Welcome to my newest story! I know it's been ages since I last updated my other fic, but it's been really hard to find inspiration nowadays. :( But hopefully my muse is back and here to stay!
This fic is centred around season 4 and is mostly canon. Be prepared for some serious Finchel lovin'. XXX
Like my other fic, this story is dedicated to Cory Monteith, his character Finn Hudson, and the beautiful legacy of love and compassion he left behind.
Disclaimer: Don't own Glee, don't pretend to.
One.
She can't believe he was actually here.
Correction: She cant believe he was actually here and he didn't come and see her.
Now those probably shouldn't have been her initial thoughts. Her first thoughts shouldn't be sadness over the fact that he was here in New York and didn't even say hello to her.
Instead, they should have been about how shocked she was that he came out here, beat the crap out of her ex-boyfriend and unveiled who that ex-boyfriend truly was. All the while defending her honour (albeit with violence, but still. He was defending her).
Santana said she was being stupid. That she shouldn't look so much into what happened. She said Finn didn't want bother her, he just wanted to get that sleezeball away from her so she could live her life.
But he didn't get it. She wanted to see him, to thank him for saving her from a dead relationship. Brody was a nice guy, and she really did feel bad that he didn't have lots of money to pay for school.
But that still didn't change the fact that he lied to her. He slept with God knows how many women while he was dating her.
Sure he could argue that they were in an "open" relationship, but that wasn't what it was to Rachel. And she had certainly thought he felt the same way.
And she did feel bad that part of her was disgusted by what he does. Sleeping with people for money wasn't something Rachel was okay with. There were plenty of other jobs one could get that didn't involve selling ones body.
That day they broke up, was the day Brody told her that Finn was the one who beat him up.
And it had changed everything, really. Brody was out of the picture and now all she wanted was for Finn to be here with her. Hearing of his noble defending of her honour had warmed her heart (and yes, turned her on like no other).
But according to Kurt, he was now attending the University of Lima and was quite content there. So while she ached to be in his arms again, she knew he needed his space to grow. Like he gave her.
Just the thought of being with him again kept her going. His words from that faithful day at the train station burned permanently in her mind. "We're just going to let the universe do its thing. If we're meant to be together, we're gonna be together."
She just wished she didn't have to wait so damn long. A few months without Finn was torturous, now it was closing in on one year since they decided to "surrender".
She sighed as she unlocked the door to the loft, sliding the giant metal door closed. Cassandra's dance class was still easily the worst part of her day. Even worse was the fact that Brody was still her T.A, and was always sending Rachel wounded puppy looks.
But she wasn't going to fall for that crap. Rachel Berry deserved better and she wasn't going to settle for anything less that she deserved.
"Berry! It's about time you're home! Did you get my ice cream sandwiches?" Santana hopped up from the couch, either not noticing or not caring about Rachel's sad exterior.
"Yeah I got them. They're in the bag with the frozen peas and Kurt's gelato." Rachel pointed somewhere in the vicinity in which she'd placed the plastic bags from the market.
"Speaking of, where is Hummel?" Santana tore about the box and dug into one of her Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches.
"He's out with Adam. They went to Shakespeare in the park." Rachel unbuttoned her coat and hung it on the hook, slipping her shoes off on the mat by the door.
Santana snorted into her sandwich, shaking her head. "He's still dating that doorknob? He's about as boring as watching fucking paint dry. And don't even get me started on that annoying fucking accent of his." She shuddered.
Rachel rolled her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with Adam. He's a really nice guy. Maybe he's not as spontaneous and exciting as some other people, but maybe that's exactly what Kurt needs." She defended, not caring for Adam much either but feeling the need to defend Kurt's choices.
"Please. He's still mopy over Blaine. It's painfully obvious he's still in love with him." Santana tossed her wrapper in the trash and started putting away the groceries, Rachel joining her a moment later.
"Kurt deserves a chance to move on. Blaine's not here, he has every right to want someone else to help keep his bed warm at night." Rachel huffed, stuffing the bread in the drawer a little too forcefully.
Santana stared at Rachel, her eyebrow arched. "Projecting are we? Sounds to me like you're still a little pissed at how things have gone between you the jolly green giant." Santana stopped putting things away, waiting for Rachel's response.
Rachel just scoffed. "That's not what this is about. I'm completely over all that drama. Finn and I have begun moving forward."
Santana laughed outright at that, holding her side. Rachel huffed. "Is something amusing?" Rachel asked defensively.
