CHAPTER 5: DIVIDE AND CONQUER


The day after the caterer, Kurt and Blaine set their 'divide and conquer' lunch plans in motion, with Blaine meeting Rachel at her favorite vegan spot, while Kurt met Finn across town at his favorite pizza shop. The boys thought if their targets were enjoying their favorite meals, they might be in better moods and more open to answering a few potentially uncomfortable questions without too much suspicion.

"So brother dear, how's the wedding planning going?"

"It's going great Kurt. Me and Rach have gotten so much done in such a short period of time... she's so awesome and organized though, I guess I'm not at all surprised how smoothly things are moving along."

"Right. And um, has Santana been happy with the choices you've made so far? Everything's going well on the home front?"

"Well I mean, you know she's not really too interested or involved in much of the planning. Or, well, any of it. I honestly haven't even seen that much of her lately... She's been spending most of her time with Britt or at the yoga studio or... or well, I don't even know where else she is most of the time."

"Really... Ahh. Isn't that a little strange?"

"Nah dude, you know how Tana is. She likes her independence and has no issues with me having mine, so... it's whatever. It's just how we are. She told me she wants me to plan the wedding, so I'm planning it."

"Hmmm I see. And things with you and Rachel seem to be going as swimmingly as ever... No fights over who gets to use which place settings or where to plan the bachelors party? She's not talking your ear off about couples dance styles or centerpieces and boring you to death? I mean, I love her to pieces but the girl can be a little neurotic sometimes."

"What? No, Rach is terrific, Kurt! You know I love hanging out with her. Everything's been awesome with us."

"Yes.. awesome. You're right. Things are always seemingly idyllic between the pair of you, and always have been. You know, I don't think you two have ever had an honest to goodness actual fight the entire time you've known each other, have you?"

As he polishes off a third slice of meat lovers, his brow crinkles slightly in thought. "Huh.. No, guess not.. well – unless you count that one time when I got really super drunk at that frat party and threw up on her favorite designer shoes. But even then she was more worried I might have alcohol poisoning and took off the next day's classes to take care of me. But she did make me buy her a new pair of shoes – which I totally would've done anyway because I felt bad for ruining her favorite pink choo-choo shoes."

"The designer's name is Jimmy Choo , Finn. Not choo-choo's, Jimmy CHOO; although, I'll give partial credit to your half-baked attempt at exhibiting a proper fashion vocabulary – even if it's only been attained through accidental osmosis and not from genuine interest. But yes... She does always seem to do things like that for you, huh. Taking care of you when you're sick, putting you before anything or anyone else."

"Yeah I guess so. And I do the same for her, too. She's my best friend, of course we take care of each other. What, is that a crime or something?"

"No, not at all. It just seems a little, err... unusual that Tana doesn't seem to have the same priorities. Are you sure you two are okay? You and Tana that is."

Finn pauses to eye his brother suspiciously. "Whoa, Kurt, what's with all the questions? Feels like you're up to something. Has Tana said something or–"

"Moi? Of course not, whatever would I possibly be up to? You're being silly. And no, Santana hasn't said anything to me either. It's just... Well sue me if I just want to be sure my brother is happy. I mean, you are about to make a major, permanent , life-altering move here, and we haven't really spent any time talking about it. But I can't help but notice how Tana seems very disconnected lately, and... well to be perfectly honest, I'd overheard some of your conversation with Rachel at the florist... so I just–"

Choosing to ignore Kurt's comments about the little ruse he and Rachel had played with the florist, he focused instead on his brother's implication that all may not be so well with Santana. "What do you mean, Tana seems disconnected ?"

"Oh Finn, don't look at me like that. Surely even you've questioned it. It's simply just not normal for a woman who supposedly really wants to get married to NOT want to participate in any of the planning for the event in the least! It just seems abnormal and against the natural order of things, that's all."

