Disclaimer: Glee isn't mine :(


"Welcome to The Cheesecake Factory, my name is Penny and I'll be taking care of you tonight. Can I start you off with something to drink?"

Rachel looked up at the blonde waitress, offering a quick smile. "I'll just have a water."

"The same for me, with lemon please," Quinn added, not looking up from her menu.

"I'll be right back with that," the waitress smiled and walked away, mumbling under her breath.

"What are you going to get?" Quinn asked Rachel as she continued to study the menu, her lips pursed as she considered her choices.

"The house salad," Rachel replied, not even bothering to open the menu.

"That sounds good," Quinn declared, folding her menu shut. "We can split a piece of cheesecake for dessert too."

Rachel shook her head no. "No cheesecake for me, you know Sue's weighing us again tomorrow before the game. I don't want to be on flag duty."

"Don't be ridiculous, one piece of cheesecake isn't going to hurt, especially if we split it." Quinn said with a wave of her hand. "You know it's either going to be Holly or Courtney on flag duty-they were stressing about it earlier."

"I'm not going to take any chances," Rachel insisted, pausing their conversation as their waitress set down their drinks.

"Did you decide what you're having?" Penny asked brightly.

"We'll both have the House Salad with raspberry vinaigrette," Quinn answered for them.

"Two salads, or you sharing one?" Penny asked, looking for clarification.

"Two salads," Rachel interjected.

"Ok, got it," the waitress replied. "Anything else?"

"We're good for now," Quinn responded, watching as the waitress closed her book and walked over to a table of four young men, pausing to take their order as well. "I'm going to run to the restroom, I'll be right back," she told Rachel as she scooted out of the booth, placing her purse over her shoulder before walking away.

Rachel watched her walk away, her hands grabbing her own purse when she saw Quinn turn the corner. She quickly pulled out her phone, checking to see if Finn had texted even though she knew he had been at an extra practice. Seeing that he hadn't, she typed a quick message to him, hoping she didn't come across as desperate.

Hope your practice went well Tigger!

She hit send, hoping it would make him smile. Deciding to see what was going on with her favorite celebrities, she pressed her twitter app, surprised when her phone beeped signaling an incoming text. Closing out of twitter, she checked her texts, a smile of her own forming as she saw he had her texted back.

Practice was ok, Roo. How was yours?

Rachel looked up, making sure Quinn wasn't on her way back from the bathroom before she typed her response frantically.

It was crazy! Sue did her pregame inspection and noticed my nails weren't done :( I almost had to do the Slacker Special but one of the other girls had put on 2 pounds so I was saved.

She sent the text and stared at her phone, a smile playing on her lips as she waited for his response. Her phone beeped and she instantly hit view.

That sucks baby. She's insane-but you're getting them done now right?

Her smile wide from his term of endearment, she typed her response.

After dinner; Quinn insisted we eat before so we wouldn't smudge them.

After sending the text, Rachel set the phone on the table and looked up again to see if Quinn was heading back. Instead of Quinn approaching, Penny rounded the corner carrying their two salads. Barely acknowledging Penny as she set the salads down and walked away, Rachel picked up her phone, grinning as she read Finn's text.

You having pizza?

Snapping a photo of her salad, she giggled as she typed.

No pizza :) Just salad.

She sent it off, debating if she should have added she might feel like having pizza later.

Boring…call me tonight when you're done?

Rachel was so busy smiling down at her phone as she typed her response that she missed Quinn coming back from the bathroom.

"Who are you texting?" Quinn asked as she slid back into the booth, placing her purse next to her.

Quickly pressing send, Rachel looked up at Quinn and stammered. "Um, I wasn't texting. I was just checking the time. Wouldn't want us to be late for our appointment. You know how Mandi feels about lateness." With that, she dropped her phone back into her purse, hoping Quinn would drop the issue.

"Oh, we'll be on time," Quinn assured her. She raised her brow. "Why are you so worried now? We've had to reschedule twice."

"Right, which was rude of us," Rachel replied. "The least we could do is be on time to make it up to Mandi."

"You know, I'm sure Mandi wouldn't have cared what your hair looked like the other night," she teased, trying to get Rachel to admit she hadn't ditched her because of a bad hair day.

"It was awful," Rachel stressed as she began to eat. "I couldn't let anyone see me like that."

"Mmm. I bet it looked like you had bed head," Quinn ventured. "Or worse, sex hair."

"It was horrible," Rachel agreed, not picking up on Quinn's jab.

Quinn watched her carefully as she too began to eat, wondering how long it would take to get Rachel to crack. She tuned back into the conversation as Rachel began talking about a new routine, confident she'd get the information she wanted soon.

And if she didn't, she'd make Puck get it out of Finn.


Thrilled that the last practice before the preseason started was finally over Finn stood in front of his locker and listened half heartedly to the locker room chatter as he tried to decide how to spend his evening since Rachel was busy getting her nails done. He'd tried to convince her to spend the night with him instead this morning, telling her it didn't matter what her nails looked like since they'd be covered by her pompoms anyway, but she resisted, claiming that if she didn't get her manicure Sue would put her on flag duty and not allow her to dance. After their recent text exchanges, he was glad she'd insisted, not wanting her to get in trouble. He was debating whether or not to have Puck over for a gaming marathon to blow off some steam or actually catch up on his Antiques Roadshow just as Sam dropped onto the bench behind him.

"God practice was just a bitch today," Sam commented as he dropped his head in his hands.

"You can say that again," Finn agreed, checking to make sure his picture of Rachel was covered.

"Everything aches." He rubbed his hands over his face before sitting back up and looking at Finn. "Hey, didn't you say the whirlpool really helped you relax the other day?"

"Uh yeah. The whirlpool was super relaxing." He smiled a bit at the memory.

His smile grew as he remembered just how he'd relaxed. Lost in his own thoughts, he tuned out of the conversation as images of Rachel in the whirlpool played on a loop in his mind. He grinned to himself while remembering how she'd looked when he'd turned on the jets and how her wet body felt pressed against his. Based on Rachel's screams of pleasure and his own euphoric release, he figured it was safe to say that the whirlpool was incredibly relaxing. Sam was staring at him curiously and Finn realized he'd missed something Sam had said. "Sorry, just thinking about the whirlpool had me starting to relax. Did you say something?"

"Yeah Huddy, Evans wants you to show him exactly how you 'meditated' in the whirlpool to get so relaxed," Puck said casually while staring at Finn, his face a picture of innocence as he continued. "In fact, I think we could all use a little lesson. You got time or do you have to rush off to catch a flight?"

"What the hell are you talking about? You know our flight isn't until next Tuesday," Finn replied before turning to Sam. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Oh, my mistake. I thought you'd want to get there early. You know, speak with the Flight Crew," Puck commented, pulling off his shirt.

"Why would he need to speak to the flight crew?" Sam questioned. "That's Joe's job."

Puck shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe Hudson's got needs only the Flight Crew can take care of." He looked at Finn out of the corner out of his eye, disappointed that his comments about the Crew apparently hadn't fazed Finn at all.

"Regardless dude, do you have time to show us what you did in the whirlpool? I'd like to zone out for a bit," Sam asked eagerly as he brought the conversation back into focus.

Finn turned his attention back to Sam. "Sure thing man, I'll be glad to show you how it's done." He smiled smugly to himself knowing full well he wouldn't be sharing exactly what went down in the whirlpool.

"Great! Let's go," Sam said excitedly as he headed down the hallway.

Finn followed behind him but paused at the door to turn to Puck who was still at his locker, turning over the now dry condom box in his hands. He wondered for a moment if Puck somehow knew there were condoms missing, but promptly dismissed the thought, sure Puck wouldn't actually keep track of how many condoms he had. "You coming?"

"Yeah, I was just debating if I need to bring along protection or not," Puck commented as he caught up with Finn after tossing the box back in the locker.

"Dude, what the fuck would you need protection for? It's just the whirlpool." Finn shook his head in confusion as Puck walked past him towards Sam who was waiting by the pool.

"I heard the whirlpool was contaminated the other day," Puck replied while stepping down into the whirlpool, still trying to wheedle information from Finn. "Someone had some kind of Berry shit in here."

Finn's head snapped up and he stumbled, almost falling into the water. "What the hell are you talking about man?"

"Who cares Finn? Just get in, I want to hear your tips," Sam called out as he sat down on the bench.

His mind still puzzling over Puck's words, Finn stepped down into the water, letting the warm water legitimately relax his legs.

"So where were you at when you relaxed Finn?" Sam asked as Finn got settled. "Were you on the bench or just standing or on the steps or what?"

Finn laughed at the question while he looked at the steps and at the bench remembering clearly how he'd relaxed in both places. His smile turned a bit smug until Puck spoke again.

"Yeah, man where'd the meditation go down? I bet it was on the bench," he added critically, examining the small space. Determined he wasn't going to sit anywhere near where the action had taken place he settled on one of the lower steps, stretching his arms across the tile.

Finn's smile just grew while he watched Puck get comfortable, idly thinking that if only Puck knew how Rachel had relaxed him on those very steps.

"So?" Sam pressed. "Is Puckerman right?"

"Well I tried out a few spots, but I found the best to be the bench," Finn commented as he settled himself down in the exact spot where he had been with Rachel. Closing his eyes, he took a moment his mind recalling how Rachel had looked while sitting on his lap. He let out a quiet moan as he thought of how her breasts had been at the perfect level for his mouth.

Sam sat trying to mimic Finn but quickly became frustrated. "I'm not feeling it Finn. Am I missing something?"

"Yeah, you're missing the berry infusion Finn had," Puck retorted while leaning back against the steps. He kept his gaze on Finn, trying to see if Finn realized that Puck knew exactly what he had done to relax.

"Berry infusion? What's berry infusion?" Sam asked almost wishing he had a notebook to write this down.

"It's nothing," Finn said while glaring at Puck. He could feel his cheeks heating up from the implication of Puck's words and turned his attention back to Sam.

"It's not nothing Sam; it's something new Finn's been trying out but doesn't want to share," Puck taunted from the steps.

"Damn right I'm not going to share," Finn muttered under his breath while trying to think of something to say.

"It's ok; I'll get Mercedes to google it later. Am I missing anything else? Were the jets on?" Sam flipped the switch on the side causing the water to pulse out from the jets.

Finn kept his gaze on Sam and ignored Puck's snort behind him. "Yeah the jets were essential. Sorry I didn't mention that when we first got in."

The water beat forcefully against his muscles and he couldn't help but think of what Rachel must have felt with it beating against her core. Once again, he was lost in his own thoughts, missing the calculating look Puck was giving him.

