Author's Note: My dear friends, here it is, Chapter Five. I have Chapter Six outlined too and hope to update quickly. As always, your wonderful thoughts and opinions keep me going. All my love to all you guys, I hope you like this chapter, even if it's a little sad.

Chapter Five

Rachel was wading through thick water, she had to get to him, quickly, she had to save him. Or at least be with him until they would both die. The water was leaking on from everywhere now, black and strong and dangerous, threatening to sweep her away with it, away from him.

Why wouldn't her legs move faster? She was fighting slow motion, sticking her in place and each step became agony. She needed to see his face again.

"Blaine", she cried, his face ghosting in front of her eyes. Her time was running out. They only had minutes left. She needed to be close to him, it couldn't end yet, not like this, not when Blaine was still a corridor away. This damned ship wouldn't sink with her apart from him.

A shrieking alarm filled the air and Rachel didn't question how the speakers still worked even when the light had flickered to permanent darkness just moments before. The alarm unsettled her. It was loud and close and persistent. It wasn't even an alarm at all, it was more of a song. It was a woman singing but Rachel didn't like it like she normally would because it started to fill all her consciousness. The corridor faded, falling apart in front of her eyes.

No, she was so close, she had to get to Blaine. So little time, please, please let me see him again.

But there was only the song and distant light and the music got louder and louder and there was a buzzing, like a swarm of bees coming for her. She just wanted to see Blaine. She reached out her hands and the walls gave in, burying her, the water hitting her cold in the face, filling her lungs. She would never see him again.

Rachel's eyes flew open and it took her a second to realize that she'd been dreaming. She noticed the brighter light, the real shapes and more defined lines of her surroundings. She quickly remembered where she was but the room looked slightly different in broad daylight. Still pretty though.

Rachel smiled absent-mindedly, the horror of the bad dream almost forgotten already. He hair felt chaotic on her head and she was sure her mascara was smeared but she didn't care much as the images and memories of the night before were brought back with the humid air that still smelled earthy and pure and like them. Like what they'd done. And nothing was lost yet.

She grinned all dopey, reaching for her phone beside the bed, tangled in her jeans. It must've fallen when Blaine took the pants off of her.

Blaine. He was near, she could feel his body heat radiate, it sent her heart flying. He was so close she could touch him if she reached out her fingers but she kept her eyes on the phone. She'd waited so long to see his face again and touch him, she didn't want to be preoccupied taking a phone call when she did.

Barbra Streisand sang about being the Greatest Star and Rachel saw the caller ID flash a big smiley picture of her brother.

"Sami", she greeted him, her voice was raspy and throaty with sleep, speaking for the first time, "Morning"

"You sound tired", he noted cheerfully and Rachel sighed deeply.

"That's because you woke me up"

"Listen, I'm just a little worried because you're not home and I tried calling you but this is the first call you answer and Tina said you went to meet some guy from the pub?", his voice wasn't accusatory but she could still make out significant traces of worry.

Sometimes she wondered why in the world she had moved out of her parents place to live with her brother of all people. But he had a loft near her college and it had made sense at the time. Right now though, she wished he wouldn't even know if she ever spent the night somewhere else.

Not that she ever did, normally. Usually, if she wouldn't get home, she would be staying at Tina's or Kurt's and it would've been planned out for weeks rather than a spontaneous fling in a hotel with a guy she didn't know well and Sam didn't know at all. Not that he had to, it was her life. But she still felt a little guilty for not even giving him a heads up about not sleeping at home.

"I'm fine, Sam", she reassured him, trying to keep her voice very soft, "I'm sorry I didn't text you but you don't have to worry, everything's alright"

"So you went home with a guy then, sissy?", he asked, a mix of mockery and a challenge. She sighed another deep sigh.

"Goodbye Sam"

"Oh come on, tell me how that happened? You never do stuff like that, I'm just curious", he argued.

"Goodbye Sam", she repeated more pointedly and he muttered something incoherent in response.