"Maybe for most women Kurt, but you know how Tana is... she's never been into all that girlie stuff... So what are you suggesting, that maybe she doesn't really want to get married? Because–"

Kurt's voice rose a few octaves with his immediate response "Certainly not! I'm not suggesting anything at all, Finn. I'm, I'm merely making observations and looking out for you. I mean, take Rachel for example. She insisted on doing all the planning herself, despite being afforded the opportunity to hire the wedding planner of her dreams – myself included – but she wouldn't hear of it. And yes, I realize part of that is because our Little Diva is cut from the same Type A control-oriented cloth as am I; therefore naturally, it makes perfectly good sense that she'd want to be hands-on to ensure things are picture perfect for her big day."

"Well yeah, Rach loves being very involved in stuff like that, and planning things is like in her DNA or something.. but y'know, I have to admit, I'm just a little bit worried about her."

Kurt frowns at his brother. "Worried.. About Rachel? Why? What do you mean?"

Finn sighed and shrugged a shoulder. "It's nothing too serious... It's just, she keeps making these compromises for things about the wedding and.. and well, for other stuff too. Things I know for a fact that matter to her a lot more than she's letting on. I.. I just don't want her to be unhappy."

"Why? Do you think there's trouble in paradise between her and Jesse? Do you think she is? Unhappy, that is... "

"Well I d–... I mean, I think I'd be able to tell if she were. But no, I don't think she is, not really. At least, she says everything is fine. But y'know how she gets. She sometimes puts her own feelings last to be sure everyone else around her is happy. She's always so worried about people liking her and being accepted... it still bugs the crap outta me when she does that. And seriously, I just don't fully trust Jesse and never have... I don't know, maybe it's just me being over-protective as usual."

"Hmm yesss.. You've surely never warmed to him . Or to Puck. Or to any other guy Rachel had ever tried to date." Kurt chuckled drolly then added, "Remember that Brody guy at the start of freshman year in college before she and Jesse got serious and moved in together?"

Finn grimaced at the name. "Oh god do we have to? I still can't believe Rach invited that arrogant NYADA jerk to her party that night... GAH don't get me started on him! He was a complete TOOL!"

"Indeed... the very same tool I believe, who was still picking splinters out of his backside and glass from his face for weeks later after the night you put him through a table ."

"Hey that was his fault not mine, and he had it coming."

"Did he really though?"

"Yeah, sure he did! That little slime ball kissed her, put his hands all over her, made her think he cared about her, then I caught him off making out with another chick in the next room not twenty minutes later! And then he had the balls to grab ME by the collar and threaten me when I called him out on it... s'not my fault he's an idiot who basically begged me for an ass-kicking. But what's your point here, Kurt?"

"My point is, you never seem to approve of anyone where Rachel is concerned. My point is, maybe there's a reason for that."

"Sure there is... I'm her best friend. It's my job. I promised her–"

"Yes yes yes. The BFF pledge, I know; you promised to always look out for her... but Finn, sometimes it looks... well sometimes it just seems a little more personal to you, like maybe you have more invested than just friendship where Rachel is concerned."

Finn looks thoughtfully at his slice of pizza for a few beats like it holds all the answers to the universe. "What are you implying Kurt? Are you saying you think I have some kind of.. hidden.. romantic feelings for Rachel or something?"

"Well I mean it wouldn't be the weirdest thing on earth if you did, Finn, would it? You two have been practically inseparable for well over a decade. And I know how much she means to you – and vice-versa. So... Are you seriously telling me that you've never once considered you and Rachel could be more than friends?"

Finn exhaled loudly. "Hmmpfff...mmmaybe once , like a hundred years ago, maybe there.. or, well, like there could've MAYBE been some.. I dunno, feelings of some kind there, but.. no... She... SHE never wanted that for us, Kurt. She never gave any indication that she felt that way, and I couldn't ever let anything interfere with our friendship. I'd never do anything to hurt her, and I could never lose her; she's too damn important to me. Like she said, it was for the best we just stayed friends. So. Whatever. Look dude. Haven't we covered this subject enough since middle school?"

