Here is the second chapter. It's the shortest one, by the way. Thank you for all the support!


Rachel Berry had been dreading this moment for a long time. Ten years. She had been part of those who hoped he wasn't going to come. They all had had a bet on that. If he hadn't come, her past couldn't come back. She would leave her memories where they are, and be done with it forever. She wouldn't remember how much time it had taken to finally move on this time. He had to miss this occasion, like he had missed every other. This time, she'd lost.

When she had seen the Lamborghini park in front of the house, she knew she'd lost. Finn and his gorgeous Italian had arrived, for better or for worse. She had seen him pause in front of the swings, and only the light chatter in the room had brought her back to this reality.

"He's here!" yelled Brittany.

"He's here?" asked Mercedes. She was the only one that had only seen pictures of him.

"It's okay, Rachel. Right? He couldn't' be that… he knows half of my bridesmaids, he should have some good sense."

"You mean that he slept with half your bridesmaids." Alyssa corrected, irony laced in her voice.

Yeah, I'd forgotten that small detail. Forget what I just said. You sure you're gonna be okay?" Again, Tina couldn't help but be worried for Rachel.

"Don't worry for me, Tina. You're getting married tomorrow, so focus on that. You all hear me, girls? Everything's fine. Plus, you kind of need me to help control him and the havoc he leaves behind."

"We just don't want you to stress even more, that's all. You organized everything here. And even if Kurt was mad because Artie asked specifically for you to do it, I sill admire your work. There wasn't much, and everything is gorgeous." concluded Mercedes.

"Honestly girls, thank you. I swear, it's going to be okay." This time, Rachel had more confidence in her voice. Alyssa changed the subject of the conversation, and Rachel silently thanked her in her mind. Her friend knew how difficult it was going to be for her, to see Finn again after everything that had happen, so long ago.

Rachel took a few seconds to recover for her emotions. After all, she had been a star, and she was still a very good actress. Her change in profession had only made her better. If she wanted to keep her thoughts to herself, then nothing would. If Finn had stayed the same, then nothing would show that she didn't want to see him again. For now, she was just curious to see how the years had changed him, now that they had both passed thirty.

Finn Hudson had been her only friend for a very long time. She had long suspected that he had a part in her entry in show business, even if everything that had happened after was the result of her hard work, and hers only. Today, she was a teacher, and she helped others attain their dreams. She was still doing choreography sometimes for Broadway shows, when one of her old friends was asking her for an opinion. She had left the stage, though. Her only stage now was the one at the university, her audience was her students, and her dreams were theirs. She had fulfilled her dream a long time ago, too.

Leaving the stage was a decision she had never regretted. Her students asked her sometimes why she had, and she only said that being on Broadway required passion. The kind of passion, she had for her job as a teacher. The questions had stopped with time, as any further inquiry they made only lead to nothing. Her story was now passed from one class to another, like a legend of some sort. She had gladly welcomed the change, leaving her true reasons buried, untouched, into her soul.

She smiled for herself at her own words about controlling him. No one nowadays controlled Finn Hudson. In the past, she had succeeded in making him do whatever she wanted to, but it had all stopped when they had reached thirteen. At some point, she had thought her power over him had come back. She had been wrong.

She still was his oldest friend, the only one who always said to him everything that was on her mind. She hadn't seen him for ten ears, but she knew that had stayed the same. She would always remember the shy little boy on the swing. And she'd always stay the one he'd made a promise to, when he was seven years old.

Seeing him talk with Artie, she had been afraid for her friends. Today-Finn was against any form of commitment, and she had found it out the hard way. Artie and Tina's wedding had been sufficient to make him come back here. All her work to make today the best day of their lives wasn't going to get ruined by anyone. Artie was a grown man; he could take his own decisions. When he had come to her and said he was engaged, she hadn't been able to stop jumping around and yelling for joy. Finn wasn't about to ruin a perfect day, not the lives of two of her closest friends.

She went to them, already knowing by Artie facial expression that he didn't really likes whatever his brother was saying. She deliberately interrupted it, and heard that she'd been right.

In ten years, Finn had changed for the worse. She had known him already partying. He still had a girlfriend, then. But hearing him talk, she realized that this time had ended. Finn Hudson was everything bad and corrupted the fashion world could produce. He didn't have to talk about how his life was, now. She had already seen enough when she still was a Broadway star. His world was full of gorgeous girls ready to do anything to make a name, full of parties from dawn to dusk, full of free flowing alcohol reducing any sense of responsibilities to mere memory. She had then head about them by her contacts in show business. He was an influent photographer and he could make a career. He just had to care about a girl enough time to do that.

At one point or another, everyone she knew had thought she would be part of the paste and the glitter. She had been, briefly, but learned real fast that concessions would have to be made to stay on top, and that was something she couldn't do. Ten years ago, she had left the stage. No one had seen it coming.

Finn was still as handsome as he ever was. The passing years had only made him even more good looking. She blinked when she saw a glint, vestige of what once was, pass through his eyes. He'd been back, for a split second, to his old self. She still had a hard time admitting that he had grown into this cocky, arrogant and chauvinistic guy. A good wine only became better with age. Finn was turning to vinegar.

Seeing he was lost in thought, with and amused and calculating eye, she led him towards the other guests, and introduced him to the ones he hadn't met before.

He'd tried to control himself, she was sure. But still, he had managed to offend the Captain, Mike and Kurt. He'd known Sam for a long time, and they had been too much alike to ever vex each other. Sam was just, sometimes when he was travelling, a lighter, girl-less version of Finn. She was just hoping to be able to do enough damage control until his assistant Quinn could arrive. Other people were going to arrive, too, and with some luck he was going to find someone to talk to for the rest of the evening.

It was saddening her to be able to think as badly of him as she did, when he had been her best friend for so long. She just really didn't know what to do anymore.

She saw him get away when other guests arrived. There was nothing else to do. He was here, in all his glory. And, seeing the look he had given to Alyssa when she had introduced them, she feared the evening wasn't going to get that different from those he experienced at home. He was at a party, with a sumptuous dinner, and good wine and champagne. Her friend was a bridesmaid, and definitely the type of women he could find attractive. Her five feet seven and high heels were making her the perfect height for him.

She didn't want to think about that more, and instead welcomed Mercedes and Alyssa's reassuring embrace, feeling her resolution to let nothing show weaken for a second. At that instant, she just needed to know she had real friends, and that they were there for her, too.

Hopefully, guests were arriving, and the dinner was gonna be ready soon. She had other things to think about, and the music and dance after that was something to look forward to. She had learned that some of the men actually were good dancers. She only wanted to be able to party without having to keep an eye on him.

As if he wasn't there.