A/N: Not much to say except thank you for all the reviews and favorites, etc! It means a lot to me! :)

New Years Eve, 2017.

Rachel was sitting around Puck's house that evening; he and Sam decided to throw a New Year's Eve bash. Rachel had flown back to Lima on her paycheck money to celebrate Hanukkah with her father's and come Christmas; she spent it in Los Angeles with Quinn's family. Tina had gone back to Lima for Christmas, and though Rachel wished she could've stayed longer she knew there was no way work would let her have that much time off, especially with the crazy crowd of last minute Christmas shoppers. Thankfully, Hanukkah was in the middle of December, but she still had a hard enough time as it was getting that off. She only got four days, and she made the most of it by flying out; even though it felt like hardly enough time. She had promised her father's she would be back as soon as she could.

Her daddy was doing much better now and he had returned to work which made Rachel feel a lot better about being away. Her dad had told her that he was eating better and taking walks daily. This was good. Her worry about what happened the previous months before decreased significantly. Her life overall was content, except maybe the whole audition part. She was still auditioning for things in Los Angeles, despite no agent. She was unsuccessful. Either she wasn't what they were looking for, or didn't have the look they had in mind. It was both infuriating and depressing, and it hurt a whole hell of a lot worse when no one was there to comfort her.

As she sat there in the living room, she couldn't help but feel awkward without Finn, though she was surrounded by good company. She had a glass of wine in her hand and she sloshed it around the cup gently as her mind got lost in the thoughts of Finn. He had a show tonight, and he was in Indianapolis, meaning he was three hours ahead of the time she was in. It was eight in Los Angeles, meaning it was eleven where he was. She sighed. He should be getting done with the show at any moment, which means she would surely get a call soon. She told him that if he had time to Skype before midnight, Eastern Time, that they would all celebrate with him. Puck and Sam thought the idea was cool, so they all agreed to it. She had a feeling that by three in the morning where he was, he wouldn't be awake to celebrate it with all of them. However, there was no confirmation on Finn's end.

"Hey pretty girl." Sam said, sitting next to her. "You okay?"

"Oh. Yeah, I'm fine." Rachel said, looking up from her glass. "Just thinking."

"This place is quieter isn't it?" Sam noted.

Rachel chuckled. "Well not with all these people around, but in general I'm sure it is."

"Oh yeah. No shenanigans from Jeremy and Finn makes for one quiet household." Sam said. "Though Puck still keeps it interesting." He added.

Rachel smiled. "Oh, I believe it."

Sam smiled at her. "Hey, at least your halfway there now right?"

Rachel nodded. "I know but it's not that. Well it is but I'm just thinking of everything else." She and Sam had gotten increasingly closer since she first met him, but she still didn't know him well enough to open up to him about everything. He was friendly though, and that's something she appreciated. He was currently seeing someone too, Mercedes Jones. She wasn't there yet, but she would be later. Rachel had met her once, and she seemed just as friendly as he, though slightly more intimidating.

Sam nodded. "Well, I don't want to be a bother. You thinking about singing later though?" he asked as he stood.

Rachel looked up at him with a shrug. "I suppose I could."

"I think you should." He said with a smile. "From what I've heard, your voice seems to be quite the winner."

Rachel smiled. "Thanks." And just like that Sam was gone. She had contemplated singing since she heard they wanted her to, but at that exact moment, she didn't feel like she was up for it. Maybe it was because she was sitting there overanalyzing her past year, or maybe it was because without Finn there, she felt empty. Whichever it was, she wasn't even sure what song to sing. Quinn had suggested the all too common Auld Lang Syne and though it wasn't a terrible idea, she wanted to sing something different.

However, when they talked her into singing, that's exactly what she decided to sing. Sure, it was common, but she wasn't up for anything upbeat or anything depressing. Auld Lang Syne was the perfect song for her mood, and for the evening after all.

When she finished singing, loud clapping erupted from the room as she smiled at mostly unfamiliar faces. Her mood lifting almost instantly due to the clapping, she forced Tina and Quinn to join her for more karaoke. They had agreed, mostly from being slightly tipsy and the three began to belt out random songs they could think of, bursting into laughter sporadically.

