Summary: AU. Confident Rae joins the gang and has a profound effect on two of the boys.

Finn sat at the table sipping on his pint. He let his eyes glide around the table as he observed his mates around him. A smile began to break through as he listened to Chop bang on about Boys II Men's I'll Make Love to You and how it was a definite panty-dropper and got him laid by Janice Abbington two days earlier whilst her parents were away. A laugh bubbled up in his chest as he rolled his eyes and hid the smile with a gulp of Fosters.

Chop was one of his best mates but he could natter on for hours about the most random shit that pops up in his head and then out his mouth whether it was appropriate or not. Hell, the week before, he'd gone on for a solid two hours on properly changing oil in a car – even though it was Finn that proper taught him. Chop was the kind of person that you'd expect to be a bit rough but was the most loyal and nicest guy with an infectious laugh.

His eyes then settled on Archie who sat with his face buried in a textbook and pride swelled in his chest at the image. Archie was practically his brother as they grew up next door to each other. He was the historian of the bunch; always quoting famous people, making references, and getting real peeved at inaccuracies dare he ever find them. And, boy, did he look for them. Finn knew he was gonna to well in on his A-levels this coming year and he'd get into nearly any uni he would apply to.

That bright red hair paired with heart shaped sunnies and intricately patterned clothes belonged to one of the three women in his life that have stolen his heart. Now, Finn wasn't a sappy guy, but there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for Izzy. Izzy, the poor girl, who had it bad for a certain oblivious lad by the name of Arnold Peters; an excitable, eccentric girl who could cheer up absolutely anyone with just a grin and was currently listening to Chop with rapt attention as switched to the purpose of spark plugs.

Chloe was introduced by Izzy after they met in choir a few months ago and had since become another fixture in the gang. Her parents raised her in Stamford but the previous year, due to a job offer for her father, they had to move to Liverpool and came back mid-term. She started off a bit shaky when Izzy brought her around to one of Chop's parties but quickly found her voice in her many arguments with Chop about cars. They always tended to be one of the conversations that are amusing from the sidelines, but when they try and pull the others in and force them to take sides is another story; because hidden beneath her pretty clothes and painted nails was a mechanic that could give Chop a run for his money.

Now Finn? He was an observer, preferring to just watch everyone else rather than talk. He knew how Archie unconsciously stuck his tongue out slightly on the side of his mouth as he concentrated on his book and you could be warned a quote or lecture was coming because he'd use one finger to push his glasses back up the bridge of his nose before he started. He saw Izzy's lips pucker each time she looked at Chop and every look of heartbreak when he talked about his latest conquests. Chop, himself, was seen touching Izzy at least five times throughout the day (two were the hug and kiss goodbye that were reserved only for her) and how his parents have been twats when he's seen gnawing on his left thumbnail. Whilst he still hadn't really figured out Chloe, he did see her sitting up straighter each time a bloke walked by and the look of dejection on her face when they didn't spare her a glance.

He didn't say much unless necessary but, like Chop (in general) and Archie about history, once you get him started, he could just go on and on. Finn was very expressive with his hands – on might even say it's the Italian in him. He'd notice when he was overdoing it when he'd see Chop mimicking him by waving his hands dramatically through the air causing Finn to pause and look at where his hands would be and there were times when they were well above his head or stretched out in front of him. He'd laugh and smack Chop in response.

"For fuck's sake, Chop!" Chloe shouted exasperatedly.

He looked at her with his brows furrowed and his mouth gaping open properly displaying his gap. "Wha'?"

Chloe put her face in her hands. "Shut up about the spark plugs," she growled.

Archie sighed and looked up from his book about D-Day to glare at the both of them whilst Finn pulled a few pence pieces out of his pocket and started stacking them on their sides out of boredom.

"And here we go," Izzy sing-songed and took a sip of her bottled drink through the bendy straw making Finn smile and wink at her. She scrunched her nose back at him and giggled.

He looked back down and continued to work on his tower, blocking out the sound of Chop and Chloe's arguing to sing along in his head to the song on the jukebox that sat nearby. The last bit of I Wanna Be Adored was going when two giggly blondes stopped with their margaritas in front and put a coin into the slot and selected a song. When the first note of a bubblegum pop rang through the pub Finn froze and shuddered at the same time the others winced and looked at Finn.

"Finn, don't start, okay?" Izzy started soothingly. "Go outside and I'll come get you when it's over, yeah?" She reached over and rubbed his arm soothingly. He took a deep breath and put his hands on the table to push himself up when, over the sound of the music, a loud voice started shouting.

"Fuck no! Absolutely not!"

It seemed everyone in the pub turned to see at a black-haired girl shoot up from her table and angrily make her way over to the jukebox. Finn watched on with fascination as she ignored the stares and bent down to pull the plug from the outlet from right beside him, stopping the horrid song, and then plugged it back in. He was speechless.

