Title: A Different Take on Season 4

Author: Debra

Rating: Teen

Summary: What if the plan to put Rachel on the train had been stopped and she and Finn had gotten married? How would Season 4 have changed?

Disclaimer: The characters in this story, except for James and Camilla and other OC's, all belong to Ryan Murphy's Productions and Fox Television.

Author's Notes: Although this story will take place in a different universe than my story 'Medal Of Honor', I am bringing the character of Rachel's grandfather James over to this story.

This story is being written in memory of Cory Monteith and in honor of the character he created, Finn Hudson. Given the fact that it seems like the show is going to kill the character of Finn, fanfiction is the only way we have to truly keep the character alive and to give Finn and Rachel the ending they deserved. This story is also my attempt to fix the damage that last season did to Finn and Rachel as a couple.

James Berry was walking down the hall to his son LeRoy's study when he saw his wife Camilla getting ready to bust into the room. Given the anger burning in her brown eyes, James knew his wife was very upset about something and their son was about to get the lecture of his life. He stopped her with a gentle hand to her arm and started to listen to the conversation taking place in the room.

"Mr. Berry, won't Rachel be hurt when I tell her that we aren't getting married?"

Finn's voice was wavering and James could tell that his granddaughter's fiance was very upset about the topic being discussed.

"Finn, you are doing the best thing for her by cancelling your wedding and putting her on the train to New York. She isn't thinking clearly right now and is going to sacrifice her future as a star. We can't let that happen," Hiram said, his own voice starting to shake as well.

"Our star might be angry at all three of us for doing this but she will eventually thank us for doing what is best for her," LeRoy stated.

Camilla and James had heard enough of the conversation to figure out what all three men had planned. They both knew that this ill thought out scheme had to be stopped before their son, his partner and the boy their angel girl loved made a huge mistake; one that could cause pain and heartbreak for months to come.

"Like hell you are!" Camilla snapped at her son as she opened the door and stepped into the room. "Rachel doesn't deserve to have the three of you plotting against her like this."

"Mom, the three of us are doing what we think is best for Rachel," LeRoy said, trying to stay calm because he knew when his mother, still feisty and didn't put up with any BS even in her late seventies, got that look in her eyes, there was going to be hell to pay.

"LeRoy James Berry, I know all about the reverse psychology that the two of you and Finn parents thought would work in keeping them from getting married. I also know that you and Hiram are taking advantage of this boy's insecurity in his own future to get your way."

Camilla glared at her son and his partner before turning to Finn. Her expression changed to one of compassionate understanding as she took in the misery the young man in front of her was experiencing before glancing at her husband.

"James, take Finn into the other room and talk to him about our solution to his problems while I deal with our son and Hiram."

"Come on, son. When Camilla gets like this, it is best to do as she wants. Let's see if you and I can come up with a solution to the problem that doesn't lead in heartbreak for both you and Rachel," James said, gently.

Finn stood up from the wing back chair he had been sitting in and left the room with James while Camilla turned to face her son and his partner.

"Before you say that I don't know what I am talking about LeRoy James, I want you to remember how old your father and I were when we got married."

"I know that, mom. You were the same age that Rachel is right now."

"We also had the added bonus of being a mixed race couple that had to deal prejudiced jackasses trying to say that we were an abomination," Camilla reminded her son, the pale wrinkled skin on her face flushed with anger. "Your father and I were getting ready to come to you with a solution that would allow Finn and Rachel to get married and for her to still go to NYADA when I overheard this conversation. If the three of you would have done what you were planning, Rachel would have resented all three of you."

The confrontation continued as James walked down the hall with Finn following behind him into the Berry's living room. The two of them sat down on the couch where Finn immediately put his head in his hands, refusing to look at James.

"Finn, you all of sudden went from being excited to marry Rachel to trying to cancel it and getting her on a train to New York. Is this about being rejected by Pace?"

"I'm not good enough for her, Mr. Berry. She doesn't need a Lima loser like me whose father died because of a drug overdose instead of dying a hero like my mom had told me for years. I have to redeem him somehow."

Dread went through James as he started to realize what Finn meant by that.

"Son, please tell me that I am wrong and that you didn't enlist in the Army?"

"Not yet. I was going to sign the papers as soon as I left here."

James sighed in relief before starting to speak again, hoping to talk some sense into the young man sitting beside him.

