-Authors Notes-

Ahhh regionals part II.

So it's a Finn chapter.

I actually have several drafts of this chapter as a Jesse one, a Puck one, a Rachel one. None of them worked, they all sucked.

Finn was the only way to go.

So yeah anyway it's a bit of a roller coaster at times going between one thing and another but hell poor Finn just had his entire school year explode all over one afternoon. It's tough! Also I realise in two Finn chapters he has got a bit violent but lets be fair, Jesse started it last time and this time well you'll see.

I'm rambling now I can tell. Thanks for the reviews guys. Oh yeah I know I said next chapter is second season but I'm gonna have one chapter over the summer. Maybe. I've just got this idea for a summer chapter bumbling about. But if it doesn't happen then yes we'll be on season 2. Either way season 1 for this story is done and dusted with this chapter.

See you next update darlings, as ever much love.

-X-

Finn stood in the entrance to the hospital taking in large gulps of air.

He had tried to be ok with what would happen today, he had tried to accept that Quinn had made up her mind.

But holding that baby girl in his arms had been something else.

She so small. He was 6'3. It seemed like a impossible combination. Like the room would explode from them being together.

But there she was, now sitting in the plastic thing with all the other babies. Wrapped up in her pink blanket waiting for her new family to come along and pick her.

He turned to walk back into the hospital to see her, mindless wandering the halls.

It actually hurt to think about.

But Finn had known it was coming. He had to keep telling himself.

He knew she would never be his drizzle. And it was made a little easier by the fact that she looked so much like Quinn.

Which was good because Finn couldn't imagine that he'd be a pretty girl himself so it was probably best she didn't look like him. Or maybe he just couldn't see himself in her because everything about him was like a giant compared to her.

But still Quinn had hurt him, he hadn't been happy with Quinn. So that eased the pain of giving up his baby like a teeny tiny bit.

Finn sighed just thinking about it when he heard his name.

"Well you better make sure you tell Finn before he finds out from someone else and pummels you that much harder".

There was only one guy who talked in such a high voice. But who exactly did Kurt think Finn was gonna beat up?

He rounded the corner to see Kurt standing, hands on hips, lecturing Puck who was standing at the viewing window looking at baby drizzle.

No, baby Hudson-Fabray. She was baby Hudson-Fabray, Finn reminded himself.

"Puck? Kurt?"

Kurt looked up first and Finn was curious as to why Kurt looked so damn scared.

"I've got to go, Mercedes is waiting for me to fix her hair again before we have to go back to the competition. I'll leave you two to talk", before Finn could say anything Kurt was gone.

Puck however didn't move.

Finn walked up to him and clapped a hand on his back, "she's amazing, right?"

"Yeah, looks just like her mom", Puck smiled.

"So what am I gonna beat you up about when I find out?", Finn punched his arm playfully not catching Pucks comment.

Puck turned to look at Finn. He looked like he did after he stopped dumping dweebs into dumpsters, all sorry and regretful.

Finn was getting worried, he hadn't thought the conversation was serious. What could be that bad? He may not be keeping her but Finn was still over the moon, he'd just had a beautiful baby girl.

"Dude I've gotta tell you something"

Finn saw something click in his expression and Pucks usual look of not caring retuned to his face, "I kissed Quinn about 10 minutes ago".

Puck had always been to the point but he didn't exactly sugar coat the news.

"What?", Finn managed to say past clenched teeth.

Puck paused after each word, "I. Kissed. Quinn."

"No I heard what you said douche, why would you do that? We just had a baby!"

Pucks face curled up in some painful expression before quickly evening out.

"She told me you were faking, she said that you broke up with her weeks ago".

"So you jump her hours after she's had my baby?"

Finn didn't know when he started shouting but he was. Every word Puck was saying was true but Finn was still getting mad. His fist was already clamped tightly, waiting.

"Whatever dude, you're not even with her she's free to kiss whoever she wants"

"YOU SAID YOU KISSED HER!", each word echoed down the long corridors and people were starting to stare, hospital employees were beginning to investigate and the rest of New Directions watched in horror.

All too quickly Finns fist locked with Pucks jaw with a resounding crunch. Puck stepped back to steady himself but instead landed on one of the plastic chairs attached to the wall.

He couldn't look at him anymore, his best friend had betrayed him. Fake girlfriend or not Quinn had just had a baby.

