Can you believe how fast I've put out this update? I was looking at my plan for this story and realized that my favorite chapter is coming up after this one. Obviously this will not be Finn's chapter, as his is Chapter 11, but we are getting closer to it. Chapter 8 was another one I was interested in writing. Partially because I love the character on the show, and I was truly looking forward to writing a chapter where Rachel wasn't really blaming anyone. I hope you all enjoy. This chapter is Blaine's chapter. Read the author's note at the end!

After they listened to the CD and Finn had managed to comfort Quinn, he decided he wouldn't make her listen to the CDs anymore. Although she begged for him to stay, Finn refused, deciding that Quinn was too vulnerable right now. It had only been weeks after Rachel's death and after hearing her CD, she was obviously very fragile. He promised to call later to check up on her, but said he could not stay any longer. Before Quinn could argue, Ms. Fabray returned from work, causing Finn to leave promptly without saying anything more to Quinn about the CDs.

As he got into his truck and started driving home, he let his thoughts be consumed by no one but Rachel. Her smile, her laugh, the way she would bite her bottom lip when she wanted to say something but knew she couldn't…all the things he liked – no, loved – about her. He loved the way her hair fell perfectly just below her shoulders, and the way her warm brown eyes reminded him of melted chocolate. Rachel Berry was everything to him. Now she was nothing but a memory.

He pulled over and let go of his emotions as the thought hit him.

-glee!-

He returned home later then anticipated as he had first stopped at Rachel's favorite place to go with him: Breadsticks. While she constantly complained about the food and the cleanliness of the place, the couple still frequented the restaurant. He sort of found her complaining endearing…when it didn't get annoying.

Finn hadn't gone to Breadsticks for a meal. He just went to sit in the booth he and Rachel would always sit in. For a moment, he swore he saw her sitting across from him in what he called her 'date dress'. It was a short pale blue dress with white polka dots that Rachel matched with white ballet flats and fiery red lipstick that he'd later find trailing up his neck. She wore it to every date they had at Breadsticks.

He remembered the one time he called her on it and she crossed her arms and told him it was because she thought he liked it. He did like it; sometimes, when she'd get up too quickly or there was a nice breeze, her skirt would fly up just a little. He loved moments like that. Unfortunately for him, he took her silence as him holding back something negative he had to say. For their next few dates to Breadsticks, she refused to wear the blue and white dress. It took forever for him to finally convince her to wear the dress again.

The memory sent a pain into his heart as he walked into the house again. He tossed his keys onto his bed and let out a sigh as he, too, plopped onto the bed. Crying wouldn't do him any good if there were no more tears to cry. He didn't want to listen to another CD right now; listening to Quinn's earlier just left him…scarred. He couldn't shake the numb feeling in his limbs as he thought of Rachel's uncharacteristic mean words. Finn wondered what she was feeling as she recorded that CD.

He wondered what she was feeling when she died.

-glee!-

After his mom, Burt, and Kurt had gone to sleep, Finn finally decided that it would be the perfect time to fit in the final CD of the day. He was only nine away from finishing. He pulled the eighth CD out of its case and placed it into the portable CD player. He listened to it spin continuously before the sound of Rachel's sweet voice filled his ears.

In my last CD, I was uncharacteristically cruel. I apologize to you, Quinn. I should not have acted the way I have. I guess that the reality of my choice is becoming clearer to me. I've considered backing out several times, but…if these CDs end up on your doorstep, I think you know what to think.

Now, let's move on to a more sentimental story that doesn't involve much betrayal or drama. It's your turn, Blaine Anderson.

Finn paused the CD. He knew Blaine and Rachel were friends, but he didn't know they were close. They obviously had to be if Rachel had included a CD dedicated to him. He pressed play and continued to listen.

Blaine and I actually knew each other before Kurt met him. Blaine used to live in Dayton. I think I remember saying in one of the earlier CDs that I moved to Dayton for a short while when my dad took a job offer there. That's how I met Blaine. We were in the same fifth grade class and spent all summer together. Our love for Barbra Streisand is what brought us together. We were supposed to write a report on someone who inspired us, and no one was allowed to choose the same person/topic.