She hung up, smiling. She'd tell him eventually. Just not right now. Right now she wanted Blaine to be her dirty little secret, just hers. She moved to put the phone on the bed side table and finally look at him – wait.

She turned the phone in her palm again. No.

Seeing Blaine was great but it fell flat to her expectations because she couldn't concentrate on how gorgeous he looked, draped face down over the mattress, his bare body uncovered until down to the small of his back, the little dimples on his skin there still visible.

She didn't have the due time to acknowledge the birth mark right of his spine, just above the crease of his neck, couldn't linger on the messy curls framing his scrunchy face that lay pillowed on his strong right arm while the other arm lay sprawled at his side.

If she'd had the time she would have noted that his position looked kind of uncomfortable but she didn't have any.

Rachel sat up fully in bed and put the phone away. When her hands were free she began to rock him by the shoulder. He wasn't stirring.

"Blaine", she said, "Blaine wake up"

No reaction.

"Blaine, you gotta wake up"

His eyelids fluttered but instead of opening them he growled and shifted, his face crunching in protest. The fingers of his right hand spread out and in a couple of times, waving her off.

"Blaine", she almost screamed and shook him with both hands, "IT'S TEN THIRTY"

"What?", he shot up, blinking a few times, adorably disoriented, rubbing his eyes with the back of his wrist. His bed hair was gorgeous and Rachel hated the fact that she couldn't keep staring at it.

"It's ten thirty, you have to hurry", she told him, her hands falling onto his thighs on their own.

He looked at her for a second, dumbfounded about what, she didn't know but then the meaning of her words kicked in and his eyes widened.

"Shit", he spat and in the blink of an eye he was out of the bed, wiggling free of the blanket in all his naked glory. Rachel watched him hurry through the room, stumbling back into his briefs and pants and picking his shirt off the ground.

"Shit shit shit", he kept muttering and Rachel began to feel a little awkward.

"I'm sorry", she breathed, bringing the comforter up under her chin.

Blaine twirled around on the spot and his face changed from strained to puzzled and then he wobbled a silent no. He was already heading towards her.

Swiftly, he grabbed her face into his hands and bowed down without warning to kiss her, hard and thorough on the lips, pecking two three times after because he didn't seem able to pull away immediately.

"I am sorry", he whispered, "I didn't mean to fall asleep, I'm sorry"

He sighed and shot her a regretful look before straightening up and kissing her forehead.

Then he was already back to organizing his stuff and Rachel staggered out of bed to recollect her clothes. She knew where her jeans were and her top and bra lay scattered around the bed too. Only her panties were missing. When she spotted them she gasped. They were ripped in two. Laying almost underneath the foot of the bed. She walked over, still naked and picked up the shredded pieces of fabric.

"I liked those", she pouted and Blaine's head emerged from the bathroom where he had brushed his teeth.

"Oh shit", he said, shocked by himself as he put his toothbrush into his trunk, "Did I do that?"

"I know it wasn't me", she answered, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

He was fully clothed now and grinned at her reply. Rachel was butt naked but oddly enough she didn't feel weird, even as he checked her out, eyes falling from her frame to the rest of a string in her hands.

"I probably got a little over-excited", he muttered sheepishly, "I can buy you a new pair"

Rachel grinned at his courtesy even though it hit her heart like an arrow, "No, that's alright"

It was the kind of affection that felt like daggers. She needed to get a hold of herself.

"Did you sleep well?", he asked her as she climbed into her jeans pantieless, trying to regain some sense of normality.

"Like a stone", she nodded, aiming for a casual sound.

"I did too", he said and the look of regret and slight anger was back on his face, unsettling her, "This sucks"

"Why, what?", she questioned, closing her bra at her back.

"I got to check in my bags at the terminal in twenty minutes", he explained, "That's not what I'd planned. I didn't want to fucking sleep all my time with you away"

Rachel's heart constricted painfully again, he wanted more time with her, wanted it maybe almost as much as she did.

