32A/N: With apologies to those of you expecting an update to Someone to Love You today. My muse had other ideas, however, and insisted I write this instead. Regularly scheduled programming will resume in two weeks' time. :)
I haven't watched Nationals in its entirety – only Jesse's scenes – and I began this before the finale aired, so this is a mixture of canon/AU. Obviously, Goodbye changed a lot of things, which are not reflected in this fic.
Must give a shout-out to bandtogetherandfight, whose comments in one of our recent discussions provided the inspiration for this piece. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. (It would be a far different show if I did.) Céline Dion's It's All Coming Back to Me Now isn't mine, either.
No Good Deed
She was magnificent.
Not that he'd doubted, for even a millisecond, that she would be. The failure of her NYADA audition had been a fluke – the result of spending far too much time in the company of an oafish idiot who didn't know how to help her prepare, and who didn't believe in her wholeheartedly. He knew better. She was born to be on a stage and to bathe in the glow of its spotlights, relegating everyone else to the shadows as she shone like the star she truly was, dazzling everyone with her brilliance. Sitting in the darkened auditorium, watching Rachel nail her rendition of It's All Coming Back to Me Now, Jesse silently acknowledged three incontrovertible truths:
He still loved her, with every fibre of his being.
She deserved a place at NYADA.
He would do everything in his power to make that happen.
As she continued to mesmerize him, he detected an almost imperceptible change in her performance. If he hadn't been so attuned to her, he probably wouldn't have discerned the way she subtly upped her game – holding the big notes just a shade longer, emphasizing the piece's shift in tone by delivering the chorus in an ever quieter voice, and suddenly pouring even more emotion into the song. Curious as to what might have motivated her to kick things up a notch, he tore his gaze from her and swivelled his head to observe the crowd. It only took a second for his eyes to light on the probable cause – Carmen Tibideaux, NYADA's imposing dean, slipping as unobtrusively as possible into a seat near the front. Jesse permitted himself a small smile. By showing up at Nationals, the woman had just made his job a whole lot easier.
Turning his complete attention back to Rachel, Jesse exhaled softly as the poignancy of the lyrics cut to his very soul. This was a ballad full of regret for missed opportunities, and replete with the pain of lost love. But it was also an apology for wrongs inflicted. An expression of desire reawakened. A whisper of hope for the future.
If you want me like this
And if you need me like that
It was dead long ago
But it's all coming back to me
It spoke to him of them – of all they could be to each other again, if they were willing to put the past behind them and move forward, together. This should be their new song. She should be singing it to him. None of it made sense otherwise. Sure, she and Finn had endured an on-again/off-again relationship, but they hadn't experienced the type of epic breakup that these powerful words referenced. Surely, she must be aware of the message she was sending.
He stared fixedly at her, endeavouring through sheer force of will to swing her gaze in his direction. In what seemed like no time at all, his efforts were rewarded as her dark eyes connected with his lighter ones. Dropping his customary show face, his feelings were laid bare, playing across his expressive features as he and the girl belting out the Céline classic exchanged a look fraught with meaning.
If you forgive me all this
If I forgive you all that
We forgive and forget
And it's all coming back to me now
As she aimed the final chorus directly at him, his heart soared. It wasn't too late. It might not happen tomorrow, or next week, or next month, but despite the fact that she was currently engaged to another guy, her actions on stage had just given Jesse all the assurance he needed. She would be his again someday. He simply had to be patient, bide his time, do everything he could to present himself in the best possible light, and wait for Hudson's inevitable screw up.
The standing ovation had been instantaneous, the audience rising to its collective feet before her final note had completely faded away. Basking in the enthusiastic and sustained applause, Rachel's shoulders finally relaxed as the tension in her body eased. She had redeemed herself, and she exulted inwardly at having overcome the treacherous case of nerves that had proven to be her downfall during her NYADA audition.
Skimming her gaze over the crowd, she swallowed a frustrated groan at her inability to locate Ms. Tibideaux. Having seen the grande dame walk in part way through her solo, she had rejoiced at having been granted a second chance to impress the notoriously demanding woman. And, although she was fairly positive that she'd given the performance her all, it would have calmed her even further had she been able to gauge the Dean's reaction for herself.
