"So, how's Blaine?" Rachel asked as she dealt their cards.
"He's okay. We're okay. We argued when he was here but I've realized that I don't listen to him as much as he listens to me, and I'm working on that." He paused as he collected his cards together. "We're trying to start over from when I first left."
"That's great, Kurt. I'm happy things are working out for the both of you."
"So am I." He said as he collected his winning War hand, "have you heard from Finn at all?"
"Not since he left for Lima the other day, no." They put out their next round of cards.
"War!"
"So, you're just going to act like his coming back has no effect on you?" Kurt looked at her while he collected his winning hand.
"Kurt, I waited for him, and I just. I couldn't stand not seeing him everyday, not talking to him. So I moved on. And I actually have a date with Brody tonight."
"Really." Kurt was skeptical as he collected his next winning hand.
She nodded, "yes, Kurt. I like him."
Kurt put down his cards and looked at her. "Rachel. You were minutes away from marrying my brother. Twice. I know you, you don't want Brody and I don't even think you like him like that," he shook his head, "you're just scared. Like you said before, you can't stand not seeing him or talking to him all the time. But that was when he was in the army, Rachel! He came back now, and for you. You're pushing away the best thing that's ever happened to you, Rachel, just because you're scared and you know it."
Rachel frowned, "That's not true, Kurt. Why can't you accept the fact that I like Brody? You seemed excited for me when he brought me an orchid."
"That was when I thought Finn wasn't coming back!" He sighed, "Finn came back for you, Rachel. He loves you and you love him. You deserve to be happy, and Finn makes you happy. You can't throw that away."
"Kurt," she groaned. There was a knock at the door and they both turned to look at it. "That must be Brody. Kurt, I understand where you're coming from, but I do like him. Please be nice." She said as she walked to the door.
"Fine, I won't bite." She smiled and thanked him while she fixed herself in the mirror. She opened the door smiling, expecting to see Brody but, instead, saw Finn.
"Finn?" He gave his cute, side smile.
"Finn?!" Kurt ran over to see the door and grinned, looking at Rachel.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, "I-I thought you went back to Ohio? I thought you were working for Burt again? Finn, I told you, I-"
"Rachel," he gave her a bigger smile, "Just let me do this, and I promise that after I do, you'll never have to see me again if that's what you want."
She nodded, and he continued, "I love you. So much. And even after all this, I still want to be with you for the rest of my life. But if you no longer want that, all you have to do is let me know, and I'll be gone. And I know that if I keep talking I'll probably say something stupid and screw this whole thing up. I always told you that I sing my feelings way better than I speak them, so, yeah." He fumbled around his pockets and took out his iPod. "I, uh, downloaded the karaoke version."
He pressed play and when the opening chords started, Kurt's hand slapped over his mouth and Rachel's eyes immediately started to tear, her mouth dropping slightly.
Highway run
Into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round
You're on my mind
Restless hearts
Sleep alone tonight
Sending all my love along the wire
They say that the road
Ain't no place to start a family
Right down the line it's been you and me
And loving a music man
Ain't always what it's supposed to be
Oh Girl
You stand by me
I'm forever yours
Faithfully
[ Lyrics from: j/journey/faithfully_ ]
Circus life
Under the big top world
We all need the clowns to make us smile
Through space and time
Always another show
Wondering where I am lost without you
And being apart ain't easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy of rediscovering you
Oh girl
You stand by me
I'm forever yours
Faithfully
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Faithfully
I'm still yours
I'm forever yours
Ever yours
Faithfully
Rachel looked at him in shock while Kurt was slowly clapping in the background. Finn smiled, leaning in to kiss her cheek and whispering an "I love you" in her ear before closing the door and walking away. That was the most beautiful rendition of the song she'd ever heard. Close to their duet. He didn't sing the original, he sang a more slow, acoustic version of it and it really showed how he true and genuine Finn is.
Rachel turned around to look at Kurt, tears flowing down her cheeks. "So, tell me again, are you really going to throw that away?" he looked at her knowingly.
"I-I need to go," she whispered.
Kurt smirked, "What should I tell Brody if he shows?" he asked as Rachel ran out the door.
"Tell him I'm sorry!" she yelled back. She ran down the stairs as fast as she could, not trusting the elevator to get her to the entrance of the building fast enough. When she got to the ground floor, she ran out the door looking down the street when she saw him.
"Finn!" she yelled as she ran down the block, "Finn!"
He turned around and saw her approaching him, "Rachel? I-"
"I'm sorry!" she stopped and tried to catch her breath. "I'm so, so, sorry. It's you. It's always been you and it always will be you. I was confused." she was crying now, and Finn visibly swallowed. "I didn't know when you were coming back, if you ever were, and I didn't know what to do. I was so lost, Finn! Without you in my life, I didn't know what to do with myself and that scared me. I tried to move on, I thought that was the right choice but I was wrong. I didn't realize that until it was too late and I'm so, so, sorry."
He looked at her with hope in his eyes and she smiled through her tears, "And I do. I do want to be with you for the rest of my life. I love you so much. I-"
She was cut off by Finn pulling her into him, giving her the most mind-blowing makeup kiss he'd ever given her.
He pulled away slowly, smiling, "You don't need to apologize. I love you." He murmured against her lips.
She smiled and took his hand leading him back to the apartment. "Let's go, I need to go call Brody."
Finn stopped, "What? Why?"
"To tell him I'm forever off limits, of course." she laughed, pulling him into the building.
He smiled, "You think we can kick Kurt out for a while, too?"
Rachel stopped to give Finn a slow kiss on the lips, "Oh yeah."