I won't soar, I won't climb
If you're not here, I'm paralyzed
Without you, without you
I can't look, I'm so blind
I lost my heart, I lost my mind
Without you

It starts during her song to him, this overwhelming sense of love and appreciation. When she looks at him, everything else melts away and she's sitting there singing just for him. That's when it hits him. She's the most important thing in his world, that special thing that means something, and maybe everything else is a mess but what they have finally isn't among it. He feels foolish for missing what was right in front of him but now that he sees, he will do anything to keep from losing it. He doesn't need a ghost of a father who never existed to be special, he just needs Rachel.

The world comes back and he smiles as Rachel finishes her song. It's almost as if he's magnetically drawn to her and has to go to her. He holds her in an embrace and finds his lips pressing against hers. The kiss deepens and he's vaguely aware of the rest of the glee club in the room but he doesn't really care as Rachel runs her hand over his neck and allows him to slip his tongue into her mouth. His hand slides down her back and rests just above her butt when she wraps her arm around him again and pulls him even closer. They only break once Santana begins speaking and seems to remind Rachel that they aren't alone.

Santana surprisingly compliments Rachel on her song and she is beaming. Then Santana of course rags on her but it doesn't even seem to affect Rachel's blissful mood. She's still smiling as she looks up at him and he realizes it wasn't the praise or the song that had her looking happier than ever, it was him, and it warmed his heart even more. His mouth twitches into a grin as he follows Rachel back to their seats. Rachel looks at him and beams again as they entwine their fingers, and he loves how soft her skin is and how perfectly her hand fits in his. She leans her head on his shoulder, and he turns to kiss her hair.

Mr. Schue keeps talking at them, and everyone keeps proposing songs for him to sing to Miss Pillsbury, but Finn doesn't much care anymore. He's happy for Mr. Schuester and excited to be his best man, but he knows that whatever song he chooses, Mr. Schue will get that 'yes' he so craves from the woman he loves. All Finn can focus on is Rachel's hand in his and how pretty it looks. He loves Rachel's hands – how dainty they are, their warmth, the way her slender fingers skim over his skin when they're intimately embracing, her cute perfectly manicured nails and how they're always painted beautiful colors.

Then everyone begins moving, getting out of their seats as Mr. Schue dismisses them for the day. Rachel stands up and makes to release his hand to follow the group out to her locker but he doesn't let her go. He'll never let her go again if he has anything to say about it. Finn tugs her back as he stands up himself and he smiles before leaning down to give her another kiss. It isn't as heated as their previous one, but it still contains every ounce of love he feels for her.

Rachel presses her free hand against his chest and plays with a button on his plaid shirt. She tugs on her lip with her teeth as she stares down at her hand lying on his body. "My dads won't be home until six if you want to come over," she says quietly. Her eyes flicker up to his face and she looks almost shy at the admission.

He's about to give an emphatic 'yes' when the memory of his schedule pops in his mind reminding him of his less than desirable obligations. Finn releases an audible groan and Rachel's face falls.

"What's wrong?"

It physically pains him to get the words out, but he does. "I have to work tonight."

Rachel sighs and pulls her hand away from his chest. He immediately misses the pressure and warmth and wants to take it back and say he'd love to come over but it appears the moment has passed.

"It's alright. Another day." Rachel smiles up at him but she is clearly disappointed. "We should go if you have to work." She turns and begins walking toward the door, pulling him along with her.

Finn is at the shop for a grand total of twenty minutes when Burt comes over to him and tells him he can leave.

"But I'm scheduled until close…?" Finn says, not understanding why Burt was letting him leave hours early.

"We aren't busy today. Go on, play some video games or take Rachel to dinner or something." He pats him on the shoulder before walking off leaving a stunned but pleased Finn behind him.

He quickly changes out of his coveralls and jumps in his truck, speeding off in the direction of Rachel's.

She answers the door after three knocks and is pleasantly surprised to see him standing there. "Finn?"

"Burt let me out really early so I thought I'd stop by."

Rachel pulls him into the house and locks the door behind them as they scamper up to her bedroom.

It's about five thirty when Finn finds himself entwining his fingers with Rachel's again as he kisses her under the sheets of her bed. They're both a little sweaty and tired but Finn's never felt so peaceful and happy in his life. When he's with Rachel, every outside concern or problem doesn't exist. It's just them in this little bubble of love and joy that can't be penetrated by anything…no matter how cheesy it may sound. Their kiss breaks and Rachel stares into his eyes as a tiny smile graces her swollen lips.

"I love you," she whispers, nuzzling her nose against his.

"I love you." He brings their hands up to his mouth and kisses the back of hers. Her fingers slip from his and move to caress his face. His eyes close and his free hand moves down her torso to slide around to her back. Finn tugs her body closer and lazily grazes his fingers along the smooth curve from her back to her behind. She giggles and lays her hand on his chest as he kisses her again.

Rachel presses herself into him even harder and he groans when her hand finds his building erection. Finn then rolls bringing Rachel with him until she's lying on top of his chest.

