A/U: Sorry it took me a while to update this. I have been toying with this chapter for a couple of weeks.

As always I don't own Glee

Chapter 3: The Dream.

It was a normal day, nothing special about it. Rachel was walking the streets of New York, she had been living here for about 5 years now, but yet she hadn't explored very corner that NYC has to offer. These where the streets Rachel was born to walk, destined to. She loved New York, she loved the dirt, the smell and Broadway, Broadway was Rachel's life. Broadway was the reason was alive; what she was born to do and one day she'll be collecting her Tony award and giving her emotional speech. She loved Times Square, the madness and of it all. The food stands. Every little pieces of dust, she loved and adored.

Rachel was walking with a purpose, there were places she needed to be, people she needed to see. That's another thing that she loved that people actually liked her here, unlike back home where she was taunted every day for being different, because when you are different you are weird and not normal and unfortunately Rachel fell into that category. "Manhands, RuPaul and the diva freak." Just a selection of what Rachel was called. She used to cry every night, she tried with all her might to not let them get to her, but it's hard when it happens every night. In person and over the internet. But not anymore, Rachel can hold her head high because she made it. She has left Lima and not looked back once. Her life had been a success. With Rachel starting workshops for a brand new musical next week, expected to be the next big thing in the Broadway World. Her life couldn't have turned out any better!

Next thing Rachel knew she ran into a man. Knocking them both to the ground with the man taking the brunt of the fall almost as if he was protecting Rachel. A man who had at least a foot on her, his amber eyes looking dark and confused, a small cut on his left cheek with dry blood surrounding it. He was in trouble. She could tell, she wanted to be mad at him but she couldn't, in fact she wanted to help him, she had this overwhelming pit in her stomach which was telling her "help him!"

"I'm sorry; I really really have to go!" The man said letting a single tear run down his cheek, the salt stinging his cut.

Rachel moved her thumb to his eye, taking away any tears that nearly threatened to drop. She knew right there and then that she needed to help him. "Get up, we're going," she spoke strongly.

She took his hand in her, using all her strength to help pick him up. She ran. She ran as fast as she could never letting go of his hand, never wanting to. He was tense, he was holding back for some reason, like he didn't want to help himself. "What are you doing, we need to run!" Rachel screamed not sure as to what to. What you do with a guy you just met, who has given up? How do you motivate someone to care about his live? There was one option but she didn't know if it would work. It was worth a try-right? Worth trying to save man's live. So she leant up, onto her tiptoes and kissed him. Nothing major, just brushing against his lips really. She whispered in his ear "now you have something to fight for."

It worked to some extent, he ran a bit faster, held her hand tighter but he was still silent about from the initial conversation. They finally reached her apartment. They were safe- at least Rachel thought they were safe but you couldn't be too sure- she locked up her door and barricaded it as much as she could.

"Rachel Berry and you are?" Rachel asked her tone a bit harsh.

Yet again, nothing. Silence. It was like he had lost the ability to talk.

"Listen, if you want me to help you, you're going have to tell me what the hell is going on! You can't just sit there with your head in hands. If this is really serious, you'll have to go to the police. They can stop this, get rid of the people or person after you. But until you tell me nothing will happen. I don't appreciate you staying silent while I am standing here trying to help you!" Rachel spoke deadly harsh now. She didn't get the fact that some sort of help is standing right in front of him but yet he still isn't grasping it with both hands, she just didn't get it.

"Finn."

"Ok. I guess that somewhat progress. I'm going need more though." Rachel said loosing up her voice.

"I'm Finn Hudson. I am on the run. After I finished high school, I never got into to college; I sent my application forms into late. My last year of high school was hard, I found out that my dad got dishonorably discharged from the army and became a drug addict that didn't support my mom or me. He died from a drug overdose. I tried everything to get that overturn: phone calls, letters you name it I tried it. After I never got in to college, I signed up for basic training. I suppose it was trying to get my dad's honor back. I disappointed everyone with that last year of high school but I mainly disappointed myself. Maybe if I got my head out of my ass maybe I could have done something. I'm not saying that serving for the army isn't something. It clearly is. But it all could have ended so differently. They cut my hair and they worked me hard, harder than I had ever worked before. It was the hardest eight weeks of my life." Finn told her leaving out one major detail.

Bang. Bang. Bang. "Hudson, you son of a bitch. I know you're in there! Come out before I knock this door down."

Rachel was scared out of her mind now. She rang the police. Now she us just praying to God that they get here before anyone gets hurt. They had found her apartment. There was no way out, they were going have to face it together. She took his hand in hers; squeezing it as hard as she could and let out a barely audible "It's ok. We can do this."

The door was down and 3 men enter the room. They were tall, very heavily built. No emotion between the eyes. 3 rifles locked in her arms.

"This could go one way or another Hudson. You give us what we want and nobody has to get hurt. Or you don't and you both die." The man spat. Venom spewing from every word.

"I told you, I haven't got it! I have never had it!" Finn roared stepping in front of Rachel, he didn't want her getting hurt. She had nothing to do with this. This was not her fight."

Then the sounds of police faintly caught everyone's ears. They were safe. The police was here, they couldn't hurt them now.

They were scrabbling. Collecting themselves together before they left the room.

"Oh my God, we're safe it's over." Rachel cried.

"Wouldn't count on it."

Bang.

Then there's blood, lots of it. Everywhere: on the floor, their clothes and everywhere else possible.

Finn stubbles back into Rachel. His breath heavy, he'd been shot. Right in the stomach.

By this time the man had gone fled the scene. Rachel's heart pounded as the tears started flowing down her cheeks. She felt so helpless, she couldn't help him. There was no time to ring an ambulance. He was already gone Rachel knew that.

She kissed him one last time one full of emotion. Even though she had only knew this man for merely a few hours, she felt connected to him in some strange way, she left that she was losing something inside of her.

She laid him on the floor, not daring to stray far away from where he was shot, so the police would have an accurate account of what happened.

Pain, an earth shattering pain, ran throughout her body. He's gone. Dead. She watched as he took his last breathe, blood running down his lifeless body. His whiskey colored eyes begging Rachel to help, but how could she? All Rachel could do was screaming, scream like it was her life she was losing, like she was in danger.

Thank you for reading! I hope it was worth the wait! If you want to leave a review you can leave it here or via my twitter iheartsarfati or my tumblr: iheartleamsarfati.

Until next time.