"Finn, as you know I was your father's commanding officer before he was discharged and if I could tell you what happened, I would but the information is classified. Just know that what happened to him would have sent even the strongest of people down a bad path. I was there and it still haunts me even now to think about that mission."

"General Berry, I can't let her throw away her chance to go to NYADA."

"That's not going to happen and the two of you can still be together," James quietly stated. "I want to offer you a job that will require you moving to New York with Rachel. A job that you can handle and would give you, Rachel and Kurt a place to live while Rachel goes to NYADA and you and Kurt can figure out what you are going to do next."

"What kind of job?"

"I own a twenty story apartment building on Central Park West that needs a maintenance man to handle repairs. There are two four bedroom penthouses on the top two floors; one is for me and Camilla while you, Rachel and your brother Kurt, if he chooses to come with the two of you, would be able to live in the one on the lower floor," James explained.

"Mr. Berry…"

"Son, I really need your help, the last man I hired to take care of that building was an idiot who sat on his butt and did nothing. I came very close to losing tenants that had been living in those apartments for over three decades. I am offering you a way to be with Rachel and make your own money to accomplish your dreams for your future while trusting you to help me straighten out the mess my former employee made."

Finn thought about what James had said and knew deep down that he wouldn't be able to stay away from Rachel, that she would be really hurt if he abandoned her on their wedding day. She was his future and Mr. Berry was offering him a way of making his own way in the world and accomplishing something while still being able to be with Rachel.

"I'll do it but I want to pay something for rent on the apartment Rachel and I live in. I won't take charity."

"I thought you would say something like that. How does five hundred dollars a month sound? That would be one week of your salary going towards your rent and the rest for yours and Rachel's expenses."

Finn and James continued to discuss the specifics of his employment, knowing deep down that this was the best thing to do for everybody involved.

Later that evening, Rachel walked into the front door of her house from a shopping trip with Kurt and Mercedes and could instantly feel the tension between her dads and her grandparents. She had learned early when her grandmother was angry at someone there would be hell to pay for that person and given her rigid stance and the glares she was giving her son, her Dad had really ticked his mother off.

Before Rachel could ask what was going on, her grandfather had walked over and hugged her. They hadn't seen each other since Thanksgiving and to have her grandparents here for her graduation and wedding made Rachel very happy.

The comfort of she took from her grandfather's embrace reminded Rachel of the time when he had held her after she fell off her bike at six years old. The gruff and tough former drill sergeant and retired General became a pile of mush when either Rachel or her grandmother was upset. His girls, as he liked to call them, were his one weakness and heaven forbid anybody ever mess with either one of them while he was around. It made Rachel glad that she had never told him about just how badly Rachel had been bullied by Quinn, Santana, Puck and the other popular kids at school.

As she pulled away from her grandfather and hugged her grandmother, Rachel saw Finn standing in the doorway of the living room, a gentle smile on his face. He seemed to be more at peace than he had been in the past several days. She had a strong feeling that there was something going on here that she didn't know about and that if Rachel had her way, she would know just exactly what that was.

"Does somebody want to explain to me why Grandma is scowling at Daddy?"

Finn stepped forward and took Rachel's hand in his, leading her up the stairs to her bedroom so they could talk in private. As soon as the door to the room closed, LeRoy turned to face his parents.

"What's going to happen when this little plan fails and Finn ends up running back home to Lima? They are too young to get married."

"LeRoy James Berry, drop the attitude, "Camilla snapped at her son. "Finn and Rachel are very much in love with each other and if the three of you would have succeeded with your plan, it would have caused more pain than anything else?"

"Your mother and I are giving Finn a job that he is qualified for and letting him earn his own money while he figures out the next step. Rachel will go to NYADA and still have Finn. Her dreams have changed and it isn't all about Broadway for her anymore, you and Hiram just refuse to see that, LeRoy."

"I know the two you think that you are helping them but what if this ends horribly," Hiram quietly said.

"Son, none of us know what will happen. The odds are against them but they just might be one of the lucky ones and actually stay together through everything life throws at them, just like her grandparents," James responded, placing a comforting hand on Hiram's shoulder.

AN: I am trying to decide how or if Brody will be in this story, even if it is just long enough to be told to back off by Finn after he hits on Rachel, who wants nothing to do with him.