Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of the characters.
He felt numb. He couldn't believe that he was actually going through with it. He was going through with the plan that could quite possibly break the one thing in his life that was perfect. He closed his door and walked to the back of the vehicle. He opened the hatch and rolled out the tiny, pink suitcase; the owner of which, his world completely revolved around. She was crying and his brain was still fuzzy. She continued to cry as he escorted her to the train that was taking her to her destiny.
Things blurred from there. Everyone was hugging her and he was standing there, waiting to be the last to say good-bye. She turned her tear-stained face to his and looked at him. Her face said it all. Her face told him she was confused, hurt, pissed, and yet love filled her eyes. She kissed him, and it was over before he knew it.
She strode around him and walked to the train, gripping his hand until she could do so no longer. As her fingers slipped from his, he thought his heart was going to rupture from the pain. He watched her head move gracefully down the isle and take a window seat.
As she turned to look at him, the train began to move. He began to stride to keep up with her. As the train's speed increased, he began to chase her. He knew he would chase her all the way to New York, if he didn't have some things holding him back. He caught the last glimpse of her face and watched as his heart left him at 50 miles an hour.
Finn sat on that bench at the train station for a long time. One by one, his friends left him to his thoughts, each one showing him the most pity one could muster. He sat there and cried until his eyes were raw and burning and dry. He cradled his head in his hands as the headache raged on. Eventually the night began to fall and he decided that his brain could function long enough to get himself home. Broken, he climbed into the car and began the journey to his house.
He awkwardly entered the house, which he no longer considered his home. His home was currently in New York looking for dorms. He heard his mom in the kitchen and she peered around the corner at him. She nodded at him and he lugged his body up the stairs to his room. The one thing he appreciated most about his mother was her understanding his need of space. He threw his body on the bed and felt the weight of it all on his back. As he climbed across the sheets, he folded the pillow under his face. His pillow smelled like Rachel. Her scent brought on a fresh new round of tears, and he spent the evening lying in the dark pouring his soul out into the pillow.
Rachel arrived in New York and obediently met her dads at the hotel like she was suppose to. The greeted her with hugs, which were timid in their own way. She realized her dads had known about the absurd plan all along, but she was too broken to be pissed at them right now. That would have to come later. They gave her the key to her room and she gratefully took it, ready for some solitude. At least they understood she would want to be alone.
When she entered the room, she collapsed on the bed. She reached for her phone out of habit and seared her contacts for Finn's name. When his number popped up, she froze. He was always the one she had talked to when she felt this weary, but this time, he was the cause of it. This realization brought on a wave of angry tears and she threw the phone across the room. It landed with a soft thud onto the carpet. She lay there, miserably hating Finn and hating herself even more for not fighting him harder on the issue. He had completely taken her off guard with the whole situation, and she didn't even know what to think. She was supposed to be married right now. She was supposed to be on the way to their honeymoon right now, just the two of them. Now, thousands of miles separated them, and she had never felt more alone.
The next morning, Rachel woke up with a headache so bad, she figured it was similar to what a hangover must feel like. She decided to get up and get dressed so she could at least act like she was excited about being in New York. She unzipped her suitcase and there on the top was a letter. Her name was scribbled on the top in Finn's handwriting.
My dearest Rach,
By now, you are in New York where you are destined to be a star. I know you are confused and hurt and wanting some answers to some questions. I can tell you that I truly believe this is the best thing for you. After crying about the decision over and over, I kept realizing that I was the one holding you back. The idea of you being stuck in Lima one additional year because of me was enough to make me physically sick. That is why it has to be this way. I know you will always be the only person on the planet that I love, but I understand if you can't talk to me again. I will accept that consequence and will not contact you any longer. However, if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and you are willing to work at this relationship long distance, then I will spend every effort letting you know what you mean to me. When you return from New York next week, I will already be gone to Georgia. I had to make sure everything lined up this way because I know how hard it is for you to let go. Please understand that I need to clear my father's name before we can be together completely. This is something I have to do on my own because you were born to be a star and I cannot drag you away from your destiny for my own selfish reasons. Please know that I love you with every fiber of my being and that I will be forever tethered to you. I know that if we are destined to be together in the way that I believe that we are, the universe will find a way to bring us back to each other.
