Sectionals - a Finchel one-shot Rachel Berry could not believe this was happening. Here she was, backstage at sectionals, preparing to sway in the background while Quinn performed her solo. What was harder to believe was that she had chosen this. The old Rachel Berry would have forged ahead, plastered on a smile, and belted out "Time of My Life," with Sam like she meant it, even though her entire world was falling apart. But the new Rachel Berry, the girl who had allowed her heart to be opened and truly care about something besides the spotlight, just couldn't force herself to go through with it. Even though Finn had respectfully given away his solo to spare her the further pain of having to sing with him, she would have had to be made of stone to be able to sing this song without him. And she wasn't. Not anymore.
How could he do this? she thought to herself, wiping away yet another tear. He had changed her, in ways she never thought possible. The way he looked at her and touched her, the way he wanted to be with her, made the walls she had built around herself crumble. After enduring years of teasing and loneliness and the hurt that Jesse inflicted upon her just last year, she had kept her heart so carefully guarded. But being loved by Finn Hudson broke down all of her defenses. She had left herself vulnerable, open to loving him and accepting whatever consequences that brought. But she hadn't seen this coming. He had made her want to leave her heart unprotected, and when she least expected it, he crushed it.
Rachel believed him that he didn't feel anything for Santana. She even believed him that it didn't mean anything at the time, and that he so wished that it was her. But the fact that he had given himself away like that-Santana would always have a piece of him that Rachel so desperately wanted. And the fact that Finn hid this from her for so long...through all of the months that they spent falling in love with each other...how could he have let them get so close, knowing that there was a lie between them? She had admitted to him that she didn't sleep with Jesse right after they started dating...she just needed him to know that she couldn't give herself to anyone else. She knew her truth was easier to tell and her lie easier to forgive, and she knew that boys looked at sex differently, but none of these reminders made her heart hurt any less.
Rachel glanced over at Quinn, who was fidgeting and pacing nervously as she readied herself for the performance. Rachel took a deep breath and walked over to her. "Quinn?" Rachel began, "I just wanted to tell you that you can do this. You and Sam are going to be phenomenal tonight, and you're going to win this for us. You just have to believe in yourself, okay?" Quinn smiled. "Thanks Rachel, I know we haven't exactly been friends, but-hey, are you okay?" Quinn had just noticed Rachel's tear-streaked face.
Rachel shook her head no, as Quinn put an arm around her shoulder.
"Come and sit down, I want to talk to you," Quinn began as they sat down on the greenroom couch. "I know that it seems really horrible, how Finn wasn't honest with you about what happened with him and Santana. But Rachel, I think you have to understand how ashamed he is. I think he was so angry with himself about giving something so special away to someone who didn't mean anything to him...let's just say, I know a little something about that. People make mistakes, Rachel, sometimes ones that are really, really out of character...so out of character that they can barely admit them to themselves, never mind be truthful with others about them. And you have to know that he must not have told you for so long because he didn't want to hurt you. I've seen the way he looks at you, Rachel. He didn't want to risk losing you, and I know you're lost without him too. It doesn't have to be this way, Rachel. Take him back. Look at him." Quinn pointed across the room at Finn sitting on the floor, against the wall, holding his head in his hands. He was clearly upset, the night and the competition magnifying the pain he was already feeling.
Rachel looked at her boyfriend, miserably staring at the wall. She knew that Quinn was right.
"Thank you, Quinn," she whispered. "You're welcome," Quinn replied, "now go over there."
Rachel walked slowly at first, then quicker, and soon she was running over to him, not wanting to wait another second to be in his arms again. He looked up and saw her coming towards him. His eyes brimmed with hope, his lips working their way into that adorable, crooked Finn Hudson smile. She knew she didn't need to say anything. She knelt down, sitting between his legs, looked into his gorgeous eyes, and kissed his lips softly, just the way she had last year on the stairs at school when he had when he told her they were going to help the team win regionals. He gently broke the kiss and began to apologize all over again.
"Rachie, I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt-" he began.
"Shhh," she whispered, "I know, baby. You don't need to say another word."
"Thank you," he whispered as his voice cracked. "I love you so much."
"I love you too," she whispered back, smiling.
Suddenly, Finn took a quick scan of the room to make sure no one was around.
"I think we have a few minutes before we're due on stage," he said softly.
She grabbed his hand and led him to a dark corner backstage where noone would see them, uh, reconciling.
He sat down in a folding chair, pulled her into his lap, and kissed her neck gently as she ran her fingers through his perfectly tousled hair.
"Ahem," someone cleared their throat. It was Mr. Schue. All of their New Directions teammates were standing behind them, catcalling and cheering loudly at the racy scene they had just witnessed.
"Good to see you two have patched things up!" said Mr. Schue.
"Yeah...you guys are really annoying together, but also freakishly adorable," said Brittany.
"C'mon everyone, we're up!" shouted Artie.
The music swelled as Quinn and Sam began their duet, sounding amazing. Finn and Rachel giddily sang along and swayed in the background as New Directions nailed their first number.
As they readied for the next song, Finn whispered to his girl, "That was great, but regionals is all ours, baby." Rachel grinned broadly, already dreaming of sharing the spotlight with her one and only true love. There wasn't anything more she could have wanted.
The end.