The rain started as a soft whisper but was steadily growing stronger. Rae knew they'd have to take cover eventually but for now she didn't mind being damp because leaving the rain would mean leaving Finn's arms and she wasn't ready to do that yet. Not when she hadn't seen his eyes or his smile or heard his laugh in a week. She never thought someone would be able to affect her in the way that Finn did. She always laughed at those ridiculous love songs or other foolish girls that said they couldn't breathe without a certain person. "Those songs are such rubbish," she would always say. But now that Finn was in her arms she finally understood. She was finally breathing right.

I can't believe he's here. He's actually here. Solid and breathin'.

A loud crack of lightning and a rumbling roll of thunder finally freed Rae and Finn from each other's arms. Rae searched Finn's face as if it was the first time she ever saw him. The rain had left his fringe plastered to his forehead and she couldn't tell if the wetness of his cheeks was due to the rain or his own tears. He reached up to wipe the tears from her eyes, his touch hot on her cheek, when a heaping bead of water landed on his hand. The two of them looked up to the sky just as it was opening up and a downpour of water started dancing around them.

"C'mon!" Finn grabbed her hand and they sprinted for the aged mausoleum a few yards away.

By the time they reached shelter they were drenched from head to toe and Rae couldn't help but laugh at the irony of their situation.

"This is so cliché, innit?" She laughed as she watched water droplets form a small puddle at the base of the steps.

Finn chuckled but said nothing as he continued watching the storm. The loud pitter patter tapping the tarnished copper ceiling circled the quiet crypt and suddenly Rae's anger with Finn was back.

"Why'd you do it?" Her voice shook like the thunder outside but she was determined to know. She had to know. No matter what it cost.

"Do what?" He asked as he turned to look at her for the first time since they left Tix's grave.

"Don't play stupid. Not with me, Finn. Why'd you do it?"

"Why didn't you tell me about that Liam guy? Or your friend out there?" Finn's voice raised half a level to be heard over the rain.

Rae awkwardly shifted her weight from leg to the other trying to find the proper way to explain her complete omission of this part of her past.

"I, uh, I guess I didn't want to bore you with it." She admitted, shyly playing the hands of her jacket.

"What're talkin' about? 'Bore me?'" Finn asked with a slight tone of exasperation.

"I didn't think it was worth mentionin'…"

"Rae, your best mate is dead and you don't think it was worth mentionin' to me?" He questioned, anguish written all over his face. It broke Rae's heart but all she could do was shrug her shoulders.

Say somethin'!

"No." He started shaking his head in disbelief. "You know what this is? You didn't trust me enough to let me know this part of ya. I thought ya trusted me." He dejectedly dropped his shoulders.

"I do!" She half yelled, tears welling in her eyes desperate to fall. "I do trust ya, Finn. This wasn't a matter of trust-"

"Of course it was! This," he motioned between the two of them. "You and I. We're built on a matter of trust, Rae. And you didn't trust me enough to let me in. Why won't you let me in?"

"I don't let anyone in." Rae was defensive now. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her body away from him slightly.

"Why?"

"It's safer that way."

"Safer for who, Rae?" He walked over to her, lifting her chin forcing her to look at him. Her hazel eyes, glossy with unshed tears, met his warm chocolate irises and she visibly softened in his gaze.

"Everyone."

"How's that safer for everyone?"

"It saves me the heart break and you the humiliation." Her whisper was barely audible over the ping of the rain on the roof.

"I genuinely have no idea what you're talkin' about."

"You wouldn't understand."

"I want to, though. Why can't you see that?"

"No, you don't." She looked him square in the eyes before she turned away to sit on the marble bench in the middle of the silent tomb. The sound of the storm lost to Rae now that she was in her own mind. Finn quietly walked over and sat next to her. He was still for a few moments before he softly grabbed her hand.

"Rae." His eyes were quietly imploring her to listen to him. To trust him. "There's nothin' I don't wanna know about you."

"I don't want you to think differently of me…"

"Never."

"So you wanna know about Liam and about Tixy?" Rae's heart was rattling around in her throat.

Finn nodded. "I wanna know everythin'."

