Summary: Its 2006 and Rae is back in Lincolnshire for the first time in six years. She's trying to fix all the problems she ran away from six years earlier and hopefully win back the love of her life. All while trying to plan her best friends wedding.

Chapter One

She had been back in Lincolnshire for one week and was ready to pack her bags and run for the hills. Her mother and Karim were driving her bonkers and if her mum wasn't recovering from a mild heart attack and would make her feel like worthless twat she'd get a hotel room for the remainder of her stay.

Rae placed the headphones in her ears and turned the music up on her cd player to drown out the chatter of her mother and Karim doing things she didn't want or need to hear. Some things never changed. She opened up her laptop to check her emails.

She tried to block out the thought of her aging mother having a shag with her husband (who, lets face it, Rae is surprised they've been married for ten years now) and tried to work on her next book. Her editor had sent her several emails that Rae usually ignored, telling her they needed at least the first three chapters by the end of next week to say on course.

She was going through a bit of a rough patch at the moments which was ironic considering the book she was suppose to be writing was a self help book on how to stop hating your body and love the one you've got. And she felt like a fucking fake considering she couldn't even look at herself in the mirror without wanting to break it into several pieces.

Closing her laptop, Rae pulled out her mobile phone to see if anyone had called her. The only person that knew she was back home other then her mother was Archie and he was still in London livin' it up, surely enjoying their flat all to himself. She hadn't even told Chloe.

Archie had become her best mate when she was released from the hospital six years ago and when her first book was bought and she decided she needed a change of pace (or a place that didn't reminder her of him) she asked Archie to move with her. He agreed, as being gay was a lot more accepted in the city. They both seemed to be loving life.

She had seven missed calls, four from her editor Hannah, one from Archie and one from Chloe and Izzy. It was safe to assume they knew she was back in town. Izzy's voicemail was an airy 'I missed you, heard you were in town and I must see ya!' Whilst Chloe's voicemail was short and to the point: 'meet me at the Chippy. I need to see ya.'

Rae sat there for several seconds and let her mind absorb everything. Her relationship with Chloe had been rocky since she moved to London nearly six years ago. This was the first time they had talked in about a year.

December 24, 2002

She sat around all of her friend at the pub, Christmas music was blasting through the tightly packed area. She had given up smoking and right now breathing in the beautifully delicious aroma was like torture. She tried to focus on her friends, and how great her life was right now.

She was out of the hospital, again, was graduating from Uni in June and ready to start her life as an adult. She had great friends and she supposed her mum and Karim werent getting on her nerves too badly. Too bad she didn't have the one person she needed the most.

It was her fault though, for pushing him away. She didn't have anyone else to blame but herself for why he wasn't siting around the table with the rest of them enjoying the Christmas music and ale.

After being at the pub for almost an hour she finally caved and turned to Archie to ask him where Finn was. She was proud of herself for her willpower to wait that long before asking about him.

Archie ignored her gaze as he took another gulp from his Christmas ale before answering her. "Dunno." he says quietly. Rae can tell hes lying. Archie wasn't very good at lying and when he decided to not be truthful you could always tell.

"Archie!" Rae demands in a quiet but demanding voice. One of my many qualities she tells herself sarcastically, is being a bit of a bossy pants.

"Rae, did ya really think he'd come?" Archie finally turns to look at her and Rae was grateful for the loud chatter and music so no one could hear their private conversation.

"I dunno, kinda. I thought maybe he'd miss me or somethin'." Rae says quietly. She couldn't think of him not wanting to see her. He was all she thought about, for months, about trying to make things better. But Kester swore before she could fix their relationship she had to fix the relationship she had with herself.

"Yea he did...he probably still does a bit. But Rae you broke his heart. He was a mess after ya left." Archie looked sad as he was telling her all this. Rae knew Archie and her had grown increasingly close in the last five plus years they've known one another. He was still in the closet about his sexuality and even had a girlfriend for a bit. Only she knew of his secret.

