I'm not that much an adept of Finn-bashing, but I also don't believe in making a 180 without any exterior help… I hope all this will clear up the mess last chapter sometimes was.
On another matter, the next chapter is half done, so I hope to be able to deliver it with a little less time than usual. Thank you all so much for supporting the story!
He exited his car, seriously beginning to wonder how many times he'd do it again. He didn't take the pains of thinking about it further. The images he'd just seen were printed on his retina like a light veil tinting everything. The scene was happening in front of him over and over again. Why this one? They had been so much going on in the library…
The library.
His destination.
He would march into that room, no matter what it cost. No matter what everyone thought about him. No matter the consequences.
But… did they really think that? What about his brother? Or Rachel?
Will's teachings and rules, then… his uncle had led a good life, though. All Finn ever saw went in this direction. Why did they think all that about him when no one had thought it about Will? It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair.
Nothing could be done, a deep doubt overshadowing the validity of his Las Vegas training now exited.
And the evening wasn't even over yet.
…
The library had been emptied to later be used to display the wedding presents. It was the most decorated room after the living room.
A metal grate stood around the hearth. The fire slowly burned the logs. Everything was supposed to be calm and appeasing, waiting for the next day to come.
Still, carmine and white object were flying into the air. Little by little, they disappeared towards an unknown destination. Swallowed by the flames.
Tina was throwing them into the fire.
…
She yelled, furious, her face made distorted by anger.
No one was doing a thing.
All were still.
Only one had noticed another new arrival.
Rachel lowered her eyes and let a lone tear slid on her cheek thinking about the conversation that changed everything…
…
She ran towards the library after receiving a cryptic and urgent message from Alyssa. "Library. Now."
Mercedes was already there, sitting on one of the L-shaped sofas circling the hearth. Kurt was sitting too, but had preferred a stuffed chair. Alyssa was standing up, seemingly waiting for everyone to arrive. Brittany, followed by Mike and Sam, came in soon after. From the air on Mike's face, he'd been disturbed while being in excellent company.
"ready done with Finn? I thought he'd have enjoyed you longer." Mercedes, always alert but not so tactful was teasing Alyssa.
"I think you mean it never begu…" She fell silent on everyone's arrival. After a pause, she spoke again.
"I didn't ask you to come here to talk about the groom's brother mental health. It's about something he said to me. One of the reasons he never tried anything with you, Mercedes. I tried to forget his words, but Gabriel convinced to go ahead and take care of it once and for all. Guys, you're here just in case you know something. Sorry if I interrupted anything."
"The playboy knew he'd never succeed with me." Mercedes' intervention silenced the other voices.
"That's not what I heard. It was a second reason. Don't you have something to tell us, Mercedes?"
Every eye in the room turned to the young woman.
"No, nothing. Or maybe yes. Noah's really cute."
"Mercedes."
"What? It's true. I'm sure Rachel thinks the same."
The latter hoped no one had seen her blush. It wasn't that likely.
Alyssa soon took the conversation back into her hands.
"He said he never tried with you because… he didn't go near Artie's friends."
"What?" Mercedes exploded.
"I'm just saying what he told me. He thinks you slept with Artie. Don't kill the messenger."
"You too?" Rachel barely heard Brittany's little voice. Eyes widening all around told her there was no mistake.
"Brittany? You slept with Artie?" Kurt, who like all boys had stayed silent up to this point, spoke with some degree of surprise in his voice.
"Once. It was a very long time ago. I don't remember."
"Darling, you don't remember something that happened fifteen minutes ago. We don't expect you to remember something that happened years ago." Mercedes had calmed down. Her soft voice had been back again.
"It makes sense. It wasn't you, Mercedes. You're one of the lucky ones, Finn never pursued, and why doesn't matter. Rachel wouldn't have done it either. And Artie's definitely not my type." Alyssa concluded, seeing the simple truth unveiling in front of her.
Rachel closed her eyes. She perfectly remembered having spoken, with only one thing in her mind. She wanted to know everything, and then go back to the party, to be more precise to the still half-destroyed cake in the kitchen. It still needed work. Solving problems had always been part of her job. Then, the problem had still been the same.
"Brittany?" It was her turn to take a soft voice. Being angry at her friend would only lead to no good.
"I don't remember, I just know I was in college then." She immediately got a bad feeling about that last piece of information.
"But… Artie and Tina already dated then." Kurt confirmed.