000

"Get ready!" Quinn yelled, running up to her, grabbing her shoulders, shaking her lightly. "Here! Here!" She added, handing her a new glass filled with champagne. There was only two minutes left before the New Year arrived, and though everyone around her was filled with an odd excitement, she couldn't get herself on their level. She was excited to leave this year behind, but it wasn't a big deal to her. She hadn't heard from Finn all evening, and though she found that odd, she didn't want to worry. Maybe he was out with the guys, doing something fun since she knew it was way past midnight there. People were prying her to call him earlier, but she shook it off, not wanting to pester him.

"Ten…nine…eight…." Everyone began to yell. Rachel smiled as she looked around the room briefly. She joined in on the count.

"Three…two…one…Happy New Year!" Everyone yelled as people around her embraced, kissing their significant others and making toasts. Rachel drank her champagne as she closed her eyes, wishing Finn was there with her. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised as both Quinn and Tina approached her, giving her a kiss on each of her cheeks causing her to laugh loudly.

When she was finished saying Happy New Year to everyone, she headed to the kitchen to grab the bottle of champagne that she agreed to go get. Her phone began to go off in her jeans pocket and she smiled, already knowing who it was.

Smiling at the sight of Finn's face she unlocked her phone, answering it quickly as she held the phone up by her shoulder, her hands around the bottle. "I can't believe you're awake." She said without saying hi.

"Of course. I just slept for the past few hours so I could do this." Finn said. He sounded exhausted. Wait, was he sick? His voice sounded slightly different to her. It was odd to her that she even caught onto something like that so quickly. "Happy New Year!" he then said, sounding more excited.

"You too. Even though it's three where you are, isn't it?" She asked. She leaned against the counter, smiling while he talked, her hands releasing the bottle as she held the phone, trying to tune out the commotion going on in his living room.

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter. Are you with Sam and Puck?" He then asked.

"And about ten billion other random people. Feels strange being here without you." She said quietly.

"Nah. I'm there in spirit." He said simply before coughing.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked curiously.

"Yep, fine." He replied shortly.

"You sound like you're getting sick." She said informatively.

"No, no. I'm fine." He lied.

"Are you lying to me, Finn?" Rachel then asked. She looked down at the ground as she spoke.

"No, Rach. I'm fine." He said reassuringly. He had been feeling sick the past few shows, but he wasn't terrible and he had been put on a special diet filled with vitamins to hopefully boost his immune system once more. He wasn't used to this constantly being on the move thing. They were headed towards Detroit now, for their show on New Year's Day and the only thing he wanted to do was get plenty of rest so he could perform at his best.

She frowned before changing the subject. "So, did you ring in the New Year there? Watch the ball drop? Something like that?"

She looked up, seeing Quinn standing there. "I'll just take this." She whispered, grabbing the bottle heading out. "Hi Finn!" She then called out towards the phone.

"Quinn?" he then asked.

"Yep." She said.

"I don't want to bother you, if you want to get back with them all go ahead." He said, coughing lightly once more.

"I want to talk to you." She said with a pouted tone.

Finn laughed. "Oh. To answer your question, no. The guys went out to a bar and I stayed back and slept. So no, no huge celebration here. Now we're on the road, I was sleeping when we left."

"Why didn't you go? It's because you're sick isn't it?" Rachel said loudly, the conversation now forming a full circle.

"Rachel, it's so minor…." Finn began.

"Why couldn't you have just said you were?" Rachel then asked.

"I don't want you to worry about me."

"I do twenty four seven anyway." She replied.

"Why am I not surprised to hear that?" Finn said with a chuckle.

Rachel sighed. "I just can't wait for you to come back."

"Me either baby. Are you staying there for the night?" He then asked. "If you've been drinking, you better."

Rachel smiled to herself. "I wasn't going too but hmmm…" she paused. "I could. It'd be weird sleeping in your bed without you though."

"Oh no. That wasn't an invitation to sleep in my bed. Just the couch or something." He replied sarcastically.

"Well in that case, what you know won't hurt you." She said. "Except it would be ten times better if you were there with me."

"Oh yeah?" Finn asked. He could hear her playful tone through the phone.

"Mhmmm." She replied, biting her bottom lip. "Guess it's just going to be me, my necklace and your shirt in that large bed tonight."

