He saw her leave the auditorium, and immediately found himself following. He checked the logical place first, but she hadn't gone to the choir room, he didn't know why she would, but it was really the only place he thought she'd gone to escape the performance. That also confused him, did she not like it? Had he done it wrong? Was there no chemistry on stage? She always said that's why it was good when the two of them used to perform, so he tried to put chemistry into the musical, but apparently it had nothing to do with test tubes. He was about to give up and return to the auditorium for the bows when she emerged from the girls bathroom. Her cheeks were damp, and she was dragging her fingers under her eyes, he supposed with all that eyeliner (yeah, he knew what that was, he had lived with a woman all his life) she's have to be more careful when she cried.

"Hey," he stopped in the corridor in front of her, and she looked up, finally noticing him.
"Oh! Hi." She tucked her hair behind her ear nervously, "the show was really good Finn, I'm proud of you. Truthfully I didn't think you had it in you, you didn't sound like you did when I left last time."
"Thank you?" He chucked, which made her nearly smile, he knew what she meant and he knew it took a lot for Rachel to give a compliment, "I had an amazing inspiration."
"Oh, you did?"
"Yeah, I knew I wanted as much passion as you gave that time in my first glee rehearsal, except without the crazy look you had in your eye. So you were my moose," he gave her his lopsided, dopey smile.
Rachel laughed, "It's muse, Finn. Not moose!"
"I know, I just wanted to see you smile." She quieted down, and became nervous again, he could tell she was hiding something; she kept doing that thing when her bowed her head, and her hair would fall across her face then she'd tuck it behind her ears, "are you going to tell me what's wrong? I mean…I am your friend, right?"
"Finn-"
"Okay, okay, fine! Don't tell me," he put his hands up in defense, "but just know, I know you Rachel Berry. I may not be smart in a traditional way, and I may not read books and shit, but I can read you like a…like a Sloppy Joe's menu."
She smiled again, showing him her set of perfect teeth, and it warmed his heart when she smiled, "I know, Finn. I just-"
"I know you've been crying!" He quickly blurted out without thinking. He knew it was probably rude to push her, but he didn't like or want to see her unset, "and I know you have four kinds of crying. You've got the Fake Crying when you want something, and that normally involves a tissue. You've got the Singing Crying, which this can't be. The disappointed crying, which involves sobbing," she rolled her eyes with a small smile on her face, "and the crying over a guy, which I know very well," her smiled disappeared and he knew he was right, "'cause that used to be reserved…for me."
Almost on cue her bottom lip began to tremble, "it's not- it's not like that!" He could see new, fresh tears twinkling in her eyes, making them sparkle even more, "it not just-it's-"
"Shhh, shhh," he took a few steps towards her and engulfed her in his arms. It had been ages since they'd hugged each other. Something which was once so accessible was now a treat for him. He didn't realise how much he missed simply hugging her until he was unable to do in on a daily basis. He miss other, more obvious things to a guy his age, but their hugs were something so understated, he'd never given a second thought to how her small frame fit so perfectly against his, "okay, it's not that," he knew damn well it was Brody and if he ever saw that lowlife again he's knock that cocky smile off his face, but he didn't want to push Rachel.
"It's everything," she sobbed, "I guess…I guess New York was tougher and crueler then I anticipated. It's more of an 'every man for himself' attitude, which I thought I could cope with. I guess I'm not as strong as I thought."
"Sounds to me like someone is a little bit homesick," she had her forehead pressed against his chest so he couldn't see the shame she felt. He began tucking her hair behind her ear for her, "I know what might cheer you up." Intrigued, she looked up at him, and Finn had a huge smile on his face at the idea, "stick around for tomorrow and come to glee club!" She opened her mouth to protest, but he quickly jumped in, "really! Rach, you're like Glee Club royalty! The amount of times I've built you up in that room during Grease Rehearsal, you have to come, Mr Shue won't mind, In fact he's not even going to be there tomorrow, he didn't want any rigorous practice while the musical was on, so I'm just gonna take the floor. It'll be fun I promise, and I could probably do with you and your expertise."
She pondered for a moment, then smiled, "of course I'll be there. But only because you practically said I was a princess and because we're friends."
"Yeah, you're my princess friend."

