Two weeks after the news breaks in the media she finds out she's pregnant. She's been so stressed out with her aunt's health problems it takes her awhile to even realize she's missed her period. As she's sitting on the bathroom floor waiting for the lines to tell her fate she remembers the only other time she's done this. Same house, same bathroom, different boy. She wasn't sitting here alone last time, Finn was right beside her, waiting just as anxiously. It was positive then too. They were in love, they wanted to get married. But she lost the baby during the first trimester. Nothing happened, it was just here one day and gone the next. Their relationship didn't survive the loss. They were young and blamed each other. They couldn't talk about it, couldn't get past it. They are best friends now but it was a brutal path to get there.

She hasn't talked to Noah since he broke up with her. They've texted a few times but she told him she needed some space for awhile. When he came to tell he stayed the whole day. They spent the entire time hanging out and eating junk food. She was obsessed with peanut butter and honey sandwiches. He made a ton and she ate more than her half. Food cravings make a bit more sense now. She remembers why she loves Noah in the first place. His passion is consuming and he gets wrapped up in it, sometimes to the detriment of others. He doesn't expect this breakup to change their relationship. Obviously they are no longer dating but he expects them to be just as close as before. She does too. It just takes her a while to process. When he leaves he kisses her goodbye, says he'll her in Alabama and leaves her with a demo he's working on. It's a cover and he wants her opinion. She reflects on how music is the driving force within all their lives, it' keeps them intertwined when otherwise they would drift apart. And how that's never going to change.

When she shows up to reclaim her job the first person she sees is Finn. They're still in the south, it's sweltering out and as she climbs onto the tour bus she thinks its empty, the band must be rehearsing for tonight. She notices small changes here and there. The water bottles are on the table and not in the fridge, let alone the change in brand. The cupboards are bare except for a few bags of pretzels. The TV is on and turned to a show about reality dating. The room temperature is a bit warm considering the heat and humidity outside. As she slowly pivots around and takes in the changes she is startled to see Finn coming out of the back. He stops in his tracks and seems so surprised he can't think of anything to say.

After a pause he stutters back to life "Rach, what are you doing here?"

"I work here. This new part of the tour is the time we decided I would be needed back remember. My leave is over."

"We didn't think you'd come back. You know, after."

"After Puck cheated on me for weeks, moved a new girl in and no one told me?"

"Rachel, we just- none of us knew what to say."

"So you didn't say anything"

"So we didn't say anything"

"We all survived our break up. We're a family right? Why wouldn't I come back just because Puck dumped me? Unless you guys don't want me here?"

"No that's not it. Of course we want you here, you've always been here. I guess we just didn't think it through. We've never been apart this long before. It seemed like it would go on forever after Puck told you."

"Have you talked to Puck about it?"

"No, guys don't really do that, you know that Rach"

"So he hasn't mentioned me coming back?"

"Well no- but now that I think on it he hasn't said you weren't either. Does he know you're here?"

"I haven't seen him today but we texted early. I couldn't remember which name we were under at the hotel. I tried Harry Potter but they just laughed and hung up."

"Yeah it's Jacob Black this week, Mike got to pick. Do you want to come back in with me? I had to come out for my lucky drum sticks."

Rachel agrees and they walk together into the arena. This portion of the tour is a festival. Five bands including two headliners and what seems like a million cities to go. She loves it. They did the same one the last summer. It was chaotic, like a circus with that many people traveling together. The other headlining band is actually their biggest competition. It's a duo, similar music, similar fans so of course they hate each other. It's supposed to be a friendly rivalry but it's anything but. And to make matters worse Rachel grew up with the lead singer Jesse and his sister the drummer Santana. Their parents were in that same hippy band and those first 15 years of her life his family's tour bus was in the same caravan as hers. His parents were not on the plane that killed hers. His parents retired directly after the crash and lived in a ranch in the country with him and his sister. Through the years they stayed close with Rachel and she spent many holidays with their family. Santana is her closest girl friend, Jesse on the other hand she has a much more tumultuous relationship. He was her first kiss behind a tour bus in a nameless city. She broke his heart when she moved into her aunt's house. She said she needed a clean break. He reminded her of her parents and a life that was no longer hers. They didn't talk for a whole year and when she came for Christmas break she couldn't stop talking about this band of boys she met. He'd been replaced in her heart and couldn't forgive her. He barely talked to her that visit. But later the rocky seas seemed to clear. He and Santana started their own band and he was caught up in his own career. His passion for music rekindled their relationship and when they found out both bands would be touring together this summer Jesse, Santana and Rachel couldn't wait. It was fate, full circle to their childhood.