Yet she also knew that Archie and Finn have been best mates since they were kids and if anyone knew Finn as well as Rae does, or did, it was Archie. And what he was telling her tore her up inside.

"Its not like I left on some kind of vacation, Archie! I was sick and I needed help." Rae says.

"I know! We all were there for you Rae. We all fuckin' love you to bits. Without you who knows if we'd all still be mates. He wanted to be there for you because you were his girl and you broke up with him. You wouldn't let him come see ya or call ya..." His voice trailed off and he couldn't keep her gaze.

She felt like shit. "I didn't think I was good enough for him." Rae says quietly. "I thought he deserved someone with less issues." She never told anyone about all her issues, only Finn and Chloe knew how bad she had really been.

"Well that's your first mistake. He was mad about you." Archie pinched her nose, trying to make her smile.

His words echoed in her head for the remainder of the night, and after several pints and a few drags on a cig she decided what she had to do.

Grabbing her coat she stood and had to steady herself, her head feeling the effects of the liquor. She hadn't drank alcohol in such a long time it went straight to her head.

"Headin' home?" Izzy asked. Her adorable red head was rested on Chops shoulders and Rae had to reminder herself to give Izzy a nice long hug when she didn't have other pressing issues to attend to.

"Nope!" Shoving her arms awkwardly in her jacket, Rae almost sang her response. "I'm goin' ta see Finn! And Imma tell him that I love him and that I am a royal twat and need him back!"

She awaited their cheers at her elated news but instead a look of concern was shared between the four of them. She made of had a few too many but she wasn't completely zonked. "What?" She asked.

Chloe spoke first. Her hair was curled and highlighted almost all blonde. She looked stunning under the soft Christmas lighting. "I really don't think thats a good idea, Rae."

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at them. They were hiding something from her. "And why not?"

"There's a reason he ain't here with us, right? He doesn't wanna see ya." Chloe said gently. Izzy and chop looked anywhere but her and Archie seemed too busy messing with his watch.

"I don't care..I need ta see him. I need to talk ta him...tell him how I feel." Rae wrapped her scarf around her neck and grabbed her car keys from her bag. "I have ta see him."

She headed for the door and right before she made it to her car she heard foot steps from behind her. She turned to find Chloe running after her. She pulled her hood up from the rain, and Rae noted it actually wasn't cold for being winter. It was actually pretty alright.

"I'm coming with ya." Was all she said as she opened the passenger door and got in. Rae didn't say anything as she got behind the wheel and headed toward his house.

Excitement bubbled inside her and she tried not to over think things. Archie had said it, Finn was crazy about her. And if he was crazy about her all those months ago then his feelings couldn't have changed. He probably didn't come to the pub tonight because he thought she didn't want to see him.

He had told he loved her countless times before she entered herself in the hospital, and love just can't go away. Not the kind of love he felt for her. When he would look at her and tell her he loved her, she knew he meant it. That ind of love just couldn't go away.

Chloe didn't say anything, just kept playing with her new mobile phone. Rae was okay with the silence, she didn't want Chloe to say anything to ruin the mood. Her eyes were a bit blurred as she was driving and was grateful no one was out of the road. She really shouldn't have driven, but she wasn't that drunk.. just tipsy.

She pulled in front of his house and turned to look at Chloe. "How do I look?"

"Amazing." Chloe reached her hand over and placed it on Rae's knee. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? You've had a bit much ta drink..I think you should just call him."

"No. I need to see him. Tell him this face to face." Before Chloe could say anything else Rae got out of the car and made her way up the steps and to his front door. Oh God, she thought, Im going to see him for the first time in months. Just relax Rae she told herself. Don't say anything stupid. This is Finn. Finn! You know him, all of him, better then anyone else. Just breathe.

Before she could knock on the door it swung open and Rae held her breath as the person would occupied all of her thoughts and dreams stood in front of her. He looked just as he had the last time she saw him which was pretty fucking good looking.

She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but nothing seemed to come out. So here she was half drunk and with her mouth open like a fish.

