Disclaimer: I only own Ava! Don't sue me, I have no money!

Author's Note: Review! My goal is 130 reviews after this chapter. ~Jackie

"Did Finn follow you?"

"Hmm?" I asked, looking up at Ava who was watching me do my makeup intently. It was the night of the dinner and I wanted to look good for Quinn's boyfriend. I puckered my lips and applied some clear gloss, smacking the top and bottom together so it would be even.

"You said when you were telling the story on Tuesday that you felt like you were being watched. So, did Finn follow you?" Ava gave me puppy dog eyes. "Please Mom! You haven't told me any for days!"

"Okay," I said, checking the clock. It was quarter to six, we had fifteen minutes. "Well, no, Finn didn't follow me. It was all in my head…"

For days, I saw him everywhere I went. I was convinced the coffee barista bore his likeness, I was sure the man who sat next to me on the subway had his eyes, I even briefly saw his face on Jesse's body when we went out for dinner once. Everywhere I looked, I saw Finn Hudson. It was like he was haunting me.

"Am I going crazy?" I would think. "Do I need to have myself institutionalized?"

However, I finally found a distraction: it was the day of the Aida cast list's posting.

Jesse dragged me through the streets, pushing and shoving past everyone, even once colliding me with a homeless man pushing a shopping cart.

"What the Hell Jesse!" I snapped, brushing myself off and wondering how dirty that guy had been.

"Sorry," He mumbled, opening the door to the theatre.

I walked slowly down the aisle, while Jesse practically sprinted. He found the list pinned up on the edge of the stage and scanned it quickly. Then, he was back up the aisle and hugging me. "You got it, Rachel! You're the new Aida!"

"I knew it!" Ava smiled. "I knew you'd get it! You're such a good singer!"

"Thanks, Ava Bear,"

Weeks passed. I was working hard on Aida and loving my first Broadway experience. It was a perfect distraction and I stopped seeing Finn. In fact, I almost forgot about the day that would've been my high school graduation, until someone from my past showed up.

I had been at my apartment, cooking a vegan stir fry for dinner and playing classical music on the radio. I was even dancing a little (well, more like swaying). As I put the pan on the stovetop, listening to Sinatra as well as the sizzle, I heard someone ring my doorbell.

"Coming," I called, walking to the door. Standing outside was a very familiar crying blonde…

Before I could tell anymore, the doorbell rang.

"Sorry," I said, getting up from my spot on the end of my bed to answer it.

Ava sighed. "Can you tell some more when everyone leaves?"

"Let's just focus on getting through tonight, okay?" I laughed. "Can you go check on dinner for me?"

"Yeah," Ava nodded, bounding off to our kitchen.

The doorbell rang again. "I'm coming!" I shouted, stomping over to the door and flinging it open.

"Hey Rachel," Brittany greeted, handing me a bouquet of purple flowers. "These are for the table,"

"Thank you," I said, sniffing them. "They smell divine! Come in, come in!"

"Oh, pretty!" Ava remarked as I handed the flowers to her. She swiftly removed the bow and placed them in a glass vase, which she then filled with water.

"What's for dinner, Berry?" Santana asked.

"Vegan meatballs and pasta with tomato sauce, a light side salad and a loaf of Italian bread from this charming little bakery down the block," I answered.

Santana snorted. "That's the kind of crap you're going to feed my possible fetus? No way, I need real meat!"

"You can suck it up for one night Santana!"

Then the doorbell rang again, and I let Kurt, Blaine and baby Autumn inside.

"How are you guys?" Kurt asked, moving Autumn from one arm to the other. She cooed and rested her head on her father's shoulder.

"We're managing," I laughed. "Santana thinks her possible pregnancy gives her an excuse to be difficult."

"Hormones!" Santana interjected, jutting out her mid section as if a baby bump would suddenly appear. Kurt and Blaine smiled, obviously finding her behavior amusing.

I sent Ava off to set the table and my friends settled on the couch, nitpicking the six o clock news. I sat diligently in front of the oven, watching dinner finish cooking. Then, the doorbell rang one more time, making Autumn start to cry.

Blaine stuck his head in the kitchen, the fussy baby being rocked in his arms. "Do you want me to get that on my way to change her?"

"I'll get it, Daddy," I said, playfully hitting him on the shoulder as I walked past. "Coming!" I called at the door, opening it.

Quinn was there, obviously. She looked very pretty, her blonde hair pulled back away from her face, her makeup simple, and she wore a pale pink silk dress that flowed from her skinny body. "Hi," She said. "Thanks for doing this, Rachel."

"No problem," I dismissed her comment with a wave of my hand. "So where's lover boy?"

"Ummm…parking the car."

"Why are you stuttering?" I asked. "Don't be worried, I'm sure we'll love him!"

"I know you'll love him…" Quinn whispered, her eyes settling at a spot on the floor.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing,"

"I don't think so,"

"Nothing!" She insisted.

"Seriously Quinn, tell me what's wrong."

"NOTHING!" She repeated.

"Lucy Quinn Fabray," I said sternly. "I am your best friend; I know when you are lying to me."

She bit her lip, getting nude lipstick on her teeth. I wiped it away gently. "Rachel, you're not going to be happy with who my boyfriend is."

"But you said I'd love him-"

Before I could finish, the door opened and I gasped. There he was in my doorway, dressed in a suit jacket and a pair of khakis Quinn had clearly forced him into, and having shaved his Mohawk, perhaps also by force.

My voice was shaky as I spoke. "Hello Noah,"