She yearned to hold him, to cradle him and tell him not to worry, that they would have time, more than enough and everything would be fine but she couldn't. Twenty minutes, that was all they had. She wanted to cry.

She let out a huffed breath and let her top fall back to the floor as she rushed to him, overwhelmed by all these new feelings and that fierce, overpowering desire to hold him.

She crushed her body against his and squeezed her arms around his waist. He wrapped her tightly in his embrace and they meshed together, falling in place like puzzle pieces.

His breathing was uneven and she couldn't stand to see him so sad. Even though it would never measure up to her sadness, that much was sure. For him it was just a fling, for her it was so much more. And it had no future.

"It'll be fine", she murmured into his shirt, thinking of one thing that would make it better for him and a lot worse for her, "You'll have forgotten me next week"

He reacted quickly, nudging her away from him, holding her face another time with urgency, "That's impossible"

He kissed her again, softly this time, short. He tasted minty.

"Shit, Rachel", their foreheads nudged together and Rachel could feel her throat closing off.

She was going to cry. No, she couldn't. He would realize that this was more to her, he couldn't know about that, it was too humiliating. She wiggled out of his grip and darted to the bathroom.

"Is everything okay?", he asked her worriedly when she found a fresh toothbrush on the sideboard and began brushing her teeth.

"Yes", she reassured, mouth stuffed with toothpaste and her eyes brimming with tears, "I just had this taste in my mouth and I didn't want to kiss you smelling like a brewery"

He chuckled and she was glad that he believed her. Not that she was lying, she was just keeping a bit of the truth from him. She was going slightly crazy and it was better if he didn't know. He'd be terrified knowing he'd laid a total push-over idiot who'd fallen in love with him after five silly hours.

Rachel could hear Blaine fix up his suitcase and rinsed her mouth and face again, rubbing off the water with a white soft towel and searched for her eyes in the mirror.

Her make-up was a little smeared but nothing the towel couldn't rub off. Her cheeks were flushed, giving her rosy apple cheeks and she thought she looked presentable. She was crazy but at least that wasn't visible.

She produced a band from her jeans pocket and fixed her hair up in a bun, hoping he would still find her at least a little pretty like that. Normal and a little squishy in bright daylight. She thought how funny it was that Blaine had met her the one day she wasn't wearing a dress. He probably took her for a whole other person altogether.

Usually she was totally girly, dresses and bows and peter pan collars, vinatge stuff, the older the better but for karaoke she often liked to play around with a kind of tougher style. Blaine would never see her in her regular clothes. But maybe he wouldn't have found her appealing dressed like a toddler, as her brother liked to describe her style. Maybe he only payed attention to her because of her slutty clothes.

That thought made her hick-up again, rubbing off threatening tears and she scolded herself to keep it together. Blaine couldn't know of her distress. It didn't matter anyway anymore. What had happened happened and she would never find out if Blaine would have liked her under normal circumstances, no matter how badly she wanted to know.

When she stepped outside eventually, she found him sitting on the edge of the bed in front of two packed up suitcases and holding out her top for her. He watched her putting it on and then reached for her hand.

It was warm and a little sweaty but she didn't mind. He pulled her on to his lap so she straddled him and he put his forehead on her shoulder.

"I wanted to tell you that I don't usually dress so slutty", she informed him despite her resolve, immediately wanting to give herself a facepalm. Blaine chuckled.

"That's hardly slutty", he grinned, "It's very sexy"

"Well, then I usually don't dress so sexy"

"How do you dress usually then, Rachel?", he asked her with a smirk up at her.

"Dresses and bows", she stated, "Like a doll, says my Dad"

"Who ever told you that wasn't sexy?"

"Trust me, it really isn't sexy, I aim to dress like a candy cane", she joked half-heartedly, not really finding her humor.

"You could wear a potato sack and it would still be sexy as hell to me", Blaine whispered and kissed her.

She pushed up against him, tousling up his hair, parting his lips with her tongue and trying to put all she had left into that one kiss. He was taken aback but didn't flinch back, instead he pulled her closer yet and intensified the kiss until they were both out of breath and his pants were bulging again.

