"Cory, are you okay?" Harry asked walking up to him. he seemed really pale and out of it, they just done a little dance number for season 4, with Cory's character Finn overlooking the performance but when the camera's stop rolling, Cory instantly put his head in hands rubbing his face and eyes.
"Yeah, must be man flu." Cory joked.
"You don't look well at all man, let me get you some water." Harry said as he walked over to the drinks table.
One thing about the cast, they always looked out for another, it was like being in adopted family.
"Here you go." Harry said giving him the bottled water as Cory ushered a croaky thanks to him.
"Why don't you head home? This scene is practically done anyways." Harry said in a concerned tone.
"No, I'm alright, we can't afford another push back." Cory said.
"Right guys! That was perfect! We just nee-" Ryan's voice boomed through the room, instantly noticing Cory's wince on his face.
"Cor, are you okay?" Ryan asked as he looked over at Cory.
"Yeah, just feeling a little off it, I'm fine." "Cory lied.
"You don't look okay" Ryan said concerned.
"I've said the same thing but he won't listen." Harry said to his boss standing before him.
"Cory, you look like you haven't slept in days, you're as pale as a ghost!" Ryan said.
"Honestly guys, I'm fine, thank you for your concern but I just want to finish this scene and get home." Cory said sharply not wanting anymore attention on the situation, he got up from his seat and made his way to his next mark. As he did so, he felt the blood rush from his head making him unsteady on his feet, practically nearly falling to the ground he grabbed hold of the table to stop himself.
"Cor!" Harry shouted, rushing over to him. "Ryan, can you get the chair please?" Harry asked as Ryan rushed over with the chair.
"Sit down, Cory, I'm going get the paramount medics!" Ryan said in a hurry. Harry handed Cory the bottle he was drinking out of a few moments ago, noticing that Cory was visibly shaking.
"You're going to be okay Cory" Harry stated seeing him shake, as Naya approached them, concerned.
"Everything okay? What's going on?" Naya asked.
"We don't know, he just turned white as a ghost and nearly collapsed" Harry said shakily.
"Has anyone called Lea, do you want me to get her for you?" Naya asked as Cory nodded slowly. "Right, I'll give her a call" Naya said scurrying off to make the call.
Lea was shopping with Steph, trying to find a great outfit for an upcoming event when her phone rang, confusion flashed on her face when she saw Naya's name flash on the screen.
"Hey girl! you okay?" Lea said picking up the phone.
"Lee, you need to come to the studios, Cory has had a funny turn and looks really unwell. He ended up nearly passing out, we just waiting on the paramedics to come to check him over and I told him I'd contact you."
"Wait what?" Lea stated panicked.
"I'll explain more when you get here, I promise, he's okay." Naya stated sensing the panic in Lea's voice.
"No worries, I'm on my way, thank you for letting me know." Lea said flustered hanging up the call.
"Is everything okay Lea?" Steph asked.
"No, it's Cory, I'll explain in the car, are you okay to drop me off at paramount please?" Lea stated visibly getting upset.
"Yeah, of course!" Steph said as they made their way to Steph's parked car.
20 minutes later, Steph pulled up to paramount studios, on arrival they saw two paramedics enter the building, making Lea's heart stop.
"Right, Lea just go okay, if you need a lift home or anything, let me know and please keep me posted!" Steph said urgently.
"Thank you! I owe you one!" Lea said getting out the car, making a quick dash to the paramount doors that the paramedics entered moments ago.
On arrival, she was greeted by Naya and Harry, who explained everything that happened whilst they walked to the set.
"So he nearly collapsed and he has been like this all day? Why didn't nobody tell me sooner, why didn't he text!?" Lea said clearly getting worked up about the situation.
"It happened so quickly, I asked him what was wrong and he just said 'man flu' next minute, he is grabbing onto the table steadying himself" Harry replied as they opened the big double doors to the set, where they saw paramedics around Cory's chair. "Sorry, we didn't contact you sooner." Harry said as Lea shook her head.
