his own mind. There was no hitch of emotion in his tone as he calmly carried on, in an almost clinical fashion.

"Mercedes has spent years living in your shadow, but for whatever reason – she put up with it. Maybe she figured that even though you had the advantage of raw talent, at least you were still an outcast in the group. But then that changed too. You somehow forged a place for yourself and people began treating you differently. Even I can see it. Maybe she feels like she has nothing left. Maybe she just sees you gaining in strength while she feels like she's falling behind in your wake, eclipsed in every aspect."

"I never meant to take anything away from her…"

"Be that as it may, you can't deny things have changed. Just look at you and Kurt. You guys are closer now than they ever were. Imagine how that feels to see."

Rachel winced but stiffened defensively. "So I should apologise for finally having friends now?"

"I didn't say that. I'm just stating the facts," he replied evenly, watching her with a shrewd perception that she could never seem to escape. "You always knew this was an inevitability, Rachel. You knew that sacrifices have to be made at the top. There's a fine line between friend and rival and you can't ever take it for granted."

A small, dry smile curved her lips. "Pick your alliances carefully, huh?"

Jesse shrugged and Rachel threw him an appraising look, quick and suspicious. "Maybe you should heed your own advice."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," she said curtly. Without meeting his eyes, she roughly yanked out her textbook and slammed the locker door shut. Turning on her heel, she marched away without another word, disappearing into the crowds once more.

/o/

Pink streamers. Pink streamers.

Jesse grimaced and mentally counted to ten. That didn't work so he tried counting to twenty. What was this, a fucking sweet-sixteen party? Finally managing to wrench his eyes away from the offending and abrasively tacky decorations, he shook his head and walked on through the auditorium, picking his way around the milling members of New Directions and over towards the judge's seats.

The so-called Maria-off had been the talk of the club all day. 'Clash of the titans' was one remark he had heard so far, to which Jesse had only smiled and rolled his eyes. These guys had no idea what a truly epic clash looked like. But as he took his time descending the steps and crossing through the darkened rows, he had to admit that the atmosphere of competition and anticipation was something he could never keep away from. It was everything he lived for, everything that was inextricably bound up with a mutual addiction that would define him for the rest of his life.

Even so, this entire affair was merely an exercise in futility to his mind, a pointless indulgence, but he had been willing to go along with it on this occasion. He would never deny Rachel a chance to perform and he had no doubt that she would steal the show as always. It was what she did best.

His eyes automatically found their way over to her, searching out her face before narrowing slightly at the sight of the boy who stood close at her side, drawing her attention with an earnest expression as they exchanged private words in the low light. Jesse felt the familiar stab of temper and frustration and quickly clenched his jaw, caging the unconstructive emotions away for now. As much as he hated to witness any kind of intimate moment between them, he couldn't stop his gaze from dwelling upon the couple in twisted curiosity, watching the expression on Rachel's face as she nodded absently in response to her boyfriend's words. Whatever it was Finn was saying, it didn't seem to be overly convincing or assuring his girlfriend.

Just then, her eyes moved over Finn's shoulder and caught his. Jesse met her gaze steadily for the split moment of contact before Rachel quickly broke away. She suddenly pulled Finn into a long and tight hug, burying herself into his embrace with an almost possessive force as she felt Jesse's eyes linger on them. If she had dared to look his way again, she might have been surprised by his reaction. A small smirk passed over Jesse's face as he observed the display of affection, hollow and strained but still undeniably amused.

Quinn looked up and exchanged a small nod of acknowledgment as she saw him finally move to claim to his seat. She watched him settle down at the make-shift table and turn his attention to the notebooks that lay there, an elegant black fountain pen glinting softly under the glow of the lamplight as he leaned forward over the papers. She smiled to herself, fully suspecting he had absolutely no intention of making any notes. Quinn had no uncertainty that the outcome of this call back was already cast firmly in his mind, but he could never seem to resist putting on a performance all the same. The art of professional showmanship was simply part of his persona, second nature to him in the same way it was to Rachel.

