Day 3: Aftermath

Finn sat in the waiting room at the hospital, trying to wrap his tired mind around it all.

Word had come back from the doctors that Rachel would be fine once she'd been rehydrated and her nutrient balance adjusted. She also had a wrenched knee, a twisted ankle and a lot of bruising, but no broken bones and no blood loss. But it had been a very near thing. Her fathers, already in New York looking for her, were on their way.

But what did this mean, finding her again like this? Finn had thought the universe would reunite them if and when it wanted to, but he never thought that would mean something like what had happened at the Euler Building. He couldn't accept that the universe would cause or even allow such destruction, kill all those other people, to bring him and Rachel back together. And though he didn't think about it much, any faith he'd had in destiny had been lost in the rubble of an Afghan school.

So he sat there in his t-shirt and fatigues, trying to listen to his instinct and his heart, just as he had six years before. Trying at least to get a feeling of what was right.

"So this is why you did it, huh?" Finn looked up into a face much older than when he'd seen it last, lined by six years of life and three days of fear. Hiram Berry. Finn's confusion showed, and the older man sat down next to him. "We never really understood why you sent Rachel away, Finn, even though we were happy about it. She certainly never understood, especially why you went into the army instead of going to New York. She was really hurt, and worried for you, it was very hard on her, but... if this is why, it was right." Hiram met his eyes. "Thank you," he said, with deep sincerity. He clasped Finn's shoulder. "She's awake and asking for you."

If this is why... He'd never been sure that Rachel had surrendered when she'd gotten onto that train, it wasn't her way and he'd been unable to explain to her why he felt they should, but he certainly had surrendered. And he'd gone where he felt he was supposed to go, without questioning why he felt it, because that's what you do when you surrender. That had led him here, now, to the rescue crew in the ruins of the Euler Building, exactly where and when she needed him. The one person who would be able to hear her voice, no matter what, when she sang to him as she faded.

If the building was to fall anyway, and she was to be there... he'd been there to save her. And he'd been able to do that because he'd surrendered, he'd allowed the universe to put him where it wanted to. Here.

Why did the universe save her and not one of the others, so many of the others who had died? Why was she special? Maybe she was the only one who could be saved. But he'd surrendered to the universe for her sake, and she was special, at least to him. Especially to him.

He'd thought he'd given her up and gone into the army just to get out of her way, but clearly it had been for more. Not fate, not destiny, just the willingness of the universe to work a miracle for someone willing to trust it completely.

Maybe he deserved her after all.

Finn went into the hospital room and saw Rachel there, already rosier from the IV hydration. She smiled at him, and his heart leaped as their eyes met. He went to her side.

"You came..." she whispered. "I called for you, and you came."

"I was just outside."

"In the dark... when the building moved and everyone screamed..."

She'd called for him then, as the Euler fell. She had called to him, and he had come - but on a path he'd started six years before. Somehow he'd heard her in his heart, six years ago, when it told him to surrender, to trust that he'd be with her when he should be. Today. He took her hand. "For you Rach? Anything."

Someone moved a chair right behind him, and he sat down, still holding her hand. He reached his other hand over to touch her face, his eyes drinking in those familiar features, even more beautiful at 23 than she'd been in high school, despite all she'd been through in the last three days.

She, in turn, had her eyes fixed on him, taking in the changes that six years in the army had wrought. "I love you," she said softly. "I am so glad you're here."

"You know, you've got quite the voice," Finn said. He stroked her cheek. "I always knew it was beautiful, and powerful, and I always thought I'd hear it no matter where I was, but you reached me through six years of time. Got me all ready for you, even without knowing it." He blinked back tears. "I love you so much, Rachel."

"Finn... stay with me." He knew she meant more than just now.

And Finn looked inside his heart, and asked himself what he felt was right. Asked the universe.

"Yes."

.

END