Author's note: Hello everyone! I've deleted this story and written it again because it wasn't quite working with me. Please keep in mind I'm a very busy person, so updates might not be too frequent. I'll try my best though. Please read and review. Enjoy!
Letters from a Dying Rachel Hudson: Chapter 1
November 1st 2023
Emotion: an effective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness.
He's sitting in the same faded plastic chair he's been occupying for months, but today's different. He's with her when she takes her last breath. He watches her gasp for air. He watches her eyelids close. He watches her body settle.
They've talked about it, this moment, for the past couple months. All the talking in the world couldn't have prepared him for it though. He's told her he loves her more times than he can count tonight, and he's sure if Rachel had the strength to speak, she'd be saying it too. If you were to ask Finn Hudson how he was feeling, what he was feeling- you'd earn no response. Truth is he didn't know how to feel, what to feel.
She's been getting weaker and weaker as the days pass by. She tries to hide it from him, but he watches her shakily try to pick up her glass out of the corner of his eye.
Somehow she knew. She knew that today would be her last day. They've sat together all morning, holding onto each other so tightly he felt as if he would break her.
"Can't do any worse damage," Rachel tries to joke.
He tries to smile but it comes out as a grimace. He loosens his grip on her waist but she assures him it's fine, holding onto her like that.
His other hand rests on her shoulder, just above her her collarbone. Just months ago long brown hair rested on that shoulder.
He moves his hand to her pale, slender arm and traces small patterns. Just months ago these arms were tan and muscular.
He takes her chin with his finger and looks into her cloudy, tired eyes. Just months ago those eyes were full of life, full of promises.
A lot can change in the span of a couple months.
It wasn't supposed to end this way, though. They had a two-year-old daughter at home. She didn't understand. Didn't understand what was happening to her mom. It broke Finn's heart. They had planned on having lots more children. They wanted Ellie to grow up with siblings. Just months ago they'd been talking about moving to New Jersey and buying a house with a yard. A yard for kids to run around in. A lot can change in the span of a couple months.
He's with her now though, and that's all that matters. He glances down at her face and smiles. Her body had changed drastically. Her eyes had sunken in and her cheekbones hallowed. She was still beautiful; she was always beautiful.
Her eyes start to close and her breathing becomes hitched. He's finally aware of the tears pooling in his eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.
"Let go, baby," he whispers and he clutches her hand.
"I love you Finn," she chokes out.
"I'm forever yours, Rach."
"Faithfully."
Her eyes shut and her body relaxes. He isn't aware of the finality of it all until the heart monitor beeps, echoing throughout the room.
Author's note: This story isn't just sad, there will be multiple time jumps that show their life years before this.