A/N: I do not own the song "Release" by Pearl Jam.
Travis sat on the bleachers, the wind messing up his shaggy black hair and making it fall over his eyes. He scrolled through his iPod stopping on a song that brought a sad smile to his face. He began singing along.
"I see the world. Feel the chill. Which way to go. Windowsill. I see the words. On a rocking horse of time. I see the birds in the rain." Travis moved his hair out of his eyes and they were watery with unshed tears. "Oh dear dad. Can you see me now? I am myself. Like you somehow. I'll wait up in the dark, for you to speak to me. I'll open up. Release me. Release me. Release me. Release me." The song ended and Travis turned his head to see Rachel standing on the bleachers a few feet away from him. She wore her own sad smile. Tugging his ear buds out, Travis tucked his iPod into his pocket and let out a small laugh. "You're early."
"I like being early." Rachel pushed a strand of her dark hair behind her ear and hesitantly sat down next to Travis. There was a long confusing but at the same time, in an unexplainable way, understanding silence between them. "That song you sang... it was beautiful, you sang it beautifully."
"Thanks." Travis shrugged. "I guess I'm a masochist in that way. You know, listening to music about things that actually affect me personally."
"Well, that song is about not knowing who your father is, right? By Pearl Jam?"
"Wow." Travis looked impressed. "I didn't peg you for a Pearl Jam type of girl." He looked down at his feet. "But yeah it is."
"I thought you said that your dad got transfered here from Michigan."
"Stepdad." Travis corrected her. "Alan is a nice guy, ya know. I mean he treats my mom real good and he's always been there for me but I never knew my real dad." Travis shook his head and laughed at himself a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Rachel, I have no idea why I'm telling you this, don't listen to my pathetic ramblings."
Rachel quickly spoke up. "It's not pathetic and... I'm kind of glad you're telling me this."
"You are?" Travis looked at her confused.
"I never knew who my mother was." Travis's eyebrows raised. "Well, I actually found out last year. She was the coach for our rival glee club team."
"Damn." Travis inched a little closer. "So what happened?" He realized he might have sounded pushy. "Sorry I didn't mean..."
"No, it's okay." Rachel let out a sad sigh. "She was beautiful and beyond talented and everything I always imagined my mother would be but... she wasn't my mom"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that it was too late. When I was little I always used to wonder what it would be like having her with me but by the time I met her it was too late. I had already experienced ALL of those things with my dads. We couldn't have the relationship I always wished we could have." A stray tear fell down Rachel's cheek and she felt Travis gently reach his thumb out and brush it away. She straightened herself out and wiped her eyes. "Sorry."
"No, it's okay, really, it's actually kind of awesome learning this about you. It makes me feel like I'm not so alone for once."
"So how come you never knew your father, if you don't mind me asking."
Travis sucked in a breath. "My mom didn't get married to my stepdad Alan until I was 12. She had always wanted kids but the right guy never came along I guess. She went to a sperm bank."
"Oh."
"I know that's kind of normal, nowadays but I still wonder, who he is, what he looks like, if I look like him, what he acts like, if he has his own family now."
Rachel sweetly kissed Travis's cheek. "And I bet he wonders about the kid he helped bring into this world turned out like and that kid is really great."
Travis blushed and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. That seemed to be a habit of his when he was being shy or embarrassed. "Thanks Rachel. You're really awesome you know that?"
"Don't forget undeniably talented." She said playfully, elbowing his side.
"Yeah, that too." He smiled his overly big, overly white smile at her.
It was quiet again, a companionable silence. Rachel pulled some sheet music out of her bag next to her. "Shall we begin?"
A/N: Once again I assure you this is a Finchel story so please don't walk away! Ah!
TBC...