AN: This was written for Mara (MaraMac) for the Finchel Secret Santa Project.

Dear Mara:

I hope this was what you were hoping for! I wrote an angstier Christmas story, but scrapped it because it was kind of putting a damper on the holiday season. Hope this one is to your liking!

Merry Christmas,

Marcela

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. I merely used Ryan Murphy's amazing characters to get me out of my writer's block. All typos, errors and overall crappiness belong to me.

Rachel is busy putting pink garland on the window ledge when she feels two familiar hands snake around her waist.

"Hey, hey," she warns, trying to sound commanding, but failing terribly as she can't hold back her giggles. She tilts her face up, asking for a kiss.

"It looks great, babe," Finn tells her. His peppermint breath—a telltale sign that he's been sneaking candy canes—fans her eyelashes and she can't help but pull him closer.

"Thanks," she gives him one more peck before turning her attention to the bookshelf. "You don't think I used too many pink things, do you?"

Finn considers this for a moment, sweeping his eyes over the living room. He fixes his gaze on the pink menorah on the mantle, the pink garland on the window, the pink Christmas trinkets on the bookshelf, and yes, even the pink Christmas blanket on the couch, before he shakes his head.

"Nah. I'm sure Kurt and Blaine will like what you did."

"I hope so. I spent all evening in here."

"Besides, pink is the new black, right?" He asks, tweaking a piece of her hair, making her giggle again. "Need help with anything?"

"I will when I put up the mistletoe, but how's the turkey, Mr. Hudson?"

"Still in the oven." He says against her neck. "You know, our parents won't be here for a while." He leans down to give her another kiss.

"Oh no you don't," she can't help but laugh. "Finn! Kurt and Blaine will be here any minute! The last thing I want is for them to walk in on us." She rolls her eyes at his smile. Fine, their roommates have been – quote unquote – victimized by Finn and Rachel's hormones on more than several occasions. "Again," she hastily adds.

He smirks, stealing another kiss before walking back into their kitchen.

"Fine, but when you and I finally move into our own place, I'm instating Nude Tuesdays."

He hears her laugh and knows she's not exactly opposed to his idea.

They go back to their tasks; Rachel adds more masculine touches to their living room, while Finn finishes prepping Rachel's tofurky and checks on the turkey again; each humming "Baby It's Cold Outside".

"Babe," Finn calls from the kitchen. "I know you don't like sampling the food I make, but I think I put too much salt in the mashed potatoes. Could you taste it for me? Please?"

He hears her overdramatic sigh and smiles.

"Fine," she says when she enters the kitchen. She stands in front of him, hands on her hips and opens her mouth, waiting for the morsel of food. When Finn slides the spoon between her lips, she chews, savouring the potatoes. "Mmmm. Finn! This is delicious! The salt's okay. No. It's better than okay. It's perfect. Promise."

"Really?" He asks, self-conscious.

"Really. You know, you're making me go against my vegan diet every day now," she scolds. "I should be annoyed, but you also spoil me when you make vegan dishes for me, too."

He gives her an indulgent smile before turning back to his food.

"Well, you're the only person who's, y'know, always honest with me."

Rachel smiles up at her boyfriend, but soon looks down at his hands to admire the way he chops carrots and radishes for his mirepoix. She loves watching him cook. She looks back up at his face and sees that it's scrunched up in concentration; it's the same face he used to make when he was solving a particularly hard algebra problem in high school. She can't help but give a small laugh at his expression. This, of course, gets his attention.

"What?"

"You know, back in high school, I always loved that you were like a bottomless pit for food. I never thought that that love of food would lead you to your career choice."

Finn chuckles. "Yeah. Culinary school. Who knew?"

Rachel nods, going behind him to re-tie his apron.

"Anyway, I need help putting up the mistletoe if you can spare a minute."

"Of course," he says, cocking his head to the side. Just lead the way." He quirks one side of his mouth in a half-smile.

She smiles, too, loving that he can still make her heart beat erratically.

"Okay then."

They walk to their front entrance and she holds up the mistletoe by the string.

"Would you do the honours, please?"

He smiles and puts the string through hook on the threshold.

"Is that all?"

"Well, it is tradition for a couple to kiss under the mistletoe," she says, batting her eyelashes.

He sighs overdramatically before bending down. "Fine," his warm breath fans over her mouth before he captures her bottom lip in a sweet kiss.

"Dear God. Do you two ever stop?"

They break apart, annoyed, only to find an equally annoyed Kurt and a smirking Blaine standing at the open door.

"Relax, Kurt. Kissing under the mistletoe is tradition," Blaine defends.