He huffed in frustration because he knew that they didn't have time for anything further. He seemed to hate it just as much as she did.

"Why did I fall asleep?", he asked as if that was the stupidest thing he'd ever done while Rachel sadly played with the little curls in his neck.

There was such grief in that moment, from both of them and it mingled into their breaths and motions, holding each other tight for longer than they should have and it was painful to part again, almost like tearing off a limb.

She looked at his eyes and saw a flicker there, something deep and telling and for a second, she believed that he felt the same way she did.

Maybe he'd even completely lost his head too but she knew better than to ask him about it. What good would it do? It would only make the whole thing more hurtful.

"It's time", she said and hated herself. He nodded ruefully and carefully put her back to her feet.

It was ten fifty when they exited the hotel, Rachel rolling the smaller of the trolleys behind her.

They took a cab to the airport and got there at exactly 11 am. They didn't speak much, just the logistics were spoken of. Blaine would check in the suitcases and Rachel would get coffee.

They would drink the coffee and then Blaine would have a little breakfast and go through customs at eleven thirty. They kissed quickly before they parted.

He wanted a regular tall black coffee with three packs of sugar, she kept repeating in her head so not to forget it, walking over to the nearest coffee shop and placing her order. There were people everywhere and many sported the same glum look she knew she wore. The look of impending separation. Of a long good bye and a longer time apart, in Rachel's case forever. She payed for the beverages and swallowed hard. It wasn't fair. She'd had years to fall in love with someone at home but then all it took was a stupid spontaneous night and she was in love with someone she couldn't keep.

Half of her wished she had never met him but that thought was the only thing worse than knowing he would be gone soon.

They met behind the check-in area and he took over his coffee gladly, entwining their hands as they walked to the little mall section leading to the custom sections.

"How much do I owe you?", he asked her as they sat down at a table in front of a fast food booth.

"Don't be silly", Rachel smiled sadly, "It's on me"

"Well, then I'll get the pastries for breakfast", Blaine said with a wink, forcing a grin that didn't reach his eyes and left her to buy a menu of the sweet breakfast option of the joint. Ten vital minutes of their time were wasted on that.

She had no appetite but she was hungry, so she ate a donut and a muffin without really tasting anything.

"I had a really great time last night", Blaine said, nibbling on his own donut.

"Me too", Rachel said, taking his free hand into her own.

"I'm gonna miss you"

"I'm gonna miss you too"

"But we'll stay in touch though, right?", Blaine asked, hopeful, "I mean, you got my facebook and we can skype and just...talk?"

Rachel sighed, "That never works out"

"I know", he laughed. It wasn't a happy laugh.

"Are you happy to go home?", Rachel wanted to change the subject, to think they had some sort of future beyond their encounter hurt because it was all gonna fall apart.

She would chat with him a few times, maybe even skype and then he would forget her and she would be even more heartbroken. That wasn't what she wanted. Better a clean cut now than dragging pain over months and months, waiting and hoping and praying to hear from him.

"I am but I'm not", Blaine answered and squeezed her hand, "You're really something else Rachel Berry"

He smirked that smirk again he'd sported the first time he learned her last name, at the check into the hotel. She'd asked him why he thought it was funny but he'd just shrugged, saying it was a cute name and it fit her well.

"You're quite unusual yourself, Blaine Anderson"

They smiled at each other, finishing their breakfast and quicker than each of them liked it was eleven thirty and Blaine couldn't drag out customs any longer.

After putting away their trays, they made their way to his terminal's custom gate, fingers entwined again. They were silent for the walk because speaking hurt.

There was no line at customs and Rachel cursed inwardly because that was just her luck. If there'd been a queue she could have stayed with him for a while longer but this way it was just no use.

They came to a halt a few steps from the waiting employees and Blaine took a deep breath before scooping her up into his arms, lifting her off her feet. She didn't want to cry but her resistance was low and he was so close and he held her and soon he would be gone. She couldn't hold back the hopeless sob that broke out of her, overpowering every resolve.