"Well, first you should know, I'm proper mental. You don't know what it's like up here." She pointed to her head and faked a smile that didn't meet her eyes. "I've been mind fucked, every single day, since I was 8, whether it was other people or my own doin'. When you're told somethin' over and over and over every day for years, you start to believe it yourself, ya know? You're not good enough. You're never goin' to be good enough. It becomes a part of you and there's no way to shake it. Bein' trapped in your own poisoned head is more dangerous than holdin' a loaded gun. And there's no way out because you're stuck with it, forever. Believe me, I tried gettin' out of it. I hurt myself tryin' to escape. I have scars on my soul and my body from how much I desperately hated myself and wanted to not exist anymore. When I was 16, I took it a bit too far and ended up in a mental ward for four months. That's where I met Liam and Tixy…"

He listened to her hash out the darkest part of her life with rapt attention, never once taking his eyes off her face. He asked questions when he was confused or wanted a little more clarity. He appeared to be exceptionally appreciative of Kester. "He sounds like Ms. Pam," he said with a fond smile. Finn said he wanted to know everything so Rae told him everything. No detail was too small, no problem too big. He listened with the grace of an angel and the eyes of a man falling even more in love.

Finn's a great listener. He's gunna make an excellent therapist one day.

"So that's why Liam showed up last week. He was tryin' to apologize for missin' her funeral."

"What a wanker." He said with a harsh laugh.

Rae had to laugh, too, but she became thoughtful. "But I think he's actually makin' progress in therapy. The Liam I used to know would have never been bothered to drive two and a half hours just to apologize. Maybe he's finally takin' his recovery seriously."

Yeah, it really seems like he has come a long way…

"Did you – Are you two, uh, did you two make up or somethin'?" He asked with the smallest quiver in his voice.

"NO! Nononononono," Rae answered shaking her head with each 'no' she uttered. "Absolutely not. No."

Finn was laughing now, moving his hands in a calm down motion. "All right, all right."

Rae matched his laugh as she looked around the tomb. The rain finally steadied to a persistent drizzle and the bleak December sun was shying behind the clouds.

"God, this really is a cliché." She laughed to herself.

"What's so cliché about it?" Finn asked looking around the tomb himself.

"I mean, it's taken me a long time to get here and it's always gunna be a struggle, but I finally feel… Healed, I guess. Like I'm sayin' goodbye to the pain of my past and I'm kinda layin' it to rest. And I'm in a fuckin' crypt and there was a fuckin' thunderstorm, death and rebirth all in the same place. Someone could write a really shitty book about this."

"Turn of the Screw shitty or Tale of Two Cities shitty?" Finn asked with a cheeky grin.

"Ugh. Neither." She turned her face into a mock grimace. "Who knows? Maybe I'll be the one who writes the shitty book about it." She beamed at him.

"Yeah?" He asked meeting her smile. "What would ya call it?"

"Hmmm…" She mused over the possible titles of her fake book for a few seconds before she spoke again. "Kiss the Rain Goodbye." She held a proud smile.

"Yeah, definitely sounds like a shitty book." He grinned back to her and jumped as she tried to swat his arm.

"You cheeky bastard." She giggled.

He's back. We're back.

"Right, well it looks like the rain has let up." He stated as he looked out of the crypt. "Wanna get out of here?"

"Yes! I'm starved." She didn't realize how hungry she was until she felt her stomach grumble at its lack of food. "Oh, do you want to come to mine for dinner? Wait a minute." Rae stopped as if she all of a sudden realized Finn was there. "How did you even know where I was?"

"Oh, Chloe gave me a right earful this mornin' when she got to our match. Said if I didn't go make things right with you straight away she was gunna kick me in nads. And I don't know if you know this, but I'm quite attached to 'em. Would prefer not to have 'em kicked in." He winked as he opened the car door for her. "No, but seriously, she was right. It was time to make things right." He nonchalantly shrugged as he closed the door and made his way to the driver's side.

It took Chloe threatenin' to kick you in the balls to talk to me?

"It took Chloe threatenin' to kick you in the balls to talk to me?" The heat from her anger was billowing out of her like the steam out of kettle. "Are you fuckin' kiddin' me, Finn? You ignored me. For. A. Week. You really hurt me, Finn. And ya know what? Ya never answered my question: Why? Why'd ya do it?"

