A/N: Enjoy. Thanks for your reviews and staying with me.

Disclaimer: I own neither Glee nor Jane Austen.

It had been several weeks since the infamous gathering at the Puckermans. Rachel had not encountered Mr. Hudson in that time, and Mr. St. James was relentless in his pursuit in earning back her love. Love. Was that what she had felt for Mr. St. James? She had thought not, but he was making every effort to be kind, and despite the warnings Emma had revealed to her about loveless unions, would it really be that awful? Mr. Hudson was nowhere to be found, and she grieved over what might have been. The song he had sung for almost felt like a goodbye. She wished it were not so, but she couldn't fight the aching, sinking feeling in the depths of her secret soul. She had shared everything in a letter to her cousin and eagerly anticipated Emma's response. When it arrived, Rachel slit the envelope open to read the much sought out advice. The letter read as follows:

My dear, dear sweet cousin -

How troubled in spirit you must be! If Mr. Schuester and I would have known the history you shared with one Mr. Hudson, we would never have urged his visitation at the same time as yours. Because you were painstakingly honest with me, I feel I would fail as a cousin if I not do the same now.

To be quite candid with you - dear cousin - my husband and I invited you both to vacation with us, because we had hoped a match would come of it. Ever since Mr. Hudson was quite young, Mr. Schuester had always considered him like a younger brother or son of sorts and spoke nothing but good things of him. Any encounter I've had with him as been most favorable - to be sure. And you are well aware of how much I admire you, and so William and I foolishly came up with a plan. We sought to execute our (what we thought) brilliant scheme to pair you together.

Though we fear it has done more harm than good. Once again, had we known of your past encounters, we would have never thought to do anything so thoughtless. And I feel I must apologize for not respecting your choice in suitors and inviting Finley along anyway.

And so dear cousin, I'm afraid my meddling must come to an end. I know you seek an answer from me, but I fear any that I give will pale into comparison to the one in your own heart. I know I speak from impracticability, but in this instance, your happiness is all that matters - and only you are privy the key to having such.

Be blessed in whatever path you may choose. Know you have my love and deepest affections always.

Your most doting cousin,

Emma Schuester

Rachel sighed. Of course her cousin would implement some sort of lesson in all this. Never straightforward, Emma was always one to simply offer guidance and counsel, allowing Rachel to decide things for herself. She huffed, rather immaturely. Emma was no help, Mercedes was staying cryptically silent (an almost impossible feat for the otherwise brazen maidservant), and Mr. Hummel simply commented on her weight loss and pale complexion, urging her to take better care of herself.

That left her one last person. The person she had feared to confront after their slight falling out.

She walked with determined steps to the office and knocked on the door. The voice inside urged her to step in the room. With a steely resolve, she opened the door and sat herself down on the sofa, staring down the man behind his desk.

"Father. There is a pressing matter that we really ought to discuss."

After what seemed like hours - but in all actuality was only minutes - Mr. Berry rubbed his face in a worrisome manner, no doubt reeling from the information Rachel had shared. She had left the more - shall we say - intimate details out of the story but still divulged the confusing feelings she had pertaining to Mr. Hudson and Mr. St. James.

"Papa. Please say something." Rachel could bear the judgmental silence no further, regardless of the consequences.

"There is not much to be said, darling," Mr. Berry sighed wearily. "And do you love this Hudson boy, Rachel?"

"He's not a boy. He's a man. One that I've come to respect dearly." Rachel shifted her gaze down. "And as to your question, I'd prefer not to answer that - at this moment. I'm far too confused by my own misgivings to give a response to such a weighty inquiry."

Mr. Berry shook his head roughly. "No. Dear girl, Mr. St. James is a man. He is older than Mr. Hudson by many years and will provide for you accordingly. Mr. Hudson is barely a year your senior. And you are but sixteen."

"You and I both know of Finn's father's army ranking. Finn has been well provided for - and him being the sole heir of the Hudson estate equips him with more than enough to provide for me. So that certain argument is worthless, and you know it to be true."

Mr. Berry angrily slammed his fist on the table. "I will not have my daughter gallivanting about with a person who bears no doubts in making rash decisions and not accounting for his actions."

Rachel stood up, peering down at her father as threateningly as her five-foot three-inch stature allowed her to do so.

"And what actions are these?! What could you possible hold against Finn?"

Mr. Berry stood, towering over his daughter. "What of the fact of his former beau becoming with child? What of the fact of defacing his father's good name with scandal? What of passing the woman to her stablehand when he couldn't handle the demands of fatherhood and husbandry? What of these things, Rachel?"

Rachel hastily made her way to the door, gripping the handle and turning to face her father once more, venom dripping from her tone. "He has remained pure this entire time, Father. Quinn tricked him into thinking they had sexual relationships and tried to pass a baby - that he had not fathered - as his own anyway. He not only kept separated himself from her quietly - so that Quinn's name would not become even more sullied - but he cared so much for the baby, that he arranged and paid for the entire marriage of the child's actual birth parents so the child would not grow up in a divided and scandalized household. He is the kindest, most respectable, most honorable man I've ever met, and it would do you good credit to acknowledge him as such." She walked calmly back towards Mr. Berry, challenging him to a response. When he gave none, but simply bowed his head in amazement at what he learned, she made her way back to the exit.

Before she left, she heard her father mutter softly. "It would appear you've already made your decision."

Rachel spun around, her eyes soft. She couldn't help but smile at her epiphany. "Yes. I suppose I have."

"Are you quite sure, my dear daughter? Shouldn't practicality have a hand in this? On paper, you and Mr. St. James are quite perfect for each other."

Rachel smiled sadly. "Isn't that what people used to say about you and my mother? You want to know an interesting difference between Finn and Jesse? The former does not condemn a man for having feelings for one of his own sex. The latter does and finds it very fortunate that neither of our families take part in said activities." She gave her father a meaningful look and watched as his jaw fell open in astonishment.

She left without another word.

Rachel was well aware her conversation with her father was far from over, but she had another, more pressing matter to focus on - finding her dear Mr. Hudson.

A/N: I'm exceedingly grateful for your reads and reviews! Also, I realize now that Emma and Rachel being cousins is a bit of a stretch appearance-wise, but I thank you for glossing over that little detail!