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Author's Note: SECOND UPDATE IN 1 NIGHT! Amazing, eh? Haha just really loved working on this story again so I wrote another chapter. I really hope you enjoy this! Would LOVE to hear from you guys again! I REALLY MISS ALL OF YOU! haha. This is the last chapter before the epilogue!

For now, ENJOY!


"But when you hold me like you do

It feels so right

I start to forget

How my heart gets torn

When that hurt gets thrown

Feeling like you can't go on..."


Mr. Schue finally dismisses them and she giggles when Finn presses kisses along her neck, not bothering to reprimand him for the public display. The club begins to file out, calling out goodbyes and "good job guys". She waves, slinging her boyfriend's arm around her shoulders as they rise.

Sam releases a sigh from beside her, tugging a hand through his hair. "Well, that felt a lot better than I expected it to" he says with a smile. It's the happiest she's seen him in what feels like a long time.

"You did awesome, man" Finn tells him. "What do you think you're gonna do about Quinn?"

"I'm not sure" Sam responds, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "She left pretty quick. I'm just gonna think about what I wanna do for once, y'know?"

"That's great" she pipes in with a firm nod. "You don't have to do or be anything you don't want to be. You're finally healing, Sam. It's just going to go up from here." She looks up at Finn's beaming face, her heart fluttering. "It did for me."

Sam grins, opening his mouth to remark but is interrupted by a sheepish throat clearing. They all turn to the source of the noise, surprised to see Quinn standing by the door, twisting her fingers together anxiously. The image causes memories of the pregnant Quinn to pop up. When she was vulnerable.

"Umm...hi" she murmurs, her velvety voice unsure. "Sorry to interrupt. I-I-I was just wondering if I could talk to Sam for a minute...?"

She naturally tenses at the mere presence of the blond, only relaxing when Finn kisses the top of her head. Sam stiffens slightly, watching Quinn's face steadily for a moment before nodding. "Sure" he replies softly. He looks to Finn and her, giving them a reassuring bob of the head. "We can talk in here."

She and Finn stand for a long moment before he begins to tug her hand, leading her to the door. "We'll get out of your hair" he says with an awkward laugh. When she passes Quinn, the girl gives her a sad smile and she almost hisses at her. Despite Sam's uncertainty, she cannot and will not trust her.

Closing the door behind them, Finn immediately wraps his arms around her and hoists her up, pressing her back into the wall behind her. "Hi" she whispers against his lips, breathing a laugh.

"Hi" he grunts in response, kissing her hard. "You were so good in there, baby...amazing."

She feels heat rise up in her cheeks as she threads her fingers through his hair. "You were fantastic, too, Finn" she says breathlessly, whimpering when he kisses her jaw. "I love when you drum...it does things to me."

He leers against her pulse point, driving her crazy. "I know." He moans lightly when she slides her foot against his calf. "It took all the strength in me not to sweep you off your feet and out the door."

"Me too." She pulls his face up to kiss her again, tongue sweeping his lip. She will never tire of the feeling of kissing Finn. She feels like she's on fire in the most incredible way. But she sees the future, too: the bright lights of NYC outside their apartment. Coming home every day, knowing he'll be there with her.

New York is her dream. But Finn became a part of that. Being with him is her dream, too.

"I really liked your performance, Sam...you sounded amazing."

She freezes under Finn's hungry kiss, turning her face towards the door of the choir room. "Did you hear that?" he pants, gnawing on her lip to contain her mewls.

Finn continues to kiss her neck, tongue tracing a pattern on her skin. "I dunno what you're talking about" he answers. "Can we please go back to my place now? I've been dying to do stuff to you all day that I can't do in the school hallway...even if it is empty."

She slips to her feet, furrowing her brow in concentration as she strains her hearing, hoping to catch another tidbit of the conversation transpiring in the room next to her.

"Baby-"

She presses a finger to Finn's lips, winding her arm around his waist and stroking his back. "I just heard Quinn talking..." She gaps excitedly. "Ooh! I can hear their conversation! I want to know what's going to happen!"