When a repeated scan of the assembled spectators proved fruitless, her eyes immediately gravitated to the only other person she could count on to be brutally honest with her, and whose opinion she still valued above all others. As she noted Jesse's smile of approval, she grinned broadly in return. His answering wink sent a blush rising to her cheeks as a shiver of delight rippled through her. Reluctantly breaking their flirty contact, she ducked her head and deliberately slowed her breathing in an effort to regain her composure. Once she was positive her face no longer betrayed even a hint of the response Jesse'd stirred in her, she moved into position for her Glee club's final number.
As the members of New Directions filed onto the stage to join Rachel for Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Jesse's mind drifted back to his earlier encounter with the brunette diva. He'd gone outside in search of her, eager to snatch a private moment to wish her – and only her – luck. He didn't care about the rest of her team, but he understood the importance of this occasion. It was her last shot at fulfilling her show choir championship dreams. She'd be nervous, and he'd hoped to help her relax with a few well delivered words of wisdom. Then, he'd spotted her, and all bets were off.
His breath had caught in his throat at the sight of her, drop-dead gorgeous in the vibrant red dress. It was a colour that set off her olive skin tone and dark hair to perfection, and he'd wondered if she'd had a hand in selecting the team's costumes, with a view towards showcasing herself to maximum effect.
It's what I would have done.
Which didn't mean she'd have followed his example. In spite of her desire to win, she was remarkably generous when it came to her teammates, putting their interests before hers far more often than they deserved – and certainly more than they ever gave her credit for. In fact, he'd been fairly certain that, when Schuester had seen fit to assign her a solo for Nationals, several of them had probably whined and grumbled about the injustice of it all. In his time among them, he'd never quite figured out if they really were that deluded about their own abilities, or if they were merely jealous of Rachel's superior vocals. Which hardly mattered anymore. Taking a deep breath to slow the overly rapid beating of his heart, he'd stepped towards her, intent on making contact before she headed back inside.
The first words out of his mouth had not been the ones he'd originally intended to utter. He honestly hadn't meant to taunt her. But he hadn't wanted her to know the effect she was having on him, and if he'd dropped his show face and spoken candidly, she'd have seen right through him. So he'd fallen back on his customary cockiness, and resorted to baiting and insulting her. Ironically, she'd seen through him anyway – they were entirely too similar for her not to be able to read him – and he'd lowered his guard, confessing to insecurities that he'd never have admitted to anyone else. She'd boosted his confidence, rather than the other way around, and he'd been unable to resist reaching out to touch her, craving even the tiniest bit of physical contact with the only girl who'd ever managed to earn both his respect and his love. He'd rejoiced inwardly when she'd laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, and they'd slipped easily into the teasing banter that had always come so naturally to them both.
The spell had been broken by the arrival of that jackass she'd consented to marry. All too soon, she'd said goodbye, and he was left facing the boy he loathed both for his constant mistreatment of Rachel, and for the hold he'd always exercised over her. Still, despite his negative feelings towards the jerk, he'd resolved to be the better man, and not to give Finn any ammunition to use against him. So he'd plastered a suitably neutral expression on his face, offered up an ambiguous statement that could be interpreted as congratulatory, and politely extended his hand. As they'd gone their separate ways, he'd congratulated himself on having successfully convinced Finn that he no longer posed any kind of threat to his relationship with Rachel, or to his team.
The first few bars of Meatloaf's iconic song snapped Jesse back to the present. He listened critically as Finn took centre stage, silently deriding Will Schuester's continued belief in the lumbering jock as leading man material. He stifled a laugh at the unintended irony of the lyrics, as the boy Rachel had obsessed over for the past three years belted out his desire to end his time with her.
Hell, if Hudson really feels that way, I'd be more than happy to take that perfect girl off his hands.
When the number was over, Jesse stole a quick glance at Carmen Tibideaux to ensure she wasn't about to make a hurried exit. After determining that the woman was still firmly ensconced in her seat, he turned his attention to more pressing matters – the resumption of the competition, and Vocal Adrenaline's upcoming performance. His shoulders tensed and his mouth tightened as he prepared to view the end result of months spent pushing his choir to the limit. He had done all he could. The rest was up to them.
Carmen Tibideaux was pleased that she'd cleared a spot in her schedule in order to attend this year's Nationals. Not only had she discovered some very promising young talent – students she'd be contacting with a strongly-worded suggestion they apply to NYADA – but she'd been afforded the opportunity to watch a truly gifted young woman at the top of her game. Carmen rarely second-guessed herself, but she had to admit that Rachel Berry had chops, and a remarkable vocal range that her botched audition had barely hinted at. While the Dean wasn't completely convinced that the girl merited admission to the fabled school, Carmen was debating making her an offer. All in all, she considered the past few hours to have been time well spent.