Finn sighed. "Stop teasing."

Rachel laughed. "At least you come home in a month."

"I can't wait." He replied.

"Finn!" Puck yelled as he entered the kitchen. "Give me the phone for a minute." Puck said, grabbing the phone out of Rachel's hand. He was obviously tipsy, but Rachel didn't mind.

"Finn my dude." Puck said into the phone. "Guess what? We did the craziest thing yesterday that I have to tell you now. Quinn said Rachel was on the phone with you, but this can't wait any longer. So if you climb out of your window onto the roof you know, you can jump into the pool."

He listened a moment before replying, Rachel's arms crossed as she watched him, amused with what he was saying.

"No not from your window exactly, you walk down a little bit and then jump on over you know, so that you're on the roof above the living room." Puck paused. "Well fuck yeah it's dangerous, but you just don't jump into the shallow end of the pool dumb shit."

"Don't call him names." Rachel said as Puck looked at her.

"She said not to call you names." Puck then said into the phone before laughing. "But seriously, you have to try this when you get back if it's warm enough. It hurts like a bitch but it's sort of exhilarating." He paused. "Yeah it's not that warm here but that's not the point." Another pause. "I promise I'll show you the obstacle course. And I'll kick your ass in duty tomorrow. Yeah man, hit me up when you're ready for the smackdown. Later bro." He said handing the phone back to Rachel. "Sorry about that." He said before walking away.

"Finn?" Rachel then asked.

"He's such an idiot." Finn said. "Did you witness him do that?"

"Nope. First time I've ever heard about that one."

"Fucking moron that's so dangerous. The pool isn't that deep." Finn said. He loved Puck's crazy antics, but that had to have been one of the dumbest things he's ever heard in his life, though it did sound pretty interesting. Puck, Jeremy and he always went through with dumb ideas like that anyway, it made their time at home interesting. Sam would always join in after being talked into it. He was the voice of reason within the four.

"Please don't try it then." Rachel said. "As cool as it may sound."

"I'll worry about it another time."

"Finn." Rachel said sternly.

"Okay, okay."

"You're too big of a person and I don't want to see any broken bones on you for doing something ridiculous like that."

"Alright, master." Finn joked before hearing Rachel let out a loud sigh. "Rachel, relax. I was kidding. I won't do that. I wouldn't do that."

Rachel rolled her eyes. She knew he would try it when he got back just without her being aware of it.

They talked for a bit longer before Finn forced her off of the phone, saying his eyes could no longer stay open. He also wanted Rachel to go back and rejoin everybody, though she knew she was ready to call it a night.

"I'll call you first thing tomorrow." Finn had said. "I love you, baby. Happy New Year."

"I love you too. Goodnight." She said before hanging up.

It wasn't long after that she received a text from Finn. "PS, this is going to be your year. Make it your bitch."

Rachel smiled before walking out to where everyone was now watching the television screen, a heated game of Mario Kart going on.

She sat down next to Tina as she began to watch too. She'd go to sleep in a bit.

000

Rachel woke up the next morning in her own bed. She hadn't drank a lot so she decided to go home, knowing sleeping in Finn's bed may only make things worse at this point. She was so close to the finish line, why go back to step one now? She had a rough time the entire first week he was gone, but after establishing a routine she learned to adjust.

She saw a text from Finn and she glanced at the clock. It was already mid afternoon in Michigan, it being only ten in the morning in California. 'Babe, I think something really really great is about to come your way.'

Rachel's brows furrowed as she typed a quick reply. 'What? I'm lost.' She read it over a few times in her head. That didn't make any sense.

'You'll see in a few days.' Was all he sent back.

'Wow, you can't just do that.'

'I just did ;) I'll call you after setup before you head to work. Love you!'

Rachel frowned, throwing her phone to the side after sending a sad face, saying she loved him too. She had to work later that evening, but she didn't mind night shifts. Her four to eleven would be far nicer than four in the morning. She sighed as she sat up. If 2018 was like this for the next twelve months, then she wouldn't be impressed. She'd worry about Finn's text later on when he had a chance to explain himself.

A/N: I think this is a good place to leave off for now :) Next chapter hopefully in a few days!