"But Rach" he whines against her finger, taking her hand and kissing her palm. "I wanna spend some alone time with my girl..."

"And you will" she promises, reaching up to kiss him. He responds willingly, frowning when she pulls back. "I just want to hear what's going on with them." She sends him a shy smile, walking her fingers up his chest and giggling when he moans. "But I promise once we're done, we'll go straight to your place...and you can do whatever you want to me." Ghosting her lips across his throat, and grinning when his Adam's apple bobs, she glides her hand across his abs. "It'll be well worth the wait."

"Okay" he mumbles, kissing her face adoringly. "You're lucky I love you so much."

She laughs again, tucking her hands under the fabric of his t-shirt, caressing the skin of his lower back as she leans against the wall, listening in again. Her focus blurs for a moment when Finn pulls her tighter against him, fingers toying idly with her hair as he kisses her nose. It's his turn to chuckle when he sees her lick her lips. "Sorry I'm distracting you, babe."

She shoves him lightly with a smile before snuggling him close and dialling in to the conversation beyond the wall.

"What did you want to talk about?" Sam asks, his voice muffled, but she can still hear the weariness.

"I...I wanted to apologize" Quinn admits. "What I did to you...it was awful. You didn't do anything wrong. I was just...I just..."

"You what?" he challenges, and she startled at the forcefulness of his tone. "You wanted to live dangerously? You wanted to make me feel like an idiot for ever trusting you? Or loving you? Hmm?"

"No" the blond exclaims desperately. "It wasn't like that!"

"Then what was it? Was I not good enough for you or something? Too easy of a target? Once you got me under your spell, you got bored and decided to try something new?"

"Sam, it wasn't like that" she repeats, layered in tears. "Well...not entirely. You loved me and wanted to be with me and appreciated me. But, I felt like I was missing something. I don't know what it was. And then Finn wanted to be with me and he was pursuing me and..." She sighs, searching for the words. "I felt like there were some unresolved feelings there. And being with Finn was exciting. I-I-I...I don't know. He was trying so hard and it reminded me of how I felt about him-"

"That's bullshit, Quinn" Sam cuts across angrily. "That's complete bullshit, and you know it!"

She feels Finn kiss her temple, whispering a genuine apology to which she responds by kissing him and telling him that it was in the past and she adores him.

"W-what? Sam, I-"

"You were pissed that Finn was the only guy in the whole school that didn't want a piece of you anymore" Sam growls. "He was happy with Rachel and when he found out she kissed Puck-"

She's the one to breathe another apology this time, and Finn sends her a crooked smile, pecking her lips and telling her that he loves her and forgave her a long time ago.

"-He was messed up and lost. You can't stand here and tell me that Finn was himself when he was pursuing you. Can you?"

There's a silence and she knows Quinn is fidgeting. "No...he wasn't the same Finn."

"And that's what you liked" Sam says with a scoff. "You liked that he was wanting you again and he was popular and that you could climb back onto the top of the social pyramid with him. I just wasn't a big enough stepping stone for you."

"That's not true! I loved you-"

"Save it. You liked the idea of being with Finn because deep down, you knew he was vulnerable and you could push him around. There wouldn't be any real feelings there. He wouldn't challenge you. You wouldn't have to think about someone else for a change. And then, you would use him for Prom Queen and try to live out a high school fantasy."

"You're right" Quinn murmurs. "I knew he still loved Rachel and I couldn't do anything about that. But I knew that being with him was easy. We would be popular and not have any attachments. I could control him. I was losing control with you."

"Do you have any idea how horrible you made me feel?" he questions, choking on the words. "I felt like I wasn't good enough for you and I spent so much time trying to figure out what I did wrong."

"You didn't do anything wrong-"

"I felt stupid and used and totally betrayed. I blamed Finn at first but then I realized that he was upset and lost and you let him pursue you. You chose to cheat on me. I was so hurt for so long and I didn't know what to do. Rachel understood what I was going through. And when I saw that Finn did everything he could to make it up to her, I started wondering when you would do the same." He takes a shaky breath, his tone wounded. "But you never did. And it made things so much worse."

