[Glee] Stardust: the slow dance of infinite stars, 6/7
Title: the slow dance of infinite stars
Author:
uninspired_me
Part: 6/7
Word Count: 9,900/55,500
Rating: T
Pairing: Mainly Puck/Rachel, with a side of Kurt/Blaine, Finn/Quinn & Santana/Brittany.
Summary: Like many young men, Noah Puckerman has spent his entire life looking up at the stars, waiting for his life to begin. But he never imagined that the stars were staring back, waiting to live. Loosely based on the movie “Stardust”.
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. I do not own the movie, nor the book, titled “Stardust”.
Spoilers: Canon elements taken from up to Season 3, so 3x14 just to be safe.
Warning: Supernatural themes with character death and animal cruelty, language
Beta: Special thanks to
dreamlesssleep and
joyasaurus_rex for being awesome betas!
Previous: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 |
.-.
Smoke billowed up from the large bonfire Blaine had set up in his backyard. He sat kneeling on the ground, his head bowed as he chanted.
His eyes were closed as he meditated, drawing power from all around him; the earth, the wind, the sky. In front of him sat a large ceramic bowl filled with herbs, spices and other ingredients he needed to complete the ritual, including a single unicorn hair which Kurt had gladly provided. The ingredients before him started to rise and began to dance around leisurely in the air, suspended by some unknown force, moving gently to sprinkle themselves over the flames.
The flames burst out suddenly, turning from bright orange to a dark green, all the while Blaine continued chanting. Kurt stood beside him, silently watching the ritual with a keen eye, waiting for something to happen.
As he chanted softly to himself, a light appeared out of nowhere, willing itself into existence. The light started off small, hovering inches from Blaine’s face, but then it began to move, twirling around as it slowly grew larger and larger. It steadily became brighter as it grew, almost enough to blind any normal man, but Kurt and Blaine continued on, unfazed.
The light began to dissipate when it reached about the size of a small tree, fading to reveal a tall young man standing before them.
Blaine opened his eyes and smiled weakly, his mind and body drained as his powers slowly sapped away. He rose shakily to his feet and moved to embrace the new-comer into a friendly hug.
“It’s good to see you, Blaine.” The man said, as a large dimpled smile stretched across his face. But as Blaine pulled back and looked up into his old friend’s face, he could see a hint of sadness lining his features.
“It’s good to see you too, Finn,” he replied, offering a small smile.
Finn nodded and turned to Kurt, patting his gleaming coat affectionately.
“How are you, Kurt?” he asked, staring imploringly into the unicorn’s eyes.
Kurt tossed his mane slightly, the pearly-white strands fluttering gently in the wind - equivalent of a human shrug.
Finn laughed, enjoying the moment with his long-time friends before he addressed why he’d been summoned. He took a deep breath and sighed, steeling himself for what lay ahead.
“I suppose you’ve been watching,” Blaine asked, getting straight to the matter at hand.
Finn nodded gravely. “I have. I need to hurry. There’s not much time. Even now the Trinity are closing in on her, and her powers won’t be enough to protect her. Not against another attack.”
Blaine nodded in agreement. “Then we should hurry.” He replied urgently, turning to prepare for another journey, but Finn placed a hand on Blaine’s shoulder to stop.
“No,” he interjected. “You need to stay here.”
Blaine looked up at him confused, his brow furrowed. “Why? You’re a star, too, Finn. Your powers won’t be enough to fight off the Unholy Trinity.”
Finn nodded sadly, but with a determined expression on his face. “I know, but I need you to prepare the spell for us to return as soon as possible. I might not be able to defeat them, but if I can get her out of there, then escape is a better option.”
Blaine nodded slowly in understanding, taking in the plan. He should have expected that. The spell to return a star to the skies was a difficult one, taking painstaking hours to prepare. It was even longer than the summoning ritual and required a good deal more energy as well. The last time he had performed it, it had almost completely drained him of his powers. It took him almost a month to recover. Not that he minded helping out, anything to stop the evil witch queen. Besides, he knew Kurt would be there to help him.
Finn paused for moment, looking at Blaine hopefully before asking, “Unless you happen to have a Babylon candle?”
Blaine shook his head grimly. A Babylon candle would make everything so much simpler, but they were extremely rare. In fact, in Blaine’s long life, he couldn’t recall ever seeing one.
Finn sighed, laughing softly to himself. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”
He turned to Kurt and smiled, “Are you ready for another journey?” Kurt’s head bobbed up and down in acquiescence, and Finn clumsily swung himself up on the unicorn’s gleaming back, holding on tightly to its silver mane. “Okay, let’s do this, Kurt.”
Slowly, he guided Kurt’s movements and began to move towards the neighboring forest; however, Blaine’s concerned voice caused both of them to pause.
“Wait, where are you going?” he asked, once again confused, staring into the dark, shadowy tree line. “New York City is northeast.”
Finn turned his back slightly and nodded. “I know. But it’s too late to get there in time. The Trinity has almost closed in on her. If I cut through the forest, I should get to the castle just in time. It’s okay; they won’t harm her before then. They need her alive.”
Blaine nodded as Finn and Kurt turned, continuing on his way, struggling not to voice the one other concern he had about their mission. Finally, when Blaine couldn’t contain himself any longer, calling out to Finn and causing them to stop again.
“And Finn,” he said uncertainly, trying to gauge the best way to ask the question burning within him. “Do you know she’s…?”
As Blaine’s voice trailed off, the words lost in his throat, Finn seemed to understand.
“Yeah, I know…” he finally said, nodding slightly and letting Blaine know that it was okay. “I know. ”
.-.
Rachel smiled contently as she lay in bed, her eyes wide open and staring at the rising sun peeking through the curtains. She remained as still as possible, relishing the feel of Noah’s arms wrapped loosely around her as he slept.
She listened to his soft, rhythmic snoring, his breath tickling the hairs on the back of her neck. She wanted to remember this moment forever; to lock each touch, feeling and sound in her memory. She had never felt so safe before, even compared to floating hundreds of light years away in space. There was just something so comforting about Noah that made her feel... everything.
She yearned to turn over so she could study his features as he slept, but she guessed that could be construed as very weird if he were to wake up and catch her. She giggled at the thought, inadvertently causing the bed to shake from her laughter.
She heard Noah groan softly, snuggling her closer to his chest as he wavered between sleep and wakefulness. She smiled to herself, when... she felt something odd poking into her back, something hard… At that exact same moment, she felt Noah tense behind her.
Suddenly, Rachel felt the bed shift violently as he scrambled off of it, heading, straight for the bathroom. She turned her head just in time to see the door close behind him.
She stared at the door perplexed, wondering why he had left so quickly; it seemed like very odd behavior. She sighed and rolled over, tucking her hands beneath her head. Sometimes she didn’t understand humans, let alone human males.
Noah had been acting strangely around her since their run-in with Will. At first she assumed he was merely freaked out by everything that was happening. He acted like it didn’t faze him, but surely any normal man would have run out the door by now. She felt extremely guilty that she had gotten him caught up in all her drama, and yet she couldn’t regret her decision to keep certain things from him.
He had proved to be more than anything she could have asked for in a guide and a friend - her first real friend. He had decided to stand by her through all the mayhem and she felt blessed to have found him.
No, she definitely didn’t regret having Noah in her life.
She closed her eyes and lay there, listening to the sound of the shower running. It was probably time to get up now that Noah was up, too, but she didn’t really know what to do with herself.
He stayed in the bathroom for a while, so long that Rachel got bored waiting for him to emerge. Instead, she got up and walked around the room, properly taking in its features for the first time. After quickly ordering some room service from a very helpful menu, she drew open the curtains and smiled at the sight before her.
They were on one of the top floors of the hotel, looking out at the city around them. This was her dream, and she was so close that she could almost taste it. She knew there was a lot to do, a lot to worry about; yet at that very moment, she found that she couldn’t. For the first time in her life, she saw the endless opportunities in front of her. She would find a way to deal with Sue and the Trinity later; right now was for her.
A short while later, the bathroom door opened and Rachel turned with a smile to look at Noah, only to have her face fall in shock. He had a towel slung low on his hips as he stepped out, but that wasn’t what drew her attention. All along his neck and chest were the dark bruises the Trinity had caused him. But as she looked closer she realized she was wrong. She tilted her head, scrutinizing each black and purple bruise, and some were more faded than others; they were older. The fresh ones contrasted darkly against the greenish-yellow bruises that had already begun to heal.
“Did-did I do that?” she asked, her voice shaking.
He glanced down and closed his eyes, muttering a low curse. “It’s nothing,” he said, shaking his head.
He immediately walked over to the side of the bed and quickly pulled his shirt over his head, trying to hide the bruising from view. She rushed over to his side and pulled up his shirt to closely examine his brutally marred body. Her hands reached out shakily, tracing the lines of each bruise. They covered his shoulder and chest, one even reaching around to his back like a nightmarish blemish against his tan skin.
“Rachel...” he said, grabbing her hands to stop her. His hand reached up and tilted her chin towards his face. “It’s okay. They don’t even hurt.”
She narrowed her eyes shrewdly, before poking him in the chest with her finger tip, causing him to wince and pull away slightly. “Don’t lie to me, Puckerman,” she bit out angrily, tears stinging her eyes. “I don’t like being lied to.”
He sighed and reclaimed her hand in his. “I’m telling you the truth. It’s okay. Just some battle scars.” A teasing smirk grew on his face as he looked down at her. “I saved your life, you know.”
“This isn’t funny, Noah!” she said, trying to push against him stubbornly, but he held her steady.
“I know,” he replied, his tone suddenly serious, and Rachel looked up once more to meet his gaze.
She felt her breath leave her as they stared at each other. She bit her lip nervously and his eyes fluttered downwards at the movement, staring. She could hear her heart beating wildly in her chest. Something wonderful was about to happen. She could feel it, and suddenly all thought flew out of her mind. Her head inched closer to his, her feet arching up on her toes in impatience as she instinctively closed her eyes, preparing to savor every second when...
“Room service!” A man called, knocking loudly on the door.
Rachel’s eyes snapped open, and from the dazed look in Noah’s eyes, he had been as equally surprised as she was. They continued looking at each other for another moment before the impatient knock sounded again.
“Yeah, coming!” Noah finally replied, his voice slightly hoarse. He took a step back, their eyes connecting for a few seconds longer before he looked away. He distractedly fished a couple of dollars out of his wallet and headed for the door.
Rachel’s hand reached up to cup her cheeks, her face flushed and hot. She honestly had no idea what to do with the torrent of emotions swirling inside her. So how did she respond?
She ran. Well, walked.
She swiftly headed towards the bathroom and locked the door behind her, leaning up against the counter as she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Her heart was still pounding fast and hard in her chest, and all she could feel was the ghost of Noah’s hands on hers. She looked down at her hands, now glowing richly in front of her eyes. Every fiber of her being felt like it was vibrating. Even as the shine began to fade, her body continued humming, more alive than ever before.
It was all too much. How could anybody possibly feel so much in matter of mere seconds? It felt both wonderful and terrifying at the same time.
She heard Noah knock lightly at the door and tell her she could shower before they ate. “The... er... food’s not going anywhere.”
She found herself grateful for the temporary reprieve; she needed the time to collect her thoughts. As she prepared to take her shower, she thought about everything that had happened in the past few days. She had been on an emotional rollercoaster, she had encountered numerous setbacks along her journey, but nothing, not even the threat of imminent death, had affected her like standing silently in a room with Noah had, their hands entwined together as an unseen spark of electricity passed between them. She wondered if the feelings inside her were the ones she’d heard tell about in all those Broadway shows, where a simple touch could speak a thousand words. She wondered if this was what it felt like to be falling in love.
.-.
