Author's Note: As always, thank you for the amazing reviews! I'm kind of going off speculation for season four in this chapter a little bit. I just briefly talk about Rachel's time at NYADA, so it's nothing too spolierish. This chapter title comes from "All the Same" by The Sick Puppies.

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

"I am so bored. Let's go out."

Kurt snorted as he flipped a page of his magazine. He scanned the pictures from the red carpet and felt extremely satisfied when he saw three celebrities wearing his dresses. "Santana, you forget that we're in Lima, Ohio. It's not exactly known for its nightlife."

Santana rolled her eyes. "And you forget, Lady Hummel, that we're all over twenty-one. Which means we can go to any bar we want to, and we won't get in trouble! Well... Berry might get carded, but whatever."

"I resent that," Rachel retorted.

Kurt nodded his head in agreement. "Yes. Ever since I've gotten her to stop wearing the animal sweaters, Rachel has actually looked her age."

"Okay, I no longer like either of you." Rachel stood up and grabbed her phone and wallet. "I'm going for a walk. Call me when you guys figure out what you want to do tonight."

No one offered to go with her, which Rachel was thankful for. She just wanted a little bit of quiet time. It had really seemed as if she hadn't gotten a lot of time to just sit back and take it all in. Her friends were trying to keep her busy, which she was thankful for. But sometimes she just needed that space to figure things out a little bit.

Watching Finn with those kids the day before made Rachel feel as if she was seeing a glimpse of the Finn from high school. It was nice to see him relax for a little bit. She didn't know what had made her wrap her fingers around his, but she was glad that she had done it. And seeing him smile after she had signed his cast... It may have been small, but Finn Hudson's smile could still cause her heart to stop.

Her heart clenched painfully when she thought about the bad days that Finn was probably having. After finding out a little bit more about his condition from both Carole and Kurt, Rachel had done some research on PTSD. She knew that he had to be suffering from flashbacks and nightmares, and he was probably uncomfortable in certain situations. His emotions were volatile, and his temper flared more easily than it had before.

Rachel wished that there was some concrete, sure way to heal him—both physically and emotionally. Because, as it had before, watching Finn hurt caused Rachel to hurt, too. It had been five long years, and nothing had changed that. It still amazed her... and it scared her, too. She felt so connected to him that it was almost as if they had never been apart.

Rachel wasn't surprised to find herself coming upon the small park by her house. Back in high school, she had always visited when she just needed time to think. She headed to the old swing set and was surprised to find a familiar form leaning against it.

"Finn?"

Finn looked up at the sound of her voice. The setting sun highlighted the still healing bruises on the left side of his face, but it didn't detract from how attractive he was. He watched her with his amber eyes as she took a seat on one of the swings.

"Rachel," he finally said. "Hi."

Rachel kicked her feet on the ground and tried to make some small talk. "What are you doing here?"

Finn slowly meandered to the other swing and sat down. "Just wanted to take a walk. It's a nice night out. What about you?"

Rachel smiled. "I just had to get away from the craziness that was in my house for a while. Everyone is trying to figure out what to do tonight."

Finn forced himself to tear his eyes away from her smiling lips. Seeing Rachel Berry smile just made him feel so much better. To cover it up, he gave her a knowing look. "Kurt and Santana are driving you crazy, huh?"

"You could say that," Rachel said with a laugh. "I really should be used to it by now. I have lived with them for the past five years, after all."

Finn rocked a little bit on his swing, his long legs stuck out in front of him. The sound of her laughter rang in his ears and made his heart beat just a little bit faster. "So New York City. It must have been really great for you guys."

"It was definitely a learning experience," Rachel said.

Finn's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"What?"

"Rach, NYADA was your dream school. New York is your dream city. That's where your dreams are, you know?"

Rachel studied Finn carefully. She remembered seeing this exact same look in his eyes five years ago—the look where he kept putting himself down. That look where he didn't expect himself to succeed. She had never understood why Finn felt that way about himself. Every time she looked at Finn Hudson, she saw an amazing man with a big heart.

He was a man that had done a few stupid things and made some mistakes, sure. But a man that learned from his mistakes and set out to do the right thing. And that's what made him one of the best people that Rachel knew.

"Yes, some of my dreams were there," Rachel said cryptically. Honestly, it wasn't that hard to figure out what she also meant, but she let the sentence hang. "But it wasn't exactly smooth sailing, Finn. Auditioning for shows were terrifying. School wasn't always a breeze. In fact, my first class my very semester was one of the hardest I've had."

