A/N - Hello all. Here's the sequel to my last story "7 Steps". I didn't realize what a Finchel shipper I was until I finished that story, but really, as much as I love Puck and Artie and all the other guys, I thought the only one patient enough for Rachel was Finn. Here's the basic rundown so you don't need to read my previous story (though I encourage those who haven't to give it a shot. Yes, it's A/U, but it's not set in some distant past or apocalyptic world...call it "Canon A/U" if that makes any sense). 1. Finn and Rachel did not breakup after 'Furt'. She found out about Santana through a website, and Finn was put through hell trying to make up for it. 2. Santana admitted to Rachel she fell for Matt before he moved and is trying to rectify things. 3. Sam/Quinn, Artie/Brittany and Tina/ Mike, Kurt/Blaine are all together. Kurt and Blaine now attend McKinley. 4. Puck is starting to date someone in college (he always did like older women). 5. Characters are all in senior year.
Think that's it. Thank you to both my betas, carolinwonderland and RelativeWind for perusing this for me first and making some great suggestions to tighten things up. Hopefully I'll do you both proud. Now...onward!
Disclaimer: It's called fanfiction for a reason. I don't own anything. It all belongs to FOX TV and Ryan Murphy
Rachel wasn't sure when it happened, the moment she knew her decision. Perhaps it was when Finn had showed up two weeks in a row on Saturday mornings to volunteer with the charity her fathers had started, the O.G.L.E.R.S. (Ohio Gay / Lesbian Equal Rights Society) and didn't complain once about not sleeping in while easily handling whatever assignments she or her fathers gave him. Perhaps it was when he gently reminded her during Glee assignments that although she was the undisputed star of their group, she would have to get used to sharing the spotlight if she wanted to carve a successful Broadway career for herself since theatre productions really were a 'team' effort. Perhaps it was when he presented her a lone rose and serenaded her on the shore by the river where the two of them had had a long talk a couple weeks ago, not caring that he was singing accapella and there were people walking by in broad daylight or clapping and cheering at the end of his rendition of Lone Star's "Amazed" as he bent down to kiss her. Perhaps it was when he followed through in taking her to a clinic held by musical theatre star Michael Crawford in Columbus even though he had become terribly sick and yet still insisted on driving so she could meet one of her heroes in person (of course he slept in the car while she was in the clinic, but still). Perhaps it was when she had expressed her desire to raise their future children as Jewish and he hadn't protested or paused in the slightest, nor backpedalled about considering such possibilities a decade from now. Perhaps it was when he smiled, rolled his eyes and caved with almost no resistance at her desire to perform "Long Time Gone" as a duet during their "Dixie Chicks" week. Or perhaps, just perhaps, a very small part of it was when she had allowed him to show his own skills at 'oral stimulation', and she discovered (four times over) that he was much more talented than she ever would have given him credit for, and gentle and thoughtful in an entirely new way then she had previously experienced. They were all little things, but they amounted to one single decision. Finn Hudson is my love and life. Since the first time I heard him sing, I've wanted no one else. I want to consummate this relationship. I want him to be my first. And I'm ready. Finally, I'm ready, and I know I won't regret the decision.
Now she just needed to find the nerves to tell him.
XXXXX
Finn wasn't sure when it happened, the moment he knew his decision. Being a guy, he could admit that a small part of it surely was when Rachel demonstrated to Finn that the new 'oral' level in their physical intimacy was not going to be a one shot deal and allowed him to demonstrate his own skills one afternoon when they were alone at her home. But the bigger parts were in the ways that were less obvious. Perhaps the way she held his hand and listened to his 'ten cent words' as though they were more important than speeches by The President. Perhaps it was the way she cheered him on from the sidelines when he played sports or drums, almost as happy to be watching him in his spotlight as she was in enjoying her own. Perhaps it was the way she always listened to him when he poured out his frustrations or anger over things which happened in his life without any judgement or remarks about his age or maturity. Perhaps it was the way he didn't flinch at thoughts of the future when she spoke of New York and their children ten or more years down the road and actually found himself smiling at the idea. Perhaps it was the way she automatically accepted that he needed his 'guy' nights out now and then just like she needed her 'girl time' with Kurt, Tina or Santana (that last one was an especially surprising recent event). And likely a massive part was how, despite both of them understanding that she was much smarter and more gifted than he was, she still made him feel like a star in his own musical, with her as the director, producer and audience all rolled up into one person, and constantly encouraged him to try to be better for himself. They were little things, each of them, but they all amounted to one single decision. Rachel Berry is my world. Since the first time I kissed her, I've wanted no one else. I want her to be mine, forever. And I know I won't regret the decision.
Now he just needed to find the nerves to ask her.
XXXXX
Rachel pulled into the parking lot of Fortissimo, the music store where Finn worked, and glanced at the clock on her car's dashboard. 5:30pm. She had promised to come pick him up on this rare Sunday evening when he worked. Finn had managed to get his Mom to drop him off, but she and Burt weren't able to pick him up, so he had texted Rachel to ask if she'd mind bringing him back home. She had replied that of course she would be delighted to do so, knowing that if she had any say in things, his home was going to take at least an hour to get to, and not because of the driving time.
