Just the Way You Are –A Finchel One-Shot
Carol Hudson opened her front door and walked into her kitchen, expecting to find Finn and Rachel at the kitchen table hunched over their books as usual, Rachel nudging Finn awake and reminding him about their upcoming midterms. Thank goodness for this ambitious, quirky girl who was such a good influence on her son. It made her smile to catch Rachel staring up at him adoringly like he was the greatest thing she's ever seen. Carol felt proud that a young woman like that would see so much in her precious Finn, whom she had always tried to do her best for. She must have done something right.
But today she found a different scenario. Her son was alone and silent, sitting in his father's old chair, staring glumly at the wall. His eyes were red and puffy from crying, his expression one of total devastation.
"Finn, honey, what's wrong?" she asked, immediately concerned. She had seldom known her son to cry, let alone in front of her. Through all of the difficult times they had been through, he always wanted to be strong for her. But today, Carol could see that he just didn't have it in him to mask what he was feeling.
At the sound of his mom's voice, he completely fell apart. The tears began to fall as he held his head in his hands. "It's Rachel, mom," he whispered through quiet sobs.
"Oh my goodness Finn, is she all right?" Carol asked, clutching at her heart. Had there been some kind of accident?
"No, Mom, she's not, and it's all my fault. I'm so stupid! I lied to her, about something really important. I don't want to get into it, Mom, but I hurt her so badly, I can't even look at myself in the mirror. I love her so much, Mom! It's like she thinks I can do anything, she believes in me so much...and she's so beautiful and she just has no idea...and what I did, I know it makes her feel even more insecure about herself. Why didn't I just tell her the truth from the beginning? I just didn't want to hurt her, but now I've made things so much worse, I-I-" he stammered.
"Shhh," Carol whispered, enveloping her son in a warm hug, "Finny, it's okay. I've seen the way that girl looks at you. She might be hurt now, but I know how much you mean to her, and I know she'll come around. You can fix this, sweetheart." It broke her heart to see her son so shattered, but at the same time, she knew that wasn't necessarily a bad thing; this was a sign that he was maturing. Her son saw that he was in danger of losing something so special to him, and he was not running from his emotions. Besides, Carol knew this would all turn out okay. She had seen the little gold "Finn" necklace that Rachel never took off, she had noticed the little doodles of "Mrs. Rachel Hudson" in the corners of Rachel's notebooks, she had listened to Rachel gush over the amazing performaces her son gave in glee club. Whatever her son had done, whatever he had lied about, was nothing that their young love couldn't overcome.
"But how, Mom? How am I going to make this okay?" Finn asked desperately.
"Finn, sweetie, " Carol began, "there's a way to every girl's heart, you just have to find it. Now, if I know your Rachel, with her gushing over that singing voice of yours-""Mom! That's it! You're a genius!" he exclaimed, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I have to sing to her, I have to tell her everything I feel about her in a song-duh, what better way to get through to Rachel Berry?" he said excitedly, "Hey, you know that Bruno Mars song that you-"
"The CD's in my car Finn. Your old boombox is in the hall closet. Here's the keys...don't be home too late, okay?" Carol smiled.
"Thanks Mom, you're the best!" he shouted on his way out the door.
Finn practiced feverishly along with the CD as he drove nervously toward Rachel's house. He belted out the words passionately, "when I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change, cause girl you're amazing, just the way you are!" This song is too perfect, he thought, this is exactly how he felt about his gorgeous, incredible Rachel. It captured the vulnerability of a girl who had no idea how precious she was to him.
He arrived at her house, somewhat terrified, but ready to do what he needed to do to win back his girl. He could see the desk lamp on in her bedroom window. Thankfully, her bedroom was on the first floor so he wouldn't have to throw rocks to get her attention. He walked up to the window and saw her sitting on her bed, her lovely brown hair falling in front of her face as she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. She looked so small and scared, her petite little frame curled up against the pillows, hugging her knees to her chest. He tapped gently on the window.
"Rach? Baby, please, I just need to tell you something. I mean, sing you something. Please open the window," he begged.