As she strode purposefully through the lobby, anxious to grab the nearest taxi and head straight for the airport, the sound of someone calling her name brought her to an abrupt halt. Biting back her irritation at this unwelcome postponement of her leave-taking, she turned towards the source of the delay, her expression cool and impassive. A handsome, well-dressed young man drew near, clearly intent on initiating some form of conversation. Thankfully, he came right to the point, introducing himself as Jesse St. James and admitting that he'd once auditioned for her – unsuccessfully. She was about to politely deflect what she expected would be an impassioned plea to grant him a second chance, when he surprised her by confessing that he was there on behalf of someone else.
"I heard that you came here today to see Rachel Berry. And there's something you need to know about her. Rachel's the most talented person I've ever met. Bar none. If anyone's gonna be a star someday, it's her. She'll make an excellent contribution to NYADA. You won't regret it. I promise."
After thanking her for her time, he walked away, leaving Carmen to shake her head in astonishment. Two people had, in short order, championed the diminutive ingénue. It was obvious that the girl inspired loyalty in those around her. That fact, combined with the performance she'd just witnessed, impelled Carmen to make a decision. As of this moment, she had one less spot to fill in the Academy's incoming freshman class.
It had taken all of the restraint Rachel could muster not to scream in Dean Tibideaux's ear when the latter had phoned to inform her that she'd reversed her earlier stance, and that she'd approved Rachel's application to NYADA.
The instant she disconnected the call, Rachel squealed loudly and jumped up and down in unrestrained delight at her unexpected good fortune. Replaying the brief conversation in her mind, words that had barely registered a few short minutes ago suddenly crystalized, and she sat down heavily on her bed, brow furrowed in confusion. According to the Dean, in addition to her striking vocal display at Nationals, the appeals and the praise delivered by both her friend and her boyfriend had helped sway Carmen's judgment in her favour. While she was aware of the statements Tina had made on her behalf, she'd had no clue that Finn had spoken up for her, too. Her heart swelled at this latest evidence of his faith in her, and his willingness to step out of his comfort zone to approach the imposing educator. She was somewhat puzzled that he'd neglected to correct the Dean's faulty assumption – he was her fiancé, after all – but she quickly dismissed that niggling doubt. He probably just figured it wasn't a detail Ms. Tibideaux needed to know.
He definitely needed to know how grateful she was, however. Grabbing her purse and slipping on her shoes, she texted her dads to let them know where she'd be, then quickly drove the short distance to the Hudson-Hummel residence.
Rachel's arrival had surprised Finn – but not nearly as much as her revelation that she'd been accepted into NYADA, and her gushing about how thrilled she was at the role he'd played in helping persuade Dean Tibideaux to give her another chance. He had no idea as to what she was talking about, but his months of merely nodding in response to her incessant babbling stood him in good stead. If she thought he'd had a hand in making her New York dreams come true, who was he to disagree? Besides, maybe he had been saying something nice about Rachel, and this Dean person had overheard him. It was possible. And if it meant she was about to choose a decidedly physical way to offer up her thanks, he'd simply go with the flow, take advantage of the situation, and enjoy every minute of it.
The end of the school year had come and gone, and summer brought about a great many changes for all of McKinley's graduates. When they weren't busy working, they were making plans for the fall – visiting their respective campuses, searching out decent accommodation if they weren't going to live in residence, packing up their belongings, and generally preparing for their transition into adulthood. They held frequent parties, recognizing that their paths were about to diverge and that it would be increasingly rare for the entire group to be in the same place at the same time. Soaking up as many memories as possible, they clung to their final carefree moments, determined to enjoy what remained of their days together.
To almost no one's surprise, Kurt was slated to join Rachel at NYADA. Finn, on the other hand, initially found himself at loose ends, his last minute application to The Actors Studio having been rejected based on his failure to meet both the submission deadlines and the minimum grades required for admission. Although he'd originally insisted that this unfortunate development wouldn't keep him from moving to New York – he was positive he could find something to keep him occupied while Rachel and Kurt attended classes – he'd recently started musing aloud about apprenticing as a mechanic so that he could accept the long-ago job offer that Burt had never retracted.
When he ultimately opted to follow that particular course of action, he and Rachel vowed that they'd do whatever was necessary to make their long distance relationship work. After exchanging tearful goodbyes, the two had embarked on their differing paths, both positive their love would be strong enough to survive the separation.
