A/N: Thank you for reading my story and the responses! I know many of you guys were disappointed with the last chapter, which was lack of Finchel interaction. But I assure that in this chapter that is not going to happen. I hope you'll like it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee and its characters.
Chapter 14 – August 2012
When Rachel was looking at the departures board at the London Paddington train station, she felt light taps on her shoulder from behind. A little surprised, she actually did jump a bit at the place before turning around to see a person who had tapped her. She let out a loud sigh as she found an unexpected and expected in equal measure tall guy standing with a grin. "I told you not to come. Don't you have somewhere or someone to take photographs today?"
"Nope." Finn simply answered, pushing his hands into his pockets, his feet shifting back and forth.
A lopsided grin on his face got Rachel annoyed and melted at the same time, and the latter made her feel embarrassed. So she refused to blush with biting her bottom lip, chose to narrow her eyes at him instead, before turning on her heel to make her way over towards the ticket office without a word to him.
Finn followed her in silence and settled himself standing in line behind her.
Finally, Rachel escaped from the awkward silence between the two of them in line to step forwards one of the ticket counters. She pulled her wallet from her bag as asked. "A standard class ticket to Bristol Temple Meads at–"
"Two tickets at 11:18." From behind, Finn cut her off, amending.
Rachel turned her head to face Finn as she was about to open her mouth to speak, but Finn beat her to it. "Two tickets." Punctuating, he repeated with a straight face, nodding firmly at a station staff sitting across the glass window, since he saw the woman sporting an annoying look on her face.
Rachel was taken aback for a second. When did he get so persistent? She thought. She, however, pursed her lips and turned to the station staff.
"One-way?" The woman in uniform bluntly asked behind the glass window before declaring the fares as she saw the tiny brunette nodding. "￡63."
A small argument between the height mismatched couple for a few minutes having made the ticket lady start getting irritated, Finn complied Rachel's demanding to share the expenses. Meanwhile, he snatched two tickets from the counter before Rachel could take them and grabbed her hand in his, leading her to the Platform eight.
"Finn!" Rachel hissed, trying to shrug his hand off of hers (but failed because of his tight grip). "What are you thinking?"
Ignoring her question, Finn decided to purchase some food and drinks as he approached a bakery nearby the platform. "Did you eat? I'm super hungry." He contemplated as he bent down a little to take a look into the glass glazed showcase which was displaying tons of pastries and sandwiches, before ending up getting a vegetarian baguette sandwich for Rachel, a Genoese Focaccia and a Kaiser burger for him, four muffins for two of them (mostly for him), and two smoothies of Rachel's favorite.
Finn pretended not noticing Rachel's frown plastered on her face and internally grinned triumphantly at himself, a paper bag in one hand, her tiny hand in the other, as he strode along the Platform eight. Okay, he understood the situation—this was not a date or something, especially they might be going to confront St. Jackass. But he couldn't help but feel upbeat because he hadn't had time alone with her since the Jackass incident.
Once they settled themselves in their seats in the train, Finn pulled the food out of the paper bag and handed the sandwich and a plastic cup of smoothie out to Rachel.
"Okay, you can come with me, but one condition." Rachel rolled her eyes (not only at him but herself also, since it was so too late for her to say that) as she took the food and drink from him before placed them on the tray table. "Do not throw your fists in any parts of Jesse if we can see him." She demanded as she placed her fogle on her laps.
Finn glanced at Rachel out of the corner of his eye as he took a big bite out of his burger before saying in a muffled voice. "I'm definitely," he munched, "not gonna make promises I can't keep." Then he swallowed thickly and smirked at her.
"Finn!" Rachel chided as she smacked his arm.
"That's the pot calling the kettle black." Finn pretended wincing at the impact on his arm and rubbed the spot with his other hand.
"Finn! I'm serious!" Rachel hissed. "You can not punch him! Promise me not to do such a thing, or I'm going to have a stopover before the Bristol station since you don't know where exactly his uncle lives."