Puck stared at the door Rachel had disappeared behind, cursing himself for almost kissing her. What had he been thinking? She was probably hiding from him, horrified that he’d crossed the invisible line between them. They were just friends - kind of - on a journey together. He didn’t need whatever messed up ideas floating around in his head were telling him.
There was the “old Puck” inside him, the “Puck” he used to be, screaming at him for being such a pussy, for not going to her and kissing her with all the fire and passion she inspired inside - but then there was the other “Puck.” The “Puck” that had suddenly emerged out of nowhere and did shit like take on knife-wielding mad men and crazy cheerleaders hell-bent on kidnapping Rachel and sacrificing her to their Queen; the one she liked to call “Noah”.
And Noah? Had no fucking clue what he was doing.
She had just arrived here, all naïve and willing to learn. She probably had no idea how he felt when she was with him, had no idea what it felt like to... To what? He asked himself as he pushed the small food trolley further into the room. His head felt like a mixed jumble of thoughts, each even less coherent than the last.
He sighed and walked over to the bathroom door, telling her to take her time before returning to the food. He was glad she had decided to take her time; he needed time to think.
He lifted the sterling silver tray cover to find an assortment of breakfast foods in front of him: eggs, sausages, pancakes, fruits, and, of course, his waffles. He smiled to himself. She already knew what he liked.
He ate while he waited for her to emerge, fully dressed and her hair twisted into a knot at the back of her head. They were both wearing the same clothes they had been wearing for the past few days; the only clothes he owned since his duffel bag was probably somewhere in Cleveland right now. He made a mental note to go shopping later. They probably didn’t have a Wal-Mart in NYC, but he was sure they could find something suitable.
She walked over and sat beside him before gingerly picking a strawberry from a bowl of assorted fruits. She smiled as she brought it to her lips, humming at the sweet taste. Puck laughed, pushing aside the thoughts of how great it would be to taste strawberries on her lips.
“So, er,” he began as they ate, struggling to decide what to say. “I figured we should start looking for an apartment today. As great as it is in this hotel, we shouldn’t blow too much money staying here.”
She looked at him contemplatively and nodded. “Sounds good, but how long will that take? I really wanted to get started today!” Her face lit up with excitement. “There are probably thousands of aspiring performers out there on the streets of Manhattan, waiting for their chance to shine, and as they say, the early bird catches the worm. I don’t really want to waste any time. What if the perfect part is out there for me today and I miss it because of such trivial things like where we should live?”
Puck raised his eyebrows in amusement, wanting to laugh at her skewed priorities. Whatever awkwardness she might have felt earlier was obviously gone; she was ready and willing to jump into the race for Broadway stardom.
He nodded and smirked at her. “Okay,” he said slowly, thinking it over. “I guess a couple more days living here couldn’t hurt, but we can’t stay here forever.” Rachel clapped her hands together giddily. “And we definitely can’t be walking around in the same clothes as we have for the past few days. So as much as I want to help you get started, we should probably hit up a few stores first.”
Rachel nodded her head in agreement, her expression determined. “That sounds reasonable, but only for a short while. I have a lot of work to do! There’s no rest for the wicked. Oh! Wicked! Do you think anyone will be recasting that masterpiece anytime soon? I think I’d be a perfect Elphaba.”
“Elf-a-who?” Puck asked, his brow creasing as he laughed.
“You’ve never heard of it? It’s-”
Puck chuckled as he lifted his hand and covered her mouth. “I’m sure it’s great, and you can tell me all about it while we’re shopping, but first you gotta eat. The faster you eat, the faster we can get out of here, and the faster you’ll get to be an Elf. You sure are short enough for one.”
Rachel laughed and rolled her eyes. “Elphaba is a girl. A witch, in fact.” Her eyes darkened slightly at the mention of witches, but the moment was quickly replaced by her bright smile. “Anyway...”
Puck smiled as she began chatting merrily. Today was sure to be a long day, but as he watched her talk and dig into her breakfast, he found that he really didn’t mind. It was good to see her back to her enthusiastic and talkative self again.
He pushed the thoughts of witches and the Unholy Trinity away. He knew they were an ever-looming threat, but as he watched her unrestrained excitement, he found he couldn’t bear to burst her bubble. At least, not yet. He would give it a day, one single day, before he needed to figure out what to do with this shit. He’d give her this day.
.-.
It was only ten in the morning but Puck felt exhausted. They had walked around the city for about an hour, Rachel pulling him in every direction, and then he had been forced to stand there while she paraded a line of clothes in front of him. And okay, maybe forced was little harsh, because he kind of liked seeing all the different clothes on her, but that was probably because she looked hot in everything she tried on. There were a couple of numbers that brought memories of that morning and his embarrassing case of morning wood right to the forefront of his memory.
He had been easy to find clothes for. All he needed was a couple of shirts and jeans and he was good, but Rachel tried on everything from summer dresses to tank tops and short shorts. There was this one dress, bright yellow and perfect, and it seemed to genuinely make her shine, even without the help of her naturally ability. She had done this little twirl when she’d first tried it on and it made him half-hard just looking at her. How could someone so short have such long legs?
Thankfully, they were about to take a break. They walked into a small cafe on their way back to the hotel, and Puck collapsed at the nearest available table, dropping the load of bags he’d been carrying around for Rachel. The word “whirlwind” was an understatement for this girl. She took on every task and challenge with more enthusiasm than he had ever felt towards anything in his life.
He searched around the café, and a cute, young Asian girl around their age walked over, notepad at the ready.
“Hi, what can I get for you?” she asked with a kind smile. It was different from what Puck had expected. Most of the people in the city so far, at least the retail workers, had been either bored or annoyed, or both. It was almost funny how Rachel responded to this girl’s polite and inviting attitude.
“What would you recommend for a person who doesn’t eat animals?” she asked.
The girl’s eyebrow arched questioningly. “Well, we have a very good range of both vegan and vegetarian options on the menu. I personally recommend the tofu scramble. My boyfriend’s the chef, and he makes a mean one. It’s an old family recipe that he’s tweaked here and there.”
Rachel looked at her in confusion, and he could see her about to ask what the hell she was talking about. Okay, maybe not in so many words, but Puck figured that the girl wasn’t up for explaining the difference between vegans and vegetarians.
“That sounds fine,” Puck interjected when Rachel opened her mouth, giving her a glance to tell her that he’d explain later. “I’ll have a coffee and a chocolate chip muffin.”
The girl smiled at them both while she took down the order before she turned and left.
Puck almost laughed as Rachel opened her mouth to ask him a tirade of questions. He honestly didn’t mind answering them as they waited for their food to arrive.
Rachel grinned up at him once he was done. “I think I’m a vegan then,” she concluded. “I don’t really know what chicks are, or milk or yo-hurt, but it seems hardly fair to simply take these things from animals without their consent. No, unless I could personally ask their opinions in the matter, then I shan’t partake in this particular human custom. It just doesn’t feel right.”
Puck shook his head, amused. “It’s not really like that, but, you know, whatever floats your boat,” he shrugged.
“Wait,” Rachel paused, her head tilting in confusion again. “What boat? There’s a boat as well?”
He roared with laughter as she looked at him, bewildered. He found that he quite enjoyed explaining things to her. Her innocence as she learned about the world both awed and amused him. It was definitely different looking at the world through her eyes, maybe because she’d never really seen it before.
“So how do I get onto Broadway?” she asked Puck, waiting expectantly for the answer, like he had all the answers.
Now this was a question Puck had been mulling over all day.
Puck knew how to do many things. He knew how to play the guitar and the piano. He even knew how to play the accordion, which was no simple feat. He could disassemble and reassemble a pool filter in five minutes flat and he knew the engine of his truck like the back of his hand, but getting onto Broadway? Well, that wasn’t exactly his area of expertise.
He was saved from answering the question when their waitress walked over with their food. She distributed the plates on their table, and then said, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard you asking about Broadway. Are you an aspiring actress?”
Rachel beamed up at the girl like she had made a new best friend and nodded eagerly. “Yes, do you know how?”
The girl laughed and shook her head. “Well, technically yes, but my success rate hasn’t exactly been stellar. As a beginner, the best place to start is the probably by finding an agent. The best one in the city is probably Lauren Zizes. She’s a bit of a bitch and she’s brutal but she’s good. If you can get an appointment, that is. She usually ignores you until you make an impression. Here,” the girl said, pulling out a newspaper from her apron pocket. “If you want to get anyone’s attention and see what it’s all about, maybe you should go to a few open calls.”
“Oh, thank you so much, um...” Rachel exclaimed excitedly as she introduced herself, trailing off as she realized she hadn’t learned the waitress’ name.
The girl smiled. “Tina,” she supplied helpfully.
“Tina,” Rachel replied, smiling back. “It was so nice to meet you, Tina. Thanks for your wonderful advice, but don’t you need this for yourself?” she asked, holding out the newspaper.
“No problem,” she replied shaking her head. “But all the auditions today aren’t really suitable. A lot of brunettes and blondes. It’s harder, you know, being Asian; you don’t get noticed as much.”
Rachel frowned. “That doesn’t seem right.”
Tina sighed. “It’s just the way this town works. Anyway, I better get back to work. Good luck with everything.”
Puck took in Tina’s words and wondered. Sure, he knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but he’d really hate to see Rachel fail. It just didn’t seem right, especially with all she’d gone through to get here. He was a little worried with how she would take this, but when he turned his head to look at her, her face was full of enthusiasm.
Her smile stretched widely across her eager face. “This is going to wonderful, Noah. I can feel it!”
.-.
Rachel felt horrible. She was already on the verge of tears, the stress and disappointment of the day finally getting to her.
They had gone to four open casting calls, all of which told her she “didn’t have the right look.” It seemed ridiculous that a city bursting with talent seemed so focused on “the right look.” Shouldn’t the ability and capabilities of a performer be more important that the mere physical appearance of a person? She watched as those simple minded fools simpered at the meager squawking of a bottle blonde bimbo that she could literally sing into the ground, while they barely even glanced up from the infernal devices in their hands when it was her turn.
Rachel realized that that wasn’t the worst of it when she had finally managed to make it into Lauren Zizes’ office. She had stood badgering her secretary for almost two hours, unwilling to miss such an important opportunity, before the disgruntled old lady finally broke down. But to say Ms. Zizes had been brutal was an understatement.
She had yelled at Rachel for almost twenty minutes for wasting her time, reprimanding her for not having a resume or any experience.
“How am I supposed to represent someone with no official training, who doesn’t even carry a headshot?” she had yelled loudly, probably loud enough for the whole world to hear.
Rachel had felt like a fraud. This wasn’t what she had dreamed New York City to be like.
“Blaine’s right,” she said as she cried into Puck’s shoulder, her words muffled as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck, tears falling to stain his shirt. “I shouldn’t have come here. It’s hopeless. I can’t do this! I should just go back and forget this ever happened!”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Puck replied sarcastically, and Rachel pushed him away indignantly, glaring down her nose at him. The only thing stopping her from slapping him right now were the soothing circular patterns he was rubbing up and down her back.
He frowned at her and gave her a pointed look before continuing seriously, “Come on, Rachel, don’t talk crap.” He pulled her forward and moved his head to rest against her temple.
“I’m serious, Noah...” she began, hiccupping slightly.
“And so am I,” he pulled back to look her straight in the eye. “Rachel, you knew this was gonna be hard. You think that just because one person-”
“Five!” Rachel tried to correct him.
“- didn’t like the way you sang or the way you look, that you should give up? Do you think that Barbra chick you’ve been going on about non-stop gave up after only one day?” he asked incredulously. “No. She didn’t,” he said firmly, answering his own question. “And neither will you. I’m not gonna let you give up just because you had a bad day. You’re not a Lima Loser, and you never will be!”
Rachel looked at him confused, and Noah’s eyes shifted around awkwardly. “What are you -?”
