Chapter 1:
Rachel Berry walked down the empty halls of West McKinley High School with her hoodie drawn up over her head. The memories of the last time she was here plaguing her mind. Her ex-fiance, Finn Hudson calling her out on how her boyfriend at the time was treating her like crap. Her hand reached out and brushed against her old locker, the stolen moments she shared with Finn flooding her mind. A tear escaped her eye as she also remembered the moment he put her on that train to New York. She quickly wiped the tear away and moved farther down the hall.
As she reached the auditorium she heard singing. She stepped inside the open door and took in the scene in front of her. The current glee club was performing a group number on stage and were doing a pretty good job. She swiveled her head slightly to look into the audience, looking for Finn. Her breath caught in her throat as she spotted him. Her face fell quickly though when she realized he was sitting next to a woman and was smiling at her. Rachel couldn't see her face but she knew he had to be dating her.
She hid her tears and left the auditorium. She didn't expect to see him with another woman. She made her way to the choir room, her second place of solace. She slowly sat down on the piano bench, facing the ivory keys. Her purse had fallen from her shoulder and hit the floor with a dull thud. She didn't move to pick it up, she didn't care. She hesitated before placing her fingers on the keys.
Finn was leaving the auditorium after all the glee kids went home when he heard the sounds of the piano from the choir room. He knew he should be the only one here as everyone else had already left, so he moved to see who it was when he heard the notes of a familiar song start up. No, it couldn't be, could it? He heard her sweet, harmonic voice as he stepped through the door and his heart stopped. He didn't need to see her face to know it was her.
What have I done?
Wish I could run
Away from this ship going under.
Just trying to help hurt everyone else
Now I feel the weight of the world
Is on my shoulders.
He could hear the shake in her voice, like she was trying not to cry.
What can you do when your good isn't good enough
All that you touch tumbles down
Cause my best intentions
Keep making a mess of things
I just want to fix it somehow
But how many times will it take?
Oh, how many times will it take?
To get it right, To get it right
She started to move to the front of the room and he could see her trembling. Her voice was definitely more mature now.
Can I start again?
With my faith shaken
Cause I can't go back and undo this.
So, I'll just have to stay
And face my mistakes
If I get stronger and wiser,
I'll get through this.
He noticed the tears pouring down her face and he wondered what happened.
What can you do when you're good isn't good enough
And all that you touch tumbles down.
Cause my best intentions,
Keep making a mess of things
I just want to fix it somehow
But how many times will it take?
Oh, How many times will it take?
To get it right
So I'll throw up my fist
Throw a punch in the air
And accept the truth that
Sometimes life isn't fair
I'll send out a wish
Yeah, I'll send up a prayer
And finally someone will see
How much I care...
She belted out the note before collapsing into sobs. She didn't even finish the song. He watched for a moment as she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold all her emotions in. But the sobs that escaped her small frame broke his heart and he moved to her side.
He pulled her sobbing form into his lap and let her head rest on his shoulder. He gently rubbed her back as she continued crying. The hood she was wearing obscured her face and he wanted so badly to see her beautiful eyes.
Rachel collapsed to her knees, sobbing for everything she's lost. She cried for the life she left in New York, for ever dating Brody Weston and finally for causing the only man she's ever loved to moved on from her. She really had nothing left.
She felt someone pull her off the floor and into their lap as they rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. She took a shuddering breath in after a few minutes and nearly choked. She would know that scent anywhere, it was Finn. He was the one holding her. She pulled herself out of his lap, standing and wiping away her tears without looking at him.
"Rachel? What's going on?" Finn asked calmly.
"N...nothing." Rachel stuttered still unable to look at him.
"Come on, Rach. It's me and we promised never to lie to each other. You wouldn't be here crying and singing a song that you wrote about us years ago, if something wasn't wrong." Finn replied. "I know you better than that."