Following her train of thought, Quinn turned her gaze back out into the auditorium with fresh consideration. She had observed the fleeting looks exchanged between the ex's with increasing interest over the last few days, and she also hadn't failed to notice the blatant way Rachel clung closer to Finn whenever Jesse's attention strayed in their direction. However, the more curious development was the number of times she had caught the small brunette's gaze flickering between herself and Jesse, as if plagued by some unknown confusion she wasn't wholly aware of. Frowning gently, Quinn sunk back in her velvet seat and tried to get a handle on the changing dynamics of power that were unfolding.

/o/

"Senior Class President? Really?"

Rachel looked up at the sound of his voice to find him loitering in the doorway of the empty classroom, one shoulder leaning against the doorjamb and a sceptical tilt to his mouth. She was past being surprised at his unannounced appearances and endless comments on her personal life by now, but that didn't mean she had to tolerate his intrusions politely. His eyes were dark and hard as they locked on her face but Rachel only brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and returned to gathering up the last of her books.

"What, you don't think I can do it?" she demanded coolly.

Jesse smiled but it was without much amusement. "I think you have no idea what you have let yourself in for. Political campaigning is dirty work. Fair play and friendships don't come into it, not if you really want to win." He raised an eyebrow in doubt. "Are you really prepared for that? Because your opponents will be prepared to do anything – use anything to get the advantage."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "I suppose you're speaking with the authority of experience again?" she remarked drolly.

"I had the good sense to keep clear actually."

Rachel fixed him with a lofty glare. "Is that because you're incapable of putting anyone else's interests above your own?"

A smirk tugged the corners of his mouth. "I never indulge in anything that's a waste of my time."

She scoffed under her breath. "Everything serves a purpose," she muttered bitterly.

Jesse watched her for a long moment, both silently reading between the lines of their unspoken dialogue. "I bet Kurt is less than thrilled about it," he said at last.

Rachel tensed but swiftly covered it, pushing the unpleasant confrontation from her mind as best she could. "You could say that."

"Boy, you're really on a roll with alienating your friends this week."

She shot him a scowl even as she tried to brush off his mockingly honest assessment. "Kurt…" Rachel trailed off, struggling to find the right words. Shaking her head, she started again with fresh conviction. "Kurt doesn't think I'm running for the right reasons. He thinks he's the only one who can make a positive difference at this school. But what if he's wrong?" She lifted her shoulders defensively. "Why can't I try and change the world for the better too? He'll come to see that in the end, he'll come around…" Rachel gave a decisive nod, desperately trying to make herself believe her own words.

Kurt would understand. Surely? Eventually.

Jesse felt something pinch painfully inside his chest. Despite her attempts to hide it, it was clear she was still cut up over the recent fall out, especially as it had come in the middle of such a stressful week for the musical. Jesse had seen how much her relationship with Kurt had meant to Rachel, and the loss of her best friend was an additional heartache that she really didn't need right now. Not with everything else that was going on.

"Every victory comes at a price," he said quietly.

Rachel looked up, those warm bewitching eyes meeting his in a silent exchange of understanding that neither could fully interpret.

Lowering her gaze away once more, she breathed deeply and traced a wandering finger along the grain of the desk under her hand, as if drawing a tenuous sense of comfort out of the old wood. "You don't think I can beat him?" she challenged finally.

"I think you can beat him hands down if you put your mind to it," he replied without hesitation. A small smile crossed his lips as he cocked his head in thought. "But if you ask me, Britt is your big competition."

She tossed him an incredulous expression, like she couldn't decide if he was making fun of her or not. Jesse merely shrugged.

"She's popular," he offered by way of succinct explanation. "That's what seems to escape you guys. Elections are not about who deserves to win the most, it's all about who the people want. People will vote for the personality they can most relate to, whether it is in their interests or not. Let's face it – she's slept with half the school, is an a-typical blonde, perky cheerleader who guys fancy and girls want to be like. She may not be the sharpest blade in the box, but since when does that count in public politics?"

Not to mention, the girl knew how to throw one hell of a pep rally. Jesse smirked to himself as he allowed himself to reflect back on that particular spectacle. With the combined assets of girl power in kinky outfits, she was covering her bases pretty well. Not a lot of guys in the school would object to a repeat performance of that. It was quite an act to follow. He had to give the cheerleader some credit – she'd picked a damn good strategy. The girls would be the swing vote at this school.

Rachel was giving him a deeply sceptical look and Jesse sighed, running a hand through his hair distractedly.

