care about you [completed]

Resolution

No one says anything more for a minute. Piper stretches out on the sofa. She fiddles.
"I-, what happened?" She asks. Everything had come together just as quickly as it had fallen apart. "What actually just happened?"
"The team hates me." Finn says as a reply. She feels herself soften a little at how hurt he is.
"They don't." Amy's eyes flick from Piper to Finn.
"I," She goes about answering Piper's question, "Henry. When he said-, I just felt-, I guess everything that happened over the past few weeks really caught up with us again. I realised that guys keep breaking up with me for their best friends because clearly, I suck. I'm sorry Finn but it's not just my luck. It's a pattern. And the only constant is me. That hurt. A lot… For Finn, I mean, he realised, uh, Finn?"
"I remembered how I hurt Amy and nearly killed the girl I love and how now I broke the team because we're in a locker room, hurting,  and they are all arguing about us in studio A." 
"You didn't nearly kill me."
"You didn't, she's right."
Finn remains silent. Piper's turn.
"It resurfaced for me that I am a burden to everyone. I lied, I ruined my best friend's relationship, I fell for a guy too late, I scared my brother to death and I'm just an emotional disaster. No, don't you two look at me like that. Don't say anything, please."

Quiet cloaks the room once more.

"Amy," Piper starts, a few minutes later, "It's not you, I promise. You're smart and funny and talented and beautiful."
"You're the only person who appears to think so."
"She's not. Amy, to a certain degree I'd already fallen for Piper when I asked you out, but I still did."
Amy feels tears form in her eyes. Happy tears.
"It's your luck." Finn looks at her warmly, "It's the damn situations you just happen to fall into. Soon, you will fall into a situation with the perfect guy. I'm just so, so sorry that I wasn't him. Far from it. You deserve a whole lot better, and so does Pipes."
"I guess I should do more to stop my bad luck. I should ask the guys I date where I stand more often. I should have seen that you and Piper were meant to be! Maybe I should take a break from dating, and focus on dance. And Finn, you're not evil. I know you think you are, but you're not."
"First of all, it's not your fault that I cheated on you. It's mine, 100 percent. More proof I'm evil."
"Evil?" Piper looks at him with such disbelief, "Evil? You can't be talking about the Finn I know. When I was going through a bad patch with my anxiety, you know who was there when I didn't even know I needed him? Finn was. With a smile and a stupid joke. Those stupid jokes were the reason I came into the studio every morning. You know who told me that I was awesome when Miss Angela tried to put me down? Finn did. With a name tag that said 'Jeanie Yuss' on because he knew it would get my mind off it. You know who asked me to prom? Finn did. I said no, because I was an idiot, but hey, guess what, I had an amazing time at prom. Who with? Oh, Finn. You know how needs to hear that yes, he made a mistake, and yes, it had consequences, but that doesn't make him a bad person?"
"Finn does." Amy looks at him sincerely, "I'm hurt, yes. But you know who feels enough guilt as a punishment?"

Finn feels so understood, so cared about, so loved. And maybe, maybe he does have a right to feel a little loved. He smiles, and it's the kind of smile that makes Amy believe that Finn is back. He was never really gone. He turns to Piper,
"How do you think this is your fault?"
"It is. If I had just told Amy that I had feelings for you, we wouldn't be here. You said that you don't deserve me, but I, I don't deserve anyone." She shakes her head and gives a sad, almost sarcastic smile. Finn can't even comprehend how wrong she is.
"Pipes, why didn't you tell Amy?"
"Because I couldn't ruin her relationship. But I still did."
"Because you cared!" Amy says loudly, "Piper, you cared about me. I don't blame you."
"But I don't want you to blame Finn!"
"I-"
"Pipes, she's too nice to say it but, of course Amy blames me. She rightfully should."
"But I, I should have realised I liked you sooner. I'm an anxious mess! How do I deserve to be loved?"
"Pipes," He reaches his hand out, as he lays on the bench still. To his surprise, her hand finds his. "You cannot feel guilt for your feelings. And don't you ever feel bad for your anxiety. What did I tell you?And as you why you deserve to be loved, Piper, Amy already said it. You're caring. You put your whole heart into everything you do and you put everyone before you. You're funny and you dance beatifully and you're gorgeous. You make me smile and you're humble and kind."
Piper has butterflies. No one's ever complimented her like that before.
You always have my back. You rallied rival troupes for me. Piper, you came up with the concept of the zero-percenters."
Finn has no idea what any of this means, but it clearly means so much to Piper. He doesn't see her tears, but he hears them. He sits up and moves to the sofa. He puts his arm around her. Amy sits on the other side of Piper. She holds Piper's hand and strokes her arm.

"James is here. " She wipes her tears, looking down at her phone. " We, we don't need to face A-troupe today, come on, he'll give you guys a lift."

As they leave the locker room, despite everything, all three of them are smiling. Tomorrow, they had to see A-troupe again. But today, hey, they made it through.

What?! More than 800 reads and 87 votes! That is crazy! I am so so grateful for every read, vote and comment and I hope you're all safe and happy.

With this chapter being called resolution, you know what's next, wholesome Pinn!