"It's all good man," Sam said while closing his eyes. He tried muttering "ohm" a few times to see if it would help him relax. He quickly discovered that it wasn't helping and opened his eyes to face Finn again. "It's just not working," he said a bit dejectedly. "Other than this berry infusion thing was anything else different? Wait, I've got it," he cried, snapping his fingers. "You were alone then weren't you?"

Puck gave a snort from his spot on the steps causing Finn and Sam to both look at him. "Yeah, he was alone all right. Just him and his twig and berries."

Finn felt the blush work from his neck up to his face at Puck's words and he almost walked over and slugged Puck. Instead he took a breath and stared holes into Puck while he answered Sam. "Yep, that was it. I was alone."

"Why didn't you say so before? You could have just told me all this out there then and I would have tried it on my own," Sam said while running a hand through his shaggy blond hair. "That way I would have been able to buy this berry infusion stuff beforehand too."

"Well it's like I said Sam. Huddy doesn't want to share all his secrets do you Huddy?" Puck challenged from his perch on the steps.

"I'm an open book," Finn replied evenly while closing his eyes again and leaning against the tile.

"Well unless you're going to share your berry infusion tonight I'm going to head out. I have another way to relax waiting for me at home," Sam said, oblivious to the tension between the two men. He wiggled his brows as he walked past Finn and Puck to grab a towel and dry off. "See you guys tomorrow."

Puck waited until the two men were alone before he splashed Finn in the face. "So Huddy, you ready to talk about how you really relaxed in here?"

Finn counted to ten mentally before replying. "I just told you how I relaxed in here. Jets, bench, eyes closed and that's it."

"You're really going to sit there and tell me you didn't get any action in here? Maybe with a certain member of the Flight Crew that you've been eye fucking for weeks?"

"I haven't been eye fucking anyone," Finn denied from his position on the bench.

"Seriously? You going to tell me I'm blind? I have to look at you to throw you the fucking ball and I know when you aren't looking at me you're looking at her," Puck retorted in disgust. "You're lucky that helmet hides that doofy look you always get when you like a girl."

Finn's mind was torn. If Puck was noticing him looking at Rachel were other people? Deciding to test Puck, he asked, "Who do you think I'm looking at if I'm not looking at you?"

"Jesus, you think I'm fucking stupid?" Puck shot out. "Rachel."

Finn stared, not sure what course of action to take. "Rachel?"

"Rachel Berry a.k.a Miss December 2011? I saw you eye fucking her when you fumbled that catch earlier," Puck said slyly, trying to get Finn to admit he'd been staring at Rachel.

"Don't know what you're talking about man. Maybe if you'd have thrown it a little better I wouldn't have bobbled it," Finn replied while giving Puck a puzzled look.

Puck stared at him, not saying anything, his brow arched in question.

Finn looked at him as he considered whether or not to admit that he and Rachel were seeing each other. "Dude, you know it's against the rules."

Insulted, Puck crossed his arms as he glared at Finn. "You think I'm looking to tell somebody? You know me better than that man."

Hating the fact that he was about to lie to his best friend but knowing he had no choice but to do so, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes again so he wouldn't have to see Puck's face. "There's nothing to tell anyone anyway."

Puck narrowed his eyes, surprised that he hadn't gotten Finn to admit he was interested in Rachel. "You sure about that?"

"Positive," Finn said, opening his eyes to slits to peer over at Puck. "Now can you shut up and let me meditate?" he asked, hoping Puck would drop the conversation.

"You going to be able to without that berry infusion?" Puck pressed, trying to get in one last dig.

Finn deliberately closed his eyes, letting out an "ohm" in response. He waited a beat before repeating the sound, trying to keep a straight face.

Puck snorted and shook his head. "Whatever man. I can think of a better way to zone out. You up for some Madden tonight since you bailed on me the other day?" he asked as he stood up from the steps, more than ready to get out of the whirlpool.

"Can't," Finn decided as he sat up, not wanting to give Puck any more time to question him about Rachel. "I have to catch up on Antiques Roadshow."

Puck stopped on the top step and looked at Finn slyly. "I thought that's why you couldn't hang the other night."

"I fell asleep," Finn lied quickly, cursing the fact that he'd forgotten his prior excuse for ditching Puck. "I was really tired and just kinda passed out," he elaborated.

Puck stared at him, wondering if Finn really thought he was that stupid.

"So anyway," Finn continued. "I really need to catch up so I'm just going to head home and chill," he said as he stood, crossing to the steps to follow Puck out of the whirlpool.

He grabbed a towel and hastily dried off before walking back into the now empty locker room to stand in front of his locker, Puck trailing behind him. As he pulled clothes out at random his practice jersey shifted, exposing a corner of Rachel's picture. Finn hastily moved the jersey back into place, glancing at Puck to see if he'd noticed while he dressed. He blew out a relieved breath as he saw that Puck wasn't even looking at him but was staring at his phone.

"Alright man," Finn said cheerfully, throwing his bag over his shoulder. "I'm outta here."

Puck looked up from his phone, stunned Finn had dressed so quickly. "Excited to watch Antiques Roadshow?"

Finn shrugged. "Gotta make sure I see it before I see Kurt," he reminded him as he headed towards the door.

Puck rolled his eyes while he continued to dress. "Whatever you say man. Guess I'll see your ass tomorrow."

"Later," Finn replied while he pushed on the door. He walked out into the hallway, pulling out his phone immediately to check if he had any more texts from Rachel, smiling as he saw her text that she'd call when she got home. Striding down the hallway, he waved at the security guard posted at the exit and walked out the stadium.

The parking lot was nearly deserted as Finn made his way to his car, unlocking it and tossing his gym bag into the back seat. He climbed in, setting his phone in the cup holder in the center console in case Rachel texted and started the car. The stadium was a distant memory as he pressed the Onstar button, directing the system to call his mom.

"Hello?" Carole chirped, her voice ringing out throughout the car.

"Hi Mom," Finn responded as he maneuvered the car through the parking lot.

"Hi Finny," she replied warmly. "How did your practice go today? You guys ready for tomorrow?"

"It was long," he admitted. "But yeah, I think we're ready."

"Good. I'm sure you guys are going to play great-especially with you and Noah playing for the same team again. Did you listen to your good luck song yet?"

Finn shook his head even though she couldn't see him. "No, not yet." He stopped at a light, his fingers absently tapping the steering wheel as he peeked at his phone out of the corner of his eye, bummed Rachel hadn't texted again.

"No? But You Can't Touch This helped you and Noah go undefeated senior year. Are you going to listen to it tomorrow?"

"It's on my ipod Mom," Finn explained, not about to go into the fact that he had a new pregame good luck charm in the form of Rachel's picture.

"Listen to it! I don't want your routine thrown off, baby."

"Don't worry, I'm sure Puck and I'll listen to it," he assured her, though he didn't say he was sure they wouldn't bust out the moves they'd used in high school to that song. Some things just needed to stay in the past.

"Make sure you do. Burt's all excited to see the where we're sitting; do you know where we'll be?"

Finn pressed the gas and moved forward, continuing his drive home. "It's a surprise. He'll love them though I promise."

"I'm sure he will. Where do we go to get them?"

"The VIP entrance," Finn told her, merging onto the highway.

"Ok. I can hardly wait. I even tried to talk Kurt into tailgating."

Finn laughed as picked up speed. "Yeah? How'd that work out for you?"

"Not well. I'll get him to do it one day though."

"I'm sure you will," Finn told her honestly. "I'd pay to see that."

"That's what Burt said."

"Well it's a hysterical image," Finn replied, getting off at his exit and making a left followed by a right and then another left.

"Maybe if I made some healthy tailgate food, he'd go."

"No such thing," Finn replied, turning onto his street.

"Did you have dinner yet? Do you want to come over?"

"I just turned into my driveway Mom, I'm going to heat something up here."

"Are you sure? I don't mind."

"No, I'm going to eat and veg in front of the TV for a bit to unwind and go to bed early. Big day and all," Finn told her as he parked the car.

"Alright baby. You go relax. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, and celebrating the Jets first preseason win at the barbecue Sunday."

Finn grinned at her confidence. "Hopefully you're right."

"I know I am. I already have my celebratory cake for the barbecue made."

He laughed, the image of all of them around the cake popping into his head. The scene grew more vivid as he pictured Rachel next to him, laughing along with his family and he toyed with the idea for a second before making up his mind. "Hey Mom?"

"Yes baby?"

"Can I bring someone to the barbecue?" he blurted out.

"Of course Noah can come. Sam too."

"I don't mean them," he replied, his fingers nervously stroking the steering wheel. His tone changed as he continued to speak. "I mean...a friend. A friend who's not Puck."

"I see. Of course your friend can come."

"Awesome." He let out the breathe he was holding, suddenly dying to talk to Rachel. "I'll talk to you soon, Mom."

"Love you Finny. Night baby."

"Love you too, Mom. Bye," he replied before disconnecting the call. He climbed out of the car, grabbing his phone and bag as he entered the house.

His mind was on Rachel, the image of her interacting with his family at the barbeque growing stronger and he wondered if he could get her to actually play in their traditional touch football game. He mulled over the options as he heated up the dinner his mom had left him, debating if it would be better to be on different teams. If they were on opposite teams, he could ogle her, but on the other hand, being on the same team meant they could celebrate touchdowns together.

He pondered this as he ate and cleaned up, various images of Rachel with his family playing in his mind, interrupted only by a debate over whether to shower now or after Rachel called. Even in the shower, Rachel and his family played on an endless loop in his head and he emerged from the shower confident of one fact.

He could hardly wait to see the real thing.


Stunned by what he was seeing, Kurt looked out the window of the car, amazed at just how many people were crammed in the lot to tailgate for the Thursday night preseason opener.

"This is insane!" he exclaimed to Burt and Carole who were seated in the front of the car. "Is there going to be a celebrity at the game or something? Because if there is, you really should have worn something other than your jerseys," he informed them as he looked over his idea of game day apparel-a pair of dark skinny jeans, a white shirt topped with a gray vest and his leather messenger bag.

"The players are the celebrities here," Burt reminded him as he wound his way through the parking lot, heading towards a section marked VIP. "So we're dressed just fine."

"I've worn Finn's jersey to every game I've seen him play," Carole piped in, twisting in her seat to face Kurt. "Maybe I'll get you one of his jerseys so we can all match," she teased.

"No thank you," Kurt told her shuddering at the thought. "I'm here to watch, that's good enough."