Forever yours faithfully,
Finn
Rachel's tears matched the other tearstains that were dried on the letter. She knew Finn had cried while writing it. She couldn't believe how naïve he was. To think that she would ever chose anyone other than him was ridiculous. The idea that she would not be seeing him when she returned home for the summer, however, was enough to rip her heart completely in two. She wasn't sure how she was going to manage. She laid her head down on the carpet of the hotel and cried as she clung to the letter, which was the only thing she had left of Finn, expect for the ring on her finger that now felt like it weighed one hundred pounds.
Finn had started basic training and was pretty much as miserable as he thought he could be. Most days it took everything in him to not pack up and run back to Rachel. However, he knew it was his sole duty to clear his father's name after his dishonorable discharge, so he soldiered on day after day. The days ran into weeks and every night he laid in his bed staring at his favorite picture of Rachel. It was after she had been announced prom queen, and Mercedes had taken a picture of her that captured not only her beauty, but her sheer shock at the announcement. Finn loved that about her. She never saw just how beautiful she truly was, and that was one of her most endearing qualities. Finn's heart ached as he thought about that night and all of the memories he had made with her.
One morning, Finn was eating breakfast when someone delivered a letter to him. It was from Rachel. His heart skipped a beat as he slowly tore the letter open.
Dear Finn,
For once in my life, you have truly rendered me speechless. I don't exactly know how or what I'm supposed to write in this letter, I only knew it was time I wrote one. I'm not even sure if it will make it to you, but I truly hope it does. I have successfully moved most of my belongings to a small apartment just off campus. Luckily, I convinced Kurt to come to school up here at NYU for a year before we can continue to work on his NYADA applications, so he is rooming with me. I have registered for classes, and it all seems so overwhelming. I don't know how to do this without you. You are the only one who knows me in everyway, even more so than I feel like I know myself sometimes. Most nights I stand on the balcony looking up at the sky searching for the star you gave me. It helps me to not feel so alone. I think my schedule will be busy this year, but I know it won't completely fill my life because you are not here. Please come back to me as soon as you can.
With all my love,
Rach *
Finn couldn't control the burning in his eyes as he read and reread her letter. She wanted him to come back. She was willing to work on this. He immediately got out some paper and wrote her a response describing his time in basic training, how much he missed her vegan cookies, and how proud he was of her for doing what she was born to do.
For a solid year, the letters continued back and forth. Rarely one week went by where Finn did not send and receive a letter. Rachel had auditioned for a lead role in a musical at NYADA and a week later he received a letter that simply said, "I got it!" His heart swelled with pride and he finally knew he had made the right decision. He sent a response saying that, and wanted to know when opening night was. The next letter detailed that opening night was just over a month away and when Finn checked his schedule, it also happened to be his first leave. He had refrained from telling Rachel about his leave because he wanted to surprise her and he was fist pumping the air at the beautiful timing of it all. He booked a flight to New York and anxiously awaited the month to pass.
Opening night, Rachel Berry was losing her mind backstage. This was usually the moment when Finn would somehow give her a pep talk and remind her of how "awesome" she was. She was frantically pacing the floor, running through her lines over and over and over until she thought she was going to forget them all. Just then, a delivery guy came from around the back and called her name. He was holding flowers. She smiled at the thought that her dads had been so kind. However, she gasped when she read the card and it said, "You've got this. I love you-Finn".
Rachel almost ruined her makeup as the tears welled up and her throat got tight. Somehow, thousands of miles away, Finn was still giving her his pep talk. She was going to do this, and she was going to do it with everything in her. For him. Because he deserved it.