Kurt and Rachel had taken to NYADA like ducks to water. Both of them were flourishing, happily ensconced in an environment where their passions were taken seriously, their ambition understood, and their dreams shared. Although Kurt missed Blaine terribly – they chatted on Facetime throughout the day and spent hours every evening on Skype – Rachel felt herself drifting away from Finn. Their conversations had become increasingly strained, with bouts of uncomfortable silence falling between them as they struggled to find common ground. Soon, she took to calling when she knew he wouldn't be home, and he sent her texts during class, when she could only offer up the most perfunctory of responses.
Despite their growing rift, he was the first person she thought of when she received her invitation to the NYADA freshman mixer. Billed as an opportunity for the members of the class of 2016 to get to know each other better, they were encouraged to bring along their significant others, so that those not in the program could become more familiar with its expectations and experiences. She readily perceived the lack of interest in his voice, but she refused to give him an out, and in less than a week, Finn and Blaine touched down in the Big Apple.
Later, as the foursome helped themselves to a variety of finger foods, crudités and hors-d'oeuvres – Finn wolfed down a large portion of mini-sausages while Rachel tried vainly to hide her revulsion – Carmen Tibideaux entered the room. After a short speech in which she welcomed those present, reminded them of NYADA's stringent standards, reiterated how fortunate all of the students were to have been selected to attend such an august institution, and expressed her belief that their talent – accompanied by the requisite hard work – would guarantee their success, the Dean began to mingle. She chatted with each of those she'd handpicked to benefit from her exceptional training, taking a few minutes to learn more about them and those they'd chosen to accompany them to the evening's gathering.
Rachel thrummed with anticipation as Ms. Tibideaux drew ever closer to the little group from Lima. She'd repeatedly gushed to Finn about Carmen's Master Class, and she could hardly wait to reintroduce him to the woman he'd sung her praises to all those months ago. When the Dean finally stepped into their circle, Rachel expected at least a flicker of recognition as her gaze fell upon the lanky former quarterback. Instead, Carmen's expression sobered as she eyed Finn appraisingly.
"Are you as talented as her previous boyfriend?" she inquired bluntly.
The colour drained from Finn's face as Kurt and Blaine stared at him quizzically. Unable to quickly devise an escape from the embarrassing situation he was now trapped in, and terrified of being caught in his lie of omission, he was contemplating bolting for the men's room when the sound of Rachel's voice broke into his panicked thoughts.
"I don't know who you're talking about, Dean Tibideaux. Finn is my fiancé. We've been engaged since the spring."
It was the older woman's turn to look puzzled.
"Hmm. I assumed that you were dating that charming young man who spoke to me so eloquently on your behalf after Nationals. The one who'd auditioned for me himself a couple of years ago. Had the guts to attempt Sondheim..." Carmen chuckled, clearly still impressed at the memory. "He swore you'd be a star someday, and promised I wouldn't regret accepting you into the Academy. It was glaringly obvious that he considered you more than a friend."
Rachel fought to keep her inner turmoil from showing as she absorbed the full import of Carmen's words. There was only one person she knew who shared her love of Sondheim, and for whom it would be the most natural thing in the world to draw from the composer's catalogue in an attempt to gain that extra edge over his competition during a high pressure situation. But he had no reason to plead her case. None whatsoever.
Except the one you refuse to acknowledge.
She had an overwhelming urge to flee the confines of a room that suddenly felt claustrophobic, so that she could have the necessary time and space to process the implications of the Dean's unwitting bombshell. And she needed to be somewhere less public, in order to read Finn the riot act. Slamming her show face into place, she smiled politely and made small talk until Ms. Tibideaux finally moved on.
Whirling, Rachel glared balefully at her fiancé, but he was studiously avoiding her gaze, seemingly fascinated by something or someone just beyond Blaine's right shoulder. Temporarily choosing to ignore Finn in return, she stepped towards Kurt, her voice desperate and low as she whispered a request in his ear.
"Can you and Blaine go for a walk before coming home? Maybe show him around campus, or take him to that coffee shop we both love?"
At her roommate's acquiescing nod, she hugged both him and Blaine gratefully, before marching calmly through the cluster of her assembled classmates to the nearest exit. Finn, willing to bet that his overly dramatic fiancée wouldn't hesitate to cause a scene if he declined to follow her, reluctantly did precisely that.
From his vantage point several feet away, Kurt smirked at the sight of his stepbrother sheepishly trailing after the irate diva.
"What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall during that conversation," he quipped. "Let the fireworks begin!"