"Yeah actually. Everything you just said, is completely bullshit and you know it. You went in to full-blown crazy ass Rachel Berry mode when you found out he'd been here. Nobody freaks out like that over an ex." Santana said seriously, seemingly regaining her composure.
"I was just shocked okay? He came to New York just to beat up my jerk of an ex. I'm allowed to be surprised by something like that." Rachel sighed.
"Oh really? So what if I were to tell you that he asks about you every single time we talk?" Santana quirked an eyebrow at Rachel, noting the way Rachel's hands stopped fidgeting with the plastic bags.
"Y-you talk to him?" She asked, her voice shaking a little as she completely forgot about her and Santana's current conversation.
Santana smirked victoriously. "Yeah, quite often."
"Well what does he say about me? How is he?" Rachel asked shyly.
"He asks how you're doing, what you're up to. The simple stuff. But this, Berry? This just proves to me that neither of you are over it. So why don't you stop crying over spilt milk and start doing something." Santana walked around to Rachel's side of the kitchen island and placed a hand on her shoulder.
Rachel, in turn, looked down. She wanted to do something, really she did. But it was impossible to start over with him when they lived in completely different states. And she certainly couldn't ask him to give up the life he had at Lima University for her.
And she wasn't sure she could be friends with him and watch while he dated other women. It might actually destroy her to do so, she'd be a jealous mess.
"I can't. We're too far apart. Besides, just because he's concerned about me, doesn't mean he wants to be in contact with me." Rachel decided, walking away from Santana and towards the beads that acted as her bedroom door.
Santana shook her head. "Well you'll know until you try." She called after Rachel. "Here's what I'll do. I'll leave his new cell number on the counter. You can either ignore it, or call him. Start a friendship for now. All I know is you talk constantly about how you two will end up together, but that won't be possible unless you two keep in touch. Otherwise you'll just fall apart."
Rachel stared, rooted at the spot by her room as she watched Santana scribble Finn's number on a piece of scrap paper. Santana then brushed passed her with a knowing look, shutting herself off in her room.
Rachel glared at the spot Santana disappeared from. Damn Santana and her meddling ways.
And the worst part was, she was completely right. What if they just drifted apart after years of not talking? That's the last thing she wanted, she's was still hoping against hope that they ended up together, just like he said.
Rachel slowly walked over to the counter, acting as if there was a giant man-eating spider on the counter.
She picked up the paper and looked over Santana's barely legible hand writing, licking her dry lips.
Nodding in determination, she pocketed the number and turned in for the night.
Two.
She didn't call him.
She wanted to so bad it made her fingers ache as they itched to click the call button.
Sometimes, she'd just stare at his name in her contacts. She didn't even know he had changed his phone number. Eventually, she graduated to flipping through her camera roll, staring dreamily at the pictures of them in her phone (pictures she conveniently kept from Brody, Kurt, Santana, and pretty much everyone else that had been close to her).
Not that he was like a dirty little secret, but she felt like she had to keep him and their memories to herself. She was right back to where she started before she started dating Brody.
Still crazy in love with her ex-fiancée and still needing his touch more than she needed anything in the world.
Being with him at Shue and Emma's failed wedding wasn't enough to keep her going. She needed more and she used everything in her to keep from remembering that night. It brought make so many memories, memories that would undoubtedly end with Rachel pleasuring herself while Kurt and Santana were out.
And she couldn't do that. It had been difficult enough to not think about Finn while she was with Brody. Now it was even harder while she was single.
Huffing in frustration, she cleaned the dishes a little a firmer, feeling like she was definitely going to break through the plate she was currently washing...
"Whoa whoa. What did that plate ever do to you?" Kurt appeared behind her, chuckling a little under his breath.
Rachel turned her head a little to look into his eyes, immediately calming down and pretending like she hadn't just had a little rage fit. "Nothing." Rachel lied, trying to laugh it off, but it just came off sounding forced, even to her.
"Right. And I'm the Queen of England." Kurt rolled his eyes. "You're a terrible liar Rachel Berry. You might as well just tell me what's bothering you. I'm going to end up dragging it out of you anyways."
Damn, he was right. What was with her friends constantly being right nowadays? It was like there was something in the freakin air.
She really didn't want to tell him. This was the brother of the man she was freaking out over. To call or not to call? That was question. And she beat herself up about every day for a month now. She was being such a chicken. It was getting quite ridiculous, really.
So maybe she should just tell him the truth. It would feel a lot better to get some of this off her chest and subdue a little of that internal war going on inside her.
Rachel sighed, turning off the hot water and wiping her hands dry on the kitchen towel.
