Disclaimer: I don't own GLEE or its characters though I wish I did.

Author's Note: Struggled with this chapter so it's another double update night. Hoping tomorrow will be triple or more but who knows! Anyways this is a BIG chapter so ENJOY!

She tries to calm her pounding heartbeat as she walks into the auditorium at 4pm that day, looking for him. He's no where to be found and she sighs, crossing her arms as she takes a wary step further, glancing out into the vast emptiness of the stage and hall. "Finn?" she calls suspiciously. "Are you here?"
She can hear a clatter from backstage before he jumps out from behind the curtains, surprise etched on his face. "Hey" he greets breathlessly. "I thought you'd be a bit longer."

Her stone cold mask does not falter as she eyes him with a quirked eyebrow. "You wanted to talk?" she presses wearily. "You have five minutes."

"Right" he says, gesturing for her to come closer. She purses her lips before obliging, striding up to the foot of the stage. "So..." he begins lightly. "How was your day?"

"If that's all you have to say, I have no idea what I'm doing here" she scoffs, ready to turn away.

"Wait...sorry" he murmurs. "I'm just nervous." Her face softens but she hides it by looking down at her feet. "Look...I'm sorry I called you a freak and said that stuff. It was just a lot to take in and I snapped. If what you said really happened, I'm sorry for leading you on." He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I have no idea what happened last night but I think I believe you." He pauses, swallowing nervously. "And I've been thinking a lot and I think I'm ready to try again...with us. I don't fully forgive you 'cause what you did really messed me up but I think we can try to start over." He nods resolutely. "You can be my girlfriend again and you can come back to Glee and we can be co-captains." He half-smiles proudly, satisfied with his speech.

She clenches her jaw angrily, shaking her head. "So I get to be your girlfriend again?" she hisses menacingly. He nods with a smile and she laughs mockingly. "You don't get it at all." His face falls as he furrows his brow in confusion. "You think because you said so, everything can go back to normal. Did you ever consider that I might not want to be your girlfriend again?"

His jaw drops open as he stammers in shock. "B-b-but you said today that we were in love" he exclaims flustered. "I said sorry! I thought that's what you wanted..."

She shakes her head, tears welling up from frustration. "Why don't you understand?" she asks, her voice wavering. "I've never wanted the title...I wanted you. That's all I wanted...all of your love. I didn't care about the frill of being Finn Hudson's girlfriend. I cared about us...I cared about you. But instead of getting your love, I got shafted. I got abandoned for your reputation.

"Did you ever think that maybe you hurt me? Maybe I felt insecure and unappreciated? You just watched everyone laugh at me. You listed my flaws daily. You checked out the Cheerios who make me feel so ugly. I did what I did because I felt so insecure and stupid for trusting you again. I knew I couldn't compete with Santana physically. You knew how I felt and instead of reassuring me, you just sat idly by. I screwed up and I took responsibilty for it but every mistake you made, you took advantage of my forgiveness. You never suffered. I worshipped you and you just walked all over me. I felt so stupid and ugly all the time with you. You never made me feel secure. And you never apologized for any of it."

She chokes on a sob, rubbing her face where tears burn hot streaks down her cheeks. "I can't do this anymore" she says emotionally. "When you left me, I was convinced that I deserved it and then you sang that horrible song and started dating the Queen of the bitches to rub salt in the wound. Then y-you called me a freak and made me feel even worse than I did before. I finally realized that I don't deserve this. I need to move on from you. But I can't do that when you're playing these stupid games when you know I still love you."

"Rach" he begs desperately, hopping off the stage and walking toward her. "I want to start again. I promise not to make you feel that way-"

"You still don't get it" she cries, shaking him off. She takes a deep breath, meeting his eye. "Do you know the bad 'Extreme'?"

He blinks in bewilderment. "Yes..."

"Do you know the song 'More than Words'?"

"Yes."

"Well maybe you should listen to that song again" she says, her voice breaking. "Then you'll understand. It's not about what you say. You could say anything. But what takes real guts and tells me that you really love me and want us to work is putting the words into action. Being consistent. Not caring about who's watching. Making sure I feel as loved as you do. Being considerate and selfless. That's what real love is. Looking back on our whole relationship, I came to the realization that you didn't feel a third of what I felt for you. I did everything for you and you did what you had to." She releases another sob. "I can't be with someone who can't love me the way I deserve to be loved. I was bossy and loud and selfish but when it came to you, I cared so much more about your happiness instead of mine."

She backs away, shaking her head. "I can't do it."

"Please, Rach" he pleads, running closer. He takes her into his arms and holds her close, begging for her to understand. "Please...I'll change...please. I love you. I love you so much...please..."

She slides out of his embrace and shakes her head again, her face crumpling when she sees the heartbreak on his angelic face. "Don't" she whispers. "Just let me go."

He freezes, his cinnamon eyes flooding with tears. She cries and cries as she flees, unable to take another moment. She shoves open the door with another weep, leaving his frozen frame behind.

She runs.

And she runs.

And she runs.

She tries to escape but she knows she never will.

"Saying I love you
Is not the words I want to hear from you
It's not that I want you
Not to say, but if you only knew
How easy it would be to show me how you feel
More than words is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me
Cos I'd already know
What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you..."

AN#2: PHEW! Sadness :( Song credit was obviously 'More than Words' by Extreme

Next Chapter: Rachel sees New Directions behind the scenes post her resignation (ooh!)

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