"No, don't be silly, you were here and I'm grateful for that, really, thank you!" Lea said with a gentle smile to the pair.
"No worries, just go and be with him now, he needs you more than any of us." Naya said. Lea walked away from the pair after giving them a quick thank you again, making her way to Cory's chair in a hurry.
"What has happened!?" Lea stated quickly making her presence known to the paramedics, Cory and Ryan.
"Ah, here she is, look! "Ryan said getting from his kneeling position next to Cory's seat, so Lea could take over. "He is going to be fine, turns out, he is just overtired and stressed, making his blood pressure high, that's what caused him to faint" Ryan stated as he pulled Lea to the side.
"Stressed? He seemed fine when he left today?" Lea whispered.
"I know, I've asked him what was stressing him out, you know, to make it easier on him but he just kept telling me he's fine, I think he's afraid of bothering people."Ryan stated as Lea looked over at Cory worriedly as he spoke to the paramedics.
"I'll speak to him, how could I be so stupid?" Lea responded wanting to kick herself for not realising.
"He is very good at masking it, that's his problem, don't worry, if anyone can get through to him it's you." Ryan said smiling softly at her.
"Thank you for looking after him" Lea stated as Ryan nodded, leaving the pair to be alone.
Once the paramedics had gone, Lea thanked them and walked up to Cory's chair, where he wouldn't even make eye contact with her.
Lea bent down in front of him, taking his hands into hers, squeezing them gently.
"Cory.." Lea said lightly. She could see his eyes were already glazed with tears, still looking everywhere but her. "Would you like to come back to my place, I can drive us home in your car if you like, we don't have to talk about it here if you don't want to" Lea said softly as Cory made eye contact with her for the first time since she arrived. It was rare to see Cory so fragile and vulnerable, he had never been like this before in front of Lea.
"Yeah, if you don't mind." Cory said.
"Of course I don't, come on, I think I have a big hot chocolate with your name on it at home." Lea said as Cory took her hand and they headed slowly to the carpark.
Once they arrived back at Lea's place, Lea guided him to her sofa being careful not to overdo it and she slowly guided him down to sit down.
"There you go, what do you say to that hot chocolate?" Lea said but as soon as she said that, she saw Cory's face crumple up, he was crying. He'd never really cried in front of her before, instantly she wrapped her arms round him as he gripped on to her, crying in her shoulder.
"Sorry Lea, this is embarrassing." He said pulling away and wiping his eyes after a few moments of hugging.
"Cory, you have nothing to be sorry for and it's not at all embarrassing, I'm here for you." Lea said grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Talk to me" Lea encouraged.
"I just feel like, I'm not doing enough for myself or others, you know? Like with glee, I don't feel like I'm not reaching my full potential anymore, like I've become lazy with the character, don't get me wrong, I love the job but I just feel like there is better people out there, that can play Finn." Cory said looking down at the ground.
"Cory, that isn't true! You an amazing actor!" Lea said in disbelief. "The role was practically made for you, I've never worked with anyone that has challenged me so much, I'm not saying this as your girlfriend, I'm saying this as your co-worker, working beside you, has and always will be amazing. You're an incredible actor." Lea said squeezing his hand as he teared up. "There is more to this isn't there?." Lea said reading his face like a book.
Cory once broke again, looking away from Lea.
"Baby.." Lea said as she moved his head towards her.
"I'm scared you're going to leave me." Cory whispered through his tears.
"What?" Lea asked confused.
"I'm scared that one day, you'll find someone better, that you're just settling for me because it was easier, when you could of had anyone, anyone but me, the junkie, the half arsed actor, scraping the barrel."
Lea knew exactly where this was coming from, online trolls. He always says to her that it didn't bother him and he had a facade for it all but that clearly wasn't the case. They had been really harsh on their relationship, his image and his past recently.
"Cory, you are the love of my life." Lea said softly as his eyes turned to hers. "I fought for you, I fought for us, that means something to me. What we share, it's so special to me, you make me feel loved, I've never felt so content and happy in my life." Lea said as she wiped his tears off his face as she continued.
