Song Title: La Cienega Just Smiled by Ryan Adams

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, nor do I own the song. I will say, however, that if Ryan Adams' voice could take a physical form, I would marry it immediately. Also, this story is way way waaaaay out of character for these two, but it's what popped in my head regardless. Let it flow, guys. ;)

"Ah the night...here it comes again"
It's on with the jeans, the jacket and the shirt
How'd I end up feeling so bad
For such a little girl?

And I hold you close in the back of my mind
Feels so good but damn it makes me hurt
And I'm too scared to know how I feel about you now
La Cienega just smiles..."see ya around"

And I hold you close in the back of my mind
And raise my glass 'cause either way I'm dead
Neither of you really help me to sleep anymore
One breaks my body and the other breaks my soul
La Cienega just smiles and waves goodbye

"Ah the night...here it comes again"
It's off with the jeans, the jacket and the shirt
How'd I end up feeling so bad
For such a little girl?

And I hold you close in the back of my mind
Feels so good but damn it makes me hurt
And I'm too scared to know how I feel about you now
How I feel about you now
La Cienega just smiles and says, "I'll see you around"

It had always been this way between them.

Jesse St. James was in his third year at Julliard when he first laid eyes on Rachel Berry. Through inquiries of his theatre professors and mutual students, he found that she was a freshman in her first semester, traveling from a small town in Ohio not far from that of his own. He was instantly drawn to her physical appearance – a pixie-sized body with long strands of chocolate locks flowing halfway down her back, eyes that are comparable only to that of an innocent doe, and a nose that held the strength and vitality of none other than Miss Barbra Streisand herself.

They were sitting across the room from one another in a beginning acting course. Rachel was obviously taking it as her first theatre class at the university, while Jesse – advanced far beyond his other classmates – served as a teacher's assistant for an independent study. As he watched her read through her course syllabus, lightly gnawing at her bottom lip, he wondered what sort of acting she was specifically interested in. She wasn't exactly your typical Hollywood beauty, so he assumed the box office film career was out of the picture. Perhaps independent films would boost her reputation and acting career, if that's the field she intended to follow. Only five minutes passed into his internal monologue before the professor broke him of his concentration by asking each student to answer the question Jesse himself had been wondering.

"My goal is Broadway," the unnamed beauty answered. "My name is Rachel Berry, and I'm going to play Evita on the stage in a revival some day." Jesse stifled a smile as he took in this new girl's answer. How adorable – a girl of only five feet thinking she has the power and strength to pull off such an iconic role as Evita? He nearly had to hide his laughter when the professor requested she sing a song, obviously interested in her talent just as strongly as Jesse himself.

In the end, Jesse had to give credit where credit was due. Rachel stood up and walked to the center of the classroom without a moment's hesitation – a feat for a small town freshman on her first day of college, but there she was – standing in the middle as though the world itself revolved around her. Surprised beyond his capability, Jesse fell in lust the moment Rachel opened her mouth, strengthened only by the power behind her enthusiasm throughout the chorus.

Don't cry for me, Argentina
The truth is I never left you

The passion nearly radiated from her, exploding from her throat and dancing about the room. Jesse's mouth was hanging agape before he realized it and he made a swift motion to clasp it shut. It's best not to give away your emotions, he thought to himself.

All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance.

As the applause began from the wide-eyed students in the classroom, Jesse sat back in his seat bewildered, but with a showface that only years of training could provide. This girl's talent matched only that of his own, and he couldn't understand how such a powerful voice came from such a petite figure. To say that he was curious would be a crass understatement. He watched as she smiled at her newfound fans, and when her eyes caught his, she stood frozen with her eyebrows furrowed and her chin slightly raised.

His nonchalant reciprocation to Rachel's performance obviously ruffled her feathers, and he instantly enjoyed the fact that he was able to achieve the reaction. They stared at one another while the rest of the room seemed to fill in a fog, a smoky haze that could only be described as tension, and it was a sensation that – unknowingly to them - would eventually follow the two wherever they went.

The first time it happened was at an after party for the school's production of West Side Story. Jesse had obviously been cast as the lead while Rachel was merely an understudy, still working her way up in the prestigious school's inner circle. However, the entire cast was at Jesse's apartment that evening to celebrate one thing – the overwhelming success of opening night. Stories were told, songs were sung, the audience's response was reenacted, all surrounding the numerous shots of tequila and glasses of wine that were being passed around – regardless of one's age or importance to the show.

Rachel stayed within her inner circle of friends she had made – all either young understudies or background dancers – while Jesse entertained the room. He had always been a leader, and there was an instant power struggle between the two that a blind stranger a thousand miles away could clearly see. Regardless of this, they never spoke so much as a simple "hello" to one another in the two and a half months they had attended the same school. Yes, they saw each other on a daily basis, and yes, they often stared at one another long enough to create enough tension to fill the universe, but it had always stopped there. Their voices were used for sharing their talent with the world – they didn't feel the need to use it on one another.