"Maybe, but you.. Wow. You've just never said all of this to me before, Finn. So.. does that mean you did have feelings for her when we were younger, and that you two had talked about it?"

"NO! I.. that's not at all what I'm saying... I mean. Well yeah, we sorta talked about it, once. In the abstract maybe. She said we were like siblings . Christ, we were just kids back then, but y'know... even after that, years later, nothing like that ever changed between us. Hell, she encouraged me to date other girls. She even tried to set me up with a couple of them. Then she was dating Puck, and then Jesse came along.. And now here we are."

"Yes, here we are. You're still best friends... which is a WONDERFUL thing and I'm so happy that you have each other after all this time. The funny thing is, when I see you with her, you light up like.. like I've NEVER ever seen you do with anyone else. You don't have to tell me how important she is to you, Finn.. it's clear to anyone with eyes."

"Y'know, Rach is just... she's special . And she's so tiny. And vulnerable, and too easy for other jerks to take advantage of. She can be too trusting sometimes. So yeah, I look out for her best interests. I just don't want to see her get hurt. I just... I just want her to be happy."

"Sure, I understand all of that.. but what about you, Finn? Are you happy?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean with your life, with your fiancée... are you really happy?"

Dropping slice number four of his pizza back onto his plate and brushing his fingers together, Finn turns to his brother with heady suspicion peering through narrowed eyes. "Kurt, you're up to something. So spit it out. What's with the inquisition?"

"I'm not up to anything. You're being paranoid, Finn. As I've said, I'm just looking out for my big brother. I just feel like you're going through a lot of big changes right now. You're planning a wedding, preparing to graduate college, becoming a business owner, helping your best friend plan for her wedding... It's a LOT. And we haven't had many chances to just sit and chat, to catch up. And hey, Santana is great , and if you love her and you're really happy, then I'm fully behind you, I'm happy for you."

"Yeah I know.. I know you're right. We haven't had much 'brotherly bonding' time for a long while now, and yeah, sometimes I have been kinda stressed out, it's been a lot of work. Hell, just buying the bar alone is a really big deal change – I mean I'm really excited about it. A little scared shitless that I'll totally screw it up and fall flat on my face and be a big fat failure – but I'm excited too. Rachel thinks I can do it. Tana does too... I just hope they're both right. I just wanna make her proud..."

"Her..?"

"Well yeah.. b-both of them. Tana and Rach."

"And I'm sure they both ARE proud, Finn, why shouldn't they be? You've worked hard to earn your degree, you've come a long way from that lost boy in high school. We're ALL proud of what you've accomplished - mom and dad included. And hey... opening your own business is stressful, but wedding planning can be very stressful too. So if there's ever anything I can do to alleviate ANY of your burdens, I just want you to know that I'm here and happy to assist in any way I can. And if there were anything else that you'd ever want to discuss or mull over, I'm here for that as well... You're my big brother and I love you. I care about YOUR happiness. That's all."

"Okay... I appreciate that, and I love you too, little brother. Seriously though, you worry too much.. but I know it's because you care. So thanks, Kurt."

Kurt may have decided to let the matter drop and for the remainder of their lunch to be spent talking about plans for Finn's bar, but he didn't miss the fact that Finn did NOT answer that last question regarding his own happiness. He only hoped that maybe once Finn had time to reflect on this conversation, it'd sink in and open his eyes. Kurt decided now that he'd planted the seeds, a little self-reflection and introspection would only be a good thing for his brother – assuming Finn would be honest with himself.

...FRFRF...


Rachel greets Blaine with a warm hug and a kiss on each cheek as they're seated outdoors at her favorite vegan restaurant.

"So Diva! It's so nice to finally have you all to myself for a change! It's kinda weird to not have to share you with the other men in your life!"

"I know Blainey, we should definitely do this more often – I'm not even sure why it's taken us this long to have our own private lunch date together... Hey, maybe we can squeeze in a little retail therapy after lunch too."