"Yeah, you haven't walked in on them fornicating in our kitchen, our bathroom, our living room, against—"

"We get it," Finn grumbles.

"Don't sass me," Kurt teases.

"Anyway, did you two get the apples and cranberries I asked for?"

"We did. But I still don't understand why you don't just use canned cranberry sauce like normal people."

"Because, dear brother o'mine, fresh cranberry sauce has a certain…" Finn pauses, his thumb and forefinger making a circle, as he thinks of the right word. "Quality that the canned stuff just can't duplicate. And I'm putting apple in the salad tonight."

Kurt rolls his eyes, but hands over the grocery bags.

"Whatever. What's left to do before the parents descend upon us?"

"We need help decorating the Christmas tree, still."

"Great! Let's get started," Blaine says, making his way to the living room. "Oh. Good God! Rachel, what did you do to our living room?"

"It looks like you have a sponsorship deal with Pepto-Bismol!" Kurt adds. "What on earth possessed you to use this much pink?"

"Relax," Finn says, coming into the living room. "I think it looks fine."

"You would. But I'm not the one sleeping with her."

"Hey!" Rachel says, slapping Kurt's chest. "I'll have you know that Finn is a free-thinking, intelligent man who isn't easily swayed by a woman."

"Says the girl who got him to start wearing an undershirt under his dress shirts," Kurt mutters.

"Shut up, Kurt," Finn says. "Let's just decorate the tree." The other three mutter their assent and a ceasefire is reached.

Rachel and Kurt work together to put up the lights, while Finn and Blaine detangle the remaining strands of garland. Rachel insists they should put up more pink ornaments, but Kurt and Blaine soon learn to hide her "special" ornaments. They work in silence until Finn goes to check on the turkey and Rachel, Kurt and Blaine get caught up singing their own version of "White Christmas", singing "pink" instead of "white". Finn rolls his eyes. Really, they are a riot. Arguing over colour schemes and decorations one minute and putting on a show for their neighbours the next.

He can't help but smile, though, when he realizes how familial their relationships are.

The four of them have been living together in New York City for a few months now. Blaine moved to the city right after graduating and Kurt, Finn and Rachel thought it would be easiest to divide the rent four ways, instead of three. And now, it's their first Christmas together and their parents have decided to make the trek to New York, rather than have them drive to Lima or Washington.

It's all so grown up.

Blaine soon leaves to tidy up the bathroom, leaving Kurt and Rachel alone to add the finishing touches to the tree. Rachel places a timid hand on Kurt's arm, getting his attention.

"I'm-I'm nervous. About tonight."

"Why," Kurt scoffs. "It's not like talent agents are coming over."

"No," Rachel reluctantly says. "But I'm worried. About Carole. I mean, I'm the other woman who stole her little boy from her and basically forced him to follow her - his love – to a big and dangerous city, ultimately leaving her – his loving, doting and devoted mother – and what if she resents me for that, Kurt?"

"Rach, my mom loves you," Finn says from behind them, sticking a few pieces of popcorn in his mouth.

"Finn," Rachel reprimands. "First off, this was a private conversation. Second," she takes the bowl of popcorn from his hands before continuing. "You're going to ruin your appetite."

"Fine, I'll stop eating. But you know I'm right."

She nervously clasps her hands, tucking herself against Finn's sturdy frame and he immediately wraps his arms around her and plants a noisy kiss on her forehead.

"Stop worrying."

"Mkay," she mumbles into his shirt. "We should put up the star."

Finn smiles and looks into the box of ornaments. He knows that Kurt and Blaine are annoyed by all the pink in their living room, but he knows how much the pink star means to Rachel. It was one of the first purchases she made, saying that they would put it at the top of their tree. He likes the sound of that.

He sighs and takes the shining ornament from the box and hands it to the live star in front of him. Kurt scoffs a bit, seeing the ornament in Finn's hands, but doesn't say anything.

"Wanna do the honours?" Finn asks, giving her a lopsided smile.

"I thought you'd never ask," she says, playfully sticking her tongue out at him. He wraps his hands around her waist and hoists her up. Just as Rachel's feet are back on solid ground, the bell rings.

"They're here," Blaine calls from the main hall.

Finn raises his eyebrows in excitement and takes both Rachel and Kurt's hands in his before racing to the door.

Blaine's just gotten the door open when Finn's pulling his mom into a tight hug and Kurt's got Burt in an equally tight hug. Rachel and Blaine stand off to the side, smiling at the family reunion.