As the party began to die down that evening, Rachel excused herself to use Jesse's restroom, the only one in the apartment. She marveled at the personal touches he used to fill something as small and insignificant as an apartment bathroom, and she spent the better portion of five minutes reading and rereading the names on his national show choir championship plaques that decorated the wall next to the mirror. In all her years of high school show choir, she had never met the infamous Jesse St. James of Vocal Adrenaline, but she had been engrossed by his talent from afar. When she learned his name towards the end of her first class period that semester, she had instantly accepted the challenge she created for herself: she would impress this boy with a head full of curls with her unbelievable talent.

When Rachel emerged from the bathroom, she noted that she must have lingered too long in her attempt to memorize his belongings through the foggy cloud of wine as she realized that everyone else had left the party. The living room was drained of its former occupants, but she could hear the light sound of water running from the adjoining kitchen over the soft musical stylings of Elton John coming from the stereo.

Leaning on her hip in the doorframe, she smiled as she watched Jesse pile up the dishes and begin to wash at the dusty remains of cheese and crackers on the platters left behind. As Elton hit the second verse of Tiny Dancer on the radio, Jesse turned to find a beautiful girl watching him from only a few feet away. Although he had hidden it from the other guests, he had been disappointed when he'd assumed Rachel had left the party without acknowledging him. Obviously there would be no exchange of verbal farewells, but their relationship had grown passed the need of words long before the play itself had begun rehearsals two months ago.

Like all of the countless times before, no words were exchanged between them in this instance either. Rachel smiled a secret smile that Jesse would from now until his dying day swear was for his eyes only, and they found themselves joined in the center of the room – each stepping forward to meet in the middle as opposed to waiting for the other to give in. His lips were overcome by fire as they connected with the ice that had taken over Rachel's, and both of their bodies instantly grew hungry for a nourishment they hadn't even realized had been missing. Jesse had no doubt that he saw fireworks behind his closed eyes, and although Rachel wasn't a betting woman, she would throw down her life's savings on the fact that time suddenly stood still.

Tastes were intertwined with moans as their mouths began fighting a battle that both would eventually win, and the only smell that Rachel could recognize was the scent of dish soap as Jesse ran his hands through her hair, tugging lightly at the strands that had driven him crazy since the day they met. As Jesse's hands moved below the small of her back to grab at her perfectly shaped bottom, she took the opportunity to run her own fingers through his curls – the same curls she had been pulling in her dreams for weeks. A moan escaped Jesse's throat as Rachel nibbled on his bottom lip, an action that drew an instant reaction from Jesse's lower half as he grinded into Rachel's stomach.

There were no questions on either of their mouths as Rachel jumped into Jesse's arms and he carried her to the bedroom. Her mouth found the delicate veins throbbing below his neck as she placed kisses along his jaw line, willing herself to memorize every single inch of his features. In a flash of mere seconds, she found herself in Jesse's room as he laid her gently onto his duvet cover, the scent of lavender filling the air as she scrawled across the soft blanket. His pace was antagonizingly slow as he climbed atop her, using the strength from his upper arms to stay separated from her body by only inches as he leaned his head down to place kisses across her collarbone. She smelled of red wine mixed with what he assumed to be just Rachel; a scent he officially marked as his new personal favorite. She raised her arms slightly above her head as she allowed him to remove her top, and bumps instantly appeared at the places his hands skimmed along her newly naked torso.

She shivered beneath his touch as they separated long enough to stare at one another in the eye. They were connecting in a way both previously had with others, but somehow it never felt as intimate as this. She nodded as his fingers played with the waistband of her skirt, the pleated black cotton that Jesse had first seen her wear six weeks ago. Unbeknownst to him, she'd worn it simply to drive him crazy, picking up by her third class period that black was his favorite color. Now, he was using his own fingertips to guide it down her thighs and off of her body, discarding it gently onto the floor beside them. He smiled as he took in her bright yellow panties; somehow he had always known that particular location is where the sun shone brightest.

He leaned down to join her lips with his again as he began to stroke her through the cotton, an action that caused Rachel to arch her back as moans of pleasure escape her throat. As Jesse dipped a finger beneath the fabric, Rachel's entire body was hit by a bolt of lightning. No one had ever made her feel this way, and she silently vowed to repay all of the pleasure that Jesse was giving her. While Jesse's fingers danced inside of her and their mouths began to heat by their massaging tongues, Rachel let go and released the first of many waves that would overcome her that night.

