After All This – Chapter 3

(I do not own Glee or any of the characters.)

Finn and Rachel continued to rock back and forth in the porch swing after dinner while Emily and Brandon were beating Carole and Burt at Monopoly in the kitchen. The summer's day heat had waned at the fireflies were coming out.

For two people who had once been engaged, getting reacquainted was awkward.

"We did grow up, didn't we?" Finn remorsed. "Actually we had to grow up. All of a sudden we had kids to take care of and it wasn't just about ourselves anymore."

"Having kids changes things, doesn't it?" Rachel commiserated.

"Yeah, I had this little red-headed baby that her mother left behind. I could have put her up for adoption, but I couldn't. Emily was almost two months old when Quinn left, and I had already fallen in love with her. It was hard, but Mom and Burt helped and the four of us managed."

"So Quinn comes back to town, has a baby, and leaves her with you?" Rachel asked.

"It's a lot more complicated than that. It's long story that I'd rather not get into."

"Finn, I have to ask, does Emily know about Beth or Noah?"

"No, Emily doesn't know anything about Beth, and Puck has never said anything to her either. He promised me he wouldn't. He's her Uncle Puck, my friend, and the town sheriff to her."

"Beth is twenty now. She and Shelby live in New York too, I see them for holidays. Noah tells me that you once had plans to come to New York too."

"I did, but when Kurt told me that you were marrying Brody, I didn't see the point. Besides, by the end of that summer I had Emily to take care of."

"Finn, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, you've got a great son, and I've got a great daughter. You made your dreams come true on Broadway, and I've done alright for myself."

Changing the subject, Finn asked, "Have you decided what you're going to do now that Leroy is gone? Will you be taking Hiram back to New York with you?"

"I wish I knew. Dad has forgotten so much, but at least he remembers the house that he and Daddy shared. If I move him to New York he's going to be completely lost. But if I don't do something soon, he's going to lose the house anyway. They took a reverse mortgage out on the house, and that's almost used up. We could lose the house, but at least I wouldn't have to try and sell it."

"Can you pay it off?" Finn asked.

"I could, but what if I have to put Dad in an Alzheimer's facility? I would want him near by. And then there's Brandon. I need to try and bribe another prep school in New York into taking him this fall."

"Bribe?" Finn asked surprised.

"Brandon has been a little angel since he met your daughter, but he has a rocky history back in New York. Brandon has been kicked out of one private school after another for ever thing from fighting to marijuana. He hasn't had a constant father figure, and I spent so much of his childhood working. My three other marriages haven't helped him either."

"It's none of my business, but why did you marry so many times?" Finn asked curiously.

"Deep down, I think I was looking for another you. Brody found out quickly that I had never gotten over you. You've got to be the most eligible bachelor in Lima, why haven't you ever married?"

"In case you haven't noticed, there aren't that many eligible women left in Lima. I dated a few women back in my twenties, but deep down I think I was comparing them to you," Finn confessed.

"We won! We won!" Brandon burst out onto the back porch where Finn and Rachel had been reminiscing. "Emily and I beat Carole and Burt at Monopoly!"

"Ah, we let them win," Burt laughed. "That game would've gone on all night, and it's past my bedtime. Finn, your mother and I are heading back to the house now in our car. Emily can go with us if you want to stay here for awhile and drive her Mustang back later."

"No, I should be going now too." Finn declined. "Hudson Tires is starting a new sale tomorrow, and I need to be at work early. Emily, I'll meet you in your car in a moment."

"Having a daughter with a driver's license is like having your own personal driver." Finn teased his daughter.

"Ah daddy, you just want to make sure that I'm not driving around speeding or picking up boys. He likes to keep an eye on me."

"Well you know that your Uncle Puck is watching out for you too, and he can give you a ticket."

"Uncle Puck loves me, and he would never do that. Daddy, I'll wait for you in the car. I'll put the top up so you won't catch a cold," Emily teased her dad back.

As Finn's family thanked Rachel and Brandon for dinner, Rachel wondered what it would have been like if things had turned out differently. Finn, Emily, Burt, and Carole seemed to be the perfect family.

Brandon was in the kitchen packing up the Monopoly game while Finn was telling Rachel goodbye at the door.

"I've really had a good time tonight Rachel. Maybe we can do this again before you have to leave for New York."

Finn bent to kiss her on the cheek, but she turned her head so that his lips landed firmly on hers. She kissed him back and for a moment that old tingle shot down her spine, and she swore she saw fireworks. She could tell that Finn felt it too.

Their kiss was interrupted by a crash from the kitchen and Brandon flying through the living room and up the stairs.

