Hi! Thanks for all your support on the last few chapters. I really appreciated what you guys have to say. This is one of my favorite Season 1 Episodes, so I was excited to get inside Finn and Rachel's heads for it in this chapter. I extended several of their scenes and added some things in rather than writing whole new scenes because there was so much to work with! And of course, this had one of my favorite Finchel songs! I haven't been getting many reviews on this lately, so PLEASE review if you enjoy this and want me to keep going! This is how we keep Finchel alive.
Chapter 5: The Rhodes Not Taken
"Finn Hudson, report to the guidance counselor's office."
Some students in Finn's math class snickered as the announcement came over the loudspeaker. Finn felt his face growing hot as he left and walked to the office, where Miss Pillsbury was waiting. "So... have I done something wrong... or... ?"
"Oh, no," Miss Pillsbury said. "No, no. Absolutely not. No, um, actually, I've just, um, taken a special interest in you. Look, I know sometimes that life can come at you pretty fast, and, uh, you reach a point where you might just need a little, um, special guidance."
"Has someone told you something about my personal life?" Finn asked. Had Quinn told her about the baby?"
"No," Miss Pillsbury repeated. "But you know, there are very few students that ever get athletic scholarships. Okay? But there are a lot of schools that give full rides to students who excel in music. Students like yourself. And I don't know, maybe if you were able to go to college, you wouldn't, say, end up stuck in this town in a dead-end job living hand- to-mouth with a wife and a kid you never intended to have, you know? For example. That's just something off the top of my head."
Now Finn was sure Quinn had said something. "But we lost Rachel. Do you think we can do it without her?"
"Sure," Miss Pillsbury said. "Definitely. But if you're concerned about your future and, um, those who may be a part of your future soon, um, maybe you could just give Rachel a talk. You know, see if you can get her to come back."
She knew about Quinn, Finn was sure. He didn't want to say anything just in case. However, he decided to focus on the last thing Miss Pillsbury said to him. He was going to get Rachel back - and he was going to do it right this time.
x
Rehearsals for the play hadn't been fun. Mr. Ryerson was unbearable in glee club, and he was unbearable in rehearsals too. He was always insulting her and trying to degrade her talent.
That reporter from the school paper was just creepy. How would her bra help him with his article? God, why couldn't Finn be attracted to her instead? Speaking of Finn... there he was.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Finn asked as he came into the room Rachel had been practicing in.
Rachel tried to hide how happy she was to see him. "Nothing. Uh, just... getting the star treatment I didn't get in Glee."
"Totally," Finn said.
"It's times like this where I know I've chosen the right path. I'm never going back to Glee. It's clear my talent is too big for an ensemble." Rachel was hoping that Finn would tell her how much he missed her and ask her to come back.
"Not gonna get an argument from me," Finn agreed.
"I'm not?" Darn.
"No. You're, like, the most talented person I know," Finn said. "Even more than that guy at the mall who can juggle chain saws. I just wanted to let you know that if you need someone to run lines with, I'm available."
He thought she was talened? He wanted to spend time with her? Wow. "There is a lot of dialogue," Rachel managed to say.
Finn gave Rachel a look. God, he turned her on. "I figured... we could go somewhere quiet, maybe with low lighting and... Let me know."
"Maybe tomorrow in here after rehearal?" Rachel asked.
"That sounds good," Finn said. "I'll see you then."
"I can't wait," Rachel said, meaning it.
x
The next day, Finn stayed true to his word, and the two of them stood in the choir room. Rachel had handed Finn a script and began reading her lines. "I'm sleeping with him," she read. How she wished she and Finn were... maybe not sleeping together, but doing things together.
"So am I," Finn read. He looked up from his script. "This play's weird."
"That's Mr. Ryerson's favorite line," Rachel told Finn. "You're a really good actor, Finn. Maybe you should consider joining the musical."
Finn shrugged. "I'm pretty devoted to Glee. I don't think I could just walk away from it. I know how hard it was for you. But I could justify doing both if you came back. But we both know that's not gonna happen. He sat down next to Rachel at the piano. "Do you know what we should do?"
"Elope?" Rachel blurted out. Oh crap. She'd just said that out loud.
Finn gave her a small smile. "What?"
"Nothing," Rachel said. Oh gosh. She'd thought out loud.
