Don't say I didn't warn you. Shit is about to get real. Welcome to hell (although I'd wager that it's better than the show right now because I'm guaranteeing you a happy ending). P.S. Your reviews kind of made my life. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review- it made my day and made me finish Chapter 11 a lot sooner than I had anticipated. So as thanks, you're getting this Chapter early.

Also, my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the horrific Newtown Elementary shootings. As a future elementary school teacher, my heart aches at the thought of the pain and unimaginable horror that those families are enduring. School should always be a safe place for students to learn, explore, and play.

Unfortunately I'm not Ryan Murphy (with gazillions of dollars and access to Corey and Chord). I don't own Glee in any way shape or form. I've just taken the characters out to play ;)

Chapter Ten:: Never Let Me Go

Finn

"Rachel, please call me back. Please. It's been two weeks. I…I miss you. Please call me back. I would never…Quinn is my past. You are my future. Please just call me. Please."

Finn paced back and forth across the kitchen floor and felt himself sag with every step. He had royally fucked up. Truly and royally fucked up. He sank on the couch and stared at the gaping hole in wall with a heavy heart.

"Finn? Tell me she's a liar. Tell me she's a liar and I'll believe you." Rachel rushed to his side while Quinn held the side of her face with a furious expression.

"Yes Finn. Tell her the truth." Quinn rubbed the side of her face with a vindictive expression, "Tell her about how you got me pregnant in high school."

"Bitch, I will fuck your shit up. Stop lying!" Mercedes shouted angrily, jabbing her finger into Quinn's chest.

Finn observed Rachel's pale face warily, unsure of how to fix the situation. Tears welled in Rachel's eyes, spilling down her cheeks rapidly.

"Rachel…I just, I wanted to tell you."

"You wanted to tell me? You wanted to tell me? Why didn't you? Finn, I'm your wife! How could you keep this from me?"

Puck stepped out from behind Finn and glared at Quinn before saying,"Sup Sea Hag. I see you're taking up your favorite past time again. Ruining lives. Why don't you tell Rachel the real truth? You know, the one that has to do with you lying to me and my best friend before killing our baby."

Rachel gasped as Mercedes wrapped a protective arm around her thin shoulders.

"Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?" Rachel's face contorted with pained sadness as Quinn's mouth opened.

"Not you, you lying bitch. You can sit down on the bar stool with your fake nose and tin heart and hold your breath," Mercedes griped.

Finn took several steps closer to Rachel, grasping her hand in his, "Rachel, I'm so sorry. I was going to tell you. I brought Puck tonight and we were going to tell you. The whole story."

"It's about two weeks too late. Why didn't you tell me about Quinn? What else have you been hiding from me? Do you still have feelings for her?" Overwhelmed panic began to course through Rachel's veins. With a seizing heart, she wrenched her hand out of Finn's grasp.

"Do you still have feelings for her?"

Finn's brain froze. Did he still have feelings for her? Did he care about Quinn?

"I…Rachel, I didn't tell you because…I'm sorry." His voice trailed off uncertainly as Quinn smirked from the kitchen table.

"Rachel, I've told you before, ugly girls don't win. Ever. Finn and I were meant to be together."

"Okay, that's it!" Mercedes lunged for Quinn just as Puck grabbed his arms around her and dragged her away.

"C'mon Pregnant Jackie Chan. Sam would have my ass if I let his wife get into a bar brawl."

"Tell her why you didn't go to her first show, Finn. Tell her the truth. Tell her you were so torn about seeing me again that you got drunk."

Puck's grip on Mercedes loosened before sniping, "I've never hit a girl before but I'll hit you if you don't shut up, Quinn. Haven't you done enough?"

"STOP THIS! STOP!" Rachel's frantic tears stilled the room.

"Finn, you LIED to me. And Quinn, you have NEVER been my friend. I offered you my home. I've offered you my love and friendship. All you've ever done is hurt me! Why? What have I done to you?"