Looking into the kitchen Rachel and Finn saw that the Monopoly game had been hurled to the floor and play money and plastic houses were everywhere.

"Brandon must have had trouble putting the game back together. He does have anger management issues," Rachel made excuses for her son. "I should go up and check on him."

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow and see how you're doing," Finn smiled weakly before he opened the door and headed for Emily's waiting car.

In Brandon's room, Rachel found him in his bed pounding his fist into his pillow cursing to himself.

"Brandon sweetie, what wrong? Things were going so well."

"It's that Finn guy! I saw you kissing him! Is he going to be husband number five?"

"No honey, Finn's an old friend.

"You don't kiss an old friend like that! You're going to get married, and you'll forget about me all over again! I know it! This is how it always starts!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You've had three husbands after my dad! Every time a new one shows up, it's like I become invisible! That's why I do the things I do, to try and get your attention! These guys come along, and it's like I disappear!"

"Brandon that isn't true. You're my son, and you'll always be first in my life. Finn and I were engaged when we were in high school, but we were too young. He was my first love, and he'll always have a special place in my heart. You'll find that out one day when you have your first love."

"Then why did you marry my dad? Oh I forgot. You had to marry my dad because you were knocked up with me! Remember, I did the math when I was seven! I know that I was an accident! Did Dad figure out that you were still hung up on your first love? Is that why he left you?"

"Son, don't be rude, and it wasn't like that. I loved your dad. It just didn't work out."

"Well please tell me why you had to get married three more times? I've had so many fake dads that I can't keep track of them."

"Brandon, you're my son and that's all that matters. As soon I figure out what to do about my dad, we'll be leaving Lima and heading back to New York. I'm so sorry, I never meant for you feel like you weren't my first priory because you are. Husbands and boyfriends come and go, but you'll always be my son. That's never going to change."

"Then you're not going to marry Emily's dad?"

"Finn and I have a past, but I think it's too late for a future."

"Because of me?"

"No Son, Finn broke our engagement, and put me on a train for New York. I would have never made it to New York if he hadn't forced me to go. I would have never met your father, and I wouldn't have you, and I wouldn't change that. Things happen for a reason. You were meant to be, and I'm so glad that I have you."

Brandon rolled over in his bed and cut off the lamp.

"Good night Mom. If you don't mind I'd like to go to sleep now," Brandon pouted as he turned his back to his mother.

The next morning Brandon was up early and heading for the pool. Rachel wanted him to stay and talk some more, but he was in no mood to listen to her. Finn called around ten to check on Rachel.

"What happened with Brandon last night?" Finn asked.

"He saw me kiss you and he feels threatened?"

"Threatened?" Finn asked.

"He's afraid that I'm going to marry you, and he won't be number one in my life. He says that happens every time I remarry. I shouldn't have turned my head to kiss you, but I couldn't stop my self."

"No one enjoyed that kiss more that I did, but if us seeing each other again is going to cause problems for him maybe I should stay away."

"Finn, I love my son, he knows that, but I love you too. I never stopped. It's taken me a long time to realize that."

"I love you too," Finn confessed. "There's got to be a way we can see each other and not have him feel like I'm coming between the two of you."

"As much as I love the idea I don't think it's possible. I've got to figure out what to do with my dad and this house, and I have to find a school in New York that will take Brandon."

"Rach, what if you put Brandon in school at McKinley? Mr. Schue is the principal now and Coach Sue retired years ago. You could pay off your dad's house, and the three of you could stay here in Ohio? Mr. Schue has turned more than one confused kid around." Finn said hesitantly into the phone.

"What about my career?" Rachel asked. "I don't see myself earning a living doing Community Theater here in Ohio."

"It's just an idea. Will you think about it?" Finn asked.

"I will. I'll talk to Brandon about it and see what he thinks."

"Rach, I've got a customer so I've got to go. And Rachel, I've always loved you, I never stopped."

"I never stopped either."

Rachel played with the idea all afternoon. She checked her money flow and called her investment banker in New York. She also called her agent.

The good news was that she had plenty of money from her investments and royalties. The bad news was that her agent hadn't been able to find a new leading role for her in a major production all summer. All the good roles were going to younger actresses. Maybe this was a good time for her to think about putting out another album. Her first two had done well, and there was still a demand for her CD's.

This could work Rachel thought to herself. Her dad could stay in his house. She could get Brandon away from New York, and maybe Finn could be in her life. It was certainly a long shot.

-/-

Thank you for reviewing my last chapter! You inspired me to get this one posted ASAP. Everything changes in chapter four so stick around. Sincerely, Whistler Nights

Chapter 4 (the final chapter) is up now. It is entitled Best Friends Forever.