"What class was that?" Finn had a hard time believing that it was a basic requirement course, since Rachel had the highest GPA of their graduating class. That left one of her major classes, but he couldn't see how that would be difficult for her, either. Rachel Berry was a triple threat when it came to performing, after all.

"It was my intro dance class," Rachel revealed.

Finn blinked in shock. "Really? Rach, you're one of the best dancers I know!"

Rachel gave him a smile. She couldn't help herself. That was the second time he had called her "Rach" that night. "That you know, maybe. I'm certainly not a horrible dancer, but it's not exactly my strongest point." She chuckled a little when she thought of her freshman year at NYADA. "Let's just say that my instructor had a very different teaching style from Mr. Schue."

"Oh." Finn couldn't deny that he thought that Rachel had quickly excelled in New York. He sometimes forgot that it wasn't at all like Lima. Rachel had ended up going to a college where everyone was exactly like her. Obviously, Rachel had come out on top. Rachel Berry was born to be a star. A difficult freshman year certainly wasn't going to stop that from happening.

Rachel shrugged her shoulders and kicked her feet a little harder, sending her swing up into the air slightly. "I wouldn't trade it for anything," she said.

Finn got up from his swing only to walk behind Rachel. She followed him with wide eyes. When he stopped behind her, he held his good hand out, clearly asking for permission. Rachel stared at him for another moment before she nodded her head. Finn's large hand pushed gently on her back as he started her swing.

Finn picked up the conversation casually. "Really?"

Rachel nodded her head and tucked her legs in as Finn pushed her just a little bit higher. He didn't let her go too high, though. "The harder it got, the more determined I became to succeed."

Finn's lips lifted in a half smile, even though Rachel couldn't see it. "It obviously paid off."

Rachel glanced over her shoulder at him. "What do you mean?" She was beyond curious as to what he would say next.

"I heard—"

Before Finn could finish, Rachel's phone began to blare loudly. Finn caught her swing with one hand and slowed it to a stop as Rachel pulled her phone from her pocket.

"It's Kurt," she announced.

Finn groaned quietly and rested his forehead on the chain of the swing. There Kurt went again, ruining another moment between Finn and Rachel. He was going to take his phone away from him, too.

In his frustration, Finn didn't realize just how close he was standing to Rachel. But she certainly did. She tried to control her breathing as she answered the phone and listened to Kurt jabber in her ear. When she hung up, Finn still hadn't moved away. His eyes were closed and his head was pressed against the chain. She wondered if he had a headache.

"They figured out where to go tonight," Rachel said.

Once again, Rachel's voice pulled Finn from his thoughts. He opened his eyes, and then it suddenly occurred to him just how close he was to her. He was practically leaning over her shoulder, his chest curved around her back as he leaned against the chain.

Finn stared into her wide eyes. She stared right back. It would be so easy just to lean down and...

Rachel's phone buzzed with a text message at the same time that Finn's did. They both rolled their eyes when they saw who had sent them their respective messages.

"Santana told me to hurry up," Rachel said. Actually, the Latina had used much more vulgar language than that, but Rachel didn't really feel as if it was necessary to share that.

"Kurt wants to know if I want to go out with you guys tonight," Finn said. "Where did you decide to go, anyway?"

Rachel checked her phone again. "Some bar called Wet Willy's. According to Santana, it's more like a dance club than some dingy bar." Rachel obviously wasn't aware of the fact that Puck owned the bar, given the way that she reacted. She made a face and looked so classically high school Rachel Berry for a moment that Finn had to laugh. "Though I have no idea what kind of dance club would be called Wet Willy's. Wait a second. Did you just laugh?"

Finn looked just as surprised as Rachel sounded. The noise had escaped him without him thinking or even knowing about it, really. He actually had to think back just to be sure. Finn slowly nodded his head. That had been the first time that he had laughed—really, truly laughed—in two weeks.

"I think so," Finn said. He smiled at her, just as he had done yesterday.

In return, Rachel gave him her full, beaming grin. The pictures he had brought with him to basic training and on his deployments did absolutely no justice to a true Rachel Berry smile. The weight on his chest eased just a little bit more.

Rachel's phone buzzed again, but she ignored it. "You really should come with us tonight."