"And your brother appreciates it," Carole told him, reaching back to pat his knee. "And who knows-maybe you'll get to see some celebrities in the crowd now that Finny's playing in New York."

"That's why I brought my binoculars," Kurt told her with a tap to his messenger bag. "Since you wouldn't tell us what level our suite's on, I had to be prepared."

"Your brother just said the tickets would be waiting for us at the VIP lounge," Carole said mysteriously.

"Do you think he got us a better suite than usual?" Kurt asked, trying to wheedle the information out of her. "You know, since we pick them up from the VIP lounge and all?"

"I hope not," Burt interjected. "I told your brother I didn't want a suite anymore."

Kurt laughed as the car pulled up to the valet. "Funny Dad."

"I'm not joking," Burt insisted as he climbed out of the car and handed the keys to the valet. "We get to hang out in the VIP lounge but no suite."

"Come again?" Kurt said slowly as he climbed out and followed his parents , who came to a stop in front of a security guard holding a clipboard. "You told him what?"

"I told him I didn't want any special treatment, I just want to watch the game," Burt told him as he turned to give their name to the security guard. "Hey there, we're here to pick up tickets for Hudson," he explained, showing the ID Finn had given him.

"We're his parents," Carole proudly announced. "And this is Finn's brother Kurt."

The man nodded and checked their name off his clipboard. "You go right on inside that door there," he said while pointing to an unmarked door behind him. "Take a left into the VIP lounge and give them your name. They'll have your tickets. Enjoy the game."

"Thanks," Burt nodded, reaching down to take Carole's hand as they walked towards the door.

Kurt followed slightly behind them, taking in the picture they made. He'd never say it to their faces, but they didn't look too awful in their matching jerseys with the number 88 on them, even if his dad's jeans were baggier than Kurt liked. Catching up to them, he entered the stadium trailing behind Carole, his head swiveling side to side as he took in the tasteful way the VIP area was decorated.

Burt walked around Kurt and over to the lounge door, holding it open for Carole and Kurt. "C'mon Kurt, quit staring I want to find out where our seats are."

Kurt moved to the door and entered the room, noting the soft music being piped through the sound system. "Hopefully our seats are here," he breathed out. He watched as Carole started to walk over to a table where young women were handing out envelopes of tickets, only to be intercepted by a balding man dressed in white from head to toe, a Kelly green sweater draped over his shoulders.

"You must be here for Mr. Hudson's tickets," Sandy beamed as he extended both of his hands to Carole. "He didn't tell me his sister was going to be at the game!"

Carole giggled at the compliment, while Kurt rolled his eyes at the man's clichéd line, wondering who exactly this man was. "Why thank you, but I'm his mother."

"Impossible! You look much too young to be our Finn's mother," Sandy trilled. "But may I say, it's quite easy to see where Finn got his impressive bone structure and fabulous good looks from. We just love having him on the team so far."

Kurt snorted but Carole beamed, accepting the compliment to both herself and Finn graciously. "Thank you, I know he's loving being here."

"Look at me discussing bone structure when I haven't even introduced myself! I'm Sandy, Sandy Ryerson, owner of the team," he announced proudly as he shook Carole's hand and then Burt's. "Welcome to MetLife Stadium."

"Carole Hummel," Carole introduced. "This is my husband Burt and stepson Kurt."

"Lovely to meet you all," Sandy exclaimed, adjusting the sweater around his shoulders. He gestured to a nearby waitress. "Clarisse! Some Champagne for Finn's family and where's my Kenny G? Why am I hearing Aaron Neville?"

The waitress bustled over, flutes of Champagne on her tray. "I'm sorry Mr. Ryerson but we couldn't find your usual Kenny G CD."

Eyebrow raised in disbelief, Sandy quickly handed the flutes to Carole and Kurt, Burt politely declining. "And you thought Aaron Neville would be a good substitute for the legendary Kenny G? Completely unacceptable! I've left multiple copies of Kenny G's Rhythm and Romance with Howard in case of an emergency like this. He knows I've got to get my music on before every game!"

The waitress took off, presumably to rid the VIP area of the sounds of Aaron Neville as Sandy turned his attention back to Carole, Burt and Kurt. "I hope this isn't a precursor to how the season's going to go. Aaron Neville, honestly!"

"Oh it's going to be a great season," Burt predicted. "Finn's been raring to go."

"He's been particularly excited since training camp," Carole added. "I know he was just raving about the locker room and the accommodations you've provided."

"We're so glad to have Finn on the team; he's a real asset," Sandy gushed as he laid his hand on Carole's arm.

"I can't wait to see him play here," Carole smiled. "It's so nice having him nearby again, even if he is too busy to visit his mother."

Kurt curved his lips into a smile, ready to add his charm to Carole's. "This lounge is amazing," he complimented.

"Why thank you. I took a personal interest in the interior decorating of the stadium," Sandy plumed in pride. "Wait till you see the suites. Each one has a different theme. My personal suite is decorated like the Kit Kat Club in Cabaret."

"Really?" Kurt asked, hoping the suite Finn got them would have a Broadway theme as well.

"Of course, that's just this season and it depends on how well the team does," Sandy elaborated. "Last season, I had a Chicago themed suite until we hit that losing streak then I switched to La Cage Aux Folles, which I don't think I need to tell you snapped us right out of the funk."

"I bet it did," Burt replied, amusement lacing his words.

"You know, you could see much better from my suite," Sandy told them. "I told Finn the other day that you all were welcome to join me there."

Kurt's ears perked at Sandy's words, thrilled to have the opportunity to watch from the owner's suite. However, before he could open his mouth to accept on their behalf Burt was speaking.

"Oh we couldn't possibly impose Mr. Ryerson," Burt told him as he scratched his forehead under the brim of his Jets baseball cap. "We were just on our way to get our tickets."

"It's no imposition at all," Sandy said with a bright smile. "I always like to get to know player's families."

Kurt opened his mouth, ready to pounce on the opportunity but Carole cut him off this time.

"I'd love to sit in the suite with you but Finn is very superstitious about where I sit during games," Carole lied smoothly, placing a hand on Sandy's arm. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you how that is."

"I understand completely," Sandy agreed sagely. "I can't tell you the guilt I felt when Puckerman went down with a separated shoulder the very same day I debuted my Eqquus themed suite."

"Then you see why we can't join you," Carole murmured.

"Absolutely. I'd hate for anything to happen to Finn because you sat with me," Sandy replied seriously. "But If you change your mind, please just let someone at guest services know. I'll leave your name with them and you'll be brought right up."

"Thank you," Burt and Carole told him, each shaking his hand again.

"You're welcome. Let's get you tickets then, shall we?" He turned and strode to the table, locating their envelope and handing it to Burt. "I hope you enjoy the seats and if by chance you are hungry, I strongly suggest our turkey chili. It's positively to die for."

Burt and Carole nodded and said their goodbyes as Kurt stood still, unable to believe his parents had passed up an opportunity to sit in the owner's suite. Blindly, he followed them out the door and into the hallway leading to the concourse, pausing as Burt opened the envelope to look at their tickets, his face lighting up with delight.

"Fifty yard line," Burt exclaimed. "Best seats in the house." He took Carole's hand again and looked up at the section numbers marked along the concourse, turning to the left to head to their seats.

Kurt followed along, growing sadder with each step that carried them away from the VIP lounge. He came to a stop behind Burt who was showing their tickets to an usher. "So we had a chance to sit in the owner's box and you turned it down to sit here?" Kurt asked in disgust as he eyed the steps down towards the field.

"Hey, you said it yourself, we're not dressed to sit in a suite Kurt," Burt said as he walked down the steps. "Plus you can see the action better down here. I told you I told Finn I didn't want special treatment."

"Carole, I'm begging you," Kurt implored. "Please, tell my dad that you want to sit in the suite."

"As nice as that sounds, I'd rather sit here too, Kurt," Carole replied as she followed Burt down the steps and into their row. "Finny can see my sign from here and I'm close enough that if something happens, I can be on the field in two seconds."

"I can't believe you really brought that sign with you. Isn't wearing his jersey enough?" Kurt muttered as he ducked, trying to avoid getting hit with Carole's poster board while following her into the row.

"I like my sign," Carole said with a laugh as she waved it in the air.

"It's adorable," Kurt agreed dryly as he settled into his seat, taking one last look at Carole's sign before crossing his legs and pulling out his binoculars from his bag. "I mean #88's Great has a good ring to it, and I'm sure he'll love the Go Finny! underneath it."

"Thank you," Carole said with a nudge, not acknowledging his sarcasm at all. "Maybe you'll see more celebrities now that Finny's playing here, Kurt."

"I'm sure I might have seen some if we were in the suite," he muttered under his breath.

"Let it go Kurt," Burt warned from the other side of Carole.

"Fine," Kurt muttered, lifting his binoculars to his eyes.

Carole was watching the players on the field, finding Finn in the throng of men stretching and whistled through her fingers. "Go 88! Go baby!" she screamed with a wave. "That's my son," she told the man sitting behind them, unable to keep the pride out of her voice.

"Great," the man muttered. "He better not suck like he did in Cinncinnati."

Burt turned around and glared at the other man. "He didn't suck there and he won't suck here."

Kurt kept his attention to the field, briefly admiring how the short pants really accentuated some of the players butts. The binoculars wandered over to the sidelines where Finn was talking to Puck. Puck's back was to Kurt, allowing his binoculars to be filled with that disgusting Mohawk Puck insisted looked good. Needing to get that out of his vision, he focused the binoculars on Finn's face, immediately noticing that while he was conversing with Puck, his gaze was definitely not on Puck, but rather something behind him. Intrigued, Kurt moved the binoculars trying to find out what Finn found so interesting.

He scrolled the rows in front of them wondering if Finn had found a celebrity in the stands. He certainly hoped so; if he had to suffer through yet another football game (and not even in a suite) he damn well deserved to get an autograph or two. He moved the binoculars between Finn and the stands, trying to determine Finn's line of vision, but to his disappointment, Finn's gaze appeared to be fixed on something lower than the stands.

Once again, he focused the binoculars on Finn, slowly moving them as he followed Finn's line of vision. His jaw dropped when he realized just what Finn's gaze was apparently locked on.

The one and only Mariah Carey.

"Carole," Kurt whispered in awe. "Mariah Carey is here. She's over there right next to those cheerleaders."

Carole looked over at him in surprise. "Of course she's here, she's singing the National Anthem. I thought you knew that-it's been all over the news," she explained.

