Disclaimer: I own neither Glee nor any part thereof. No money is being made off of this story and is intended only for entertainment purposes; therefore it falls within the parameters of "Fair Use"
A/N: In the past people have asked me why I bash Finn as much as I do. If those people still wonder I present to them Exhibits A and B, "The First Time" and "Mash Off". I swear there isn't a single redeeming characteristic in that kid and he's supposed to be the protagonist of the show.
Actions Have Consquences
"Finn, what was that all about? What was Santana talking about?" Rachel asked as she applied an ice pack to the growing welt on his face. After the Mash-Off, they had gone back to the Berry household so that Rachel could tend to her boyfriend.
"God, she's so bent out of shape," Finn said. "She went off on this string of insults on me and all I did was tell her to come out of the closet."
"You said what?" Rachel asked very loudly.
"I told her to stop being a bitch to everyone just because she was in love with Brittany and to just come out of the freaking closet already," Finn said.
"And you said this in private, in the choir room or the auditorium?"
"No, we were in the hall. Rory was there, some other people."
For the first time in her life, Rachel Berry was speechless. She just stood there her mouth hanging open, eyes wide staring at the boy that she had loved with all her heart until that very moment. A minute ago she would have sworn to know the large boy in front of her better than almost anyone, now she barely recognized him. Softly, she finally spoke again, "Finn, you outed her."
"Yeah, well, she started it," he said.
Rachel's eyes snapped up to meet Finn's and there was fire in her gaze. "Finn Hudson, that excuse doesn't work when my four year old cousin uses it to justify pushing someone down on the playground at his elementary school, I have not the faintest clue why you think it would suffice for forcibly outing someone and subjecting them to ridicule and abuse. I know you can be self-centered and randomly hurtful at times and I am hardly one to come down on you for that, but I never thought you'd do something so horrible just to make yourself feel better about being called names. Get out!" she yelled and pointed to the door.
"You're taking Santana's side?"
"Santana is the injured party! Get out of my house!"
"Fine!" he yelled and stormed out.
X X X X X
Monday morning at school Rachel was struggling with her things at her locker. She'd had an exceedingly bad weekend with one piece of heartbreaking news after the next, and for the first time in her life she had seriously considered skipping school. She had perfect attendance all through high school but was absolutely willing to throw that all away to avoid the conversation that was inevitably coming sometime today. Just like clockwork there was a very large shadow cast over her. She refused to even turn to look at him. "Rach, can I talk to you?"
"Finn, I had hoped that the 71 missed phone calls and the hundred plus unreturned text messages this weekend would give you some sort of hint that I do not wish to speak with you."
"We need to talk, Rach…"
"There's nothing for us to talk about," Rachel cut him off still not looking back at him.
"Damnit give me a chance to apologize," he snapped at her.
"Apologize for what, Finn?" She finally turned to face him leveling him with a death glare. "For potentially ruining Santana's life? I think I'm the wrong person to apologize to on that count. Or are you perhaps coming to apologize for giving me Trichinosis?"
"Is… is that a sex thing?" he asked confused.
"No, Finn, it's not a 'sex thing' I was feeling poorly last week so I went to the doctor and they ran some blood tests and as it turns out, I have parasites in my body, parasites that I could have only gotten from eating raw or undercooked meat. MEAT, Finn, as in one of those things that I don't eat! That night that you made me dinner… it was real meat wasn't it?" Finn's gaze dropped when he couldn't bring himself to answer which was unfortunate for him since that meant he didn't see Rachel's hand swinging at his face. The slap hit him so hard that it made his eyes water and he stumbled back a half-step. "So not only did you cause me to eat meat and thus violate my own ethics about consuming animal products, but I've also broken my commitment to God by breaking Kosher! You're like a child, absolutely incapable of thinking of anyone but yourself!" Rachel broke down into tears at this point. Finn went to say something and it was met with another slap in exactly the same spot on his face. This one caused his ears to ring and the colossal boy lost his balance and fell to the floor. "Don't speak to me, Finn Hudson! Don't speak to me ever again! We're not boyfriend and girlfriend, we're not friends, and as of 7 o'clock this morning we are not teammates anymore! I've never felt so betrayed in my whole life. I cannot believe that I thought you were ever worthy of my virginity. Quinn and Santana were right, I should have waited. Normally at this point I would entreat you to go to the doctor for a checkup as you likely have Trichinosis as well, and I've never in my life wished ill on another living creature, but at this point, I honestly hope you die!" Rachel turned and executed the diva storm out of all diva storm outs, and all Finn could do was lie there and watch.
X X X X X
"What do you want, Yentl?"
"Where is Shelby?" Rachel asked, ignoring the nickname.
"What's it to you?" asked Mercedes.
"I wish to join The Troubletones," Rachel said.
"Bitch, say what?" Santana snapped. "Your fucking pet boys puts my life on front street and then you want to come in here and try to take my spotlight away? To borrow a line from my girl here, hell to the no!"
"Santana, what Finn did to you was absolutely inexcusable which is why not ten minutes ago I dumped him and then slapped him senseless. It's sure to be all over Twitter in moments if it isn't already…"
"Where's my phone?" Mercedes asked as she went off in search of her bag.
"As for The Troubletones," Rachel continued, "I've already quit New Directions. I won't be associated with any group that accepts Finn as a member. Moreover, last week's Mash-Off proved pretty conclusively where all the talent in our once unified group was. I want to go to New York. I want to get into NYADA. The best way to do that is to be a member of a National Champion Show Choir and The Troubletones are obviously going to destroy New Directions at Sectionals regardless of which side I'm on, so if stemming my diva ways is what is required of me to be on the winning team, then that is what I will do. I'm sure an actual competent show choir coach like Shelby can manage to reign me in as long as I'm actually trying to work on it." Santana was standing there watching her, staring. "I swear on the life Barbara Streisand that I am not here to steal yours or Mercedes's spotlight."
Mercedes showed Santana her phone, "The story about Finn checks out."
Santana glanced at the phone and back to Rachel. "Probation," she said.
"I'm sorry?" Rachel said.
"Probation," Santana repeated, "you get no solos until at least Regionals, you don't get to vote on song selection or costumes or choreography until then either. You'll spend the next six months humming and swaying in the background… and you won't throw a fucking diva fit about it, or you're out and you can go crawling back to Schuester and his Maxi-Me. Comprende?"
"If this is what I must do, then it's what I must do," Rachel said.
"Fine," said Santana, "Come on, we've got shit to rehearse and you're already behind."
Later, after rehearsals, after the rest of the girls had gone, Santana held Rachel back and said, "Tell me the truth. Where's all this submissive, team player shit suddenly coming from? And don't lie to me or you're out."
Rachel cast her eyes to the floor and said, "When Finn told me what he did I was incredibly disgusted with him. He was so selfish and short sighted that he couldn't think about the consequences that his actions have on others. Then after I threw him out, I was thinking about it and I realized that I'm no different. I ratted Quinn out to Finn. I sent Sunshine to a crack house. I don't want to be that person any longer. Santana, I know you don't like me very much and I know that's as much to do with me as anything else, but I want you to know that if there's anything I or my fathers can do to help you through the coming days, you shouldn't hesitate to ask."
Santana stared at her again before finally saying, "Yeah, thanks," she said sincerely before remembering herself adding, "…whatever, come on, we've got classes to get to, so some shit."