A/N: Blah, still can't find my teeth so apologies for OOC-ness. I don't know why I'm finding writing so hard right now. What I do know is that it sucks. Majorly.

Anyway, this takes place in 2x01 (now it's FINALLY come to the UK) so spoilers for that if you haven't yet seen it. I've kind of left it so you can come to your own conclusion over what's gone on, but I hope you can still read and enjoy.

What if Jesse visited Rachel?

He sees her delicately dabbing at her cheeks, wiping away tears that never seem to stop. His less Jesse and more romantic side wants to take her in his arms and rock her dry of tears. He won't do that. Instead, he saunters over, stuffing a tissue into her hands. She looks up at her saviour, hoping it's her knight in shining armour. He's shiny alright (that smooth leather jacket is somewhat timeless) but the knight part? Rachel can't help but laugh at the irony.

"Is this fate trying to tell me you are all I deserve?" Her words should cut like ice but she can hardly get the words out for tears and anyway, he expected much worse.

"It could have been worse," he comments and Rachel's sobs stop for a second; he's right. She dares to look at his eyes for the first time and he just looks back, giving nothing away. She's not sure now if he's talking about her comment or the situation she's managed to get herself into.

"Why are you here?" She asks, now glad of the tissue. She wipes her face gently. He doesn't tell her she's missed a spot. He wants to wipe it away for her, softly brushing her cheek with his thumb. He doesn't do that either.

"Because you need someone." He's being so very cryptic and yet so casual, and it should make her on edge but it doesn't because yet again he's right. She does need someone and maybe, just maybe, that someone is him. A few moments pass, relatively silent apart from the odd sniffle from Rachel. And then she speaks again, looking out over the rows and rows of seats in front of her. One day they'll be full, she knows it and he knows it.

"How long are you here for?"

"As long as I'm needed," comes his reply and she doesn't know if that means as long as she needs him (because right now, it feels like she'll need him forever.) She sighs, her heart feeling heavier than ever and watches him as he stands beside her. She shuffles along, hinting that he can sit if he likes. Either he doesn't get the hint or doesn't like the idea of sitting because he remains standing, not even edging closer to Rachel.

"I messed up, didn't I?" She asks, more to herself than to Jesse. But he just gives her a look, a look that says look-what-i-did-with-us and a that's-called-mucking-up look. Both remind her that what she did wasn't the end of the world. But it may well be the end of glee club. "They have Sunshine now," she adds and he wonders if it's intentional that she says 'they' in place of 'you.' Whether she's now accepted he no longer holds allegiance to Vocal Adrenaline (only to her.) Whether she's finally accepted his apology.

"They still won't win." His tone is definite, factual, like a conclusion. Her eyes light up with hope but it's quickly distinguished. She knows this is partly his arrogance slipping through, because without him Vocal Adrenaline really isn't as strong. But it's a backhanded compliment too, one she can't fully accept.

"But she's good, Jesse, you didn't hear her sing." He's never really heard her say anyone's good before, only when she used to talk about Finn. Even then she was lying.

"I've heard you sing," he shrugs, refusing to elaborate. She nods, sadly, scrunching the tissue up absently in her hand. True, she's better than Sunshine. True, she was the glue holding Glee Club together. But she's learnt something.

"Talent isn't everything." And it's from this he can tell that she's learning, she's growing and he's glad. Because that means there's hope for her yet and if there's hope for her, then there's (possibly, just possibly) hope for them too.

"That's a matter of opinion," he informs her finally sitting down beside her. Two pairs of legs hang of the edge of the stage, hers swinging back and forth gently, his resting with ease. He finally wipes the smudge of mascara from her cheek and she smiles because he's not afraid to touch her, not repulsed by her actions. And she knows it's kind of twisted because in a way, they're now two of a kind and maybe that means he'll be the only one who will understand why she does what she does (because he does it too.)

"This isn't real, is it?" She smiles sadly, staring at him as his hand finally leaves her face. He concentrates all his energy onto her but doesn't smile back.

"It's as real as you want it to be, Rachel." She's about to reply when someone comes crashing into the auditorium. Rachel jumps to her feet and brushes down her dress anxiously. She's tough, she doesn't like to cry so being found looking weak and in tears is not going to happen. Then her stomach stabs and she remembers Jesse. She swallows hard and hopes it's not Finn who's come to find her (it is.) She quickly looks to Jesse for advice, for what to say as Finn begins to advance down the stairs but Jesse's gone and the stage is empty and a feeling of sadness overwhelms her.

She must have been right, it wasn't real. It can't have been. But she whispers her thanks to the empty seat beside her and the empty seats in front of her, letting Finn embrace her as he makes his way onto the stage.

"Come on," he pulls her hand, "Rehearsal's about to start."

-StB-

Later that night, she texts Jesse. She's kept his number and hopes he's kept hers (but he probably hasn't she tells herself so she's not disheartened if – or rather when – he doesn't reply.)

Thank you.

She's still not entirely sure if what happened was a dream, a fantasy, a wish even, but this is one way to find out.

What for?

His reply does nothing to confirm her thoughts (or her worries.) She can't decide if she wants it to have been real.

If it was real, he has a point. All he did was tell her what she already knew – it could have been worse, she did need someone and most of all, she's talented. She is going to make it.

If it wasn't real, then he's simply telling the truth and really doesn't know why she's thanking him. Before she manages to construct a fitting reply, she's asleep and she doesn't awake until the next morning. She instantly grabs her phone the minute she's able to make coherent thoughts and sees she already has a message.

It's from Jesse.

Well, you're welcome Rachel.

And it's at that point that she realises it doesn't matter if it was real or not because like Jesse told, or didn't tell, her: it's as real as she wants it to be and now it's been decided.

She's going to make it real.