Finns baby.

Finn looked at his little girl and to his horror he realized what had just happened in front of her. The security guards were now making their way to the scene and attempting to retrain Puck who was now resisting the guards and the nurse who was trying to check his jaw.

A few guards made their way to Finn but he pushed past them. He began walking back to the exit, he had to get out. He'd just punched Puck in front of his baby, because Puck had kissed Quinn who he himself had dumped weeks ago.

Today wasn't exactly what Finn imagined it would be when he was getting ready for regionals this morning.

Finn heard Pucks voice behind him as he walked away.

"Yeah well guess what dude I've got news for you..."

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT PUCK!", Finn turned and saw Quinn standing in her pink robe and slippers walking slowly down the hall. He watched as she reached Puck who was being held back by 3 guards and a male nurse. She gently placed a hand on his arm and encouraged him to sit down while she had a whispered conversation with him.

The sight of them together felt like the reality check he'd been trying to avoid all day.

He stormed out into the cool air.

There was only one person who he wanted to talk to, who could make sense of everything for him, but he would have to find a way back to the competition first.

-X-

Finn trudged off of the bus first. Everyone had given him a wide breathing room on the way back. Even Mr. Schue had resisted from talking to him.

Through overheard gossip and the fact that they had left without him Finn had found out that Puck decided to stay at the hospital with Quinn.

Figures.

Some friend he turned out to be. Jumping his (fake) girlfriend first chance he got.

As he walked into the green room singing on stage seemed like it had been a million years ago.

That's when Finn laid eyes on Rachel her hands in Jesses while he said soothing things to her. She looked calm but he caught words from Jesse like, "it's her loss" and "you think you need her Rachel but you don't".

He didn't make a noise but somehow they sensed his presence because the next thing he knew Rachel jumped up to look at him, "Finn! How's the baby? I thought you would have stayed at the hospital. What happened to you? You look terrible".

Somehow her mile a minute speech calmed him a little and brought out a crooked half smile.

"Rachel do you mind if I talk to you for a minute?"

Jesse eyed Finn suspiciously but she placed a hand on his chest and whispered, "just give us a minute Jesse".

They walked back out through the corridor to the parking lot passing the rest of the team as they went into the green room, no doubt to gossip.

She turned to him and in the daylight he noticed how pink her eyes were but the rest of her face was smiling welcomingly and she made no move to talk about her afternoon, "what can I do for you Finn?"

"Rachel I know we haven't talked in a while, not really since you started dating Jesse but I need to talk to you... well I know that you of all people will tell me the truth. You'll call me on being a jerk and stuff and I need to tell you something..."

"Is this about Quinn? Did something happen at the hospital?"

He nodded and proceeded to tell her the whole story. Including breaking up with Quinn and her giving up the baby. He left out the parts in his arguments with Quinn that mentioned her.

"... and then I walked away. I just couldn't stand looking at them. I mean I don't love Quinn or anything but I was so mad and Puck kissed her Rachel. He kissed her an hour after she'd had my baby".

Finn didn't know why it was so easy to talk to Rachel but he figured it probably had something to do with the fact that she didn't pull a face and judge him as he talked. She just kinda looked thoughtful the whole way through.

After what must have been like 5 minutes she spoke, slowly and carefully.

"Finn, did you ever consider that perhaps you were so angry because Quinn moving on, no matter how bad the timing was, forced you to accept that you have to give up drizzle? You don't have romantic feelings for Quinn but you were still relying on your fake relationship because as long as you were still faking it with Quinn you still had time before giving up being a Father?"

Finn let out the air he didn't realize he'd been holding on to. One long breathe escaped him as he caught the gist of what she was saying. And the gist of it kinda made sense.

"Drizzle?"

She blushed, "you mentioned once that you liked that name and I have to agree it's kind of cute and suits any daughter of yours".

He felt relieved having gotten it off his chest and having figured out his anger somewhat.

Rachel could totally calm him down and sum him up in 30 seconds or less. It must have been why he thought of her first after leaving the hospital.

Nothing to do with how good she looked with her hair like that today.

Finn sighed again. He'd done it so much today he was starting to feel like a old man. But talking about it all, he felt like the weight and anger had been lifted.

Looking at Rachel he knew he couldn't hold off asking any longer.

"Have you been crying Rach?"