“Nothing.” He interrupted quickly. “Come on.” He pulled her along by the arm, racing to some unknown destination.
She mulled over his words in her head, wondering what it all meant. Whoever said she was a loser? she wondered a little indignantly. She also wondered if, perhaps, Noah wasn’t talking to her; well maybe not only talking to her.
“What in the world...?” she asked, as he pulled her down a mostly empty street and through a back alley way. “Noah, where are you taking me? This is highly suspicious behavior… “
He shushed her and bent down at the back door to a small, run-down old building.
“Noah, what are you doing?” she asked nervously as he fiddled with the lock.
“Something I picked up in juvie.” He answered with a smirk.
What? Juvie? She was about to ask again when the door popped open and he grinned from his apparent success.
“After you,” he said, pushing her through the door.
Rachel stumbled through, bewildered. “What are we doing here, Noah?” she asked, stamping her foot in impatience. She didn’t like not knowing what was going on.
“Just calm down, will ya,” he replied calmly. “Have I ever steered you wrong?”
Rachel frowned half-heartedly. “No, I guess not.” He left her and stumbled around in the dark for a while, obviously looking for something, but her tolerance was wearing thin. “Noah, I’m tired. I just want to go back to the hotel -”
Suddenly the lights flickered on around her, and Rachel walked in awe towards the open stage. It was amazing. She could see everything from her position. There were rows and rows of empty seats, leading all the way to the back, and also not one, but two, balconies, filled with seats. There was a thick layer of dust coating the floor, and there was slight musty quality in the air. There were piles of furniture around the stage, some covered with large white sheets as well as tools and buckets of paint strewn everywhere. The theatre looked like no one had been inside for a very long time, but Rachel didn’t care.
“How did you -?” she asked when Noah appeared on stage. She couldn’t take her eyes off her surroundings. She found herself spinning around to try and capture everything within her mind.
He shrugged. “I scouted around while you were auditioning. I’m pretty sure this place is mostly abandoned, but I thought it’d give you a taste what to expect.”
“What?” she turned to him, a small enraptured smile on her face.
“Well, I don’t know how long this whole auditioning thing is gonna take. I mean, you’re a pretty persistent girl, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you were doing this for real in, like, a week, but we can just call this a preview. So what do you think, Rachel? Are you ready to make your theatre debut?”
She beamed at him and nodded eagerly. He grinned back at her before leaping off the stage and taking a seat in the center of the front row. Noah whooped and clapped as she took center stage.
“I’ll be singing, ‘On My Own’, from the seminal Broadway classic, Les Mis.”
Rachel closed her eyes and imagined the theatre to be completely filled, a quiet hush falling over the crowd. She opened her mouth and sang, letting the lyrics, the melody and the emotions that this song inspired washing over her. She had always imagined a faceless someone when she sang this song, but right now, she could see Noah clear as day as she sang. She wondered if he heard her. Really heard her.
When she let the last note hang heavily in the air, resonating throughout the theatre, she finally opened her eyes, meeting his surprised gaze for the first time.
He looked at her in astonishment for a moment before he started clapping and cheering for her once more. She could feel the blush creeping up her neck as she did a small curtsy. She watched as he hoisted himself up on stage, biting her lip nervously as he approached.
“Woah.” He said, speechless. “I mean, woah! I knew you said you could sing, but you can really sing!” He smiled encouragingly. “I can’t believe those idiots turned you down. You completely blew me away. I don’t know why you’re even bothering. You’re already a fucking star!” She smiled, ducking her head shyly. For once in her long life, she was completely speechless. She could feel her cheeks heating up once more; the rapid thumping in her chest echoing in her ears. “Hey...” he said, tucking his finger under her chin and tilting her head upwards.
Her breath caught in her throat as she waited in anticipation. This time her eyes remained open as his head lowered to meet her, everything moving in slow motion. It wasn’t until the very last moment that his face was mere seconds from hers that she allowed her eyes to flutter close. His lips grazed against hers, an entirely different kind of warmth spreading from the touch and moving rapidly throughout her entire body. Her body seemed to tingle with excitement. He pulled back slightly, his hands moving to cup her face. He looked at her imploringly, silently seeking permission. A small smile graced her lips, and whatever apprehension Noah seemed to be feeling melted away.
His face leaned forward again, quicker this time, and Rachel prepared herself to sink into the kiss when suddenly a loud bang sounded around them. Then the steady clapping of a single person filled the air.
Rachel’s body jumped at the sound, and they both turned to see Quinn walking down the large center aisle, her hands pounding together, mockingly.
“Aw, how sweet,” she remarked in a sickeningly cheery voice, before her face hardened in a brute glare and she continued coldly. “Not.”
In an instant, she was on the stage in front of them. Noah moved protectively between the two, but Quinn merely laughed at the thought. With a flick of her wrist, Noah went toppling backwards, landing harshly on a long forgotten scaffold stand.
Rachel screamed out his name as his back hit the metal bars with a loud thud, his body slumping down as he lay unconscious. She began to run towards him, but Quinn held out her hand threateningly.
“I wouldn’t do that if I was you.”
“I don’t care what you do!” Rachel retorted angrily.
Quinn pushed both hands out towards Rachel, her palms facing outwards. A pulse of energy shot from her hands and pushed Rachel backwards. Somehow, she managed to remain on her feet, only stumbling slightly. When she tried to run forward again, she found her path blocked by another invisible barrier, but this time there were no bright sparks of electricity; it was just her fighting against a wall of nothing but air.
“Leave us alone!” she pleaded with the leader of the Trinity, but Quinn simply sneered in response. “Please, just let us go!”
“Now why would I do that?” she asked, though she took no pleasure in their pain. “When all I need is right here in front of me? And I see Blaine isn’t coming to the rescue this time.”
Rachel began glowing brightly, trying to summon the energy to escape once again, but her powers fell short. She was simply too drained from the previous day to repeat their miraculous escape.
She heard Noah groan, sitting up in a daze and rubbing the back of his neck.
“Noah!” she cried again, thankful that he was alright. At least for now.
With a snap of her fingers, Quinn instantly summoned Brittany and Santana to his side, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
“Rachel?” he asked confused, looking around as Brittany and Santana stared into his eyes, their bodies pressing against his as they literally began crawling up his chest. “What’s going on...?”
“What are you doing?” Rachel asked directing her to Quinn.
Quinn smile was as menacing as ever. “Men, they’re so predictable, don’t you think?” she asked rhetorically.
Noah shook his head, blinking his eyes as if he was trying to wake up. “Rachel..?” he asked again, turning his head towards her, but Santana gripped his chin and wordlessly commanded him to face her once again. He was forced to look into her eyes, his gaze transfixed, as Rachel watched on in horror.
“Stop it!” Rachel shouted, pounding against the invisible wall. “Whatever you’re doing just leave him out of it!”
The Unholy Trinity all laughed mercilessly, and only then did Noah seem to snap out of his daze. He struggled fruitlessly against Brittany and Santana’s hold on him, but they just continued to smile, looking up at him seductively through their long eyelashes, coy smiles gracing their lips.
“Oh, he’s a fighter this one,” Quinn quipped as she watched the scene in front of them. “It’s been centuries since anyone’s been able to resist Santana’s charm.” The Latina threw Quinn a dirty look before turning back to the task at hand, but Quinn ignored it.
“Tell me Rachel,” she asked, her tone light with pleasure, as if they were having just any ordinary conversation. “Have you ever heard what happens when a man is kissed by one of the Unholy Trinity?”
Rachel shook her head in horror. Actually, she hadn’t heard. She had no idea what would happen, but she had a feeling that whatever it was, it couldn’t be anything good.
“Don’t... ” she begged, tears streaming down her face. “Please... don’t!”
“They die.” Quinn’s lip twitched in amusement, her head tilting to the side as she silently gave the command to Santana. “A slow and painful death.”
“No, stop!” Rachel screamed, her head shaking vigorously. “Noah!”
She shouted with all her might as she watched, completely helpless, as Santana’s face approached Noah’s. For a moment, it seemed like all was lost. He seemed to have given in. He stared, bewitched, his eyes wide and pupil dilated. He moved his head in compliance to some unheard command, his face inching forward, when suddenly he snapped out of it.
He looked around stunned, the sound of her desperate shrieking waking him up. He stared in horror at Santana’s face, seconds away from his, before he began furiously struggling as hard as he could against the weight of her and Brittany as they held him still.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he yelled, fear evident in his voice. Without thinking, he spat in the girl’s ever nearing face and she recoiled in disgust.
In an instant, Santana had him around the throat, squeezing hard on his neck, already marred with bruises. “You’re gonna pay for that, you hijo de puta!” she shouted, wiping the saliva off her cheek angrily.
“Enough!” Quinn commanded loudly. Both Brittany and Santana looked at her in surprise. “We can deal with him back at the castle. Just knock him out and we’ll deal with him later.” She then turned to Rachel, and glared. She moved forward through the invisible barrier and grabbed Rachel around the wrist, while Santana threw a threatening blow at Noah. He slumped forward once more, his completely limp form hanging lifelessly in the girls’ arms. “Now, you’re coming with us. And you better not fight us, otherwise we’ll drop him off a bridge along the way.”
They were off like a bullet, running at break neck speed as Rachel stared helplessly at Noah’s unconscious form. This was all her fault. She should have just let him leave when he had the chance. She should have demanded he leave her alone. She should have told him she didn’t want him there; anything to keep him from their clutches.
She had foolishly ignored the impending threat of the Trinity, even after they had come after her and wreaked havoc in a crowded street. She had desperately believed she could simply be a normal girl.
All because she was selfish. She always had been. She wanted it all. Him. Broadway. Everything. And now she had to pay the unbearable price.
.-.
For Quinn, it felt like the journey back to the castle took no time at all, or perhaps she was just eager to return with her prize. It would be so easy from here on out. She had the star and soon they would have their freedom. It was all they had dreamed about since the beginning of their imprisonment. She fiddled with the tight gold band around her wrist, its weight feeling as heavy as ever. She knew it would be gone soon and that this would have all been worth it, but as far as Quinn was concerned, it wasn’t soon enough.
They came to a halting stop inside the large fortress directly in from of Sue. She stood there with a sinister wide grin worsened by her distorted facial features.
The three girls instantly bowed down on one knee and greeted their master. Quinn looked up at her Queen, but she didn’t meet her gaze. She only had eyes for the star.
“Welcome,” she said with a cruel grin, ignoring the rest. Rachel cowered, struggling against Quinn’s tight grip on her wrist.
“You leave us alone!” Rachel yelled indignantly, stamping her foot. “You despicable old hag! You should be ashamed of yourself!”
The Queen cackled with laughter over Rachel’s tirade, the raucous sound reverberating throughout the large room, so terrifying that even the chandelier seemed to quake with fear.
“Quinn,” the Queen said, as Rachel continued her pointless struggle, yelling a string of obscenities towards the Queen. She waved her hand and suddenly Rachel’s mouth was snapped shut as if her lips had been sewn together, but that didn’t stop the ever-determined star. She mumbled as loudly as possible and fought as fervently as ever, but the Queen simply ignored her. “Take whatever you have there to the dungeons. Dispose of it if you will. Just leave me with the star.”
Quinn shook her head angrily. “No, we had a deal,” she said pointedly holding out her wrist.
Sue laughed again. “And you failed me.”
Quinn’s eyes flashed red and she advanced on the Queen, ready to use all her might to take her down. Suddenly, a painful jolt coursed through her body, starting from the prominent band around her wrist travelling up her arms. At first, she tried her hardest to push through the pain, but as she swung forward with all her might, the cuff stopped her mid-swing, her hand suspended in mid-air. When she could no longer fight the jarring pain, she collapsed to the floor cradling her scalded arm.
Sue’s cold eyes turned towards Quinn. “Are you quite done?” she demanded impatiently.
