She likes moments like this, sitting on the couch in comfortable silence with her mother, they both decided to play hooky today, just this once. She can tell that Quinn is still hurting, just like her dad, but she knows that things will get better before long, she has to believe it. She lays her head upon her mother's shoulder as Quinn absentmindedly strokes the child's blonde hair and they watch trash TV and eat popcorn. It's a nice moment, the kind she's always wanted with her mother, always so angry before, and maybe she's still angry, maybe she'll always be a little angry about the directions her life has taken, but for now she's just a mother stroking her daughter's hair.

"Mom?" Beth says softly.

"Hmm?" Quinn murmurs.

"Did you always know you were going to sell houses? I mean, is that what you wanted to do when you were young?"

"Not really," Quinn replies. "I actually thought about acting from time to time, you know, just daydreams."

"You would have made a really good actress," Beth says. "You're prettier than all of the other moms, and you're a really good crier."

"You're sweet," Quinn says, kissing the top of her daughter's head. "But not everyone can be an Emma Stone or a Rachel Berry."

"Well at least you're not a drug addict like Rachel Berry," Beth says shrugging.

"Huh, speak of the devil," Quinn says, turning up the TV Slightly at the next E news report.

"Does Rachel Berry have a new man in her life? The troubled 28 year old superstar was caught on camera leaving her ten year high school reunion with a handsome mystery man-"

"Oh my god," Quinn says, pressing pause on the DVR, an image of Finn and Rachel leaving the reunion together, his arm around her waist and her hanging on him for dear life frozen on the TV. "Is that…

"Dad?" Beth finishes.

"I can't believe this," Quinn says angrily. "We aren't even divorced yet."

"Maybe it's not what it looks like," Beth says.

"All I know is I'm going over there right now," Quinn says, shutting off the TV and shooting up from the couch.

"I'm coming with you."

"No Beth I really don't think that's a good-"

"That's my dad," Beth argues. "I'm coming with you."

She fell asleep to the sound of him crying, now his tears have stopped for the time being and she's awake again, looking at him with that now familiar searching look as she lays across from him, and he thinks of what to do next, he doesn't have a plan, but he has Rachel, who stayed with him and held him as he cried over a loss that she couldn't possibly understand. He's so grateful for her, so grateful that underneath it all, the Rachel of this world is as kind and tender and beautiful as the one he left behind. And maybe she needs him as much as he needs her, she's starting to shake a bit, and sweat shines on her skin, and he knows enough about addicts to know what that means.

"Are you okay?" he says softly.

"Yeah, it's not that bad yet," she says, struggling to say the words. "I've done this before, it gets worse."

"I'll get you whatever you need, just ask and I'll do it." he says.

"I think I need to go to rehab," she says, her voice shaking along with her tiny body. "God I'm such a cliché."

"I'll take you, If you want." he says.

"I want to stay here a little longer if that's okay."

"Sure."

"I still have questions," she continues. "About where you came from."

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

"My mom, I know her," she says as a statement rather than a question. "Are we close?"

"You know her, but you don't talk much," he explains. "Cards on holidays and stuff."

"That's better than nothing I suppose," she says. "I wonder why Shelby never told me she was my mother."

He can guess why, Shelby knew her in this universe, she knew how close she was with her dads, how special and bright and happy she was before her whole life went off the rails. It was easy to throw her life into upheaval when she didn't see her every day. When she didn't grow to care for her. He explains this to her as delicately as possible, and she simply nods a little.

"I was happy," she says. "Do I talk to my dads?"

"They moved to New York to be closer to us and the kids," he explains, his heart aching a little at the words. "You talk all the time."

"What about Jesse?" she continues. "Is he alive where you come from?"

"Yeah," he says softly after a bit of hesitation. "He's alive."

"Is he happy? Is he okay?"

"Are you sure you want to know all of this Rachel?"

"I do, I know it won't change anything, but I want to know."

Finn nods and prepares himself to speak. "He's a teacher, like me, and he's married to a cop, they have a kid on the way."

She smiles a bit at that. "So he's happy?"

"He's very happy," Finn sighs. "Especially when he beat me at nationals."