"Rachel," Carole says, her smile so wide that the anxious weight in Rachel's heart is lessened considerably, "You look beautiful, sweetheart!"

"Thank you, Carole," Rachel modestly replies just as Carole pulls her into a hug. "Your new hairstyle looks very becoming on you. How is Washington?"

"It's good," she answers, handing her jacket over to Finn to hang. "City life agrees with me."

"Hello, Rachel!" Burt cheerfully greets, also pulling her into a hug. "It's great to see you kids."

"You guys should come in and see our tree," Kurt pipes up from the side. The three couples finally migrate inside, but Finn puts a hand on his mom's arm to stop her.

"Uh, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Of course," Carole replies, letting her son guide her to the room he shares with Rachel.

She feels a little odd, standing in the room her little boy shares with his girlfriend. But she knows—has always known deep in her heart, actually—that Rachel isn't just Finn's girlfriend. She's always meant so much more to her son. Which is why she wasn't surprised when he'd called her a few months back, asking her if he could have the ring his father gave to her the night of their engagement. She'd agreed, of course, but a little part of her knew she was going to say goodbye to her little boy forever. That he wouldn't be her little boy for much longer.

"Did you remember the ring," Finn asks as soon as he's shut the door behind them.

"I did," she says, pulling out the modest ring from a box in her handbag. "I had it polished and I got a new box and I'm sure Rachel will love it and oh Finny. I'm so proud of you. Really. I am."

"Thanks, mom," he replies, bashful and blushing and so much like the little boy she took to the doctor's office and drove to football practice and had to bribe in order to stop him from crying on his first day of school. It was always Finn and Carole, even after she married Burt and they welcomed both Burt and Kurt into their family. Then it was Finn and Carole and Burt and Kurt. And now, after tonight when Finn is engaged to Rachel, Rachel will be added to that list.

There's a soft knock on the door and Rachel peeks her head inside.

"My dads are here," she tells them, biting her lip.

"Thanks, babe," Finn says, giving her a quick nod. "We'll be out in a bit."

She closes the door and walks back to join her fathers, Burt, Kurt and Blaine in the living room. All the men are standing in front of the tree, oohing and ahhing at the beauty in front of them. Kurt and Blaine, however, manage to make a few unpleasant remarks about the pink touches she left, but she knows her daddies and Burt are too polite to say anything offensive.

Finn and Carole come back out and Finn automatically wraps his arm around her waist. She leans against his strong chest and feels happy, safe, listening to the rumble of his voice as he chats with her fathers about his endeavours at culinary school. She knows, from the matching expressions on their faces, that her fathers are proud of her boyfriend.

Kurt and Blaine go to answer the door when the Andersons arrive and Rachel is taken aback by how much Blaine's younger brother, Andrew, resembles him. Granted, he's a little more reserved than his older brother, but she's happy to hear that he's also musically inclined.

Finn excuses himself to check on the food and he calls them all to the dining table a few moments later. They all congregate at their table and Rachel feels a swell of pride when she looks at the beaming faces of those she loves. She never would have imagined that she, Kurt and Finn would ever get to this place where their families would come together to share a meal. That from their relationships, new traditions would spring forth.

Finn clasps her hand in his.

"You okay?"

She nods, smiling—she can't help it at this moment—and cranes her neck towards him to give him a sweet kiss.

"I'm really happy."

He smiles, squeezing her hand in his.

"Same."

Kurt watches his step-brother and Rachel whispering sweet nothings to one another and feels the smile stretch over his lips. He turns his attention back to Mr. Anderson and politely answers his questions about his program at NYADA, filling him in on Rachel's production of Wicked. Kurt hadn't been part of the cast, but he had done more than his share of behind-the-scenes work.

After dinner, they migrate back to the living room, where Finn insists that Rachel sit in his dad's chair. He's nervous, but Rachel reasons it's because he wants everyone to enjoy themselves, and he starts handing out presents.

When he's on the last present, a gift from Blaine to his brother, he wipes the sweat from his forehead. He clenches his jaw and smiles along with everyone when Andrew gives Blaine a warm hug. He slowly stands up from his position on the floor and goes to stand in front of Rachel.

He bends to one knee.

Rachel's eyes grow three times their usual size.

He snakes his hand inside his jacket pocket.

Rachel's eyes shine like stars with unshed tears.

He presents her with his mother's ring.

Before he can even ask the question, Rachel's pulled his face to hers and starts kissing him senseless, laughing, crying and clinging to him for dear life in-between saying yesyesyes.

He pulls back; he's unsurprised to feel his own hot tears slide down his cheeks, and gives her another kiss as their family happily cheers over their engagement.