"Look, you're more than capable of handling yourself, Rachel. But if you really want to make a difference in the world, you do it by following your true passions." He caught her eyes and held her gaze across the room in an effort to drive his point home. "Politics is a whole other arena. Hard graft and determination won't get you there alone. There is nothing more fickle than a voter's allegiance."

"I can think of a few things," she muttered, glancing away from him and crossing her arms over her chest.

Jesse heard the reprimand in her tone but let it pass. "Seriously, Rachel – why are you splitting your dedication at a time like this? You already have glee club, Nationals and the musical to focus on, not to mention graduation and college applications."

"I need the credits," she snapped in frustration. "You said it yourself – NYADA only accepts the very best and even then it's nearly impossible to get a place. They won't look twice at my application if I can't provide the extra curricular credits to back it up."

Jesse frowned softly. "Okay," he said slowly, "but wasn't that the whole point of this West Side Story production? Your big showcase of talent away from choir competition?"

Rachel flinched and looked down, almost seeming to close up on herself, her voice dropping to a reluctant mutter. "Yeah, it was. But… but I'm not going to get the part."

Jesse was sure he'd misheard this time. "What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded, voice low and tense with something like barely supressed anger.

She nearly seemed to recoil away from the harsh words, before stubbornly rallying herself. Lifting her head, she set her expression and looked him in the eye with such certainty that it unnerved him down to the core.

"She was better than me, Jesse. Mercedes owned that song, that stage, that audition and I couldn't even touch her. Simple as that."

Two defiant stares battled across the room in the beat of silence that followed. Incredulity fought against pounding waves of panicked fury. Temper won out.

"Have you lost your fucking mind?" Jesse strode towards her before he was even aware of the action, dark eyes burning and his voice rising until he was almost shouting. "Better? How can you even think that? Where the hell is all this self doubt and insecurity coming from all of a sudden? This isn't the Rachel Berry I know; this isn't the girl I met two years ago – the girl who wouldn't let anyone talk her out of what she wanted or stop her from getting it. This isn't you." He gestured towards her accusingly, his tone raw with frustration. His mouth twisted bitterly, undeterred by the heated shock and anger in her glare. She opened her mouth, but he wasn't finished. "What the hell happened to you? Since when were you content to allow yourself to be dependant on anyone else for your self esteem? This is three years of mediocre and jealous peers talking – grinding you down and making you doubt yourself. Lowering yourself to Finn's level because it's safe and comfortable. You were never weak, Rachel. I never thought you'd let them get to you like this."

"Like what?" she spat back, dangerous fire flashing in her eyes as she held her ground in the explosive confrontation.

"This!" he retorted hotly. "Them. Your so-called friends; your pathetically inferior boyfriend. You're so scared of what they think, of losing a bunch of insignificant connections, that you're doubting everything that makes you who you are. You're fucking amazing, Rachel." He saw her falter slightly at the sheer conviction in his words and quickly worked to seize his advantage, determined to make her see sense even if she hated him for it. "No one wants this or works harder for it than you. And if you let them beat that out of you, then you're not half the girl I thought you were."

"How can you say that, Jesse?" she demanded furiously, tears prickling the back of her eyes which she ruthlessly forced away. "You were there – you saw her!"

"Yeah, I was," he agreed forcefully. "And I was the only one there with anything close to the kind of experience needed to pass a credible judgement. I've said it before and I'll say it again – Mercedes is a damn good singer. But she's not a star." His voice lowered as his gaze locked into hers, his stormy eyes softening indefinably though losing none of their passion. "Not like you could be. Yeah, she may want it – but she's not prepared to work for it. She expects recognition to follow talent, but we both know it doesn't work that way. Most of the time talent goes unrewarded and unsung and you have to get out there and fight for your right to be heard."

Rachel shook her head, still objecting though with slightly less assertion than previously as she struggled to reconcile her growing confusion into a coherent argument. "If Kurt can be happy for Blaine and admit when he's faced with someone better suited to a role – why shouldn't I? What's so terrible about giving credit where it's due?"

"It's not okay when you're selling yourself short in order to please others," he returned firmly. "How the hell can you think you don't deserve the role?"