"Whatdya doin here Rae?" he asks. His voice. Oh God! It sounded so good to her ears. She wished she could go back in time and kick her own ass for ever letting him go. For thinking she was never going to be good enough for him. He loved her, thats all she needed or wanted.

"I came to see ya." She finally managed to get out.

"Why?"

Why? She didn't know what to say to that. What could she say, that she was a fool and needed him in her life? "Because I love you, Finn." She could feel this wasn't turning out the way she had hoped it would. Behind her she heard Chloe getting out of the car and walking up behind her.

He opened his mouth to say something but someone said something behind him that diverted his attention. Rae wondered if it was his mum, his mum loved her.

Rae could feel her heart pounding in her ears and she felt like everything was closing around her. This was not how she had thought this would turn out. She had thought he would open his arms and engulf her in a hug, what he had always done after they had had a bit of a row. That he would invite her inside and make her a cuppa and they would finally talk. Then they would fall asleep on his bed holding hands and he would tell her everything would be alright. Just as he had done so many times before. She needed Finn.

"Who is she! And why is she telling MY boyfriend she loves him!" Came the voice behind him and before Finn could do anything a small girl pushed her way under his arm that he had propped himself on the doorway and stood in front of him.

She was pretty, that was Rae's first thought. Everything she had been so insecure about for years while she was dating Finn. The reason she had gone from just binging to also purging so she wouldn't gain anymore weight. She was about a bit taller then Chloe and had dark black hair and dark brown eyes. Angry eyes. "Who are you?" Rae asked the angry girl.

"I'm Finn's girlfriend. Who are ya and why are ya showing up tellin' my boyfriend ya love him?"

Rae couldn't even look at the girl. With her head spinning she tripped a bit and Finn reached out to steady her. This could not be happening.

"Rae, you alright?" Finn asks her. She didn't say anything as she ran to the bush in front of his house and threw up all the Christmas ale she had drank. All this to the disgusted sounds of Finn's perfect new girlfriend.

Present day. June 9th 2006.

Rae walked through the doors of the Chippy and found Chloe sitting in the back booth texting someone on her mobile. She looked up jumped from her seat and wrapped her arms around Rae. "Haven't see ya in forever! You look great." Chloe said happily.

Rae smiled but knew Chloe was just trying to be nice. She was back on a healthy diet and has maintained her weight at 14 ½ stone. She couldn't say she wasn't displeased with her appearance but it was far cry from perfect. They sat down and only ordered a cup tea and exchanged small pleasantries before Rae finally asked her what she needed to talk about.

"Firstly, thanks for telling me you were back in town," she says with sarcasm. "I had to hear it from Karim when I bumped into him his morning."

Damn that Karim and his need to learn the english language Rae thought to herself. "Sorry. My mum has been sick so I wasn't really thinking of getting in touch with everyone."

"Right, how is she?" Chloe asks and Rae tells her its nothing too serious that the doctor has told her she just needs to cut back on all the cigs and lose a few pounds and try and lead a more healthier lifestyle. Hasn't been easy dealing with her though.

Rae was happy they were getting on so well. She missed her friend. She thought back to that night when she had drunkenly went to Finns house and found out he was dating Ellie. How Chloe had driven a crying Rae home and laid with her in her small twin bed and told her how much she loved her.

"Guess what Rae!' Chloe's exited voice brings her back from her thoughts and from the past. "I'm getting married!" She all but screams and shows of the huge diamond ring on her left hand.

"Oh my GOD!" Rae gushes excitedly as she takes her friends hand and examines the ring. It wasn't flashy just a nicely cut diamond on a simple white gold band.

"I just love him, Rae. And I know we haven't known each other long. I need my best mate to help me plan my wedding." She gushes and Rae is for once feeling close to her oldest friend.

"Of Course!" Rae says with a laugh. "Who is he?"

"Patrick, Finn's brother."


I hope you guys liked it. Sorry it was so long. I'm not only going to have this story be about Finn and Rae but also Chloe and Rae, because as you guys haven't noticed their relationship isn't where it use to be. Please review they make me happy. :-)