-1

Hey I hope you enjoy.

Rachel sat in her position on the floor for about an hour before she got up and went into the kitchen to have a drink. She turned on the lights and went over to the cupboard where she kept the glass that her mom had given her. She let the water run for a while to make sure it was nice and cool. After a day of crying and heartbreak she really needed a drink to stop her throat from feeling so scratchy. As she filled the glass and took a sip she couldn't help but think about her mom. Unfortunately the only thing that was running through her mind was that she was just another person in her life that didn't love her. She couldn't understand how her own mother could just reject her, especially after all the trouble she went to reaching Rachel. Rachel let a sob tear from her lips and without giving it a second thought smashed the glass off the counter top.

She looked down at all the shards of glass on the floor and immediately bent down to pick it up. She couldn't believe she had just done that. It was the only thing other than the tape of her mom singing that she had belonging to Shelby. It was the only thing she would ever have and she destroyed it. She was trying to pick up all the glass but with her eyes blurry from crying she couldn't really see what she was doing. The doorbell ringing made Rachel jump and she cut her hand off all the glass she had collected in it. She got up on shaky legs and dropped the glass in the bin. She couldn't even think about what to do next, she couldn't think straight. Whoever was at the door was still ringing the bell and her hand was letting out a steady stream of blood, not to mention she was in severe pain both physically and emotionally.

The person at the door was becoming more and more persistent . Rachel grabbed a towel off the table and wiped her eyes with it. Then she wrapped it around her hand and went to open the door . She definitely wasn't expecting to see Kurt standing there but there he was with a small indulgent smile on his face. His eyes travelled over Rachel's form. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he realised that Rachel was bleeding.

'Oh god Rachel what happened?' He took the towel off around her hand and had a look at the damage caused.

'I broke a glass and I was just tidying up when I cut myself.' Rachel didn't remove her hand from Kurt's.

'And you used your hands? That was a really stupid thing to do Rachel.'

'I know.' She could have called Kurt out and blamed him for her cutting her hand. If he hadn't been ringing the bell, she wouldn't have gotten a fright and she wouldn't have cut herself; but she just didn't have the energy to fight anymore.

'Come on we'll take care of this.' Kurt kept pressure on Rachel's hand with the towel and tried to stop the blood from dropping onto his new jacket. When they got into the kitchen Kurt deposited Rachel into one of the six seats at the round oak kitchen table.

'Where do you keep your plasters?'

'Far right press top left hand side.'

Kurt retrieved the plasters,, dampened a cloth and made his way back over to Rachel. He pulled a chair out for himself and sat down. He pulled her hand into his lap and started cleaning away the glass that was still in her gash. He figured she must be in a lot of pain because her cut was at least an inch wide and was pretty deep.

'Thanks for helping Kurt.' Kurt looked up at the sound of Rachel talking to double check it was actually her who had spoken. She wasn't at all like the old Rachel; she was weak and vulnerable and it was at this moment in time that Kurt finally realised how fragile and small she was. She was such a good actress always giving off the air like nothing anybody said mattered, but from the state she was in today Kurt could tell she cared more than he thought.

'It's okay. Just don't go making this a habit. Rachel, I heard about you and Finn and I'm so sorry. I know how much you love him and I'm sorry you're in pain right now.' Rachel looked down to her lap and tried to will the tears away. She wasn't used to people being nice to her. Before this whole thing started she had barely any friends in Glee and now she had even less. No one wanted to hear her side of the story or how she felt . They all just cared about Finn; and that was okay because she knows that if she was in their boat she'd take Finn's side too, because even though he was a real jerk to her , he was still the sweet footballer that she fell in love with in the first place.

'What's it like Kurt?'

Kurt tried to catch Rachel's eyes as he placed the plaster over her cut after wiping it clean with the cloth. 'What's what like?'

'Being in a school where not everybody hates you. Where nobody bullies you . A place where you actually have friends? I know you were having a hard time before you left and I just want to know what it's like to actually not have everybody in your life hate you.'

'Not everybody hates you Rachel. Your dad's love you , and I like you now that I don't have to compete against you for solos and Finn loves you.' Kurt's heart was aching for Rachel. He never realised how lonely she was before.

'My dad's have to love me it's part of an unwritten parental code. But people who have the choice don't love me. Everyone in Glee despises me, I get slushied the most in the whole school, no one likes me there. Finn doesn't love me either. He would have forgiven me long before now if he loved me.' Rachel let out a deep sigh before she continued spilling her feelings out.

