Chapter 2: Beautiful
Rachel's taxi approached the address Blaine had messaged and she could feel the air shift. She had to get to him, had to make sure Finn was okay. She was still a little nervous as to how they would allow her in his room since she wasn't family. Maybe all of those acting abilities would come in handy in case she needed to pretend to be his fiancé.
As she entered the building she took a moment to observe the people waiting in chairs to the right. Their faces downcast, worry aflight throughout the room.
Scanning the area before her Rachel spotted a desk area with a few receptionists. She picked an older man to approach, hoping he would help her get to Finn.
"I am looking for Finn Hudson?"
The man stared blankly at her.
"No reporters or fans allowed. Sorry."
Rachel winced at his cold demeanor. Maybe this would be harder than she thought.
Rachel glanced at her phone, trying to find Kurt's information.
"Sir, I'm not a reporter. I was sent by the family. Finn's parents are flying now, otherwise they would be here. "
The man peered over his glasses at Rachel and then back to the computer.
Why couldn't he be a Broadway fan?
Rachel was about to turn and call Kurt when she heard the man pick up the phone. She glanced at him and he looked at her expectantly.
"Your name?"
Rachel smiled brightly. "Rachel Berry."
The man's lips fell into a flat line and he pointed to the corner of the room near the elevators.
Rachel wasn't sure where she was going but she saw a security guard appear and walk towards her.
Before he could open his mouth Rachel spotted a rather tall woman wearing a Giants pullover. She approached Rachel and the worried look on her face was unmistakable. She was here for Finn as well.
"Rachel?"
"Yes."
The woman had piercing blue eyes and short curly hair.
"I'm Coach Bieste. I'm Finn's throwing coach."
Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. This woman could take her to Finn.
"How is he? Can I see him?"
Coach Bieste smiled a little and directed Rachel to follow her to the elevators. A guard moved and the elevator marked Employees Only suddenly opened. Rachel followed Coach and waited for an answer as the towering woman held her silence. The guard that had ridden with them held the elevator door for them until they were safely on a new floor filled with fresh flowers and marble.
"Sorry about not answering you. I've learned never to speak freely in the presence of people not employed by the Giants."
Rachel nodded her head.
"That's very considerate and smart."
Coach smiled a little. She continued to walk until they reached the end of the hall and sharply turned left. There was a double door that the Coach opened. A couch and chair sat opposite another set of doors. This apparently was a waiting room for the patient's room.
"He's still asleep. They had to knock him out because of the pain."
Rachel felt tears form again.
"What happened?"
Coach Bieste looked at her own hands as she shook her head.
"He went down hard. He was screaming in pain when we got to him. I thought it was his throwing arm, but apparently two three hundred pound men may have crushed his knee on a play. They brought in the XRay machines and it looks as though his knee is torn. We won't know more until Ortho comes up which should be shortly."
Rachel thought about Finn's pain. It was probably best he was knocked out.
"Can I see him?"
Coach opened the door and Rachel felt her own knees weaken at the man in the bed before her. Rachel slowly put one foot in front of the other and walked to the edge of the bed. She heard the door close behind her. Rachel wanted to turn to see if she was alone, but she couldn't look away.
It had been years since she saw Finn in person. She had kept up with him on the internet and had a Google alert for him, but seeing him sleeping churned up emotions she thought she had buried.
Rachel walked to his right side and placed her bag in the chair near his bedside. She stood there staring at Finn. His hair was shorter than she remembered, he had more freckles than she recalled, and he was glorious. Rachel found herself longing to touch his face and had to stop the sob rising in her chest. She knew if she would release the breath she was holding the tears would fall. Rachel looked at the monitors beside him and everything looked okay she guessed. She wished she knew what all of the numbers meant.
Rachel spotted his hand and studied his long fingers. Whenever she thought of Finn Hudson she thought of his handsome smile with dimples and his hands that had felt like home for her. Her pinky finger slid next to his and Rachel jumped when the door behind her opened. A nurse walked in and walked with purpose to the machines and I.V. that Rachel just now noticed.
"Do you know how long he will be asleep?"
The red headed nurse was in her forties and she glanced at Rachel and then back to Finn.
"It's hard to say. It could be hours."
"Is he in a coma? Can he hear me? Should I talk to him or be silent?"
The nurse smiled a small smile.
"It's better if he rests. He didn't have a concussion, but he did scream and was in pain. I think he would still sleep, much like now, if you chose to talk to him."
Rachel looked at the sleeping giant for a moment and then moved her back as she placed the chair closer to Finn's bedside.
The nurse didn't say anything more and quietly exited the room.
Rachel looked around the room and then back to Finn's hand. With some trepidation she slowly moved her hand over his. At the contact she immediately felt sparks again and couldn't stop the tears that fell.