Kurt plotted as he sat back in his seat, moving the binoculars from his face so he could cross his arms over his chest. "Dad, please," he pleaded as he turned to face Burt. "If she's singing the anthem she's probably going to the suite after. It's Mariah Carey!" he cried.

"And your point is?" Burt asked while continuing to watch the players warm up.

"She's one of my idols! If we go now, we could be in the suite before she even gets there." Kurt began to plan and immediately stood up, intent on finding the closest guest service station.

"Sit down Kurt," Burt told him. "We're not going to the suite."

"It's Mariah Carey!" Kurt reminded him. "She's one-third of the Holy Grail. If I got her autograph I'd be well on my way to completing my dream of a Diva Trifecta. Of course if Finn had agreed to go to Celine's Vegas show instead of that awful Pussycat Dolls show, I'd only be a Barbra autograph short after I got Mariah's!"

"You don't know she'd be going to the suite," Carole told him as she picked up her sign and began waving it again.

Kurt just turned and looked at her, disbelief etched on his face. "You think she'd sully her Louboutins by walking through the beer and peanuts strewn on the floor around here?"

"I think you're being a bigger diva," Carole commented as she waved her sign. "Maybe Mariah should be asking for your autograph."

"Don't be ridiculous, Carole. Of course she's going to the suite and I'm stuck down here." Turning again to Burt, he played his trump card. "Think of the food they would have in the suite, Dad. All the fattening, artery clogging food you could want right at your fingertips."

Burt chuckled. "I'll just get my food from the concession stand. The walking up and down the steps will offset the fat right?"

Defeated, Kurt focused again on the field, watching as the teams ran back towards the tunnel. "Oh good, they're heading back to the locker rooms. That means it's almost time to start right?"

"Yep," Carole said as she sat down in her seat, ready to watch the pregame festivities.

"I'm going to get a snack and a beer; you guys want anything?" Burt asked, receiving head shakes from both Kurt and Carole. He turned and jogged back up the steps before they could change their minds.

Kurt lifted the binoculars to his eyes again, tuning Carole out as she chatted with the people in the seats next to them, talking about how great of a player Finn was. He scanned the crowd, trying to see if there were any other celebrities he could pay attention to instead of focusing on the game.

"You spot anyone good yet?" Carole asked as she turned back to Kurt.

"Not yet," Kurt sighed, continuing his sweep of the crowd, ignoring the cheerleaders going through the pregame routine midfield. "I thought I spotted Justin Timberlake but it was a false alarm."

"Sorry honey," Carole commiserated, rubbing his arm. "You can complain to your brother at the barbecue this weekend," she told him with a smile. "Speaking of the barbecue, you know you can bring someone if you want."

"To the barbecue?" Kurt asked, shifting in his seat to face her.

"Yes," Carole chirped. "Finn asked if he could bring someone, so I thought you might want to too."

"He did? Who is he bringing?" Kurt asked before waving his hand at her.

Carole turned to face him, her face excited. "He didn't say but I think it's a girl. He just asked if he could bring a friend who's not Puck."

"He didn't say who? What was his tone like?" Kurt questioned, intrigued at who Finn might be bringing.

Carole smiled. "His tone was different when he said the word friend. That's why I think it's a girl. Has he said anything to you?"

"Just that this was the best training camp he's ever had," Kurt replied, rolling his eyes. "Has he mentioned anyone during your chats?"

"He hasn't mentioned a girl if that's what you mean," Carole said as she thought back on her weekly conversations with him. "But I've barely gotten to talk to him, he's been so busy."

"Has anything seemed different?" Kurt asked, now completely focused on this than on the fact that he wasn't sitting in a suite.

"Well, when I took the food over this weekend there were still things left over from the week before, which is very unusual," she mused. "But that doesn't mean he's dating."

Burt came back just then, inching his way past Kurt to sit on Carole's other side. "Who's dating?" he asked.

"I'm trying to figure out if Finn's dating," Kurt explained as he stood with everyone else to watch the team run back out onto the field, ready to play. With renewed interest, he turned his binoculars back towards Finn, so focused on analyzing his demeanor that he almost missed Mariah coming to midfield to sing the National Anthem. He clapped when she finished, the thought of not meeting her still giving him a slight pang of regret. It was slightly lessened when he watched Finn and Puck walk to midfield for the coin toss, noticing Finn wasn't focused on the coin toss but on something on the opposite side of the field.

Kurt tried to follow Finn's line of vision, wondering if Finn had invited a girl to watch him play and she was seated somewhere else in the stadium. He looked over the lower levels of the section Finn had been staring at, frowning as he saw bunches of middle aged men cheering and hardly any women, other than the cheerleaders right in front of the section.

Assuming from the cheers of the crowd that the game had begun, Kurt watched as the Jets took the field, again admiring how some of the players looked in their uniforms before turning his attention back to the crowd, determined to find who Finn had been staring at. He was so focused that he missed the entire first quarter, not caring that neither team had scored, more so irritated that he still hadn't been able to figure out who Finn was looking at each time he came off the field.

"Kurt, you're looking at the wrong endzone," Burt informed him dryly as he looked over at him. "The Jets are going that way now."

Keeping the binoculars close to his eyes, Kurt replied. "I still don't understand why they do that."

"Kurt can you just put the damn binoculars down and try to watch the game?" Burt asked, exasperated.

"I am watching the game," Kurt protested, not about to admit that he was still looking over the section Finn had been staring at, determined to figure out what had captured Finn's interest.

"Oh my God! Go Finny!" Carol screamed as she jumped up from her seat, her sign waving madly. "Run baby run!"

Kurt got to his feet, turning the binoculars towards the field and away from the crowd when Carole began yelling Finn's name. He found him quickly, running with the ball towards the endzone before he was roughly pushed out of bounds by a player from the other team. Kurt watched with a wince as Finn lost his balance and stumbled into one of the cheerleaders, taking her with him as he hit the ground.

Carole was screaming in his ear but Kurt tuned her out, instead focusing on the shy smile he saw the cheerleader give his brother as he stood, seemingly reassuring Finn she was ok. Finn hastily tossed the football he'd still been clutching to a nearby referee so he could help the tiny brunette stand back up before running back onto the field, giving her one last glance over his shoulder. Kurt shook his head as the tiny girl began waving her pompoms crazily, amazed she wasn't hurt considering Finn's size in comparison to hers.

"Did you see that?" Carole cried out, grabbing onto Kurt's arm, effectively forcing him to lower the binoculars. "They pushed him so hard he ran right into that poor girl."

"I saw Carole," Kurt told her as he tried to raise the binoculars again to look in the section in front of the cheerleader since that's where Finn had been staring all game.

"Oh it's on the big screen now," Carole said while turning to watch the play unfold again. "Where's the flag?" she demanded as she watched the replay.

"Flag for what honey?" Burt asked around a mouthful of peanuts.

"That other player made Finn tackle that girl!"

"Carole that was a clean hit," Burt said, amused at her protectiveness. "He got the first down."

"And she got knocked down," Kurt quipped.

He watched the replay again, cursing Finn's large frame for blocking out the small girl. He pursed his lips as he watched the girl smile again on screen, trying to make out what she had said as she smiled at Finn. Unfortunately, the replay ended before he could see since the game had resumed; the crowd roaring in excitement.

Kurt stayed standing, actually looking at the field with everyone else as Finn ran into the endzone, grimacing instead of cheering as Finn began his celebration dance. "Months of dance classes and that's how he dances when he scores?" he muttered under his breath, not missing the fact that the cheerleader Finn had knocked over had buried her face into her pompoms as Finn danced.

"Leave your brother alone," Carole chided as she high fived Burt before she turned to the man behind her, slapping her palm against his as he cheered along with her.

"I'm just saying," Kurt began as Carole sat back down. "He's going to be on national television doing that. He should seriously consider letting me choreograph his little dance," Kurt insisted stubbornly.

"He's been on TV before," Carole reminded him. "You didn't care then."

Kurt just shook his head at her. "I always cared Carole; he just wasn't close enough to home for me to do anything about it."

"You want to do a dance to AC/DC Kurt?" Burt piped in. "I didn't know you knew You Shook Me All Night Long."

Kurt nodded absently as Finn finished dancing, noticing that Finn was again looking at the sideline. Lifting the binoculars again, he tried to see if someone was looking in Finn's direction in that section. He frowned as he realized nobody in the section was looking right at Finn and swung the binoculars down towards Finn again, moving over the cheerleaders quickly before he stopped, focusing on the tiny brunette as she grinned at Finn.

Suddenly, the game got much more interesting for Kurt.

The clock ticked down the last minute of the half, the crowd cheering their team into the tunnel, excited by the 7-0 lead. Burt, along with several other fans from their row, headed up the stairs as the cheerleading squad ran out to midfield to begin their halftime show.

Kurt stared at the petite brunette as the routine began, irritated that she turned to face the other side of the stadium which meant that instead of seeing her face, he was staring at her back. Patiently, he watched the routine progress, pleased when she turned to face his side of the stadium, giving him his first good look at her face. He doubted his instincts for a moment as he looked at her, her unconventional looks not matching Finn's usual tastes at all-since she was neither a blonde or large chested. She was a Midge surrounded in a sea of Barbie's, pretty in her own unique way.

"Isn't this fun Kurt?" Carole asked as she moved in her seat to the beat of the music. "We'll get to see a lot more of Finny's games since he's playing here," she reminded him cheerfully. When he didn't respond, she said his name again.

"Kurt," she said a little louder. "What are you staring at? Trying to come up with a new design for the crew uniform?" Carole teased.

"While I'm sure I could do better, no," Kurt said as he kept his eyes trained on the brunette. "I'm trying to see the girl Finn ran into."

"Oh?" Carole asked as she turned her attention back to the girls dancing, looking them all over but unable to find the one Finn had knocked over. "She's dancing? That must mean she's ok," Carole surmised.

"She's dancing very well actually," Kurt told her, binoculars still in place.

"Which one is she?" Carole asked as she still couldn't find her on the field.

"She's the little one up front, number 88," Kurt told her as he continued to watch Rachel move.

"Number 88?" Carole repeated as she leaned forward in her seat to try and see better. When that failed to help her see, she turned to Kurt. "Give me the binoculars," she said while placing her hand out, fully expecting Kurt to hand them over.

"In a minute," Kurt said as he shifted in his seat to try and avoid Carole's hand that was now reaching for the binoculars

"In a minute they'll be done," Carole retorted. "Let me see or I'll tell Finn what you did to his favorite flannel shirt," she warned.

"It's in a better place," Kurt smirked but handed Carole the binoculars.

