Author's Note: Based on the fact that Ellie (and a bunch of spoiled little Finchel-fans brats who are always whining about how Glee isn't focusing on Finchel enough – are we fucking watching the same show?) saw a Jesse St. James lookalike watching New Directions perform. And also because people are saying Jesse will return dating Sunshine (I don't have words to describe, either in English or in Portuguese, how this disgusts me). St. Berry for endgame!

Timeline: During 'Special Education', of course. Because now every time there's a sectionals episode I remember that Jesse first saw Rachel during one.

Disclaimer: If only! St. Puckleberry would be a hot threesome, Pezberry would be best friends and Finn would be nonexistent.

and I owe it all to you

He shouldn't be here. He was supposed to be in bright, sunny Los Angeles, soaking up the sun and enjoying the balmy weather even though it's the last day of November; dating busty blondes with perfect (mostly surgically-improved) bodies and honing his skills at singing and acting as the most promising freshman to ever cruise the halls of UCLA.

He wasn't supposed to be back at Lima, Ohio, lounging around the shadowy side of an auditorium that held the 2010 West Central Sectionals, waiting for the show choir his own choir had defeated last June in Regionals to perform. He wasn't supposed to have his heart thumping on his chest so loudly he feared the people sitting on the audience would hear it, feeling more alive than he ever had for the last six months, his body humming with expectative to see them singing. To see her.

She was the entire reason why he decided to fly in as soon as he heard his former coach – her mother – casually mention Sectionals were taking place today. Almost a year to the day had passed since he first saw her, beautiful and glowing and talented and perfect singing a slightly flawed, emotionally-lacking rendition of a Barbra Streisand classic. It had been during Sectionals. It felt fitting that he came to honor the date by sitting on the audience to be awed by her talent again.

The opening notes to the old, widely known ballad echoed in the auditorium, and he looked at the back entrance to the place, seeing the curtain open and a wiry, bleached blond boy with thick lips walk down the aisle, singing about having the time of his life. He frowned, because two things. First – hello, Regionals? They had done the same with their ballad (he threw out his copy of Journey's greatest hits album, hating 'Faithfully' with a passion he only devoted to performing and her). Second –

His thinking process was interrupted when it wasn't her sweet, angelic, remarkable voice that joined the unknown boy on the duet. His jaw nearly dropped to the floor when Quinn Fabray sang about owing it all to the boy, his forehead frowning in confusion. She had been replaced? By Quinn Fabray of all people?

(Hudson deserved being kicked to the side. He was a talentless oaf who couldn't keep up with her talent to save her life).

He tried to reassure himself, surely she had selflessly (who was he kidding?) – she had been forced by Schue to give away the solo but she would sing lead on the second song. She rightfully clung too tight to her spotlight to willingly pass through Sectionals without showcasing her limitless talent.

No such luck. Fabray and the unknown boy ended their run of the song and Santana (what the hell?) took the lead to the next song (he was never a fan of 'Valerie'). She however was dancing next to the Latina, and he drank her in, memorizing the details of her appearance – hating the new bangs, frowning at the broken look in her eyes, recognizing the showface right away, noticing the way she blatantly stayed away from Hudson (and he didn't feel a dash of hope at sensing trouble in paradise. Uhuh. Nothing).

(Yeah, right).

Frowning in concern and more than worried now, he turned his back on the stage after her team walked out. Digging for his phone, he scrolled through his contacts and pressed a button to make a call. He had received an invitation that was still open for him earlier that year. And, seeing how neglected her talent and herself were being treated, he knew he had to swoop in and make sure she remained on the right track to her inevitable destiny.

Singing 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' in front of a sold-out Broadway crowd. With him on the wings, proud and as madly in love with her like as he was right now. With his ring on her finger and his last name tied to her first.

"Coach Goolsby? Jesse St. James speaking." He sighed deeply and smiled slightly at the handicapped-friendly bus he knew belonged to McKinley. "I'm in".