This was originally going to be the second last chapter but my two week school holidays start on Saturday so I might be able to update more frequently. Anyway, here's another. Enjoy :)

Finn and Rachel had been in the "friends" zone for at least two months since Finn had moved back to America. Finn had vowed that he'd be Rachel's friend for as long as she wanted or needed or forever even, but he'd been waiting a long time and his need to really bewith Rachel was eating away at him inside. He'd tried every bloody move in the universe to get Rachel to give in to him but so far she'd stood strong. Rachel could be really stubborn when she wanted to.

Rachel had agreed to meet with Finn in a local coffee shop in Lima. Most of the New Directions had long left Lima to go back to where they came from and the only people left were Finn, Rachel, Quinn and her boyfriend. Rachel had, unbeknownst to Finn, invited Quinn and her boyfriend Charlie out for coffee as well. Rachel could be a little evil when she wanted to be.

Finn walked into the little coffee shop at the end of the street and searched the tables, looking for the petite brunette. He soon spotted her sitting with two other people. He cursed under his breath. It seemed that lately Rachel had been avoiding "alone time" with Finn and he wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. Maybe she was trying to deny the inevitable; that she still had feelings for Finn. Or maybe she was trying to tell him something; that she didn't still have feelings for Finn. Whatever the answer it was driving Finn mad because he still hadn't found the right time to tell her the things he needed to tell her and he just hated that so much.

Rachel waved at Finn in greeting and jumped up out of her seat to give him a friendly hug. "Hi!" she said. The sound of her voice and the feel of her body sent a wave of affectionate chills down Finn's spine. He smiled back.

"Hi, Rach! Umm, so when did we talk about Quinn and Charlie joining us?" he asked nervously.

"It was kind of last minute. You don't mind do you?" Finn shook his head.

"Hi Finn!" Quinn piped up, elbowing Charlie who nodded in acknowledgement. Finn waved back and took a seat next to Rachel. He sat around awkwardly for a little before he went to order.

"I'll get a coffee and a slice of caramel cake, please?" he asked the lady at the counter.

"You don't want us to be here do you?" Charlie surprised Finn by coming up beside him. Finn looked at his feet and at the wall avoiding Charlie's penetrating gaze.

"Look Finn, you don't need to lie to me. To be honest I didn't really want to come here but Quinn insisted. Every time I see you I can't help but get jealous because you two have history, you know?"

"I know the feeling dude. Yeah, no I don't really want you guys here," Finn said as he handed over the money and collected his order.

"You want her, don't you?" Charlie nodded at Rachel and Finn dropped his gaze to the ground and gave a very small nod.

"I thought so. I can tell by the way you look at her. You guys were together once weren't you?"

"Yeah, in high school. And then briefly a couple of months ago before I went back to Australia. I don't think she wants me anymore,"

Charlie looked at him and then took a seat beside his girlfriend.

"Hey baby!" Quinn greeted him. "We were just talking about Rachel's Broadway career!"

"Really? What Broadway things are you talking about?" Charlie asked trying to be interested. He really wasn't.

"Rachel's new show! It's really great!"

This talk went on for an hour or so. The whole time Finn sat and listened in absolute silence. He felt awkward there. No one talked to him and no one seemed to be making an attempt to talk to him and he didn't mind. He was content to sit there and watch Rachel as she talked. He watched her lips imagining all the ways he could kiss them and he was mesmerised by the way she used her hands when she talked. Charlie caught his gaze once or twice and then made an executive decision.

"Quinn, baby, we should leave. I have that...thing...that I need to do, remember?" Quinn looked confused for a moment before understanding spread across her face.

"Oh, yeah right! That thing you have to do. We better go. Rach, it was lovely to catch up. We should do it again sometime. I'll call you,"

"Yeah, nice to see you Charlie, Quinn. Talk soon," Rachel stood and gave each a hug before they left. She turned to Finn and looked at him. "I should probably go to,"

"Did you walk?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah, that's why I should go. I'll see you later then, Finn,"

"Let me walk you home?"

"Ah, sure, yeah. Alright," Rachel stuttered. She was caught off guard and she liked. In a twisted, sick way she liked the way he surprised her and caught her off guard.

Finn led Rachel out of the coffee shop by her hand and then pulled her up beside him. They held hands and it made Finn tingle and his heart skip a beat but Rachel soon pulled out of his grip and dug her hands into the pockets of her jacket. Finn's smile dropped slightly and he put his own hands in his pockets.

"Nice afternoon," Rachel said nervously.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Finn asked abruptly. Rachel fell behind Finn's step, clearly shocked by his question. Finn slowed down to a stop and waited.

"What...what do you mean, Finn?"

"Why are you putting my through this? It's happening again, Rachel. You're making me feel these things. You're making go freaking crazy over you! Can you not notice this? Do you not see the way I look at you?"

"I know, Finn. I know I do this to you but...but I don't think I can be with you," Rachel stammered. She wanted his so badly that it hurt but she couldn't be with him. He hurt her so much. Every day she hurt him with the way he looked at her and the way he talked, what he said. She couldn't handle it.

"Why not?"

"Because you hurt me Finn! You hurt me with everything you do! I don't want to hurt anymore, Finn! I don't think I can handle it!"

"I won't hurt you,"

"I know," Rachel said. She knew that he wouldn't, that he loved her too much but she couldn't bury the fear that she had when she thought about it. They'd never worked before so what would be different now?

"I love you, Rachel. I won't hurt you,"

"We've never worked before, Finn. We've loved each other for years and we never worked!"

"We never tried!" Finn argued.

"I'm sorry Finn," Rachel cried. She left Finn behind her and ran all the way home. Finn turned and trudged back to his parents' house with glassy eyes.

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