Finn wasn't looking at Rae when she finished speaking but was instead looking at his white knuckles gripping the steering wheel, ashamed of his actions.

"I swear I never meant to hurt ya, Rae. Fuck. I'm so sorry I hurt ya. I was just embarrassed, I guess. I thought you and that guy were gunna get back together. I mean, he had daises for fuck's sake and I know they're your favorite and I was embarrassed that I let myself believe…" He trailed off, cheeks blazing scarlet.

He remembered that daisies are my favorite? We talked about that so long ago… Wait. Did he actually think I could't have feelings for him? That I could ever possibly choose Liam over him? Like Liam could even hold a candle to Finn. But you never told him about Liam, Rae. How was he supposed to know all this! Idiot.

"That doesn't mean you ignore me, Finn. You talk to me, cause what you and I have," she motioned between the two of them, mimicking Finn's voice. "Is built on a matter of trust."

His eyes snapped to her face in time to see her small triumphant smile.

"Oi," he laughed. "Don't use my own words against me, ya dickhead!"

"Well if the shoe fits," she rebutted, squinching her nose at him.

He was laughing as he took her hands in his, his eyes shining sincerely. "You're right, though."

I usually am.

"I shouldn't have ignored ya like that. From the very bottom of my heart, I apologize. I'm sorry for all the pain I caused ya and I promise, for as long as we both shall live, I will do everything in my power to make sure ya never feel that way again. Can ya please forgive me?"

It was a promise to protect her from her own thoughts and the thoughts of the world. It was a promise to love her for the rest of their lives and, no matter what capacity Finn meant it in, Rae knew he'd more than live up to it.

"Yeah," she swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yeah. I forgive ya." They smiled at each other.

Now kiss me, you idiot! He's not makin' a move… Do I? Just lean over and kiss him… Just do it!

Rae started to lean in just as Finn turned to start the engine.

Ugggh.

"Right, where am I goin'?" Finn asked as he turned down the main road out of the cemetery. Rae gave him the directions to her house and all along the way she was pointing out landmarks that were special to her.

"That record store was my solace in college. I tried to get a job there but they told me I was too young." She shrugged.

"You probably woulda been shit at it anyways. Tryin' to tell people Morning Glory is the better Oasis album and all that."

"'Ey!" She squealed and gave him a small shove.

"Oi, you're gunna make me crash!"

"Take it back, Finnley!" She demanded, one arm raised, ready to strike.

"All right, all right." He laughed. "I take it back."

"Good." She smiled victoriously at him.

When they pulled up to her house, Rae saw the curtains of the kitchen window flutter and her mother's knowing smile peering behind it, telling her to take her time coming in. There was a tension in the car that Rae couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable; they were both just nervous.

"Ahem." Finn was the first to speak. "Uh, so I know Chlo was gunna pick you up tomorrow but, uh, I was just kinda wonderin' if, maybe, I could?"

"I'd love that." She beamed

He eagerly turned to her, as if he was surprised by her answer. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She laughed at his keenness.

"Brilliant." He smiled to her. "Right, uh, well, have a good night and I'll see ya tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yeah. Uh, thanks. Ya know. For everythin'." She opened her arms for a hug.

"Thanks for lettin' me come back." He whispered into her neck as he embraced her.

"Ya never really left." She smiled as her head rested on his shoulder.

When they parted, Finn placed a tender kiss on her cheek. "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." She smiled back to him as she got out of the car and made her way into her home.

Well, my former home. My new home is now drivin' back to uni. Gah. You're such a sappy git, ain't ya.

When she closed the front door behind her, two tiny arms wrapped themselves around her knees. "Wae-Wae!" Jazzy mumbled.

"Little one!" Rae scooped Jasmine up into her arms and cuddled her close.

"My nails!" She squealed as she pushed her hands in Rae's face showing they were painted pink.

"Oh, they're so pretty. Did you paint them yourself?" Rae smiled to her sister.

"No!" Jasmine laughed. "Mummy did it!"

"My Rae! My girls!" Karim declared as he came down the stairs and wrapped his daughters into a hug. "You are wet?" He questioned.

