Thank you very, very much for the reviews of the previous chapter!

Are you anxious for everything to be resolved? Believe it... I'm! BUT I have to develop the story, right? lol

Thousand kisses everyone!

Finn felt the tears run down his face silently. At that moment, he wanted to be a kid again, and to be able to run for Carole's lap, lay his head on it and sob, until being overcome by exhaustion, as he had done so many times, without any awareness of how it destroyed his mother. However, he didn't have that option, this time, it was clear. So he did what adults do when they don't feel able to face their problems, and walked thru the streets of New York to the nearest bar.

He drowned his sorrows in some very cold blondes (that's how we call beers in Brazil, figuratively), trying to keep his memory far from the disappointment that a certain brunette had caused him. But he couldn't forget anything, not even for a second, he was being haunted by every word said during the discussion they had. He found himself trying to understand her attitude unsuccessfully, feeling surprised at his own shirt in which her scent was still so present. As the attempt to forget was vain, he decided to stop drinking and get some sleep, at the only place where he could go without fear, in those circumstances.

Rachel was weeping and sobbing nonstop, sitting on the floor and leaning against the door. She had been there for over an hour, clutching her own legs, shrunken, as if she wanted to get even smaller and smaller and smaller, until she would disappear. She felt sorry for herself, but also guilt, remorse, regret, fear.

She was not certain however if she had been completely wrong about fearing that Finn was rushing when he talked about love, or even about thinking that he could be willing to take advantage of her, somehow. After all, if that were the case, that wouldn't be the first or the last time something like that would happen. Though, it wouldn't change the fact that he was gone, probably for forever, and that she had never felt so much pain in her life, like she felt when he left the apartment.

Jesse asked nothing when he saw his friend standing at the door of his apartment. The moment he had left Hudson's home, he knew that the probability of a disagreement between Rachel and Finn was much larger than the probability of the two staying together, as if nothing serious had been said by her. He offered a chamomile tea to the guy, and while he was drinking it, he prepared the sofa bed so the other could try to get some rest.

"If... and when... you want to talk, I'll be here, okay? And you can knock on my door if you need anything, because Sebastian is a heavy sleeper." He said, only receiving a nod in response. "Here is not Rachel's friend, but YOUR friend, Finn. I hope you know it."

At that exact moment, seeing Finn destroyed as he'd never seen, even during conversations they had, sometimes, on sad aspects of his friend's childhood, Jesse felt guilty for introducing him to Rachel. The brunette girl was a wonderful person, with big and generous heart, a devoted friend, a good daughter, so St. James could not have guessed that she would make as big a mess in one's life. But still, he felt bad for being somehow responsible for everything.

"I know. I know I can count on you." Finn said. "But... sorry, man, but I'd rather not talk about that."

"I understand." Jesse assured him. "Try to get some sleep. It will do you good... and I'll do the same." He gave two taps on his shoulder, showing support, and went to his bedroom, leaving the other at will.

Finn took some time to sleep, but the tea and the weight of his swollen eyes with tears eventually affected him. Rachel, meanwhile, saw daybreak and, still crying, with the sun showing all his glory, decided it would be convenient to ask finally for the help she desired during the last hours. She needed her best friend's lap and she surely would give her that. Furthermore, her words, without a doubt, would be the most sincere one could tell.

She failed to explain anything over the phone, but Santana understood perfectly that she should go to her house as fast as possible. There, she also could not explain anything, as soon as the latin girl arrived. She, however, knew immediately that the problem was related to Finn, who she scolded mentally, because she couldn't bear to see one of the people he loved most in the world so upset.

Secretly, though, something told Santana that Rachel's husband loved her very much, and that, regardless of what had happened, he hadn't hurt her on purpose. For this reason, once the shorty stopped crying compulsively, half an hour later, and returned to be able to utter coherent sentences, the girl tried booting from her friend as much detail as possible about what had happened to the couple.

"What did he do, Rachel? Or maybe... what do you think he did this time?"

"He did nothing, Santy. He just... he left me... because I told him I we would comply with the terms of the contract and get the divorce after an year of marriage."

"And why the hell did you do that?" Almost cried her friend, completely shocked.