When Rachel couldn't summon an immediate reply, he pushed on. "How many times did you rehearse that number? How many hours a week do you spend practicing your dancing, vocals and projection? How many times did you listen to that song until you could sing it backwards?" She met his eyes stubbornly but didn't answer him. Jesse gave a tight smile. "That's the difference."

Finally, he backed off in the uneasy quiet, giving her one last look as he turned to leave.

"You need to snap out of this bullshit, Rachel, and get your head in the game."

"And what game would that be?" she called out sarcastically.

He didn't bother to reply, walking out the classroom instead and leaving Rachel scowling after him, a deeply unsettled apprehension slowly stirring in the back of her mind.

/o/

Jesse frowned as he rubbed a series of small concentric circles into his temples, his head nestled firmly between his hands as he fought off a migraine of annoyance. He'd been listening to this endless discussion for the better part of an hour. Were these people for real? Yes, fine, Mercedes had been good, but as he had so forcefully reminded the girl herself the other day – her audition just didn't even compare to Rachel's. End of.

He had thin patience at the best of times, but this ridiculous debate was on the verge of doing his head in completely. They had been summoned into Emma's office to finalise the cast and go over the choices for Maria one last time. Yet there was no choice in his mind, no discussion, no debate. It was so painfully, glaring obvious, and it was exhausting just to sit and listen to these poor excuses for directors talk themselves in circles. How the hell did these guys ever manage to get anything done? He sighed impatiently for what felt like the tenth time this hour, the sound muffled by his hands. All the cast had been fixed no problem, they were just sticking on this one role and for the life of him, Jesse couldn't understand their deliberation. This was the problem with co-directing – you had to consult. And it was a massive time waster.

"If you guys are really this bent out of shape over the decision, why don't you just double cast the role?"

He'd meant it as a joke, a throw away comment mumbled in irritation and pure frustration. He didn't expect them to take his sarcastic suggestion to heart; he didn't think they would take it seriously.

Jesse wasn't big on compromise as a rule, but the others immediately latched onto the idea with a naïve enthusiasm that defied belief. As far as they were concerned it was a convenient out, a happy solution that would please all players involved. Nice and fair.

Christ.

Despite being less than happy with the turn of events they had settled on against his objections, Jesse simply didn't have the energy to object anymore right now. The fact remained that Rachel was Maria. She was born to be a leading performer and it was her role through and through. The unwillingness to disappoint and upset the balance of their precious group was so naïve, it was laughable. You could never make everyone happy, so why bother to try? It was frankly galling that they thought anyone could share Rachel's stage, that Mercedes was by any means somehow better than Rachel.

Shaking his head, he quietly despaired and was deeply grateful when the fruitless meeting was finally called to a close. He had never needed a shot of coffee more in his life.

/o/

The intrusion to his solitude was unusual but not wholly unexpected.

He felt her presence lingering in the emptying choir room as the rehearsal ended for the day, all required participants moving on to the mandatory boot camp, all except one. She made no sound to announce herself but her gaze was sharp and unwavering on the top of his head and thus Jesse was entirely unsurprised when he glanced up to see Quinn in front of him, slender arms crossed elegantly over a pastel yellow and white sundress, head cocked slightly to the side as she regarded him with a stony expression.

They contemplated each other in silence for a long moment, neither underestimating the other. Finally, Quinn broke the unspoken standoff.

"You're using me to make Rachel jealous," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Jesse lowered his eyes back to his notes, completely nonplussed by the accusation. "And?"

She couldn't help but smile. "God, you really are a piece of work."

"I never claimed to be virtuous," he said calmly, but the glimmer of amusement in his voice was unmistakable. "Like you said yourself, I'm just as selfish as anyone else."

"Just out of curiosity, do you ever do anything without an ulterior motive?"

Jesse shrugged. "There's a first time for everything I suppose."

Quinn rolled her eyes, though the tug of her lips remained. "You're an asshole."

"I don't know what you're pissed about," he went on conversationally. "This could work to our mutual benefit."

She studied him closely, a familiar glint of anticipation shining in her eyes. Dubious curiosity got the better of her. "What's in it for me exactly?" she asked at last.

Jesse closed the notepad over and tossed it aside onto the chair next to him as he moved to stand up, rattling off the list as idly as if it were a business agenda. "You get to get under Rachel's skin," he offered with a knowing smirk. "Drive a wedge between her and Finn and get even with your gormless ex for humiliating you last year. Plus you get to be the envy of all your peers by spending time with me and sending this school's rumour mill into overdrive, all without barely lifting a finger."

