Getting toward the end now. So, so close.
Sam had been vague on the phone, as if he were being watched as he made the call. He asked if Rachel would possibly be able to meet him somewhere to talk and they had settled on a Starbuck's in a town halfway between them. Rachel sat with her third coffee in half an hour which seemed to prove a poor choice as her leg was shaking and she hadn't even realized she was moving it. She stilled her leg but soon it was shaking again as she kept checking her phone and reading the same line of the book she had brought with her over and over, never absorbing the words on the page. Sam was now twelve minutes late and Rachel was beginning to get worried.
For the hundredth time since entering the establishment, Rachel looked toward the door and was finally rewarded when she saw Sam's mop of blonde hair walk in. She jumped up from the table and waved wildly to him, earning glares from the hipsters furiously typing away on their laptops.
"Sam! Hi! Sam, over here!" She continued waving until he had practically made it to the table. They sat down together and though Rachel didn't want to get her hopes up only to have them dashed, she couldn't keep the smile at learning some news about Finn off her face. "So, you spoke with Finn?"
"No."
Rachel was confused. "But you know something?"
"Yes." He smiled and folded his hands on the table ready to tell Rachel what he knew. "Finn called Carole two days ago from a new number. He says he's fine. Apparently he found an apartment and a job working at a music store. He wouldn't say where exactly though."
"That's it?" Rachel asked, frantic. She had come all this way to find out that? She wanted a location! Sure, it was nice to know that Finn was still alive and okay but she needed his whereabouts.
"Calm down, princess. Let me finish." Rachel sat back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. "We tried calling him back at that same number but didn't get an answer."
"Well, what's the number? Maybe he'll answer now."
"That's where we hit a problem. It wasn't his phone. The guy who answered when I called back didn't even know who Finn was when I asked for him."
"How does that help me?"
"Because I looked up the area code of the number. It's 917, you know where that is?" Rachel shook her head no. "New York City."
The grin on Rachel's face was so big it hurt as she jumped up and hugged Sam tightly, kissing the side of his head. "This is amazing news! Thank you, Sam! Thank you!"
"Yeah, yeah, now get off me please." He pushed Rachel away gently and she sat back down, doing a little dance in her seat.
But then a sour thought hit Rachel. "But what if the phone was stolen or something? Just because that's the area code doesn't mean that's where Finn is." Rachel's bright mood darkened very fast.
"The thought did cross my mind but then I remembered Carole said he was working at a music store. He could still be anywhere but I remember his friend Eric was a music major at school and had always talked about running his uncle's music store in New York. When he came back to visit last year he was visiting from New York where he had taken over his uncle's music store when he died. I'd bet anything he'd give Finn a job if he was in need of one. I'm not sure which borough it's in, though, or the name of it. Eric was more Finn's friend than mine so I didn't hang out with him much, but I do remember he said he had the store."
"So you're telling me that Finn is living and working at a music store for his friend Eric somewhere in one of the five boroughs of New York City?"
"That's my best guess, yes."
"Does Eric have a last name so I can possibly speak to him to find Finn?"
"He does but you won't be able to get in touch with him. Eric is one of those douchebags who just drops in on you unexpectedly, eats all your food, and still thinks records will make a comeback. He hates Facebook and isn't listed. He doesn't even own a computer to my knowledge."
"Of course he doesn't. That would only be too convenient!" Rachel said in annoyance. Why couldn't she catch a break when it came to finding Finn? Well, besides the massive one Sam had just given. "Well, it's more than I had to go on than when I walked in here. I really appreciate all the help, Sam."
"No problem. If I learn anything else to make the search easier, I'll let you know."
Rachel nodded appreciatively. "Thank you so much, Sam. I'm very grateful for this."
Sam smiled back. "I hope you find him. From what Carole said about their conversation, he sounded really down even though he was trying to hide it. He misses you. He may not have told Carole that, but I know he does."
She could feel the tears building. "I miss him too. So much. People always say with time it hurts less but it still hurts the same. I keep waiting for the pain to disappear but it won't." A tear slipped down her cheek before she could wipe it away. She sniffled and grabbed a napkin to dab at her eyes.