She nods and he can see the tears beading in her eyes, he reaches out to wipe at them. "I'm sorry you lost him Rachel."

"Yeah," she says, still shaking, both from emotion and the withdrawal symptoms that are becoming increasingly intense. "Me too."

"You don't have to end up like him," Finn says. "You can beat this thing."

"I don't know why I did it," she cries. "I guess I wanted to feel closer to him or something, to understand him. And then, it just felt good you know? Like everything was okay for awhile, there was no loneliness, no pressure from everybody, no stress constantly on me, and when it stopped being okay I had to do it again and again until I just couldn't stop… it was just so stupid."

"You're not stupid Rachel," he says firmly. "But you can't keep punishing yourself for what happened to Jesse, you can't keep hurting yourself. You deserve better than that."

"And you deserve better than me," she says. "I've done so much, I've hurt so many people. My dads can't even look at me anymore."

"No Rachel, shh," he says, moving in to kiss her. "You're going to be alright, you're strong, you've always been so strong."

"Are you going to be alright?" she says, reaching out to touch his face.

"I don't know," he says, tears reaching his eyes again. "I miss them so much Rachel."

"I miss them and I don't even know them," she says. "I think in a way I've always missed them… and you."

"Well I'm here," he says. "I'll always be here."

She smiles weakly, she's going to get worse, she's already getting worse, she's shaking harder now and making the sheets damp with her sweat. He doesn't want this, he doesn't want her to suffer, but he knows it's the only way she's going to get better.

"Finn! I'm home sweetie, are you here?"

At the sound of his mom's voice he presses his finger to his lips. He'll explain to his mother why she's here, but he'll have to approach it delicately. Either way it's not going to be easy.

"I'll be right back okay?" at that he kisses her and gets out of bed.

He finds his mom in the kitchen, exhausted after her twelve hour shift but wearing a weak smile.

"I see you're not dressed for work," Carole says teasingly. "You know they're not going to let you get away with it for too much longer."

"Mom, I have to tell you something, and it's going to sound crazy but-

"Finn Hudson!" a familiar, angry voice sounds from behind the door interrupting his attempted confession. "You open this door right now!"

"Is that Quinn?" Carole says.

"Oh god," Finn says under his breath. He knew this was coming, he had been avoiding the news himself, but it was only a matter of time before Quinn stumbled upon a piece about his exploits on Friday. He heads for the door and takes a deep breath before opening it, and allowing Quinn and surprisingly, Beth to charge in.

"What the hell is going on with you Finn?" Quinn says.

"So I guess you saw the news," Finn says sheepishly, he wants to tell her to keep her voice down, but he can't imagine that will help matters any, he just hopes that Rachel stays where she is and he can explain all of this to her later.

"What the hell were you doing with her Finn, you realize you're still married right?"

"Quinn, what's the matter honey?" Carole says

"Your son's a cheating bastard that's what's the matter," Quinn shoots back.

"Quinn, I can explain," Finn says.

"I'd love to hear this," Quinn says. "Explain, explain to your daughter why you're all over the news with another woman, explain to her why you're content to humiliate your only child like this, how is she going to face her friends now? Or are you still trying to claim that she's not yours."

"Quinn!" Finn snaps, not believing that she'd let something like that slip. "I know you're mad but that's not cool."

"What is she talking about dad?" Beth says. "What does she mean I'm not yours?"

"Beth she didn't mean that okay," Finn says. "I mean, that's not what I meant when I said that."

"What?" Beth and Carole say at the same time.

"Are you trying to deny it now Finn, huh?" Quinn continues. "What did you think you'd be free to screw around with trampy celebrities if you didn't have us to tie you down?"

"Quinn please, not in front of Beth okay," he says, Beth is crying now, and he so wishes it wouldn't have happened this way. "Beth, look I-"

"No dad, tell me the truth," she says, cutting him off angrily. "Did you really say that you're not my dad?"

He hesitates for a moment, trying to find the best way to say the impossible words.

"I am your dad," Finn finally says, and at that he sighs deeply, knowing that he has to say it sometime. "But I'm not your father, Noah Puckerman is your father."