"Uh oh. I know that sigh. This is because of my goofy brother isn't it? You're all bent up over him. What did he do know?" Kurt asked, tapping his foot expectantly.
Rachel fought the urge to giggle even though she was still feeling emotional. Not only did Finn and Kurt have the cutest brotherly bond, but she also found it funny how well her best friend knew her.
He could tell what her sighs meant for goddsake. If that wasn't the mark of a true, she didn't know what was.
"He didn't do anything. Not directly at least and that's the problem." Rachel hung her head and shuffled towards the couch, Kurt following.
"Care to elaborate?" Kurt sat down beside her, patting her leg.
Rachel nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "As you know, he came out here after Santana called him so they could take care of Brody. And while I'm so shocked that he would defend my honour like that, I can't help but feel a bit put out."
"Why?"
"Because he didn't come and see me. He didn't even let me know he was here. And it just got me thinking. What if he doesn't want to see me anymore. What if I've put him through so much crap he just doesn't want to be around me." Rachel wiped her eyes as tears sprang to them at the thought.
She just couldn't handle the thought of her Finn hating her because of what she'd done to him.
"Then Santana urged me to call him last month, gave me his number and said that he asked about me a lot. I'm just not sure if calling him is best. I mean, how can I be sure he even wants to talk to me anymore?" Rachel continued, her stomach twisting in knots.
Kurt shook his head. "Rachel, I can tell you one thing for sure. And that's the fact that Finn will never stop wanting to talk to you. He calls be almost everyday and everyday, he does ask about. How you're feeling about Brody, how school is going for you, do you seem happy. The questions never stop. He may be states away but he still cares about you like crazy." Kurt leaned forward and made her look at him.
"You should call him. He was afraid to come visit you when he came to New York. He told me that himself. He was afraid that you'd hate him for beating up Brody like a jealous ex. And he was afraid he wouldn't be able to leave once he got here and saw you. Believe it or not, Finn is scared too. And since you're the one that moved on with another guy, you should be the one to break the ice. Not him." Kurt said sternly.
Rachel perked up a little at her best friends' words. "R-really? How could he think I hate him over what he did. He was defending my honour." Rachel breathed.
How could her innocent, amazing Finn believe he had done anything that would make her hate him.
"For the same reason you would think he didn't want to see you. You both constantly jump to conclusions. The wrong ones might I add." Kurt smiled. "Call him. You'll both feel better when you start talking again."
Rachel looked down at her hands, still feeling nervous about the whole thing. Its just Finn. Rachel reasoned with herself. He may have been a bit more grown up, but he was still her Finn.
"Come on. Kurt knows best." Kurt chuckled, finally making Rachel crack a smile.
"You're right. Of course your right Kurt. I've just been a coward lately. Getting all these fabricated reasons in mind about why I shouldn't call Finn. But I miss him, so I'm going to do just that." Rachel nodded her head in determination.
"Good. Because watching you mope around is getting on my nerves." Kurt laughed as Rachel swatted his arm and stood up.
"Thanks for your help Kurt. I think I'll go call him now." Rachel gave him a thank you hug and went to her room, fully prepared to call Finn.
Three.
He doesn't answer the first few times she calls. And she's always in class when he calls back. It's like they can never get ahold of each other.
But finally, finally, she's blessed with a bit of luck when she gets out of dance class early and heads to the coffee shop.
Her phone rings just as she settles into a chair by the window with her chai tea latte and her heart nearly stops beating in her chest when she sees his name flash on the screen.
With shaking hands and a fast beating heart, she swipes over the answer button, quickly putting the receiver up to her ear.
"Hello? Finn?" Rachel answers, her heart doing crazy things in her chest as she awaits his response. Awaits the beautiful sound of his deep voice that'll send shivers down her spine.
"Rachel." Finn said simply, saying it with so much relief and adoration that she nearly cried. But she held herself together, a little thankful she is in a public setting as opposed to being at home alone, where she could cry over her lost love and the feelings he still evokes from her.
She's almost too stunned to speak, his voice sounding exactly what she expected and sending waves of chills up and down her spine. The deep, masculine way he said her name bringing back the best of memories between them.
She cleared her throat, hoping against hope that she didn't sounds too pathetic. "Hi. I've uh, been trying to call you the past few days. Guess I've just missed you every time huh?"
She awaited his response with a baited breath, wondering how he was going to act.
To her utter surprise, he chuckled into the receiver, making her heart thump wildly in her chest.
