A/N This is my very first attempt at writing any sort of fan fiction. Funeral left me with a lot of feelings that just would not go away. Writing this helped :)

"My god is this how she felt?" Finn thought as he looked down on the stage and saw Rachel with Jesse. Is this how she felt every time she saw him with Quinn? A sharp pain gripped his chest as a wave of guilt and nausea washed over him. He slowly turned around and walked out of the auditorium. It was their place… the place where she had set up her silly picnic. The place where he had first taken her in his arms, kissed her and acknowledged that she had indeed found a place in his heart. "But then I heard you sing…"

A sudden pain briefly took his mind away from his memories. He looked down at his hand and saw the source of his pain. He had crushed the flower he had brought for her, a tulip, in her favorite color. He let the flower fall to the ground and flexed his palm to relax his grip. What had he done? How had he gotten so lost? Why did he think he could go back and fix everything with Quinn and things would go back to how they were before her…before Rachel. His Rachel. He knew now that he couldn't run away from his feelings for her.

He thought back to the funeral and Sue's Eulogy, "It's like you're attached by this invisible tether and now matter how far away you are, you can always feel them." She was bound to him, to his soul, to every part of him and he had to get her back. He looked up with determination. He would get her back. After all he was Finn Hudson and he didn't give up so easily.

"Okay guys, next time we meet I need those original song ideas so that we can finalize our set list for Nationals," Will said. Finn stood up quickly before everyone had the chance to gather their things and leave.

"Uhh, Mr. Schue?, Finn asked.

"Yes, Finn?"

"I know that we are singing original songs at Nationals but I came across this song and it really touched me. I wanted to sing it for the club, if I could."

"Oh, sure Finn that sounds great," Will said smiling. Finn got up from his chair and paused in front of Rachel. Without looking at her he whispered, "Listen, because I mean every word." He slowly showed her his signature half smile before turning to the rest of the club.

The music began and he looked up and found Rachel looking at him with confusion. He smiled again as began singing with all of the emotion he had felt over the last few days.

Some people live their dreams
Some people close their eyes
Some people's destiny
Passes by

There are no guarantees
There are no alibis
That's how our love must be
Don't ask why

It takes some time
God knows how long
I know that I can forget you

As soon as my heart stops breakin'
Anticipating
As soon as forever is through
I'll be over you

Remembering times gone by
Promises we once made
What are the reasons why
Nothing stays the same

It takes some time

God knows how long

I know that I can forget you

As soon as my heart stops breakin'

Anticipating

As soon as forever is through

I'll be over you

There were the nights holding you close
Someday I'll try to forget them
Someday I'll be over you

After hitting the last note, Finn opened his eyes and looked at Rachel. Her head was slightly tilted and she was staring at him with tears and questioning in her eyes. The club began cheering and clapping and he saw Rachel quickly wipe away her tears and try to regain her composure. She quickly grabbed her things and headed out the door.

Finn tried to follow her but Mr. Schue grabbed him. "That was awesome, Finn. I really felt your heart in that one. Use that emotion and come up with an original song. If you can sing it like you just sang that one, we got Nationals in the bag."

"Thanks, Mr. Schue. I'll try and come up with something," Finn said blushing.

"Maybe you can ask Rachel to help you out. She did write one hell of a song for Regionals and you two are my go to guys for duets." Shit, Finn thought. Why hadn't he thought of that before? Getting Rachel to help him with an original song would be the perfect excuse to hang out with her.

"That's a great idea, Mr. Schue. Thanks again." Finn quickly grabbed his stuff and ran out the door.

"Hey Kurt, do you think you could help me with something?" Finn asked, standing in the doorway of Kurt's bedroom.

"Sure Finn, what did you need?"

"Well, I was hoping that maybe you could help me whip up a batch of cookies."

"Cookies? What the hell do you want to bake cookies for?" Kurt asked with a shocked expression on his face.

"It's a gift. Please, will you help me or not?" Finn said slightly annoyed.