"I'm sorry-"

"Instead of apologizing for what you did" he continues, ignoring her pleas. "You attacked Rachel and Finn's relationship. You couldn't just let them be happy. You had to try to mess everything up for everyone. I knew you liked to be in control and got crazy when things weren't going your way, but I never knew you could be so selfish. You didn't think about how anybody else would feel."

"I wanted control" she agrees quietly. "I wanted Finn to want me and I wanted Rachel to hurt. She got the life I had wanted for so long: the gorgeous, popular boyfriend with a heart of gold and all the talent in the world. Every opportunity at her finger tips."

"You didn't care about the 'heart of gold' part" Sam says bitterly. "You cared about the popularity...as long as he was someone you could push around."

She hears Quinn sniffle, knowing the girl is crying harder. "Ever since Rachel came into the picture, I lost everything I wanted. Once Finn met her, he was completely taken by her. She was ambitious and strong and didn't crumble, even when I tried to push her to that point. Finn cared about the baby and about me, but he would light up when she was around and he would talk about her all the time and call her his best friend and I was losing my control over him...over my life..."

She kisses Finn gently, cooing her love for him again and he rubs her back and kisses her forehead, making her feel warm.

"Rachel didn't deserve any of the crap you did to her" Sam grumbles. "It was really low...even for you."

"I know" the girl admits. After a pause, her voice lowers. "So where do we stand? You and me? I want to make it up to you, Sam...I really do."

There's a silence and she holds her breath, heart pounding. "After I saw Rachel and Finn reunite," Sam says, his voice oddly detached. "I was hoping that could be us, too. They're so happy and in love and I wanted that so badly." He exhales loudly. "But I don't know if you and I can get back together. You did a lot of crap that really messed me up. I don't need you running again when you think there's something better out there for you. And now, I finally feel like I have control over my life. I need to figure out what I want. And I don't know if that includes you."

She smiles softly, pride swelling in her heart. Sam has finally used his voice. He's doing what he knows is right for him. Finn tightens his arms around her, smiling. "He did it" he breathes in her ear.

"I know" she replies, nuzzling his face. "And I'm so proud."

"I'm sorry, Quinn" he says with finality. "I hope you find what you're looking for. Maybe we'll find our way back. But you have a lot of making up to do...and not just with me. I'll see you around."

With that, their conversation ends and she looks at Finn in panic before planting her lips on his, resuming their make out session in hopes Sam won't be able to tell they had been eavesdropping.

"Real subtle, guys" their friend says with a snicker as they break apart, bursting into laughter. Sam gestures for them to walk with him and Finn winds his arm around her frame and kisses her hair as they fall into step with him.

"How do you feel?" she asks gently.

Sam heaves a sigh, yanking a hand through his tousled hair. "Like I'm finally starting to move on. I'm gonna find what I'm looking for. Nothing's certain."

"That's awesome, man" Finn says, winding his free arm around the boy's shoulders. "You did great in there...not that we were listening or anything."

Sam guffaws along with them. "You guys are awesome" he says genuinely, allowing the levity to pass. "I'm really glad you guys are great and that you've been here for me."

"We'll always be here for you" she tells him. "As long as you'll tolerate us."

They all laugh again, walking out into the parking lot. The sun is shining and she thinks the metaphor speaks volumes of what's to come. "I'll let you guys get back to swapping spit" Sam says, opening his car door. "And I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Bless you, Sam" Finn shouts exuberantly, practically carrying her toward his truck. "Later, bro!"

She giggles, feeling like everything is falling into place.


"Before I open up my arms and fall

Losing all control

Every dream inside my soul

And when you kiss me

On that midnight street

Sweep me off my feet

Singing ain't this life so sweet

This year's love had better last

This year's love had better last..."


AN#2: Awww Sam and Finchel are feeling good! lol Song credit is "This Year's Love" by David Gray. Amazing song!

I hope you all loved this chapter as much as I loved writing it!

Would love to hear from you all again! PLEASE REVIEW I MISS YOU!

LOVE TO ALL! GOODNIGHT!