Sam put his hand on Rachel's. "You'll find him. New York is big, but it ain't that big."
"I kinda wish it was a little smaller right now though." She gave a tiny dark chuckle.
"Well, I should get going before Tara notices I've gone missing. Finn's family doesn't exactly know that I'm helping you out. They're still pretty peeved over the whole thing."
Rachel winced. "I feel so horrible for lying to them. I really like his family and it feels awful that they hate me."
Sam stood up. "They'll get over it. Honestly, they're more upset with Finn. Like I said, I'll call you if I find out anything else. Good luck, Rachel."
"Thanks, Sam." She waved goodbye and continued to sit at the table with her coffee until the intense urge to pee hit her. Those three cups of coffee had definitely been a bad idea.
Once Rachel had finished in the bathroom, she drove back to Lima, giddy for the first time in months. Things were looking up. She just had to find out how many music stores were in New York City and then she could search them all until she found Finn or until the apocalypse came. It would make things immensely easier if Sam could possibly learn some more pertinent information about Finn's location, but knowing he was in the city she would be living in by the end of August was a big step up from knowing nothing.
It had to be a sign that they were meant to find each other if Finn was in New York. He knew Rachel was going to be in New York. If he was trying to avoid her, wouldn't that be the last place he would want to be? Yet he was there, simply waiting to be found. Rachel wanted to cry but instead of out of sorrow, out of happiness.
When she made it home and searched Google for music stores in New York City however, she wanted to weep sadly again. The map was littered with red dots throughout the city.
"How am I ever going to find him?" New York City had over eight million people in it and she was searching for one based on the fact he worked in a music store for Eric Nolastname. Rachel placed her forehead down on the table and closed her eyes.
"Please tell me you aren't dead?" Kurt asked as he walked into the kitchen.
"Not yet," she replied as she lifted her head. "I will be from all the walking I will have to do to find Finn."
"What's that mean?"
"He's in New York, Kurt," Rachel said, excitement bubbling in her voice again. "Of all the places he could be he's in my city." She folded her hands over her heart and bit her lip, eyes shining as she thought about how perfect it seemed.
Kurt's eyes widened. "Well, where? New York is kinda broad."
Rachel's face fell again as she replied bitterly. "That's the problem. All I have to go on is a music store in New York City." She turned the computer so Kurt could see. "Do you see how many music stores there are in New York City? I don't even know what kind of music store it is!"
"Wow, that's a lot of red." Rachel agreed sadly. "Well, knowing is half the battle, right? Now you just need a plan of attack."
"It's just so daunting. How am I supposed to even start?"
Kurt sat down at the table across from her. "You pick up a phone and start calling."
"No, I don't want to call. If I happen to speak to Finn before I see him, he might bolt if he knows I know where he is. I need to see him face to face."
"Okay then," Kurt grabbed the lap top. "We'll make a list of every store and go block by block until we find him. Start with Manhattan, then the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, then Staten Island."
"We?"
"We. I'm not going to let you run around New York by yourself. At least not until we're more familiar with it and I'm sure Santana will help too. You know, when she can bring herself down to the city to visit. I still can't believe Santana got into Sarah Lawrence."
"And she'll never let you forget it." Rachel chuckled.
"Let's get to work. I'd like to spend some free time in New York not searching for your boyfriend. I have my own life to live."
Rachel and Kurt spent hours compiling the list of music stores and the best way to tackle them. While Rachel wanted to spend every minute she could looking for Finn, she knew she couldn't as she had school, the entire reason she would be in New York. To start, they planned on using the weekends to search in Lower Manhattan and work their way up. It would probably take weeks, if not months, to get through all the locations, but Rachel was willing to do it. She would walk all five boroughs if she had to.
"Is it August 24th yet?" Rachel whined as they finally completely their list of store names and addresses. "I just want to get to New York already."
"Patience, Rachel. You'll find him when you're meant to."
She sighed dramatically. "I don't want to be patient! I want Finn back."