"Yeah guess so. I've tried calling you after every time you've called me. I've been sorta busy out here. I just got accepted into a fraternity and they've been taking up all my time." Finn explained.
She was a little shocked. Finn joined a fraternity? She never would've guessed he'd do something like that. But of course, he was a very likeable person. It wasn't hard to imagine everyone wanted a piece of him.
"Wow. Finn Hudson, the frat boy huh?" Rachel smiled as he laughed. "You get drunk with your frat brothers too?"
"You're making me sound like a horrible student." Finn teased. "But yeah, we have gotten drunk a couple times. Just when we throw parties tho." He assured her. "I'm actually doing pretty well here academically. I'm one of the top students in my music theory class."
Rachel's heart warmed as he talked so proudly about himself. This Finn Hudson was more sure of himself, prouder of his accomplishments. And it made Rachel insanely happy to know he was slowly thinking more of himself.
In the past, Finn had had quite the problem with being down on himself, not seeing how great of a man he was, no matter how much Rachel or everyone else tried to convince him otherwise.
"I'm proud of you Finn, really. It sounds like you're finally living you're own life. I know you enjoyed working with Shue and the New Directions, but this is better for you. Having a safety blanket won't help you grow." Rachel smiled softly, sipping her latte and cradling the phone to her ear.
She had to admit, she was a little surprised at how easy it was to talk to him after being so distant from each other.
"That means a lot to me, Rach. To know that I've made you proud." Finn replied quietly. His words made tears instantly spring to her eyes.
She wanted to tell him that he could literally do anything and she'd be proud of him.
When she didn't say anything, he continued. "So um, not that I'm not super happy you called, but why are you calling me? Is everything okay out there?" Finn asked nervously.
"Everything is perfectly fine out here." She assured him. "I just... I just miss talking to you. I miss you." Rachel whispered that last part, unsure if he even heard her.
Her breath hitched as he sighed sadly and spoke softly. "I miss you too Rachel. I was too afraid to call you. I've been like, staring at your number for weeks."
Rachel let out a watery chuckle at his words. She had been doing the exact same thing. "Me too. Ever since Santana gave me your number I've been fighting myself about whether I should call you or not."
Finn chuckled a little too, cleansing the air of a bit of sadness. "Yeah, sorry I had to change my number. My mom and Burt went on some new plan and I decided to start paying for my own phone so I switched carriers and I had to get a whole new phone and stuff. But I still transferred everyone's number in."
Rachel smiled, a part of her relieved that he hadn't changed his phone number so she couldn't contact him (she was paranoid like that, okay?).
"It's no big deal. Good thing Santana had your number." Rachel rested her head against her hand. She was exhausted but the last thing she wanted to do was to stop talking to him.
"Santana's been on my ass about contacting you too." Finn laughed. "Every time we talk or text she mentions the fact that I'm a pussy for not calling you."
Rachel giggled at that, knowing that was exactly something Santana would say. "Who knew Santana played such a great matchmaker?"
"Could've fooled me. She usually doesn't care about anyone else's problem." Finn shook his head, a dead giveaway being the rustling sound on his end.
"She's been different lately. Actually cares about Kurt and I. She was leading the charge with the whole Brody thing." Rachel got quieter and quieter as she went on, hoping he'd pick up on the fact that she wanted to talk about his involvement in said debacle.
He paused for a moment. "How is that going? He leaving you alone?"
"Yeah no problems with that. I think he really took your words and your beating to heart." She prodded softly.
"He got what he deserved. He shouldn't have cheated on you like that and lied to your face." Finn said hotly.
Rachel grinned like an idiot at how worked up he was getting. He still cared so much for her.
"I agree." Rachel paused, deciding what to say next. "You know, I wish you would've stayed and hung around a little longer." Rachel said quietly, fiddling with her coffee cup.
"Next time, I promise." Finn replied, just as quiet.
Rachel's heart had to have skipped at least a dozen beats. There was going to be a next time?
Just the thought of seeing him again filled her with an indescribable happiness.
"I really wish I could keep talking, Rach. But I have a stupid math class in fifteen minutes and it's across campus." Finn sighed after another moment of silence on both ends.
Rachel felt a twinge of sadness that they had to stop talking, but she understood that he needed to get to class.
"I understand Finn. Thanks for taking time out of your day to talk to me. Have a nice class." Rachel sighed, trying to keep the sadness out of her tone.
"Wait, uh. Please have your phone on later? I want to call you again after class." Finn said shyly.
Rachel closed her eyes, her heart nearly bursting. "I can't wait Finn. Of course I'll keep it on."