Finn snuck into the back of the theater, and stayed out of the lights. He took a seat towards the back because he did not want Rachel to see him. The lights dimmed and the curtains rose and she was standing in the middle of the stage. She started to sing and it took everything in Finn not to take off at a dead sprint down to the stage. He was overwhelmed hearing her voice again. It had been so long. Somehow her voice had always brought life into his bones, and it was like he was taking a breath of fresh air for the first time in a very long time. The musical went off wonderfully, and Rachel had been perfect. The cast bowed, and she left the stage.
Finn left the theater and walked down the sidewalk to where he could admire her signing autographs backstage from afar. He smiled as she basked in her moment of glory, which he knew would not be her last. She was absolutely breathtaking. He smiled and turned the opposite way and went to find a cab.
Rachel finally arrived at her apartment and she was exhausted but joyous at the same time. She felt at home on the stage, and she had felt more alive than she had in a long time. When she entered, she noticed Kurt wasn't home, so she assumed he had gone out with Blaine since he had made it all the way to NY to see Rachel's first musical anyways. She unpinned her hair into loose curls that feel around her shoulders and she was just fixing to take off her dress when there was a knock at the door. She sighed wondering who it would be at this time of night. She opened the door and was in absolute shock at the man standing in front of her. She looked deep into his eyes and froze.
Finn stared at Rachel. She looked absolutely dumbstruck. In response, Finn did the only thing he knew to do.
"Hi, Rach."
She continued to stare at him and couldn't believe what she was seeing. There was no longer a tall, awkward boy standing in front of her. She was looking at a strong, confident man who held his posture very well. He was also thinner, but more muscular than he had been the last time that she saw him. She blinked a few more times, and then an overwhelming sense of passion ran through her.
"Finn….." she whispered, unsure of what to do with herself. She barely utter his name when quickly cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. His lips felt soft and urgent against hers, and she quickly fell into the old routine and returned the kiss, but this one was so, so different. There was so much longing and need between the two. Finn pushed his way into the apartment and shut the door, never breaking the kiss. He then pushed Rachel up against the wall and he soaked in everything about her, from her touch to her scent. He broke the kiss, only to work his way down her neck and to her collarbone as she gasped. He firmly believed he had died and gone to Heaven. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he easily carried her to what he assumed was her bedroom. When she didn't argue, he decided he didn't care.
Rachel poured her solid year of longing into kissing Finn. She felt like she was on fire from his touch, and her brain was clouded with nothing but thoughts of him. He broke the kiss and stared directly into her eyes. He put his hands on the hem of her dress, as if asking for permission. She nodded and he swiftly removed the entire thing. She tore his shirt off, as buttons flew all around. The continued to kiss one another until the desire took over.
Rachel laid in her bed, next to Finn who was drawing lazy circles in her hair. She couldn't believe he was here laying next to her. It seemed like too much of a dream.
She sighed and he looked at her face. He seemed puzzled, as if he was asking her to explain.
"Why are you here?" was all she managed. Finn laughed and sighed.
"I came to see your first opening night in a real deal musical, which I might add, you were simply perfect in." He answered and hugged her tightly. She smiled and looked up at him, knowing there was so much more they needed to discuss, but she was enjoying the perfection of the moment and she didn't want to press the issue any further.
She quickly changed positions to face him, which startled him a little bit.
"I feel like I have so much to talk to you about and yet I have no idea how long you will be here. Is there even enough time? When will you have to go back?" Rachel questioned.
Finn smiled at the sound of the urgency in her voice. "I'm on leave for the next two weeks and I am all yours. We have plenty of time to catch up tomorrow. For now, can we just enjoy the beauty of this moment?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at her with his question. She smiled her thousand-watt smile and snuggled into him, not saying another word. With that, Finn knew that everything would be alright. No matter what happened that would take them from one another for a long time, the universe would also find a way to bring them back to one another. It absolutely had to since he was finally back in his home.