"Umm, I don't think I know how to do cookies, but I did recently learn how to do cupcakes in home ec." Will cupcakes do?"

"Guess it will have to do. Thanks for helping me out." An hour later, with both Finn and Kurt covered in flour the cupcakes were done. Finn headed towards the shower and yelled, "Thanks again, Kurt."

Kurt glanced at the cupcakes that he and Finn had just made. They turned out pretty well. Kurt insisted on pastel colored frosting and Finn had piped the words "I'm sorry" on each of them. "I don't know what you did, Finn Hudson, but whoever we made these for better be worth it." Kurt yelled. Finn smiled as he got into the shower.

That night, Finn grabbed a notebook and began writing. He thought of the past few months with Quinn. Of how much he must have hurt Rachel and how much he, himself was hurting without even realizing it. How he'd lied to himself and everyone around him, pretending that everything was all right; that he knew what he was doing. He remembered when Rachel sang Jar of Hearts at prom, it felt as though is was directed at him solely, felling the pain that he had felt as he listened to her words. The constant thought of "what am I doing" running through his head. All he had wanted to do then was grab Rachel and run, run from all the pain and confusion. The words came pouring out in waves of tears, pain and relief. And when it was done, all written out on paper, Finn turned out the lights of his room and fell into his bed more exhausted then he had ever felt before.

Finn's heart raced as dialed her number on his phone. He smiled when he heard the familiar Barbara song playing as he waited for her to answer.

"Hello?" Rachel said.

"Hey Rachel, its Finn, how are you?" he said nervously.

"I'm doing well and you?" She sounded apprehensive, as if she didn't really know what to say. He was sure that she had heard through the grapevine that he had broken up with Quinn.

"Well, I wrote a song last night and was wondering if you could go over it with me and let me know how it is."

"Oh, of course I can Finn. It's the least I could do with all the help you gave me during my song writing process. I would be happy to help. Did you want to come over?"

"Yes, I'll be there in ten minutes and thanks for agreeing to help me."

"You're welcome. See you in a few." She hung up the phone and Finn grabbed the plate of cupcakes and his notebook and headed out the door.

Finn watched her as she was going over the song he had written. God she was beautiful. The way she bit her lower lip as she was concentrating, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. She had smiled when she saw the cupcakes he had brought.

"You brought me a plate of I'm sorry cupcakes?"

"Kurt didn't know how to make cookies." Finn had said sheepishly.

Finn glanced up at her and saw that she was trembling. "Rachel, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

She looked up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Finn, this is beautiful." He reached and brushed the tears from her face.

"Rachel, I know that we can't go back to what we were and pretend that these last few months didn't happen. I know that I hurt you terribly and was an asshole."

"I hurt you too, Finn…"

"The truth is my heart forgave you almost immediately, but my brain couldn't accept it. I missed you every day. There was emptiness in me that I thought that I could fill with Quinn but it just got bigger and bigger every day that I wasn't with you. When I heard Coach Sylvester's eulogy to Jean something in my brain just clicked. It was you. It was always you. You are the one at the end of my invisible tether. I love you Rachel, so much."

Rachel reached up to touch his face. "Where have you been? I missed you." She moved toward him and placed her lips softly on his. Finn embraced her and kissed her back with all of the emotion that he had kept bottled up for so long.

Sitting together on her couch watching Funny Girl with her head resting on his shoulder and his hand resting on her knee, Finn asked "Rachel, do you remember when you asked me if I saw fireworks when I kissed you?"

"Yes…" There was a slight look of hurt in her eyes as she replied.

"When I kiss you Rachel, I see something much better than fireworks. I see my future." She smiled as Finn bent down and kissed her.

"I love you." She said softly. He loved the familiar sweet taste of her lip gloss and the faint smell of strawberries from her shampoo. And as he leaned into her for more, he thought, he could never be happier than he is right now.

Fin

Thank you for taking the time to read my first fic. I hope you enjoyed it :) Reviews would be lovely and appreciated