"Good. And uh, Rach?" He said questioningly. "I'm really glad you called."
Rachel smiled brightly, proud of herself for making the first move. "I'm glad too Finn."
Four.
Rachel was unsure of whether she was more relieved or nervous.
This audition meant the world to her. And the thought of getting one of her dream roles, so soon in her career gave her the jitters.
Fanny Brice was one of her all-time favourite characters, so getting to play her in Rupert's revival would be a dream come true.
Finn, Kurt, and Santana all said she had this part in the bag. They said both her audition song and her callback song were incredible and heartfelt. Rupert would have to be stupid not to choose her.
(Kurt and Santana had snuck in the back and kept Finn on speakerphone so he could listen to her audition). And Finn raved about how much he loved that she sang Don't Stop Believin', a song that meant so much to them and the Glee club.
Her and Finn had been talking almost daily now, sometimes more than once a day. The only time they couldn't was when Finn or Rachel had to really cram for a test or were swamped with homework.
They both had their hands full with the responsibilities of being a student.
But with both of her auditions over some of her stress was relieved. But now the waiting game had started. And it was already driving her insane.
So she welcomed the new distraction of Blaine's planned proposal to Kurt. Kurt of course didn't know, but Blaine had called her and Santana, asking them to be there when he proposed to Kurt.
Santana was still a little emotional after everything that happened with Brittany, but it honestly helped that Brittany wasn't going to be there. She was too busy settling in at Massachusetts Institute of Technology to find the time to fly back to Ohio.
But as excited as she was about Blaine's impending proposal, she was even more excited about seeing Finn. She hadn't seen him properly since the night of Shue's wedding.
They'd skyped a couple times, but that didn't curb the ache she had to be wrapped in his warm arms. She knew they weren't "together" but that didn't mean she couldn't miss his touch, right?
So she was the first to lead the charge in convincing Kurt and Santana to go out to Lima for a "visit" (which is what they called it when Kurt was around).
And she was the first one to get off the plane when they arrived. Burt and Carole were to be the ones picking them up, seeing as they had the biggest van that could hold all three of them and their luggage.
She was surprised and a little caught off guard to see Finn waiting there with his parents.
And goddamn did he look good. His hair was cut short on the sides, much like it had been ever since he came out of the army. And he was so muscular. Not sickeningly so, but she could tell he'd been working out.
It made her remember what it was like to hold him when they slept together at Shue's weddings.
She fought the urge to run into his arms, biting her lip to herself from doing so.
When they reach the small group, Carole immediately enveloped her in her arms, hugging the young girl. She pulled back and smiled at Rachel, before moving on to hug Kurt and Santana.
Finn hung back, watching his parents greet everyone. It wasn't until his eyes landed on her that she moved towards him.
She wasn't sure what the protocol for this was. When you see an ex after months (an ex that you've had sex with and also talked to every single day), do you hug them? Shake their hand? Give a polite nod of acknowledgment?
Finn seemed to sense her dilemma and moved closer, holding out his arms for her to walk straight into.
She tucked her hair back and smiled shyly, moving forward until she was in his arms.
It felt like coming home.
The scent of his body wash, the feeling of his strong arms around her, the steady thump of his heart... It made her weak at the knees.
He sighed as she buried her face in his chest. "Hi." She whispered, reluctantly pulling back to look up at him.
He smiled affectionately, rubbing her shoulder softly as he looked down at her. "Hey there." He mumbled softly.
They didn't even notice Carole and Kurt were watching them, both smiling knowingly.
Finn cleared his throat when they both realized they were being watched. He pulled away from her and smiled a little. "So, shall we get going? I'm hungry." Finn rubbed his stomach, making Carole chuckle.
"Alright let's get going." Carole said as Burt led them out to the car after getting their luggage.
Burt and Finn loaded all the luggage in the back, and Rachel didn't miss the goofy grin on Finn's face when he saw Rachel's bright pink suitcase.
Kurt hopped in the backseat first, quickly tugging Santana into the seat next to him. Rachel glared at him suspiciously, but he said gave her a blinding smile.
That left only the very back three seats open. Not that she was complaining though, it meant she was "forced" to sit next to Finn.
He crawled in first, turning around and holding out a hand to help her in. She smiled gratefully and grabbed his large, calloused hand.
He grinned and tugged her in, buckling his seatbelt. He grinned over at when the car started moving, away from the bustling airport.
"I'm excited you're here." Finn leaned over and whispered, allowing Rachel to see the light sheen of scruff over his jaw. It made her unconsciously lick her lips.