"Oh, yeah. We got caught in the storm"

"We?" Karim's face scrunched in confusion.

"Uh-"

"Rae, love," Linda butted in. "Run upstairs and put on some dry clothes before you catch cold. Then you can tell us all about the boy in the car." She added with a wink.

"Boy?" Karim's tranquil appearance turned to protective father in an instance. "What boy?"

"She'll explain when she gets warm."

"Wae, come see what I did to our woom!" Rae put Jasmine on the ground and her small hand instantly clasped itself around Rae's as she pulled her upstairs.

Jasmine's little legs weren't able to take the stairs as fast as Rae so she had time to peruse the framed pictures lining the wall that weren't there three months prior. There was the picture of Jasmine smashing her first birthday cake in Rae's face instead of her own. There was the picture of her, her mum, and Karim on their wedding day. There was the picture of her and her mom in front of Big Ben when she was eight. And there was the picture she sent her mom of her, Chloe, and Izzy on Halloween.

Aw, mum.

Jasmine pushed open the door of Rae's old room and she was pleased to see it didn't change very much. Her bed was still there just pushed to the corner to make room for Jazzy's "big girl bed" as she called it. What was left of her troll collection still sat on the windowsill and it looked as if Jasmine had taken a pair of scissors to one of their heads of hair.

Oh, she probably got a right spankin' for that.

She smiled to herself when she saw all the pages that have been cut out of coloring books with random lines and squiggles all over them. She got to one that that had two shapes on it, vaguely resembling the human form and underneath all the crayon markings she could clearly make out two words in her mother's script: Jasmine and Rae.

"Jazzy, is this us?" She asked her.

"A-huh! At Mr. Tom's we was colorin' and he told me to color my favoritest person in the whole wild world. That's you," She pointed to the long shape on the right. "And that's me." She looked up to see tears in Rae's eyes. "Wae-Wae, why're ya cryin'? Are ya sad?"

"No, I'm not sad, Jazzy. I'm cryin' cause I'm happy." She smiled down to her. The look of pure confusion on her baby sister's face made her laugh. "Come here." She wrapped Jasmine in her arms again, gently kissing her ebony curls. "I love you Jasmine Elizabeth Bouchtat."

"I wuv you, Wae-Wae." Her perfect head rested in the crook of Rae's neck.

Twenty minutes later the two sisters made it down the stairs again, Jasmine riding on Rae's back, to the smell of stew being made.

"Mmm. Mum it smells delicious." Rae commented as she set Jasmine down to play with her dolls.

"Beef stew with red potatoes, duck. Perfect for a gloomy day like today."

"What about boy?" Karim interjected leaning against the countertop with his arms folded across his body.

"Oh, Karim." Rae laughed. "You have nothin' to worry about with that one. Complete opposite of Liam he is."

Linda's eyes lit up. "So that's Finn is it, then?"

"Yeah," Rae smiled at the sound of his name as she sat at the small table in the kitchen. "Yeah, that was Finn."

"I told ya, ya just needed to give him some time. It was real sweet of him to come see ya here. How'd he know where to find you?"

"Chloe told him. Apparently she threatened to kick him in the balls if he didn't come talk to me."

Linda full body laughed. "She sounds like a good friend to you, Rae."

She's more than that. Izzy, too.

"She is. I'm so grateful for her and Izzy, honestly. That was nice of ya to hang our picture up, mum."

"Of course. You're important to us and they're important to you. Therefore, they're important to us. I'd love to meet them sometime. Finn, too." She added with a wink.

"Well, when were you lot thinkin' about comin' to visit? Can you come for my birthday?" Rae asked, excitement coursing through her body.

Linda started shaking her head "no" but Karim was positively giddy and beat her to the punch. "Yes. We come for your birthday!"

"Ahem. We were a thinkin' of comin' for your birthday," Linda started. "But as a surprise!" She said through gritted teeth to Karim.

"What? You were goin' to surprise me?!" Rae exclaimed.

"Sorry." Karim said not meeting Linda's blazing eyes. "I am excited."

"Aw, mum. Don't be angry with Karim! I'm so excited, too!"

