"The Non-Valentine Valentine Auction"

7 & 8: Reunited Dreamers & Secret Lovers

Reunited Dreamers

She hadn't known how she'd work this thing out with Finn and the dinner, and then she'd stepped on it – literally. After almost tripping she'd looked down and found the envelope, the dinner tickets inside. She blinked, looking around… No one looked to be claiming it… What'd be the harm? Cautiously she slipped the envelope in her pocket, straightened back up, none the wiser. She'd gone back to Mercedes and, seeing she didn't look to want to stick around and see Sam's auction, she decided: they were going to Breadstix. What they'd do there, that was still left to be decided, but that was the start.

They'd made it to the restaurant, a car ride later. Mercedes was keeping to her quiet demeanor. Rachel was too deep in thought to get too chatty either. It wasn't like she expected to show up there and find Finn all swooning over Zizes… But she knew he wanted to do right by his commitment to the auction, and that was one of so many reasons to love him. In this case though, she couldn't help but be a little selfish.

This was their day, Valentine's Day, even if it wasn't real. The real Valentine's Day had them apart, broken up, and she wanted it back… It was meant to be their first one as a couple. Instead, they were held back from one another, and here it was happening again. She didn't know if he understood it the way she did, but she knew he was just as disappointed as she was about not getting their dinner.

Getting to the restaurant, the two of them could not be seated in the same area as the auction couples, further establishing the separation between them and her. The waitress asked them what they wanted, but for the moment they weren't ordering. Rachel sat there, watching Finn and Lauren in their booth. He didn't take long to spot her, and when he did and came over, she felt her heart speed up. He was only there for a moment, but it was enough. And after talking to Miss Pillsbury the one certain thing was she had to act.

It was when she sat that she felt it in her pocket: the envelope. All at once the idea shot through her with a spark, making her sit up. "Excuse me?" she flagged down the waitress.

"What are you doing?" Mercedes asked.

"Something… I'm doing something…" she spoke though her attention was on the waitress. When the woman came, annoyed, Rachel put the tickets on the table. "Free dinner, please? To go."

She'd ordered for them both, choosing what she thought he'd like. Now she had to wait… Her patience was nothing to write home about at the moment. She barely noticed when Sam came and took Mercedes back to his table. Now on her own her fingers drummed on the table, eyes making a constant arch between the table and the kitchen… Eyes on him, eyes on… Where was the waitress?

"Free dinner," she finally appeared, placing the bag on the table. Rachel had her tip in hand already, put the money down and grabbed the bag in one continued motion. She walked the line of booths, keeping an eye on her surroundings. By some kind of luck, as she was making her approach, Lauren got up, heading to the bathroom. As soon as the door was shut behind her, Rachel made her dash, sneaking up behind him.

"Finn!" she kept her voice low, still he jumped, turned.

"What's going on?"

"Come on, let's go," she waved her hand for him to follow.

"But what about…" he pointed to the bathroom.

"I know, but… what about us?" she begged, hand still out. He nodded.

"She's not going to miss me… She pretty much said so," he admitted.

"So what's it going to be?" she offered her hand for the third time, and now he put his hand in hers. "Good, because I think she's coming…" she spoke rapidly before tugging on his arm and pulling him in a run out the door. She couldn't quit smiling, like they were pulling off the heist of the century.

They ran until they were outside, and then Rachel stopped, briefly forgetting where she'd parked her car. "What's in the bag?" Finn asked behind her. She turned to him, and in doing so she had a thought… two thoughts. The first one was the location of her car. The second was the fact she had a blanket in her trunk which, once retrieved, could be laid down for an impromptu picnic.

"If you'd do the honors…" she indicated a patch of grass just beyond the pavement of the parking lot. Finn set the blanket and sat with her as she opened the bag, she handed him his dinner, she took her own, and finally… she breathed out. "So it wasn't exactly our plan, but this is good, isn't it?" she looked back to him, found him smiling.

"I think it's perfect," he nodded, and now she smiled back.

"Well, we should eat before it gets cold," she indicated the food containers. "Not that we have to worry about the weather cooling anything," she looked around.

"Can't do that on regular Valentine's Day," he went on smiling, "Not here anyway."

"Right," she agreed, and they got to eating. "Did I see… Quinn and Puck back there?" she looked back to the poor. "I was kind of too busy running," she laughed.

"I was too busy trying not to lose grip and fall," he admitted.

"Fair enough… Oh well," she shrugged.

"Hey…" he spoke and she looked back to him. "Happy Valentine's Day," he wished her and she beamed. "Finally," he added, and she only smiled brighter – he did remember.

"Happy Valentine's Day," she returned, he put his food down, reaching in his pocket and pulling out a box.