Blaine and I both ended up arguing over who would get Barbra Streisand. His name came first in the alphabet, but when I managed to convince him Patti Lapone would be a better option for him, he reluctantly agreed and let me do the Barbra Streisand report. And became friends instantly.

I had never known another boy, besides Kurt, who enjoyed the same things I did. We watched hours of 'Funny Girl' and other Barbra Streisand classics. And we would play with my Barbie dolls together.

And then my dad told me we were moving back to Lima because his old job had given him a much better offer then this new job had. Reluctantly, I went to say goodbye to my new friend. Summer had just begun and I was already leaving. And that's when Blaine told me he was gay. It's amazing how ten-year-olds in our generation know the meaning of the word and know who they are. Apparently, I was the first person he came out to. I promised to write him and stay and touch and told him we would be best friends forever. That never happened.

And then high school started. Years had gone by and I had totally forgotten about Blaine. Until Kurt started talking about a Blaine Anderson at Dalton Academy. I wondered if this Blaine could be the same Blaine as my Blaine. So when Kurt and I became friends, I begged for him to introduce me to Blaine. Sure, I had seen him perform at sectionals, but I just wanted to be sure that this Blaine Anderson was the same Blaine Anderson I had been best friends with.

Yes, it turned out he was. This Blaine Anderson was the exact same boy I spent countless hours with. This was the same boy who revealed to me at age ten that he was gay. This was the same boy I had promised to stay in touch with, but never did.

And you want to know what hurt the most? He pretended not to know me when Kurt introduced us. He smiled and politely shook my hand and told me he was glad to meet me. I stood there, stunned, but went along with it. I knew he remembered me; I could see it in his eyes. He just didn't want to tell Kurt. Or maybe he was punishing me for breaking my promises. To this day, I am unsure of why Blaine pretended not to know me. And it will forever remain a mystery.

The CD stopped turning in the player, leaving Finn speechless. This had to have been the shortest CD yet. And it to have been one of the only CDs where Rachel didn't punish the recipient for what they did to her throughout her life.

He briefly considered playing the next CD, but he remembered that school started again tomorrow. He glanced at the clock. It was nearly eleven. He really should go to sleep now. But he knew it would be a while before he managed to fall asleep.

There was a light tap at the door. Great, he thought. The last thing he wanted was for his mom or Burt or Kurt to comfort him or ask him why he was up so late. Reluctantly, he muttered for whomever it was to come in. He wasn't surprised to see it was Kurt.

"You usually aren't up so late unless you're playing your Xbox." Kurt commented. "But then I remembered you got it taken away from you because of your grades." He paused. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Finn mumbled.

"Finn…" Kurt approached his stepbrother and blinked sympathetically. "We're all hurting. Rachel's death was a shock to us all." Finn really hated the way Kurt managed to keep his voice so even when talking about Rachel.

"Why does everyone keep assuming it's Rachel?" He groaned loudly.

"You loved her." Kurt paused. "You still do. You never stopped."

"It doesn't make a difference now. She's dead." He really hated how bitter the words sounded as soon as they left his mouth.

"What are you listening to?" Kurt asked in attempt to change the subject. He reached out to press play, but Finn stopped him abruptly.

"Nothing."

"It isn't 'nothing' if you made that much of an effort to keep me from listening to it." Kurt huffed. Unable to reply, Finn just tossed the shoebox. He waited for Kurt to react, but nothing came.

"It's the last thing she did before she…died." Finn knew that putting Rachel's death into such terms as he did made it seem as though her death was an accident. Suicide just made it sound worse then it needed to be. Rachel didn't deserve that. "She recorded seventeen CDs. Each CD—"

"I get it." Kurt interrupted. "Rachel was always about making grand exits." He smiled weakly before pulling out the mailing list. He frowned. "It doesn't make much sense for her to put me second to last when I live in the same house as you. Wouldn't it have been easier to make me the second person on the mailing list instead of Mercedes?"