The same person she personally had spent the evening focusing all her anger. So much effort had been asked from her because of him, and he still was completely uncontrollable. A rehearsal had been interrupted by his arrival, doing much to anger the Captain. A beautiful wedding cake had been destroyed. He was the one nothing ever mattered to. Except himself. She had hoped for a lack of remorse directed at him. But…
What she had dreaded the most had finally come to be. The instant her mind began to think about all that could have been speared, had he not been there, she had felt her heart break in her chest. She now regretted his presence. He had done too much damage, and simply had to go.
To add to that… at this point in the evening, few would still be opposed to it.
Finn Hudson was no more. In his place stood a heartless puppet.
Her own heart broke, one more time.
…
Reality didn't deceive this time around.
Tina had demanded answers.
And obtained them.
…
Brittany had never been a model for discretion.
…
The situation had exploded.
…
"Tina."
Artie was next to the hearth, trying to stop his fiancée. Trying to touch her, calm her, reassure her. To no avail.
"Don't touch me! You slept with Brittany! When we were dating! You cheated! It's the eve of my wedding…" Anger and rage already transformed her voice.
"Tina…" He was trying. Again and again.
"No. You've met Brittany right after me, and we were dating already. You never said anything. What else are you hiding from me?" Tina had tears in her eyes. She spoke faster and faster with every word in an attempt to hold them back a second longer.
"Nothing, Tina. I swear to you, there's nothing else. I really, really am sorry. I know I hurt you. I never wanted… I never wanted to hurt you. I'm so, so sorry."
Finn spoke, trying to mend things.
"Okay. Just now. He's sorry, he said it, he thinks it. We move on." He'd gone closer to Tina and looked straight into her eyes.
"We move on? Because one rule excuses everything, Finn." Rachel interrupted the exchange who suddenly meant something else… like a double meaning.
"No, Rachel. It's gonna be okay because Artie is clearly in love."
"You're so the expert in love, Finn. You don't even believe in it." Rachel could only be a sarcastic. He thought himself an expert?
"What I know is that if I can say he's in love with Tina, then it can only be true."
"It's true, Tina. I love you so much." Artie once more implored his fiancée for forgiveness.
"It is true. But she behaved like a hysterical maniac these last few hours, and…" What could have previously been rescued now only fell like a house of cards.
"Finn, shut up." Artie interrupted him, yelling.
"How can she trust him now?" Rachel went back to the present. She wanted to save the wedding, and the couple formed by Artie and Tina. The couldn't break up, they couldn't break up…
"Hey, speaking to Artie is also speaking to me." He said, turning, angry, towards his old friend. "Don't forget that it also happened with Brittany. Why is she free from hysteria?"
"Finn."
"Honestly. If you cancel every guy who ever slept with one of your bridesmaids, you'll have to leave the country. You'll find no one good here." He once more addresses Tina, never realizing how damaging his words could be, to himself and to the couple. To everyone else, it rang like the bell of death. Stillness took hold of the room.
"Go to hell, Finn." Tina's voice was a desperate and angry mix of tears and yells. She soon ran away.
Artie followed. He'd gone through half the room before stopping at his brother's voice and turning to him.
"We have to say everything now, or…"
"Leave, Finn. Seriously, I don't want you here anymore. Leave the house. You made a hell of what was supposed to be the most beautiful weekend of my life. I want you to leave!" Everyone, including Finn, could see and hear how serious he was. Not caring one bit, Artie turned over and ran through the door. "Tina…"
Finn ran after his brother. "Artie! Wait, ple…"
Artie stopped at the top of the stairs. Anger, rage and tears distorted his face and voice.
"They were right. I should never have invited you!" He stopped for a few seconds, looking at Finn's half incredulous face. "For years, I've tried to convince myself that you could change, that you could be… rehabilitated. I was wrong. It's impossible."
"I was just trying to help you, Art. It's you and me against the world." Finn was trying to defend himself. In vain.
"You don't wanna be here!" Artie knew it was true. Finn had never said a word about being present before. And now, it was even worse. "No one wants you there. Leave… just… leave."
Never saying a word, Artie resumed his run through the stairs, desperately thinking about what this final disaster could cost him. His future.
…
The world spun around Finn.
The worst had finally come to be.
Everything Quinn had showed him was nothing in comparison with the most recent events.
He had alienated everyone.
His little brother had asked him to leave. The house. And to go back to his life. Alone, like he'd always been.
…
He went through the lobby in a few steps. The door was there, and waiting for him.
He never looked back.