Blaine, still somewhat perplexed by all that had just taken place, sought answers from his clearly amused boyfriend.
"Do you have any idea who went to bat for Rachel?"
"I do. There's only one guy who fits the Dean's description, and his name's Jesse St. Sucks."
"Sorry, who?"
"I mean St. James. Jesse St. James," Kurt clarified.
"Vocal Adrenaline's coach?"
"That's the one. He and Rachel had a brief, tempestuous relationship when she and I were sophomores. Long story short, it ended badly. He broke her heart. But then he came back from California a year ago, apologized for his mistakes, and they started dating again. She did the hurting that time around, by dumping him for Finn. Looks like he's still carrying a torch."
"I'll say. Speaking up for her anonymously, without expecting anything in return? That's incredibly romantic."
"It's true love, and it's what she deserves. We might be related now, but I'm not on Finn's side in all of this. I hope she kicks him to the curb."
Rachel had remained uncharacteristically silent for the entirety of the subway ride home, holding fast to her resolve not to yell at her fiancé until they'd reached the privacy of the tiny apartment she and Kurt shared. The instant the door closed behind her and Finn, however, she turned on him, face flushed and dark eyes blazing.
"How dare you claim that you'd been the one to intercede on my behalf?"
"Huh?"
She sighed, her exasperation evident.
"Intercede. Say nice things about me to the Dean."
"Oh. That. Well, I never actually said I did. You assumed. And you were happy about it, and you got what you wanted, so I didn't see any reason to correct you."
"So you lied to me. For months."
"I let you believe what you wanted to believe."
"You didn't tell me the truth. That's lying in my book."
"It isn't in mine. I wasn't trying to hurt you. Where was the harm?"
"Where was the harm?" Her voice rose sharply as she echoed his question. "The harm was in making me think that you cared enough about me to put my feelings first. That you were willing to do whatever it took to help me achieve my goals, even if you didn't share them. That you were choosing to step out of your comfort zone, and to move to a city you weren't crazy about, because of how important that was to me."
"Here we go again! It's always about you, isn't it?"
"Ha!" She scoffed openly at his statement. "It's been about you since the very beginning. The things you didn't like about me – my clothes, my hair, my hobbies, my ambitions – I changed them all. For you."
"No, you just pretended to. The minute you had another shot at NYADA, you went back to being the same selfish person you always were," he countered.
"Seriously, Finn? When your football scholarship fell through, I tried to help you figure out what to do next. When you insisted you had nothing worthwhile in your life, I gave up my virginity to make you feel special. When you suggested we relocate to California with Noah, I sucked up my objections and agreed to it. I was willing to sacrifice everything for you, including the dreams I'd nurtured since I was four! Can you say the same?"
"I was willing to put up with you, and all the crazy shit you pull because you think you're a star. I didn't disagree with you when you kept insisting that you were better than everybody else in Glee. That's gotta count for something."
"Wow. I practically turn my life upside down for you, and it's not enough. But you deign to put up with me, and I'm expected to bow down in gratitude? Don't hold your breath," she muttered, her tone laced with sarcasm.
They stared at each other for several long moments as the silence stretched between them. Visibly uncomfortable, Finn was the first to blink – literally and figuratively.
"Are we done fighting? I know it gets you all fired up, and since Kurt and Blaine'll probably be back soon, I was hoping we could… you know… before they… "
Her laughter, harsh and bitter, was definitely not the response he'd been aiming for.
"Haven't you heard a word I said? Are you so clueless that I actually have to spell it out for you?"
"I guess you do."
"You need to leave. Go back to Lima. Tonight."
"But my flight's not till tomorrow," he protested.
"Then get yourself a hotel room. Sleep at the airport. Sleep on a park bench, for all I care. Just don't stay here."
"But you're my fiancée, and we're living in separate cities. We haven't… done it… in ages."
"We're not having sex. Not tonight. Not ever again."
He gaped at her as if she'd suddenly sprouted horns, or a second head.
"What the hell are you saying?"
"I don't want to sleep with you. I don't want to talk to you. I don't even want to be in the same room as you right now. And I certainly don't want to marry you."
Tugging the modest diamond off her finger, she briefly considered throwing it at him, then thought better of it. She was still furious, but simple good manners dictated that she rise above her anger and maintain an outward veneer of civility. Reaching for his hand, she placed the ring in the centre of his palm and gently, but firmly, closed his fist around it.
