DISCLAIMER: Rachel Berry, Hunter Clarington, and anything else you recognize does not belong to me.

Note: This is a canon divergent au taking place during season three. Rachel and Hunter are childhood friends (and a little more), Hunter transfers a year earlier then he did in canon, and Rachel and Finn never got back together.

Coming Back to You

The first thing Rachel noticed upon stepping into the choir room was the boy in a Dalton uniform leaning against the piano.

Her breath was knocked out of her lungs as she took him in and she halted midstride.

He'd changed a lot since they had last seen each other. His hair was longer and lighter. His body had grown taller. His body was solid with muscle. There were things which hadn't changed as well - the casual arrogance he held himself with, the warm green of his eyes, the curve of his lips as he smiled.

He was watching her, a warm smile on his face and his eyes dancing with excitement.

It helped her regain her balance. It also caused a bolt of anger to rush through her as she remembered just why she hadn't spoken to him in years.

"I don't know why your here," Rachel said, all of her anger channeled into her voice, "but you need to leave, Hunter."

"Leave?" Hunter repeated. "But I came all the way here to see you."

"I really don't know why you would do that. I'm pretty sure I made it clear I never wanted to see your face again."

Something akin to hurt flashed across his face. There was the warm sense of satisfaction in her chest at causing him even a fraction of the pain he'd caused her. It was accompanied by a contradictory squeeze of her heart at the idea of hurting him.

It was gone quickly, however. His smile adjusted into a smirk. He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "I thought it was time for that to stop."

"I'm pretty sure I'm the one who gets to decide that."

"I don't know about that. Your father seemed pretty receptive to the idea of a reunion when I called and asked what your after school plans were today."

"Daddy told you where I was?" Rachel gaped at him. "After what you did?!"

"Rachel please," Hunter answered with a slight roll of his eyes. "Both of your fathers were on my side in that."

That was enough for her mouth to snap shut. Neither of them made to speak again, choosing instead to just stand and stare at each other.

Her anger still burned hot in her chest, but the longer they stood there staring at each other the more memories rushed to the surface. She remembered the feeling of his arms snaring her and pulling him to his chest during rounds of tag, she remembered the feeling of his calf pressed against hers as they dipped their toes into the river, she remembered the sound of their laughter mixing together as they wrote each other messages with the smoke of sparklers. She remembered all the things she'd pushed to the back of her mind in an effort to run as far away from him as possible.

Their showdown was interrupted by Finn saying, "Look, I don't know who you are, but you've gotta go. The only Warbler allowed in here during practice is Blaine, and that's only because he's not actually a Warbler anymore."

Rachel turned her head, realizing for the first time that the rest of the Glee club was seated and watching the two of them. They looked as confused as they did intrigued.

"He's not a Warbler," Blaine informed. "Or at least, he wasn't when I transferred."

"I am not a bird, no," Hunter agreed. "I thought that would have been common sense. Apparently, public schools are worse then I thought."

Rachel turned to him again, glaring. She let out a warning, "Hunter."

He watched her for a moment before nodding, "Alright. I'll lay off."

"If your not a Warbler," Santana began, and Rachel almost groaned out loud at the look in her eye, "how do you know Rachel?"

"Hunter and I grew up together," Rachel answered before he could. "Although, I have no idea what he's doing in a Dalton uniform since he doesn't go to Dalton."

"I transferred there," Hunter said. "Mom got moved bases and Dalton was the closest boarding school."

Even though she was still angry, Rachel felt a flash of worry. She questioned, "Will you be alright there? A private school like Dalton is very different from military school."

He smiled a bit before giving a shrug. "If you can handle the shift from military to public, I'm pretty sure I can go from military to private. It's a lot less drastic."

"Berry went to military school?" Puck questioned. He was eyeing her with a mix of awe and shock. "What'd she do to get tossed into that?"

"I attended a military school up until I transferred here during freshmen year," Rachel informed. "And I didn't do anything to get sent there. My daddy's family has a long history with the military and I went to military school because of it."

Santana gave a thoughtful hum. Her gaze flickered between Hunter and Rachel. Finally, she said, "It doesn't seem like classmates are the only thing you two were. Otherwise he wouldn't be standing here and you wouldn't be screeching about hating his guts."

There was a beat of silence before Hunter said, "We're not just classmates. I'm her boyfriend."

"You most certainly are not!" Rachel objected quickly, not wanting to give any of New Directions a chance to get into that one. "I'm pretty sure we broke up when you broke a kid's arm and I told you I never wanted to speak to you again."

"I figured that didn't count," Hunter answered.

"Why would you think that!"

"I had a perfectly valid reason for snapping his arm like a twig. Figured you couldn't break up with me for hurting someone when the reason was solid."

Before Rachel could retort, Puck let out a sharp whistle. "You broke someone's arm?"

Hunter glanced at him. "Yes. He was touching her and didn't listen when she said to let go. So I fixed the problem."

"I know just as many martial arts as you do," Rachel snapped. "I would have taken care of it myself. Without breaking any of his bones."

"I know you can. It doesn't stop me from wanting to do it for you, though." Rachel watched as some of Hunter shifted. His whole body was turned towards her and some of the arrogance melted off his shoulders as they relaxed. "Rach, I won't apologize for what I did because I still maintain that it was a perfectly reasonable response to finding you pinned against a wall without your consent. But, god it's been two and a half years. I miss you like crazy. Just...Give me another shot. I can't promise I won't fly off the handle because you know how my temper is, but I can promise to at least try and limit it to angry screaming instead of physical violence."

She ran her tongue across her lip, considering his words.

She had told Finn he was her first boyfriend because it was easier to pretend that he hadn't existed then to remember what they had. She had told Jesse that she couldn't survive being hurt by him because losing Hunter had meant losing such a huge part of her that almost nothing had been left.

"I think," Rachel began after a moment, "that if I say yes, we have to take things slow. It won't be the same as when we were thirteen and knew every detail of each others lives."

"I know that. I'm not the same person I was back then and I know your not either. But the fact that I want you, that I can't imagine being with anyone other then you, has never changed. I don't see it ever changing either."

She sucked her bottom lip in, biting down on it wearily. Then she gave a hesitant nod. "Why don't we meet for coffee once my practice finishes? The Lima Bean isn't too far from here or Dalton."

"I'll be there." He glanced around before adding, "That's your way of telling me to leave right?"

"Right. We don't need any spies."

Hunter gave a small nod. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked close to her. He stopped in front of her.

"Thank you," he murmured before bending down to press his lips to her cheek. "I'll see you in a little while?"

Rachel nodded, feeling the blush crawling across her cheeks. "I should be there around four thirty."

There was a small, gentle smile on both of their lips as he walked out the door.