"Okay, I promise." Signing, Finn complied, fully prepared he would definitely do something to St. Jackass if he tried to pass the buck, or had no sense of remorse, anyway.
While they had their food (except for the muffins) and drinks, Finn gave some once-overs to Rachel, who seemed to get caught up in her thoughts. So, he kept munching his food and waited for her to speak to him.
Rachel, who had felt that Finn repeatedly glances at her, finally opened her mouth as she finished eating. "Um, about Corbijn–," she started as she pulled the wet wipes out of her bucket bag before offering some of them to Finn, "how much did it come? I believe that a copy of 'A SOMEBODY' fetches inflated prices. Let me pay you back."
"That's my gift to you, Rachel." Finn refused to inform pf the price as he took the wet wipes from her.
"For what?" Rachel frowned.
"Uh, your birthday?" Finn should've thought before talking, since he knew that her birthday was not August.
"Finn, my birthday is December." Rachel informed as she neatly folded the used wet wipes and put it away on the tray table.
"So? I missed the last one, eight months late gift from me." Finn recovered as he balled up the wet wipes before tossing it away into the empty paper bag. "Besides, that was not that expensive. The guy selling used books doesn't know 'A SOMEBODY' is out of print I guess." He shrugged before taking out the aforementioned photography book from his messenger bag and handing it out to her.
"Finn–," Rachel let out a sigh, "you don't have to do this, but thank you." She leaned her head against the head rest, her face towards Finn.
"That would be one more thing for you to lug over though. I should've waited to give it to you until I get back to the City. But, you know…" Finn rubbed the back of his neck.
"Yeah, right." Rachel giggled as she stuffed the book into her bag before leaning her head against the seat and turning her head to Finn again.
That was what he had wanted to see and hear to die for. Finn smiled. "I like the way you sound when you laugh, Rach." He blurted out as he mimicked her demeanor, leaning against his head rest and turning his head towards her.
Rachel felt her face blushed, chewing the inside of her cheeks , but her eyes never away from his. "I like the way you call me Rach." Then she lifted her hand to reach for his cheek. "You have…" She wiped the dried stain from his burger around the corner of his mouth with her thumb.
Finn covered her hand with his before he slowly brought her thumb into his mouth. He gently sucked her thumb, locking his eyes onto hers. Then he placed a chaste kiss on her palm as he stared at her intently.
Rachel shuddered at the feelings on her finger and her palm as her heart started pounding loudly.
They both lost in each other for a moment.
But the sudden breaking betrayed the tension between them. The train screeched to a stop before Finn could make a next move.
Rachel abruptly pulled her hand from his and turned her head away from him before peering through the window. And she cleared her throat. "Uh, thank you again, Finn, for the book." She whispered between her shaky breaths.
Finn rubbed his face, internally groaning, leaning back against the seat. He cursed under his breath before managing to reply. "My pleasure."
"This is bad, really bad." Mercedes shook her head before she let out a deep sigh. She had gotten some informative story from one of the board members named April Rhodes, who was one of the famous individual investors in the City, also from the same college as Schuester went to.
Artie, Kitty and Blaine, who had been summoned by the senior editor of The Musicraker to the second floor of Beiste's work studio, exchanged looks.
Mercedes began telling them in a low voice what she had gotten from Ms. Rhodes.
What April had said to Mercedes was that something strange would possibly be coming because some of the top management team and the board members seemed to plan some big project behind the curtain.
So, April had confronted Sugar's father, Al Motta, who was also one of the board of directors but was not a member of any faction at Sylvester Publishing, asserting her rights, as one of the board members, to know what was going on, which resulted in knowing that Sue might think about changes in the structure of industries or types of business, with the use of Athlester as a name of a brand—fitness business, supplement sales, or something like that.