"We were even goin' to give you your present and have cake tonight to throw you off." Linda responded, turning back to her stew.

"Well, I mean. You can still give me my present tonight. And when do we ever say no to cake in this family?" Rae replied with a sly grin.

"Please?" Karim pleaded with Linda.

"Oh, all right."

Rae could hear Karim pounding up the stairs to the landing cupboard to retrieve whatever her present was going to be. Rae stood up from her chair and walked over to her mother and wrapped her arms around her.

"Thanks, mum."

Linda put her spoon down and turned to give Rae a full hug. "Of course, love."

Karim was slightly out of breath when he came back with a large, beautifully wrapped parcel in his hands. Jasmine waddled herself into the kitchen to see what all the commotion was about as Karim put the box on the table. "Open! Open!"

Rae sat down at the table again as Jasmine climbed into her lap. "What's that?"

"It's Rae's birthday present, Jasmine." Linda answered as she took the stew off its heat.

"Wanna help me open it?" Rae whispered into her sister's ear. Jasmine's brown eyes grew twice their normal size as she quickly nodded up and down.

They took turns pulling ribbons off the box, Rae tying a pink one in Jazzy's hair, until the box was finally free. Rae lifted the lid to find a gorgeous navy blue, wool pea coat with wooden toggles inside.

"You guys. It's… beautiful! Thank you!" Rae cried as she went to give her mom and Karim a hug. "You guys didn't have to do this! It's too much!"

"No. Not too much." Karim smiled down to her.

"You deserve it, Rae." Linda explained as Rae threw her arms around her. "You're a sophisticated university student now so you need a sophisticated coat. Try it on!"

"I love it!" Rae expressed as she looped the last toggle. "I absolutely love it!"

"Wae-Wae, you're pwetty!"

"Well thank ya, Jazz." She replied, give her nose a small boop.

"You like the color?" Karim questioned.

"There was also red but we figured this could go with more." Linda added.

It's Finn's favorite color. And the color of his bed sheets. Not the time, Rae.

"The color is perfect! I love navy blue!"

Linda started scooping the stew while Rae carefully folded her coat and delicately placed it in the box.

I'll wear it tomorrow when Finn picks me up. He'll love it.

Even though things were back to normal with Finn, being home was the still the refresher Rae needed. The house was filled with so much laughter and love and Rae couldn't help but be at complete and utter peace for the first time in a long while.

Life is pretty epically awesome at the moment. Things are wonderful with Finn. We talked, he apologized, and he wants me in his future. My friends are amazin'. And although my family is just a little crazy and unconventional, it's mine and it's perfect.

Rae was lying in her bed, Jasmine curled up into her side, when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in."

Linda's head peeked through. "Chloe is on the phone for you, love."

"Oh, thanks, mum." She answered as Linda crossed to the room to hand her the receiver. Quietly admiring her daughters curled up together as she did so.

"Good night, chuck."

"Night, mum. Hey, Chlo."

"Oh my gosh! We have been waitin' for you to ring us all day! How was your talk with Finn?" Rae could practically feel Chloe's excitement through the phone.

"Yeah, leave nothin' out, Rae!" Izzy squealed.

"Oh, you guys. It was brilliant. He held me while I cried. He apologized for bein' a right knobhead. And, get this, he said that he wants to be a part of my life 'for as long as we both shall live!'"

The two girls on the other end shrieked in delight.

"That's so excitin', Rae! So what's next for you two?" Chloe asked.

"I'm not really sure. We didn't really talk about that. Oh, but, Chlo. He's pickin' me up from the train tomorrow. Hope you don't mind."

"Mind? Are you daft, Rae? Of course I don't mind! Maybe he's gunna take you on a date!" Chloe wondered.

"Oh, you two are just so perfect for each other." Izzy said brightly.

Jasmine stirred next to Rae who remained motionless, silently praying she wasn't about to wake up.

"Rae?" Chloe asked making sure she was still there.

"Sorry, Jazzy is asleep next to me and didn't want to wake her. But I should go, just in case. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yeah," they both responded.

"Leave nothin' out!" Izzy insisted before they hung up.

"Oh, I won't." Rae laughed.

Who knows, maybe there'll be even more to tell.