Method

Chapter 13: Beards

Finn and Rachel sat next to each other on her bed, contemplating what their next move was.

"What are we going to do?" Finn said. "I don't want to date Megan, she gets botox and she's like 17. She says it's preventative, I mean, who does that?"

"And I don't want to date Brittany, I'm not ready for my wild lesbian phase yet," she looked at Finn with wide eyes. "Finn, I think it's time."

"Time for what?" Finn said.

"It's time for me to tell the truth."

"What? No." Finn said.

"I can't keep this up anymore, I can't keep destroying your reputation and I can't use Brittany like this."

"Rachel you can't," Finn said.

"Why? It would solve everything."

"But what about Yentl? I don't think you're ready yet, you were really flat the last time we ran lines."

"Oh please Finn, I was brilliant."

"I know," he admitted sheepishly. "But still, I mean you can never be too prepared right?"

"I don't get it, I thought you wanted me to tell the truth," Rachel said.

"Yeah but that was before..." Finn said.

"Before what?" At that Finn simply looked away, not wanting her to see the sad look in his eyes. "Finn, why don't you want me to tell them the truth?" She said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Because," He said, letting out a soft sigh. "If you tell them the truth then you're going to have to leave."

She looked at him, speechless, "Well, you know Manhattan isn't that far away," she finally said, taking his hand.

"I know, it's just, it's not going to be the same, not being able to see you every day," he said sadly. "I mean it's bad enough that you have to go away in less than a month."

She cupped his face and kissed him tenderly, "I'm going to miss you so much too Finn."

"Look, will it kill us to go on one date? I mean, we don't have to do anything we don't want to," Finn said "It'll get everybody off our backs and we can stay together."

"I don't know, Puck and Sam told me about Megan, I'm not sure if you want to risk going out with a girl with that level of promiscuity, what if she tries to have her way with you?"

Finn leaned in to kiss her again. "I promise you I won't let anything happen."

"And I won't let anything happen with Brittany."

"Well if you did I would totally understand, I mean you have to commit to your craft right?" Finn joked. She nudged him playfully and kissed him once again.

"Okay time to scare up those five other numbers and give Brit a call," Rachel said.

"And I'll go get Megan's number off the bathroom wall," Finn said, not entirely joking.

As Rachel lightly gelled her fake hair in the communal bathroom mirror, she wondered if she looked a little too good. She didn't want to give Brittany any reason to want to take things further. She decisively mussed it a little at the thought, realizing that it just made her look rugged.

"How am I going to do this?" Rachel said quietly to herself.

"Do what?"

She spun her head around at the sound of Kurt's voice as he exited the toilet stall.

"Oh, nothing," Rachel said. "So what are you up to tonight?"

"Not much, me and Blaine are going to see a movie."