Time.

It was that fickle concept she couldn't wrap her head around.

But here she was twelve days after she had made the decision to walk away from him, and she'd like to think that progress had been made. She wouldn't really be lying.

The ache that she had used to feel whenever she saw him was slowly dulling, very slowly dulling. But she took it as some progress. At least she didn't feel the need to empty her stomach every time she saw him.

See, progress.

Glee wasn't easier though, if she was being honest. And she was. It was still hard to sing with him, to pretend to be something they weren't anymore, and quite possibly would never be again.

She wasn't naïve enough to think she didn't still love him.

She did.

And that was kind of the problem.

She wanted to be with him, but she didn't know how anymore. Especially not after his declaration of needing time. She didn't know how to handle him loving her, needing her, but not right now. For as much of a planner Rachel was, she hated the not-knowing part of the future. This wasn't something she could plan for, and that killed her.

Control.

That's what it was about, that's what it was always about. Who had the control.

And this time it sure as hell wasn't her.

That's why when Mercedes approached her about going to watch the next football game because she had a serious crush on the new kid and needed a wingman she couldn't even think of a good excuse to not go.

So she went.

And it was by far the most awkward experience she had had this year. Sitting with Mercedes was fine, fun even. Watching her friend (?) fawn and giggle over a boy was nice, refreshing even. And she did not begrudge the young diva her own happiness, but she couldn't handle the fact that she had sacrificed her own so damn easily.

Watching Finn on the field was hard. Knowing that he wasn't looking for her now, he wasn't trying to catch her eye, or send her some sort of pseudo-romantic signal that only she would know because she knew him.

No.

This time he just played.

He kept his head in the game and didn't even look up once. It broke her heart a little, because she was sure that he knew she was there, and maybe she was just looking for a sign that he hadn't given up either.

But that's when it happened.

And it happened so fast she wasn't sure she had even really seen it.

But the collective gasp from the crowd made it real.

Finn was lying in the middle of the field.

He wasn't moving.

Se felt like her heart had stopped. She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe. She could feel Mercedes grab her arm and pull her down the stairs. She could feel herself being pushed out to where he was. Even in their post-break-up people knew, if one went down so did the other.

She felt her knees give out on her as she got closer, she could smell the blood before she saw it. Her heart was in her throat as she approached him.

He still wasn't moving.

That was bad.

She could feel herself being pushed to the side as the paramedics were making their way to him. It was all happening so fast, they were loading him onto a stretcher before she could remember to breathe. It wasn't until she could feel someone tugging on her hand that she remembered she was standing in the middle of the football field.

Quinn was dragging her off the field towards the locker rooms. Rachel didn't have the motor skills to stop her. To ask her normal questions, to demand to know where she was dragging her while Finn's status was up in the air. But as they approached Quinn's car and Mercedes was already waiting for them Rachel lost it.

"I can't do this." It came out as whisper, and the other two girls could hear the fear laced into her words.

"Yes, you can. You have to." Quinn left no room for argument, and Rachel climbed into the front seat of the car, unable to stop the tears, not really wanting to.

The drive to the hospital seemed unnaturally long and silent, and by the time they had arrived Rachel's tears were so unbearable it took Quinn leading her inside for her to even be able to get there.

They weren't the first ones to arrive, meeting Finn's mom and Burt in the hallway. The look on Carole's face told Rachel enough.

She ran.

She didn't know where she was running to, she just let intuition take over and let her legs carry her wherever they would.

She didn't realize how far she had gone until she ran smack into what she thought was a brick wall. But brick walls don't have arms, and they don't hold her the way that this one was.

Puck led her over to the chairs that he had been waiting in. He let her cry, he held her until he thought she could handle what he had to say.

"Rachel he's in room 113. You need to go see him." His voice was unnatural and solemn. And it scared the crap out of Rachel.

But she got up.

And she walked until she was standing in front of the room.

It took everything she had to push the door open, and when she did the sight that assaulted her was enough to make her run again. If she hadn't been completely aware of who was in that room she wouldn't have recognized him.

The bandage that was covering most of his head was terrifying enough, but the bruises that were becoming more prominent on his face were worse, they made her absolutely aware of how vulnerable he really was.

And then she cried.

Again.

She made her way over to where he lay on the bed, afraid to touch him but having no control over it. Her hand found its way into his and she held on like her life depended on it.

And it did.

There was no denying it anymore.

She was in love with him.

She cried a little harder because how stupid was she to think that she could ever walk away from him and be a complete person again. It was ridiculous really, the idea of a Rachel without a Finn. She didn't even want to think about what was going to happen now. She just wanted it all back.

She just wanted him.

And if time was what it took for her to get it then it was something she was going to have to become adjusted to.

No matter how long it took.

Because she loved him.

And he loved her.

And there could never be a Finnchel if there wasn't a Finn. Or a Rachel.

So she held his hand tighter and she laid her head on his chest and she cried.

She cried for everything they had, and lost, and for everything they might not have now.

She was so lost in her misery that the hand that had made its way to her back went unnoticed and it wasn't until she heard the soothing sound of his voice that she realized he was awake.

Her head snapped up and she looked into those beautiful brown eyes she never thought she'd see again.

"You're awake?" She whispered to him not really believing it.

"Course I am. Gonna take a lot more than some high school jock to take me down." His pathetic attempt at a joke was lost on her, but the smile he was trying to form wasn't.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." She stated it without emotion, which Finn knew meant that she was so full of emotions she didn't know which one to deal with first.

"Rach…"

"No Finn. You can't. You can't do that to me. You don't get to leave. Not like that." Apparently manic was the emotion she was choosing to deal with first. Perfect.

"I promise. I won't. Now come here please I need something." She looked at him, trying to gauge if something was hurting him, but there was a hint of smile on his lips and that just confused her more.

She leaned forward to see what he wanted and he caught her lips with his and held on.

"What was that for?" She was breathless, and a whole lot of emotions that she couldn't even name right now.

He smiled at her before breathing out the sweetest words she thinks she ever heard.

"Time's up." He had a full-blown grin on his face as he watched hers go from shocked to realization to happy. Her answering assault on his lips was enough to solidify that she needed him too.

"Finn…I…" She couldn't form the damn words again and she thinks she's losing her touch but when his hand comes up and brushes the hair out of her face and she melts again, she thinks that maybe they don't really need words.

"Getting knocked out, and literally watching my life flash before my eyes made me realize that waiting to be with you again was a stupid way to waste my life. I want to be with you, I've always wanted to be with you. I love you, and I'm sorry it's taken me this long to figure it out." He pulled her down again and she got lost in his kiss that she forgot about his injuries and about the fact that she should probably tell someone he's awake.

She tried to pull away but even in his weakened state he was still stronger than her.

"Finn I need to get a doctor, you mom, someone to let them know you're awake." She shakes her head as she pulls away from him.

"Not yet, Rach please. Just you and me right now?" He looks at her his plea evident in his eyes; she just grins and walks to the door, offering him one more thought before she left to find someone.

"Time Finn. Okay? Just time."

And then she left.

But this time he knew she'd come back, and they would be fine.

Time.

It was that fickle concept she couldn't wrap her head around.

But she was learning.

And that was something.

A/N There is an epilogue coming up and then that will be it! Thanks for sticking with me on ths one it was my first multi-fic one! The feed back has been fantastic thank you to everyone who has reviewed!