Finn moved closer to Rachel. "We should go bowling. You're always so stressed out about the play. You just need to loosen up. I always go bowling whenever I'm worked up about a big game or something."
That sounded like a date! "Just us?"
"Yeah," Finn said.
Rachel couldn't believe it. Had he broken up with Quinn? "Yeah, that... that... that would be great. I... I am really stressed out. But that's the price you pay for being a star."
"Don't I know it," a voice said. Rachel turned as she watched Mr. Schue and a blond woman come in.
"Hey,Rachel," Mr. Schue said. "April Rhodes, Rachel Berry. Hey, can you give us the room, Rachel? We need to teach April the cues for Don't Stop Believing."
Finn looked horrified. "Wait, she's singing the female lead?"
This woman was in Glee now? "Wait, she's in the glee club? She's... ancient."
"Talent doesn't age, sweetheart," April said.
"That's Rachel's part, Mr. Schue," Finn protested. Did Finn still want to sing with her? God, she wanted so badly to sing with him again.
"Well, Rachel's not in the glee club anymore," Mr. Schue said. He turned to Rachel.
"So, I'll pick you up at six?" Finn said as Rachel left the room.
Rachel smiled. "Yeah, can't wait!"
x
The doorbell rang, and Rachel ran to the door. She and Finn were going out. One on one. All evening she'd been holding in her excitement. He didn't mind being seen with her. He was willing to hang out with her outside of school.
"Ready to go?" Finn asked when Rachel opened the door. Rachel noticed he was wearing the same brown and blue striped shirt he wore the day they kissed for the first time.
"I'm ready!" Rachel said with excitement. "Bye Dad! Bye Daddy!"
Finn led Rachel to his car, where a woman Rachel assumed was Finn's mom was waiting. "Mom, this is Rachel," Finn said.
"Hi Rachel," Mrs. Hudson said.
"Hi Mrs. Hudson," Rachel said. She knew she wanted to make a good impression on Finn's mom. "Finn's an amazing singer and an amazing drummer. He's a really nice guy, too."
"Well, I sure am glad to hear that," Mrs. Hudson said. "I didn't even know he liked to sing."
"Well, he's really good at it," Rachel said.
"Finn tells me you're a really good singer too," Mrs. Hudson said.
"She is!" Finn said. "She's got the best voice I've ever heard."
He thought so?
"Well, Finn, I'm a bit confused," Mrs. Hudson said. "I haven't seen Quinn in a few weeks, but you're going out one on one with another girl. Is there something you two aren't telling me?"
"Oh, Quinn..." Finn looked embarrassed and Rachel's hopes went up. Had they broken up? "Um, yeah, I'm still dating Quinn... we just haven't had time to do anything lately."
"Oh," Mrs. Hudson said as Rachel's heart fell.
"We're just really good friends," Rachel said. At least for the first time in her life she had a friend.
Mrs. Hudson arrived at the bowling alley. "You two have fun, okay? I'll pick you up at nine."
"Okay, see you then," Finn said to his mom.
"Nice to meet you, Rachel," said Mrs. Hudson.
"It's nice to meet you too," Rachel called. She and Finn went inside as Finn paid for a game and some bowling shoes.
"So, how does this work?" Rachel asked.
"Watch," Finn said as he took the ball, stuck his fingers in and threw it down the lane. He knocked over all ten pins at once.
"That was good," Rachel said.
Finn smiled at Rachel. "Your turn!"
"Do I have to put my fingers in the holes?" Rachel asked. "Couldn't there be diseases in there or something?"
"Oh, no," Finn said. "Ball sharing's all part of the fun. Here, use the pink one. Pink's your favorite color, right?"
How did Finn know that? Rachel smiled as he handed her the pink ball. "Now what?"
Finn helped Rachel with the ball. "Follow my lead. Okay, so... Just look at the pins. Nice and straight." Rachel dropped the ball, but it rolled into the gutter. "You sure this is your first time?" Finn asked.
"Yeah," Rachel said. They each took a few more turns before sitting down for dinner. Again, Finn offered to pay. This definitely felt like a date. Too bad Quinn was in the picture.
"How's Glee?" Rachel asked as they ate.
"Oh, well, everybody misses you," Finn said.