For making that happen, Sue now was searching for possible companies which may purchase the company's assets. That was, however, the best scenario as far as April was concerned—if the asset purchase was true, some of the workers didn't have to be worried about losing their jobs. The worst was, if Sue decided that Survêtement might be discontinued too, let alone The Musicraker, most of the workers would get turned adrift.
"What about Athlester?" Blaine asked. "Do you think the digital magazine could remain?"
"April thinks that 'mass media' is not going to be eliminated from the registration, but the digital magazine, as a product, might be." Mercedes replied. "But she also said that it's highly possible our magazines, The Musicraker included, would be transferred, since those magazines are boosting profits and the discontinuance rather penalizes the company."
"But why?" Artie frowned. "According to what Beiste said, the company boosted profits last year, right?"
"Do you guys remember that Athelester Protein Shake became a runaway bestseller last year? Which Sue somehow suddenly came up with?" Mercedes looked over her friends before continuing as she saw all of them nodding. "Sue might have tasted success at it and begun considering changes in the structure of industries or types of business as a great opportunity to get rid of JBB people completely from the company."
"So, Beiste's assumption was not an assumption." Kitty said in a low voice. "Which means, the asset purchase would come to an agreement by the end of the year."
"There are JBB people among not only the top management team and the board of directors, but the shareholders, right?" Blaine rubbed his law line thoughtfully. "Without their affirmative votes, it couldn't happen. It shouldn't happen!" He cried.
"I don't know," Mercedes let out a sigh, "some of them might double-cross, judging by what April told me. Besides, we don't know what percentage of shareholding that JBB people have is." She massaged her temple with a forefinger. "This is totally out of our hand." She threw her hands up in the air.
"Where is Rachel, by the way? Does she know about this?" Artie asked.
"She had a flight to London yesterday." Mercedes informed. "Jesse might be in London or somewhere near to it."
"Will she be fine by herself?" Blaine wore a worried look on his face.
"Oh, she'll be fine. Finn happens to be in London too, and he said he would take care of her." Mercedes assured. "Alright, let's get back to the office."
Rachel took a deep breath before stepping forwards to knock on the door. She slightly turned her head to see the tall photographer standing behind her. She saw him give her reassuring nods with a small smile. She nodded back at him and softly knocked on the George St. James' household.
"Hi, I'm Rachel Berry. We spoke on the phone the day before yesterday." Rachel nervously introduced herself as a gray haired man with glasses opened his door, sporting a stern look on his face. "And this," she stepped aside to let Finn move forwards, "is Finn Hudson. We've worked with Jesse."
The old guy nodded. "George St. James." He shook his hand with Rachel and Finn, respectively. "Come in." He led them to the living room.
George settled in the armchair across the sofa where Rachel and Finn perched themselves on. He slowly took his glasses off of his face and massaged his eyes tiredly before speaking. "I asked him yesterday, about what you'd told me on the phone." He let out a deep breath and shook his head. "I apologize for what my nephew's done to you and your company." He slowly pulled out his check book from his pocket as he asked. "How much does he owe you?" He leaned forwards to be prepared for writing down the amount of Rachel's savings on a sheet of his checkbook.
"Um," Rachel shifted on the sofa, "where is Jesse? Is he going to come home soon?" She asked in answer.
George leaned back against the armchair, leaving the checkbook opened on the coffee table. "He's probably in a pub." He glanced at his watch on his wrist in disgust.
"So, he's still drinking–" Rachel bit her tongue and cast down her eyes on her laps, idly playing with the hem of her skirt.
George rubbed his face with a hand before nodding. "He can't write without alcohol."
"I'm afraid to say this, but, uh, he's being sued for his plagiarism and embezzlement. Sylvester Publishing possibly would sue him also." Rachel informed before declaring. "And I'm duty-bound to let them know where he is."
George pursed his lips and nodded. "I'll try to get him to be back to New York or Los Angeles." He stood up from the armchair as he asked. "Are you two waiting here until he's back? Or–"
Before George could finish, Jesse walked into the living room in a slightly drunken manner. "Oh, hi, Rachel!"