'My mom doesn't even love me. Did you know it was her plan to come and find me and get to know me and then as soon as she met me she didn't want anything to do with me? She couldn't even spend twenty minutes in my company without hating me. I'm just not lovable, and I don't understand why. I don't understand what I'm doing that makes people want to make me miserable. I've spent the last week in school trying to dodge slushies and avoiding the others from Glee because they've been giving me stink eyes. I sit by myself for every class and eat my lunch in the auditorium. You say you like me, but why? I'd like to know so I can be more like that and people can stop hating me, because it's just getting too much to handle .' Rachel's eyes were pleading with Kurt to help her, but he just didn't know what to do in this situation. He had experience with bullying and he was lucky enough to transfer into an environment that allowed him to be who he was without fear of a slushie facial. He however never felt as if he had nobody to turn to; even in his time of need he had to whole of the Glee club to stand behind him. A club that included Rachel and from what he heard it was her idea to get the boys to stand up to Karofsky for him.

'Rachel there's so many great qualities about you that people choose to ignore because they're jealous of you. Before I left McKinley you and I didn't get on that great, we had our moments of friendship but it never went beyond a few duets with each other. When I left though and I wasn't competing against you I realised all the amazing things about you. You're so talented , beautiful and sweet. I know it was you who encouraged the guys to stand up for me in the locker room that time, and I'm so grateful that you did. You're also one of the strongest people I know. You go into that school everyday where you get tormented and you never let anyone know that they've gotten to you. You don't break under pressure , a feat which I truly admire you for and you're so enthusiastic.'

Rachel was shaking her head as Kurt was listing out everything he liked about her. 'The thing is Kurt I'm not strong I come home crying some day's and some mornings when I wake up I really feel bad about myself. I'm such a horrible person for what I did to Finn and I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for that. He came over today and apologised to me and said I could be his girlfriend again, but I told him no. But looking back on it now I'm not sure why.'

'You said no because he was a jerk to you, and he's after realising that; I'm sure of it. Just give him some time and give yourself some time and see how you feel in another week. I think the reason you're feeling so low at this point is because of what happened with you and Finn. You just broke up with someone that you love and you had no one there to talk to. Pick yourself up and get your confidence back, and realise that you're still a star.'

Rachel couldn't help but laugh at Kurt. He always understood her fondness for her star metaphor, after all as far as Rachel was concerned he too was a star in the making.

'Thanks Kurt. It really helped talking with you . I'm so glad that we're friends now.'

'Me too Rachel.' Kurt couldn't help but return the smile that Rachel was now gracing him with. It wasn't her usual megawatt smile but it was getting there, and he was glad that he could help.

'Oh thanks for helping with cleaning up my cut. I'm actually kind of upset that I smashed the glass, it was the only thing my mother ever gave me as a present.' When Kurt saw the despondency in Rachel's eyes he couldn't help but curse that woman out in his head.

'Rachel believe me when I say it was her loss.' Kurt moved from his seat and reached in his pocket for his car keys.

'I'm going to go home and give you time to relax; but Rachel if you need anything give me a call and I'll be here in a heartbeat, or call Finn and he'll be here even faster.'

'No he won't and I'm not sure I'd want him to be. I love him I honestly do, but I don't think love is meant to hurt this much.'

'I think you'll find that if it wasn't love it wouldn't hurt at all.'

Finn left Rachel's feeling completely dejected, but determined to succeed in winning her back; he just wasn't too sure how to go about doing that. He decided that he should probably ask his mom for some help. She always got along with Rachel, in fact she was nearly as upset as he was when he told her they broke up. He didn't tell her why though, and at the time he wasn't sure why but something told him not too. He thinks he knows now why he didn't tell her; he knew she'd be disappointed in the way he treated her. He didn't want to see that look in his mother's eyes again. Especially after he had to see if for so long after she discovered Quinn was pregnant. He knew though that he'd have to tell her everything now so that she would know how to help him.

He made his way up to his moms bedroom and knocked on the door. He was answered with 'Come on in!' from a very happy sounding Carroll. He was hoping she'd still be happy with him once he explained why he needed her help.

'Oh Finn, are you okay you look a bit sick?' Carroll came over to Finn and pressed her palm against her sons head to check if he had a temperature, when she felt his cool brow she began to relax.

'Mom I need your help getting Rachel back.' Finn figured it would better if he just came straight out with what he needed instead of pussy-footing around it.

'Oh honey, that is so great! Well what do you need help with?' Carroll could barely contain her excitement. She loved having another girl around to talk to and she got on so well with Rachel. She thought it was great the way she had her whole life mapped out and reached for the stars, and encouraged Finn to study to fulfil his dreams.

'I need to win her over, so she'll take me back. I need to prove to her that I care for her and that I love her and I need to do it in a way that will never make her question my feelings for her ever again.' Finn plopped himself down on his moms bed and looked up at her with his big puppy dog pleading eyes.

'Honey, I'm confused I thought you broke up with her. I'm sure if you just asked her out she'd take you back. She loves you that's clear to anyone.' Carroll sat down beside her son on the bed and prepared herself to give him her undivided attention.