Basking in the relaxation that comes only after an orgasm as fierce as the one she had just experienced, Rachel took control of the situation and climbed on top of Jesse, forcing him onto his back as she began to remove his own clothing. She smiled as her fingertips traced the outline of his abdominals, applying slight pressure along the muscle and feeling the hard texture just below his skin. She knew the importance of health and good muscle tone when it came to performing on stage, but she had never met another artist who had taken this much care in their body.

She lowered her hands to play with the patch of hair located directly below his belly button, dark and coarse as Rachel used her pointer finger to trace it below his jeans. Straddling him as she was, she knew instantly that it enticed him as she felt a bulge hit her heated center. All in good time, she thought to herself, as she leaned down and placed kisses along his abs while unzipping his pants. She wasn't about to rush something that she had been wanting for months. As Jesse kicked the jeans from his ankles onto the floor, Rachel began pulling at the tight black boxer briefs that were suddenly the only article of clothing separating them from what they both so desperately craved. Removing his hands from where they were resting below his head, Jesse helped Rachel guide the last piece of cotton from his waist, leaning back with a smug smile as Rachel's eyes grew to twice their circumference as she took in his size.

She leaned down to place kisses along his body once more as she made her way to his mouth, moaning into his lips as she felt his hands grasp onto her waist. She knew it was the moment when she felt his right hand remove itself from her body as Jesse used it to guide himself inside of her, causing a groan from both of their throats that were instantly replaced by pleasure when Rachel began to move back and forth above him.

For the first time in his life, Jesse was in ecstasy. It was a feeling he had previously only experienced on stage, but being inside of Rachel had multiplied the sensation a thousand times over. Every day life would forever be boring in comparison to this – how does any man go about his days after connecting with this woman, he thought to himself. He kept ahold of her waist as she increased her rhythm, using her own hands to tug at his curls to create new and intense pleasures now located all over his body. It was only minutes before he felt his toes begin to curl as he grabbed onto the loose duvet and Rachel threw her head back, releasing a cry that informed him they had both let go together that evening.

He stayed motionless as she began to calm herself, still sitting on his lap with him inside of her after she had finished writhing above him. She pulled her sweaty locks above her head as she moved to stand up, and Jesse immediately grew chill bumps at the loss of her body contact. He couldn't understand why she was getting dressed – why she didn't plan on spending the night after sharing the most intense sex of his entire life, but there she was – slipping on her shoes and walking towards the door. He sat up on the comforter as she turned around, wondering to himself if she would say anything, if after four months they would finally exchange their first words to one another.

"See ya around," she whispered into the darkness, and just like that – Rachel was gone.

Jesse was consumed by flashbacks of that night. Every moment of the weekend was spent juggling his thoughts back and forth. Had she had too much wine? Did she regret it? Had it meant nothing to either of them? As he walked into class on Monday, Jesse saw that Rachel had already arrived and was sitting quietly with a group of girls near the piano in the corner. Her chin rose slightly as he entered the room, but she didn't turn to acknowledge his presence. He quickly looked away and found a seat near the professor, scrambling to open one of the numerous playbills he carried around and trying desperately to look as though he was absorbed in his reading.

Rachel knew it the moment Jesse walked into the room. The air around her changed dramatically, and she felt small electrical shocks pulsating through her body at the arrival of his body within her vicinity. She didn't dare give it away as she pretended to be enthralled by whatever her friend was saying – something about a new coffee shop downtown – while she noticed out of the corner of her eye Jesse taking a seat near the front of the classroom. Avoidance was apparently the game they were going to play, and Rachel never backed down from a challenge.

It was three class periods before they acknowledged one another. The professor had been discussing the significance of role reversal when he asked Jesse to sing a song that he had chosen from Wicked, a song typically sung by a female. Although Rachel had heard him sing dozens of times through the semester, watching him with his eyes closed and his soul open in front of the class that day had been too much for her to handle. She swore she heard angels playing as Jesse's voice undoubtedly reached the heavens above her, and as he closed the song on a note so soft it was barely above a whisper, he made eye contact with Rachel for the first time since their night together. She smiled back at him, and they both found the other in the props closet at the end of class.

That time was different, being less about romance and more about the overwhelming desire to connect with one another again. Legs were spread and raspy moans were released as Jesse pounded Rachel into the closet wall, groaning with each thrust as she once again pulled at his curls. Neither had taken the time to remove their clothing, knowing they only had a matter of minutes before the following class would be occupying the space just behind their only privacy of the door. With a forceful tug and a loud cry coming from Jesse's very soul, they let go together once again with a final plunge from Jesse.