“We had a deal.” Quinn said through gritted teeth, unwilling to let the Queen see just how much pain she was in.
“Relax,” the Queen said dismissively. “You’ll have your freedom once the ritual is done. I can’t very well give up my greatest asset when I still haven’t achieved victory, can I? Do you think I’m stupid? You could be poised to attack me while I’m in my weakened state.” The Queen laughed at the absurdity of that idea, before turning back to her star. “Now go, before I change my mind.”
Quinn growled at the Queen before nodding at Santana and Brittany. Together, they hauled away the still unconscious body of the soon-to-be dead guy. Just as they reached the stairway down to the dungeons, Sue’s gleeful voice rang out again.
“Oh, and deal with our unwanted visitor, will you? Then I’ll grant you your much beloved freedom.”
.-.
Finn tried to creep through the castle as best he could, hugging the walls and trying to remain out of sight. It was difficult for him; it would be difficult for any person his size. In his human form, Finn was unusually tall, especially for a human, earning him a nickname among the stars as “Frankenteen”. It was just a good thing that he had barely spent any time as a human before. He didn’t like his cumbersome build, the awkward shuffle of his large feet, and his lanky arms which seemed to dangle like large tree branches, easily bumping into things as he walked.
The castle was mostly dark, save for the main hall. He could see a faint glow emanating from the large archway, serving as a connecting pathway from the hall to the foyer.
Even though he had never been there before, Finn felt like he knew these walls even better than the back of his hands, which was technically true since he’d spent so little time as a human. But he had spent many years watching over this place, waiting.
He stopped as he approached a well lit staircase. He could hear the rumblings of Sue as she pretended to make easy conversation with her captive from the hallway while the loud screams of Rachel’s new friend drifted upwards. From his position, he was able to peek around the corner. He saw Rachel, bound and gagged on the floor as she struggled against her bonds. Everything inside him wanted to go help her, to tear through the room and protect her against the so-called Queen, but he couldn’t; not yet. He needed help first, help that he wasn’t entirely sure he was going to get, but he had to try.
He tried tiptoeing across the entrance way, straining to remain as quiet as possible as he walked, helped by the thick layer of dust muffling his oafish movements. It was lucky for him that Sue’s loud monologue coupled with the screaming coming up the spiraling staircase had drowned out the sound of his footsteps. He had never been the lightest person on his feet. As he descended towards the delighted cackles of the Trinity, his brow furrowed in concentration as he listened to their tortuous musing.
“Are you having fun now?” Santana asked, an evil lilt to her voice. “Don’t you wanna touch, big boy? I think you do…”
As stealthily as he could, Finn looked through the stone door way. He saw Santana, her pinky fingers linked with Brittany’s as they both leaned closely to the squirming Puck as he tried to get away from their forms invading his personal space, but Quinn was nowhere to be seen. The boy already had several long gashes along his torso, and dark bruises covered his chest, shoulders and neck. His cheek was also red and swollen from whatever infliction the girls had caused, and yet he still struggled against his binds.
Finn had to give it to this one; he sure didn’t give up. He watched as Puck swore loudly at Santana, spitting the words angrily at her face.
Slowly, both girls stood up, and Finn could just picture the identical taunting smiles gracing their lips. Santana waved her hands and Puck’s mouth snapped shut, magically gagging him, approaching ever closer as she moved her face in for a kiss; a kiss of death.
Finn knew he had to act quickly. With no real plan in mind, he stepped out from the darkness, ready to confront the girls when suddenly, a well-aimed kick landed at center of his back, sending him flying forward. He stumbled as he hit the far wall, bracing himself against it as he staggered to keep his footing. He didn’t need to turn around to see who it was.
He turned to face Quinn as she glowered at him darkly. He tried to open his mouth to speak but Quinn instantly cut him off, magically silencing his voice as his mouth flapped soundlessly.
“Shut up,” she commanded. “You don’t deserve to speak.”
Finn closed his eyes, summoning enough power to break Quinn’s spell on him. “No,” he voiced clearly, causing her angry glare to intensify. “Quinn...”
“Shut up!” she shouted again. This time he could feel a vice like grip around his throat, forcing his voice to disappear, but once again he fought off her attack.
“No!” he said again, this time more forcefully. “I will not.”
Her eyes flashed with rage. Within a split, second she was physically at his throat, strangling him, with her fingers squeezing tightly. He struggled against her firm hold, but he still managed choke out his speech.
“Quinn - you - don’t - have - to - do - this!” he said, his words disjointed.
She laughed at him. “Yes, I do.” She swung his body upwards as he hit the ceiling, before falling with a heavy thump to the floor.
He slowly clambered to his feet again.
“You can hurt me all you want Quinn. It won’t change a thing,” he said, surprisingly calm. She growled again, springing forward and landing blow after blow at him. She yelled in frustration as time and time again, his wounds healed instantly. He just stood there, waiting until she tired herself out, watching as her hands slowly turned bloody from the impact.
“Quinn, stop!” came a small voice, and Brittany was suddenly separating them, barring Quinn from continuing her assault.
“Get out of the way, Britt,” she said, her voice snarled.
“No!” It was rare for Brittany to stand up to her friends, choosing to stand back and let them make the decisions, but she wasn’t as heartless as one might think. She may not have cared about other people’s lives, especially not the star in front of her, but she cared about her friends, and she could tell how shaken her old friend was at that very moment.
Finn stumbled to his feet again, and watched as Quinn’s hands took time to heal, Brittany trying to remain between them. “It’s okay, Brittany,” he said, steeling himself for whatever else Quinn had simmering inside her. “Let her go.”
Quinn’s eyes narrowed at him suspiciously. “You think I won’t kill you?” she asked, daring him to answer.
Finn shook his head. “No, I think you want to kill me with every fiber of your soul, or rather what’s left of it, but this isn’t you Quinn. This isn’t who you want to be.”
Her eyes glinted red as she launched herself at him once more, but as her arm swung forward, it stopped short of connecting with his face. She stood still staring into his boyish face, her already healing hand poised in mid-air.
“You don’t know anything,” she barked, lowering her hand before turning and walking away.
“Yes, I do,” he insisted, his own bruises already gone. He turned towards the guy struggling on the floor as he stared at them in a daze, his mouth still bound shut, effectively silencing him. It was obvious he didn’t understand what was happening, but he seemed to be using this chance to work harder at escaping. “Let him go. Help me save her.”
Quinn laughed and half-turned to look at him. “And why would I do that?” she asked in a mocking tone.
Finn’s gaze turned to meet hers and he looked at her sadly. “Because you’ve done it before.”
She growled again, moving quickly to grab him around the throat again. “And look where it got me. Look where it got my friends. Letting you go cost me my life. My freedom. I won’t let this opportunity slip through my fingers. You were a fool to think you could just waltz in here and change all the rules.” A triumphant grin graced her lips. “Girls, it looks like we have another star for the Queen.” She announced, her hand tightening around his throat once more.
“You - know - that - won’t - work.” Finn struggled out. “You - know - I’m - use - less - to - her. And - you - know - why.”
Quinn shrugged and swung her free hand around, delivering a harsh knock-out blow to side of Finn’s head. “I told you to shut up.”
.-.
Rachel watched helplessly as the Queen worked around her, cursing herself for being so foolish. She desperately needed to make sure Noah was okay. She had been forced to endure hearing his screams from below, but not too long ago, all had fallen ominously silent. She cried at the thought of him being hurt, or worse, dead. This was all her fault. Her selfishness had led them here.
She struggled silently against her bonds, her own mouth still magically bound shut.
“Don’t worry,” Sue said, looking down at her, mistaking Rachel’s tears. “It’ll be over quickly, and the process is relatively harmless.” She cackled merrily, before lowering her face to Rachel’s level. “I lie. It’s going to be very, very painful. Excruciatingly painful. So painful, in fact, you’ll wish you were already dead.”
Her evil laughter continued to fill the large hall, and Rachel could to nothing but whimper from her place on the floor. She tried to summon as much power as she could muster, but Sue easily quashed her attempts. “Look,” she had said, angrily. “If you continue to waste my power like that, I’ll have them kill him right in front of your eyes. Or better yet, how about a kiss?”
She had fallen silent after that, desperately trying to think of a way to escape as she searched for the right opportunity. Rachel turned her head towards a commotion coming up from the dungeons, and she held her breath as the Unholy Trinity soon emerged, carrying a struggling Noah and a sluggish...
Finn?
She tried to voice her surprise, but the magical gag Sue had bestowed upon her effectively muted out any of her concerns.
“Ah, it looks like you’ve given our guest the appropriate welcome.” Sue said with a wide grin, baring her crooked grin. “And you...” she turned to look Noah in the eye. “It was foolish of you to think that you could steal my star like this. I should kill you where you stand.”
She turned to look at Rachel, taunting her. “What do you think, my star?” she snarled, before commanding in an equally harsh tone, “Speak!”
“Don’t!” Rachel gasped out from her position on the floor, her voice suddenly returning as tears streamed down her face. “Please don’t. He has nothing to do with this. He was just an innocent bystander.”
Sue laughed cruelly. “Who was trying to steal my star! Tell me, star, if he was just an ‘innocent bystander,’ as you say, then you won’t mind if I destroy him. Maybe that’ll finally get you to give up.”
“No!” Rachel protested. “He means nothing to me!” She could feel the tears running down her face, as Noah’s struggling paused. “He means nothing! Just let him go! Just let them all go!”
Sue’s face darkened. “Now why would I do that? You’re not exactly in a bargaining position here.”
Rachel sobbed loudly. “Just let them all go, and I’ll grant it to you willingly.” At her words, Finn who had now recovered, pulled himself forward against Santana and Brittany’s hold, trying to voice his objection.
Sue snorted in distaste. “What difference will that make? I already have you in my grasp.”
“You and I both know my magics are ten times more potent if given willingly.”
“So?” Sue said, shrugging her shoulders. “I will have power no matter what.”
“For how long?” Rachel retorted. “Three, maybe, four hundred years?”
“It’s longer than you’ll ever have!” Sue yelled angrily, growing frustrated with the conversation.
“True. But then you’ll be powerless again, locked in this fortress until another star falls from the heavens. And who know how long that will take.” Rachel reasoned. “But if I give my power willingly, then you will finally achieve what you’ve always wanted: true immortality. Your magics will never run out,” she finished, her voice slow and even.
Sue eyed her calculatingly, mulling over the offer in her mind. Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath. Only Finn struggled in protestation, knowing the full extent of Rachel’s bargain and the unacceptable repercussions.
But Rachel didn’t care, her gaze shifted and she stared apologetically into Noah’s eyes. She tried to convey in that one look all her sorrow and regret for letting this happen. If she hadn’t been so selfish, if she had taken the threat of the Unholy Trinity seriously, if she hadn’t come here in the first place, then none of this would have ever happened. Noah would have lived his life as a normal guy, unhindered by the troubles of the magical world.
He shook her head at her, pleading her with his eyes, but Rachel couldn’t let anything happen to him. That was her promise. And if she had to sacrifice herself, then she would do it. She would do it for him.
“Deal!” Sue shouted grandly, cutting through the silence. Rachel jumped at her words, almost forgetting why she was there. For a moment, it seemed like the rest of the world had disappeared, and all that remained in it was her and Noah.
She closed her eyes as Sue waved her hand. A loud clanking of metal against stone sounded from the Trinity, and they each looked at their bare wrists stunned, their gold binds laying desolately on the floor.
“No! Rachel!” Noah yelled, running towards her, his voice now returned as Sue relinquished the Trinity’s hold on him.
She reached out towards him, but as their fingertips grazed, Sue waved her hand again. The five of them suddenly flew towards the castle doors, the hard-wood oak opening on its own accord, allowing them to pass through before closing with a loud thunk. And just like that, they were alone, with nothing but the echo of Noah’s protests ringing throughout the empty hall.
