TITLE: 3 Weeks, 5 Days, 4 Hours and 22 Minutes

SUMMARY: What are you supposed to do after you've said "I love you" to the girl of your dreams? ... Especially when she didn't say it back?

SPOILERS: All of Season One

DISCLAIMER: Glee does not belong to me in any shape, fashion, way, or form. (Unfortunately.)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hope you're all sitting down, folks, because this is a Finchel fic. Yes, that's right: Finchel. I have not jumped off the Puckleberry train, I just want to explore some of the other Glee relationships for a while. And, to be honest, until I saw "Mash-up", I was all for a Finn/Rachel pairing, and I still think that their relationship could be meaningful and compelling. So, even if you're a diehard Puckleberry fan, please give this story a chance. I promise it will be at least as good as my P/R fics. :-)

Also, this story is dedicated to Nova802, because she thinks the idea of a "romantic" Finn is hilarious.

Prelude

The problem with telling someone "I love you" right off the bat is that it's hard to top. I mean, what else can Finn say to Rachel now? "I love you lots"? "I love you more?" "I love you a thousand times a million?" Even he knows how stupid that is. Especially because ever since he said it, he and Rachel have been in this strange, like, holding pattern or something. Sure, they've accidentally-on-purpose brushed against each other in the hallways, and they've occasionally shared meaningful looks across the table at lunch. So he knows Rachel's still into him. (If he closes his eyes, he can still feel the way she kissed him in the stairwell, on the day they were about to give up on Regionals). Despite all that, though, they're still not "together", and Finn's not really sure why. Rachel is being all, like, respectful of his space, and it's weird. Sometimes Finn feels like Rachel feels like she wants to make a move, but she's holding herself back, which, for Rachel, is a huge deal. But, Finn gets that she's probably still hurting because of how that douche "Jesse St. Lame" treated her. Not to mention all the times that Finn, himself, let her down. He wants so desperately to make it up to her, especially now that school's out for the summer. But, again, what are you supposed to do after you've said "I love you" to the girl of your dreams?

Especially when she didn't say it back?

If he and Puck were still friends, Finn would totally go to him for advice. But, it's still all Finn can do to not punch his face off every time they're in the same room together. Sure, he's over Quinn now (he sometimes wonders if he was ever really in love with her, or if it was just the idea of her that he loved), and he can even see why she would have turned to Puck when she was feeling insecure. But, Puck... he broke the Bro Code in a major way, and that's just not something Finn can forgive. (He knows he will, eventually, because that's just the kind of guy he is. But, it'll take time.) So, he can't go to Puck. And Mr. Shue is off with Ms. Pillsbury on some sort of lover's retreat or something (Finn doesn't want to think about that too much, because... gross!), his mom will tell him to just "be yourself, honey, and everything will turn out fine", and while he and Burt Hummel have been getting closer, Finn's still not ready to go to him for real "Dad's advice" stuff just yet. Which leaves...

... Kurt.

Normally, Finn wouldn't have a problem talking to Kurt. But, ever since that horrible fight where Finn said those horrible things, they've both been walking on eggshells around each other. Just like with Rachel, Finn can sense that Kurt wants them to move on, but he's not sure how. Sure, they've apologized to each other, but they're just so different, they don't know how to find common ground. They have glee club, of course, but everybody's off doing their own thing this summer, so they don't get to see each other as often. Still, Finn doesn't want to miss his chance to really, finally, be with Rachel. So, gathering up his courage, he goes downstairs, crosses over to Kurt's side of their bedroom, and sits on the couch, waiting for Kurt to get back from shopping with Mercedes.

Which he does fifteen minutes later, barrelling down the stairs in a hurry to start trying on all his new clothes. He stops short when he sees Finn sitting on his couch. Finn's stomach twists with guilt as he sees the apprehension slowly start to creep across Kurt's face. Wanting the awkwardness to go away as quickly as possible, he blurts, "I need your help with something". "Please", he adds, when Kurt doesn't say anything.

"What do you need my help with?", Kurt asks, and Finn can tell that he's trying really hard to keep the relief and hope out of his voice.

"Um, well... I want Rachel. I mean, I want to be with her, you know? Like, for real this time. I've already told her I loved her, but I don't know what to do now, 'cause, what's more romantic than 'I love you'?"

"Wait. You told her you loved her? When was this? And why was I not informed?"

"I dunno. It just kind of happened. Right before we went on for Regionals."

"Well. That certainly explains a lot. I kept getting a strange vibe from the two of you right up until school ended, but I couldn't figure out what was going on. Now I know."

"So, you'll help me? You'll help me get with Rachel?"

"Of course! I've been looking for a new project! And this one's going to be fabulous. You see, my young friend, you've done a beautiful but dangerous thing." Finn is so relieved that he and Kurt are having a natural conversation, he decides to ignore the fact that Kurt just called him "young". He's eighteen whole days older than Kurt, and Kurt knows it.

"Beautiful but dangerous?"

"Yes. Expressing your feelings for our Divine Miss Berry so honestly was very beautiful. But now..."

While Kurt pauses for dramatic effect, Finn starts worrying about the growing gleam in his eye.

"But now," Kurt continues, "Telling her you love her has gotten her hopes up. Way up. Which is very dangerous. Do you know why?"

"Um..." is all Finn can say.

"Because it means you'll have to go bigger. Bolder. Braver. Rachel practically lives for the grand dramatic gesture, so, if you want her, that's how you're going to get her. And since we only have a few weeks until she goes off to musical theatre camp, we need to start planning immediately."

Finn knows that he reallyshouldn't be so afraid of someone who's easily half his size. But, the way Kurt's looking at him right now, with a grin as wide as The Joker's and eyes just as crazy, well... he'd rather face trophy-polishing duty with Coach Sylvester than do whatever it is that Kurt's going to make him do. But, his desire for Rachel outweighs his fear of Kurt (mostly). So, assuming what he thinks is a brave posture (hands placed confidently on his knees, body leaning forward slightly) he says, "Where do we start?"