Families – You can't choose them but you can choose to Love them.
Hi everyone. In my other story ' Teardrops Fall upon The Strings of my Heat' In a few particular scenes Rachel's golden star promise ring is mentioned.
I wanted to do a bit of its' back story and not just how she got it. So this is a prequel to a prequel really.
Thanks for reading and a picture of the ring in on my profile but the letters in the story are 'R' on the top star and 'F' on the bottom star.
Enjoy!
D.P
Disclaimer : I do not own the show Glee- It belongs to Fox. I do not own any of the characters expressed in this story. I do not own any products that are mentioned in this story – particularly Wal-Mart. Ok now I just feel worthless.
"Hey Honey!" Carole called from the door way.
" Hey Mom." Finn called back as she hung her raincoat up on the coat rack and carried her heavy grocery bags in passed the living room where she found Finn seated on the carpet with Rachel resting against his chest and sitting between his legs leaning over a book.
" Why hello Mrs Hudson – I hope you had as amazing and productiver day as dazzling you look in your new hair cut." Rachel said quickly sending Carole her 100- watt smile.
" Good thank you Rachel. What have you been doing?" She said placing her bags on the couch and looking through her bag.
" I was just assisting Finn revise for his upcoming exams on algorithms in three weeks." Rachel said. Picking up a red pen and ticking along a problem Finn must have just solved.
" Yeah , Rach was explaining that the colleges would rather give a scholarship to people who are super smart as well as plain talented. And Rachel is all round good at everything as everybody knows so I thought- why not learn from the best." Finn said as Rachel glanced proudly up to him and then blushed, looking down to the test.
Rachel wrote a mark out of five on Finn's problem before handing him the paper back and reaching for a pink journal that lay behind them and started to tick things off with a pink gemmed pen that had a large gold star on the end that was attached to a spring. She looked across to the adjacent page to the one that had all things crossed of and had ' FINN' written at the top of the page surrounded with hearts. Carole smiled as she picked up her bags and carried them into the modern kitchen.
" Oh and that Biology paper Finn. Your mother needs to sign it," Rachel said before closing her book and standing up.
" Oh yeah" Finn said before rummaging through his long sports bag before pulling out a blue stripy folder that Rachel had given him for Easter and flipping along the labels until he came to ' Exams' that were written in her curly script and pulling out his biology paper before standing and pulling Rachel along to the kitchen with him.
" Can you sign it please Mom?" Finn said placing it on the table and leant against the wall where Rachel joined him after passing his Mother her star pen.
" B+ Finn? That's the best I think I've ever seen you get in biology!" spoke a shocked Carole before signing the paper before placing Rachel's Pen on the bench.
" I know right? I had a very devoted tutor though." Finn said wrapping his arms around Rachel and interlacing his crossed arms' hands with hers on her hips.
Carole smiled to herself as she opened the refrigerator and pulled out a packet of re-heat lasagne.
" You staying for dinner Rachel Honey?" Carole asked as she began to preheat her ancient oven.
" Thank you for your incredibly gracious invite Mrs Hudson but I really can't tonight." She said smiling softly at Carole before looking back down at their intertwined hands.
" But you just got here." Finn whined placing his nose in her hair and closing his eyes and inhaling the scent of her fruity shampoo- tightening his arms around her and breathed in.
" I've been here since the end of school Finn, and anyway my Dads are coming home earlier because it's a Tuesday and I have my piano lesson at seven thirty. I have to make dinner too." Rachel said weakly as her eyes closed whilst Mrs Hudson tore aluminium foil over a tray. Smirking slightly at their sweet embrace.
"Can't they get take out?" Finn winged into her hair. Rachel giggled as a result of the tickling sensation with the breath upon her scalp and his childlike tone.
" Probably, but you know how big they are on gestures." Rachel said her eyes remained closed.
" Alright then ; fine." Finn said opening his eyes and kissing Rachel's hair.
" I'll just bid Kurt goodbye and I'll be off. " She said untangling herself from Finn's arms. She squeezed his hand before letting it drop and walking down the hallway whilst Carole placed the covered tray in the oven with the lasagne sitting proudly on top. Finn turned his back to his mother and sauntered back to the living room where he started to shut his books and slid his signed test back into ' Exams' and slid Rachel's notes into another section labelled as 'Revision' as labelled in Rachel's curly text.
"Farewell Kurt ; I shall see you in Glee tomorrow." Rachel spoke through the door.