.-.
Part 7
Author:
uninspired_me
Part: 6/7
Word Count: 9,900/55,500
Rating: T
Pairing: Mainly Puck/Rachel, with a side of Kurt/Blaine, Finn/Quinn & Santana/Brittany.
Summary: Like many young men, Noah Puckerman has spent his entire life looking up at the stars, waiting for his life to begin. But he never imagined that the stars were staring back, waiting to live. Loosely based on the movie “Stardust”.
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. I do not own the movie, nor the book, titled “Stardust”.
Spoilers: Canon elements taken from up to Season 3, so 3x14 just to be safe.
Warning: Supernatural themes with character death and animal cruelty, language
Beta: Special thanks to
dreamlesssleep and
joyasaurus_rex for being awesome betas!
Previous: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 |
.-.
Smoke billowed up from the large bonfire Blaine had set up in his backyard. He sat kneeling on the ground, his head bowed as he chanted.
His eyes were closed as he meditated, drawing power from all around him; the earth, the wind, the sky. In front of him sat a large ceramic bowl filled with herbs, spices and other ingredients he needed to complete the ritual, including a single unicorn hair which Kurt had gladly provided. The ingredients before him started to rise and began to dance around leisurely in the air, suspended by some unknown force, moving gently to sprinkle themselves over the flames.
The flames burst out suddenly, turning from bright orange to a dark green, all the while Blaine continued chanting. Kurt stood beside him, silently watching the ritual with a keen eye, waiting for something to happen.
As he chanted softly to himself, a light appeared out of nowhere, willing itself into existence. The light started off small, hovering inches from Blaine’s face, but then it began to move, twirling around as it slowly grew larger and larger. It steadily became brighter as it grew, almost enough to blind any normal man, but Kurt and Blaine continued on, unfazed.
The light began to dissipate when it reached about the size of a small tree, fading to reveal a tall young man standing before them.
Blaine opened his eyes and smiled weakly, his mind and body drained as his powers slowly sapped away. He rose shakily to his feet and moved to embrace the new-comer into a friendly hug.
“It’s good to see you, Blaine.” The man said, as a large dimpled smile stretched across his face. But as Blaine pulled back and looked up into his old friend’s face, he could see a hint of sadness lining his features.
“It’s good to see you too, Finn,” he replied, offering a small smile.
Finn nodded and turned to Kurt, patting his gleaming coat affectionately.
“How are you, Kurt?” he asked, staring imploringly into the unicorn’s eyes.
Kurt tossed his mane slightly, the pearly-white strands fluttering gently in the wind - equivalent of a human shrug.
Finn laughed, enjoying the moment with his long-time friends before he addressed why he’d been summoned. He took a deep breath and sighed, steeling himself for what lay ahead.
“I suppose you’ve been watching,” Blaine asked, getting straight to the matter at hand.
Finn nodded gravely. “I have. I need to hurry. There’s not much time. Even now the Trinity are closing in on her, and her powers won’t be enough to protect her. Not against another attack.”
Blaine nodded in agreement. “Then we should hurry.” He replied urgently, turning to prepare for another journey, but Finn placed a hand on Blaine’s shoulder to stop.
“No,” he interjected. “You need to stay here.”
Blaine looked up at him confused, his brow furrowed. “Why? You’re a star, too, Finn. Your powers won’t be enough to fight off the Unholy Trinity.”
Finn nodded sadly, but with a determined expression on his face. “I know, but I need you to prepare the spell for us to return as soon as possible. I might not be able to defeat them, but if I can get her out of there, then escape is a better option.”
Blaine nodded slowly in understanding, taking in the plan. He should have expected that. The spell to return a star to the skies was a difficult one, taking painstaking hours to prepare. It was even longer than the summoning ritual and required a good deal more energy as well. The last time he had performed it, it had almost completely drained him of his powers. It took him almost a month to recover. Not that he minded helping out, anything to stop the evil witch queen. Besides, he knew Kurt would be there to help him.
Finn paused for moment, looking at Blaine hopefully before asking, “Unless you happen to have a Babylon candle?”
Blaine shook his head grimly. A Babylon candle would make everything so much simpler, but they were extremely rare. In fact, in Blaine’s long life, he couldn’t recall ever seeing one.
Finn sighed, laughing softly to himself. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”
He turned to Kurt and smiled, “Are you ready for another journey?” Kurt’s head bobbed up and down in acquiescence, and Finn clumsily swung himself up on the unicorn’s gleaming back, holding on tightly to its silver mane. “Okay, let’s do this, Kurt.”
Slowly, he guided Kurt’s movements and began to move towards the neighboring forest; however, Blaine’s concerned voice caused both of them to pause.
“Wait, where are you going?” he asked, once again confused, staring into the dark, shadowy tree line. “New York City is northeast.”
Finn turned his back slightly and nodded. “I know. But it’s too late to get there in time. The Trinity has almost closed in on her. If I cut through the forest, I should get to the castle just in time. It’s okay; they won’t harm her before then. They need her alive.”
Blaine nodded as Finn and Kurt turned, continuing on his way, struggling not to voice the one other concern he had about their mission. Finally, when Blaine couldn’t contain himself any longer, calling out to Finn and causing them to stop again.
“And Finn,” he said uncertainly, trying to gauge the best way to ask the question burning within him. “Do you know she’s…?”
As Blaine’s voice trailed off, the words lost in his throat, Finn seemed to understand.
“Yeah, I know…” he finally said, nodding slightly and letting Blaine know that it was okay. “I know. ”
.-.
Rachel smiled contently as she lay in bed, her eyes wide open and staring at the rising sun peeking through the curtains. She remained as still as possible, relishing the feel of Noah’s arms wrapped loosely around her as he slept.
She listened to his soft, rhythmic snoring, his breath tickling the hairs on the back of her neck. She wanted to remember this moment forever; to lock each touch, feeling and sound in her memory. She had never felt so safe before, even compared to floating hundreds of light years away in space. There was just something so comforting about Noah that made her feel... everything.
She yearned to turn over so she could study his features as he slept, but she guessed that could be construed as very weird if he were to wake up and catch her. She giggled at the thought, inadvertently causing the bed to shake from her laughter.
She heard Noah groan softly, snuggling her closer to his chest as he wavered between sleep and wakefulness. She smiled to herself, when... she felt something odd poking into her back, something hard… At that exact same moment, she felt Noah tense behind her.
Suddenly, Rachel felt the bed shift violently as he scrambled off of it, heading, straight for the bathroom. She turned her head just in time to see the door close behind him.
She stared at the door perplexed, wondering why he had left so quickly; it seemed like very odd behavior. She sighed and rolled over, tucking her hands beneath her head. Sometimes she didn’t understand humans, let alone human males.
Noah had been acting strangely around her since their run-in with Will. At first she assumed he was merely freaked out by everything that was happening. He acted like it didn’t faze him, but surely any normal man would have run out the door by now. She felt extremely guilty that she had gotten him caught up in all her drama, and yet she couldn’t regret her decision to keep certain things from him.
He had proved to be more than anything she could have asked for in a guide and a friend - her first real friend. He had decided to stand by her through all the mayhem and she felt blessed to have found him.
No, she definitely didn’t regret having Noah in her life.
She closed her eyes and lay there, listening to the sound of the shower running. It was probably time to get up now that Noah was up, too, but she didn’t really know what to do with herself.
He stayed in the bathroom for a while, so long that Rachel got bored waiting for him to emerge. Instead, she got up and walked around the room, properly taking in its features for the first time. After quickly ordering some room service from a very helpful menu, she drew open the curtains and smiled at the sight before her.
They were on one of the top floors of the hotel, looking out at the city around them. This was her dream, and she was so close that she could almost taste it. She knew there was a lot to do, a lot to worry about; yet at that very moment, she found that she couldn’t. For the first time in her life, she saw the endless opportunities in front of her. She would find a way to deal with Sue and the Trinity later; right now was for her.
A short while later, the bathroom door opened and Rachel turned with a smile to look at Noah, only to have her face fall in shock. He had a towel slung low on his hips as he stepped out, but that wasn’t what drew her attention. All along his neck and chest were the dark bruises the Trinity had caused him. But as she looked closer she realized she was wrong. She tilted her head, scrutinizing each black and purple bruise, and some were more faded than others; they were older. The fresh ones contrasted darkly against the greenish-yellow bruises that had already begun to heal.
“Did-did I do that?” she asked, her voice shaking.
He glanced down and closed his eyes, muttering a low curse. “It’s nothing,” he said, shaking his head.
He immediately walked over to the side of the bed and quickly pulled his shirt over his head, trying to hide the bruising from view. She rushed over to his side and pulled up his shirt to closely examine his brutally marred body. Her hands reached out shakily, tracing the lines of each bruise. They covered his shoulder and chest, one even reaching around to his back like a nightmarish blemish against his tan skin.
“Rachel...” he said, grabbing her hands to stop her. His hand reached up and tilted her chin towards his face. “It’s okay. They don’t even hurt.”
She narrowed her eyes shrewdly, before poking him in the chest with her finger tip, causing him to wince and pull away slightly. “Don’t lie to me, Puckerman,” she bit out angrily, tears stinging her eyes. “I don’t like being lied to.”
He sighed and reclaimed her hand in his. “I’m telling you the truth. It’s okay. Just some battle scars.” A teasing smirk grew on his face as he looked down at her. “I saved your life, you know.”
“This isn’t funny, Noah!” she said, trying to push against him stubbornly, but he held her steady.
“I know,” he replied, his tone suddenly serious, and Rachel looked up once more to meet his gaze.
She felt her breath leave her as they stared at each other. She bit her lip nervously and his eyes fluttered downwards at the movement, staring. She could hear her heart beating wildly in her chest. Something wonderful was about to happen. She could feel it, and suddenly all thought flew out of her mind. Her head inched closer to his, her feet arching up on her toes in impatience as she instinctively closed her eyes, preparing to savor every second when...
“Room service!” A man called, knocking loudly on the door.
Rachel’s eyes snapped open, and from the dazed look in Noah’s eyes, he had been as equally surprised as she was. They continued looking at each other for another moment before the impatient knock sounded again.
“Yeah, coming!” Noah finally replied, his voice slightly hoarse. He took a step back, their eyes connecting for a few seconds longer before he looked away. He distractedly fished a couple of dollars out of his wallet and headed for the door.
Rachel’s hand reached up to cup her cheeks, her face flushed and hot. She honestly had no idea what to do with the torrent of emotions swirling inside her. So how did she respond?
She ran. Well, walked.
She swiftly headed towards the bathroom and locked the door behind her, leaning up against the counter as she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Her heart was still pounding fast and hard in her chest, and all she could feel was the ghost of Noah’s hands on hers. She looked down at her hands, now glowing richly in front of her eyes. Every fiber of her being felt like it was vibrating. Even as the shine began to fade, her body continued humming, more alive than ever before.
It was all too much. How could anybody possibly feel so much in matter of mere seconds? It felt both wonderful and terrifying at the same time.
She heard Noah knock lightly at the door and tell her she could shower before they ate. “The... er... food’s not going anywhere.”
She found herself grateful for the temporary reprieve; she needed the time to collect her thoughts. As she prepared to take her shower, she thought about everything that had happened in the past few days. She had been on an emotional rollercoaster, she had encountered numerous setbacks along her journey, but nothing, not even the threat of imminent death, had affected her like standing silently in a room with Noah had, their hands entwined together as an unseen spark of electricity passed between them. She wondered if the feelings inside her were the ones she’d heard tell about in all those Broadway shows, where a simple touch could speak a thousand words. She wondered if this was what it felt like to be falling in love.
.-.
Puck stared at the door Rachel had disappeared behind, cursing himself for almost kissing her. What had he been thinking? She was probably hiding from him, horrified that he’d crossed the invisible line between them. They were just friends - kind of - on a journey together. He didn’t need whatever messed up ideas floating around in his head were telling him.