His eyes darted down to her mouth for a moment before he gulped and looked back up.
"Me too. We're going to hang out a lot I hope. It's been a long time." Rachel whispered back, ignoring Kurt's smirk as he watched the pair interact.
"Definitely. We have to watch that new Avengers movie together." Finn winked.
"Ooh I can't wait." Rachel rolled her eyes playfully. She had always disliked those superhero movies, but she would watch just because Finn loved them. The same way he watched all her musicals even though she could tell he didn't like them all that much.
"Shut up. You love them and you know it. And I stand by my statement that you would look totally incredible in Black Widow's costume." Finn wiggled his eyebrows, making her laugh.
The fact that they could talk so flirtatiously and tease each other like this spoke wonders about how far they'd come.
And she couldn't exactly say that all this underline flirting didn't mean anything. They were getting closer and she was so happy that they were fulfilling their promises to each other.
She meant it when she said she wanted him to be her last love. And she had to admit, she was having a very hard time thinking about having other men in her life when she had Finn.
Five.
Blaine's proposal was insane. It was incredible and she couldn't believe he got so many people involved. The New Directions, alumni and current members, the Warblers, members of the Glee club from Haverbrooks School For The Deaf, and some insanely amazing dancers from God knows where.
And it was so romantic and a huge spectacle, exactly what Kurt deserved. She was having trouble keeping in her own tears as she watched Blaine pour his heart out to his soulmate, her eyes unable to keep from locking onto Finn's.
He was staring back at her, the ghost of a half smile on his face and a slight sheen of tears in his eyes. He too was feeling the emotion and insane amount of love in the room. And she could tell he was so incredibly happy for his brother.
They both cheered when Kurt said yes, moving forward with the rest of the crowd to hug and congratulate the newly engaged couple.
After Blaine and Kurt had thanked everyone for their support, the New Directions alumni plus Blaine, Artie, Sam, and Tina all decided to head to breadsticks to celebrate together.
They booked two tables and split into groups. Rachel settled into the inside end of the booth, happy when Finn quickly slid in next to her, grinning at her as Mike squished in on the other side of him.
They were seated across Kurt, Blaine, and Sam. The former two who were in their own little world, staring only at eachother as they stole little kisses here and there.
So the other four of them order waters for the table and began talking. Mike and Sam started talking about some new Halo game, so Finn turned to Rachel.
"I'm so happy for them. Have you ever seen Kurt smile so much?" Finn whispered, smiling over at his brother proudly. "Blaine really did a kickass job with his proposal. He went all out."
Rachel took and chance and reached down gripping his hand in hers under the table. "They're soul mates. I knew this was bound to happen sooner or later. I'm not sure if that smile will ever leave Kurt's face." She smiled as he looked up at her, his eyes boring into hers.
"Like we are?" Finn smiled as Rachel's own smile dropped a little in shock, completely caught off guard by his statement.
"Exactly like we are." Rachel scooted a little closer to him. "And for what it's worth, I liked your proposal a lot more. Blaine's was amazing and grand and expensive. But yours? Yours was intimate, special. It was just you and me. And that means a lot more to me than some big proposal."
Finn leaned even closer to her face, pecking her cheek lightly. His warm, plump lips caressed her cheek, making her eyes shut as she squeezed his hand tightly.
"That means more to me than you know Rachel. I always felt like my proposal wasn't what you deserved. I thought you wanted something big." He whispered.
Rachel shook her head. "I know that's the kind of thing my personality would dictate. It would seem like I want something like that. But no, a private proposal is the one for me." She assured him.
He grinned and pulled back, her eyes following the trail of adorable freckles scattered across his nose and the way his eyelashes brushed against those freckles every other moment.
He was too perfect for this world. He was everything that was good in this world. She couldn't believe she ever thought there was a chance there was someone else out there for her. No one could ever make her feel the way he did.
"Come to my house tonight. Kurt's going to be staying with Blaine so we'll have to whole basement to ourselves." Finn opened his menu and started looking through it.
Rachel's jaw dropped in shock. Was he really suggesting what she thought he was? That they go to his old bedroom and make out like a couple of horny teenagers?
He seemed to register her lack of response because he turned to look at her, his eyes widening as his own statement sunk in.
"Oh god, that's totally not what I meant Rachel. I meant that we could go watch movies and eat some of my moms pie. N-not, you know, other stuff." Finn rubbed the back of his neck, a sign that he was nervous.