"Um, YES! Kurt would be so jealous – but we just won't tell him, so COUNT ME IN. And we will absolutely have to make a regular lunch slot for just the two of us once in a while from now on."

"Agreed! And also.. We just won't tell Kurtsy we went without him today... it'll be our little secret!" She giggles and winks at Blaine.

Blaine chuckles and nods in agreement. "So tell me darling, how have wedding preparations been going? You must be so exhausted, but also so excited!"

Before she could answer, the waiter interrupted to take their orders - a three bean medley salad for her and an impossible veggie burger for him.

"Oh wow, YES, sometimes exhausting, but honestly overall, it's been like a DREAM. It's gone so much easier than I expected it would – but that's probably because Finn's been such a HUGE help and made it all so much fun. I honestly don't know how I would be surviving all of this without him."

"Yeah, I've noticed how well you two seem to mesh. I guess that makes life easier, undertaking such a big task as wedding planning when you have someone like Finn as a best friend tagging along whom you're so close to, who knows you so well and can help you make quick decisions."

"For sure, Blaine. I mean, Finn and I have known each other for so long, well.. I just can't even remember a time when he wasn't there for me. And you're so right about how easy it is to have someone know you so well helping out... Finn really does know pretty much everything there is to know about me. He's made it so much fun and so easy to get through all these big decisions. Plus, I know I can trust him to never steer me wrong."

"You know it's funny Rachel – and please don't take this wrong, but it's hard to see you and Finn together and not imagine you were ever a couple. You're just so precious together sometimes."

Rachel felt a slight blush creeping over her cheeks and smiled softly. "Yes, we um.., we seem to hear that a lot actually. In fact, both our parents used to say it all the time when we were younger. My daddy Hiram in fact even told me after I announced my engagement to Jesse that he couldn't believe it wasn't Finn I was planning to marry! I guess they always thought we'd end up together... But no, that's just not who Finn and I were ever meant to be for one another."

"Really? I mean for as close as you've both been for so many years – and especially through those formative puberty-filled teen years – are you saying you and Finn never ever... y'know, nothing romantic ever happened? I mean, this is just girl talk between us – I swear I'd never repeat anything!"

Rachel sighed. "Well, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't at least a brief time when I might have hoped for things to be different. How could I not? I mean, Finn is just so good looking and so... so FINN. But you know, he was just never that way with me. He was more interested in taller, skinnier, bustier blondes, or more sexy seductive athletic types, like Santana. I suppose I never fit his ideal type... at least I don't think I did. And he certainly never gave me a reason to think otherwise."

"Oh Rachel, I find that hard to believe. I've seen photos of you two in your younger days in Kurt's scrapbooks. Girlfriend, you were just as lovely and adorable then as you are now. Maybe your fashion sense has improved a little since then – but I'm not judging!" He chuckled, hoping to keep the conversation light and continuous.

"Hey! Finn always liked my animal print sweaters and plaid skirts! That was actually one reason I wore so many of them, because he once told me how much he liked the polar bears on the sweater my Aunt Ethel knitted me for my tenth birthday!"

"Oh goodness.. Let's definitely never tell Kurt that! He already tortures his brother enough without that knowledge!"

Rachel giggled wildly. "That's the truth!"

"So true confessions time. Are you saying that you two have NEVER even kissed?"

She swallowed her salad with an audible gulp then quickly took a sip of her unsweetened iced tea with extra lemon. "Well.. um... okay there was just one time... but Blaine you have to SWEAR never to repeat this to anyone! Especially not Kurt or Finn! Finn and I made a promise to never speak of it again, and we haven't ever since!"

"Scouts honor, babe. My lips are sealed, I'll take it to my grave. Now spill the T, this sounds juicy!"

"UGH I can't believe I'm telling you this... but okay. We were just 13 years old at the time. You know Santana's friend, Brittany?" Blaine nodded eagerly and allowed her to continue. "Well, it was her birthday party. Everyone wanted to play that game, seven minutes in heaven... and before we knew what happened, Noah Puckerman made Finn and I go to the closet together !"