Rachel knew what the truth was. "They miss my talent."
"No, no. We're your friends. We just miss having you around," Finn said.
Well, Rachel knew Finn felt that way, but she doubted anyone else did. "I love Glee, I just... don't see the point in wasting my energies on someplace that I'm not appreciated."
"I appreciate you," Finn commented.
He did? Rachel gave Finn a big smile. She appreciated him too.
"Come on," Finn said, leading Rachel back to the lane. He handed her the pink ball. "It's your last ball. Just like the first time, but better."
Rachel dropped the ball, and she and Finn both cheered when it knocked over all ten pins. He pulled her into a tight hug. Wow, his hugs felt good. Then Rachel felt an urge, an urge similar to the one she felt in the auditorium that day. She leaned over and kissed Finn. He returned the kiss.
Too soon, they pulled apart. "Come back to Glee," Finn said.
"What about Quinn?" Rachel asked. But was Quinn really that much of an issue? If Finn was really that into her, he wouldn't have been spending all this time with Rachel behind her back.
"I don't know what's going to happen in the future," Finn admitted. "I just know that I want to spend more time with you now."
He liked her. "I'll do it!" Rachel said as she gave Finn another hug.
x
Finn walked through the hall. He was supposed to be thinking about Quinn, and his kid, but all he could think about was Rachel. They'd had such a great time last night. He wanted to do it again soon. "Finn!" He heard her and turned to see her. Rather than greeting him with the hug he was hoping for, she slapped him in the face. What was that for?"
"You're a liar," Rachel snapped. "Why didn't you tell me Quinn was pregnant?"
Oh no. She knew now. Finn probably wouldn't get to hang out with Rachel any time soon. He could tell she was angry. Really angry. "Who told you?" Finn managed to ask.
"Everyone knows but me," Rachel said with anger in her voice. "I'm the only fool who went out with you and let you kiss me, thinking you actually had feelings for me."
Finn's heart dropped. What was he supposed to say? He did have feelings for Rachel and he wanted so badly to be with her, but there was a baby in the picture now. "But I... I do. Look, yeah, I haven't been totally honest with you, but that's different than lying. Well, maybe it's not that much different, but... but look, I need to get a music scholarship, so I can go to college, so I can get a good job, so I can take care of my kid and I can't do that if you don't come back to Glee Club. You should take it as a compliment."
"You could have just been honest with me," Rachel said, now sounding more hurt.
"Look, I know what I did was wrong," Finn admitted. "I get that, but... that kiss was real." It was real! And he wanted so badly for there to be more.
"Whatever it was, it ruined any chance of me ever coming back to Glee," Rachel looked like she was trying to look mad, but Finn could tell she was more heartbroken than anything. "I hope you have fun playing house with Quinn while you languish in your little ensemble, but my dreams are bigger than that and they're bigger than you." With that, she walked away.
x
The invitational was going well, but the Glee club felt incomplete. Finn wished that Rachel was here. She loved performing. The last song was a big group number and Finn wished so badly that he and Rachel could lead it together. Everyone was changed except April when Mr. Schue came in.
"Where's April?" Tina asked.
"You were right, Mr. Schue," Kurt said. "She'd massacre Mariah in a diva-off."
"April is amazing," Mr. Schue agreed. "But she's not in the glee club anymore. It... I, uh... I screwed up bringing her here. It was about me and Glee Club is supposed to be about you guys. You don't need her to be great." Finn knew who they needed - Rachel.
"But we need her for the second act," Mercedes pointed out.
Mr. Schue looked disappointed. "I'll just have to go out there and tell them we had to cut the show short. Hey, guys. You were great. Don't worry."
"Excuse me?" Finn looked. There was Rachel. Maybe she had forgiven him. "I think I might have a solution. In show business, when a star can't perform, her understudy steps in. I'd be happy to go in for April, if you'd let me."
"Since when are you willing to be an understudy?" Mercedes asked.
"Since I quit the play," Rachel said. She'd really quit? Wow. Finn was impressed.
"Really?" Kurt asked. "Why?"
"I realized being a star didn't make me feel as special as being your friend," Rachel said. "If I'd let you down when you needed me the most, I'd never forgive myself. I know all the words to the song." Of course she did. She was a natural. Finn's heart was beating so fast right now.