Rachel gulped and looked away, nodding as her mind ran through different scenarios involving her and Finn in different states of undress. (One particular fantasy was of Finn bending her over a table. Much like the one they currently sitting in...). She had to shake her head clear of her dirty thoughts.
She totally blamed it all on Finn. It wasn't her fault he was gorgeous and sexy.
Finn put his menu down, seemingly deciding on a meal.
"So what movies do you have planned for us?" Rachel giggled as Finn turned to her and grinned, happy they put his awkward sounding statement behind them.
They chatted happily about what movies they should watch, Finn agreeing to watch UP because Rachel loved it so much. And she agreed to watch Avengers because it was one of Finn's favorites.
When they all finished dinner, they shuffled out to their cars. As Mike and Sam helped Artie into Mike's car, Tina, Santana, and Mercedes hopped into Mercedes dads' car. Quinn stood next to Rachel as they waited for Puck and Finn to pull their cars around.
"So are you and Finn?..." Quinn left the statement hanging as she pulled her coat tighter against her, the spring air still chilling her to the bone.
"Huh? Oh no, no we aren't together. Just friends. Strictly plantonic." Rachel said, feeling like she was definitely overcompensating and wanting to face palm herself.
Quinn just chuckled, shaking her head. "We aren't in high school anymore Rachel. And I certainly don't have feelings for him anymore. You don't have to hide anything." Quinn placed her hand on Rachel's arm. "I can tell by the way you were looking at each other tonight."
Rachel blushed, feeling somewhat relieved that she could talk to one of her Glee girls. Well, one that was kinder about it.
"I think we might be, slowly coming back together. But we haven't kissed at all. Just a little peck on the cheek here and there. I think we're both just so scared. After everything that's happened between us, and the physical distance between us now... I just don't know how it would work." Rachel sighed.
Quinn nodded in understanding. "I understand why you two would feel that way. And I hope you don't think I'm bipolar or something by sauing the exact opposite of what I said last year. But I think you and Finn belong together."
Rachel turned to look at her like she had four arms growing out of the side of her skull. "What?"
Quinn looked at Rachel head on, unafraid to speak her mind. "I mean it. I think you and Finn are one of those rare couples. Where you're stronger together than apart. I didn't really realize it until now."
Rachel was completely dumbfounded. Never in a million years did Rachel ever think Quinn Fabray would be pushing her to be with Finn. If you had told 16 year old Rachel this, she would've laughed in your face.
"You really think so?" Rachel asked her, the shock clearly evident in her voice.
"Definitely. I was watching you two interact tonight and I thought to myself, 'how is it that those two always find their way back to each other?' That's something most people dream about having. And I think that's why I hated you so much back then. I knew you had a connection with Finn that I would never have. It explains why you always went back to eachother after Finn and I broke up. Or when you and Jesse broke up. You just... I don't know how to explain it."
"We have a tether." Rachel supplied, whispering the words into the cool air.
"Yeah exactly. And I believe you'll do it again. Because clearly the universe will stop at nothing to make sure you two are together."
Rachel stared at Quinn as Puck pulled up the curb, honking his horn in request for Quinn to get in.
"Goodnight Rachel." Quinn turned and waved at her.
"Goodnight." Rachel replied, still bewildered at Quinn's words. Words that somewhat echoed her own thoughts and feelings.
She nearly jumped out her skin when a gentle hand grabbed her shoulder.
She was relieved to see a chuckling Finn putting his hands up in surrender. "Whoa, someone's jumpy tonight. There any particular reason you've been staring at the ground for the past two minutes?" He teased.
Rachel stuck her tongue out at him. "Shut up. I was just distracted." Rachel playfully pushed him as she headed to his truck now parked near the sidewalk.
"Mmm. I'm sure those pebbles on the ground are really interesting." Finn laughed as she sent a glare his way.
"You better stop with your teasing Mr. Hudson. Or I may not feel like hanging out with you anymore." Rachel tugged herself up in the passengers seat.
Finn chuckled again and put his fingers to his lips, pretending to seal them and lock them with a key.
She rolled her eyes at him good-naturedly as he revved up the engine and drove them through the dark streets of Lima to his parents house.
He ran around to her side and helped her out. "Can't let you a break a heel trying to get out." He reasoned when he wrapped his arms around her and was met with a questioning gaze from her.
"So where are Burt and Carole? They know I'm coming over?" Rachel asked as Finn fidgeted with the keys in the lock.
"Probably already in bed. It's ten thirty and mom has an early shift at the hospital tomorrow. And Burt's getting in a shipment of new tires that he has to be there to sign for. And don't worry, they know we're both coming in." Finn pushed open the front door and led Rachel inside, kicking off his shoes as he locked the door back up.