Quinn laughed. "If your ego got any bigger, it wouldn't fit in this room."

Jesse gave a noncommittal shrug, one that subtly defied the weight of his words. "Sometimes you have to fight dirty to get what's yours."

The former head Cheerio was quiet for a moment, her expression thoughtful and calculating as she considered the proposal on the table. She gave a small nod of approval, her shrewd green gaze pinned on his dark, guarded one as they assessed each other all over again. "Impressive plan," she said carefully, never glancing away as she stepped slowly towards him. "It's just missing one thing…"

Jesse kept his eyes on her as she drew closer, his heart hitching in his chest in silent warning, the words slipping past his lips unbidden as he cocked a teasing eyebrow. "What's that?"

He felt the sweet warmth of her breath as it feathered across his skin, glimpsed the lure of recklessness in the pool of her eyes before they lowered along with his, following blindly into the command of touch. She leaned into his mouth with a soft whisper, the single word sending a cool flutter aching through his ribcage.

"Ambition."

Forcing his eyes open, Jesse drew back an inch, swallowing hard as he brought a finger up to graze her lips. "This isn't a good idea," he murmured, the pitch of his voice deep and ragged with the traitorous surge of adrenaline that clamoured up through his body.

"Of course it isn't." He felt a faint smile curve her lips as she breathed the stolen line against his skin. "But that's why we do it."

Jesse shivered at the echo of words and let his hand gently drop away from her mouth.

"Quinn…"

It was a restraint, but neither seemed prepared to take heed.

"Trust me," she assured silkily, her own fingers tracing the buttons of his shirt. "If you really want to provoke a response – you're going to have to up the stakes."

His hand found its way to her waist, settling against the warm curve of her hip even as he spoke. "You don't want to play this game with me," he warned in a low voice, his gaze sharp and grip hard.

She met his face unflinchingly, the dare of provocation reflected in her cool, sparkling eyes. "Try me."

Jesse tightened his grip, yanking her hard against him as the last inch of air vanished between them, captured along with her mouth in a rough and demanding kiss. She tasted so different from Rachel. He felt her bold fingers sliding up to snake into his hair as he deepened the kiss without permission, a soft moan humming in her throat as his hands dug into the small of her back, clenching into fists around the warm fabric of her sundress. Her body was pressed tight against him, her scent filling his lungs and taste consuming his mind with a desperate urge to forget. Just for one blissfully blank moment.

As they finally pulled apart, both breathing heavily, Quinn met his eyes with a small, smug smile.

"I'll take that as a yes, shall I?"

Jesse leaned into her lips with a smirk, only just brushing them with his response. "You're late for practice."

She grinned, trailing her hand lightly down his chest as they moved to release each other from the force of their embrace. Without another word, she turned and headed out of the choir room.

/o/

Rachel let her eyes drift over the sheet of paper until they reached the top and the black printed words that she knew were waiting for her. She felt a guilty twinge as she remembered how they had come to be there, and all that had been lost along the way. And yet, seeing it all up there – real and finally confirmed in official black and white – she couldn't help the elation that swelled in her chest or the smile that broke across her lips. Her first leading role.

Rachel vowed then and there that it would only be the first of many.

She nearly didn't hear the chirp of her cell phone, so engrossed was she in the simple, white bulletin. She half wondered if she could take it home and put it into her scrapbook, after everyone had already seen it of course.

She hesitated when she saw who it was from and yet felt a tentative smile curve her lips as she cast her gaze over the words that followed.

It was a foregone conclusion, but congratulations nonetheless.

~o~


AN I was aiming to have this up before 'Pot O' Gold' aired, but what with updating 'Bad Romance', I just didn't manage it. But better late than never I suppose. I stupidly stayed up to some unholy hour this morning to post this (seems to be a running theme with me, lol!) so apologies if it is full of silly errors! I will come back to proof read more thoroughly when it isn't nearly 6 in the morning! I can't believe I have work in a few hours *headdesk* Idiot.

Oh well, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed. As ever, I live for feedback! Thanks to everyone who is following/reviewed this fic so far. It's really appreciated :) Until next time!