"I'm sure your brother would love to hear how you cut up his shirt for rags Kurt," Carole said dryly as she lifted the binoculars in search of the girl Finn had knocked over. "Oh she's cute!" she exclaimed. "I hope Finny apologizes after the game even if it wasn't his fault," Carole said absently.

"Oh I bet he will," Kurt smirked, watching as the squad finished their routine.

"Why do you say it like that?" Carole questioned as she settled in her seat, handing the binoculars back to Kurt as the cheerleaders dispersed to their respective endzones, canned music now filling the stadium as they waited for the game to resume.

"She was staring at him," Kurt said as if that explained everything. "And he was staring right back at her."

"He was probably just looking to see if she was ok," Carole concluded.

"I bet they're friends, so I'm sure he would," Kurt replied smugly.

Carole's eyes lit up in understanding. "You think so?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet but I'm going to keep watching," Kurt told her, raising his binoculars once more.

"Oh good, the half time show is over," Burt said happily as he got back to their row. "I couldn't have timed that better."

"It was a good show, Dad," Kurt told him as he again swiveled his knees, allowing Burt to inch past.

"Since when did you start paying attention to the half time show?" Burt asked while settling back into his seat, his beer in the cupholder and food on his lap.

"I've always enjoyed a good dance routine," Kurt replied airily, lifting his binoculars to watch the brunette line up on either side of the player's tunnel. He watched as the players came out, noticing immediately that Finn ran down her side of the line up and also noticing that her pompoms were cheering even more than usual as he passed.

The rest of the game passed in a blur for Kurt, since instead of focusing on the game he was focused on watching Finn try (and fail) to discreetly stare at the cheerleader in the #88 uniform. Kurt felt as though he was watching a tennis match as he ping ponged between the two, growing more certain of the fact that there was something there based simply on their longing looks. When Carole reached for the binoculars, whispering that she wanted to see her again, he reluctantly gave them over, conferring with her after she was done about what she'd noticed. The game completely forgotten, he continued to watch the sidelines, more interested in the longing looks flying between them. He was brought out of his reverie by Burt clapping his hands as the Jets left the field.

"Oh they won?" Kurt asked, surprised that the game was already over.

"They did," Burt told him with a nod, indicating to Kurt to start to walk out of the row. "If you would have stopped celebrity hunting you would have seen it."

"I wasn't celebrity hunting," Kurt said mildly while walking up the steps. "I was just caught up trying to see what Finn was staring at," he explained.

"Probably a member of the other team," Burt said as he led them out of the stadium, handing his ticket to the valet.

"I don't think so," Kurt smiled at Carole.

"Kurt, you'll see him at the barbecue," Carole reminded him as the car pulled up. "We can tag team him about it then."

"What are you two talking about?" Burt asked as he climbed in.

"I just wanted to ask Finn something Dad," Kurt deflected as he opened the back door.

"So text him or tweet him or whatever the hell it is you kids do."

"Dad, I'm not going to tweet him," Kurt replied with a shake of his head. "I'm pretty sure Santana does all of his replying on there."

"Oh no Kurt, your brother does that all on his own!" Carole chirped as she buckled herself in.

Kurt snorted as he pulled out his phone, his father's comments giving him an idea. Carefully, he examined Finn's tweets, positive that Santana wasn't posting them. Clicking on his list of followers, he scrolled through, rolling his eyes as he saw Carole's picture. "You really follow him on twitter?"

"Of course I do!" she exclaimed.

"Maybe he does do post his own tweets," Kurt said with a smirk as he scrolled through Finn's followers, one particular follower catching his eye. "Interesting."

"What?" Burt asked as he pulled out of the stadium.

"Nothing," Kurt replied, busy scrolling through the profile of RachelBFlightCrew, his eye immediately falling on Finn88Hudson as one of her followers. Satisfied at what he saw, he resumed checking Finn's tweets, noticing that he'd only retweeted one of the Flight Crew; conveniently Miss 88 herself.

"Preseason home opener in one hour! Let's go JETS!" Kurt rolled his eyes, sure Finn thought he was being sly. He clicked back on her twitter handle, displaying her latest tweets and stifling a laugh at the fact that she had also retweeted his "Who's ready for some football?" tweet. To amuse himself, he looked back through both of their twitter feeds for more evidence before looking at their list of followers to compare how many they had in common.

Suddenly the prospect of a Sunday barbeque was a lot more interesting.


"So what day does it leave again?" Santana demanded as Finn held the door open. "Tell me again, Gigantor."

"I know the flight leaves Tuesday, Santana," Finn told her for the thousandth time while walking her to her car. "I'm not a complete moron."

"Don't give yourself too much credit Tubbs," Santana warned as she unlocked her car. "You did good today, even if you did knock that girl over," she admitted grudgingly.

Thinking of Rachel, Finn bent and gave Santana a quick hug. "Gee thanks. You be careful going home."

"Trying to get rid of me Hudson?" Santana asked, her brows arching.

"Yep, I'm beat. Going home and going to bed," he said with an exaggerated yawn.

"Uh huh," she muttered, knowing from his tone that Finn was probably going to be spending the night at a girl's. "Just don't be late on Tuesday, ok?"

"I won't," he promised as she sat in the car. He closed her door and jogged back to his own, ready to get to Rachel's.

"And Finn?"

He turned as he opened his car door, surprised to see that Santana had pulled her Mercedes up next to him. "Yeah?"

"Make sure you wear a condom tonight. I'm not restructuring your contract to include child support payments to a one night stand." She eyed him, one perfectly manicured eyebrow arched.

He flushed, the image of a little Rachel hanging on his leg flooding his head. He dug into his pocket, pulling out the condom he hoped to use tonight and flashing it at her. "Shut up. I always put one on. And for your information, this isn't a one night stand."

"Whatever. Just bag it." She drove off without another word, leaving him shaking his head as he got into his own car and exited the stadium.

Driving as fast as he could, he made his way to Rachel's, nodding at the doorman after parking his car. He pressed the intercom, smiling as she told him to come up. In the elevator he tapped his fingers along his thigh as it ascended, eager to see her and make sure she was really ok. He'd barely knocked when the door swung open.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to get here," Finn apologized as he entered the apartment. "The media here is crazy."

"It's ok, I just got home a little bit ago," she replied, stepping back from the door to let him inside.

"Still. The media's not like this in Cincinnati." He stepped into her apartment, closing the door behind him.

"I'm sure everyone wanted to talk to you since you played so well," Rachel said proudly, idly wondering if the sultry brunette she'd seen him talking to in the parking lot as she'd left was a member of the media.

"Yeah, they had a field day talking about the part where I knocked you over," he said with a blush. "Will told them I was a great catch since I apparently play both offense and defense," Finn muttered with a shake of his head.

"I'm sure not that many people asked about it," Rachel soothed.

"Oh they did babe. I can't believe I did that. Are you ok?" he asked, running his hands up and down her arms to see.

"I'm fine Finn," she assured him, taking his hand and leading him into the living room.

"You're sure?" he asked while she led him to the couch.

"Positive."

"I think I should check," he said decisively as he peered at her, sitting himself down and pulling her into his lap.

"Finn, I'm fine," Rachel insisted as she settled over him.

"I know you think you're ok, but I better check to make sure. It looks like you have a bruise," he announced, pushing her hair away from her face.

"Seriously?" Rachel gasped, placing her hand on her chest.

"Lemme look closer." He lowered his mouth to the junction of her neck, his lips ghosting over her skin before he bit her. He picked his head back up to stare at her. "Just as I suspected. You're bruised."

"Finn!" she admonished half heartedly. "You just put that bruise there and you know it."

Undaunted, Finn looked at her wide eyed. "I'm just checking to make sure you're ok," he reminded her, his hands gripping the hem of her t-shirt and lifting it slowly. "I know how much the pads can hurt, I'd feel horrible if my pads hurt you."

"Finn. I told you, I'm fine," Rachel murmured, raising her arms automatically.

"You didn't even know you had that bruise, who knows where else you've got one?" Without waiting for her reply, he removed her shirt, tossing it to the side. He looked at her, relieved to see no bruising, but leaning forward to kiss where he'd hit anyway. His lips ghosted along her collarbone as his hands reached behind to unclasp her bra. "Hmm. This area looks ok but I'd better remove this just to make totally sure."

"That...that might be a good idea," Rachel breathed as he slid the straps down, his mouth now sucking on her pulse point.

The bra tossed to the floor, Rachel watched as he kissed her, her fingers automatically threading through his hair and holding him to her. She moaned as his hands drifted lower, cupping her behind through her capris before coming up to rest on the waistband.

Powerless to resist, she let him lay her on the couch, watching him through hooded eyes as he took off her capris and panties in one motion before swiftly undressing himself and putting the condom on so he could continue his examination of her.

He took his time, making Rachel feverish with desire as his lips roamed over her entire body, occasionally leaving a bruise in their wake. Only when he was satisfied that she was ok did he push into her, his thrusts quickly became erratic as he brought the powerful release both of them were desperately seeking. He rolled off her, breathing heavily as he lay back against the other end of the couch.

"Are you ok?" Rachel asked as she cuddled next to him once he'd disposed of the condom, aftershocks still coursing through her body.

He placed his arm around her shoulders, his eyes closing. "Yeah, I'm just a little sore," he murmured.

"Want me to rub your back?" she offered, sitting up straight on the couch, looking around for her t-shirt. Seeing that his was closer, she picked it up and put it on before picking up her panties and slipping them back on.

He opened an eye and peered over at her. "Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Ok," he agreed, stretching and reaching for his boxers at the same time. "Where do you want me?"

"Sit right here," Rachel instructed, indicating the spot on the floor between her legs as he put his boxers on.

Finn got down onto the floor, settling his long legs out in front of him, his chin falling forward as she began to massage the back of his neck.

"You played really well tonight," she told him as she kneaded his neck, thoughts of the other woman popping back into her brain out of nowhere. Maybe she wasn't a member of the media but was a football groupie instead, willing to do what she'd just done with Finn in much more compromising positions. "The fans just loved you."

"The whole team played well," Finn admitted, shifting on the floor to give Rachel more access.

"They did," Rachel conceded. "But I bet they didn't all have fans waiting for them after the game," she stated, trying to see if she was right about the potential groupie.

"I didn't have any fans waiting," Finn told her, groaning as she hit a sore spot. "Right there, baby."

"No?" she pressed as she massaged the spot he'd requested more firmly.

"Nope."

Deciding not to beat around the bush, she kept her voice light as she asked him, "So who was that woman you were with then?"