"Nothing that a few nights with Jesse didn't fix." Quinn's voiced confidently. The kitchen grew so silent that Rachel was sure everyone could hear the thundering of her heart. Finn was staring at Quinn with an incredulous expression, his heart aching as he realized what he had ruined for her.

Staring at Quinn for a moment, Rachel said quietly, "I'm leaving. I…I can't stay here. My marriage, Quinn. It was marriage. Not a designer dress. Not money. It was my marriage. And you ruined it. And Finn…you knew what that night was for me. You knew what this marriage was. It was real for me. I trusted you. I gave you a chance. Both of you. Turns out the only stupid one was me."

Finn watched as Rachel grabbed her purse and ran out the door, taking his whole heart with her.

"Puck…we need to go…" Mercedes' voice was strained as she turned her eyes to Finn with a disappointed face.

"Look, these crazy kids will work it out. This drama is just ridiculous."

"No…I'm in labor. I'm in labor and I need my husband and a hospital."

Finn barely heard the commotion as he stared at the front door, hardly believing that Rachel had left.

"Get up!"

"No."

"Look Finn Hudson. I have had enough of this. Kurt called me from California and told me that you and Rachel still haven't talked. I might have had a baby but that doesn't mean that I'm completely incapable of kicking your ass."

Finn opened his eyes and saw Mercedes Evans glaring at him with her hand on her hips. A soft coo emerged from her other arm and Finn struggled to sit up.

"You brought Evvie? I'm surprised Sam went along with that."

"After I let Sam name our daughter after the character from V for Vendetta, he owed me one. I don't even want to talk about her middle name."

"Rogue is a perfectly good name."

"No, no it's not. Under the cloud of an epidural I thought he said Rose. But no. He got in two comic book names and now my poor daughter will forever be stuck with the shame."

"Can I hold her?"

"Sure. Just support her head."

"Why? Does it fall off?" Finn's eyes widened in alarm as Evvie was slipped into his hands.

"No," Mercedes laughed, "Now tell me what's going on…or do I have to call your mom?"

And just like that, Finn told her everything.

Rachel

"How is she doing?"

"About as well as can be expected, I suppose."

"I can't believe how everything went down. It seems more like a soap opera than real life."

"I know. I don't think Finn meant to hurt her. He's just a bit of an idiot."

"You know, she's laying right here." Rachel muttered from her fetal position under a quilt.

Kurt perched on top of the edge of the couch and looked down, "Oh I'm sorry, did we interrupt your wallow?"

"To answer your question, I've just had my heart ripped out because my husband didn't deny that he had feelings for his maybe baby mama and someone that I thought was my friend betrayed me. But don't worry about me. I'm just peachy."

Blaine grimaced and laughed, "I must admit…when you guys do it, you do it up right."

"Whatever," Rachel mumbled and pulled the quilt up over her head.

Blaine grabbed the quilt and pulled it back down with an affectionate smile, "Look, I don't know much about your marriage but it seems like maybe you should give Finn the benefit of the doubt. Rachel, Kurt told me about how happy you were. Besides, I think I've got a permanent Rachel Berry imprint on my couch now. Get up! Let's go to Jamba Juice or go out on the town. No more wallowing."

Rachel narrowed her eyes and scoffed. Get up? She was in the middle of a classic Broadway meltdown.

"Think of Elizabeth Taylor. She could have a classic Broadway meltdown and look fabulous the next day. Today is your next day, Rachel Berry. Get up."

"Hudson."

"What?"

"My last name…it's Hudson…"

Rachel squeezed her eyes tightly shut and shuddered. Why had she said that? She pulled the blanket around herself more tightly as a wide, gaping hole ripped open inside of her.

She needed to get out of there. Quickly.

She needed to go home. Hopefully she would get the opportunity to sneak away tonight. Saying a muted apology to Kurt and Blaine she went into the guest room for a quiet moment alone. Running her finger along the edges of her phone, she finally gained the courage to listen to her voice mails.