"Kurt…" Finn's voice trailed off.

"Sorry." He sighed. "How many have you listened to?"

"Eight, as of now." He paused. "I just finished Blaine's CD." At the mention of his boyfriend, Kurt's cheeks darkened in color.

"What did she say?"

"She and Blaine knew each other before you introduced them. She was hurt by the fact that he pretended not to know her." Finn explained, summarizing the CD. "They were best friends when she was ten. They were in the same fifth grade class."

"But…Blaine went to elementary school in Dayton…" Kurt's voice trailed off.

"Yeah, Rachel went to fifth grade in Dayton. One of her dads got a job offer there and they moved just for that year. Then they came back, and she and Blaine fell out of touch." Finn told him. Kurt was silent for a while before speaking up.

"Blaine never told me that. Why would he pretend not to know Rachel?"

"Rachel said maybe it was because she didn't keep in touch like she promised. She was the first person he came out to."

"Maybe he felt betrayed because he shared such a big secret with her and she failed to keep in touch as promised. Perhaps he thought it was because she had something against gay people." Kurt guessed.

"She had gay dads. I don't think Blaine would have thought that."

"Then maybe he just felt betrayed." Kurt said. "Has my CD come up yet?"

"No."

"Has yours?"

"No."

"Well…" Kurt's voice trailed off. "Just…get some sleep, okay? Don't stay up too late." He got to his feet and started away.

"You aren't going to listen to them?" Finn asked.

"It isn't my turn." Kurt smiled. "I'll wait." And then he left.

Finn sighed and turned off the light, staring at the ceiling. He tried to remember the last conversation he had with Rachel. God, it felt like it had been forever ago.

"Finn!" She exclaimed as she raced up behind him. He had been walking down the hallway with Quinn, his arm loosely draping over her shoulder. He dropped his arm as Rachel raced up to him. He ignored the fact that she was wearing a hoodie that was much too big for her and jeans. A very un-Rachel-like outfit.

"Go off somewhere else, RuPaul." Quinn sneered. Rachel stopped dead in her tracks, biting her lip to keep from crying. This Finn could see. He wanted to tell Quinn to back off a little, but at the same time, he sort of wished Rachel would leave him alone.

"I-I need to talk to Finn." She stammered, shooting a pleading gaze in Finn's direction. Silence met her words. She glanced at the floor uncomfortably as she waited for Finn to answer.

"Finn and I are busy." Quinn interjected, glaring at Rachel. Her eyes widened and she shot another pleading look in Finn's direction. He pretended not to notice her readjust her sleeves so none of her skin was visible. Before Finn could speak, Quinn pressed her lips to his. He wanted to pull away. Honestly, he did. But he found himself melting into the kiss. He heard Rachel shift uncomfortably behind them, but she didn't leave. So Quinn pulled away and cast another glare in her direction.

"It's rude to stare." She hissed. Rachel averted her gaze just as the final bell rang. School had been dismissed for the day. He turned to Rachel. She looked like she was going to burst into tears at any second.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow?" His statement came out sounding more like a question. Her gaze was sad at first as she stared at the floor, but when she looked up at Finn, she looked as though her mind was set on something and a little…apologetic? Why would Rachel be sorry for him? He had everything.

"We'll see." She answered. And then she was gone.

The next day, she died. There was never a moment in Finn Hudson's life when he hadn't felt guiltier.

This chapter included a little of everything. It included the CD, a nice conversation between the two stepbrothers, and a flashback. I loved the flashback. And Blaine's CD was really…different. It was different in the sense that for once Rachel wasn't really blaming anyone. She was just simply reminiscing. How would you have felt if someone you were friends with pretended not to know you when a mutual friend introduced you without already knowing that you two know each other? Actually, I've that happen to me before, and let me just say that it sucks. See if you can guess whom the next CD belongs to. I'll give you a hint: it's a male in the glee club. Please read my other stories, like my Facebook page, and REVIEW!