"Oh my goodness, this IS JUICY! So what happened? Who kissed who? Was it good, bad, awkward?"

Rachel blushes and attempts to downplay the importance of the story. "Well... it was... oh, Blaine it was just so long ago... I'm not sure I remember exactly..."

"Nu-uh girlfriend, you're not getting off that easily. I guarantee you remember every second of that time in the closet. This is far too important a moment of your formative teenage years for you to have forgotten a single steamy detail. Now TELL!"

A dreamy wide smile suddenly pulled across her beautiful face. She closed her eyes and sighed at the vivid memory. "It was truly magical, Blaine. I... Well, of course, I already had a crush on Finn for a few months by then. You know, he was running a little behind on the 'likes girls' part of his teen years, or at least, perhaps I was a little ahead of him on matters of the heart at that time. But I'd known for a while how I felt about him, or at least I thought I did. Things had been changing between us all summer, and suddenly all the times we would hug or cuddle or hold hands, things we'd just always done naturally in the past, I started to feel differently about it.. even imagining there was maybe something more between us. I felt those butterflies, you know? But Finn, he wasn't... um, well he just wasn't interested in me like that. Not before then and not after."

"How do you know? As you just said, boys are often a little slower on the uptake – and I can say that with some authority on the matter. But did he actually say anything, did he ever tell you he didn't like you in that way?"

"Well.. no. But... When we were first called to go to the closet, his initial reaction to me was to say we didn't have to go. Of course, I thought maybe he was embarrassed or didn't want to go there with ME. Then he corrected himself saying he was just worried about how I'd feel about it. So then I got up and dragged him in anyway. I felt like I had a point to prove, especially with the way the rest of the kids in the room were behaving about it. I'm not even sure where I got the courage to do that – or to do a lot of what happened inside that closet! – I was certainly braver that day than I'd ever been before, or since!"

"Wait wait wait... what exactly did you two DO in that closet, Miss Diva? This is getting juicier by the second!"

"Now Blaine, a girl has to be allowed to keep at least some of her secrets! ... Let's just say, I was ready to, ahh, experiment, at least a little bit, and there was just nobody better than my best friend to try those things with. Because, well naturally I was comfortable with him, but also, I knew he wouldn't make fun of me or laugh if I was bad at it. And he didn't make fun of me at all..."

"Hmm. So that means you made the first move on him?"

"Well... yeah, I suppose I did. I mean, we were just talking at first, and then... Well, the next thing I knew, I told him he could kiss me. And he did! Very eagerly I might add. It was so... so sweet and so special and I'm so glad I shared that first kiss experience with him and nobody else. But... then um, something happened. Something changed and I got kind of scared and nervous and I laughed, then he laughed and we decided it was too weird for us to be kissing each other like that, because we were too close, like brother and sister. He was my very best friend, and I could never lose him. So we made a pact to forget about it and never speak of it or try anything like that again."

"Wow. What scared you?"

Rachel exhaled quietly and pushed her salad around on her plate with her fork. "I'm... not really sure. My feelings I guess? And also, um, I could feel... his feelings, if you know what I mean? You know, pressing against me sort of feelings?"

"OH! Oh yes, right right, I follow... but ah.. Well I mean it sounds like he had a positive experience too, for THOSE feelings to emerge... So how was that a bad thing, exactly?"

"I guess I was afraid of those changes between us. I was afraid to lose his friendship. I've never had another friend like him in my life, Blaine. He's too special to me and I feel like I'd die without him. He is truly one of a kind, irreplaceable. And I guess I considered how different things would be if we were to try to be more than just friends, or, if I liked him too much and it scared him off. I was more afraid he wouldn't ever like me that way and it would hurt too much if he rejected me. It was far more important to make sure I had his friendship than to even think about exploring those other options. You know, teen romances so often fizzle and flame out... so why risk the best friend of lifetime over a few moments of youthful hormonal bliss? So I just got over it I guess. Chose our friendship and left it at that – and he easily agreed with me on that point. So, that's how I know he never felt anything more than friendship towards me. I think he's always considered me like a little sister."

