Chapter 8

A story about genetically programmed soul mates.

Rachel had always thought hate was a very strong word. She knew the weight it carried, but she hated Quinn Fabray. Weeks had passed and Quinn still shot her glares every chance she could. It was already enough to know that she was being rejected by her mate, but for her to so aggressively show her hate for Rachel over and over - it was almost too much.

The only thing that was keeping Rachel sane was Finn Hudson. He had taken it upon himself to make Rachel feel like she was at home in Lima. Every chance he got he would leave Quinn's side to be with Rachel. However, the more he left Quinn, the more Quinn hated Rachel.

They had to sneak around to hang out. Rachel would give Finn singing lessons a couple days a week to cover the fact that they were actually sitting in the choir room talking. They did practice, but they did a lot more talking.

Rachel was lying to herself if she said she didn't like Finn. He was a sweet guy, he made sure every single one of Rachel's needs were attended to as soon as possible. As soon as Rachel received her first slushy Finn made sure that she was guarded. Quinn tried harder every day to attack Rachel, but the harder she tried to bring Rachel down, the harder Finn tried to protect her.

Today's singing lesson had involved no singing at all. "So you wanna go get lunch some time? You've never been to Breadstix and it is the best place in town." Finn smiled his crooked smile and Rachel melted.

"Finn, we have been over this..you are dating, Quinn. You know I am already a target for her. I'd rather not make myself a bigger threat." Rachel looked down at her hands trying to avoid Finn's gaze but she felt him staring at her. He was always staring at her now. When she looked up, she saw the warm brown eyes she had come to adore. They showered her with warmth. They showed the adoration and affection, the things she had been craving ever since she could remember.

"I know. I just...I think I might break up with, Quinn," Finn stood up and paced the tiles of the choir room. "She is just so mean all the time now. All she ever talks about is you and how much she hates you. It's exhausting listening to it. Especially since…" Finn trailed off and ran his hands through his hair, frustrated with the situation. "Since...Rachel you are my mate...okay? I've been trying to keep it from you but your initials are on my wrist and all I can think about is you now. I want to be with you, not Quinn. Please? I know you feel the same way I can see it. Every time we are together. No more hiding." Finn sat down next to Rachel again and held her hands. "Please tell me you want this as much as I do."

Rachel stared at Finn for a long moment before looking down at her own wrist. The wrist that always became hot when Quinn was around. The wrist with the wrong initials in it. The wrist that had nothing to do with, Finn Hudson. "Finn..I…" As Rachel thought about what she was going to say she thought, about Quinn. About how much she hated her, how every time she saw the blonde she wanted to scream. She looked back at Finn and saw the boy who adored her, the boy who could give her everything she had ever wanted. The boy that with just one look could take away all the pain Quinn had given her. "Finn this is just a lot to take in. Can I just...take a week to think about it?"

Finn nodded and smiled again. "Of course, Rachel. Take your time." He said and stood from his chair, "But I'm still holding you to that date at Breadstixs." he joked as he walked towards the door. "I gotta go, but we'll do this again next week?"

Rachel nodded and watched him walk out. As soon as he was gone she went into a panic. How could she have two mates. She didn't know anything about mates in the first place. Nothing other than what her fathers had told her anyway. They had told her about the Phenyelthylamine, or for short PEA. They had told her about how much they studied it and the effects it had on the body. It was a powerful hormone that took over your body causing an unbreakable bond once the process was complete. They had mostly studied the effects of unbonded PEA and broken PEA.

Rachel had to make a decision. Finn or Quinn. If she chose Quinn she would have to deal with the girl's cold shoulder but maybe she would come around. If she chose Finn she might suffer but at least Finn would be okay. She couldn't decide. Either way she would get hurt. It was a lose-lose situation for her. All she really knew was that she needed to talk to Quinn, to find out what was really going on and try to figure something out.

XXXX

The next day at school Rachel cornered Quinn after glee hoping to have a conversation with the girl. "Quinn we need to talk, I know you told me to stay away from you but this is urgent." Rachel felt her arm heat up to a new level at the close proximity to her mate. She wasn't sure if she liked it or not, but it was better than feeling nothing at all with Finn lately.

"What do you want hobbit?" Quinn crossed her arms and sneered at Rachel. "Please make it fast. I have a date with Finn after school."