There was the “old Puck” inside him, the “Puck” he used to be, screaming at him for being such a pussy, for not going to her and kissing her with all the fire and passion she inspired inside - but then there was the other “Puck.” The “Puck” that had suddenly emerged out of nowhere and did shit like take on knife-wielding mad men and crazy cheerleaders hell-bent on kidnapping Rachel and sacrificing her to their Queen; the one she liked to call “Noah”.
And Noah? Had no fucking clue what he was doing.
She had just arrived here, all naïve and willing to learn. She probably had no idea how he felt when she was with him, had no idea what it felt like to... To what? He asked himself as he pushed the small food trolley further into the room. His head felt like a mixed jumble of thoughts, each even less coherent than the last.
He sighed and walked over to the bathroom door, telling her to take her time before returning to the food. He was glad she had decided to take her time; he needed time to think.
He lifted the sterling silver tray cover to find an assortment of breakfast foods in front of him: eggs, sausages, pancakes, fruits, and, of course, his waffles. He smiled to himself. She already knew what he liked.
He ate while he waited for her to emerge, fully dressed and her hair twisted into a knot at the back of her head. They were both wearing the same clothes they had been wearing for the past few days; the only clothes he owned since his duffel bag was probably somewhere in Cleveland right now. He made a mental note to go shopping later. They probably didn’t have a Wal-Mart in NYC, but he was sure they could find something suitable.
She walked over and sat beside him before gingerly picking a strawberry from a bowl of assorted fruits. She smiled as she brought it to her lips, humming at the sweet taste. Puck laughed, pushing aside the thoughts of how great it would be to taste strawberries on her lips.
“So, er,” he began as they ate, struggling to decide what to say. “I figured we should start looking for an apartment today. As great as it is in this hotel, we shouldn’t blow too much money staying here.”
She looked at him contemplatively and nodded. “Sounds good, but how long will that take? I really wanted to get started today!” Her face lit up with excitement. “There are probably thousands of aspiring performers out there on the streets of Manhattan, waiting for their chance to shine, and as they say, the early bird catches the worm. I don’t really want to waste any time. What if the perfect part is out there for me today and I miss it because of such trivial things like where we should live?”
Puck raised his eyebrows in amusement, wanting to laugh at her skewed priorities. Whatever awkwardness she might have felt earlier was obviously gone; she was ready and willing to jump into the race for Broadway stardom.
He nodded and smirked at her. “Okay,” he said slowly, thinking it over. “I guess a couple more days living here couldn’t hurt, but we can’t stay here forever.” Rachel clapped her hands together giddily. “And we definitely can’t be walking around in the same clothes as we have for the past few days. So as much as I want to help you get started, we should probably hit up a few stores first.”
Rachel nodded her head in agreement, her expression determined. “That sounds reasonable, but only for a short while. I have a lot of work to do! There’s no rest for the wicked. Oh! Wicked! Do you think anyone will be recasting that masterpiece anytime soon? I think I’d be a perfect Elphaba.”
“Elf-a-who?” Puck asked, his brow creasing as he laughed.
“You’ve never heard of it? It’s-”
Puck chuckled as he lifted his hand and covered her mouth. “I’m sure it’s great, and you can tell me all about it while we’re shopping, but first you gotta eat. The faster you eat, the faster we can get out of here, and the faster you’ll get to be an Elf. You sure are short enough for one.”
Rachel laughed and rolled her eyes. “Elphaba is a girl. A witch, in fact.” Her eyes darkened slightly at the mention of witches, but the moment was quickly replaced by her bright smile. “Anyway...”
Puck smiled as she began chatting merrily. Today was sure to be a long day, but as he watched her talk and dig into her breakfast, he found that he really didn’t mind. It was good to see her back to her enthusiastic and talkative self again.
He pushed the thoughts of witches and the Unholy Trinity away. He knew they were an ever-looming threat, but as he watched her unrestrained excitement, he found he couldn’t bear to burst her bubble. At least, not yet. He would give it a day, one single day, before he needed to figure out what to do with this shit. He’d give her this day.
.-.
It was only ten in the morning but Puck felt exhausted. They had walked around the city for about an hour, Rachel pulling him in every direction, and then he had been forced to stand there while she paraded a line of clothes in front of him. And okay, maybe forced was little harsh, because he kind of liked seeing all the different clothes on her, but that was probably because she looked hot in everything she tried on. There were a couple of numbers that brought memories of that morning and his embarrassing case of morning wood right to the forefront of his memory.
He had been easy to find clothes for. All he needed was a couple of shirts and jeans and he was good, but Rachel tried on everything from summer dresses to tank tops and short shorts. There was this one dress, bright yellow and perfect, and it seemed to genuinely make her shine, even without the help of her naturally ability. She had done this little twirl when she’d first tried it on and it made him half-hard just looking at her. How could someone so short have such long legs?
Thankfully, they were about to take a break. They walked into a small cafe on their way back to the hotel, and Puck collapsed at the nearest available table, dropping the load of bags he’d been carrying around for Rachel. The word “whirlwind” was an understatement for this girl. She took on every task and challenge with more enthusiasm than he had ever felt towards anything in his life.
He searched around the café, and a cute, young Asian girl around their age walked over, notepad at the ready.
“Hi, what can I get for you?” she asked with a kind smile. It was different from what Puck had expected. Most of the people in the city so far, at least the retail workers, had been either bored or annoyed, or both. It was almost funny how Rachel responded to this girl’s polite and inviting attitude.
“What would you recommend for a person who doesn’t eat animals?” she asked.
The girl’s eyebrow arched questioningly. “Well, we have a very good range of both vegan and vegetarian options on the menu. I personally recommend the tofu scramble. My boyfriend’s the chef, and he makes a mean one. It’s an old family recipe that he’s tweaked here and there.”
Rachel looked at her in confusion, and he could see her about to ask what the hell she was talking about. Okay, maybe not in so many words, but Puck figured that the girl wasn’t up for explaining the difference between vegans and vegetarians.
“That sounds fine,” Puck interjected when Rachel opened her mouth, giving her a glance to tell her that he’d explain later. “I’ll have a coffee and a chocolate chip muffin.”
The girl smiled at them both while she took down the order before she turned and left.
Puck almost laughed as Rachel opened her mouth to ask him a tirade of questions. He honestly didn’t mind answering them as they waited for their food to arrive.
Rachel grinned up at him once he was done. “I think I’m a vegan then,” she concluded. “I don’t really know what chicks are, or milk or yo-hurt, but it seems hardly fair to simply take these things from animals without their consent. No, unless I could personally ask their opinions in the matter, then I shan’t partake in this particular human custom. It just doesn’t feel right.”
Puck shook his head, amused. “It’s not really like that, but, you know, whatever floats your boat,” he shrugged.
“Wait,” Rachel paused, her head tilting in confusion again. “What boat? There’s a boat as well?”
He roared with laughter as she looked at him, bewildered. He found that he quite enjoyed explaining things to her. Her innocence as she learned about the world both awed and amused him. It was definitely different looking at the world through her eyes, maybe because she’d never really seen it before.
“So how do I get onto Broadway?” she asked Puck, waiting expectantly for the answer, like he had all the answers.
Now this was a question Puck had been mulling over all day.
Puck knew how to do many things. He knew how to play the guitar and the piano. He even knew how to play the accordion, which was no simple feat. He could disassemble and reassemble a pool filter in five minutes flat and he knew the engine of his truck like the back of his hand, but getting onto Broadway? Well, that wasn’t exactly his area of expertise.
He was saved from answering the question when their waitress walked over with their food. She distributed the plates on their table, and then said, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard you asking about Broadway. Are you an aspiring actress?”
Rachel beamed up at the girl like she had made a new best friend and nodded eagerly. “Yes, do you know how?”
The girl laughed and shook her head. “Well, technically yes, but my success rate hasn’t exactly been stellar. As a beginner, the best place to start is the probably by finding an agent. The best one in the city is probably Lauren Zizes. She’s a bit of a bitch and she’s brutal but she’s good. If you can get an appointment, that is. She usually ignores you until you make an impression. Here,” the girl said, pulling out a newspaper from her apron pocket. “If you want to get anyone’s attention and see what it’s all about, maybe you should go to a few open calls.”
“Oh, thank you so much, um...” Rachel exclaimed excitedly as she introduced herself, trailing off as she realized she hadn’t learned the waitress’ name.
The girl smiled. “Tina,” she supplied helpfully.
“Tina,” Rachel replied, smiling back. “It was so nice to meet you, Tina. Thanks for your wonderful advice, but don’t you need this for yourself?” she asked, holding out the newspaper.
“No problem,” she replied shaking her head. “But all the auditions today aren’t really suitable. A lot of brunettes and blondes. It’s harder, you know, being Asian; you don’t get noticed as much.”
Rachel frowned. “That doesn’t seem right.”
Tina sighed. “It’s just the way this town works. Anyway, I better get back to work. Good luck with everything.”
Puck took in Tina’s words and wondered. Sure, he knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but he’d really hate to see Rachel fail. It just didn’t seem right, especially with all she’d gone through to get here. He was a little worried with how she would take this, but when he turned his head to look at her, her face was full of enthusiasm.
Her smile stretched widely across her eager face. “This is going to wonderful, Noah. I can feel it!”
.-.
Rachel felt horrible. She was already on the verge of tears, the stress and disappointment of the day finally getting to her.
They had gone to four open casting calls, all of which told her she “didn’t have the right look.” It seemed ridiculous that a city bursting with talent seemed so focused on “the right look.” Shouldn’t the ability and capabilities of a performer be more important that the mere physical appearance of a person? She watched as those simple minded fools simpered at the meager squawking of a bottle blonde bimbo that she could literally sing into the ground, while they barely even glanced up from the infernal devices in their hands when it was her turn.
Rachel realized that that wasn’t the worst of it when she had finally managed to make it into Lauren Zizes’ office. She had stood badgering her secretary for almost two hours, unwilling to miss such an important opportunity, before the disgruntled old lady finally broke down. But to say Ms. Zizes had been brutal was an understatement.
She had yelled at Rachel for almost twenty minutes for wasting her time, reprimanding her for not having a resume or any experience.
“How am I supposed to represent someone with no official training, who doesn’t even carry a headshot?” she had yelled loudly, probably loud enough for the whole world to hear.
Rachel had felt like a fraud. This wasn’t what she had dreamed New York City to be like.
“Blaine’s right,” she said as she cried into Puck’s shoulder, her words muffled as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck, tears falling to stain his shirt. “I shouldn’t have come here. It’s hopeless. I can’t do this! I should just go back and forget this ever happened!”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Puck replied sarcastically, and Rachel pushed him away indignantly, glaring down her nose at him. The only thing stopping her from slapping him right now were the soothing circular patterns he was rubbing up and down her back.
He frowned at her and gave her a pointed look before continuing seriously, “Come on, Rachel, don’t talk crap.” He pulled her forward and moved his head to rest against her temple.
“I’m serious, Noah...” she began, hiccupping slightly.
“And so am I,” he pulled back to look her straight in the eye. “Rachel, you knew this was gonna be hard. You think that just because one person-”
“Five!” Rachel tried to correct him.
“- didn’t like the way you sang or the way you look, that you should give up? Do you think that Barbra chick you’ve been going on about non-stop gave up after only one day?” he asked incredulously. “No. She didn’t,” he said firmly, answering his own question. “And neither will you. I’m not gonna let you give up just because you had a bad day. You’re not a Lima Loser, and you never will be!”
Rachel looked at him confused, and Noah’s eyes shifted around awkwardly. “What are you -?”
“Nothing.” He interrupted quickly. “Come on.” He pulled her along by the arm, racing to some unknown destination.