"Oh my god," Carole says, placing her hand over her mouth.

"Beth I'm sorry," he says, taking a step toward her, but she pulls away, darting out of the door without another word.

"Beth!" Finn yells after her.

"I'll go after her," Carole says. "You two better talk this out right now, you should both be ashamed." And as she goes after Beth Quinn shoots him a glare that could freeze beer.

"Nice Finn," Quinn says.

"Why did you have to say that?" Finn says angrily.

"You said it first," Quinn argues.

"It's true, you know it's true Quinn," Finn says. "What's the point in lying about it anymore?"

"Is that what this whole Rachel Berry thing is about?" Quinn says. "Are you trying to get back at me for something you're so convinced I did all of a sudden?"

"Rachel has nothing to do with you or Beth okay," Finn insists. "The day I told you that you weren't my wife and Rachel was, I wasn't lying about that."

"I can't believe you're going back to that."

"Try to listen to me Quinn, really try. Why would I make this up?"

She doesn't answer right away, instead her gaze goes to something behind him, and her eyes go wide in surprise. "Wow, this just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?" Quinn says, and Finn turns to look at what Quinn is looking at, and he sees Rachel there, her arms wrapped around her body, her face pale, her hair matted against her forehead, her face confused.

"Is this your wife?" Rachel says.

"So you know?" Quinn says. "I guess the rags are right, you really are a slut."

"Quinn please," Finn says angrily.

"Do you realize that this man has a family?" Quinn says, ignoring Finn, "He has a daughter who's heartbroken because of you."

"That's not true Rach," Finn says frantically.

"Rach? How cute," Quinn spits. "Why are you even here, shouldn't you be off somewhere snorting coke off of Charlie Sheen?'

"Quinn enough!" he yells, making her jump in surprise. "I'm sorry I hurt you but there are bigger things going on right now, I promise I'll explain everything but right now I really need you to leave."

"Are you kidding me Finn? Please tell me you're kidding." Quinn says in disbelief.

"No, she doesn't have to," Rachel says brokenly. "I'll go."

"No Rachel please don't do this," he says, cutting past Quinn. "Nothing has changed okay?"

"You're married," she says. "You have a daughter."

"I know but-"

"Finn, everything you told me, it's so beautiful, it is. But it's impossible," She says tearfully. "We can't just pick up where we left off, I don't even know where I left off and you, you have this life that has nothing to do with me."

"But I love you," he says tearfully. "I can't just turn that off. I love you so much Rachel."

Her face crumples in anguish at that point, and he hates himself for everything that has happened in the past few minutes.

"I think part of me loves you too Finn," she says, reaching out to touch his face, and he can feel her hand tremoring against his cheek. "I mean, ever since I saw you I knew. But I can't do this… I just can't."

"Rachel you can't go, you need help, you're sick."

She cups his face and silences him with a lingering kiss, tasting his bitter tears. An eternity letter she breaks it. "Goodbye Finn."

She doesn't allow him to say anything else, she moves as fast as her weakened body will allow, darting out of the door as he stands there, trying to process what just happened.

"Finn please tell me what's going on," Quinn says quietly, clearly thrown by what just happened in front of her. "I mean, it can't be true, you're not really…"

"Quinn, I didn't mean to hurt you," he says again. "I really didn't. I just, I don't know how to do this, I don't know how to just be okay with waking up and everything being different, so I tried to make it work, I tried, but all I did was screw things up more, because that's what I do, that's what I've always done."

"Finn I'm sorry I didn't, I mean," She can't seem to find the words, how could she? She narrows her eyes at him, trying to see something different in him, some sort of evidence that he is who he says he is. "Is that how you knew, about Puck? Are you really not my husband?"

"No, I'm hers," He says. "And I just lost her again."

"What are you going to do?" Quinn says in almost a whisper, still perplexed to say the least.

"I have to go after her," and at that he charges through the door, just as Rachel speeds off in her car and out of his life again.

Jesse being married to a cop is going to be a thing in all of my futurefics since I wrote Meant For Each Other? I just love the idea. One chapter and an epilogue to go, Stay tuned folks!