A/N: I got the idea for this directly after "Rumours", but I've been so busy I haven't been able to finish it! I'm just glad to get it up before Glee tonight. I'M SO EXCITED FOR THIS EPISODE, GUYS.

Takes place between "Rumours" and "Prom Queen". ENJOY! And remember, I LOVE reviews. A lot. I'd love to hear what you think!

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Troll!Murphy and Friends. I'm just borrowing them. I didn't make any money. Don't sue me.


When it Rains


Prom was coming, and lately, Finn Hudson was spending a lot of time in fancy stores listening to snobby people go on and on about colour pallets and 'crinoline'. He promised Quinn Fabray he would be there for it all. He told he would so his best to help out. That's what he was supposed to do, right?

It was exhausting. Quinn was exhausting.

It will be better... He kept telling himself. It's just prom making her act this way. Once it's over, it will be better. She'll stop this act. He remembered that before all this, she used to be sweet. He liked her when she was sweet.

It was her sixth dress at this store and her fourteenth of the day. She and her mother were in the change room muttering about materials and colour swatches. He hadn't actually seen them for almost half an hour.

He stood awkwardly in a sea of brightly coloured silk and ribbons and he was lost. He felt like her owed it to Quinn to be here, but really he just felt silly and useless.

He hated it.

He meandered his way to the changing room where his girlfriend was consealed. He needed so do something.

"What about the pink one?" Finn tried as he tapped on the change room door, "I liked the pink one."

"Ugh, gross. Rachel is supposed to be wearing pink," She spat through the door, "I can't. That would be mortifying."

Maybe it was a girl thing, or maybe it was just a Quinn thing, but he didn't see what the big deal was. There are different shades and styles, right? Quinn had been looking for something long and- what was the term? 'Form-fitting'? There was no way Rachel would go for something like that. He knew hers would probably be something short and puffy and probably a little shiny too...

He tried not to smile at that image. Of course Rachel would be wearing pink, he thought, it is her favourite colour after all.

Finn was drawn away from his thoughts by Quinn's mumbles through the door.

"Mom, what about that sea-foam green one from..." She either said "from before" or "from the other store", he couldn't quite make it out.

Quinn mother muttered something in reply and the door sung open and shut again in the blink of an eye. Ms. Fabray stood in front of the closed door, looking at Finn expectantly. He moved to one side and she moved in the same direction. He tried the other side, but she mirrored his movements. They dodged each other awkwardly until Quinn's mother grabbed his arms and guided him to one side as she swivelled around to the other.

His face burned as he stammered some equally awkward apology.

"It's all right, dear. I know you can't really help it." She condescended before retreating to a wall of gowns.

Finn blinked a few times. What the hell was that supposed to mean? He didn't give it anymore thought, though. He figured it wasn't worth the effort anyway.

He moved a little closer toward the door and knocked gently, "How's it going, baby? Can I come in?"

"Finn, prom is in a week and I really need to focus right now. Can it wait? My mom would lose it if she caught you in here anyway." She lectured through the door.

Finn rolled his eyes. He'd heard this speech every day for a week, and it was getting old, "Please there's gotta be something I can do, I just-"

The door swung open abruptly and Quinn stood before him wearing modest slip and one of her patent, disapproving glares. He could tell that Scary!Quinn was in control and she was struggling to hold her temper back.

'A' for effort, he supposed.

"Listen, Finn, maybe you should just go, OK? I just need some space to think about this-this dress," she stammered oddly, "I mean, this will be the dress that I get my hard-earned, 2011 Prom Queen crown in, and it has to be perfect, okay?"

"I was just trying to help-"

"I know!" She hissed, temper slipping. She took a deep breath to compose herself, and he heard her voice soften a bit, "I know, baby. But you're kind of smothering me a tiny bit right now."

She walked over to him and gave him a peck on the cheek, but it wasn't warm or affectionate, she was brushing him off.

"I'll text you when I have the dress, okay? I'll help you pick a matching tie tomorrow." She turned toward the change room and Finn was deflated.

"Oh, and Finn?"

His face lifted.

"Here, you should take my umbrella. They're calling for rain."

She left the umbrella for him and disappeared behind a curtain. He stood there for a few moments trying to process what had happened.

He wondered if it was always going to be this hard; if she would ever let him in.

Everything he'd done since they were together felt like a mistake, like it wasn't enough. It felt as if he wasn't enough.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Finn started, defeated, at a flat chocolate mass smoking in the oven. All of the edges were singed but the middle was still batter.

How does that even happen?

"This is useless, Rachel! If we leave now, we can still make it to Baskin Robins before the dinner. Mom loves double chocolate fudge ice cream cake! We have it every year, so it's like a Hudson tradition or something..."

He trailed off and looked to the petite brunette crouched in front of the oven beside him. He tried to read her reaction, but he didn't have to. Her face was set in that stubborn determination he was used to seeing during singing competitions. According to Rachel Berry, failure was not an option today.

"We'll just have bake another one, then."

"Rachel, we're supposed to be at Burt's in like- forty minutes! There's no way we can make another one in time!"

"Do you have bananas?"

"Yeah, they're a little brown though-"

"Perfect! Get those and the potato masher and leave that oven on. Your mother is going to get that home-made birthday cake you promised her, and you are going to help me make it perfect and punctual. Got it?"

His face split into a smile and it took Rachel snapping her fingers two inches in front of his nose to drag him out of his euphoria.

"Finn, baby, you're adorable when you're admiring me, but we really need to get to work."

"You're just-" Crap, did he have tears in his eyes? "You're the best, Rachel."

She beamed at him, reached up and stroked his cheek with her thumb, "I have you to thank for that." She pat him on the cheek and he seen that wild determination shine in her eyes again, "Now seriously Finn, get the bananas."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Finn was lucky he only lived a twenty minute walk away from the dress shop, but there was no chance he would have made it back home the rain.

He didn't use Quinn's umbrella.

He heard the thunder roll far off in the distance and remembered that Fleetwood Mac song Mr. Schue and April Rhodes performed together last week... Something about thunder and rain...

His shoes squished in the puddles and the wet sent a chill through his chest.

When the rain washes you clean you'll know.

He didn't belong with Quinn.

You will know.


A/N2: Thank you so much for reading! It's only a one-shot, so I won't be writing anymore. You can tell me how mad you are in a review!