A/N: Thank you for reviewing/alerting! : ) This chapter is the Valentine's Episode, it will probably be two chapters. I haven't read any legit song spoilers for this ep, so aside from the episode title (Silly Little Love Songs) and the kissing booth, this chapter is pure spec.
I do not own Glee.
*2 weeks later*
Will Schuester strode down the hall with a scowl on his face, he wanted to rip every stupid red heart and lacy decoration off the wall. His glee club might be on it's way to mending, but his personal life was still a wreck. Valentine's Day this year was nothing but a reminder of how badly he had failed on every level. And now he had to give his already fragile club the bad news that they weren't going to Regionals unless they came up with $2,000 for transportation. Sue Sylvester had taken great pleasure in informing him that she had reserved the buses to take the Cheerios to a seminar on oral hygiene at Carl Howell's office on the same day as Regionals. He felt like everyone was lining up to kick him when he was down.
He pushed open the Glee door and took a deep breath.
"Alright, guys, quiet down. We need a fund raiser and since it's too cold for a car wash, it's time for another bake sale!" He smiled brightly, ignoring the chorus of groans from his students. "Now, we can hold it at lunch on Friday..."
"Mr. Schue!" Quinn interrupted. "I think I have a better idea!"
"Great. You're in charge of the fundraiser. Now, we still need our ballad for Regionals and as much as it pains me to say it, Valentines day is almost here, so we're doing love songs this week!" He was cautiously optimistic when no one objected, and since he couldn't keep up with who was with who anymore, he decided to make it easy on them. "You can work with whoever you want. No more than three of you in a group though, and everyone must perform by Friday. And that's all I've got for today. See you guys Wednesday."
Everyone started talking at once, trying to get into groups. Quinn didn't care about the assignment right then though, she needed help. She pulled Mercedes and Rachel aside.
"I need some help with the fundraiser plans." She said excitedly. "Every year the Cheerios do a huge Valentine's Day fundraiser..."
"Yeah, I know." Mercedes broke in, sourly. "That's the one where they sell those stupid carnations every year and all the Cheerios get a ton and I always get one from Kurt."
"Um, right." Quinn said, quickly. "Well, everyone buys into that mushy love stuff, but I think we could sell something better than flowers." She pauses for dramatic effect, feeling very Rachel Berry for a second. "Kisses!"
Mercedes and Rachel both looked really confused. "Uh uh, no way I am selling my kisses!" Mercedes shouted.
"Shh! No, not us!" Quinn laughed. "Them!" and she pointed to Finn, Puck, and Sam, who were all studiously trying to look at anything but each other, so they wouldn't have to sing a love song with another dude.
"I don't get it." Rachel said. She was not on board with Finn kissing anyone else, even if she didn't really have a say anymore.
"It's easy. We just need to decorate a table and advertise it. Think how much those girls will pay to get a kiss from a football player! And it'll just be a kiss on the cheek. No big deal right?"
Rachel sighed dejectedly. She wasn't so sure if a kiss on the cheek really meant nothing, but she didn't have any hold on Finn right now, or room to talk about kisses..."I guess it could work" She said slowly. "But why do you need us?"
"To decorate the booth of course!"
*Glee*
Finn was cautiously optimistic about Valentine's Day approaching. He and Rachel were doing really well with this friends thing. They walked to classes together and texted each other all the time. Of course, they never talked about anything important and they were never alone together, but that was coming. He could just tell. Right now, it was just nice to be able to text her when he wanted to talk to her. He hadn't realized how much he'd come to rely on her opinion the last year. They were being really careful with each other though. It was scary how much power she had to hurt him, and he didn't want to move to fast, because he was still reeling from that whole Puck thing.
He had thought today's Glee assignment would be perfect for them to get closer. They could sing a sappy love song and she'd remember how great it felt to be in love with him and he'd tell her he forgave her and everything would be perfect. He didn't like that pesky voice in the back of his head that reminded him there were things he needed to apologize for too. He was just gonna ignore that for now. And it didn't really matter anyway, because apparently she was singing something with Quinn, which was just really weird. He hadn't been able to talk to her after school, but he might text her later.
He opened his front door and saw his mom on the couch, crying.
"What's wrong, mom!" he said in a panic. But she just shook her head and laughed at him.
"Sorry, Finn, it's just this silly movie. Always makes me cry." Finn turned to look at the t.v. He remembered watching this movie with Rachel. And then he got an idea!
Later that night, he texted her. "can u meet me in the auditorium after school tomorrow?" She replied right away. "yes"
He started printing out music, he had to get this just right!
*Glee*
The next day, he didn't see Rachel at all during school. She spent all of her free time whispering with Quinn and Mercedes. She spent their whole lunch cutting out paper hearts and they skipped Glee altogether, completely missing Artie and Brittany's duet of "Silly Love Songs." He really hoped she hadn't forgotten about their "date".