She pulled on her winter coat and exited the vehicle, inhaling the cool March winter air and smiling at the crispness of the cold and how it sent small shivers down her back. Although the last couple of weeks had been warm, the winter chill seemed to have returned in earnest these last few days, and Rachel enjoyed the frosty outside temperatures as they gave her to perfect reason to cuddle up to her 'tall lumbering boyfriend' (as she often referred to Finn). Not that she needed an excuse to cuddle up to him, but he seemed to take extra delight in warming her up whenever he felt her cold skin next to him, and she certainly wasn't going to complain at any physical attention she received from the 6' 3" quarterback when it made him happy.
As she approached the doors to the music store, she heard loud music blaring over a P.A. system, along with the sharp, wooden, biting sounds of live drums and bronze crashing of cymbals being hit. As was always the case after the store had closed, Finn had asked the manager if it was okay that he practiced on the large, fully functioning, microphoned drumset which was set up on a stage-like display at the back of the store (a new renovation which had just been completed a week ago). And as was always the case, the manager never had an issue with it (though he did say if any of the drum skins were broken, they would be taken out of Finn's paycheque). She smiled as she noticed the rhythm pausing, starting slightly unsteadily again, and then push forward and back into congruity with the song. Finn must be practicing something particularly difficult. He doesn't normally make that kind of mistake. She thought as she reached the door handles. Now, if my assumption is correct, he'll have forgotten to lock the door. She pulled the door, smiling that it opened easily under her hand, and she walked inside. Yes, that's what I thought. She turned and ensure the door was locked before proceeding.
She glanced around the front section of the store as she took off her coat, hat and gloves. It was a large sales area covered with all different colours and types of guitars. There were guitars positioned on floor-stands and lying sideways on shelves, but most of the inventory was hanging from guitar racks and hooks mounted on the walls. Just beyond the guitars on the right wall was the sales counter, an area free of guitars but with glass cabinets boasting various musical gadgets and DVD collections, and across from this counter stood a large sheet music rack she had perused a few times in the past. In the hallway beyond this area were two doors, one leading to the large, humidified room containing various expensive acoustic guitars, and the other door lead to a room displaying various keyboards and piano styled instruments. The far end of the hallway, however, was where she quickly headed, into the massive back room which contained all the various drums and amplification equipment. The left side of the room held the drums, cymbals and stands, and the right side featured the various amplifies, speakers, sub-woofers and p.a. systems. In the centre, along the back wall of the room, was the drum riser with the microphone enhanced drums, on which her boyfriend was happily smashing away. As usual, he hadn't noticed her when she first came in the room, so she pulled out a drum stool and sat down to enjoy the rest of his practice.
The music blaring on the P.A. wasn't familiar to her, but then she was certain this was one of the heavier bands Finn enjoyed that he rarely listened to when in her company. The distorted guitars were chugging along in what she found to be a rather repetitive riff, though she had to admit the singing was better than what she normally heard on this type of song, even if she couldn't understand all of the words (she'd always had trouble with really heavy music, which was why she didn't enjoy it as much). The drumming, however, was quite exceptional, and she was pleased to see Finn was matching most of it note for note except for some odd type of fill which came at the end of the bridge. Even then, however, his modified fill seemed to end right where the chorus picked up and before she could follow his hands had picked up the steady rhythm of the song again. His eyes narrowed as he focused his right hand to ride solidly on the 'crash' cymbal as his left hand hammered the back beat on two and four of the each bar. She smiled wickedly as his face contorted in concentration at another difficult fill which he managed to pull off flawlessly, and then she saw him return to this previous rhythm, but this time playing 16th notes between both feet on a double pedal, finally ending the song with another fill and some cymbal crashes he smashed with both hands. The look on his face was intense and satisfied, and damn if Rachel wasn't instantly aroused watching him work out like this.
Finn turned his attention over to his IPod and disconnected it from the system as she got up and started applauding. He quickly jerked his head up and around, noticing her in the back corner of the room and smiled sheepishly at her even as he waved. "You heard that? I was barely keeping up with that guy."
Rachel shrugged. "You did better than I could have. What was that, anyway? Pantera?" She knew Finn practically worshipped that heavy metal band and everything they did, despite it all sounding like a bunch of random distorted noise to her.
"Dead Memories by Slipknot." Finn said as he began shutting down the P.A. just off to the side of the drums and then hopped out from behind the set. Upon seeing her confused face, he smirked. "You've never heard of 'em, have you?" It was more a statement than question.
Rachel shook her head. "Can't say I have. Is this Slipknot guy popular?"
