Not Broken, Just Bent

One Shot

Rachel's POV

I walk up the stairs that lead to the stage of the auditorium and try my best to control my breathing. I shouldn't be this emotional over the death of someone I didn't even know, but Sue's words have rendered me speechless. The tether she described, that tether, it's all too familiar and yet not at all. I'm stronger than this, I've shed enough tears over him to last me a lifetime.
"Rachel."
I turn slowly, towards the seats of the auditorium and stare at the boy who holds my heart. I see bags under his eyes and a single tulip in his hand as he stares back up at me.
"Finn."
He quickly makes his way towards me on the stage and hands me the tulip as I take it and stare blankly. Neither of us speaks. The silence is comfortable but dull. He stares into my eyes, willing me to say something, but I don't. Quiet overtakes us once more as his eyes bore into mine.
"Go out with me. Like on a date."
I look at him incredulously, "excuse me?"
"Go out with me. I broke up with Quinn, it's over between us. It has been for a long time."
I let out a breathe as I hear the words I've been wishing would come out of his mouth for months and yet somehow they fail to reassure me. I just continue staring.
"I don't know what I was thinking, going back to her. I guess it was just easier to hide from you. But Rach, I don't want to hide anymore, I want us to be together. All that stuff that was said at the funeral about being tethered to someone- I feel that way about you, Rachel. No matter how hard I pull away, it's still always been you on the other end. I l-"
"Stop"
"Rachel I do, I lov-"
"No. Please stop. You don't get to do this to me. You don't get to pretend everything can go back to the way it was- you can't just-"
"I know I screwed up, we both did, but I refuse to let you go, this- what we have- it doesn't just go away, Rachel. Please, just go out with me tonight."
"I can't do this anymore."
I manage to choke out a sentence as I set the tulip down on the piano before running out of the auditorium. With tears streaming down my face, I rush into the bathroom, mindless to the very confused boy following close behind. Once I close the door I let myself have a moment to breathe and let it all out.
"Are you okay?"
I look up to see the last person I wanted to see right now, Quinn Fabray.
"I'm fine."
I quickly wipe the tears out of my eyes and look away.
"Look, I know we aren't like friends or anything but if you need to talk, you can."
I take a few deep breathes and finally look into her eyes.
"Its uhm- it's about Finn- he uh- he told me you guys broke up... and then he- he asked me out."
"Well, what did you say?"
"I said no. It's not fair"
I look down, willing myself to admit the truth.
"He only seems to want me when he knows he can't have me. So- I said no."
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it. He was with you when he first started giving me any sort of attention. Then he wasn't with you and he had me all to himself but- he didn't want me- he wanted Santana. Then I met Jesse and all of a sudden, Finn wants to be with me. And then we finally got together with no one in the way and it was good at first, but I could tell he would stray, he would flirt with other girls right in front off me, and then I found out about Santana and I cheated and he was so angry. I thought being with Puck would make him want me again, but he didn't want me. He wanted you. You were with Sam, the good guy, the guy that would never hurt you, so he wanted you again and you let him have you. And now, Jesse is back and Finn suddenly thinks he loves me again. I just- I can't keep doing this. There's only so many times I can let him break my heart."
"I know this is wierd coming from me, but, if it means anything, I really do think he loves you. He never looked at me the way he looks at you. He never longed for me when he was with you. But he is a mindless boy, who has been careless with your heart way too many times. You are under no obligation to let him keep being so wreckless"
I look up at her as she gathers her stuff to leave.
"Hey, Quinn?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
I take a few minutes to gather my thoughts and control my crying, before walking out of the bathroom quickly.
As I go out I run into something hard, well someone, their chest.
One look into his amber eyes confirms my suspicions. He heard every single word I said.
He clears his throat.
"I need to say something and I want you to let me finish before you say anything."
I sigh and nod my head, willing him to continue.
"I know that we have both hurt eachother and I know that I've broken your heart more times than I can count. I know you have every reason to walk away right now, but I love you. I love you more than anything in this world and that scares the shit out of me. I know you think that this is all just a game to me, but I swear to you that it isn't. So, if what it takes for you to believe that I'm serious this time, that I'm in it for good this time, is that we stay friends for a while so yiu can learn to trust me, then I'm willing to do it. I promise I won't push you or pressure you. I'll wait patiently for you to decide if and when you're ready to give us another shot because you're worth the wait and I love you, Rachel Berry. So please, I'm begging you, give me one last chance to prove to you that I'm not going anywhere, that you're all that I want. I won't let anyone ruin what we have ever again- not Quinn, not Santana, not Jesse, and not Puck. You're gonna have to learn to trust me again and I promise you, I won't ever stomp on your heart again. So, what do you say? Will you give me another chance?"
The tears in his eyes don't go unnoticed and I know I have some of my own running down my cheeks. I'm at a loss of words so I simply nod my head and give him a smile, one that he quickly returns. I see him reach up, a single tulip in hand, and he tucks it behind my ear. We turn and walk down the hallway together.
I may not be ready to be with him again, but I know we will be okay. We're tethered after all.