"Whatever Sunshine." Kurt said bluntly. And Finn shook his head at his brother's rudeness. He picked Rachel's diary up and placed it into her large duffle bag. Finn gasped and then relaxed when Rachel gently stood behind him wrapping her arms around his chest.
" Hey" Finn breathed as Rachel giggled into his back.
" Your still massive Finn! I keep hoping that you'll shrink down a bit." Rachel said loosening her arms slightly and turning so that she was pressed into the front of his chest.
" I think a more realistic expectation would be for you to eat a few more wheaties and grow taller." Finn chuckled wrapping his arms around Rachel's waist in return.
" It would make it a bit easier." Rachel said in a hushed tone as she pressed her cheek against Finn's chest.
" Make what easier?" Finn asked confused. Rachel smiled, leaning back and sneakily releasing one of her arms from around Finn's waist and moved it up his chest as Finn smiled still confused. Rachel's hand gently pushed his head down as she tottered on her tippy toes.
" Oh I see, Yeah much easier," Finn whispered his mouth twisting into his famous half smirk whilst craning down more as Rachel's lips met with his as they met in a sweet and gentle embrace. Finn smiled against her lips and kissed her softly again before pulling slightly and smiling against her lips before , pressing them gently together once more ; before finally resting their foreheads together and then Rachel's heels let herself down with a thump. As she pressed her cheek to his chest, as once again his arms wound softly and firmly around her.
" I'll miss you " Finn whispered letting his head rest atop of hers.
" Me too but we'll see each other at school tomorrow morning at school. Okay. I need to go now or I never will. " Rachel said strongly willing her arms to pry themselves from Finn's broad shoulders.
" Thank you for your hospitality Mrs Hudson." Rachel called as she walked past the kitchen where Carole was pouring herself a glass of wine.
" My pleasure sweetie." Carole replied as Rachel pulled her rain jacket on then slung her duffle over her shoulder and followed Finn to the door. Burt pulled into the driveway next to Rachel's car they both waved to him as he rummaged in the foot well before Rachel kissed Finn's cheek and he hers. Rachel clutched her bag closer to her chest and dashed into the rain as she was about to open her car door Finn suddenly called out.
" Hey Rach , Wait !"Jogging over to her.
" What is it Finn?" Rachel asked anxiously throwing her bag in the seat urgently and looking up worriedly grasping his hands in her's.
" I love you." Finn said simply, smiling softly.
"Okay, I love you too."Rachel giggled at his innocent and sweet half-grin and the raindrops that were falling into his eyes causing him to squint.
" Faithfully," Finn sang perfectly before swooping down and capturing Rachel's lips in his and lifting her up slightly as Rachel raised her arms to around his neck to hold herself up more and just as a slight mention of Rachel's tongue graced Finn's lips a loud horn blasted through the loud space causing Rachel to leap from Finn and their embrace. Burt chuckled and ran inside.
" Okay see you later," Rachel sighed reaching up and pecking Finn's lips and sliding into her car and pulled out of the Hummel's drive way and down the street before Finn dashed inside away from the torrential downpour.
Finn closed the door and gladly accepted the towel that his mother passed him.
" What were you doing in rain Finn?" His mother scolded pushing him into a chair where she started to dry his hair.
" I...uh... forgot to... tell Rachel ... something important." He said as he looked up to a grinning Burt. Begging him with soft , gentle and desperate eyes.
"Burt honey?" Carole asked questionably catching Finn's eyes.
" Just sharing proclamations of young love." Burt said smiling at Finn. Kurt made gagging noises and motions as Carole's chuckles. Kurt winced at a reminiscent thought and was about to mention Finn's ideas for the next week.
" Oh shut it Kurt ." Finn said as Kurt opened his mouth to speak his thoughts.
" And by the way; I don't think it's very nice how you speak to Rachel , when you know she flaws in her self esteem. She really trys hard to be nice to you even when she doesn't share you r opinions or agree with your ideas or the way you treat people. Or her.
"She's been nothing but courteous to you from day one and frankly I'm tired of you teasing her all the time! And it's you two too!" He said angrily standing and pointing at his parents.
" You are always teasing me about Rachel and I don't like it. You make it seem wrong and like I should be embarrassed which the opposite of it I'm proud that I love and that Rachel loves me! Rachel and I , we're like ...a buy one get one free package deal at Wall-Mart. So deal with it !" He said pushing away chair and stalking away towards the stairs.