"Have I ever told you how much I love your hands?" he mumbles against her lips when she pulls away.

"No, but I had a pretty good idea." She giggles and trails her fingers along his length forcing an unattractive squeal of want out of his mouth. "Oh my…Finn, it's nearly six."

His head turns to see Rachel's clock displaying 5:38 PM and he knows he should get going…that doesn't mean he wants to. "I cannot wait for the day we don't have to worry about parents."

"Mmm…that would be nice," Rachel agrees and rolls off him. His legs swing over the bed and he sits up. He surveys the room to see where exactly his clothes ended up in their frenzy to get them off and finds his boxers hanging precariously from Rachel's elliptical. He gets off the bed and grabs them, pulling them on. He turns back to Rachel and sees her pouting a little.

"What's wrong?" he worries, walking back over to her.

"I was just enjoying the view." Finn just chuckles and kisses her again until she's pushing on his chest. "You really need to go before we get caught." Finn rolls his eyes but finds the rest of his clothes.

Once dressed, Rachel escorts him back down to her front door. He can't seem to say goodbye though since he keeps saying 'one more kiss' after every last kiss. Eventually Rachel manages to shove him out the door and just in time too as he sees Rachel's dad's car coming down the street from the opposite direction as he drives away.

It isn't until he's lying in bed after their pretty sweet performance in the pool for Mr. Schuester's proposal that he realizes that's what he should do. Ever since his mother told him the truth about his dad, his world has been shattered and dark except for her. Rachel is the only bright spot and she is the only thing that makes perfect sense in the confusion that has become his life in past months. He still doesn't fully understand why she has chosen him – he isn't important, he isn't going to be anyone special – but for some reason she loves him and lets him love her. He wants to take that next step with her in proving his love. He has to because without Rachel he isn't anything. He can't lose her again; he won't be able to bear the loss.

He's surprised he gets a credit card at all after three failures to procure one but now that he has it he's itching to use it. He finds himself at the jewelry store after school staring into a case filled with rings. A woman comes up to him and asks if he needs assistance. He remembers her from when he was here with Mr. Schue and she helped him out a lot.

The ring he finds isn't the most extravagant but it's beautiful and perfect like Rachel. The diamond is a little heart and he thinks it's like a metaphor. Rachel gave him her heart and he gave her his completely. Now he is literally going to give her his heart as a promise that she would always have him and his love for her. He knows how much Rachel loves her metaphors.

He searches everywhere for those airplane cups but can't find them anywhere. Under usual circumstances he would ask Rachel where she found them but he doesn't want her asking too many questions so he settles for a simple, right to the point, setting. Though he has a feeling Rachel would love an over the top proposal like Mr. Schue's to Miss Pillsbury, being the drama obsessed actress she is, Finn figures simple is the better way to go. He's already so nervous he'll fuck everything up completely; he doesn't need to add more stuff to remember.

Finn plays it over and over in his mind how his proposal will go. He envisions multiple scenarios, even the outcomes he really doesn't want like any variation of 'no', and it only serves to freak him out more until he finally stops thinking so much.

He tells her to meet him in the auditorium because that's where everything started. It's the first place he ever heard Rachel sing, where she touched something in him and made him want more. It's where he fell in love with her, where they shared their first truly intimate moments together both physical and emotional, where they became 'Finchel'. The auditorium is the only place suitable for a proposal.

As he waits, Finn pulls his picture of his dad from his wallet. It hurts knowing the truth and knowing he was lied to his entire life but for some reason he needs to look at the picture. The man is still his father despite all his faults. There was a time, only days before, where he would look at this picture and hope he had half as much strength as the man in it, now he hopes he can have more. Then he hears her voice behind him telling him that he has his father's eyes and his mouth a little bit too.

Memories from his childhood seep into his vision and he tells Rachel about how much he wanted to be his dad. But that isn't the point of their meeting and he tells her so when she asks. He gets up and faces her explaining why they're in the auditorium. It's the moment he's been building towards ever since he first realized how madly and deeply in love he had fallen for the woman before him.

He asks for her cooperation in not speaking until he's done because he knows she loves to talk. Usually he loves to hear her voice but if she breaks his train of thought or distracts him otherwise, he may lose his nerve. It's the most nervous he's ever been in his life.

Finn planned a whole speech out and amazingly it finds its way from the depths of his brain to his tongue without problem. He says everything he feels and then pulls the little box out from his pocket, explaining what it isn't and everything it is – a promise to love her for the rest of his life. Then he gets down on one knee and opens the box.

"Rachel Berry, will you marry me?"

He watches her face as the words slip from his mouth and she inhales sharply as her mouth falls open slightly and her eyes widen. She's clearly shocked and maybe a little terrified. Finn waits and waits until he realizes she's speechless.

It figures the one moment he needs Rachel to speak her mind and tell him what she's feeling the only thing that comes from her mouth is silence.

To be continued...