She looked up and Finn saw the sadness in her face. It made him want to wrap her up in his arms.

"I spoke to my mother today"

Finn was clueless as to what to say. She hadn't discussed this with him ever. He only knew about her mom because Mercedes announced it to glee club one afternoon.

The silence hung between them but not uncomfortably. They just accepted it, each now lost in their own thoughts.

"Guys we've gotta be on stage in a few minutes", Mr. Schue appeared with a smile before disappearing again.

She stood up from the small wall they had ended up sitting on and he laughed.

"What?", she questioned.

"Standing up you are the same height as me when I'm sitting on this wall"

She gasped in mock horror and slapped his arm, the mood instantly lightened by his comment, "Finn Hudson this is no time for you to mock my height".

He smiled playfully as he stood up and got a head start to go back inside, "let me know when is a good time then Rach".

She jogged to keep up with his long strides and Finn felt like maybe he could be friends with Rachel again. He had spent so long wrapped up with babygate and having 'showdowns' with Jesse for Rachel that he had somewhere along the way forgotten to be Rachels friend.

He tried to put his finger on why when she ran back to Jesse who leaned in and whispered something in her ear.

Oh yeah the feeling of wanting to punch Jesse every time he touched Rachel. Maybe that was why.

"Well let's go see Vocal Adrenaline get kicked the the curb" Finn attempted to break the silence but kept his eyes locked on Jesse as a few of them laughed and relaxed and they all walked to the stage.

He followed Mr. Schue out and jumped in the back.

He looked down at the other two teams before taking a long hard look at everyone on his team.

They all looked as nervous as he felt.

Sue Sylvester was talking but it seemed like miles away.

Then suddenly the team in white were jumping up and down.

Oral Intensity just placed.

And then there were two.

It was worse than running the last play at a football game. He was doing something then, here he was just standing, waiting.

He'd never wanted to win as bad as he did right now. Mr. Schue said it wasn't about winning and he'd have been right if wining didn't mean stupid Vocal Adrenaline and their stupid coach getting what they deserved.

Losing.

In the last minute or so Finn had decided he wanted them to lose more than anything.

He wanted Rachel's stupid mom to lose and be all sad and realize that whatever she'd said to Rachel was the biggest mistake ever.

But somehow it felt like he would be the loser today.

They moved closer to Vocal Adrenaline who seemed to be refusing to look their way.

Finn just felt Mr. Schue pat him on the back as Finn closed his eyes. Because if he didn't look then it wouldn't hurt so bad when they lost, right?

"And now your 2010 Midwest Regional Show Choir Champions..."

Time slowed down he was sure of it.

Each heartbeat took a lifetime.

Finn was sure he could actually hear the scraping of the card as it was taken from the fancy envelope.

Why was it taking so long?

"New Directions"

Finn opened his eyes to see his team screaming louder than he'd ever heard. Rachel, Mercedes, Tina and he was sure Kurt were actually sobbing as they jumped up and down. Mr. Schue hadn't moved, Finn thought he might have blacked out or something but just standing up.

Jesse picked Rachel up and spun her around at the front of the stage before fist pumping the air. Josh Groban actually had to dodge them to hand the trophy to Mr. Schue.

Finn had a thousand thoughts running through his head at once which he summed up by shouting "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

That noise expressed it all.

And then he looked over at the losing team. The girls were sobbing hysterically and black make up was dripping from their eyes with the tears. The guys were either staring daggers at Jesse or else placing comforting arms around the girls. Shelby just stared blankly at the third place trophy in her hand.

Finn didn't want to be a sore winner so he just nodded solemnly to a few of the guys before giving Mike Chang the big tens. He turned to hive five Artie but found a pair of arms wrap themselves around him as Rachel hugged him out of nowhere.

Like a hug ninja.

He returned the sentiment and placed his arms around her. She looked up and smiled at him before slipping away all too quickly to hug the next member of New Directions.

He instantly missed the feeling of holding her close to him but barely had time to acknowledge it as the celebrations continued among them.

Before Finn knew it they were back on the bus, someone had found some streamers that were now everywhere. The girls were performing 'We Are the Champions' and 'Eye of the Tiger' in front of the bus while the guys sat in the back.

Artie called out over the noise, "hey Finn want a picture of you holding the trophy above your head?"

He laughed as he took it in his hands, "I guess another one won't hurt".