"Well, until you find him we should keep occupied so you don't waste the rest of the summer pining away on the balcony asking, 'Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?' okay? We are going to have fun. We won't be back here until Thanksgiving after we leave and three months will be a long time to go without seeing my boyfriend," Kurt whined.
Rachel was not amused as she scowled at Kurt. "Oh yes, how ever will you survive the hours? You'll only be able to text, call, and Skype your boyfriend whenever you want. I haven't heard from mine in four months, Kurt, so stop your lamenting. It's way worse when the love of your life disappears without a trace."
"Not completely without a trace. We sorta know where he is now."
Rachel rolled her eyes and closed her laptop. "I'm going to bed now."
"It's only nine!"
"I'm sleepy."
"Fine, I guess I will continue my Grey's Anatomy marathon by myself."
Rachel thoroughly went through her pre-bedtime skin care ritual and put on her cute matching tank top and shorts pajamas. For sleeping in the basement, the room certainly did get warm at night during the summer. As she lied in bed, Rachel thought about what her reunion with Finn would be like. She hoped it would be like coming home and not awkward like when she had begun speaking to her fathers again. Would he have changed at all? Would he have moved on? She didn't really think he had, not because she was vain enough to think he wouldn't ever be able to get over her – although she really hoped that might be the case – but because of what Sam had said. He knew Finn better than anyone so if he said Finn was probably still hung up on her, it was probably true.
Her mind started drifting to different scenarios that could possibly play out until she landed on one that involved a little naughtiness. She would walk into the store and find Finn there, their eyes meeting and all the feelings of love rushing through them. They'd be so happy to see each other again they wouldn't be able to control themselves and he would take her there in the store.
She got hotter as her mind delved further into the vision until her chest was rising and falling sharply as her hand slipped below her shorts and panties. It had been months since she had found this sort of relief. She had just never been in the mood but now with the possibility of getting Finn back on the horizon, she throbbed with want.
Her fingers slid into her folds finding pooled wet heat there already. She was so overdue for an orgasm that she could tell it wouldn't take long. As she dipped her fingers inside herself, avoiding her sensitive nub to keep from coming too soon, Rachel imagined Finn.
"I missed you so much," he mumbled against her lips. "I love you and I'm never leaving you again."
"I love you, Finn. Don't ever leave, promise you won't leave me," she said back, looking into his eyes.
"I promise."
Without another word, his length slipped inside her as they made love. His cock felt so big and smooth as it moved back and forth inside her slick opening making her moan and whine as her heartbeat quickened and her temperature rose. Her mind was hazy with lust as his lips wrapped around her stiff nipple, his tongue teasing the taught nub as his hand trailed down her body to find her throbbing clit. Her hips bucked as he flicked her nub and she fell apart in his arms, screaming his name.
"Finn!" Rachel cried out as her body stiffened with the effect of her first orgasm in months. Her eyes clenched tightly shut as she continued rubbing her clit. When she reached the highest point her head slammed back into the pillow as her back arched off the bed and her eyelids fluttered, her eyeballs rolling back into her head. She gasped for air as she realized she forgot to breathe until all at once the intense feeling of pleasure was gone and she collapsed back onto the bed.
Her body shook with aftershocks and her eyes opened to find the blank ceiling above her. Rachel removed her hand from her shorts and placed it on her stomach. While her body felt magnificent, her mind and her heart were left unsatisfied. There was no feeling of love or joy to accompany the sensation and no one to hold her as she fell asleep in perfect bliss. No gentle nuzzling under her ear or soft little kisses along the column of her throat. No one to hear 'I love you' from or to say it to. She almost felt even worse than she had before. She turned in bed to face the wall and tried not to cry as she fell into a restless sleep.
The remaining weeks of the summer seemed to pass even slower than they had before now that Rachel had a plan to find her lost love. She just wanted to be in New York already but she was still stuck in stupid Lima where nothing happened. All her days consisted of were filing in the office at Burt's garage, hanging out with her friends at the mall or the pool or some other spot where every teenager in Lima hung out, dinner with the Hummels or her dads if it was a Wednesday or Sunday night, and finally lying in bed trying not to think about Finn but ultimately failing, caving to her body's need for him then instantly regretting it once done. One night when Kurt walked in on her giving her what her body wanted, she instantly regretted that as well. From then on she had been too nervous he'd catch her again to even try. She supposed it had actually been a blessing in disguise as she always felt horrible afterward.