"Rachel, you need to come home. Please. I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking properly. I need to talk to you, face to face. I need to see your face and tell you how much I missed you. How much I want to be with you and how sorry I am for messing up. Please. Please answer."

"Rachel, not talking to me is really immature. I know that I messed up but honestly…I need you. I need you to stop being so petty and to talk to me. One mistake. I didn't tell you about Quinn. I'm sorry. But it wasn't important. That part of my life is over. Please."

"Rachel, please call me. PLEASE. I miss you. God, I love you so much. Just call me."

"You quit your job? Rachel, no! We have a life here. A good life. Baby, come home. I need you. I love you. I believe in you. Come home."

"Rachel, this is enough. PLEASE. Tell me what I need to do. I'll do anything."

"Rachel, it's Mercedes Evans. I just wanted to let you know that my daughter was born the night you left. Her name is Evvie Rogue Evans. She's gorgeous. But…please call Finn. He's falling apart without you. He made a mistake, Rachel. Just give him a chance to explain."

"Rachel, I love you. I don't regret a single second together. Please just…come home to me."

"Rachel, this is Santana. Britts and I are worried about you. Don't make me come to California and kick your ass for not calling me back. We know you're heartbroken but we miss you and I may or may not have called a hit on Finn."

"Hello Rachel. I heard about your opening night in Vegas. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Vegas? You really have sunk to a new low standard. Call me if you want a real career opportunity. You know who this is."

Rachel's breath stopped in her chest. Jesse. Jesse had called her. After months of silence, he had finally chosen to break the silence to taunt her. Bastard.

Curling into one of the throw pillows, she hugged her phone to her chest. She had never felt so lost or pathetic. She needed something. Something safe. Somewhere she could go until her heart healed and she knew what to do. With renewed determination she called her travel agent and booked a flight. Home. She needed to go home.

"Hi Daddy. I missed you. I needed to come home to see you. To see both of you. I messed up. And I don't have anyone to talk to about it. God, Daddy…I just…I miss you guys so much. And I don't know what to do about it."

Rachel lowered the gardenias to the ground and pressed a gentle kiss against her father's tombstone. Despite the fact that they had died, they were still home to her. Wiping her tears she exhaled slowly.

"I caught them. I went to go get my stuff or hear him out or…I don't know what I was doing. I just missed him. It felt like there was this hole in my heart and I just needed to see him. One more time. But I went and…and I saw them…together. I just don't know what to believe."

Rachel slid her key into the lock and opened the door slowly. She would get her clothing and leave. That was it. No fighting. No drama. She just wanted to get in quickly and leave. Back to the safety of her hotel room, closed blinds, and daytime television. Then she would follow the routine she had been following for the past several days: cry herself to sleep, wake up, shower, get dressed, perform, and repeat. Eating would fit in there somewhere, just not anytime soon.

Her heart palpitated painfully, this plan would be disrupted entirely if Finn was there. She missed Finn so much. His presence next to her in bed was comforting. His body pressed against hers as they made love was transcendent. They fit well together- he balanced her out. And in her heart, she knew that he hadn't told her because Quinn had hurt him badly. And she knew a thing or two about that.

"Quinn. Damnit! I've tried to get you to leave. I've been sleeping at Puck's apartment for the last two days because I've been trying to avoid you. Isn't it enough that you ruined my marriage?"

"You didn't deny that you still had feelings for me. I know you still love me. I can wait out this momentary mess with Rachel. We belong together!"

"We stopped belonging together the second you lied to me about the baby. No, actually before that. The day you got my best friend so hammered that he wouldn't or couldn't say no. God Quinn…you broke my heart."

"And I apologized. God, Finn. We belong together. I'm SORRY. I'm so sorry. I love you. Even after all of this time, I still love you. And I know you feel it too."

Rachel stood in the doorway trying to halt her breath. Did Finn still feel something for Quinn? Did they have a connection?

"Quinn, you need to leave."

"No. I won't give up this time!"

Rachel stepped into the living room just in time to see Quinn grab Finn's face and kiss him.