"It's better this way, Finn. We're not right for each other, and we've been drifting apart for months. Go work for Burt. Find someone who'll be content living a small town life. Someone who won't resent you for stifling her soul."
Sensing that no argument he could come up with would change her mind, Finn wisely chose not to even try. Stepping around him, Rachel walked across the room and opened the door – a wordless invitation that he accepted, albeit grudgingly. She stood still, willing herself not to flinch as he leaned down and dropped a light kiss on her cheek.
"Goodbye, Rachel."
"Goodbye, Finn."
As the lock slid into place with a satisfying click, Rachel plucked her phone from the recesses of her purse and fired off a short text to Kurt. The sooner her best friend made it home, the sooner he could help her map out a plan for locating one Jesse St. James.
It had taken a few weeks, along with a large amount of dogged persistence, but Rachel had finally managed to track Jesse down. In a twist of fate that some might call inevitable, she discovered that they'd been living in close proximity to each other since the beginning of the fall semester, due to his acceptance into Tisch's renowned theatre program.
So it was with equal parts excitement and trepidation that, on a sunny late October afternoon, she found herself standing on the sidewalk outside his building, attempting to screw up the courage to take the final few steps that would bring them face to face for the first time since Nationals. Inhaling deeply in an effort to steady her shaky nerves, she marched resolutely through the glass doors and walked up to the security guard. Once she'd explained that she was a very dear friend of Mr. St. James', that he'd done her an impossibly huge favour, and that she wanted to surprise him with an assortment of baked goods by way of thanks, the man behind the desk consented to let her in. Leaving him two still-warm muffins in exchange for his kindness, she tucked the box that held the rest under her arm and slipped into the elevator. Minutes later, she was knocking on her ex-boyfriend's door. After what seemed like interminable seconds ticked by with no response, she was debating whether to leave the box on the floor and beat a hasty retreat, or to knock again when, suddenly, the door swung open, and he was standing directly in front of her. Resisting the urge to fling herself into his arms, she stood still instead, allowing him to process her unexpected appearance in his apartment hallway.
"Rachel?"
He was clearly unsure as to why she'd come.
"Hi, Jesse. I'm here to give this to you," she stated without preamble, thrusting the box at him, "and to let you know that I think I've found what's left of my dignity," she added, a soft smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
His own lips quirked upwards as she echoed the taunt he'd levelled at her back in Chicago.
"You realize I was just trying to psych you out when I said that. I didn't really mean it," he divulged.
"I know. But there was more than a grain of truth to it. I lost so much of myself over the course of the last two years. I let someone else define me, to the point where I didn't even recognize myself anymore. It took a life-altering event for me to see that."
"Oh?"
His query was simple, yet open-ended, and it reflected the way he'd continually encouraged her to speak for herself, instead of making assumptions or interrupting with his own thoughts. Rather than answering him in words, she raised her left hand, waving its decidedly bare ring finger at him. He understood the significance of the gesture immediately, and his smirk morphed into a delighted grin at the evidence of her newly-single status.
"Would you like to come in?"
"Yes."
As soon as she crossed the threshold into the space Jesse called home, a feeling of utter peace descended upon her. When he opened his arms, yielding to his desire to pull her close, she stepped into his embrace without hesitation. Laying her head on his chest, she matched her breaths to his as she became reacquainted with the slow, steady beating of his heart.
"I also wanted to thank you," she confessed, her words partly muffled within the folds of his shirt. "You didn't have to put your reputation on the line for me. It could have backfired on you, big time."
He knew what she was referring to without her having to go into detail, and he smiled into her hair as he inhaled its familiar scent.
"Not a chance," he insisted. "You had an off day. You didn't deserve to lose out on NYADA because of it."
"Were you planning on telling me?"
"Maybe. Someday, far into the future, when it didn't matter anymore."
"It would always matter. No one except my dads has ever shown that kind of faith in me."
"I believe in you, Rach. Absolutely and completely. And I intend to keep my promise."
"Which one?"
She was pretty sure she knew the answer to her own question, but she wanted to hear him say it out loud.
"To make all your dreams come true."
"You're off to an amazing start," she affirmed warmly.
"We're off to an amazing start," he contended. "We're destined to take the world by storm, you and I. Count on it."
As he tilted her chin upwards and lowered his head to claim her lips in a tender kiss, any residual fears she'd harbored melted away. Yes, they still had details to iron out and issues to resolve, but all of that could wait. For now, reunited at last, safe and secure in each other's arms, they were going to spend the next few hours joyfully making up for lost time.