She shuddered against him as his hands closed tighter on her, desperate.

"Please don't cry", he begged with a dry and brittle voice, like he was close to doing the same thing.

"Boarding begins now for flight 307 London Heathrow to La Guardia, New York. Please all passengers report to terminal 4 for boarding flight 307, London Heathrow to La Guardia, New York. First Class boarding has begun", said a calm woman's voice through the PA system and Rachel cried harder.

Blaine set her onto her feet and cradled her head, kissing her blindly and she could taste salt on her tongue. Her tears only or some of his own, she wondered. This wasn't fair.

She wanted him so badly but she couldn't have him and the injustice clogged her throat as she tried to envelop his lips, taste him for one last time, grab him as close as possible.

They broke the kiss much too soon and she could see Blaine's eyes were wet, even though he hadn't cried like her yet.

He held her close, keeping his eyes locked on hers and whispered hoarsely.

"I know this never works", he started, "But I just can't..I can't walk away right now, knowing I'll never speak to you again. Please, please just promise me we'll talk?"

"Anything", Rachel promised, knowing it was a stupid idea but she agreed with him. She refused to let this be it. The next few weeks would suck and it would hurt in the end but this couldn't be the last she'd seen of Blaine Anderson.

"We'll skype", he promised, "Whenever we can"

She nodded and sniffed before he kissed her again, caressing her so softly, making it so hard to stand while his thumbs grazed tiny circles on her neck. He was so tender, so perfect.

She held on tighter just when she felt him pull away.

"I have to go", he muttered but didn't let her go for a while.

When he did, they were both breathing hard, fingers entwined and cheeks wet. He'd broken after all. He grinned with a pained grimace mixed in, wiping her face with the sleeve of his coat with one hand and squeezed hers with the other.

"I'll text you as soon as I'm home", he said and kissed her one last time.

She nodded because she didn't trust her voice to speak.

"You're so amazing", he said, speaking instead and then, slowly but still too fast he let her go, pushing her purse that had fallen off her shoulder back up, touching her cheek for the last time. She kissed his palm and then they weren't connected anymore.

Blaine walked backwards until he couldn't anymore and Rachel held a sad hand up, muttering "Bye" and he went through customs. She stayed rooted on the spot, waiting for him to wave one last time before he disappeared around the corner to catch his flight.

As soon as he was out of sight Rachel's vision clouded completely with bitter tears.

Blaine's lips were burning almost harder than his eyes, flaming with the memory of her there when he took his ticket out of his jacket pocket, getting into the boarding line.

He couldn't fathom the weight and intensity of his feelings letting her go like that. It didn't make sense, he only knew her some hours, just one wild perfect amazing night but when she had started sobbing in his arms he couldn't contain his own misery anymore.

It just wasn't fair. Why did he have to meet her here? Why now, why was she here and he was bound to go away? Why wasn't she a New Yorker girl? Why hadn't he been born in London? Why was it so hard?

Behind him, some elderly guy shuffled his feet, he smelled like pipe smoke and a little further in the line a child cried. Blaine went through the motions, showing his ticket, walking through the corridor to find his seat, far in the back by the window and stared outside glumly.

He touched the pane, imagining it was Rachel's skin. Why had he fallen asleep? He was such a tool, he could've had hours with her but he chose to fall asleep. His arms were throbbing with her not in them and what made it worse was that there was no cure inside. She wasn't there anymore and she wouldn't be any time soon, if ever.

He half wanted to run out of the plane just to be with her again but he couldn't do that. He had a life in New York, and Quinn and Beth. They were waiting for him and he had to go home.

Around him the seats were filling and then they were already rolling to the runway. Blaine swallowed hard when they took off, the wheels of the plane leaving British soil, leaving Rachel behind and Blaine put his face into his hands to keep fresh, angry tears from falling.

Chapter Six will be up after 10 reviews, tomorrow at the latest.