Finn looked down at his cast, felt the bandages wrapped around his shoulder and part of his neck. He really wanted to blend in, but he always felt that the blatant sign of his injuries didn't really help him do that. "You think?"

Rachel nodded her head. "Only if you feel up to it." She took a deep breath and decided to take that first step. Small, baby steps, but a step nonetheless. "I want you to come."

Finn didn't hesitate. "I'll be there."

"Oh good. You're back. Get your ass over here, because we only have a limited amount of time to dress you."

Rachel could only blink at Santana's rapid speech. "What?"

Santana rolled her eyes and pulled Rachel by her arm into her room. "Quinn has Kurt distracted, but it's only going to last for so long. Now hurry up and get dressed before he comes up here and tries to pick something else out."

Rachel rolled her eyes at her friend before she went to inspect the dress that the girls had picked out for her. It was black, one-shouldered, tight, and short. It had definitely come from Santana's closet.

"I'm serious. Go get changed. We're all going to look super hot tonight," Santana ordered.

Rachel didn't complain as she changed into the dress. This was not the first time that Santana, Brittany, and Quinn had talked her into wearing something. And she actually liked this dress. It was certainly tamer than some of the other things that had been picked out for her in the past.

When she was finished, Quinn and Brittany had joined Santana. They were already dressed to go out. Quinn was wearing a red tank dress, Santana had on a purple strapless mini, and Brittany had on a neon orange shirt that exposed one shoulder with a silvery skirt. Surprisingly, the ensemble worked for the blonde.

Her friends nodded approvingly. "Hot damn, Berry," Santana said. "We were right."

"Come over here so that I can do your hair," Quinn said, pointing to the chair she had dragged into Santana and Brittany's room. Rachel sat in the chair and gave her friends a suspicious look.

"Why are you all so insistent about dressing me up? And where is Kurt?"

"Oh, Blaine is distracting him with sex," Brittany supplied cheerfully.

Quinn quickly twisted Rachel's hair into a loose bun and pinned it to the nape of her neck, pulling out a few strategic strands. Quinn barely had time to nod her head in approval before Brittany was attacking her face with several makeup brushes.

"Guys, really?" Rachel spluttered. "I can do my own makeup and hair!"

"Oh, let us have some fun," Quinn said mildly.

"And hold still," Brittany added. "I don't want to poke your eye out."

Five minutes later, Rachel's look was complete with smoky eyes and some lip gloss. Santana had forced her into a pair of very high black stilettos. Rachel grabbed her clutch and went to go find Blaine and Kurt as the three girls discreetly high fived each other.

"Finnocence isn't going to know what hit him," Santana whispered as Quinn and Brittany nodded their heads in agreement.

Despite the somewhat dilapidated outward appearance of the bar, the inside was sleek and very modern. Neon lights flashed everywhere, and the dance floor was made up of different light-up squares. Most of the furniture had hard lines and were heavily accented by silver, but it worked.

The group of six made their way towards the bar. Santana quickly got the attention of the bartender; when he turned around, they were beyond surprised to find that it was Puck.

"Well hello there, Lopez," Puck said with a smirk. "Did you come back to re-experience the second best night of your life?"

Santana flipped her hair over her shoulder and greeted Puck with a matching smirk. "You wish, Puckerman. Now how about you get some shots up in here? I wants to get my drink on."

"Do you work here?" Blaine questioned.

"Hell no. I own this place."

Kurt gave Puck an incredulous look. "You didn't decorate this place yourself, did you?"

Puck tossed the rag he had been using to wipe down the bar at Kurt. He shrieked and jumped back while Puck sniggered. "I'll have you know, Petunia, that I'm such a badass that I can decorate a kick ass bar such as this. Try to contain your jealousy."

"This is a really lovely place you have, Noah," Rachel said. "I expected you to have a different kind of bar."

"Thanks, Berry," Puck said, but he grinned at her. "It's good to know that I have the approval of you fancy New York types."

"It's really amazing what you've done with this place, Puck," Quinn complimented.

Puck's eyes fell on Quinn and he stared at her for several long seconds. Santana, Brittany, and Rachel all exchanged knowing looks as Puck suddenly scrambled for a bottle of vodka. He placed six shot glasses on the bar and then looked up over their shoulders and grinned.

"Hudson!" he exclaimed. "These New Yorkers are about to do a shot. Want one?"