Slowly but surely, the summer weeks passed until the eve of Rachel, Kurt, and Santana's departure was upon them. As a last hurrah, Burt had decided to allow Kurt to host a get together with his friends to say goodbye. Parents and kids were allowed to come over for a barbeque and that was currently where Rachel found herself. She was speaking with her Daddy.
"We're so proud of you, sweetheart," Hiram said as he moved to hug Rachel. She tentatively allowed him the brief contact, still feeling out of sorts around them. As she pulled away he added, "I know we've had our differences and we messed up in trying to do what was best for you, but we really do love you, Rachel. You're our daughter, the only one we'll ever have. We've only ever wanted you to shine."
"I know that." She really did know that. Their dinner time conversations had done a lot to start the healing process but Rachel still couldn't allow herself to allow them back in completely. It was hard to totally trust them. "I love you too. I know I've been distant with you since I left but I do love you…and Dad too." She gave him a little smile, her eyes wet with tears, before hugging him once more. She felt his lips on her head and closed her eyes, holding him tighter. Even after everything he was still her Daddy and she missed him.
They broke apart when they heard Burt announce that the burgers were ready. He looked around for Rachel. "Hey, Rachel, Kurt's working on your veggie burger in the house. Go tell him the real food is done." He let out a chuckle as he pulled the patties off the grill and onto a plate. He was yet another one who liked to poke fun at Rachel's dietary habits.
When Rachel walked into the house, she found the kitchen vacant but found her burger finished and waiting on the George Foreman. She had just procured a bun when she heard a loud moan from the pantry. Rachel rolled her eyes and stalked toward the door. When she knocked, Kurt answered his hair a mess, only a t-shirt, and his pants unbuttoned. Blaine was standing behind him in even less.
"Really? With all our parents downstairs?"
"Really? In the prop closet at school?" he spit back. He would never let her live that down every time she caught him and Blaine going at it. "This is the last day Blaine and I will be together since we're leaving at the crack of dawn with the U-Haul to get all of our stuff to New York tomorrow. We won't see each other again for a long time."
"Oh a quickie in the pantry with a dozen people outside! How romantic?" she ribbed him. "Just get dressed, the food's ready and your dad will notice you and Blaine are both missing if everyone sits down to eat except you two." She walked away and Kurt closed the door.
Kurt and Blaine exited the house a few minutes after Rachel looking like they had before their mid-party romp. When everyone sat down to eat, Rachel ended up between her dads. Surprisingly, it didn't feel as weird as usual.
The group talked about school and how excited they were to go to New York and when breaks were for them to return for a visit. Then things got tense when Brittany absent-mindedly mentioned Finn.
"So, Rachel, Santana said you found Finn. Are you going to meet up with him in New York?" she asked not even noticing the effect her question had on the group.
Rachel cleared her throat uneasily as she could feel the gaze of all the adults on her. "I don't know where he is. He could be anywhere. I haven't spoken to him since he left."
"But I thought he was in New York?" she asked with confusion. If Rachel could make anyone dead with her mind, she'd kill Brittany in that instance.
"He might be. Santana! How often do you think you'll be coming down from Sarah Lawrence to visit us?" Rachel asked enthusiastically, trying desperately to change the subject. Brittany seemed to get the hint and dropped it. As Santana told them about Sarah Lawrence, the mood brightened again and the focus shifted off Rachel. Though she loved the spotlight, she hated it when it had to do with her relationship with Finn.
When dinner ended and everyone sat around talking and digesting, Leroy pulled Rachel inside the house for a private word. "Do you really know where he is?" he asked when they were alone.
She nodded yes. Rachel had been trying to avoid talk of Finn with her fathers until she had him back, but now that the subject had been breached, she wasn't going to lie. "Sort of. There's a very strong chance that Finn is working in a music store somewhere in the city of New York."