"Because... because it's necessary that two people love each other to get married, Santana... and it's too early for us to know if what we feel is love. And he has this project, this dream, for which he needs a large sum of money. How can I trust someone who doesn't tell me what is his dream... that just says it's a surprise?"

She said it all so fast that the other girl could hardly follow her reasoning. And then she continued, nervously walking from one side to the other, gesticulating and talking non-stop, at the same pace difficult to achieve.

"It must be an apartment... or a new sport car, like a Ferrari... or maybe a Porsch. Every men love them, right? Or he may be planing to travel around the world... I don't know! I just know he never told me... and he always wanted us to go out for expensive places, like the day he took me to that hotel here in New York, even without the slightest need. And on our trip to Mexico, Santie? You should have seen how he fit well in that environment full of sophistication! Maybe he always wanted it... always prepared himself for it, Santie!"

"Rachel, I'm sorry, but I'll be honest. We can see in Finn's face that he loves you. And the fact that he likes good things... like a big and new car... or a nice apartment, or enjoying what you have... honestly, it's no reason for you to think you shouldn't be together." She paused, seeing that Rachel was still confused. "See, I love Britt. But I wouldn't think it was a bad thing if, besides being hot and funny, she had a few millions for us to spend together."

"I don't know... I..." She breathed deeply and sat down again next to Lopez. "I think I was really messed with something that Beth Lauren told me, Santie. It seemed right, you know?"

Beth Lauren was a famous actress who had success at the same time that Ethel Berry, and Rachel had met her in the theater, one afternoon, by chance, while the girl was still rehearsing for the play. The woman immediately recognized her, not only because there was a great similarity between aunt and niece, but also because, when Ethel was alive, Rachel had gone a few times to take tea with the two ladies.

Lauren had invited Rachel for coffee that day, and spent a few hours complaining about her life, her old age, the abandonment and lack of health. When she saw a ring on Rachel's finger, she sighed happily and celebrated the fact that her interlocutor already was married, saying then that a woman could never be sure of the love of a man, if she meet him after fame or money. The old lady had been married for three times, and all her husbands had been proved to be profiteers, over time.

Rachel had not thought to end things with Finn immediately, but that statement had been stored with her and, coupled with the fact that she thought he was still receiving money from the agreement and the secrets he kept about his dream, had caused her to decide that staying married to him was not the best option, at least not for the time being.

"Rach, you're not Beth Lauren." Santie stated the obvious, after Rachel had reported the story. "And of course there are opportunists out there... but there is also love. You know your problem is that you put in your head you would never be loved... that you don't deserve to be loved."

"Is it possible that he truly loves me... so soon?"

"Time doesn't mean anything, Rachel! And you know what is the proof?" The other looked at her, waiting for the answer. "You love Finn. You're this way, as I've never seen you before, because you LOVE your husband."

"Oh, my God, what have I done?" Rachel started to cry a lot, again, and Santana hugged her.

"It'll be okay, Hobbit!" She Said, looking into her friend's eyes. "He'll be back. You just have to tell him you're not going to get divorced."

"It is not so simple." She groaned, defeated.

"You didn't tell him that you thought he wanted your money, right?" Santana was suddenly worried. And even more so when she saw Rachel's semblant. "Oh my God, you did."

"He's not coming back, is he? I screwed it forever, this time, didn't I?" Rachel cried even more.

"I don't know what to tell you, Rach."

Santana would not lie to Rachel. She had never lied to her friend and there would not be an exception. She didn't think Finn would forgive her again, this time, didn't think he would accept her apology, because everyone has limits, even those who love us. So she did the only thing she could do at that moment, which was put Rachel in her lap, letting the girl cry for hours, then force her to drink juice, secretly seasoned with tranquilizers so she would sleep, and call the theater, asking them to convene the understudy to work on that Sunday evening.

She knew time would have to take care of the pain, as it happens every time a couple break up. Mainly when it happens with two people who really should be together.

Now only two chapters and an epilogue are missing, so I must take a little longer to update.

Unless many of you talk to me about what you are thinking about the story. That might cheer me... ;)

xoxo