"Well he still seems to kiss you an awful lot for regarding you as merely a sister, but I guess some families are closer than others?"

Rachel giggled and waved a dismissive hand. "No... Finn is just affectionate like that with me... it doesn't mean anything."

"Um, I don't know Rachel. I've never known any other male/female friendship to be THAT affectionate without something deeper underlying it... of course, that's not to say there aren't others in the world with a similar type of friendship. It's just not common, is all. Plus, I've sometimes seen the way he looks at you and... well, honestly, the way you look at him too, and it just makes me wonder."

"I'm not sure what you mean Blaine. I don't look at him any differently than I ever have..."

He grins knowingly at her. "Maybe that's the point?"

"What point? You... you're surely not suggesting that I, or that we–"

"No, of course I'm not suggesting anything at all. I just think you two are very close and it's nice. I'm glad you have someone like Finn in your life. I just wonder, does it ever bother Jesse, just how close you and Finn are?"

"Jesse? Well no... he's... Jesse is very busy a lot of the time, you know? He doesn't spend a great deal of time around Finn and I together. Anyway, he accepted long ago that Finn is very important to me and would always be a part of my life. And he knows we're just friends. I don't see why it should bother him the least?"

"Interesting. Just saying, if it were me, for example, if Kurt were so close and affectionate with another guy like that, I don't know if I could be so understanding without being even a little jealous – or at least having a conversation or two about it... And thinking about Santana, she must be equally as understanding as Jesse is. She seems completely unaffected by you and Finn being so close. I wonder if Finn and San have ever had arguments about your friendship?"

"Finn says Tana doesn't mind our friendship in the least. We've all grown up together after all, so she's been aware of our relationship all along. She's certainly not one to withhold opinions either, so I'm quite sure I would have heard from her directly if she had any issues. But I suppose they've at least talked about it, although, I'm not sure what there is to say, really. You know, it does strike me as strange that Tana didn't want to help at all with their wedding plans though... it's like she just wants to be married, but isn't the least bit concerned with how that happens."

"You know I've wondered about Santana for a while myself. Like you and Finn, she seems extra close with Brittany in a way that makes me wonder..."

"Wonder... what exactly Blaine? OH! You don't think that her and Brittany are.. that they're..."

"Well I mean it's possible at least. Maybe it's nothing at all – I mean, I really don't know Britt at all and I hardly know Santana that much better, but you know, being a gay man gives me a different perspective of things, and it's a little easier to read the small signs most people would miss. I could be completely off base, but I just.. Can't help but wonder is all."

"Oh gosh. I never even really thought about that. But why would she be so eager to marry Finn if that were true? OH! You don't think she'd use him as her beard?"

"Hey we don't even know whether it IS true at all... but there are plenty of cases of people living in denial, living a life that their families or friends expect them to, instead of coming to terms with their own true feelings about themselves, or even being ready to acknowledge them and share them with the world... so, even IF it's true, that might explain it. This is of course all hypothetical anyway. I'm sure her friendship with Britt is just as innocent as yours is with Finn, right?"

"Yes... sure, innocent. But.. I mean, if that were the case, Finn would surely know if something were questionable, wouldn't he? I mean.. If San were ah, you know, having feelings like that for Britt... Finn would see that eventually, wouldn't he?"

"Rachel, I'm quite sure everything is fine. But yes, I'm sure Finn would likely pick up on something at some point – if he chose to look for it, that is... but really, you spend so much time with him and you certainly know him better than anyone... has he ever said anything to give you cause for concern, or that indicates he has any concerns?"