"But you haven't spoken with him have you?"
"No. He's still hiding. The only reason we believe he's in New York is because Sam discovered that the 917 area code is for New York City."
"Wait, who's Sam?"
"Finn's best friend. We've been keeping in touch to try to find him. Finn's only called his mother once since he left Toledo. They had no idea where he went." Rachel paused as she looked sternly at her concerned father. "I'm going to find Finn. I don't care how long it takes. Once I do…we're going to be together. I know you don't approve, but it's my decision. I'm 18 and in college and you can't try to control my life."
Leroy gave her a soft smile. "We know. Your father and I have come to the realization that you aren't our baby girl anymore. You're a grown woman, a strong, independent, smart, determined, woman. You'll always be our daughter but you aren't our little baby anymore." Tears came to his eyes as Rachel softened and opened her arms to hug him. He pulled her hard against him and wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing the top of her head. "We love you so much, Rachel, and we're so proud of you." He loosened his grip and looked down at her. "We're going to miss you while you're away at school."
"Well, I'll be back at Thanksgiving. It's less than three months." She smiled.
"Rachel, we're doing dessert now. Can you bring out the cupcakes and pies?" Kurt called from back door.
"Yeah, we'll be right out," she yelled in reply. She hugged her Dad tightly once more. "It's not that long Dad. I'll be okay."
The next morning, Burt and Rachel's dads made sure everyone had their stuff together and in the U-Haul before splitting into their smaller groups. Kurt would be riding with Burt while Rachel and Santana would be with the Berrys. As Santana's parents had to work, they were unable to see their daughter to school so Hiram and Leroy said they would make sure she got there safe and sound.
The drive was long and boring as Rachel listened to her iPod and stared out the window at the wilderness around her in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She couldn't wait for the bright lights and impressive skyline of Manhattan to come into view, her new home where she would make a name for herself.
When they finally arrived, Rachel was in awe. It was even brighter than it had been when she had been there as a 12 year old. She and Santana smiled at each other in the backseat as they made their way to a parking garage that would be big enough to park the U-Haul for the night. As soon as her Dad's car was parked next to it, Rachel scrambled out of the backseat to find Kurt. She, Kurt and Santana all started squealing about how they had finally made it and jumped up and down in a three way hug until Burt broke them up to remind them they needed to check into their hotel for that night.
They grabbed the overnight bags they had packed and started to walk the few blocks to the hotel but with the amount of energy Rachel had from sleeping in the car most of the day, she felt like she could run from Battery Park all the way to the Bronx. The adults led the way while the kids chattered animatedly behind them about what they should do first until they made it to Times Square where they would be staying in the Marriott.
Once checked in, everyone quickly changed for a night out on the town. They had a reservation at a ritzy Italian place on Fifth and enjoyed their last night all together as once Rachel and Kurt were settled into their dorms the next day, Burt, Leroy and Hiram would be off to Sarah Lawrence to help Santana get settled. The evening progressed quickly and by the time they made it back to their rooms, everyone was pretty tired. While Burt, Leroy and Hiram went to the lounge to indulge in a beer or two, Kurt and the girls watched a movie.
The three of them were curled up in bed in their pajamas, eating some candy they had bought. "I hope we can get used to this fast paced lifestyle. I'm exhausted and it's only been a few hours," Rachel confessed.
"We were traveling all day too. We'll get so used to it eventually the pace in Lima will seem dead," Kurt replied.
"As great as Sarah Lawrence will be I'm sure, I kinda wish I'd be in the city with you guys. This place is fantastic."
Rachel leaned her head on Santana's shoulder. "You can always come down on weekends to help us look for Finn."
"Sounds like a blast," she replied with sarcasm.
"Just because I am on a mission doesn't mean it won't be fun. We'll get to explore every part of the city and see what's around. Plus, if he isn't in Manhattan, we'll get to see the other boroughs as well."
"But we're praying he'll be in Manhattan. Do you realize how long it will take to search all five boroughs? And there's no guarantee we'll even find him."