'That's where I was this afternoon though asking her to be my girlfriend again but she said no, and to be honest I don't blame her. I realised what a horrible boyfriend I was and I don't deserve her, but that doesn't stop me from wanting her.'

Carroll was truly trying to process everything that Finn said in order to give him a helpful response, but like most mothers she had no clue what was going on in her child's love life so her processing was hitting a brick wall.

'Can you tell me what caused you two to break up and then maybe I can help, because as of right now I don't know how severe the situation is.'

This is the moment Finn was dreading but he knew it was a necessary evil in order to get Rachel back, and he knew it was about time he started putting her first instead of himself. So basically for the next half an hour he sat there and talked to his mom about every tiny facet of his and Rachel's relationship. He explained to her about him cheating on Quinn and kissing Rachel, he told her about using Rachel in order to get a scholarship, how he broke her heart when he dumped her in the middle of school and flaunted the fact that he was going on a date with two Cheerios. He explained how he made Rachel feel like crap over dating Jesse and how he was secretly hoping that he would break her heart. Then he came to the point where he told her about sleeping with Santana.

When Carroll heard this piece of news she knew where this story was headed, and even though she hated to think ill of any child she now really hated that girl with a passion. She chose to remain quiet and listen to Finn finish his story. The last thing he needed was her judging him or complaining about a choice he couldn't take back; however that didn't mean that she wasn't dying to ask him if used protection, but she knew she should leave that to a later date.

Finn continued his story by telling his mom how he told Rachel he loved her and how her face looked. He told her about Rachel telling him that she didn't really sleep with Jesse and how he kept quiet and let Rachel believe they were both virgins. He told her about how he never stood up for her against all the people who picked on her and how he sometimes laughs with them so he doesn't get picked on. He finally told her how the whole Santana sex lies came to a head. He expressed how foolish he was for not explaining to Rachel that she was who he thought was beautiful and how he regretted calling Santana super hot. By the time he told his mom about Rachel kissing Puck and their whole break up in a tree farm he was bawling his eyes out.

Carroll took Finn into her arms much like she did the day she came home from work to see Finn singing to a sonogram. She rocked him and promised him everything would be okay, but she couldn't help but think that he really messed it up.

Eventually Finn's tears died down and he sat away from his mom so he could hear her words of wisdom.

'Well Finn, that's a lot going on there. Why did you feel as if you couldn't forgive her in the first place that's what I don't understand? You say you love her and after hearing about all the times she forgave you, why couldn't you forgive her?'

'I don't know, I guess I was just being selfish and was only thinking about how I was hurting. I didn't really think about what she was feeling. I never even apologised for sleeping with Santana. I wish I could go back in time and just break up with Quinn as soon as I realised I liked Rachel. I would have saved her and me a lot of pain if I did that.'

'You have to go easier on yourself. You're seventeen years old and you've had to deal with a lot the past year.' Carroll was trying to comfort her son but she could see that it wasn't working.

'Yeah but so has Rachel and she's sixteen. Can you just help try and formulate a plan to get her back?' Finn was starting to get annoyed with his mom trying to justify his actions, as he knew he was wrong.

Carroll raised her eyebrows at the use of Finn's choice of words. 'Formulate? Since when did you start using the thesaurus?'

'Rachel got me a word a day calendar, she said it would help me later in life having a wider vocabulary.'

If it was at all possible Carroll felt she fell in love with Rachel a bit more.

'Okay well it seems to me like you're going to have to woo her. Rachel loves romance movies and books and she's going to want that from you. What's her favourite movie?' Carroll asked her son.

'Well she loves Funny Girl.' Carroll had no idea what this was about and so presumed it was a musical.

'A movie other than a musical would be better.'

'Ahh, she really likes Sleepless in Seattle and that movie 'The Notebook.'

'Okay well those movies are all about grand gestures and guys that are so romantic they make every girl in the world swoon. I think if you show her that you're willing to put in effort she'll start to reconsider taking you back.'

'Yeah? I could do that. So will you help me come up with something to get her attention?' Finn was starting to become hopeful, his mom sure seemed to be using the word romance a lot and that lead him to believe that he was on the right track.

His mom and him sat on her bed for another hour discussing a plan of action, before they started to put the plan in motion. He just hoped it worked because he was really missing her, and he wanted her back for Christmas, and if he wanted that wish to come true he only had four days left to impress her and win her heart over.

Okay so that's that. Who doesn't love a bit of Romance. Let's hope Finn's plans work.

So I just wanted to thank everyone who left a reply or added me to their alerts and favourites, it means so much to me. I encourage everyone to give me feedback so I know if you're enjoying the story. Just please try not to make the criticism too harsh, I'm in a very fragile state at the moment due to the added stress of Christmas exams. (haha if you ask me they should be banned, they ruin Christmas don't they?) I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope to get another one up this weekend, but I'm not sure if that will happen with study and all.

Thanks for taking the time out to read this.

Love Shelly xx