Finn laughed genuinely even as he came over to her and scooped her up into his arms for a hug, picking her up off the floor easily and then setting her down again, kissing her tenderly on the lips by way of greeting. She could never get tired of those kisses. Before she was ready for him to, he pulled away and smiled. "Slipknot is the name of the band. Their music is tough to play, their vocals are tough to copy and the drummer is insanely good. I try to keep up, but usually fall pretty flat. Tonight just happened to be a good night where I only made a couple mistakes. But yeah, they're popular. Their last album debuted at #1 on the charts."
Rachel raised an eyebrow at him. "Impressive for a metal band, I suppose, but it's not really my type of music." She eyed him coyly as her hands grabbed him by the lapels of his t-shirt and pulled him in for another, much longer kiss, and after a few seconds grazed her tongue along the opening of his lips, encouraging him to deepen their intimate encounter and allow their tongues to dance together. When they pulled apart to catch their breaths, Rachel smiled at him. "Much more my style of music, I think." After another minute of such intimacy, she allowed his hands to undo the three buttons on her sweater and then pull it off, her assisting by shrugging out of it. He grinned at the white, thin cotton shirt she had decided to wear underneath, which helped accent her lithe figure; it was snug in all the right areas to spark his imagination, and had a scoop neckline which allowed for just the barest hint of cleavage. "I know you like this one." She answered his unspoken question. "And I know if I take you home right away, your Mom won't leave you alone until I have to leave, so I thought, maybe, just maybe, we could, I don't know, spend a little time here at the store? Just the two of us?" Her hand made it's way under his shirt to ghost along his abs and then proceed up the centre of his chest to rest above his heart. "If you don't mind, that is."
"Who am I to deny the wishes of my girlfriend?" Finn answered as his hands encircled her waist and rested on her buttocks, squeezing gently and causing Rachel to inhale sharply in pleasure. "Besides, if we're late, I'm sure my Mom will save us a plate." Finn leaned down to give her another long, lustful kiss before proceeding to demonstrate his artful ministrations along the skin under her shirt.
Even as Rachel melted into his arms, she wondered if now was the time to tell him she was ready; wondered if she should reveal the decision she had just reached and asked if he would be willing to be her first time. For a moment she pulled away from his kiss and stared into his bedroom eyes, basking in the glow of love that shone through them for her, ready to tell him. "Finn, I..." She paused suddenly.
He smiled at her and stilled his hands for a moment. "What is it, Rach?" He asked gently, waiting patiently as she tried to find the right words, tried to bring herself to say in voice what her emotions had told her long ago. She felt heart hammering in her chest, and almost heard the rushing sound of blood in her ears.
"I...I love you. I just...I don't say it enough to you. But I do. Really." She bit her lip to hide her nerves, then pulled him in for another long kiss, to which he responded enthusiastically. No, not yet. Her mind told her. It's not perfect just yet, and this has to be perfect. Because he's worth it. He's worth waiting for the perfect moment. It'll be soon. It will.
XXXXX
Finn smiled as he listened to Rachel chatter in her small car, going on about her hopes of starring in Broadway, winning Tony awards, and eventually getting cast in some major Hollywood production of a role written specifically with her in mind. Finn kind of wished he was able to see his life and future in the same way she did hers; goals, dreams, awards to win, fame to achieve, but for the life of him he wasn't entirely sure where he wanted to be or what he wanted to do in the future. All he knew for sure was that it was this girl...correction, this woman beside him that he wanted to share it with. He couldn't imagine there being another person, really. She understood him; got him in a way no one else really did, even his Mom. So why don't you ask her? Now?
Without even realizing where they were, Finn turned to her just as she pulled into the driveway of the Hummel-Hudson complex. She turned off the engine and then sat back in the seat. "Well, here we are, Sir. Thank you for choosing Berry Transportation Services." She turned and smiled, and Finn's breath caught in his throat. Lights from the street we catching her at just the right angle to give her an almost heavenly glow. Her eyes sparkled like lights on Broadway, her smile was warm and genuine, and Finn could almost feel her love for him pouring off in warm waves from her body.
"Rach, I..." He paused. Why? Why the hell did he stop talking?
Rachel's smile lessened slightly, but she took his large hand in both of hers. "What is it, Finn?" She asked quietly. "You can tell me anything, you know. Anything at all."
I know I can, but not yet. Not here, not now. It has to be perfect. Because she deserves nothing less. She's worth waiting for the perfect moment. "I don't say enough just how beautiful you are. In all ways...mind, body, and soul. Really...you are. You've always been beautiful to me."
She smiled again, and leaned forward to kiss him in a long, slow, drawn out, heartfelt kiss conveying all her emotions. After they pulled apart to catch their breaths, she leaned up to his ear and whispered "You can tell me that anytime, Finn Hudson, and I'll never get tired of hearing it."
Finn nodded and smiled back at her. "They...uh...they're probably expecting us for dinner by now." He said slowly and reluctantly. Rachel nodded and got out of the car. Finn watched her for a moment, before sighing heavily and pulling his own door handle. Soon, Finn. You'll ask her soon. You just need the perfect moment.
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