She mulled over his words in her head, wondering what it all meant. Whoever said she was a loser? she wondered a little indignantly. She also wondered if, perhaps, Noah wasn’t talking to her; well maybe not only talking to her.
“What in the world...?” she asked, as he pulled her down a mostly empty street and through a back alley way. “Noah, where are you taking me? This is highly suspicious behavior… “
He shushed her and bent down at the back door to a small, run-down old building.
“Noah, what are you doing?” she asked nervously as he fiddled with the lock.
“Something I picked up in juvie.” He answered with a smirk.
What? Juvie? She was about to ask again when the door popped open and he grinned from his apparent success.
“After you,” he said, pushing her through the door.
Rachel stumbled through, bewildered. “What are we doing here, Noah?” she asked, stamping her foot in impatience. She didn’t like not knowing what was going on.
“Just calm down, will ya,” he replied calmly. “Have I ever steered you wrong?”
Rachel frowned half-heartedly. “No, I guess not.” He left her and stumbled around in the dark for a while, obviously looking for something, but her tolerance was wearing thin. “Noah, I’m tired. I just want to go back to the hotel -”
Suddenly the lights flickered on around her, and Rachel walked in awe towards the open stage. It was amazing. She could see everything from her position. There were rows and rows of empty seats, leading all the way to the back, and also not one, but two, balconies, filled with seats. There was a thick layer of dust coating the floor, and there was slight musty quality in the air. There were piles of furniture around the stage, some covered with large white sheets as well as tools and buckets of paint strewn everywhere. The theatre looked like no one had been inside for a very long time, but Rachel didn’t care.
“How did you -?” she asked when Noah appeared on stage. She couldn’t take her eyes off her surroundings. She found herself spinning around to try and capture everything within her mind.
He shrugged. “I scouted around while you were auditioning. I’m pretty sure this place is mostly abandoned, but I thought it’d give you a taste what to expect.”
“What?” she turned to him, a small enraptured smile on her face.
“Well, I don’t know how long this whole auditioning thing is gonna take. I mean, you’re a pretty persistent girl, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you were doing this for real in, like, a week, but we can just call this a preview. So what do you think, Rachel? Are you ready to make your theatre debut?”
She beamed at him and nodded eagerly. He grinned back at her before leaping off the stage and taking a seat in the center of the front row. Noah whooped and clapped as she took center stage.
“I’ll be singing, ‘On My Own’, from the seminal Broadway classic, Les Mis.”
Rachel closed her eyes and imagined the theatre to be completely filled, a quiet hush falling over the crowd. She opened her mouth and sang, letting the lyrics, the melody and the emotions that this song inspired washing over her. She had always imagined a faceless someone when she sang this song, but right now, she could see Noah clear as day as she sang. She wondered if he heard her. Really heard her.
When she let the last note hang heavily in the air, resonating throughout the theatre, she finally opened her eyes, meeting his surprised gaze for the first time.
He looked at her in astonishment for a moment before he started clapping and cheering for her once more. She could feel the blush creeping up her neck as she did a small curtsy. She watched as he hoisted himself up on stage, biting her lip nervously as he approached.
“Woah.” He said, speechless. “I mean, woah! I knew you said you could sing, but you can really sing!” He smiled encouragingly. “I can’t believe those idiots turned you down. You completely blew me away. I don’t know why you’re even bothering. You’re already a fucking star!” She smiled, ducking her head shyly. For once in her long life, she was completely speechless. She could feel her cheeks heating up once more; the rapid thumping in her chest echoing in her ears. “Hey...” he said, tucking his finger under her chin and tilting her head upwards.
Her breath caught in her throat as she waited in anticipation. This time her eyes remained open as his head lowered to meet her, everything moving in slow motion. It wasn’t until the very last moment that his face was mere seconds from hers that she allowed her eyes to flutter close. His lips grazed against hers, an entirely different kind of warmth spreading from the touch and moving rapidly throughout her entire body. Her body seemed to tingle with excitement. He pulled back slightly, his hands moving to cup her face. He looked at her imploringly, silently seeking permission. A small smile graced her lips, and whatever apprehension Noah seemed to be feeling melted away.
His face leaned forward again, quicker this time, and Rachel prepared herself to sink into the kiss when suddenly a loud bang sounded around them. Then the steady clapping of a single person filled the air.
Rachel’s body jumped at the sound, and they both turned to see Quinn walking down the large center aisle, her hands pounding together, mockingly.
“Aw, how sweet,” she remarked in a sickeningly cheery voice, before her face hardened in a brute glare and she continued coldly. “Not.”
In an instant, she was on the stage in front of them. Noah moved protectively between the two, but Quinn merely laughed at the thought. With a flick of her wrist, Noah went toppling backwards, landing harshly on a long forgotten scaffold stand.
Rachel screamed out his name as his back hit the metal bars with a loud thud, his body slumping down as he lay unconscious. She began to run towards him, but Quinn held out her hand threateningly.
“I wouldn’t do that if I was you.”
“I don’t care what you do!” Rachel retorted angrily.
Quinn pushed both hands out towards Rachel, her palms facing outwards. A pulse of energy shot from her hands and pushed Rachel backwards. Somehow, she managed to remain on her feet, only stumbling slightly. When she tried to run forward again, she found her path blocked by another invisible barrier, but this time there were no bright sparks of electricity; it was just her fighting against a wall of nothing but air.
“Leave us alone!” she pleaded with the leader of the Trinity, but Quinn simply sneered in response. “Please, just let us go!”
“Now why would I do that?” she asked, though she took no pleasure in their pain. “When all I need is right here in front of me? And I see Blaine isn’t coming to the rescue this time.”
Rachel began glowing brightly, trying to summon the energy to escape once again, but her powers fell short. She was simply too drained from the previous day to repeat their miraculous escape.
She heard Noah groan, sitting up in a daze and rubbing the back of his neck.
“Noah!” she cried again, thankful that he was alright. At least for now.
With a snap of her fingers, Quinn instantly summoned Brittany and Santana to his side, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
“Rachel?” he asked confused, looking around as Brittany and Santana stared into his eyes, their bodies pressing against his as they literally began crawling up his chest. “What’s going on...?”
“What are you doing?” Rachel asked directing her to Quinn.
Quinn smile was as menacing as ever. “Men, they’re so predictable, don’t you think?” she asked rhetorically.
Noah shook his head, blinking his eyes as if he was trying to wake up. “Rachel..?” he asked again, turning his head towards her, but Santana gripped his chin and wordlessly commanded him to face her once again. He was forced to look into her eyes, his gaze transfixed, as Rachel watched on in horror.
“Stop it!” Rachel shouted, pounding against the invisible wall. “Whatever you’re doing just leave him out of it!”
The Unholy Trinity all laughed mercilessly, and only then did Noah seem to snap out of his daze. He struggled fruitlessly against Brittany and Santana’s hold on him, but they just continued to smile, looking up at him seductively through their long eyelashes, coy smiles gracing their lips.
“Oh, he’s a fighter this one,” Quinn quipped as she watched the scene in front of them. “It’s been centuries since anyone’s been able to resist Santana’s charm.” The Latina threw Quinn a dirty look before turning back to the task at hand, but Quinn ignored it.
“Tell me Rachel,” she asked, her tone light with pleasure, as if they were having just any ordinary conversation. “Have you ever heard what happens when a man is kissed by one of the Unholy Trinity?”
Rachel shook her head in horror. Actually, she hadn’t heard. She had no idea what would happen, but she had a feeling that whatever it was, it couldn’t be anything good.
“Don’t... ” she begged, tears streaming down her face. “Please... don’t!”
“They die.” Quinn’s lip twitched in amusement, her head tilting to the side as she silently gave the command to Santana. “A slow and painful death.”
“No, stop!” Rachel screamed, her head shaking vigorously. “Noah!”
She shouted with all her might as she watched, completely helpless, as Santana’s face approached Noah’s. For a moment, it seemed like all was lost. He seemed to have given in. He stared, bewitched, his eyes wide and pupil dilated. He moved his head in compliance to some unheard command, his face inching forward, when suddenly he snapped out of it.
He looked around stunned, the sound of her desperate shrieking waking him up. He stared in horror at Santana’s face, seconds away from his, before he began furiously struggling as hard as he could against the weight of her and Brittany as they held him still.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he yelled, fear evident in his voice. Without thinking, he spat in the girl’s ever nearing face and she recoiled in disgust.
In an instant, Santana had him around the throat, squeezing hard on his neck, already marred with bruises. “You’re gonna pay for that, you hijo de puta!” she shouted, wiping the saliva off her cheek angrily.
“Enough!” Quinn commanded loudly. Both Brittany and Santana looked at her in surprise. “We can deal with him back at the castle. Just knock him out and we’ll deal with him later.” She then turned to Rachel, and glared. She moved forward through the invisible barrier and grabbed Rachel around the wrist, while Santana threw a threatening blow at Noah. He slumped forward once more, his completely limp form hanging lifelessly in the girls’ arms. “Now, you’re coming with us. And you better not fight us, otherwise we’ll drop him off a bridge along the way.”
They were off like a bullet, running at break neck speed as Rachel stared helplessly at Noah’s unconscious form. This was all her fault. She should have just let him leave when he had the chance. She should have demanded he leave her alone. She should have told him she didn’t want him there; anything to keep him from their clutches.
She had foolishly ignored the impending threat of the Trinity, even after they had come after her and wreaked havoc in a crowded street. She had desperately believed she could simply be a normal girl.
All because she was selfish. She always had been. She wanted it all. Him. Broadway. Everything. And now she had to pay the unbearable price.
.-.
For Quinn, it felt like the journey back to the castle took no time at all, or perhaps she was just eager to return with her prize. It would be so easy from here on out. She had the star and soon they would have their freedom. It was all they had dreamed about since the beginning of their imprisonment. She fiddled with the tight gold band around her wrist, its weight feeling as heavy as ever. She knew it would be gone soon and that this would have all been worth it, but as far as Quinn was concerned, it wasn’t soon enough.
They came to a halting stop inside the large fortress directly in from of Sue. She stood there with a sinister wide grin worsened by her distorted facial features.
The three girls instantly bowed down on one knee and greeted their master. Quinn looked up at her Queen, but she didn’t meet her gaze. She only had eyes for the star.
“Welcome,” she said with a cruel grin, ignoring the rest. Rachel cowered, struggling against Quinn’s tight grip on her wrist.
“You leave us alone!” Rachel yelled indignantly, stamping her foot. “You despicable old hag! You should be ashamed of yourself!”
The Queen cackled with laughter over Rachel’s tirade, the raucous sound reverberating throughout the large room, so terrifying that even the chandelier seemed to quake with fear.
“Quinn,” the Queen said, as Rachel continued her pointless struggle, yelling a string of obscenities towards the Queen. She waved her hand and suddenly Rachel’s mouth was snapped shut as if her lips had been sewn together, but that didn’t stop the ever-determined star. She mumbled as loudly as possible and fought as fervently as ever, but the Queen simply ignored her. “Take whatever you have there to the dungeons. Dispose of it if you will. Just leave me with the star.”
Quinn shook her head angrily. “No, we had a deal,” she said pointedly holding out her wrist.
Sue laughed again. “And you failed me.”
Quinn’s eyes flashed red and she advanced on the Queen, ready to use all her might to take her down. Suddenly, a painful jolt coursed through her body, starting from the prominent band around her wrist travelling up her arms. At first, she tried her hardest to push through the pain, but as she swung forward with all her might, the cuff stopped her mid-swing, her hand suspended in mid-air. When she could no longer fight the jarring pain, she collapsed to the floor cradling her scalded arm.
Sue’s cold eyes turned towards Quinn. “Are you quite done?” she demanded impatiently.
“We had a deal.” Quinn said through gritted teeth, unwilling to let the Queen see just how much pain she was in.
