This is dedicated to LynZ_Ann, who is awesome sauce and demanded a rewrite to correct the travesty that was Season 2.

Set during/post 'Silly Love Songs'. Evanberry with eventual Puckleberry.

Rachel hummed under her breath, her mouth curving upwards when she saw Blaine's head tilt towards Kurt in the booth. Mercedes caught her eye and raised an eyebrow, rolling her eyes until Tina elbowed her gently in the side. Mike sat beside his girlfriend, seemingly fascinated by the two Warblers across from him.

'Sup Rachel?' Puck said and she blinked to find Lauren and Puck at a table.

'Hello Noah, Lauren,' Rachel greeted the two mildly. 'I hope you two have had an enjoyable Valentine's Day.'

Lauren snorted and Puck flashed his eyes towards the wrestler before meeting Rachel's gaze.

'Nice song. Though I don't think a song about yourself really qualifies as a love song. Or maybe it does to Rachel Berry,' Puck mused, even going so far as to rub his chin. She was about to offer a witty retort when she caught sight of Sam, hunched over in the back and playing with the straw in his cup.

'Excuse me,' Rachel told the mismatched pair instead, mumbling something akin to a pleasantry before squaring her shoulders and heading towards Sam. Puck followed the line of her back, cocked his head in confusion when Rachel stopped at his friend's table.

'Do you mind if I join you?' Rachel started hesitantly, keeping her tone polite. Sam startled, blinking up at her before shrugging his shoulders.

'Sure. Not like anyone else is going to,' Sam muttered dryly and Rachel couldn't help sympathize with him a little bit. A thick, uncomfortable silence fell between them, Sam focused intently on his curly straw while Rachel worried her bottom lip trying to come up with something to say.

It dawned on her that it had been nearly six months since Sam had arrived at McKinley and she barely knew anything about him except that he was a glock (an abhorrent nickname the glee jocks had given themselves). There was also, of course, his rather plump mouth which Santana and Puck had spent a good amount of time needling him over. Glee was supposed to be a family, and not knowing Sam suddenly felt wrong. Rachel had been so caught up in her relationship with Finn that she had failed her duty as club captain to make Sam feel welcome.

'I know we aren't very close – and that is something that I hope to rectify – but I'm sorry that Finn gave Quinn mono,' Rachel blurted out finally. Her words caused Sam to lift his head.

'Are you apologizing for that douche?'

'No, I'm not. I know it doesn't seem that way, but Finn is actually a good guy.'

'Yeah, the kind that likes hitting up girls with boyfriends,' Sam pointed out bitterly, emitting a sharp scoff. 'God I was such a loser for even thinking Quinn was into me…and I don't know why I'm even telling you all this in the first place.'

'You're not a loser Sam,' Rachel told him firmly. 'Quinn was lucky to have you.'

'Then why did she do it? Why Finn?'

'I think you mean why Quinn?' Rachel corrected him, leaning forward. 'I've come to realize a lot of things today. The main one being that Finn and Quinn are always going to find their way back to each other. Many people think I'm the sun Finn revolves around.' She sighed, shaking her head. 'Instead I've just been the variable trying to throw that alignment off course.'

'But you love him,' Sam said, confused. 'That's what all the singing seemed to be about.'

'I think I'll always love Finn. He was the first boy to ever truly notice me, and despite how disastrous and utterly foolish the two of us have turned out to be, Finn Hudson will always have a place in my heart and in my memories. Whether that is a good or bad thing remains to be seen.'

'Quinn didn't care that I was such a huge dork. I didn't even mind that she, like, prayed after we made out. Even if it was kinda creepy. But she accepted me and I just…really wanted to show her how much I liked her too you know?'

'I know,' Rachel answered softly, tentatively reaching across to clasp her hand around Sam's. His stiffened for a moment before relaxing underneath her palm and Rachel took heart from that.

'You shouldn't let one girl make you feel this way about yourself,' Rachel said, squeezing his hand. 'If there's one thing I've learned while being in show choir, its that being in something makes you special.' She met his blue gaze meaningfully.

'You're not as bad as Quinn and the rest make you out to be,' Sam informed Rachel and she tried not to let the hurt that thrummed inside her chest show through. 'I mean you always seemed cool…scary intense sometimes, but like you were nice and stuff,' he hastily added on and Rachel assumed she hadn't been as successful as she thought she was.

'Thank you,' she cleared her throat, retracted her hand as she looked to the side. Something warm latched around her fingers and Sam smiled at her sheepishly.

'Sorry. That was lame. I didn't mean to insult you.'

'Well usually no one ever does,' Rachel announced too brightly, causing Sam to furrow his brow.

'You're the only one that's asked me how I was doing since…you know. You didn't have to-'

'Of course I did!'

'No, you really didn't. Like you said, we barely know each other,' Sam replied, chuckling.

'I still fail to see how that's a bar to common courtesy.'

'I know right?' Sam asked and Rachel saw with delight that he was actually smiling, a dimple forming in his cheek. 'What I was trying to say was thanks.'

'Oh. Well, you're welcome,' Rachel beamed at him. A loud bark of laughter reached her ears and Rachel twisted around to see Kurt throw his head back as Blaine chortled beside him.

'So are those two together or something? Kurt and Blaine I mean?' Sam's voice drew her back around.

'Apparently not but I don't believe a word. Want to help me dissect their every move?'

'You sure they won't mind?' Sam seemed to pick up on her offer of friendship, features nervous as he observed the booth their friends were in.

I have friends!

'You're one of us now Sam,' Rachel joked, sliding out of her seat and extending a hand towards him. 'For better or worse.'

Sam grasped her hand, the warmth making her want to shiver, as he stood and grabbed his letterman's jacket. He let go of her hand to shrug it on then stood awkwardly in front of her.

'They won't bite. I promise,' Rachel said, holding out the crook of her elbow. Sam quirked his lips and allowed her to loop this arm through hers, Santana glaring as they made their way past her table of one. Rachel thought of inviting the Latina as well but discarded the notion when Santana stomped out the door, brushing past Rachel as she did.

'Wow,' Sam mouthed in her direction. Rachel nodded at Puck and Lauren, the former with an odd expression on his face as he regarded Sam and then her. Remembering the rather unpleasant emotions that had churned through her during Puck's solo of Fat Bottomed Girls Rachel tugged Sam forward insistently to avoid conversation.

'Guess who I ran into!' Rachel said cheerfully when she reached the booth, relieved when everyone extended a friendly greeting to Sam. As she settled into one of the chairs Sam had dragged over for them, Rachel couldn't help feel like this was the best Valentine's Day she had ever had.

Catching sight of Sam's horrified face when Blaine asked him where he got his highlights done, Rachel determined that this was the beginning of a new era.

It was time for the Rachel Berry she knew to come back, and she was determined to spend her time discovering who that was again.

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