Finn felt his head boiling with an anger. Oh, hi, Rachel? What the fuck? Hasn't he realized what he did to her?
Rachel felt Finn almost explode, so she balled the hem of his T-shirt in her fist to not let him attack Jesse. "Hello, Jesse." She greeted back at the fugitive with a straight face.
George yanked Jesse on his shoulder and forced his nephew to sit on the armchair. "You should talk, and apologize." With that, he left the three of them in the living room.
"Jesse, why did you do that?" Rachel opened her mouth after an eternal silence. "Why didn't you tell me you were in trouble?"
"I didn't expect to do so well." Jesse sneered at himself.
"What did you say? What the fuck did you mean by that?" Finn spat, about to jump out of the sofa.
Rachel immediately yanked Finn down "Finn!" She admonished. "Let me handle this." She whispered.
"How could you be so calm, Rach? This dickhead ruined your dream!" Finn gritted his teeth, his hands clenched into fists.
Jesse chuckled as he saw the lovebirds' exchange. "I never imagined that you got blinded this much, Rachel. I thought you were better and smarter, but I think I was wrong." He slurred.
"Do you realize you're being sued by an English writer and the producer that you absconded with his money from?" Ignoring Jesse's remark, Rachel bluntly asked, her hand still grabbing the hem of Finn's T-shirt. "And Sue is prepared for filing a suit against you also."
"I don't think so." Jesse snorted. "Anyone won't ever file an action against me."
"What makes you so sure?" Rachel raised her eyebrow.
"Have you guys checked the articles that you thought I plagiarized?" Jesse saw Rachel's and Finn's frowns get deeper. "I'm disappointed that you underrated my writings, Rachel. It hurts." He put his hands on his heart, pouting. Then he got out of the armchair and walked over towards the shelf where many bottles of liquor was put on. "Sue made it up to put the responsibility on you and Schuester." He opened one of the bottles and poured it into a glass before gulping it down. He turned around to see Rachel and Finn, chuckling.
To say annoying was an understatement. Finn shrugged Rachel's hand off of him and walked over towards Jesse before grabbing the douche by the scruff of the neck. "What's so funny, jackass?"
Rachel jumped out of the sofa and hurriedly approached Finn before pulling his shirt from behind. "Finn, drop your hand! You promised me not to throw your fists!"
"Rachel, you always surprise me. I never thought the day you would fall for someone uncivilized like him was coming." Jesse managed to brush Finn's hand away from his collar, but failed to see what was coming the next. Jesse stumbled backwards a little from the impact that Rachel's tiny hand just had given to him. He widened his eyes, putting his hand on his cheek.
"You abused my trust, and now you insult him? How dare you!" Rachel cried out. "He's a great guy. You could never be like him, no matter how hard you try!"
Too dumbfounded with Rachel's outburst, Finn's feet cemented to the floor for a moment. But he snapped out as he saw tears threaten to fall on Rachel's cheeks. He pulled her into his chest, wrapping her in his arms, soothing her small back up and down to calm her.
Still putting his hand on his cheeks, Jesse sighed. "I'm sorry, Rachel."
When the three of them settled themselves back on the sofa and armchair, whether or not Jesse felt the pricks of conscience, he started telling Rachel and Finn the whole story.
That was, Sue blackmailed Jesse to cooperate with her to fire Rachel and Schuester when she found that he had a drinking problem and went off with the money of that TV producers in LA had pooled. The reason he stole Rachel's savings from her bank account was to repay the money that Sue had shouldered for the out-of-court settlement with the producers.
"You should've told me before deciding to cooperate with Sue, you know." Rachel said sadly.
"You don't get it." Jesse added. "You've never suffered a setback. Do you know how hard it is you have to accept the fact that your talent is running out? How hard it is you don't know what to do next?" He buried his face in his hands.