"What woman?" Finn asked in confusion.

"The woman in the parking lot," Rachel told him as she stopped her movements. "I saw you before I left," she explained.

"Hmm?" he asked, his eyes closed as he relaxed against her legs, shifting slightly to subtly try to get her to resume her ministrations. "That's just Santana."

Rachel got the hint and began rubbing her hands over his back again, lightly massaging as she tried to think of how to word her question without seeming clingy. She decided to settle for simple, hoping he would expand his statement, or at the very least explain who Santana was to him. "Oh?"

"Mhmm," Finn groaned, his head dropping forward, his chin practically on his chest as she massaged his neck. "She was reminding me about having to go to Miami next week."

Rachel frowned as she continued to rub, her movements becoming more forceful. "You're going to Miami?"

"Yeah, charity golf outing before the next game," he explained, tilting his head back to look up at her. "I thought I told you about it."

Rachel shook her head no slightly, but forced her lips to curve while she did so, trying not to make it seem like an issue that he hadn't mentioned it. "Is the whole team going?" she questioned lightly, running her fingers through his hair.

His eyes closed in pleasure at the feeling of her hands in his hair and he sighed lightly before speaking. "No. Just me, Puck, Sam and maybe Mike."

Rachel nodded at him, still wondering if Santana was also going and he just didn't want to tell her. "Sounds fun," she murmured lowly.

"It is," he told her, turning over to kneel up on his knees. Leaning over her, gave her lips a quick peck. "I'm gonna miss you though," he murmured against her lips. "Wanna come with?"

She smiled against his lips, kissing him lightly before pulling away. "We have extra practices all next week. Sue's trying to pick the representatives for AM New York," Rachel explained while running her hand over his cheek, smiling when he turned his face and pressed his lips to her palm.

"You could play hooky," he suggested, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

She smiled and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. "No, I can't, especially since you're going to be hanging out with other teammates. We're not supposed to be dating, remember?"

"I wish I had gotten Santana to change that at my signing," he muttered with a pout. "Stupid Karofsky."

Rachel tensed slightly again at the mention of the other woman. "I forgot she was at your signing," Rachel replied, still unsure of who Santana was. "How could she have changed it?"

"She's a kick ass agent, she negotiated a ton of extra stuff for me there. I should have gotten her to change that, or at least make you my personal cheerleader," he smirked.

"I am your personal cheerleader," she reminded him with a laugh.

"Lucky me." He leaned closer, pressing a few kisses against her lips.

"So Santana is your agent?" Rachel asked, trying to keep her voice casual but unable to get the picture of them talking out of her head.

"Yep," he replied while standing up, offering his hands to pull her up from the couch.

Rachel waited until he'd helped her to her feet before she let go of his hands to wrap her arms around his waist. "Does that mean she's going with you to Miami?"

Finn laughed. "Uh no. She hates golf."

"I see," she told him before giving him a quick squeeze. "You tired?" she asked playfully as he began to maneuver her towards the bedroom.

He stopped walking and bent down to give her a tender kiss. "A little," he said, giving an exaggerated yawn to show he was teasing.

Rachel beamed up at him. "You want to cuddle?"

Finn tilted his head down towards hers as he considered. "Well I am super cuddly you know," he admitted, confident they would be cuddling at some point during the night, presumably after they'd had sex again.

She smiled wider before slipping out of his arms. "Just let me brush my teeth and change. I'll be right there."

Finn nodded and headed towards the bedroom, turning on the light before he got under her covers. He waited for her, his eyes drooping a bit as he realized just how tired he actually was now that he'd actually laid down. He watched Rachel walk in, peeling back the covers on the other side of the bed and patting it invitingly.

"You have any plans tomorrow baby?" he asked as he watched her pull off his shirt, revealing a cute yellow polka dotted lingerie set she'd changed into.

"Breakfast with Quinn, an extra practice and then the meet and greet at Hooters," Rachel replied as she turned off the light and climbed into bed, immediately snuggling into his side. "You?"

"Just videotape sessions," he told her as he kissed the top of her head. "What do you do at the meet and greet?"

"Sign pictures all day, take pictures with fans if they want." She maneuvered her body so that she was lying on top of him, her fingers playing with his hair.

Finn nodded as he rubbed his hand up and down her back. He thought of her picture in his locker and smiled to himself, wondering how she'd react to a picture of him in hers. He yawned hugely, his arm tightening around her and drawing her closer. "Sounds fun."

"Mhmm," she replied, her hand lightly stroking his hair. She stared at him for a moment before she sat up, straddling his waist. His hands automatically attached themselves to her waist while hers rested against his pecs. "Finn?"

"Yeah?" His hands rubbed up and down her smooth thighs.

She looked down, a blush on her face. "Is this lingerie sexy?"

He eyed the white bra with the tiny yellow polka dots and matching panties, running a finger along the edge of her bra. "Are you kidding me? It's insanely sexy."

She let out a relieved breath. "I knew it. I knew Quinn was wrong."

He pulled her to him, rolling them so that she was tucked under him. "Not only is it sexy, but the fact that you're wearing it makes it even sexier."

She giggled, accepting the kisses he was offering before she snuggled into him, her fingers tracing patterns along his chest. She felt him relaxing under her, his leg twitching unconsciously against hers.

"I'm really excited for the barbeque on Sunday," he told her quietly as he snuggled into the pillow, his fingers playing with her hair.

Rachel laid there for a moment as she recalled their phone call when she'd gotten home from her manicure the other night, still surprised he'd invited her to his family gathering.

"I'm looking forward to watching the new star wide receiver play," she teased. "I bet you guys will win."

"Oh yeah?" he murmured. "Funny, my mom's so sure we'll win she started making a victory cake for the barbeque on Sunday."

"She did? That's so sweet," Rachel replied.

"She's a really good baker," Finn explained quickly.

"Since you have plans for Sunday already, do you have anything planned for tomorrow night after the game?"

"Tomorrow? Well, I was hoping I could see you after the game," Finn replied. "I know it'll be late since it's a night game, but would that be ok?"

"That sounds perfect, especially since I can't see you before the game," she murmured before yawning as she snuggled into her pillow.

"Awesome," Finn told her. "Hey Rach?" he asked casually.

"Yes Tigger?" she replied, her eyes closing as she relaxed further while listening to his voice.

"About Sunday. Did you have any plans?"

"This Sunday? No."

"Will you come to the barbeque with me? It's just family-my mom, stepdad and brother, well stepbrother technically," he asked quietly, hoping she would say yes.

Rachel eyes remained closed as she smiled. "I'd love to go to the barbeque with you," she replied earnestly.

"I'm excited too Tigger," she told him, placing a kiss on his chest before rolling onto her other side, dragging his arm across her body so that he would spoon her.

They cuddled a bit longer, whispering back and forth before the long day caught up with them, causing them to drift into sleep, content in one another's arms.


After rushing from Rachel's apartment the next morning so Quinn wouldn't know he'd spent the night, Finn had gone home to change before practice, taking an extra minute to search for a picture before tossing it into his bag and leaving the house. Now feeling like he was on a Star Trek mission to boldly go where no man had gone before, Finn walked into the Flight Crew's locker room, stopping immediately upon entering.

It was so different from his locker room. It was so clean and didn't even remotely smell like feet and stale sweat like theirs did. He took a moment just to marvel at the fact that a locker room could be so nice before he remembered he was there for a reason.

He walked forward slowly, reading the name above each locker before finding Rachel's. It was smaller than his for sure and much more organized. A calendar with their game schedule hung on the right side of the closet and pictures of her with various members of the flight crew hung on the left. Like his, her uniforms hung across the back but while his had bulky shoulder pads hanging, hers had her pompoms hanging from the top. With a grin he fingered the material of a short skirt remembering how it had looked on her and how it looked even better on the floor.

He stood there as one minute turned into two, then into three as he remembered their time together. Still grinning, he pulled the skirt forward with one hand as his other quickly attached something to the wall behind it. He dropped her skirt back, satisfied that it hid his surprise. It was at that moment that he heard voices coming towards the locker room and froze.

Shit. He thought he'd be done before anyone came back. His gaze frantically tore through the room as he looked for a place to hide. He was too big to fit in their lockers and he couldn't go for the showers since they might use them. Finally he spotted their water table, which actually had a cloth on it that came to the floor. He quickly walked to it and folded himself in half to hide under it. The skirt of the table had barely fallen back into place when he heard the door open.

"Figures Sue let us out early so we can get lunch before the meet and greet and I forget my purse. I'll be quick," Holly griped to Nikki while making a beeline for her locker.

Nikki laughed shrilly as she replied. "Hurry up, I don't want her to see us lingering around. She might make us go before Dakota again for another inspection." Nikki looked towards the door, hoping that Sue and the team stylist, Dakota Stanley, weren't nearby.

"I know," Holly said as she grabbed her purse. "We're lucky he was so focused on Rachel; he barely even looked at anybody else." Unable to resist, Holly looked at herself in the mirror, checking her makeup. "She really should consider going to my surgeon," she mused.

"I couldn't believe he told her that she needed surgery to even fill out a training bra," Nikki said, amazed at how bluntly the stylist had spoken to Rachel.

"If I were her, I'd consider going in for the works," Holly admitted. "Just to get Dakota off my back-he does this to her every year but she never listens."

Finn listened to the exchange under the table, attempting to sit up straight to hear better once he realized they were talking about Rachel. In the process of doing so, he hit his head on the table with a thump. He held his breath and prayed nobody noticed.

Of course they did.

"What was that?" Nikki asked Holly while looking around the room.

"Who knows; it was probably one of the guys walking past hoping to get a glimpse of these," she said indicating her breasts.

Nikki snorted delicately. "Oh of course that must be it. Maybe you should recommend your surgeon to Rachel."

"I did. I even told her that maybe she could get someone better than that waterboy who's always looking at her," Holly told her with a laugh. "I saw her staring at 88 the other day. Not that he was looking at her or anything-he's so out of her league."

The pair became engrossed in their laughter and didn't notice the door open again allowing another person to enter and hear their every word.

"It's kind of ironic Sue chose this meet and greet to send Rachel too," Nikki pondered as she stopped laughing. "I mean, Hooters? That's just rubbing salt in an open wound."

"I think that's why Dakota got so critical," Holly admitted. "It's not the type of scene she really fits in at. He wasn't wrong when he said that her nose takes up half her face, or that her boobs are so barely there Sue probably makes her wear two pairs of falsies to help fill out her uniform," Holly said matter of factly repeating Dakota's words, ticking the insults off on her fingers as she went. "Did you hear him ask Sue why she was letting cows on the squad because he insisted Rachel gained weight?"