The next day, Rachel found herself walking down the halls of McKinley High like nothing had changed. She was doing her usual route to the choir room like she'd done literally everyday only a few months prior. It was strangely therapeutic, but also unsettling; it felt like nothing had changed. She hadn't grown during her time in New York, she felt like the same ridiculed, lonely Rachel Berry that she was during her first Glee Clue practice. That those hours of dance classes with Miss July hadn't done anything but put her back to square one. Show what an awful teacher she was, and human being, who sleeps with a student?! Even if they're both of age and well aware of the consequences, and-
She didn't want to do this now, not here, not when Finn was trying hard to cheer her up. She checked her watch, she was now five minutes late, something unlike the old Rachel Berry, not that it really mattered, no one was ever at practice on time, most of the rehearsal time was just her alone in the choir room while everyone turned up when they felt like it. Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, she managed to get Finn there on time when they were dating, but the principal was still the same, punctuality was key.

She timidly walked into the choir room, to not only see it full with the club, but they were all staring at her like she broken something. Finn's back was currently to her as he wrote something on the board, and she got a small wave from Tina, but she was amazed a practice had started on time. She had to give Finn credit there, no matter how hard Mr Shue tried; they were normally all talking of a good five minutes from the moment he stepped into the room.
"Okay, Review! So last night- Rachel! Thank fuc-I mean it's great you made it!" He came and gave her a hug before ushering her to a seat at the front, "guys, some of you may not know, this is Rachel Berry, she's kinda like New Directions Royalty, like the Queen!"
Somewhere behind her she heard Sam whisper something about her King, but she wasn't fully aware as to what was going on, she was more taken my Finn's enthusiasm, and the way he easily captured the kids interest the moment he spoke, it was refreshing to see him so in control and content, showed he'd come a long way since that day she left him on the stage, "so she's here to really give her expert feed back on the performance last night, as you were all in the show, I though it would be useful, especially for the leads, as that's her area of expertise, for some feedback."
Rachel scanned the room and he was right, everyone in glee club was in the musical, unsurprising really, in fact, last year Finn was the only one not to be in West Side Story, she looked up at him and frowned. Back then she hadn't given it much thought, he wanted to focus on football, but look where that got him. He missed out on and experience with would have really enriched his knowledge of the theatre, maybe now that's why he's thrown himself into this.
"What is it Rachel? Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say a word wrong?" She blinked a few times and smiled, she was about to speak when-
"No, Finn. Everything you said was great! It's a really good idea of yours to have Miss Berry here today."
Rachel turned to where she heard the voice was coming from. At the back of the choir room was the girl who played Sandy last night, she though her name was Marley, she remembered because when she read her name in the programme she couldn't stop humming 'One Love'. She also thought about Labradors. Anyways that didn't matter, what mattered now was the way she was eyeing up her- Finn, eyeing up her Finn, like he was a slice of meat. A slice of meat with a nice hair cut and subtle dye job, and more toned muscles and those little dimples which never change- oh crap.
"Thanks, I thought it was a pretty good idea, even if only you agree, Marley," he flashed a smile directly at the girl and Rachel's jaw tensed and she glared at the younger female.
"It was an ingenious idea on your behalf, Finn," she found herself saying and getting up off her chair so she could stand by Finn, looking out at the group, "I have spend three years in this room, along side you, and have had the lead in the school musical for three years, one with you as my opposite, despite only one of them making it to opening night, so I feel you have cast me well to come here today and talk to everyone."
Finn beamed, his plan had worked, she was back to over confident Rachel. That was a lot easier then he thought, he thought he would have to allow her to sing to them to show off a little, but just being back in the choir room must have helped. Although we was talking way too much for a Tuesday afternoon in his option, "okay…that's great…why don't you have a chat with Marley and I'll talk to the T-birds and Pink Ladies about the final number, sound good?"
Rachel glared at Marley who still had her eyes on Finn the whole time and saw her face visible drop when she heard that she wouldn't get a one on one with Finn, "sounds great," she managed to say through gritted teeth.

"I don't normally do stuff like this, I mean, I love singing and performing, but more in the shower or my bedroom, but I joined glee club and suddenly I found my confidence and then Finn chose the musical and was directing it and I couldn't shy away from that, although there was competition for the lead, but in the end Finn choose me!" Marley had been rambling on for a good five minutes, practically giving Rachel her life story. It must have been nerves for being placed with a budding star like herself, or the girl just like to talk about anything.
"I'm sure Finn choose for your talent and nothing more," it did irritate her that she spoke like Finn had picked her out of a crown of girls, if he was given a crowd of girls to chose one from, he choose Rachel, they had more then just musical chemistry. She needed to stop thinking like this. She'd told him she was done with their whole back and forth relationship, but he she was getting jealous of a girl who had nothing but a school girl crush.