After a few minutes of crying Rachel used her free hand to wipe the tears away.
"Finn, if you can hear me, it's Rachel Berry. I hope you remember me. I'm Kurt's roommate and I know you have a lot of groupies that may follow you around and you may even be a man-whore, I really don't know, but I hope more than anything that you remember me. I've thought about you a lot. I don't think there is a day that something doesn't remind me of you. While we only spent hours together, I carried those memories with me for years. It was the one time in my life where I can remember feeling whole."
Rachel had more she wanted to say but decided she would stop before Finn woke up to ask who she was and then she would really feel like an idiot.
Until then, Rachel would lean back in her chair and watch Finn as her hand covered his.
Rachel wasn't sure how long she had watched him sleeping, but she heard him mumble in his sleep.
"Bachel."
Maybe Rachel was wishing she heard her name being mumbled. That had to be it. It sounded like Rachel but it wasn't clear.
"Beautiful."
Okay that word didn't sound as gargled.
Rachel's chest constricted as she waited for Finn to wake. After a few moments his breathing returned to a steady deep rhythm and Rachel knew he was still sleeping.
A doctor came in at some point and he was accompanied by a nurse and Coach Bieste.
"He's still out I see."
Rachel turned to see a middle-aged man with greying hair staring at Finn. Rachel quickly removed her hand from Finn's and noticed that his heartbeat sped up momentarily. Rachel nervously looked on and then noted the raised eyebrow on Coach Bieste's face.
Shit. She had been caught.
But Finn was a family friend. Perhaps Rachel wanted to comfort him and liked to hold people's hands? Yes that sounded like a good response if the Coach quizzed her about it later.
"He should wake up in a few hours. When he does let the nurses know. He may need more pain meds. Coach, a word?"
The doctor escorted Coach Bieste out of the room while the nurse wrote something in Finn's file.
"He will be okay, won't he?"
The same nurse from earlier smiled again.
"I think he may need surgery but he should be fine. Just out of it for a few days until we can operate."
Rachel hoped Finn would be okay. What If he couldn't play football again? Finn lived for football.
The nurse closed the file and turned to walk away.
"Any other questions?"
Rachel tried to recall everything the doctor had said.
"How do I let you know when he wakes up?"
The nurse nodded and pointed to a button on the bed.
"Press this button and we will come running."
Rachel smiled in appreciation and watched Finn sleeping. As soon as she heard the door close Rachel placed her hand back on his. She swore Finn's lips curved into a smile at the gesture.
Rachel heard footsteps and a male voice before she looked back to see the door open. Coach Bieste walked in with a guy who had his head shaved. He looked vaguely familiar.
"Is he awake yet?"
Rachel sat up in her chair and shook her head.
"Hudson, wake the hell up!"
Rachel almost jumped at the volume the man used at his injured friend.
"So you're Rachel Berry?"
Rachel found her voice and bit back the reprimand she wanted to throw his way for yelling at Finn.
"I am Rachel Berry. Who are you?"
Rachel noticed the man stand a little taller while adjusting his leather jacket.
"Noah Puckerman. Puck."
Ohhhhhh. That is why he looked familiar. She had seen pictures of this guy with Santana and Quinn.
"Nice to meet you."
"How long have you been here?"
Rachel thought for a moment.
"I'm not sure. I got here earlier. Kurt called and asked if I could be here."
Rachel's palm hit her forehead.
"Shoot! I forgot to call Kurt."
Puck smiled a little.
"Go call him and I'll sit here with my boy until you get back. I'm sure he would rather wake up to see your face and not mine."
Rachel wasn't sure how to take that last statement but she grabbed her phone and excused herself from the room.
Rachel had given Blaine and Kurt an update via speakerphone and found out Finn's parents were stuck in traffic. She promised to call them every few hours and couldn't slow her steps to get back to Finn's bedside. She just had a feeling he would wake up soon.
Rachel opened the double doors and noted that Coach Bieste wasn't in the room. Puck stood at the end of the bed and wiped his face suddenly when he saw Rachel.
"Any change?"
"Not yet. I'm going to grab coffee with Coach. Want anything to eat?"
Rachel remembered she hadn't eaten since this morning but she had zero appetite.
"No thank you. That's very kind of you."
Puck turned around and walked out of the room.
Rachel sank back into her chair and made sure her phone was on vibrate.
She looked back at the gorgeous man in front of her.
Pictures will never do you justice.
Rachel's hand found Finn's again.
"Finn, I'll be here as long as it takes for you to wake up."
Rachel didn't get a chance to say anything more as felt Finn's finger move underneath her hand.
Rachel looked up and saw Finn's half lidded eyes opening until she saw the most beautiful shade of whiskey appear. His voice was hoarse, but Rachel would never forget the sound of her name coming from Finn's lips.
"Rachel?"