He walked through the auditorium doors and she was sitting on the stage. He took a minute to just stare at her. She was so beautiful with the lights shining on her hair, she was made for the stage.
"Hey!" she says when she spots him. "What's up?"
"Well, Mr. Schue said we had to work in groups of no more than three, but he never said you couldn't work on two songs. So I was hoping you'd help me with my song."
"Um, I'm not doing a song with anyone yet." she laughed. "I'd love to help you." If she wasn't singing a song with Quinn, what the heck were they doing? But he didn't want to think about that now, because it was time to put his plan in action. He handed her some sheet music. Her eyes got wide, but she didn't throw it back at him, so he took that as a good sign. He had downloaded the karaoke version on his iPod. He could have asked for the band to back him up, but he was really hoping they could talk after this and he didn't want an audience for that. The music came on and he nodded for her to start.
I've been living with a shadow overhead
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just can't seem to move on
He moved closer to her and started the next verse.
I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need em again someday
I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind
All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
Oh oh oh
They were sitting side by side now, singing together.
I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine
I've been searching but I just don't see the signs
I know that it's out there
There's got to be something for my soul somewhere
I've been looking for someone to shed some light
Not somebody just to get me through the night
I could use some direction
And I'm open to your suggestions
All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart again
I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration
Not just another negotiation
And then he was just singing alone, and he look straight into her eyes, she had to know he meant this.
All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart to you
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do
And if you help me to start again
You know that I'll be there for you in the end
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
The music stopped and he set his sheet music down. He gently put his hand on her cheek. Her skin felt so smooth and she smelled so good. God, he'd missed her. He kissed her, gently at first and then harder. He tried to pour every ounce of regret and I'm sorry and I miss you that he felt into the kiss. He pulled back and was about to kiss her again when he realized she was crying. He wiped away a tear with the pad of his thumb.
"Oh, Finn. What are we doing?" she whispered. "I can't...I can't do this back and forth. It hurts to much. We hurt each other too much."
He sighed, but instead of pulling away, he dropped his hand to her waist and pulled her closer.
"Do you still love me, Rach?" He knew the answer, but he needed to hear her say it.
"You know I do." she whispered softly.
"Then we can get past it. I know we can." He kissed the top of her head. She felt so perfect in his arms, it was going to be hard to stay on track. But there were things he needed to tell her. "When...when I slept with Santana, it didn't mean anything." She started to speak but he kept talking. "No, I mean it really didn't mean anything. I felt like crap. I felt dirty. It wasn't special. It wasn't anything. Because it wasn't you. I regret everyday that I did it. And I hate that I didn't tell you. "
He looked over at her. She wasn't crying and she hadn't pulled away yet. That must be a good sign.
"Finn, I...I guess I was so mad about the whole thing, that I couldn't explain to you how I feel. I'm a nobody...no don't try to tell me otherwise. I'm not the quarterback, I'm not a cheerleader. I know who I am, but it's hard to cling to that everyday when no one else respects it. And for a little while, I had a taste of what it was like to be someone else. I didn't get slushied as often, I didn't get picked on as much, because I was Finn Hudson's girlfriend. And I was so damn proud of it, I wore it on my neck. And I believed you when you said you'd never break up with me. When you said you loved me for who I was, because at least one person saw me as something more than your accessory." He cringed, he'd never realized she'd thought of herself like that. He'd never seen her as that. She continued. "And then, when I found out the whole thing was based on a lie. That they were all laughing at me. I felt like I was drowning. And you, you didn't say any of the things I needed to hear. You just left me there. And Noah, he threw me a lifeline. For just a minute, I felt like someone wanted me for me. And then it just felt wrong, but it was too late."
"I didn't know, Rach." he said quietly. And he didn't know what to do now either. Because he couldn't change their minds. He couldn't make the whole school appreciate her talent. "I respect you. I love you. You're amazing and talented. I've never felt good enough for you. I didn't tell you, because I didn't want you to leave me. Because I know I'll never be able to find someone as special as you."
He leaned in to kiss her again, and she responded softly and then pulled away.
"Where do we go from here?" he whispered roughly.
"I don't know." She sounded so sad. "I just...I just need to think about it, ok?"
"Ok. I love you, Rach."
"I love you too." she said as she walked away from him. Then she stopped for a second. "Quinn's going to ask you for a favor tomorrow. Just do it, ok?"
He nodded. Then he lay down on the stage and stared into the lights, trying to figure out if his plan had worked or backfired.
A/N: The song in the last chapter was "Meet Me Halfway" by the Black Eyed Peas. "Silly Love Songs" is by Paul McCartney, it's not a duet, but it's a cute song. Finn and Rachel sing "Way Back Into Love" from the movie Music and Lyrics. I think that was from the "fake" song list that went around, but it's the perfect song.