"He could have chosen that blonde girl over there, the cheerleader, she's looks better for the part, pretty, blonde, skinny."
Rachel looked over to the girl on her phone, pouting at the back, "well, trust me when I say it, Finn has no trouble going with his heart over a cheerleader any day. She smiled and looked over to him as he crouched between the group and spoke animatedly with his hands.
"He's a really good teacher, he kinda has a vision and won't stop until we all see it too, even if it's a little difficult to understand the way he puts it."
Rachel realized he'd been staring at Finn a little too long, so long he'd actually glanced in their direction and shot her a smile and wink, Marley immediately waved, making Rachel roll her eyes.
"Look, from what I saw last night, what you lack is…passion."
"Passion?"
"You don't seem to really see that Sandy would turn her life upside down for Danny, she loves him, wants to show him that she can be everything he wants."
"Oh…well, I guess I could be a bit more passionate," Marley looked a little uneasy, "I don't really-"
"When I first sang 'You're the One that I Want' with Finn," Marley's face looked a little saddened, like someone had told a small child that Santa wasn't real, this gave Rachel a little satisfaction, "I full on went for it, you can't hold back when you see this guy in front of you!"
"Finn…?" Marley said in a dreamy voice, her attention averted solely on Finn.
"No, not Finn," Rachel said disguised at this girls imagination, "not for you anyway," Marley looked at her quizzically, "not for anyone! He's single!" She was getting frustrated at herself and the image of Finn in the Danny costume like she'd imagined last night was getting her flustered.
"He's single?!" Marley perked up.
"No! I mean, yes, I mean-"
"Okay, I think it's time to move on," Finn was stood at the front of the room.
"Oh thank God.." Rachel let out a sigh of relief as Marley collected her things and began to exit the room with the rest of the kids, looking at Rachel strangely as she left.
"So, how'd it go?" She walked over to join Finn at the piano, "how was Marley's one on one?"
"She's…got quite an imagination," she avoided eye contact and she strummed her finger nails on the piano.
"She has?"
"Finn, you know she's got a huge crush on you?! How can you not see it? She practically looks at you like a piece of meat and jumps at any chance to compliment you!"
"She doesn't, she's just really nice."
"Nice? You're so naïve," she blushed at him knowing his next question.
"Is that a good thing?"
"I can be, it means you still have an adorable innocence to you which I'm sure this girl noticed and found appealing."
"What else might she find appealing?" He took a step towards her and cocked his eyebrow in her direction.
"Well, being the old quarterback and co-captain of the New Directions you have skill and talent, but you weren't just the popular guy in school because of that," they were face to face now, with little gap between their bodies.
"Oh? What else then?" He was rubbing his hands up and down her arms.
"Have I mentioned how cute you may or may not look?"
"You haven't as of yet. Have I told you how beautiful you are?"
She swallowed, she went for a throw away comment, but of course Finn being Finn wasn't as coy as her. She wasn't really worried about him getting another girl, of course she knew it would be easy for him, Marley proved that girls just fall for him at the drop of a hat, but most of the time he was oblivious. But what about her? Handsome boys wanting to sweep her off her feet didn't come along much, and now she had one in New York and one in Lima. She thought about it last night and she had a speech prepared for Brody, one which involved a dramatic storm out, but he didn't really cheat, they weren't an item, or exclusive.
"You don't have to say or do anything, I promise I won't cry on you again and be all emo, but you should know that I will always be yours. I don't care if you fuck," she winched at his language, "sorry, I don't care if you…fornicate?"
"Where did you learn that word?"
"Kurt, he used to complain when we walked in on us in the laundry room at home, anyway," she chuckled, thinking back, "I don't care about that stuff. I do if the guy messes you around and makes you cry…like last night."
"He didn't-"
"Whatever, Rach, you can't hide from me. I know you better then anyone and I take pride in that. If there was a course in college on Rachel Berry I'd take it, especially if it were in New York and at the end I was entitled to marry you."
"You still want to marry me?"
"I'm going to. I just have to wait."
"Wait? Until what?"
"Until we're ready. We both have stuff we need to figure out on our own, well, kinda, I'm not going to lose you completely. I love you, so you're always going to be in my life, we just need a little time apart."
"But you promise, promise we're-"
"I promise, when you're twenty five, and won a bunch of Tonys and ready to have sex," she laughed as he quoted her and took the time to wipe a few stray tears until he grabbed her wrists and kissed her hand, "I will make you mine, Rachel Berry. That is a promise."