Finn was fuming under the table. What the hell was wrong with this Dakota person? Was he fucking blind? Rachel was gorgeous for God's sake.

Nikki giggled at Holly's words. "You know, I was kind of surprised Sue let her in the calendar last year after Dakota specifically told her not to."

Holly turned to her as she replied. "Oh I know right?! Plus, then Sue gave her my month! I mean hello, Holly/December? Just kind of a perfect fit. Bet they had to stuff that top with a whole box of tissues."

Finn had heard enough. His head hit the table again and he so desperately wanted to get out from under the table and set these girls straight. Instead he froze as he heard another voice.

"Actually they didn't stuff it at all," Rachel said from the doorway where she'd been listening to the girls rant. "It was just my size," she replied with a false bravado.

"Rachel," Holly said a bit surprised to see her. "I thought you'd be at lunch by now."

"I would be but coach asked me to let you two know she wants us at Hooters 15 minutes earlier than she originally said," Rachel explained, omitting the fact that she'd volunteered to tell them so that she didn't have to listen to Dakota's insults anymore.

"Gee thanks, guess we better be going then huh?" Nikki pulled Holly towards the door. It was one thing to talk about someone behind their back but Nikki hated doing it face to face.

Holly gazed at her with pity as Nikki started to pull her from the room. "You know, if you ever decide you want the number for my plastic surgeon, you just let me know. It'd get Dakota off your back," she called out, the door swinging closed behind her before Rachel could respond.

Rachel's eyes burned with tears of humiliation. She walked over to the full length mirror, closely examining herself while the tears fell down her face. Dakota was right. Her nose was huge and her boobs were barely there. She wasn't pretty enough to be here.

Finn waited until he heard the doors close before crawling out from under the table. Following the sounds of crying he walked over to her, seeing her eyes widen at him in the mirror. "Hey," he said softly.

"Finn! What are you doing here?! You're lucky nobody else is here now, you have to get out!" She quickly wiped at the tears on her cheeks before putting her hands on his chest in an attempt to shove him to the door.

He simply laid his hands over hers, loosely clasping her wrists. "I'm not leaving you like this."

"Finn please." She tried to pull her hands from his, more tears escaping when he wouldn't release her hands.

"You know those two don't know what the hell they're talking about right?" He was fuming at those stupid girls for getting inside her head and wasn't about to leave her when she was so upset. His hands ran up and down her arms while he spoke.

"They were just repeating what they'd heard," Rachel whispered. Tears continued to fall down her face as she moved her arms away from him and turned back to the mirror.

"Don't listen to them," he said fiercely. "You're gorgeous."

"I'm not blind Finn," she began. "I know my nose is too big and these?" She gestured to her chest. "Well these might as well belong to a teenage boy."

He pulled her back against him before speaking. "As someone who has once been a teenage boy, I can assure you baby that you're not a teenage boy." His hands traced up the sides of her body as he spoke. "And your nose? It's perfect for your face."

His hands continued to lightly stroke over her and he saw her gaze follow his movements. He brought them under her breasts, cupping them gently before tracing their already stiffened peaks. "And these?These are so insanely beautiful, it's unreal."

She let her head fall back against him with a soft moan. It was so erotic to watch his hands moving over her and with every movement of his capable hands she was slowly losing the ability to think clearly.

"You're so fucking perfect Dee," he murmured into her ear while continuing his stroking.

"Dee?" she murmured in confusion as she continued to watch his hands explore her body. She bit her lip as his hands moved further south, finding their way under her skirt to brush her inner thigh.

He lifted his head from her neck and smiled at her. "Dee, for the perfect Miss December."

A smile bloomed slowly on her face and she turned her head to meet his for a scorching kiss. "Mmmm, we can't be doing this now; I have to be leave soon."

"No? I can stop," he said while slowly removing his hands from her body.

She turned in his arms and kissed him again, biting his lower lip before sucking on it. "Don't."

He grinned down at her before scanning the locker room, looking for a discreet location since he was afraid to press his luck with having sex in an open locker room.

Rachel seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. She took his hand and pulled him to the bathroom after grabbing a condom from Holly's locker, correctly assuming Finn didn't have one in the loose fitting shorts he was wearing.

Finn followed eagerly, more than willing to continue their time together. He grinned at her choice of location as he considered all his options, debating if he should take her on the counter.

Locking the door, she turned to see the expression on his face and smiled. "This ok baby?" she asked as she pulled his face to hers.

"Mhmmm, perfect." He whispered against her mouth before he kissed her, slipping his tongue inside as his hand came back up to cup her breast. He pulled away and just stared at her for a moment, taking in the flush spreading over her tear streaked face. Carefully, he reached out and wiped a tear track off her face with one hand, the other snaking around her waist to pull her close.

Still holding her close, he yanked her to her toes while his lips began to nibble and suck on her neck. Feeling her body press closer, he slid a hand down her right leg, squeezing her thigh before lifting it off the floor and wrapping it around his waist. They stood locked like that for a moment until she linked her fingers behind his neck and lifted her other leg to wrap around him.

"I thought you didn't have time," he teased while nipping at the skin above the knot of her shirt.

"I never said that," she murmured against his lips as he walked her backwards until he felt the cool tile of the wall against his hands.

She pushed her hips forward as he slid one hand down her side and across her taut stomach. Her breath caught on a moan as he slid his hand lower and touched her core. She whined as his fingers moved, her entire body feeling like it was on fire and loving it.

Encouraged by her reaction he pushed the material covering her core to the side and skimmed his finger over her. Groaning at how ready she felt he slipped his hand out from between them and pushed his shorts down. He reached behind him and plucked the condom from her fingers. Her legs stayed wrapped around him tightly as he rolled the condom on, her lips sucking on his neck. Bracing her against the wall he thrust up into her, causing them both to groan.

"Rach, look at me," he commanded as he filled her. He waited until her eyes opened before he continued. "You're sexy," he said with a thrust of his hips. "You're beautiful." Another thrust. "And you're so damn perfect."

Her eyes closed on a moan as she dug her heels, still clad in her practice boots, into his back as he pinned her to the wall. The tiles of the wall felt cool against her exposed flesh and she thrashed her head from side to side as he continued to thrust. Fisting her hands in his hair, she pulled him close to her chest.

He groaned harshly as he continued his assault, pushing her shirt up to rest on her breasts as he took her nipple into his mouth. She felt incredible and he knew he wouldn't last much longer. He put one hand between their bodies and rubbed circles over her, determined to make her feel as good as he did. When she cried out and clenched around him he followed close behind, moaning her name.

They stood there for a few moments, trying to catch their breath. He lowered her back down to the floor while tenderly kissing the side of her neck. "Mmm, I'm glad you found some time baby."

She grinned at him before pushing him away and smoothing her skirt back down. Her grin faded quickly as she looked down at her chest to see a new mark. She shoved her shirt back down and scrambled out of the bathroom desperate to find her coverup. "Dammit Finn! I'm probably going to be late!"

"You could always leave it," he suggested from behind her as he disposed of the condom and pulled his shorts back up. He wiggled his brows at her as he spoke. "Show those girls and that douche Dakota how much fun you can have on a lunch break."

She blushed scarlet, the hickey almost blending in with her skin. Quickly, she put some concealer on the offending mark. "Funny Finn," she laughed while covering up her latest hickey. "But I don't think the fans coming out to the meet and greet want to see my hickey, nor would Sue."

"Why not? I gave you an autograph," he teased.

She glanced at him through the mirror. "So I should be giving out autographs like this today?"

"Absolutely not," he said firmly. "I'll give you an extra box of sharpies to make sure you don't."

She giggled at his words as she covered another mark. "There. I think I got them all. How do I look?"

Finn just shook his head as he watched her continue to spot check herself in the mirror. "You look beautiful, like always."

Her cheeks turned pink as she smiled. "Thank you." She glanced at the clock and noticed it was almost time for her to leave. "You have to go! I'm so going to be late."

He crossed to her and gave her a kiss. "Call you later?" he asked while beginning to back towards the door.

"We just had sex in a locker room again. You better call," she replied as she checked her hair in the mirror. "Or you could always stop by later," she offered. "I'll be home around 7:30."

"Yeah?" he asked, his eyes lighting up. "I love their wings. Bring me some?"

Rachel smiled as she finished fixing her hair so it didn't look quite so sexed. "Just text me what kind you want, ok?"

"Sounds good, baby." His hand pushed on the door, stopping when she called his name.

"Finn?"

"Yeah babe?"

"Why were you in here earlier?" she asked curiously.

He smiled slowly and walked out saying, "Check your locker."

She waited until he'd left before looking at the contents of her locker. Everything looked exactly as she'd left it. She pondered for a moment before she pushed aside her uniforms. A grin crept onto her face at what she saw.

A picture of him from a charity event now graced the back of her locker. He was wearing a tux and had just a tiny bit of scruff on his face, adding to his sexiness. She replaced her uniforms and grabbed her purse ready to make a mad dash to the parking lot.

She was going to be late and Sue was going to kill her, but what a way to go.


Kurt trudged up the subway steps, deep in thought at this latest development in Finn's life. He was almost positive that the girl on the Flight Crew was somehow connected to Finn and it irked him that he was in the dark as to how. He and Carole had gone back and forth on it since the game and Finn's questioning of whether or not he could bring a guest to the preseason barbecue, unsure if Finn was actually dating the girl he'd knocked down or if there was someone else. When Finn remained tight lipped upon Carole's questioning, Kurt and Carole had gone into spy mode.

Which is why after a careful study of both Flight Crew's events calendar and a certain member's personal page, he was stuck in Times Square, staring up at the Hooters sign with disdain before he pushed the door open and stepped inside to see her.

"Welcome to Hooters," a perky blonde chirped from the hostess stand. "How many?"

Kurt eyed the young girl, unable to believe he'd willingly walked into a restaurant where the uniform consisted of orange short shorts and a tight white tank top. His repulsion at both the tacky restaurant and the skimpy uniforms was overridden by his curiosity about the girl who'd clearly captured Finn's attention and he pasted a large smile onto his face.

"One," he told the girl quickly as he began to scan the room, taking in all the strategically placed green and white streamers and hanging cardboard footballs in his attempt to find Rachel. "But I'm really just here for the meet and greet with the Flight Crew."

"Well if you're not eating, the line to meet them is right over there," she explained with a bright smile as she pointed to a short line behind her. "Which girl's picture would you like?"