" Finn , wait you haven't eaten yet." Carole said dashing into the hallway and watched as Finn stopped at the stairs that lead to their basement.
" I'm not hungry." He said bitterly in disgust and quickly jogged down the stairs. Burt wrapped his arms around Carole and Kurt stood beside them.
" Did Finn just use the terms 'Courteous' and ' Frankly' correctly in a sentence?" before Burt and Carole stared at him sharply.
After many minutes But started to step away but Carole stopped him softly. " I'll go." She said simply setting off in the same way Finn had but with considerably less anger. She stopped when she stood outside the door that lay slightly open she heard recognisable voices from within.
" Finn! We spoke about this yesterday!" Rachel said whilst Finn put the phone on loudspeaker and sprawled himself out on the bed.
" I know, I know , but I'm so sick of everyone getting you down all the time – I've made my decision and everyone has to just deal." He said determinedly.
" It's okay Finn you don't have to choose between me and your family – they don't have to like me." Rachel said softly.
" That's just It they do like you... but they just I don't know .. won't show it and stuff. By the way – I'd choose you any day." Finn added softly.
" Awww your just full of sweetness today Finn ! And for the record – I'd choose you too." Rachel said giggling again.
" Rachel your piano Teacher is here!" One of her Fathers called.
" Oh I'm sorry Finn but"
" Yeah I heard .Okay, I'll see you tomorrow, with the sheet music." He said sighing.
" Thanks Finn- try and stay calm around your family and do the breathing thing we practiced. Okay ? Byeee oh and I love you." She said quickly.
" Okay , I love you" Finn chuckled as Rachel's voice disappeared from the small space and was replaced with Finn sighing and rising from his bed.
Carole pressed her head through the crack, to see Finn kneeling at his nightstand and pulling out a little suede box and opening it to show a beautiful golden ring that was spiral shaped with silver stones bedded in the cool golden metal and stars on each end with some sort of initial on the star's face. Finn smiled and shut the lid and hid his box under a whole heap of singlets and socks.
Before standing and rummaging through his backpack and pulling out a small square photo and smiled at it and the memory it stirred within his head. He reached for a pin and stabbed it to the cork board that Rachel had given him for his birthday to stay organised but instead it had been littered with photos of the young couple with loads of pictures of Rachel that Finn had taken on their numerous outings. He pinned it near the picture taken by Rachel's Fathers when they embraced after singing Don't Stop Believing at regional's.
The newest addition featured Finn and Rachel in the same outfits therefore Carole concluded that it had been taken that day by most probably a Polaroid camera. It showed Finn and Rachel in the crowded schoolyard Rachel perched on Finn's lap resting against his chest and her head resting back on his shoulder , theirs fingers interlaced , Finn's arms hung loosely and comfortingly around her face and their eyes interlocked and soft smiles upon their faces. Unknown to the fact that they were being photographed.
Finn lay back on his bed and closed his eyes and practiced his breathing exercises. When Carole finally knocked Finn's breathing was steady and even.
"Hey; Cute picture." Carole said motioning to the board.
"Thanks" Finn said bitterly.
" So; I was thinking that maybe Rachel would like to come over for dinner tomorrow night , your Father and I would like to you know get to know her a bit better." She said wringing her hands together as she sat on the bed pushing her son's legs out of the way.
"On Wednesday she goes to the gym with her personal trainer." Finn said rolling over.
"Oh , okay how about Thursday?" Carole said.
"Uh it's glee rehearsal and Rachel and I are staying back late with Mr Shue to work on our new version of Faithfully. " Finn muffled into his pillow.
"Friday?" Carole said again.
"Has Dinner with her Dads."
"Well what days is she free?" Carole asked exasperated.
" Um we're both pretty busy at the moment with glee and football and stuff, and like Rachel's under 8's ballet class she teaches has a performance coming up; so she has had to take up an extra practice 'cause they are 'all over the shop'." He said as Carole stood and looked at the notice board and pushed a few photo's aside to find a table saying: ' Rachel's Schedule' covered in gold stars.
" Next Tuesday she's free" Carole said in satisfaction.
"Actually she's not. It's our anniversary next Tuesday. " Finn said matter of factedly.
"Oh , cute , uh what are you doing." Carole asked in a vague attempt of subtly.
" I'm taking Rachel bowling maybe , then maybe we'll hang out in the park ... It's still work in progress." He said in a monotone, not meeting his mother's eyes. " How about I let Rachel pick a date we're both free and she'll let you know when we are both free, she's much better at this organising thing than me." He said before pulling out some sheet music and leaning against his head board and began to highlight words in either pink or blue highlighter.
