A/N: This is a prequel to a new fic I'm starting, sorry that I haven't updated my other fics but I'm working on them if you guys are still interested.
She spies his car at the end of the lot. She sighs, her feet involuntarily pushing her towards him.
The wind blows, hair sputters on her face. She bends down, knocking on his window.
He looks startled when she waves at him. He unlocks the door. She climbs in, her black boots crunching on some old ginger ale cans. He holds a cigarette in his hands, lightly bobbing his head to an old Beatles song that's playing on the radio. "Are you okay?" She asks him hesitantly. He nods, dragging the cigarette from his lips, the smoke reaching her nose. "Do you want to do anything today?" She says softly. "For her?"
He looks over at her, shrugging. He rolls down the window, throwing the cigarette out. "Let's go see the ducks...at the pond." He says suddenly, after minutes of deadly silence. "She used to love that."
She's shocked, but slowly reels herself in. "Okay, yeah. Let's go see the ducks."
When they get there, it all goes to hell. "THEY'RE GONE! HOW CAN THEY BE GONE!"
The pond was empty, a few fleeing fireflies spreading on the lilies.
"I'm so sorry, Finn." He looks so distraught. She tries to reach for him, but he flinches. "Look, let's just go back to school, okay?"
He shakes his head, "Why do they always leave me, Rach. Why?" His eyes go red, as he sinks down on the grass. Small sobs escaping him.
She sits down next to him, carefully putting her hand on his back, caressing him. "I'm so sorry baby, I'm so sorry." She feels her heart retract inside her body at the sight of him. "Tomorrow will be better. I promise."
"You won't leave me right?" He says, finally looking at her. "Not like she did?"
She sighs for what feels like the fifth time that day. "That depends," she says, "do you love me?"
She waits, but he doesn't reply, instead he opts for nuzzling his face into her sweater covered chest. "Do you think they'll ever come back?"
She's heard that before, and she's sad for him, because the answer is always the same. "I think," she says, "that if you wish it so badly, what belongs to you will come back." She looks down at him. "But I also think, we have to be realistic. Ducks will come back Finn." She sighs. "She won't." His tears press into her as his body shakes against hers.
They sit like that for awhile. Listening to the faint sound of the fireflies. Suddenly he gets up, heading for the car. "Finn, where are you going?" she says, getting up after him. "Come back."
He ignores her, his steps becoming more insistent. "Finn!"
He stops, turning around. "I-I" He struggles. "I know that she won't come back, but-" He pauses, opening his mouth but then deciding against it.
"I can't be her for you Finn!" She yells, exasperated.
"I know that, and I'm sorry." He says. He sighs, running his fingers through his hair. "I want to love you Rachel, I do." She looks up at him, tears shining in her eyes. "But, she-she was everything to me."
She walks up to him, hesitantly holding his hand with her own. "I can be too, if you'd let me." She says, intertwining their fingers. "Let me." She whispers, a tear rolling down her olive cheek.
He releases his hand from hers, swiping his thumb underneath her cheek. "I hope I can." He whispers. "Someday." With that, he walks to his car. Leaving her there, just like the ducks did, just like she did.