"You don't know the choreography," Quinn snapped.
Finn knew Quinn just didn't want Rachel around. "Then we're going to have to give her a lot of help out there."
"Go get in your costume," Mr. Schue said.
Finn ran after Rachel. "Just follow my lead out there."
Rachel gave Finn one of her beautiful smiles. "Okay."
x
A few minutes later, the New Directions were on stage, ready to sing together. This was one of Rachel's favorite songs and getting to sing it with Finn made things even better. Finn had been right, all she had to do was follow his lead.
Finn: Can
New Directions: Anybody find me somebody to love?
Rachel: Ooooooh
Each morning I get up I die a little
Can barely stand on my feet
Finn: Take a look,
In the mirror and cry
Lord what you're doing to me
Rachel: I have spent all my years in believing you
But I just can't get no relief, Lord
Finn (New Directions): Somebody, (Somebody)
Rachel and Finn with New Directions: Oooh somebody (Somebody)
Can anybody find me
Finn: Somebody to love?
Artie (New Directions): I work hard (He works hard)
Every day of my life
Artie and Mercedes: I work till I ache in my bones
Artie (New Directions): At the end (At the end of the day)
Artie (New Directions): I take home my hard earned pay all on my own
Rachel: I get down on my knees
And I start to pray
Rachel: 'Till the tears run down from my eyes,
Finn (New Directions): Somebody, (Somebody)
Finn and Rachel: Oooh somebody
Rachel and Finn with New Directions: Can anybody find me
Rachel: Somebody to love?
Artie (New Directions): (He works hard) Everyday I try and I try and I try
Rachel: But everybody wants to put me down
They say I'm goin' crazy
Finn: They say I got a lot of water in my brain
Artie (New Directions): Got no common sense
I got (His got) (with New Directions: nobody left to believe)
No, Ooooooh (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!)
Finn (New Directions): (Ooooh, Lord) Oh, somebody (Somebody)
Finn and Rachel: Oooh somebody
Rachel and Finn with New Directions: Can anybody find me
Rachel: Somebody to love
New Directions: Can anybody find me someone to love?
Finn: Got no feel, I got no rhythm
I just keep losing my beat
Rachel : I'm ok, I'm alright
I ain't gonna face no defeat
Finn and Rachel: I just gotta get out of this prison cell
Someday I'm gonna be free, Lord!
New Directions:
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love (Finn: Oooooh)
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love (Mercedes: Heee, Oooh)
Find me somebody to love (Artie: Somebody)
Find me somebody to love, uh-oh, uh-oh (Finn: Oooooooh)
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love (Rachel: Ooh, Ooh)
Somebody, Somebody!
Somebody, Somebody! (Artie: Ooh, find me, find me, find me)
Somebody, Somebody!
Somebody, Find me somebody to love
Can anybody find me...
Mercedes: Somebody to love?!
New Directions: Find me Somebody to love (Rachel: Somebody find me)
Find me (Finn: Find me) Somebody to love (Rachel: Somebody find me)
Find me (Rachel: Somebody to love) Somebody to love
Find me somebody to love (Rachel: Somebody to love) (Finn: Loove)
Find me (Mercedes: Uuuuh) Somebody to love (Rachel: Somebody to love)
Find me (Finn: Somebody to love) Somebody to love
Rachel: Find me (New Directions: Find me)
Somebody (New Directions: Somebody) To (Finn: To)
Finn and Rachel with New Directions: Oooh, Love!
Throughout the performance, Finn kept giving Rachel sweet looks. She knew she'd made the right choice by coming back. Singing together was so much fun, and it was clear the crowd adored them. At the end of the performance, Finn gave Rachel a big hug. "You'd never think you didn't know the number!" Finn whispered.
"I had some great help," Rachel said. She knew she'd made the right choice by coming back.
"You know, the crowd seemed to be most into the performance when we were singing together," Finn said.
"You thought so?" Rachel asked. She'd thought so, too. But again, she wished she could forget about Quinn, but she couldn't. Finn couldn't be with her now. Maybe not ever.
"I know so," Finn said.
"I'm sorry about the other day," Rachel said.
"It's fine," Finn said. "I kinda deserved it. But Rachel, I do want to spend more time with you. And everything that's happened with us is real."