Rachel knew she was lying. Finn didn't even want to be around the girl, why would he take her out on a date, but she let it slide. "Finn is my mate as well. He asked me to be with him." Quinn's face went white. She didn't respond for a long time and Rachel was afraid that Quinn might become angry with her, maybe even hit her. She probably had a jock hiding around the corner with a slushy in hand.

"Well, what did you say?" Quinn's voice was soft, vulnerable, something Rachel had never heard from the girl before.

"I told him I would take a week to think about it. I figured I should speak with you first seeing as we are both mated to each other." Quinn nodded and slowly made her way to one of the chairs on the bottom row of the risers. The blonde stared off into space for a long time, either lost in thought or just in shock, Rachel wasn't sure but she waited. She waited for a long time but Quinn never moved. "Are you okay?" Rachel asked as she moved towards the girl.

"I'm fine. I just really thought that...I guess it's not important now. I know Finn can give you more than I ever could. Just be with him, he'll make you happy. There are plenty of other willing boys that I can find." Quinn stood and walked to her bag.

"So that's it? You're not even going to try to be with me? You're just giving up?"

Quinn turned towards Rachel and smirked, "No I'm not giving up. I'm giving you what you deserve and what is best for both of us. Just take this precious gift I am giving you and live your life, okay? You'll never be happy with me. I can't..Just be with Finn okay? It's better that way. Now forget we ever had this conversation." Quinn walked out of the room before Rachel could respond.

The tears came fast and hard and Rachel let herself fall to the floor of the choir room not caring she was bawling in public. The potential love of her life had pushed her away twice without even considering her as an option. Quinn didn't want anything to do with her. She claimed that it was for the best, but Rachel didn't believe that for a minute. Quinn was selfish and clearly didn't consider her own mate a priority.

Rachel still had a week before she had to decide who she wanted to choose. Once she made her decision there was no going back. She couldn't hurt Finn by leaving him and she couldn't risk letting herself get bound to Quinn if the girl was only going to take it all away.

It was such a difficult decision. Every day Rachel had to see them both. Quinn and Finn would sit in homeroom together. They didn't walk together anymore, however they still sat in their regular spots. Rachel would turn in her chair and look at them. Quinn didn't look at Rachel with the same hatred she did before. It was more of just...a pained look. Like Quinn was trying to control herself. It was probably because she knew Finn was going to leave her for Rachel.

When she looked at Finn he would try not to glance at Rachel but he always failed. He would give her a shy smile and sometimes wave. It was sweet and Rachel couldn't help but smile back.

In glee club, Finn sat next to Rachel; he would try to hold her hand but she would always deflect his advances. As the days went by, Finn scooted his chair closer and closer to Rachel's until she could feel his warmth radiating off of him. She would look down at his wrist and see her initials tattooed on his skin. 'RB' She still wasn't sure how she felt about his mate, but it was what it was, and Rachel would have to make a decision in only a few days.

It would have been easy if she didn't have to look down at Quinn and wish the blonde had fought for her. Had fought for Rachel to choose her instead. She wouldn't have second guessed her decision if Quinn had wanted her. But she didn't.

Every time Rachel saw those hazel eyes look at her with so much pain, she felt the rejection all over again. She felt Quinn choosing a random boy over her. She felt Quinn tossing her off to someone else because she was too afraid to choose her mate. That pained look is how Rachel knew who she must choose.

On the night before she was supposed to meet Finn and tell her what she wanted, Rachel lay in bed and smiled, knowing her choice was the right one. She knew that it would work out and everything would turn out the way it was supposed to be. She smiled to herself, even though she knew it would be hard, it would be the way destiny had planned for it to be. She began to picture all of the things they would do, all the dates they would go on, moving on to college, then having a family one day. It would be wonderful. She pictured all of these things until she heard something hitting her window. It sounded like rocks. When she went to go check she saw a figure standing in her lawn throwing pebbles at her window.

She opened the window and looked down at the figure. "Who are you and why are you here at this hour?" Rachel squinted her eyes trying to see their face in the darkness.

"It's Quinn. Rachel, I think I made a mistake. Can we talk?"

Author's Note

I really didn't do well with the editing for quite a few chapters after this.