Rachel bit her bottom lip, her eyes on her laps. Yes, she got it. Because she had suffered a setback once. And now she was filled with self-doubt and didn't know what to do next. Nevertheless, you shouldn't justify your action to cut the ground from other people's feet.
"You're just making an excuse. Don't justify what you've done to her." Finn bluntly said. "And don't think she's never suffered a setback. I can't believe you dated her for two years. You know nothing about her." He internally added that he couldn't believe Rachel had dated him. What did she see in him anyway? She deserved better than that.
Jesse lifted his head up to see the photographer and narrowed his eyes. "You're saying you know her better than I do?"
"As far as I'm concerned, Yeah, I think I do." Finn threw a glare back at the Jackass.
"Enough." Rachel broke the glaring battle between the two men. "Jesse, if you're really sorry about the whole thing, you have to help us. Can you do that?"
Jesse let out a sigh and nodded. "I'm sorry, Rachel. I'll pay back your money, now can't do, but I promise I will."
"I hold you to your word." Rachel managed to give Jesse a small smile.
Rachel didn't say a word while in the train back to London. She didn't speak anything while Finn walked her to the hotel. Finn attempted to talk to her, but he hesitated. He closed her mouth as soon as he opened it. She just held his hand in a tight grip. Her face kept frowning as she was lost in thoughts.
When they got to the door of her hotel room, Rachel finally turned to face Finn and opened her mouth. "Thank you for tagging along with me today." She said in a low voice.
"Aren't you hungry?" It was almost 8 pm. "Why don't we go out to grab a bite? Or, if you don't feel going out, I'll get some for you and of course for myself." As if on cue, Finn's stomach grumbled. He felt his face turn crimson.
Rachel giggled. "It would be nice if you don't mind getting some. I don't feel going out tonight."
"I'll be right back."
Finn got back to her hotel room in a record time, holding the paper containers filled with Chinese food in a plastic bag. Once he entered the room, he put the containers on the coffee table and handed a pair of chopsticks out to Rachel.
They ate the dinner, talking about photography and music, avoiding the subject of Jesse, The Musicraker, or Sylvester Publishing for that matter (well, Rachel was the one to avoid, Finn just sensed it and went along with it).
After having cleared the containers away from the coffee table, Rachel deposited herself on the bed, and blurted out. "Jesse was right."
"What?" Finn snapped his head up as he was about to dump the empty containers and the used chopsticks into a garbage can.
"Jesse was right." Rachel repeated in a low voice. "I'm not good enough. To be an editor."
"What are you talking about?" Finn made his way over to Rachel and perched himself on the spot next to her. "You're a great editor, I know you know that."
"Then why didn't I notice what Jesse had been involved in?" Rachel looked at Finn, her eyes watering. "I felt something was wrong with him. But I let him off the hook." Her eyes cast down and tears started falling on her cheeks.
"Rachel, look at me." Finn cupped her face in his hands and wiped her tears with his thumb. "You were just being nice. That's it. Some people take advantage of your being nice, unfortunately."
Rachel threw her arms at Finn and clung to his neck tightly, letting tears falling down. "But I don't know what to do right now." She confessed.
Finn combed her hair gently and placed his lips on her head a few times. "You have to believe that you're a really good editor, and a hard worker. You inspire so many people. You inspire me, Rach. You're kinda my moose."
Rachel giggled between tears despite herself as she pulled her head back away from Finn's neck to look at him. "It's, it's 'muse,' Finn." She gave a small smile to him.
"I know, just wanted to see you smile." Finn pushed her band aside with a smile. "You can do anything you want, Rach." He kept combing her hair with his fingers. "You know what? Wanna know how I went through with a tough time?" He saw Rachel nodding before continuing. "I could go through with it because of you."
Then Finn hoisted her up and deposited her on his lap. He caressed her cheek with a hand, the other wrapping around her waist.
"Now I'm gonna tell my story."
Please review :)