For a moment Rachel almost lost hold of herself and a small, agonized gasp escaped her lips. If the pair heard it, it didn't stop them. One single thought pulsed through Rachel's mind- screaming loudly. Finn didn't push her away.

Rachel watched, torn. They looked beautiful together. Quinn was a much better fit for Finn. Beautiful, the epitome of the high school prom queen. In her de-gothed state, Quinn's true beauty was revealed. A flawless body and wit. Finn deserved that. In comparison, Rachel was a mess. An orphan with no career. As the kiss began to slow down, Rachel took a step back and closed the door behind her.

It was over. It had been a fun run but it really wasn't meant to be. In an instant, all of the air seemed to rush out of her lungs as she grabbed at her chest. She had taken a crazy chance and it had blown up in her face.

Her phone rung and, with trembling hands, she opened it hastily, "Hello?"

"Rachel, are you ok? I know you've been trying to stay in Vegas so you could keep performing but why don't you come to California?

"I think…I think that's exactly what I'm going to do. My last two shows have been filled with depressing songs anyway."

Rachel hung up the phone after a quiet goodbye and stared at the front door of Finn's apartment for a moment longer. She had taken a chance. A real chance. She refused to regret it.

The front door was thrown open and Quinn stepped out into the hallway briskly.

"Rachel, what are you doing here?"

"I live here, Quinn. What are you doing?"

"You know what Rachel, I know how this ends. I get Finn and you end up alone. That's how it was meant to be. He is my second chance. And I'm so tired of you thinking that just because your dads died, everyone should feel sorry for you. No one does. You're pathetic."

Rachel recoiled like she'd been slapped, "You don't know the first thing about my dads."

The front door opened again and Finn stepped out in the hallway, "Quinn, stop harassing my neighbors…go ho—"

"Rachel? Quinn- what the hell are still doing here?" Finn's face softened for a moment before he turned to Quinn.

"I was just…it was a mistake to come here." Rachel's stomach clenched and unclenched wildly for a moment before she knew that she needed to make an escape. And quickly.

Rachel turned around ran to the elevator, pushing the button rapidly, wondering if she should make a run for the stairs.

"Rachel, Rachel wait! Please. I'm sorry. I just need the chance to talk to you. Please."

"Finn. I'm sorry. I'm…going out of town for awhile."

"Rachel, I love you. Don't give up on me. Baby, you're everything. Please. Don't do this. I know I should have told you about Quinn but she means nothing to me."

The elevator pinged and the doors slid open. Rachel turned to look at Finn for a moment before turning her back. He was a mess. His five o'clock shadow had grown into a chaotic looking scraggle beard and the dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadn't slept in a few days. He looked as miserable as she felt.

So she did the only thing she could. She rolled onto her tiptoes, pressed a kiss to his cheek, and stepped into the elevator.

"Goodbye Finn."

"Something told me I'd find you here."

Rachel jumped, startled out of her memories by a familiar voice. She wiped her eyes and looked at her friend.

"Santana? How did you know I was in town?"

"Kurt called me when he found a note on your pillow that said you were going 'home'. This is where your dads are. Home."

Rachel grinned wryly, "This whole thing is a mess."

"Look, you can be selfish and bossy and a major priss but I love you like an illegitimate sister. This thing is a disaster- like when I got that boob job behind the Quick and Easy but…you have to face it. No more running."

"I'm not running. I just…needed space from the situation."

"Rachel, you're in a cemetery, crying to your dads, and you're dressed like a deranged nun."

Rachel laughed, a deep belly laugh, and hugged Santana.

"No more running?"

"No more running."

"C'mon. Britts has been baking since she found out you came home."

"Oh God. Not the brownies."

"Unfortunately, yes."

"I had salmonella after eating those. Kurt almost had to go to the hospital."

"I told her no catnip this time."

"Oh good. Let's go."

I know this chapter was rough. But it will get worse before it gets better =P So prepare yourself.

Keep hope alive on the Finchel front.

Until next time!