A/N- So sorry for not updating over the last couple of days. I wanted to take the weekend off. Thank you, again, so much for all your beautiful reviews; they inspire me to continue. And I always *try* to reply to each & every one, but if I forget I apologize in advance.
Also…I feel like this chapter really sucks ass! I guess it was more or less a filler chapter, but I still hope you enjoy!
I Do Not Own Glee…Glee Owns Me!
I was on the plane; officially on way to see my wife. I have never been particularly impatient, but I just could not get back to Ohio soon enough. I forgot one thing, though. I had a layover in Denver. Fuck!
It was a short flight to Colorado, but as soon as I looked out the windows of the terminal, I knew I was screwed. There was a damn-near blizzard going on outside. I took a seat near the gate where I would meet my connection and within minutes, a woman's voice rang through the speakers.
"Attention all passengers! Flight 511 to Columbus has been delayed indefinitely due to the unforeseen and unseasonal weather. American Airlines wishes to express its apologies for any inconveniences. We will keep you posted as necessary. Enjoy your night and welcome to Denver."
Inconvenience? That's saying the least. This was a disaster; a life-threatening, Finn Hudson-ass kicking-inducing nightmare! I had to try really, really hard not to kick something right now. I wanted to fucking explode after this never ending day from hell.
I decided that the quickest, easiest, and most relaxing way to get through this delay was to just go to sleep. I would be seeing Rachel in my dreams tonight, just like every other night for the last ten years.
And I did. I kept seeing her beatific face welcoming me back to Lima with open arms; smothering me with the most heart-stopping kisses. And then there were the kids; my three babies running up to me with their big, brown eyes, screaming "Daddy! Daddy!" and tackling me to the floor.
I relished the dream; clung tight to my fantasy, because I knew that this would never happen. But then it felt as though I were having some sort of out-of-body experience. It was like I could feel her; her head resting on my shoulder, her chest rising and falling with slow, deep breaths. It felt so real to me; the opposite of a dream. Was she really here? I bet, if I tried, I could reach out and feel her dark, silken hair flow through my fingers. I wonder if I could smell her strong, strawberry shampoo. Could she feel me, too?
"Rachel? Is that you? Can you feel it, baby? I can, too" I mumbled quite incoherently as I reached over to run my large fingers through her hair. What the hell? Did Rachel shave her head?
"You know, Hudson? Normally, I'd be extremely opposed to any man—especially you, Fuckface—caressing my perfectly sculpted and sexy shaven head. But, I'll let it go this one time, because truthfully, I'm trying to fall asleep and that feels good as hell."
What the fuck? I nearly jumped right out of my seat. I was more than awake now.
"Puck? What the hell are you doing here? Wait, are we still in LA, dude?"
"Nah, man. We're in Denver."
"We? When did you get here? Why are you here?"
"To answer your first question, I got in about twenty minutes ago. They're letting flights land, just not letting them depart. And as to your second question, I'm going home for Quinn's surprise birthday party. Don't you remember, you and Rachel RSVP'd like two months in advance."
"Oh, dude! I completely forgot" I apologized.
"It's cool, bro. You got a shitload on your mind. Fuck, I almost forgot. If Rachel hadn't called to remind me…"
"Wait! Rachel called you? What did she say, man? You have to tell me everything!"
"Relax Finn. I don't want you to have a heart attack or something. I don't think I'd be down with the whole giving you mouth-to-mouth thing."
"Just tell me, Noah!"
"Noah? Damn, you must be desperate. At first she just wanted to remind me not to forget my flight, because she knew how forgetful we get when we're out here on the road. Then she rambled on and on about how much planning has gone into Quinn's party in her annoying-yet-freakishly-hot-psychotic voice. You know the one."
"Did she ask about me? Did she mention us at all? That's all I really care about, Puck."
He released a large breath of air. That was a yes. She did mention me!
"Dude…don't punish yourself. You don't want to hear this."
"The hell I don't it! Spit it out, Puckerman!"
"She said that even though you two are divorcing, she hopes that it doesn't ruin her friendship with Quinn and I. That we've been friends for way too long to let this divorce come between us. And…"
"And what? Just fucking tell me!"
"She just couldn't take the loneliness anymore. She said she's never felt more alone in her entire life; that she'd rather go back to high school and get Slushied every day for the rest of her life without you than to have you and still feel alone. She said that her dreams were bigger than that…and they're bigger than you."
I felt like Puck had just sucker punched me right in the gut. I felt like I wanted to throw up; like I couldn't breathe. This had become a reoccurring feeling over the last twenty-four hours; you think I would be used to it by now. But I don't think this is something I will ever get used to or something I will ever forget.
"I'm sorry, bro. You wanted to know," he said solemnly as he placed a sympathetic hand on my shoulder.
"I know. Thanks."
"Anytime. Anything for you, Hudson."
That's when it hit me. Why didn't I think of it earlier?
"That's it! Puck, you have to help me come up with a way to win Rachel back."
"Why me?"
"Why not you? You're my best friend; my wing man. C'mon, it's always been you and me. We've always helped each other out when it comes to girls."