"You know me, do I ever settle? I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have you, I still can't believe you're mine, you're none of those things you've just said and I know deep down, you know that too. People online can be harsh, just because they know how to get to you, to us but they have no idea, what we share, our insides jokes, the intimacy" Lea said as Cory softly smiled at her at that part. "You have an incredible heart, you're definitely none of those things, please don't make yourself ill over people who spend most of their time, spreading hate to someone they don't even know, not like your true fans. There so many people that love you and adore you for you." Lea said stroking his face.
Cory was in awe of her little monologue to him. "I'm sorry Le-" Cory said but Lea cut him off.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, I'm sorry for being so blind and ignorant to all this, I should've been more present, you just hide it so well, I wish you'd talk to me, when Naya told me you nearly fainted, my heart stopped." Lea said feeling his head.
"I know, I just haven't been sleeping, I get in my head too much and I don't want to pry, especially when it's something so silly, I'm supposed to be the man, who protects you. You're definitely not any of them things either, when Naya told me she was calling you, I just wanted to be with you, you make me feel safe, at night when I couldn't sleep, I'd snuggle up to you and you'd be right there, cuddling me back and everything felt right for awhile." Cory said.
"Allow me to look after you, please, whatever you go through, I'll go through it with you. I want to protect you too. You're never an issue." Lea said as she pulled him in for a hug
"I love you, thank you for not judging me. I feel really silly for all this but I think with work and everything, I've not had time to just relax, you know?" Cory said, kissing her shoulder softly as he spoke.
"Well, for once, let me look after you, this weekend why don't we leave town, go to a secret retreat, just me and you, let me show you how much I genuinely care and love you" Lea said looking at him with a smirk.
"I'd like that." Cory said with a smirk "Thank you." Cory said pecking her lips gently.
"You're more than welcome, now you, relax, put your feet up, watch NFL highlights, be a guy for a change." Lea said swinging his legs up on the sofa as she got up and passed him the remote.
"And I will get to that hot chocolate and if you fall asleep, allow yourself too, alright? I'll be right here when you wake up." Lea said.
"Promise?" Cory said.
"Promise!" Lea said "I love you so much darling, I'd be nothing without you." Lea said as she kissed him on the cheek and made her way to make the hot chocolate.
After the hot chocolate was consumed, Cory ended up falling asleep for a couple hours, seeing him so peaceful made her heart warm, she couldn't stop checking on him as she sat on the arm chair across from where he was laid.
"Lee.." Cory said as he woke up from his slumber his voice all horsed.
"Yeah baby, I'm right here." Lea said getting up from her arm chair and to the sofa as Cory held his arms out, clearly wanting a cuddle, it didn't take Lea long to reciprocate the action as she buried herself into Cory's neck, laying down with him.
"I love you so much." Cory said softly stroking her hair, going to kiss her cheek but as he did, she turned her head towards him, smashing her lips into his causing Cory to smile into the kiss.
"You're my soulmate, don't ever forget that." Lea said as she looked at him.
"You're mine." Cory said climbing on top of her.
"Cory, you're meant to be resting." Lea said as he pulled and nipped at her neck.
"I can't appreciate my girl now?" Cory whispered knowing that had effect on her as she buckled underneath him. "I thought so." Cory said as Lea giggled.
"Cory, behave! You nearly fainted today, you need to relax!" Lea said trying not to give in to the temptation, no matter how much her body tried to fight her words.
"You're right, sorry." Cory said somewhat embarrassed getting off her and rolling back to where he was, his arm placed around Lea's shoulder.
"Hey, don't be embarrassed!" Lea said kissing his cheek. "I would've took you there and then, trust me it was tempting but we can't risk it, you need rest, you can have me over the weekend." Lea smirked, seeing Cory smile at her.
"As long as you're here, I don't care about that, you were right. Thank you for looking after me." Cory said.
"Anything for you, anything." Lea said snuggle into him.