A/N: My first Faberry story, with the first chapter containing no Faberry. -.- I'm sorry about that. This is just the intro, which will lead into the main plot. I have this all planned out though, don't worry.

Hopefully you enjoy anyway.

A breeze puffed past her, sending an eruption of goosebumps down her arms. Her chocolate-colored hair fluttered against her tan cheeks, and she felt strangeness in the air. Something was unusual; the world seemed off kilter, the whole place reeked of peculiarity. She didn't know what it was that had her skin crawling, and she tilted her head up, studying the azure sky for answers. The vast blueness hung above her, completely devoid of answers and, frowning, Rachel Berry let her head drop.

She arrived at the William McKinley High school ground, and her eyes instantly began to rove, searching, searching. Her shoulders sank in relief as her gaze finally rested upon her target. With purpose, she strode towards an old wooden picnic table outside of the school. Rachel's heart galloped as she came nearer, eyes fixed on the boy who sat at the table's bench. His head rested on his hand, scribbling something on a piece of notebook paper.

As if sensing her presence, he lifted his head and stared out at her, contemplating, before sending her his usual charming boyish smile and closing the notebook.

"Hey," Rachel said, slightly out of breath as she plopped down on the bench beside the boy. With just the slightest of hesitation, Rachel let her hand drop on his denim-clad knee, the stiff fabric rough against her fingertips. The boy, Finn, made no move to remove her touch; instead he let his own hand slowly slide up her bare leg to come to rest on her knee. Rachel felt the heat of his palm soak into her own skin.

"Hey yourself," he replied, giving her a lazy smile. Warmth spread throughout Rachel's body at this flash of teeth, but something else stirred within her as well. It was the knot in her stomach, loosening at last. The tight ball of tension that she had carried around for months, ever since her boyfriend had changed…

Rachel abruptly pushed this thought away. She didn't want to focus on that Finn. She wanted to spend her time with the guy in front of her, the one who she'd first met at the beginning of her freshmen year. The one whose smile seemed to be the match that struck up a fire within her.

"I've missed that," Rachel whispered.

He looked down at her knowingly. "Yeah..me too," he said quietly and gave another small smile.

With a contented sigh, Rachel settled her head against his shoulder, lacing her fingers in his. "So, what's brought on this sudden change?" She wondered if she was pushing her luck and bit her lip as she waited for him to frown, to retreat from her as he'd done for so long. Instead he gave a chuckle and draped his arm around her shoulders.

"Today everything is going to change. I can feel it. In fact, I know it. Things will be different for you Rachel, I promise." Finn smiled down at her, his light brown eyes crinkled.

Rachel's dark ones however squinted at him in confusion.

"What do you mean everything is going to change?" she asked slowly but Finn's lips just twitched in a smirk.

Then, suddenly, his face was right in front of her and as his lips brushed against her own he whispered, "You'll find out soon enough." A tiny laugh followed this statement and then his lips were pressing against hers.

Rachel didn't care that she was in public, that she was behaving in a way that her parents would frown upon, Rachel's only care was that the boy she loved was back to himself.

Finally, she broke the kiss to regain her breath.

Finn let out a soft chuckle and, smiling, Rachel stretched out, resting against his chest.

"You know, I think you're right, about everything changing. I can already feel it too," Rachel said. "Even this morning, I thought that something was different." She lifted her head up to smile at her boyfriend but stopped when she noticed the look on his face. It was twisted in almost an evil sort of smile. It flickered and then was gone, yet Rachel still felt a chill travel up her spine.

Just then the school bell rang. Finn, now wearing a giant grin, bounded to his feet in excitement. He extended a hand and pulled Rachel to her feet and then let go to scoop up his backpack. He began to walk away, humming a cheery little tune.

Before he got too far he stopped, and turned to her.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked with a laugh and Rachel forced a smile, nodding. She strode up to him and he once again tossed his arm around her, holding her loosely to his side. They began to walk and Rachel's confusion over what she'd just seen set waves of anxiety through her. Something didn't feel right. Finn's words...his over-the-night happiness, it all just felt wrong.

Stop it, Rachel told herself harshly. He's finally happy, why are you trying to spoil it?

Maybe because this Finn, this exuberant one, was so vastly different from the brooding one she'd dated for the past few months. The Finn who seemed to have happiness evade him; who would sing with her and create a perfect harmony.

The Finn who had been stuck in a fury that Rachel couldn't penetrate. Her boyfriend whose smile had been swiped away by the constant tormenting he endured. The broken boy.

As they walked, Rachel turned her head back to stare at the picnic table. It seemed to stand ominously, the legs holding it up ready to collapse at any moment, and once again a shiver stole up her back.

"So, what were you writing earlier?" Rachel asked, as they began to walk up the school steps. She was trying to find safety, to shake the terrors that snapped at her heels, making her want to run.

"Actually, you'll uh...you'll find out in a little bit," Finn said. Rachel glanced over at him to see him gulp. He seemed shaky all of a sudden, nervous.

"Are you alri-" Rachel began to ask but Finn gave a quick shake of his head, his smile back in place.

"I'm fine. Better than ever," Finn said airily, his clutch tightening on her as if to give her a reassuring squeeze. Rachel just felt trapped.

As they began to wind their way through the halls, Finn's arm dropped from Rachel's shoulders. He began to stride with purpose, his legs quickening as they rounded corner after corner.

"Where are we going? Class is that way," Rachel panted, trying to keep up.

Finn suddenly rounded on her and pulled the notebook he had earlier out of his backpack. He looked around and shoved it into her hand.

"Read this, okay?" he said hurriedly. "Just read it."

There was a look in his eyes, a blind terror. His eyes went blank and he gave her a sad smile. He turned away from her and began to walk down the hall.

"Finn!" Rachel called out but he didn't look back at her.

Rachel glanced down at the black notebook she now held. She opened it, and found nothing but a blank page. She began to flip through the book, almost ripping pages out in frustration as she encountered empty page after empty page. Finally in the middle of the book she found what Finn had been looking at earlier. Words and sentences had been earnestly scrawled out, leaving only a few unscathed. With bated breath, she read the words: Rachel, I don't know how else to say this...I'm sorry.

Just then, a shot rang out in the hallway.

A/N: I KNOW I KNOW, there wasn't even any Quinn in this. This was all... Finchel. Bleh. . I PROMISE though, the next chapter will be much much better.

..Reviews anyone? :3