Rachel looked up, startled at first to see her boyfriend's pleading face staring at her through the window. It hurt so much what he had done, and what he hadn't told her. What she had to hear from Santana, who so enjoyed destroying her. Being with Finn these past months had brought her such happiness. He made her feel like she was so much more than the diva she had always aspired to be. He taught her that there was more to life than solos and spotlight, and had helped her open her heart toward others. She had gained so much from being loved by such a sweet, simple soul. But now that had all come crashing down. Hearing the news she had heard today made her wonder if it was all some kind of a fantasy. She felt stupid to have started to think that Finn could have found her beautiful and truly wanted her to be his, when he had girls like Santana lining up to satisfy whatever needs he had.
But she looks at his face and she knows it's not all a fantasy. She sees those brown, puppy-dog eyes, still red from crying, pleading to her. She sees the expression of sheer heartbreak and desperation on his face. She hears the crackle in his voice as he begs her to open the window. She sees the sadness of a boy who is ashamed of himself and is very, very sorry for what he's done. Did he say he was going to sing something? She walks tentatively over to the window, opening it silently, and waits.
"Thank you, Rachel, thank goodness," he blurted out, "I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am, or how horrible I feel. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you, or make you feel like I could ever want anybody else...I hope this song will show you just how I feel."
He presses the button on the boombox, and the music begins. He begins to sing, "Her eyes, her eyes, make the stars seem like they're not shining, her hair, her hair, falls perfectly without her trying, she's so beautiful, and I tell her every day..." Every word he sings is laden with feeling, she knows that he means the words he is so amazingly belting out to her right now.
"You know, you know, you know, I'd never ask you to change. If perfect's what you're searching for then just stay the same," he continues, his heart pounding in his chest. Is it working? he wonders, Lord, please let it be working...
"When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change, cause girl you're amazing, just the way you are. And when I see you smile, the whole world stops and stares for awhile, cause you're amazing, just the way you are." He finishes the song and looks into her eyes, searching for a response. He's breathing hard, his head is spinning, he thinks he might just throw up.
And then she smiles. And his whole world comes to a screeching halt. Holy crap, she's smiling at me, he thinks to himself, she loves me! She disappears from the window and he knows she's running to the front door. Then, like a vision, out the door she bursts, her hair streaming behind her, her face streaked with tears. She leaps into his arms and he catches her, lifting her up and holding her tighter than he ever has before. He covers her face with frantic kisses, his lips brushing away the salty tears. She grabs him around the neck, placing on his lips the sweetest, tenderest kiss he has ever felt. She pulls away to say something.
"Finn, I love you so much," she whispers, "please always tell me the truth. I never want anything to come between us ever again. I never want to be without you, okay?"
He has never felt like this in his entire life. His whole body is bursting with joy, relief, excitement, and just ahhhhh! Rachel Berry loves me, he thinks to himself, Rachel Berry loves me. Overcome with emotion, he drops to his knees, taking her small hands in his large ones, looking deeply into her beautiful eyes. "Rachel, baby, tell me that we'll never be apart. Tell me you'll never leave me, cause I'm not half the man I am when I'm with you. Tell me we're gonna be together forever, and whatever happens we'll get through it. Tell me that you'll marry me one day, Rachel Berry. You'll marry me one day, right?" he pleads.
She giggles. Who could have imagined Finn Hudson would be on his knees, begging to be with her forever? She cradles his face in her hands and smiles widely.
"Of course I'll marry you someday, Finn Hudson. It's all I think about...haven't you seen the corners of my notebooks?" she grins.
He beams, standing up and sweeping her up into his arms, carrying her into the house like he would one day carry her over the threshold. Rachel wraps her arms around his as they stare lovingly into each other's eyes.
"Now about that song," she begins sweetly, "could I maybe hear that again?"
"Baby, you can have whatever you want," he says, with a dazzling grin. I'm the luckiest guy in the world, he thinks to himself, and reminds himself to call his mom to say thanks.
The end.