There are times when you realize that all your life has been leading up to this moment; he has one of those realizations as he thanks his brother for the fortieth time for taking his daughter for the night so that he can make this special. Everything they've ever been through was worth it because it was all leading up to this moment. They've been through so much, and not all of it has been good; here and now, though, he's absolutely sure that he wouldn't want it any other way. They live in New York City, in a beautiful apartment, and they have a beautiful life. Getting here hasn't been easy, but none of the best things in life are.
He insists that she dress up for the occasion, even though she's tired, and when she asks why, he just shakes his head and tells her to hurry. While he's waiting, he lets himself think back. He remembers the first time he kissed her, and a smile twitches on his lips; running away from her that day was one of the biggest mistakes he'd ever made. He remembers how much he loved her, even sophomore year when he was with Quinn and thought he was going to be a father; he thinks back to a time when he didn't realize just how important she was to him, and how she was there for him, open and honest, when he needed her the most. He remembers throwing that away for a chance to be a rock star, and he can still feel the way her words cut through him when he told her. He remembers the sick feeling he got in his stomach when he thought she'd given herself to St. Jackass, and it's a feeling he's sure he will never forget. He also remembers having sex with Santana, but only because he remembers lying to Rachel about it later. It's one of his biggest regrets, and he still hates that it happened. He remembers the first time he said he loved her, the way the words bubbled up inside him and he couldn't hold them back; that smile on her face was burned into his memory forever.
He takes her to her favorite French restaurant, even though he kind of hates French food for some reason, and she smiles and thanks him. It's nice to be alone for a change, to relive the days when they had more freedom. Adulthood really has changed things. Memories flood his mind, and he can't help but feel grateful that they even made it to New York. He remembers the first time they really dated and how messy it was; mostly he remembers the good things though, like the first time she let him really touch her and the first time she said she loved him. He remembers the moment he thought he'd lost her for good, all because he lied and she panicked and things got out of control. Sometimes it scares him, but then he remembers that in the end they found each other. He remembers the first time he said he loved her in her city, when he kissed her in the rain in Central Park on the Bow Bridge; he remembers that for a moment he thought she was going to run. But she stayed, and they were right again.
They take a walk through Central Park, and he's not sure why she hasn't put two and two together. Rachel is, after all, a very smart woman. She says something about the tourists, and he laughs because once upon a time they were tourists in the city too. Slowly but surely, the city became home for them. He remembers dancing around like a fool when he got accepted to NYU for journalism because she was going to Julliard and it meant they could go together. He remembers getting their first apartment and how terrible it was, but that's overshadowed by the fact that the first time they made love was in that apartment on the first night they moved into it. He remembers the rude awakening they got when thought things were going to just start falling into place; it wasn't as easy as he'd imagined, and it certainly wasn't the fantasy he'd built up in his head. He remembers the sleepless nights and the arguments over work and rent that filled their first months in the city, but mostly he remembers working so hard to make it up to each other because they hated fighting.
When they reach the Bow Bridge it seems to dawn on her, and she gives him this look like she knows he's up to something. Things haven't exactly gone as planned for them, and he knows that she still gets scared that some day it will all fall apart; he just wishes that he could assure her that it won't. They've been together six solid years, and they've made it through botched auditions, a shitty job market, and an unplanned pregnancy. He was pretty sure that it was a sign that they could make it. Everything seems so perfect now; well as perfect as things can be in the real world. He just got a promotion at the station, and it seems that ESPN is interested in hiring him; she's all set to play Fanny Brice in a revival of Funny Girl. Abigail just turned a year old, and she's a beautiful little girl with her mother's eyes and her daddy's smile. He's pulled from his thoughts by the sound of her stuttering a question.
"Finn, what are we doing here?" She's doing that adorable thing where she chews her bottom lip, and he almost loses his concentration.
"Do you remember what happened on this bridge almost six years ago, Rach?" His hand closes around the small box in his pocket, and he swallows hard; instead of letting her answer, he pulls in a deep breath and smiles. "Almost six years ago, you came back to me even though I probably didn't deserve you; I was convinced that I had lost you forever because the night before you left me standing alone in the middle of the street."
"I remember." He can see the tears sparkling in her eyes, and her voice is a soft whisper.
"This is where you said you loved me and we kissed for the first time in the city that I knew would one day be our home." He slowly kneels in front of her, and she covers her mouth with a slender hand.
"Finn?" Her voice shakes slightly.
"When we came here it was because it was the city of your dreams, and I wanted to share those dreams with you. Since we've been here, it's become the city of my dreams too. I knew that being with you meant being a part of something special, but I never imagined that things could turn out to be so incredible. When I met you, I was some Lima Loser football player who would be lucky if he got to go to Ohio State, but you always believed that I was so much more than that. Now I'm living in New York, doing what I love for a living and dating a woman destined to become the next Barbra Streisand, and together we have the most beautiful daughter. That alone proves that my life has become so much better since I met you. We've made it through so much together, and I love you more and more every day." Reaching into his pocket again, his hand closes on the box, and he pulls it out slowly. "I asked you this once, a few weeks before Abigail was born, and you said maybe someday. I think someday has finally arrived."
Everything seems to freeze, and it's like the world stands still as he opens the box with trembling hands; it's his mother's engagement ring, the one his dad gave her, and it seems only right that he's going to give it to Rachel. If he's being honest with himself, he's pretty much dreamed of this moment for years. He looks up at her, waiting to catch his breath before he asks her the one question he's wanted to ask her for six years, and it's an odd experience because she's always the one looking up at him; she seems to glow, and he knows that this image will be burned into his mind forever.
"I love you so much, and I want to spend forever with you; you are my best friend, my partner, and my soul mate. You told me once that everyone expected us to be together, the hot male lead and the stunning young ingénue, and you were right. We belong together, and I would be so happy and honored if you would be my wife. Rachel Barbra Berry, will you marry me?"
She nods, and he feels like a champion because he's rendered Rachel Berry speechless; the moment he's standing upright again, she throws herself into his arms, tears in her deep brown eyes, and as she buries her face in his shoulder, she whispers the word yes more times than he can count. When he finally puts the petite woman back on the ground, she smiles up at him, and he reaches for her hand; as he slides the ring on her finger, he smiles to himself. He's sure of it now; everything in his entire life was leading up to this moment. There are few things in their past that he'd change; even the hard parts and the troubles they faced were important. Part of him thanks Mr. Schue, who made him join Glee club, because without him Rachel would've just been another girl with a crush on him and he'd never have really gotten to know her. It's come full circle; they've gone from two people who would have never even made eye contact to a family, and now they were going to be married. Rachel always tells him that this city is magic, and tonight when they climb into the cab to head back home, he's convinced that she's right.