He stared at the small table next to her, ignoring the photos of the redhead and the blondes to point at the brunette's photo. "That one. Rachel."

The girl smiled at him as she passed him Rachel's photo, pointing to another section of the restaurant with her free hand. "Holly and Rachel are over in that corner, so just show the picture to the waitress over there and she'll put you on Rachel's line."

"Great, thanks," Kurt replied, ready to jump on line for his chance to talk to her. He did as directed, quickly getting on the correct line and standing behind a man wearing a number 18 jersey with the name Puckerman above the number. Poking his head around the man, he saw the table set up with two members of the Flight Crew, each of them in their game day uniform, smiling as they signed autographs and posed for pictures.

Kurt looked down again at the promotional picture of Rachel that he was holding, certain that this was the girl Finn had run into at the game. He studied the face in the picture, confused as to why Finn had stared so long at her since she wasn't the type he usually went for, but Kurt knew she had caught Finn's eye.

Kurt eyed the members of the crew that were at the event, shaking his head at the obvious dye job on the redhead, while moving forward on line. He looked around and rolled his eyes at the amount of middle aged men wearing Jets jerseys, several sitting at tables and shoving in wings and beer while others stood on line like him, waiting for their chance to talk to members of the Crew. Finally the line inched forward again and he found himself one step closer to Rachel.

Kurt stepped up as Rachel lifted her head, offering a smile and a wave to the pudgy middle aged man she'd just signed an autograph for. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her critically, comparing her to the girls Finn had dated in the past and finding no similarities. She wasn't the conventional beauty Finn was usually drawn to, his tastes in the past usually having been more in line with the blonde at a table in the other corner. He was so intent in his study that he missed the fact that she had spoken, causing her to repeat herself.

"Hi," Rachel chirped again, sending him a bright smile as his eyes met hers. "I'm Rachel," she continued, trying to break the ice as he continued to just stand and stare at her.

"Rachel," Kurt repeated, bringing himself back to the moment. He offered her the official Jets picture of her to sign, pondering the best way to begin his questioning. He didn't get a chance to ponder long, as Rachel struck up a conversation.

"I hope you weren't waiting on line too long; did you get some wings while you waited? I hear they're really good," she said as she looked up at him, surprised by his choice of attire since most men were in jerseys and he was standing before her in skinny jeans and a button up, a scarf wound around his neck. She waited for him to reply, the sharpie in her hand poised over her picture.

Kurt shuddered and looked at her, wondering if the information she'd put up on the Flight Crew website was true since it claimed her favorite food was Italian. "No; I couldn't possibly stomach those."

"I don't actually eat them either," Rachel confessed with a sheepish smile. "My-" she paused before the word boyfriend came spilling from her lips, since she wasn't sure what their relationship was exactly. "My...friend really likes them."

"So does my brother," Kurt said as he rolled his eyes. "He claims they're both an appetizer and an entree," he explained further with a shake of his head. "Which naturally means he thinks he can eat twice as many. It's revolting."

Rachel offered a sympathetic smile. "I promised my friend I'd bring him some tonight. He seems to really have a craving for them judging by the amount he wants me to bring."

"Really? How sweet," Kurt said dryly. "Hope they don't eat as much as my brother."

Rachel smiled as she thought of Finn's order. Sure, it sounded like a high number to her, but he'd told her he'd just have whatever was left over after he was done sexing her up. "I'm sure if he doesn't finish them today he'll munch on them tomorrow," Rachel told him as she picked up her sharpie. "Now-"

"They have kosher wings, Rachel?" Holly asked from her seat next to Rachel before Rachel could finish speaking.

"I have no idea, why?" Rachel replied as she turned towards Holly.

"Well first you-know-who was checking you out at practice and now you're getting wings for a male 'friend'," Holly teased. "I just put two and two together."

Rachel rolled her eyes and shook her head at Holly. "That's not who the wings are for," she said quickly as she turned back to Kurt, who'd listened to this exchange with interest.

"Sorry about that. Did you want your picture taken or just the autograph?" she asked, her smile bright as she blinked up at him, flipping her hair over her shoulder and exposing part of the hickey Finn had left.

Kurt immediately noticed the red mark on Rachel's neck and frowned. "Oh, did you burn yourself?" he asked sympathetically.

"No." Rachel stared at him, puzzled by his question.

"You're sure? That spot looks really red," Kurt said as he leaned closer to point it out.

Rachel's hand flew to the side of her neck suddenly aware of what he was talking about. "Oh! Oh, you're right...I did burn myself. I just...forgot. I forgot."

Kurt watched as Rachel flushed, realizing immediately that it wasn't a curling iron burn but in fact a hickey. Not wanting to embarrass her, he tried to turn their conversation back around to a less awkward topic while still gathering the information he came for. Remembering her last question, Kurt spoke absently. "No picture," he replied with a shake of his head. "Just the autograph."

"Ok." Rachel stared at him expectantly her blush beginning to fade as she waited, her sharpie poised over the picture. "Who am I making it out to?"

"You can make it out to Burt," Kurt said with a wave of his hand, the actual autograph not important to him at all since he just wanted a chance to check her out.

Rachel swirled her name onto the paper, adding a star at the end of it before handing it back to him. "Here you go Burt," she said warmly.

"I'm not Burt, my name's...Nathan." The fake name flowed from his lips, afraid Finn might've mentioned him and she'd realize who he was. He shook his head as he accepted the photograph.

"Oh well I hope Burt enjoys it." She smiled at him as she capped her sharpie.

"It's for my dad, a birthday gift," Kurt explained as he lingered in front of Rachel. "He's a huge Jets fan."

Rachel folded her hands on the table in front of her, nodding along as Kurt spoke. "That's great!"

"He really likes that new guy, I think number 88?" Kurt elaborated, keeping his eyes on her face as he spoke.

"Finn Hudson," Rachel said quickly.

"Right." Kurt laughed along, noticing how quickly Rachel said his name. "So he'll be even more excited that his autograph is from the Crew member with the same number."

"I'm glad," Rachel replied with a wide grin.

"Did you pick that number because you like him too?" he asked innocently.

Rachel blushed slightly at his choice of words-if only he knew how much she liked Finn. With a shake of her head she replied, answering his question indirectly. "We don't pick our numbers," she shrugged. "We just take whatever we're assigned."

"I see." Kurt nodded, again trying to think of how to steer the conversation. "Is it hard to date when you're on the team? Like do your boyfriends get jealous because you spend time with all those other hot guys?"

She looked up at him in surprise at his question, wondering why he'd asked since it was obvious to her that he was gay. Catching Holly's smirk out of the corner of her eye, she thought of her response carefully. "Well I am seeing someone," she began. "But I don't think he minds that I'm on the Crew."

"You update your page to say that your dream guy has curly, frizzed out hair and thick glasses?" Holly teased as she leaned forward on the table, giving the guy in front of her a great look at her cleavage. "Cause then I know who you're seeing," she sing songed.

Kurt watched Rachel carefully, knowing full well what her profile page said she considered to be her ideal man and that none of those attributes were on the list. There were however, a few on the list that could definitely relate to his brother, objectively speaking of course.

"Nope," Rachel said brightly as she gave Holly a fake smile. "It's still the same qualities as always."

"Tall, dark and handsome?" Kurt chimed in, again knowing that wasn't how anything on Rachel's page was exactly worded. Instead her page said she was looking for a sweet guy who would make her laugh, among other things.

"I wouldn't complain," Rachel laughed just as a blonde Crew member came over to their table.

"Rachel, can Brits and I borrow a few sharpies? Ours died."

"Sure, Quinn." She handed a few markers over to Quinn, before turning her attention back to Kurt.

"Who do we have here?" Quinn asked, smiling at Kurt.

"This is Nathan. His dad's a big fan," Rachel announced, smiling widely. "We're just discussing being on the Crew."

"I was just asking if your boyfriends mind you being on the Crew and having all those men ogling you," Kurt added, hoping to get some more dirt.

"Oh?" Quinn arched an eyebrow. "And what did you say?"

Rachel flushed. "I was simply explaining that most boyfriends and husbands don't mind our job."

Kurt smiled along, determined to get back on track. "So does your guy come to the games? Since he doesn't mind that you're on the squad?" he asked, trying to confirm that she was dating Finn.

"He does come to the games," Rachel admitted with a playful smile. "But I think he's there more to see the game than to see me," she added, thinking she was being clever. Since her eyes were on Kurt, she missed Quinn smirking as she walked back to her own table.

"Oh I'm sure he watches you," Kurt said dryly before deciding to tease a bit further. "I bet he had to stop himself from running onto the field the other night when the other #88 ran into you."

Rachel felt her cheeks grow warm as she tried to think of a clever response. "That would have gotten him kicked out of the game for sure," she explained. "He could see I was ok since I got back up right away." A smile appeared on her face as she thought about how thoroughly Finn had checked her later to make sure she was ok.

"I bet." Kurt smirked, noticing the dreamy smile on her face.

Rachel looked up at him as she realized his comment meant he'd been at the game as well since she was sure the cameras hadn't caught Finn running into her. "So you saw the game the other night?" she asked politely.

Kurt nodded. "Like I said, my dad is a big fan of #88, he was pumped to go."

"Always good to know we have fans excited for the season," Rachel replied, noticing the line was forming again. "It was really nice talking to you Nathan, but-"

Kurt turned around as she paused, seeing that there was once again a line. "One more thing and I'll be out of here. I just want to say you're a very good dancer. I bet your boyfriend is too," he said innocently, his prying making her smile slowly.

"He needs some work," Rachel corrected as she laughed, thinking of how he'd danced on their dates.

"I'm sure you'll help him. Thanks for this," he said, holding up the autograph. "He'll love it."

"You're welcome," she replied. "Nice to have met you," she said with a wave.

"You too," Kurt smiled as he walked away, immediately pulling out his phone. His thumbs worked quickly, sending Finn a text as he exited Hooters.

Feel like dinner tonight?

He walked away as he waited for Finn's reply. Moments later his phone beeped.

Thanks, but I'm good. Having wings tonight-your favorite...

Kurt smirked as he read the message, knowing exactly where the wings were coming from. Quickly pressing his speed dial for Carole he held the phone to his ear as he walked, waiting for her to pick up. Hearing her hello, he grinned and simply said, "It's totally her."


A/N: The thought of Kurt having to go to Hooters makes me laugh every time I read it. Thanks for the read and please feel free to review :)

A/N2: Thanks mida212 for powering through this in case you lost power-you didn't have to!