It was so weird to be back in the Hudson-Hummel house. She hadn't been in here for over a year. It hadn't changed much, but it held so many memories of what high school had been like.
Her eyes strayed to the fireplace as they passed, and Rachel couldn't help but remember the first time she and Finn had made love there.
Just thinking about it made her skin tingle and her heart race.
She followed Finn downstairs to his and Kurt's old bedroom, noticing that the beds were still there, but they were now pushed up against the wall and were replaced by a large sofa in the middle of the room that faced a tv hanging off the wall.
"Burt likes to come in here and watch tv sometimes. Mom gets annoyed when he yells at the tv during sports games and he comes down here when mom is watching one of her lifetime movies." Finn rolled his eyes, smiling. He obviously noticed she had been eyeing the new furniture that wasn't there the last time she was in the house.
Rachel giggled, nodding her head.
"So, pick your favourite blanket and you're favourite end of the couch and I'll put the movie in." Finn took off his jacket and tossed it onto his bed, pulling a hoodie over his head after giving it s good whiff to see if it was clean.
Rachel obliged, picking the silky red blanket off the back of the couch and settling into one of the corners. "Which movie are we watching first?" She asked, stifling a yawn.
"Well, I'm a man of honour, so naturally we'll go ladies first. So UP it is. Even though I can't stand the movies Disney makes nowadays. Except for Star Wars of course." Finn winked at her as he popped the movie in, sitting on the other side of the couch.
"I can assure you this movie is great. Not like the others at all. Besides, Pixar worked on this movie with them. It wasn't just Disney." She giggled as he made a face.
"I'll take your word for it." He smiled before clicking play and watching the opening credits roll onto the screen. She watched him as watched the screen, transfixed by the strength of his jaw and the twinkle in his eyes.
He turned his head to face her and she immediately whipped hers around to face the movie, not wanting to get caught staring at him. In her haste, completely missing the adoring smile he sent her way.
She shivered a little as she felt his eyes on her. "Oh, sorry if it's kinda cold. The thermostat down her busted last month and neither Burt or I have had the time to come down here and fix it. So it'll be chilly tonight." Finn warned her, tugging the other blanket from the back of the couch and holding it out to her. "Here, take extra cover."
Rachel shook her head. "But then you'll be cold."
"Don't care. I'd rather me be cold than you. Take it." Finn insisted, pushing the blanket into Rachel's hands as she resisted.
"Why don't we share it?" Rachel said quickly, making Finn's eyebrows quirk up in surprise.
"Really?" Finn lick his suddenly dry lips. She had to admit, she felt a little hot under the collar too as she thought about the implications of her statement.
"Yeah. We both have to stay warm right? Don't want either of us to catch a cold." Rachel bit her to lip to keep from smiling too wide.
They both knew her excuse was bogus. There were plenty of other blankets down here that they could use.
"We can't have that, can we?" Finn smiled lopsidedly, laying the blanket over his lap and opening the rest of it wide, a wide enough space for Rachel to fit in.
She grinned so wide her face actually hurt as she slid over the couch to his side, cautiously placing herself between his arm and his side.
As soon as she let herself relax in his arms, she felt tears sting her eyes.
This felt so right it was painful. The agonizing feeling of being in his embrace again was enough to make her want to drop to her knees and beg that he get back together with her.
Because she couldn't live without this man in her life. He was her gentle, loving giant of a man that was crappy but adorable dancer and was an incredible drummer and singer. He was the man she'd been in love with since the first moment she saw him.
And as she looked up at him, she found that he was staring back at her, all the same emotions written on his face. He missed her. He needed her. He loved her. In the exact same way she did him.
He placed a gentle but loving kiss on her forehead, her eyes shutting as a few tears escaped her eyes. He wiped them away with his large thumb and she cuddled deeper into his embrace.
That's when she knew; no matter what happened, no matter how long it took, they would be together. Their feelings for eachother had never gone away. It fact, they were probably stronger than ever now. And she planned on fighting for him until she could finally call him hers again.
Whooo that was a pretty long one, huh? Well, they're all probably going to be like that lol. And I plan on having at least three or four more. Just enough to show Finchel's journey back to eachother and little of what their life is like post-reunion.
Hope you all enjoyed this little Finchel Drabble! :P And yes, I'm working on the next chapter of Love The Way You Lie. So it's coming soon!
Can we get at least 10 reviews on this? It would make me superrrrrr happy :D