She stood and reached into her pocket of her leather jacket and pulled out 20p. She rested her left hand on the window as she searched quickly through the lists whilst her right hand dropped the coin in the slot. Finn saw her eyes light up and a smirk grace her face as she punched in the track code. Green Day's Basket Case started as her eyes closed and she sighed happily, resting her right hand on her chest. It reminded him of when he'd take that first drag of one of his rollies. Calming and relieving.

"Much better," she mumbled to herself causing Finn to grin. Not only did this girl have great taste in music but

Both of the blondes that had chosen the Backstreet Boys song glared at her. "What the hell?!"

"This is a pub not a goddamn club," she said simply as she felt around her pockets but her hands came up empty. She looked around and set her eyes on Finn's tower he was so careful to construct. She reached over and snagged one of the 20p bits from the base of the tower causing it to topple and the other coins to spill over the table and a few to roll onto the floor. Ignoring Finn's exclamation of "Hey!" she flicked the coin at the girls who fumbled to catch it. "There. Have a nice day, ladies," she said.

"Rae!" the table then turned to Chloe. What the hell was going on? Finn was getting confused at all that was going on in the span of a just a couple minutes.

"Hiya, Chloe!" Chloe stood up from the table and ran to hug her.

"How was Liverpool?" Rae asked, grinning. Chloe rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out with a disgusted look causing Rae to laugh.

"Guys, this is Rae Earl! She's my bestie from school," Chloe squealed excitedly.

"Hiya," Rae greeted the table.

Chop waved from his seat. "I'm Chop," he grinned. "We've got Izzy, Archer, and our grumpy boy Finnigan," he said pointing to everyone respectively.

Finn shot Chop a dark look and sneered at him. "Finn," he corrected.

A curly haired bloke appeared beside Chloe's friend. "Ready to go?" he asked gruffly.

Rae turned to him and shook her head. "Guys, this is Liam," she introduced. Liam didn't even acknowledge the others but just kept his eyes on Rae. "I want to go," he said, an Irish accent evident.

"Hold up, Liam. I'm catching up with my mate here," she said said. He groaned and leaned against the jukebox with his arms crossed over his chest like a petulant little child that didn't get his way. Rae rolled her eyes again, Finn had noticed. That must be her thing.

"You look amazing, Rae," Chloe said.

Of course Finn then had to then take his eyes and drag them up and down her body, stopping both times on her chest. But just as he was about to reach her eyes he heard a snort from Liam. Rae pursed her lips and turned to face him. She mirrored his stance with her arms over her chest.

"Did you say something?" she asked snarkily.

"Nope," Liam said.

"That's funny because I could have sworn I heard a noise coming from you," she said. "Just fuck off, Liam. I'm way beyond done with your bullshit."

Izzy gasped but Rae ignored her.

"Whatever," he said pushing off of the jukebox. "Have fun finding someone else to fuck. As if that's gonna happen, you fat, frigid bitch."

"Watch what you say to-" Rae raised her hand to stop Chop and gave him a thankful smile before turning back to Liam.

Finn looked at Chloe who had a smirk on her face. He caught her eye and started to open his mouth but closed it when she gave him a slight shake of the head.

"What makes you think I can't get a different boyfriend?"

"Even rapists have standards."

With that, all three of the guys stood quickly from the table, their chairs shoved hard either into the wall or down to the floor. They immediately flanked Rae on either side, Chop in front of Rae.

Liam flinched ever so slightly.

"You thick fuck," Rae laughed. "Do you even realize you just said you were more desperate than a fucking rapist?"

She put her hand on Chop's shoulder and gently moved him out of the way so she could stand directly in front of Liam. Chop didn't want to budge but with Chloe's hand on his arm, he moved into a position so he could get between them two if needed.

"You can take your dick pump and Viagra and fuck off," she said, causing him to turn red with anger.

He stared at her a moment longer before he finally walked off. No one moved until he was finally out the door.

"Thanks guys," Rae said sheepishly.

"What the fuck was that all about?" Chop asked worriedly.

"A boyfriend I needed to get rid of for a while. He didn't deserve me and I shouldn't have lowered myself so much," she said. "Mind if I join you lot?"

Archie smiled and pulled a chair over from a neighbouring table. Finn was speechless yet again. The next couple hours was spent on Chloe and Rae catching up and getting to know the gang's new crew member. They were getting ready to leave when Finn spoke for the first time.

"You owe me 20p, Mae," he said, purposefully messing up her name. He wanted to sound like she didn't have an effect.

She smiled at him. "Calm your tits, Gilligan. Your next piña colada's on me, yeah?" She laughed lightly and walked with Chloe and Izzy out the door of the pub followed by Chop and Archie.

He stood in place for a moment. "It's- It's Finnigan," he said to himself before grabbing his jacket and making his way outside. "Finn. Dammit."