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Disclaimer: We've already covered that Glee isn't mine. Moving on to the chapter!

Chapter 13

Minutes passed slowly, Rachel growing drowsier by the minute. Could Finn have picked a more remote location? She glanced out her window, seeing wide open acres and clusters of trees whiz by as the limo sped forward. The only thing keeping her awake at this point was the idea of seeing Finn again. What did he have planned for her? What kind of surprise did he have waiting? Her heart was practically bursting in delight as she replayed the sign's words in her head. Love, Finn. Love. Did he love her? Or was she reading too deep into the message? Rachel sighed, leaning back, daydreaming of the amazing night she and Finn would spend...together.

As the limo slowly skidded to a stop, Rachel sprang up and tried to peer out of her window. The driver walked out and opened the door for her, helping Rachel step out of the vehicle.

Rachel looked around, turning her head in several directions to examine her surroundings. Despite the darkness, Rachel could tell that she was at Lima's nature reserve. She had been here so many times as a kid that she knew this place like the back of her hand. Her dads had taken her there ever since she could walk and they often pointed out all of nature's wonders. Great, tall pines and majestic oak trees forested the area. A plethora of flower species ranging from Rachel's favorite orchids to the reddest of red roses to the purest white lilies were scattered around the park. There was even a raging river nearby with a wooden bridge connecting the two banks where visitors could come and enjoy the view. Rachel had a lot of great memories at this place.

Feeling a tug on her arm, Rachel realized that the driver was trying to tell her something.

"Follow me," he muttered harshly and Rachel willingly obliged, tagging along by his side. Only a few streetlights provided a source of illumination on the dark paved road, the rest was all black from the night sky. Rachel felt a chill in the air, wishing she had brought a jacket along. Maybe Finn will keep me warm, she thought optimistically, thinking back to the time when Finn had come over to her house. The driver led Rachel towards a rocky gravel path, trees surrounding both sides, almost as if they were about to enter a thick dense jungle. She trotted in her chauffeur's shadow, stumbling on random twigs and bushes that had grown over the stony road. What in the world was Finn thinking when he chose this place? Rachel wondered as she tripped over a rather large log blocking the path.

After a few silent minutes of just following the driver (not to mention almost falling over more than a couple times), Rachel piped up, "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise. Did you not read the sign?" he spat out irritated.

Rude much? she thought, raising her eyebrows, but paid no further attention to the driver. She was going to see Finn and that was all that mattered.

A little while later, Rachel found herself walking on top of the wooden bridge, crossing the wide river below. The waves crashed down angrily, battering the banks, spewing white foam up in the air. The harsh wind all of a sudden picked up speed, the driver smiling. It was almost too perfect. The fierce current surged downstream, sweeping up and carrying everything in its sight.

Rachel nearly bumped into the driver when he stopped abruptly in his tracks.

She furrowed her brow and tapped her chauffeur on the shoulder, "Excuse me. Why did we stop?"

The driver spun around, a maniacal laugh escaping his lips, sending chills down Rachel's spine. Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

She screamed at him in dread, slowly backing away, "Where's Finn?"

"Finn isn't here you bitch."

In one swift movement, Seth lunged at her, grasping Rachel's arms in his hands. Immediately sensing that she was in danger, Rachel struggled to get out of his death grip, desperately trying with all of her might to wriggle and squirm her way out. She managed to snake one arm free, her mind shouting in triumph, but her victory was short lived as Seth slapped her hard across the cheek. Rachel felt her cheek sting and instinctively raised her hand to touch it.

That's when Seth made his move. When Rachel was distracted for that split second, he shoved her against the railing of the bridge so that half of her upper body was hanging dangerously over the edge. Then with a great deal of strength, he lifted Rachel very slightly off the ground but slightly enough so that she was starting to lose her balance. Balling his free hand in a fist, Seth whacked Rachel right in the chest, sending her falling over the bridge and plunging into the violent river below.