“Relax,” the Queen said dismissively. “You’ll have your freedom once the ritual is done. I can’t very well give up my greatest asset when I still haven’t achieved victory, can I? Do you think I’m stupid? You could be poised to attack me while I’m in my weakened state.” The Queen laughed at the absurdity of that idea, before turning back to her star. “Now go, before I change my mind.”
Quinn growled at the Queen before nodding at Santana and Brittany. Together, they hauled away the still unconscious body of the soon-to-be dead guy. Just as they reached the stairway down to the dungeons, Sue’s gleeful voice rang out again.
“Oh, and deal with our unwanted visitor, will you? Then I’ll grant you your much beloved freedom.”
.-.
Finn tried to creep through the castle as best he could, hugging the walls and trying to remain out of sight. It was difficult for him; it would be difficult for any person his size. In his human form, Finn was unusually tall, especially for a human, earning him a nickname among the stars as “Frankenteen”. It was just a good thing that he had barely spent any time as a human before. He didn’t like his cumbersome build, the awkward shuffle of his large feet, and his lanky arms which seemed to dangle like large tree branches, easily bumping into things as he walked.
The castle was mostly dark, save for the main hall. He could see a faint glow emanating from the large archway, serving as a connecting pathway from the hall to the foyer.
Even though he had never been there before, Finn felt like he knew these walls even better than the back of his hands, which was technically true since he’d spent so little time as a human. But he had spent many years watching over this place, waiting.
He stopped as he approached a well lit staircase. He could hear the rumblings of Sue as she pretended to make easy conversation with her captive from the hallway while the loud screams of Rachel’s new friend drifted upwards. From his position, he was able to peek around the corner. He saw Rachel, bound and gagged on the floor as she struggled against her bonds. Everything inside him wanted to go help her, to tear through the room and protect her against the so-called Queen, but he couldn’t; not yet. He needed help first, help that he wasn’t entirely sure he was going to get, but he had to try.
He tried tiptoeing across the entrance way, straining to remain as quiet as possible as he walked, helped by the thick layer of dust muffling his oafish movements. It was lucky for him that Sue’s loud monologue coupled with the screaming coming up the spiraling staircase had drowned out the sound of his footsteps. He had never been the lightest person on his feet. As he descended towards the delighted cackles of the Trinity, his brow furrowed in concentration as he listened to their tortuous musing.
“Are you having fun now?” Santana asked, an evil lilt to her voice. “Don’t you wanna touch, big boy? I think you do…”
As stealthily as he could, Finn looked through the stone door way. He saw Santana, her pinky fingers linked with Brittany’s as they both leaned closely to the squirming Puck as he tried to get away from their forms invading his personal space, but Quinn was nowhere to be seen. The boy already had several long gashes along his torso, and dark bruises covered his chest, shoulders and neck. His cheek was also red and swollen from whatever infliction the girls had caused, and yet he still struggled against his binds.
Finn had to give it to this one; he sure didn’t give up. He watched as Puck swore loudly at Santana, spitting the words angrily at her face.
Slowly, both girls stood up, and Finn could just picture the identical taunting smiles gracing their lips. Santana waved her hands and Puck’s mouth snapped shut, magically gagging him, approaching ever closer as she moved her face in for a kiss; a kiss of death.
Finn knew he had to act quickly. With no real plan in mind, he stepped out from the darkness, ready to confront the girls when suddenly, a well-aimed kick landed at center of his back, sending him flying forward. He stumbled as he hit the far wall, bracing himself against it as he staggered to keep his footing. He didn’t need to turn around to see who it was.
He turned to face Quinn as she glowered at him darkly. He tried to open his mouth to speak but Quinn instantly cut him off, magically silencing his voice as his mouth flapped soundlessly.
“Shut up,” she commanded. “You don’t deserve to speak.”
Finn closed his eyes, summoning enough power to break Quinn’s spell on him. “No,” he voiced clearly, causing her angry glare to intensify. “Quinn...”
“Shut up!” she shouted again. This time he could feel a vice like grip around his throat, forcing his voice to disappear, but once again he fought off her attack.
“No!” he said again, this time more forcefully. “I will not.”
Her eyes flashed with rage. Within a split, second she was physically at his throat, strangling him, with her fingers squeezing tightly. He struggled against her firm hold, but he still managed choke out his speech.
“Quinn - you - don’t - have - to - do - this!” he said, his words disjointed.
She laughed at him. “Yes, I do.” She swung his body upwards as he hit the ceiling, before falling with a heavy thump to the floor.
He slowly clambered to his feet again.
“You can hurt me all you want Quinn. It won’t change a thing,” he said, surprisingly calm. She growled again, springing forward and landing blow after blow at him. She yelled in frustration as time and time again, his wounds healed instantly. He just stood there, waiting until she tired herself out, watching as her hands slowly turned bloody from the impact.
“Quinn, stop!” came a small voice, and Brittany was suddenly separating them, barring Quinn from continuing her assault.
“Get out of the way, Britt,” she said, her voice snarled.
“No!” It was rare for Brittany to stand up to her friends, choosing to stand back and let them make the decisions, but she wasn’t as heartless as one might think. She may not have cared about other people’s lives, especially not the star in front of her, but she cared about her friends, and she could tell how shaken her old friend was at that very moment.
Finn stumbled to his feet again, and watched as Quinn’s hands took time to heal, Brittany trying to remain between them. “It’s okay, Brittany,” he said, steeling himself for whatever else Quinn had simmering inside her. “Let her go.”
Quinn’s eyes narrowed at him suspiciously. “You think I won’t kill you?” she asked, daring him to answer.
Finn shook his head. “No, I think you want to kill me with every fiber of your soul, or rather what’s left of it, but this isn’t you Quinn. This isn’t who you want to be.”
Her eyes glinted red as she launched herself at him once more, but as her arm swung forward, it stopped short of connecting with his face. She stood still staring into his boyish face, her already healing hand poised in mid-air.
“You don’t know anything,” she barked, lowering her hand before turning and walking away.
“Yes, I do,” he insisted, his own bruises already gone. He turned towards the guy struggling on the floor as he stared at them in a daze, his mouth still bound shut, effectively silencing him. It was obvious he didn’t understand what was happening, but he seemed to be using this chance to work harder at escaping. “Let him go. Help me save her.”
Quinn laughed and half-turned to look at him. “And why would I do that?” she asked in a mocking tone.
Finn’s gaze turned to meet hers and he looked at her sadly. “Because you’ve done it before.”
She growled again, moving quickly to grab him around the throat again. “And look where it got me. Look where it got my friends. Letting you go cost me my life. My freedom. I won’t let this opportunity slip through my fingers. You were a fool to think you could just waltz in here and change all the rules.” A triumphant grin graced her lips. “Girls, it looks like we have another star for the Queen.” She announced, her hand tightening around his throat once more.
“You - know - that - won’t - work.” Finn struggled out. “You - know - I’m - use - less - to - her. And - you - know - why.”
Quinn shrugged and swung her free hand around, delivering a harsh knock-out blow to side of Finn’s head. “I told you to shut up.”
.-.
Rachel watched helplessly as the Queen worked around her, cursing herself for being so foolish. She desperately needed to make sure Noah was okay. She had been forced to endure hearing his screams from below, but not too long ago, all had fallen ominously silent. She cried at the thought of him being hurt, or worse, dead. This was all her fault. Her selfishness had led them here.
She struggled silently against her bonds, her own mouth still magically bound shut.
“Don’t worry,” Sue said, looking down at her, mistaking Rachel’s tears. “It’ll be over quickly, and the process is relatively harmless.” She cackled merrily, before lowering her face to Rachel’s level. “I lie. It’s going to be very, very painful. Excruciatingly painful. So painful, in fact, you’ll wish you were already dead.”
Her evil laughter continued to fill the large hall, and Rachel could to nothing but whimper from her place on the floor. She tried to summon as much power as she could muster, but Sue easily quashed her attempts. “Look,” she had said, angrily. “If you continue to waste my power like that, I’ll have them kill him right in front of your eyes. Or better yet, how about a kiss?”
She had fallen silent after that, desperately trying to think of a way to escape as she searched for the right opportunity. Rachel turned her head towards a commotion coming up from the dungeons, and she held her breath as the Unholy Trinity soon emerged, carrying a struggling Noah and a sluggish...
Finn?
She tried to voice her surprise, but the magical gag Sue had bestowed upon her effectively muted out any of her concerns.
“Ah, it looks like you’ve given our guest the appropriate welcome.” Sue said with a wide grin, baring her crooked grin. “And you...” she turned to look Noah in the eye. “It was foolish of you to think that you could steal my star like this. I should kill you where you stand.”
She turned to look at Rachel, taunting her. “What do you think, my star?” she snarled, before commanding in an equally harsh tone, “Speak!”
“Don’t!” Rachel gasped out from her position on the floor, her voice suddenly returning as tears streamed down her face. “Please don’t. He has nothing to do with this. He was just an innocent bystander.”
Sue laughed cruelly. “Who was trying to steal my star! Tell me, star, if he was just an ‘innocent bystander,’ as you say, then you won’t mind if I destroy him. Maybe that’ll finally get you to give up.”
“No!” Rachel protested. “He means nothing to me!” She could feel the tears running down her face, as Noah’s struggling paused. “He means nothing! Just let him go! Just let them all go!”
Sue’s face darkened. “Now why would I do that? You’re not exactly in a bargaining position here.”
Rachel sobbed loudly. “Just let them all go, and I’ll grant it to you willingly.” At her words, Finn who had now recovered, pulled himself forward against Santana and Brittany’s hold, trying to voice his objection.
Sue snorted in distaste. “What difference will that make? I already have you in my grasp.”
“You and I both know my magics are ten times more potent if given willingly.”
“So?” Sue said, shrugging her shoulders. “I will have power no matter what.”
“For how long?” Rachel retorted. “Three, maybe, four hundred years?”
“It’s longer than you’ll ever have!” Sue yelled angrily, growing frustrated with the conversation.
“True. But then you’ll be powerless again, locked in this fortress until another star falls from the heavens. And who know how long that will take.” Rachel reasoned. “But if I give my power willingly, then you will finally achieve what you’ve always wanted: true immortality. Your magics will never run out,” she finished, her voice slow and even.
Sue eyed her calculatingly, mulling over the offer in her mind. Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath. Only Finn struggled in protestation, knowing the full extent of Rachel’s bargain and the unacceptable repercussions.
But Rachel didn’t care, her gaze shifted and she stared apologetically into Noah’s eyes. She tried to convey in that one look all her sorrow and regret for letting this happen. If she hadn’t been so selfish, if she had taken the threat of the Unholy Trinity seriously, if she hadn’t come here in the first place, then none of this would have ever happened. Noah would have lived his life as a normal guy, unhindered by the troubles of the magical world.
He shook her head at her, pleading her with his eyes, but Rachel couldn’t let anything happen to him. That was her promise. And if she had to sacrifice herself, then she would do it. She would do it for him.
“Deal!” Sue shouted grandly, cutting through the silence. Rachel jumped at her words, almost forgetting why she was there. For a moment, it seemed like the rest of the world had disappeared, and all that remained in it was her and Noah.
She closed her eyes as Sue waved her hand. A loud clanking of metal against stone sounded from the Trinity, and they each looked at their bare wrists stunned, their gold binds laying desolately on the floor.
“No! Rachel!” Noah yelled, running towards her, his voice now returned as Sue relinquished the Trinity’s hold on him.
She reached out towards him, but as their fingertips grazed, Sue waved her hand again. The five of them suddenly flew towards the castle doors, the hard-wood oak opening on its own accord, allowing them to pass through before closing with a loud thunk. And just like that, they were alone, with nothing but the echo of Noah’s protests ringing throughout the empty hall.
.-.
Part 7