GLEE

Birthday (Pt. 5)

Sebastian came home minutes later, looking as worried as I was.

"What happened?" he asked me.

"It's been an twenty minutes, I dunno if Kurt's doing the right thing or the wrong thing." I replied.

"You trust him right?" he asked.

"Of course I trust him. Just not about stuff like this." I replied. A second later, the phone rang.

"Hold on...Hello?" I answered. "Uh huh...oh really? Okay...she'll be there...thank you very much...bye bye." then I hung up.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"I'll tell you later, can you keep an eye on the chicken for me? I gotta get Rachel." I said and headed to her room.

"Rachel?"

"Learn to knock. Learn to knock. Learn to knock." Kurt said, as it seemed he was doing a pretty good job.

"Uh...Kurt? Why don't you go back into the living room?" I suggested

"Why're you hauling me outta here? You sent me in here not twenty minutes ago!" he asked.

"Sebastian's got something he wants to tell you." I replied, pushing him out into the hall. "IwannabealonetotalktoRachel!" I hissed.

"Huh?"

"I want to be alone to talk-"

"To Rachel. Okay." he finished my sentence and headed into the living room. That was my cue to go back into Rachel's room.

"Rachel?" I placed my hand on her shoulder, making her flinch. "The police just picked up that same guy again. He attacked another woman right over in Queens. The police want you to come down and identify him." I told her. Rachel shot up and started folding her clothes, which is what I assumed she was doing before.

"No, I-I can't Reese." she said.

"Rachel..."

"Can't that other woman do it?" she asked.

"She can, but she won't." I replied.

"Why not?"

"Because she's afraid." I said. Rachel stopped and looked up at me.

"I am too Reese." she whimpered, heading for the curtain. I ran over first and blocked her.

"Rachel look at you! You haven't been out of this apartment for two weeks!" I told her.

"I-I-I don't care! I can't look at that man again!" she replied.

"Rachel, don't you see? The criminal is supposed to be in jail, not the victim." I said.

"No Reese, get out of the way I won't do it." she pushed me aside and jetted passed me.

"Rachel you gotta go down and identify him, please!" I begged, following her out.

"No, no! Leave me alone Reese!"

"No! I won't leave you alone!" I said, grabbing her coat off the rack. "Rach, you got to do it! For every woman who could be a possible victim of a nut like that! Most of all, you know what? You know what's most important? You gotta do it for yourself, because you don't wanna go on living like a scared rabbit do you?" I asked, trying to it on her. She threw it off though and shoved me away.

"No! No! Please! I wanna forget it! I wanna forget it! I wanna forget it!" she then hung the coat back onto the rack and started crying, at which point Kurt, Sebastian, and Blaine entered from the kitchen and watched.

"How could you be so selfish?" I asked her.

"I'm not being selfish!" she cried, going back to the ironing board.

"Yes you are! You know who he is, but you won't stop him!" I said.

"Reese, I'm afraid." she said.

"I know Rachel. I know how you feel. But don't you see? You gotta help put away this sicko creep, because that way you can stop feeling so...victimized! And-and be in control of your life again! And that'll help you stop being so afraid." I told her. Rachel took a deep breath of air and nodded.

"Really?" she asked.

"Really. Now come on Rachel, let's go." I said, leading her towards the door.

"No! I'm not gonna leave this house!" she cried, pulling away from me and slamming herself into the arm chair. I could only stare in disbelief, at how much of a coward she had become. The Rachel Berry, star of the amazing Broadway musical, Funny Girl, was afraid to leave her own apartment because of a man who has brain damage!

"You're gonna let him do, what he did to you, to god knows how many more women?" I asked her. Rachel shook her head and placed her hands over her ears, trying to drown me out. "I can't believe it! I'm ashamed of you! The Rachel I knew never refused! Rachel Berry always helped other people! You know what? You are selfish! You're not my friend anymore!" I shouted. Rachel shot out of her chair and did the unthinkable.

She slapped me.

Everyone in the room stopped and stared in disbelief. I couldn't blame them. Rachel and I had our fights, but she never physically hurt me.

"Oh my god! Reese I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!" she cried, throwing her arms around me.

"It's alright, it's okay.."

"I-I'm sorry-"

"It's okay now, calm down, calm down." I said. Rachel's breathes became short and quick, and she looked at me.

"I'm so sorry Reese." she said.

"I understand. It's okay." I replied with a smile, a sympathetic smile. It took a few minutes, but Rachel recoled from me and stood up straight.

"Come on Kurt, Blaine." she said, grabbing her coat. Kurt looked at Sebastian confused, but the couple came over anyhow.

"Um, where're we gonna go, Rachel?" he asked.

"Down to the police station." she replied.

"You're gonna identify that guy?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah, if it's him: I gotta stop him." she replied. If we were in front of an audience, I'm sure they'd be applauding to the high heavens.

Rachel stopped while they boys were fetching their coats, and she came over and gave me another hug. "You can put all that stuff away Reese, I'm not gonna do anymore ironing." she said. Kurt opened the door and she made her way over, then stopped and turned around.  "There's some clothes in the washer downstairs, you can let them out, they were clean anyway." oh boy, poor Rachel."Come on guys." She nodded to both boys and strutted out of the apartment, Blaine followed immediately. Kurt stopped and looked at me.

"What're you? Some kind of wizard?" he asked me.

"Once a foster kid, always a foster kid." I replied. He shrugged and followed his boyfriend and his bestfriend out of the apartment, leaving me and Sebastian alone. It was then though, I realised something very, very terrible.

My cheek stung like hell!

"Owh! Dammit!" I groaned, placing my hand over the cheek that Rachel hit. Sebastian just chuckled and hugged me, placing a kiss on my head. "God, and I thought I hit hard."