Seth brushed his hands together, smirking. That would do it. There were no cameras here. He was home free! And with that Seth stealthily left the scene, jumping back into the limo, without one ounce of guilt in his whole body. Jacob would surely be proud of him now. Seth felt rather content with his job well done, chuckling as he drove away. Hey, he thought, that wasn't too bad after all…

Meanwhile, Rachel pierced the surface of the water, surprised at how deep the river actually was. Flailing her arms didn't help much as she plummeted deeper into the freezing dark water. The strong current suddenly advanced, powerful waves crashing over her, drowning her with every strike. Her face managed to break the surface and she took a deep breath only to be swept away under the water once more. Blackness clouded her vision; there was no light to guide her, no one to save her. She was alone, battling a river that had no intention of slowing down any time soon. The current thrashed, throwing Rachel around like a rag doll, pummeling her in every direction. She propelled her body forward again and snagged a breath of fresh air but was almost instantly submerged back under the water, left to fight the brutal waves washing over her. She heard the thundering rush of water over her ears, and panicked, jerking her arms and legs in a frenzy. Struggling to hold her breath, Rachel knew she had to protect that precious reserve of oxygen in her mouth at whatever cost.

WHAM.

She felt her knee give way as it slammed into a boulder, gasping as water poured into her mouth. She cried out in pure anguish, bubbles escaping her lips. Her head rose from the surface as she violently coughed up water and tried to force air down her lungs. But the unrelenting river did not hesitate to pull her back under, this time the current picking up speed. She tried to shout, to cry for help but only a strangled, muffled wheeze seemed to exit her lips.

A giant wave towered over Rachel, sending her flying downstream at a rapid rate. She took a harsh blow to the side as her hip made contact with another large rock. Screaming in pain, Rachel quickly snatched a short breath before being pounded back under the surface. She tried to paddle her way to shore, furiously kicking her feet and swinging her arms but she could barely distinguish which way the banks were. Rachel felt like she had been thrown into a washing machine set on spin, endlessly rotating and being hammered around and around, again and again. She felt lost and confused, unsure of which direction led where. Struggling to fight the current, Rachel reached her arms out hoping to feel land at her fingertips, but instead found herself trapped in a boundless sea of water. There was no way out.

The bitter cold of the water froze her clothes to her skin, her mind paralyzed, her body completely numb. After fighting for so long, Rachel contemplated giving up for a short-lived moment; it would be so much easier to simply succumb to the power of the river...

Rachel rose, attempting to grab another breath of air, but instead felt her head smack against a rock that had been veiled by the darkness. Disoriented and confused, she saw a sudden burst of color, leaving as quickly as it came, excruciating pain exploding from her temple. The current continued to drag Rachel's limp form down, sweeping her away as if she was just another rotting log.

Engulfed by the river, Rachel tried to tell herself not to breathe but the need grew stronger, rising up from within her. She willed herself to suppress her need for oxygen, giving one last metahuman effort to try to save her life.

But as the demand for air pinched at her chest and then her throat, Rachel found herself involuntarily opening her mouth and nose. Cold water rushed in, flooding her lungs and entering her nostrils. A pain beyond anything Rachel had ever experienced burst inside her, limiting her from doing anything. Her hands reached for her throat, grasping it in a futile attempt to remove the water she had just swallowed.

Rachel felt her body fade into a comatose state, exhaustion and fatigue taking over. She arched her back and floated along, letting the icy river take over. After tackling it for so long, she couldn't fight any longer, she couldn't beat the current. Her brain sent signals to her body, telling it to shut down.

And so she did.

And she gave in to the river.

I'm really sorry to leave you with 1) a short chapter and 2) that cliffy for three weeks but I promise promise promise the next chapter will be worth the wait. I hope you liked this chapter. As wrong as this sounds, I really enjoyed writing it xD I know, back away now while you still can... but this won't turn out to be a "torture Rachel as much as you can" story because there's only so much a girl can take! (I hope it doesn't seem like it is... :/)

Thanks for sticking with this story! The ride isn't over yet folks :) Review if you liked/didn't like or if you want to read more please!

Ciao and love to all,

Saphizz