"Finn, that was like a million years ago. High school is long gone, buddy."
"It doesn't matter. Just help me…I'm begging you. I'll get down on my hands and knees and plead if I have to."
"The fuck you will! Forget that noise. I'll help you; just get off your fucking knees."
For the next few hours, we plotted and schemed. We thought of every possible way to get Rachel back. And after all was said and done, it was all very simple. I knew the way back to Rachel's heart. Now if we could only get the fuck out of Denver!
It had been nearly twenty-four hours since I arrived in Denver and finally Puck and I were getting out of this frozen nightmare! I had a plan in tact and if all went accordingly, Rachel would be back in my arms by tomorrow night! Quinn's birthday party; that's where I would make my move and get my gorgeous wife back.
When we arrived in Columbus, Quinn was waiting there to pick us up. We walked through the only terminal that Columbus had and met her at their mini-van. Yes, Puck owned a mini-van!
Quinn was just as beautiful as she ever was; with her flowing golden locks traipsing down her back. I think motherhood made her even prettier, if that's possible.
"Finn, I am so, so sorry about Rachel. I don't know what else to say," she apologized.
"Thanks Quinn. There's really nothing you can say. But, I appreciate it."
Puck, Quinn, and their five children drove me back to Lima, dropping me off at my mom and Burt's house instead of where I really wanted to be. I wanted to be in my home, with my wife, with my kids! This wasn't fucking fair!
Apparently the entire lame-ass town of Lima had been clued in to the intricacies of mine and Rachel's marriage. Sometimes being special in a small town…sucks! My mom was devastated, naturally. She loved Rachel like the daughter she never had…except for Kurt was kind of like the daughter she never had, but that's not the point! Burt tried to console me the best that he could, but he wasn't very good at expressing his emotions. I knew he cared though. Once upon a time, we had all become one crazy, dysfunctional family and now we were falling apart.
I couldn't be in Lima and not speak to my kids. Rachel couldn't deny me my right to see them. So I pulled out my phone and called home.
"Daddy?"
My heart clenched at the sound of my oldest daughter's voice.
"Journey? Hey baby, how are you?"
"Daddy, when are you coming home? I miss you so much."
I tired, desperately, to stop myself from crying. My children did not need to be put in the middle of mine and Rachel's mess.
"Oh baby, I miss you too. More than you will ever know. Well honey, I'm not coming home. Not right away anyways. But I'm at Grammy Carole's and Papa Burt's and I would love for you guys to come see me."
"Daddy, are you and Mommy fighting?"
My six year old could be so perceptive and blunt; just like her mama.
"Sort of. Listen, how's school? How's first grade?"
"Second grade, Daddy. I am so smart that they moved me up a grade."
"Journey, that's amazing! I'm so proud of you. You are so smart, just like your Mom."
"Thanks Daddy. I know that, but the kids are so mean to me."
"Well sweetheart, kids can be mean. Sometimes they're meaner than grown-ups. But you just be proud of who you are and don't let anyone tell you that you're not an awesome person, because you are. And don't let them Slushie you either, Journey."
"Daddy, what's a Slushie? Are those the drinks that Mommy's deathly afraid of the corner store."
"Those are the ones, honey. How's your brother?"
"Dylan? He's…well, he's four. He's such a brat, Daddy. I'm two years older than him and he's just as tall as me. He can almost beat me up."
"Well, he gets that from me. Did you know that when Daddy was in high school, they called me Frankenteen?"
"I have no idea what that means Daddy, but okay."
"How's Diem? Is she teething yet or crawling?"
"Daddy, she already has two teeth, can you believe it? Kids these days! They grow up so fast!"
"Tell me about it, kiddo. Hey, is your Mom there? Can I talk to her, Journey?"
"One sec, Daddy."
I heard my daughter cover the phone with her hand and after that if was all a bunch of mumble jumble. I tried, like hell, to make out what was being said, but quickly gave up.
"Hello, Finn."
"Rach! Wow…I didn't think you'd take my call…." I said with a smile on my face and hope in my heart."
"Let me stop you right there, Finn. I'm not taking your call. I'm simply reminding you of the fact that I requested you to direct any further contact with me to my lawyer, Mr. Murphy. I just didn't think I should relay that message through our daughter. So please, respect my wishes Finn."
Fuck. My. Life.
"Rachel, wait! Can I please see the kids? Don't take my babies away from me, too. I don't think I'd make it, Rach."
She was silent. Too silent. Rachel Berry…er, Hudson was never silent. I thought I heard her crying. Oh god, was she crying?
"Rachel, are you okay? Are you crying, babe?"
"Crying? Of course not, Finn. And please don't call me that anymore; it's inappropriate. And….I will call your mother's house later with arrangements for you to pick up the children. Goodbye Finn."
And just like that, she hung up. Every little thing that Rachel was doing or every word that she said shattered me and my heart into millions of tiny pieces. I was broken…for good, and nothing in this great, big world would ever fix me. The only thing that would ever or could ever bring me back from the brink was the love of Rachel Barbra Hudson.