They all turned to see Finn approaching. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a dark sweater with the sleeves pushed up. It hugged his chest and his arms, and Rachel took in his appearance appreciatively. He joined them at the bar and nodded in greeting to them, saving a small smile for Rachel when his eyes fell on her. Then his eyes promptly widened as they swept up and down her body.

"I'll just stick with some water, thanks," Finn said.

Puck quickly filled their shot glasses and then got a glass of water for Finn. He poured a shot for himself, as well. He raised his glass and they got the hint, raising their own to his level as well. Even though all of New Directions hadn't yet been reunited fully, it didn't mean that the present members couldn't celebrate.

"To being fucking bad asses," Puck declared as their glasses clinked together.

Everyone rolled their eyes but drank to it nonetheless. Santana immediately deposited her empty shot glass on the bar and grabbed Brittany's hand, dragging her out to the dance floor. Kurt and Blaine soon followed, and Quinn held Puck's undivided attention. That left Finn and Rachel to hang out at the end of the bar.

Finn eyed the dance floor warily. Number one, he may have been able to creep silently around an armed complex without a problem, but he still couldn't dance for shit. And number two… the amount of people on the dance floor were a little disconcerting. The secluded corner of the bar was just perfect for him at that moment.

Rachel could have joined their other friends on the dance floor, but she chose not to. This was the perfect opportunity to spend more time with Finn. She could feel his eyes on her, and he hadn't really looked away from her since he had walked in. Of course, Finn had spent the majority of their time together simply looking at her, so she wasn't entirely sure if that was a good thing or not.

Finn, for his part, was having a hard time from keeping his mouth from hanging open. You could have knocked him over with a feather when he first saw her. Rachel's legs looked as if they went on forever, and the skin exposed at the top of the dress looked unbelievably smooth. She was gorgeous.

And Rachel was having a hard time keeping her eyes off of Finn, as well. She kept zeroing in on his forearms and the way his throat was exposed by the v-neck of his sweater. He just kept getting hotter.

"Do you plan on showing off some of those new dance moves you learned at school?" Finn asked.

That was the most playful thing he had said to her so far. "I'm not sure. I don't really have anything to entice me to the dance floor."

Finn glanced towards the dance floor again and scanned it. He wouldn't pass up a chance to dance with Rachel if she asked, but he wasn't crazy about going onto that floor. There were secluded corners of the bar, however, that were close enough to the dance floor but far away enough from the crowd of people.

Before Finn could think of a response, the track changed to some funky techno beat. The beginning of the song started with a series of several loud pops and Finn jumped, tensing immediately. His heart pounded loudly in his ears, and he was no longer in a bar in Lima, Ohio. He was back in the desert in Afghanistan, taking cover from gunfire.

"Finn! Finn!"

Finn pulled himself out of the unwanted memory to find Rachel standing pressed up against him due to the sudden flux of people around the bar. She had one hand on his chest and one on his arm. When she saw how his eyes re-focused, she immediately began to tow him out of the bar. Once they were outside, Finn took several gulps of fresh air.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked softly.

"I think I'm just going to head home," Finn said in response. He dug around in his pockets for his keys, his hands shaking. But Rachel's hand on his arm stopped him once again.

"At least let me drive you home, Finn. One of us can bring you back around tomorrow so you can pick your truck up."

Finn really wanted to tell Rachel no. He really just wanted to be alone, but he could see the fierce determination flash in her eyes. He might as well quit while he was ahead and have her take him home. He nodded his head once and followed her to her car.

The ride back to Finn's house was silent. He was still so tense; it felt like he was fighting not to get sucked back into more memories. Despite driving him home, Rachel appeared to be even more worried as she pulled into the driveway.

"Are you sure that you're going to be okay?" Rachel whispered. She really didn't want to leave him alone, but it didn't seem like Finn was going to give her much of a choice.

"I'll be fine," Finn muttered. He just wanted a way for it to all go away. The problem was, there didn't seem to be a safe way to make that happen. He moved to get out of the car but stopped and turned to Rachel. He waited until her eyes connected with his again. "Thanks," he said softly.

Rachel gave him a soft smile, and the world seemed a little bit brighter. She reached out and squeezed his hand. "Anytime, Finn."

Author's Note: Don't hate me for having Kurt interrupt Finn and Rachel again! Finn will open up to Rachel soon. He's just having a hard time with his emotions right now. And we're just about to get into the real heavy-duty Finchel. :) Thanks for reading!