Rachel takes pause to consider his question carefully. "No – well, other than her disinterest in wedding planning and apparently her lack of interest in having children, no... there's nothing he's said directly about Santana that I know of. He did say one thing recently though that seemed somewhat unusual, but then he wouldn't elaborate on what he meant."

"Really. Why, what did he say?"

"We were talking about how we felt about starting families and... well he said something about feeling like he'd missed some opportunities and wishing something was different."

Blaine scrunches his face with confusion. "Hmm.. Yeah. That's... certainly pretty vague... and he didn't explain more than that? Did you ask him to elaborate? I mean, what did you think he meant?"

"Yes, vague, to say the least. I did ask him but he changed the subject, which was also sort of strange. I didn't know what to make of it then, and I still don't."

Blaine reaches his hand overtop hers on the table and gently squeezes as reassurance. "Well.. maybe he was just thinking out loud and wasn't even sure himself what he was talking about. But wait... I almost missed it, you also said Santana doesn't want kids.. Is that true?"

"Oh.. well, not necessarily NEVER wants kids, just, it sounds like she's not very interested right now I suppose. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that so please don't repeat it to anyone. But, Finn plans to talk to her more about it soon. I know how important starting a family is to him; he wants to be a daddy so badly. And I know he'll be a wonderful father. Knowing Finn as I do, I can promise you, if anything would be a deal breaker in their relationship, THAT would certainly be it."

"Yes for sure, I'd have to agree with you on that point.. I too know how important kids are to him. He keeps asking Kurt when we're going to settle down and make him an uncle. He loves kids... and I have to say kids seem to love him too."

"How could they not? He is FINN after all," Rachel adds with a warm smile.

"Very true. So... anyway, it sounds like things are really well with you and Jesse then?"

"Oh yes, we've been just great. I mean, he's very busy with work, obviously. The play is moving into production soon, and I also suspect he has something else possibly happening on the side; he's had a number of separate meetings with investors lately – but nothing he's at liberty to share, not even with me yet... but when he is home things are just fine. In fact, he finally has an entire weekend off this week and we're planning to have dinner at his parents."

"Oh... well that sounds like fun!"

Rachel laughs without humor. "Mmm... sure. It'll be just a barrel of laughs! I can't wait to go to their mansion and be judged for all the ways I'm probably messing up the wedding plans! His mother is very judgmental and can be a tough cookie to crack sometimes. Don't get me wrong – she's a perfectly lovely woman, just... very over protective of Jesse and VERY particular about 'keeping up appearances' in society."

"Oh, she's one of those types... well that must be a lot of added stress!"

"It really is. Jesse tells me all the time how much his parents adore me, but you know, sometimes I think he means how they adore my TALENT and my potential for success on stage rather than actually liking me for ME. It might just be my own insecurities seeping through, but his family isn't particularly warm or inviting. They're certainly nothing like the Hudson-Hummels for example."

"Wow.. I'm so sorry sweetheart. The good news is, you're marrying JESSE, not his parents... so maybe you won't have to spend much time with his family. Especially not once your big Broadway roles start falling into place. You'll be too busy to have to be worried about it!"

"Finn said something like that too – that I'm not marrying his parents. But I told him that they're becoming my family, and it does matter to me what they think. But what you've just said is also true... I hope so anyway, that my career will take off and in time I will be too busy to worry about it much. I'm just thankful I have Finn in my corner no matter what, and I know Jesse supports my decisions too... so hopefully things will all just fall into place."

"Well that's wonderful Rachel. Sounds like you have the best of both worlds. Two good men on your side no matter what."

"Yes... the um, the very best. I have the greatest best friend in the world who loves and believes in me, and a wonderful fiancé who understands and worships me. What more could a girl ask for?"

Somehow Blaine wasn't convinced that Rachel really believed her own words, at least not all of them, and yet he decided it was time to change the subject. He'd hoped he'd said enough to make her really think about where things were headed with both Finn and Jesse. He was also eager to speak to Kurt to see how his conversation with Finn had panned out.

...FRFRF...