"Finn, wait up!" Rachel called out.

He was already half way down the street by the time she took off after him, and his long legs were increasing the distance between them quickly.

"Finn..." she called again, breaking out into a jog. "Please..."

He stopped, but didn't turn around. By the time Rachel reached him she was breathing heavily.

"Finn... please... I... we need to talk about this," she panted.

"About what Rachel? What is there to talk about?" he responded, his back still to her. His voice sounded thick and it was laced with anger.

"Finn..." she said, reaching out to touch his arm, "I'm..."

"You're what Rachel? You're sorry? Save it," he said forcefully, spinning around to face her. His eyes were wide and shiny with the threat of tears.

She jerked her hand back as if she'd been stung.

"I am sorry that you're hurting Finn," she said, struggling to keep her voice even. She saw the spark of hope in eyes, and knew this was going to be painful, "but I'm not going to apologize for being here with Puck."

The thought of Puck made her cringe. The look on his face when she left had been lethal. She hoped she'd be able to make him understand why she'd done it.

"Then why are you out here with me? If he's the one you want, why did you come after me?" he said, stepping towards her and taking her hand.

With a sigh, Rachel pulled her hand away and wandered over to the bench swing in a nearby yard. She was suddenly exhausted, and she plopped down on the wide seat. Staring at her feet, she pushed back slightly with her toes and the swing rocked gently back and forth.

Finn walked over and hesitantly sat down next to her, folding his hands in his lap.

"Just tell me why, Rach," he said softly.

"Because I don't want to hurt you, I care about you..." she replied.

"What if I wasn't with Quinn? What then?"

"It doesn't matter Finn, because you are with Quinn."

"But if I wasn't, you know, hippo... hippo... what's the word?"

"Hypothetically," she said with a small smile.

"Yeah, hypothetically, if there was no baby, no Quinn, what then?"

She could lie to him, she thought. It would be easier that way. There was a Quinn, and a baby, so she didn't need to hurt him by telling him the truth. She looked up, meeting his eyes, but she couldn't make herself say the words.

He studied her carefully, searching her face for the answer. When his shoulders slumped, she knew he understood.

"You really like him, huh?"

She nodded.

"Wow." he said, leaning back with a look of shock on his face. "I honestly didn't see that one coming."

"Me either," she replied, laughing with relief.

"And Puck? How does he feel?"

She shrughed, "I'm not sure."

Finn looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think he feels the same way."

"Huh? You think he's not sure about me?"

"No," he replied, with an odd smile. "I think he really likes you. He may not realize it, but I think he does."

"Oh?" she said hopefully.

"Yeah..."

They talked for a few more minutes, and then Finn walked back towards the party. Pausing one house away, he wrapped her in his arms and gave her a hug.

"Go on now," he said to her when he let her go.

"You aren't coming?"

He shook his head.

Walking up the front path, she looked back at him and gave him a radiant smile.

"Thanks Finn, for everything." Without waiting for a reply she bounced up the stairs, and into the house.

Finn stood staring for a few minutes, not trusting himself to move. It took everything he had not to run after her. He hated Puck at that moment. Finn had always been the good guy, so how had his best friend, the asshole, ended up with the one girl he really wanted?