" What you working on?" She said subtly attempting to peer over the paper.
Finn flattened the paper. " It's Rachel and I's new version of faithfully we re-worked it to be a bit more rock and roll and upbeat." He said.
"Okay cool, and Rachel has a ballet class ? That's pretty cool." Carole said smiling.
" Can you stop pretending to be interested in Rachel? It's just making me frustrated and I would greatly appreciate it if you left the premises of my room immediately."
" You sound like Rachel," Carole said teasingly. Finn angrily highlighted another line before glaring at his mother before pushing the cap on his pink highlighter before standing and clambering up the stairs to the kitchen.
Burt and Kurt leaned back as Finn ignored them taking out the lasagne and cutting himself a slice before he rummaged for a plastic knife, fork and a plate and strutted towards the coat rack upon the wall placing the hot plate on the table whilst pushing his arms through the sleeves.
" Where are you goin'" Burt said softly standing in the hall – whilst Kurt stood behind him. '
" To the park I 'll be back by nine thirty promise " He muttered grabbing the keys to the truck and jogging out into the rain and placing his plate in the front foot well of his truck.
When he finally arrived at the park he turned off the ignition placing a forkful of cool lasagne into his mouth.
Pressure.
It followed him around like a cloud it always seemed to rain on his parade. Ah. 'Rain on My Parade'. One of Finn's favourite numbers that Rachel had ever preformed.
'Ah Rachel'. He thought.
Even thinking her name brought a smile to his lips and he felt considerably less cold
' Mmm. Rachel'.
A catalyst in the change in his ife. Which was now his and now hers.
'This' , Finn thought – is what it feels like to love someone utterly and completely , and to have someone who cared that much about you. It was a calming and reassuring thought.
But Rachel was still a little jumpy about him spending time with other girls which stung a bit.
Ok allot.
But he planned to change that on Tuesday.
He was super nervous though and as the days when on he only felt more and more anxious and started to doubt that the ring was the right present. Several meetings with Kurt and Mercedes on the subject had been reassuring but he still worried. What if she didn't like it ? What if she throughs it at his face and tells him that she never wants to see him again. Now that would be catastrophically bad. 'Whoa I even talk like Rachel'
He laughed through a mouthful of lasagne – 'And she stared to be a bit more like me. Ha.' He thought again. Who would of thought that twenty four months ago that he would be sitting a truck he didn't have then, thinking about if Rachel would like the ring he picked- if she would like the ring at all.
'Oh my God'. He hadn't even thought of that he quickly called Mercedes.
" Was up White Boy" She spoke.
" What if she doesn't like rings full stop? What if Jewish people can only were like wedding bands or something after they are like twenty one Oh my god.. Oh My god. Oh my god."
" Chillax just today Rachel and I where flicking through a jewellers brochure and Quinn was talking about the charm for her bracelet that Sam was going to buy her. She loves Quinn's ring she thinks that it is super romantic. And deep down she has been hinting that she was wishing you'll do the same. So Chill. Out. It'll be fine. Although I think you should skip the bowling alley and go to that park instead less stuffy more romantic. Do something cheesy but with ya own twist and she'll love it. Trust me Finn , It's a chick thing."
" Oh . Ok . Thanks Mercedes. You rock. Bye"
Finn opened the door to his truck and his keys as he walked towards the bin shoving his plastic plate and forks in the bin. He sat under a large tree and looked at thousands of hearts with names that stopped where people could no longer reach.
He sat and watched the stars. Stars always shone out in times of sorrow and always managed to make problems that much smaller. Each of the stars a thousands of years old, seen many generation come and go and probably witnessed all the moonlit lovers engrave their names onto that very tree.
The whole concept was normally out of Finn's league- It was super mushy and girly but Finn could sort of see the appeal ... it was sort of like the names and the love that they entailed could last forever.
"Do something cheesy but with ya own twist and she'll love it."
He tilted his head backwards against the trunk he stared up to the blank space up above all the rest of the names.
Easily in his reach.
"Look out Rachel Berry. Finn Hudson is going to do the mushy-est and most romantic thing in his entire life. And he is going to prove to his ignorant family and her overprotective family what loving someonereally was."
Little did Mercedes know that Finn loved to eat cheesy twists and that apart from cabbage patch kids... They where his all time favourite food. He sometimes ate them for breakfast.