"Stop being so pessimistic, Kurt. I have faith that I will find him. He's here somewhere." Rachel glanced toward the window. "He has to be."
The next day was a blur as Rachel moved into her dorm. Her roommate, Georgia Timmons, hadn't arrived yet but according to the information sheet she had on her and the few times they had spoken via Facebook, she seemed like a nice girl. They were both in the Tisch School at NYU and were studying musical theatre. It meant that they would be competition for roles but Rachel was confident enough in her abilities to not feel threatened.
Soon her dads were gone and she was alone in her room setting up. Once that was finished, she walked down two floors to find Kurt and his roommate. Luckily for him, his roommate was a giant sweetheart and not homophobic at all unlike the boys across the hall who had already shoved Kurt into the wall as they walked past him and heard him telling Luke, his new roommate, about his boyfriend. Besides those two assholes, the rest of the people on his floor whom Rachel and Kurt had been meeting left and right seemed very friendly.
"So, you're all settled in now and we don't have anything to do until the first day of orientation on Monday. Let's start looking for him now, please?" Rachel inquired of Kurt as he plopped down on his bed once he was finished putting his clothes into the too small closet.
"Rachel, we just got here. I don't think one day will make a difference."
Rachel shot to her feet and turned on him. "One day could make all the difference! Do you realize if I had gone to Toledo the night I left my dads I could have found him instead of waiting? Kurt, we've been apart for months."
"Who are you looking for?" Luke asked as he walked out of the bathroom that connected their room with the one next to it.
"My boyfriend. He's somewhere in New York and I need to find him," Rachel said, all business before turning back to Kurt and pleading with him.
Luke didn't understand. "If he's your boyfriend, why don't you know where he is?"
She sighed. "It's a very long and complicated story. Cliff Notes, he left me to protect me but he doesn't need to protect me anymore and I need to find him and tell him that so we can be together again. Please, Kurt?"
Kurt rolled his eyes and got to his feet. "Fine! Let me get some more comfortable shoes on if we're going to be walking all over this island all day."
All day turned into weeks, then months, without any success. When they had started it had been late August, now it was late October. With school taking up the majority of her time, Rachel had limited days to look.
There was a nip in the air and Rachel pulled her red pea coat tighter around her as the wind whipped around her tight clad legs. Why she had chosen to wear a skirt that day, she didn't know. Needing something hot to keep her going, Rachel found the closest coffee place, one of the over 700 Starbuck's on the island of Manhattan, and got herself a plain coffee. She was on her own that day as Kurt was hurriedly working on a paper he had yet to finish. Rachel was caught up on all her work unlike everyone else she knew so indulged by spending her Friday wandering around Upper Manhattan, close to starting on the Bronx. She had just found a seat in the corner when her phone rang. It was Sam.
"Hey Sam! What's up?"
"Hold onto your hat, Rachel, I've got news!"
Rachel's heart pounded in her chest as his words bounced around inside her head. What news?
"What news?"
"Finn called me like an hour ago to let me know how he was doing because Carole had told him I was concerned last time they talked. He still didn't mention where he was when I asked but he seems less concerned with us finding out."
Rachel was impatient for information. "The point, Sam! Get to the point!"
"Yeah, anyway, he's at the music store he works at, Beats on Flatbush Avenue near Prospect Park in Brooklyn."
"Are you sure? How do you know?" Rachel's heart was beating so fast she thought it might burst out of her chest.
"He called me from work and put me on hold. An ad for the store plays over the system when you're on hold. I even called back and he answered saying the name of the store. I looked it up and it's in Brooklyn. If you hurry, he's probably still there now."
"Sam, if we weren't over the phone right now I would kiss you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"You're welcome. Now stop wasting your time talking to me and go find Finn!"
"I will! Thank you, Sam! Bye!" She hung up and quickly exited the coffee shop, totally forgetting about her coffee. Rachel mapped out the quickest route to the address that Sam had just texted her, adrenaline racing in her veins and her hopes rising rapidly.
Rachel was going to find Finn. Today. She could feel it.