He lowered her to the floor as he stepped back to take a deep breath – heavy sighs coming from both of them even while Rachel readjusted her clothing. She was the one closest to the door, and with a wave of her hair over her right shoulder, she looked him in the eye and said the second sentence she had ever spoken to him, "I'll see you around." Jesse stayed back – fully clothed once again, yet undeniably vulnerable.

From that afternoon, their trysts began happening more often… until it reached at least twice per day, both leaving completely satisfied yet yearning for more. And like each time before, they ended with a smile from Jesse and a soft goodbye from Rachel, leaving only mysteries and pleasure behind in their wake.

It was nearing Christmas when Jesse decided he had had enough. They'd been sneaking off into corridors and knocking on each other's apartment doors for nearly two months, and Jesse was beyond frustrated with the way things were. Each time Rachel waved goodbye, Jesse was left with little power and only the scent of the brunette to remind him that it hadn't been a dream. On the previous night, when Rachel had left behind a gift on Jesse's coffee table, the pressure unexpectedly hit him like a ton of bricks: Jesse St. James had fallen in love.

The box was so flat that it easily could have gone undetected had it not been for Jesse's impeccable cleaning skills. Every single item in his apartment had a specific place, and he noticed the shining red ribbon as soon as he'd stepped into the room. He and Rachel had become comfortable enough around one another at this point that she was able to come and go as she pleased – knowing exactly where the spare key was located and tucking it back into it's place when they were finished.

Jesse tossed the package back and forth in his hands as he weighed his options. Was this going to change anything? She bought him a gift; she took time out of her busy schedule to not only plan the purchase of the item, but also to wrap it so beautifully and delicately that Jesse wondered if she had ever had a gift wrapping job during her days in Ohio. As he thumbed the smooth texture of the wrapping paper, he let his mind go and untied the ribbon, finding the paper loose upon its dismissal. After removing the remainder of the wrapping, a single tear formed in his eye as he took in the title of the DVD – The Little Mermaid. This particular movie had unashamedly been a favorite of his as a child, and he had memorized the contents of the fairytale while other boys his age were playing with GI Joe and Stretch Armstrong. Because of this, he knew the premise of the story – a prince and his princess falling in love despite the loss of her voice.

Communication had never been important to them, and the significance of this movie was obvious to all who may have known their little secret, although it had only ever been kept between the two involved. However, Rachel's gift had changed things, and Jesse realized for the first time that he may not be alone in his feelings regarding the events that seemed to unfold each day. Because of this, he found that there was a reason aside from the impending holiday for everyone he knew to celebrate, and he began the chain of text messages inviting all of the current students to a party at his place that coming weekend.

When Friday night hit, Rachel walked into his building dressed to the nines. Her hair was a shade darker and piled atop her head, while her body was encased in a tight red dress that hugged all of the areas Jesse longed to enjoy himself. Like every event before, the two kept to their respective group of friends while they all regaled with one another stories of former holidays and enjoyed the wine that was flowing among them. After a few hours, Rachel made eye contact with Jesse for the first time that evening, and he raised his eyebrows in an unspoken agreement before she made her exit to the bathroom in preparation of everyone's goodbyes. Neither of them had any intention of her leaving with the rest of the crowd that evening, but staying noticeably behind would raise questions among the faculty and students. Instead, she bid her friends farewell and slipped into the adjoining room while no one was paying her any attention.

That night, under the moonlight peering in from the open curtains of the bedroom, Jesse and Rachel made love as though it was their first time. They had learned through mutual friends that they would both be leaving for their separate families tomorrow, and neither of them wanted the evening to end. However, after an hour neither could hold on any longer, and Jesse climaxed with Rachel's nails dug deep inside of his back. A few minutes of silence passed and they joined together to make love once more, relishing in their bodies as they writhed against one another.

Jesse held on as long as he possibly could that night, because he knew it would be the last time they were together until after the new year. They both slowed down their pace during their second session, and he suddenly realized that it was going to be just as hard for her to leave him as it was to leave her. This awareness alone threw him over the edge and he released himself inside of her, holding onto the corner of her lips as their faces parted once again that evening. Knowing her role, Rachel immediately stood to retrieve her dress and jewelry, but before considering his actions, Jesse had stopped her with a tug of her wrist.

She looked back at him in bewilderment. That single action – the one second it took to act on his intuition – had forced Jesse to break the unspoken rules between them.

"Stay?" he said, his voice thick with lust and just a hint, if Rachel searched hard enough, of love. This time, Rachel was the one who remained quiet. With a simple smile and nod of her head, she climbed back into the bed with Jesse. He had finally opened the door to her, and Rachel smiled her secret smile as he took her in his arms.

I am soooo sorry this took me so long to update! I didn't realize how hard one shots are to write! Anyway, please read and review, and I promise to update sooner rather than later. *muah* Xoxoxo