Rachel didn't notice that he had moved towards her until he wrapped his arms around her waist. She startled and tried to pull away. Finn let her go in confusion. She whipped around to face him forgetting that she was trying to avoid his eyes. He saw the fear flash in her eyes before being replaced by sadness. "What would your girlfriend say?"
"Girlfriend? What are you talking about?" Finn asked in confusion.
"Don't deny it!" She screamed. "I saw you with her...in the auditorium. You looked happy. I've lost everything but at least your happy. That's all I ever wanted for you."
Rachel tried to push past him to grab her purse but he grabbed onto her upper arm gently. Finn wanted answers and she wasn't leaving until he got them.
Finn gently pulled her back in front of him and and lifted her chin with his fingers. He gasped as he finally saw her face clearly. Her mascara was running with her tears in black streaks but what made him gasp was thee deep purple bruise on her left temple. "First of all, I don't have a girlfriend. You saw me with Quinn but she was telling me that she's pregnant with Puck's second baby. I haven't been with anyone since you. Second, what do you mean you've lost everything?"
"It doesn't matter anymore. I shouldn't have come back here." Rachel replied the tears filling her eyes again.
"Rachel?" Finn begged. "Is someone hurting you?" His fingers brushing against her uninjured cheek as he pulled the hood down, letting her dull, limp hair fall free.
Rachel looked scared as she shook her head, rapidly. "No, I tripped when I was gathering my things to come here. I hit my head on the counter."
Finn could tell she was lying but let it go for now. She was probably having a hard time trusting him. "Let me take you home, you're probably exhausted."
Rachel looked down as a few tears slipped loose. "My dads don't know I'm here."
"What?! Rachel? Does anyone know you're here?" Finn asked taking her hands into his. She shakes her head trying to suppress her tears. "Where are you staying?"
"I was going to check into a hotel. I came straight here, I...I wanted to see you." Rachel stammered.
"Okay. You can stay at my place for tonight. We'll figure out everything in the morning, okay?" Finn responded.
He noticed her change in clothing styles and hoped it wasn't because of him.
Rachel nodded and moved to pick up her purse. Finn placed a hand against her back as he locked up on their way out.
She was quiet on the way to the place. Finn was nervous at her silence as she usually would talking a mile a minute or at least singing along with the radio.
"Rach? We're here." Finn said shutting the car off.
She looked up and took in the apartment. Her uneasiness wasn't fading in the slightest. Finn noticed and reached over to place his hand on hers.
"You okay?" He asked softly.
Rachel nodded then reached for the door release. "Just tired. Long day, you know?"
Finn nodded and led her up to his apartment on the second floor. Her nerves were on edge, she knew she was safe with Finn but this was the first time she had been alone with a guy since she had fled New York.
Finn led her inside and she stood awkwardly in the front hall. Finn smiled his half smile at her and gently led her to the couch before kneeling in front of her. "How long are you here, Rachel? I noticed you don't have any luggage with you."
"I had to leave New York. I took what I could and left." Rachel explained.
"Okay. You can wear something of mine. Do you want to take a shower?" Finn asked playing with the ends of her hair.
"Yeah, that would be great." Rachel replied.
Finn nodded and pointed to a door to his left. "Bathroom's over there. Go ahead, I'll leave the clothes on the counter."
Rachel moved to the bathroom as Finn went to grab her a towel and something to wear. She was acting different, especially towards him. She was anxious about something.
He returned to bring her the clothes and heard the water running, so he opened the door to put the clothes on the counter. The sight he was greeted with made him sick to his stomach.
Rachel, his beautiful Rachel, was facing away from him towards the bathtub and just her shirt was off, revealing many various bruises in different states of healing.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Sorry to leave this on a cliffhanger but Chapter 2 will be up tomorrow. I'm a little nervous about this one since it doesn't really follow any of the canon story lines but you guys let me know if this seems likely. Next chapter, Rachel will reveal what actually happened to her. Stay tuned and as always your reviews always make me think of ways to add even more depths to the story.