"We're always delayed with three things, aren't we? Christmas at Valentine's, and now…" he looked to her.

"We'll be on time with the next one," she vowed, and he nodded. When he handed her the box, she came to realize… "Wait, you got this… back then?"

"In a way," he confirmed. "Guess I figured I'd get to give it to you at some point, for the right reason," he explained, and she wasn't entirely sure she wasn't crying. "Open it," he smiled.

"But… I didn't get you anything…" she admitted, disappointed.

"I think this is the best present you could have gotten me," he indicated the dinner spread. Reassured, she opened the box. "It might not make sense at first," he warned, but then she grinned.

"You found that at the theater…" she picked up the token. "Our first date… you kept it."

"Never left my side. But I want you to have it now," he nodded. She leaned over, kissed him.

"Won't leave my side."

Secret Lovers

She hadn't intended to go at all that night. She knew she wouldn't bid on him and so did he… They weren't ready. But then Rachel had asked, Tina had asked, and by the time Kurt had asked she finally just kind of gave in. She didn't want to get involved, but she was there, and she finally got out of there as they were auctioning him off. Rachel was going to Breadstix, wanted her to come along. She was well aware of what this would mean, but finally she'd agreed and they went.

She got there, figuring it couldn't get worse, but then she saw who had won Sam's date: Quinn, his ex… and on Valentine's Day of all days. It may have been June, but the mood of the night was well set on this being mid-February… What if that re-ignited things between the two of them and Sam completely forgot what they'd had these last few weeks? She didn't want to think it would happen, but then what else was she supposed to think?

But then she watched and saw Quinn get up, then Sam as well, and… they hugged? Her heart was just on the verge of sinking, but then Quinn walked away. Mercedes had watched her go, missing Sam's approach. When she looked back, he was just a couple of feet away, with a careful smile.

"Hey, Mercedes," he nodded.

"Hi, Sam," she smiled.

"So my 'date' had to go and we never even got around to ordering," he revealed.

"That's too bad…"

"But, hey, you're here, we're in Glee Club together… It would only make sense for you to join me…" he let her reach the obvious conclusion: they had an excuse.

"Makes sense," she agreed, getting up and following him back to his table, where they sat across from one another. "So Quinn just left?" she had to ask.

"We both had other places to be, I think," he nodded. "Mike was here, with you," he smiled, and she did, too.

"So that works out for one of us," she declared and he nodded. "You know… I would have bid on you tonight."

"I know."

"But now we're here, so it still worked out. Just to make it even though, how about I get us ice cream after?"

"Not saying no to that," he smiled. "You would have been ruthless, wouldn't you?"

"Oh, those girls wouldn't have stood a chance," she smirked, and he shook his head with that same smirk.

"Think we'll ever get out there and actually say we're dating?" he asked after a moment.

"It's definitely in our future," she nodded.

"Good," he smiled. "But we're good for now," he went on.

"We are," she agreed.

It did occur to him that he should tell her about his father's out-of-state job search. He would tell her, but doing it today just wouldn't share this dinner they needed something good, positive and happy. The possibility of his moving away did not fit that bill, so he'd keep it to himself, today and maybe a few days more, so not to stick this revelation so close that it'd negate the evening.

"Hey, you with me?" Mercedes asked, and he realized he may have been distracted by the thoughts of his potential departure. He put that away, bringing back a smile.

"I'm right here," he promised.

"So, one year of Glee Club done, how do you feel?" she asked.

"Well, a lot of things have changed, that's for sure. It was all confusing and awkward, and I thought at least half of you were insane…"

"Where did I fall?"

"Somewhere in the middle," he admitted and she nodded. "But I totally get it now. I'm really glad I did it, that I got to meet all of you, right now you most of all," he told her and she grinned.

They had put in their dinner orders and, once the waitress had accepted the switch in diners, the two of them were left to make time pass until their food arrived. The activity of choice became to spy on the other couples sitting in the McKinley section… or standing in it.

"Hope Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury at least get dinner out of this, too," Mercedes spoke as they watched the Glee Club director and the guidance counsellor pass by each other along their chaperone rounds, sharing a smile.

"Hope those two come up for air," Sam indicated Jenny and Brian, and Mercedes nearly lost it, laughing with him.

"Puck's gone, Quinn's gone… Wonder if they went together."

"Well we know Rachel and Finn are gone…" Sam nodded. They had both been startled by their mad dash, much like the rest of the restaurant. Mercedes motioned with her head and Sam looked where she indicated. "Where did Penny go?"

"I don't know, but at least he's not alone anymore… How much food did they order?" she was amazed. Sam looked to her, smiling so bright and all over, and all he could think about was the hole which would be left without that girl in his life if they did move…

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)