This is just a sweet one-shot. Please let me know what you think! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This story title comes from the song "Lullaby" by The Spill Canvas.
i.
She walks briskly across the street, keeping her eyes trained on the phone in her hand. She's buys and she has places to be and she has absolutely no time to deal with the absurdly slow tourists walking in front of her.
Rachel Berry lets out a long-suffering sigh and tries to make her way around the family taking their sweet time on the sidewalk. Having achieved her goal, she looks back down at her phone and taps on the screen, typing out a response to her best friend's ridiculous questions.
She snorts at the immediate and snarky response she gets from Santana Lopez. She wants to go out and get trashed tonight, and Rachel had reminded her that they were no longer in college and really shouldn't do that anymore. Santana had replied that it didn't really matter and they were allowed to have as much fun as they wanted to.
Rachel is so caught up in what she's doing that she doesn't notice the car trying to make the light across the intersection. Paying no heed to the people that have stopped at the end of the sidewalk, Rachel just keeps going. It's not until she hears the horn blaring directly in front of her that she stops, almost losing the hold she has on her cell phone.
An ambulance is stopped not a foot from her, and an angry man with messy brown hair, freckles and bright amber eyes is leaning out the window, yelling. Rachel recovers from her shock just in time to hear him shout, "Are you stupid, or something?"
Indignant, Rachel plants her hands on her hips and narrows her eyes in a glare. "Excuse me," she fires back. "But I'm trying to walk here!"
Rachel sees his head jut back, his amber eyes widening in surprise. He stares at her for a long moment before his shock turns into a glare. "Watch where you're going next time!"
Rachel gasps at his yelling—she is a lady and she should not be spoken to in such a way. Still, she can't help but notice how attractive he is, and it irks her that she recognizes that fact. So she makes a face at him and ignores the way he rolls his eyes at her in return.
"You're the one who walked out in the middle of traffic!" he retorts.
Rachel makes an annoyed noise in the back of her throat before she stomps her way across the rest of the street. "Whatever!" she calls over her shoulder. She knows that it's not a great comeback, but she's determined to have the last word.
Rachel's attention is soon drawn back to her phone. Santana is still making a case for getting plastered, and Rachel is still unsure of that plan (since she's kind of a light weight). She continues walking, paying no attention to the tourists and ignorant people blocking her path.
Still, her mind wanders towards freckles and amber eyes.
ii.
Finn Hudson is exhausted.
It's not his job to drive the ambulance, you know? He's a firefighter, after all. Sure, he's trained in first aid, but that doesn't mean he knows what it's like to be an EMT. Still, he had been doing his friend Mike a favor by taking his shift. However, Finn didn't really count on the fact that exactly no one had been willing to cooperate with him.
The petite woman that had been crossing the street while he had been driving the ambulance earlier that day crosses Finn's mind. Remembering the attitude that she possessed makes him chuckle. After all, she was the one who had walked out in front of the car.
His thoughts are quickly pulled from the feisty brunette when the door to his apartment swings open. He smiles when he hears the sound of little feet running towards him, and he immediately catches the dark-haired little girl in his arms.
"Uncle Finn!" Penny Anderson-Hummel exclaims, using both of her little hands to pat his cheeks. He makes a face at her, causing her to giggle and she pinches his nose.
"Penny, don't touch Uncle Finn until he takes a shower! He's covered in dirt and it's disgusting." Kurt Hummel-Anderson comes running into the room after his daughter, brandishing a handkerchief at her.
Finn shakes his head and shares a look with Blaine Hummel-Anderson, Kurt's husband. Blaine shrugs his shoulders as if to say, 'what are you going to do?' Finn purposely steps out of reach of his brother, holding his niece away from him.
"Relax, Kurt," Finn says. Penny squeals in delight from being held so high up so that her father can't get to her, and she laughs further when Kurt lets out a loud sigh. "And I wasn't even on call today. I was driving the ambulance to cover Mike's shift. Besides, a little dirt isn't going to hurt the kid."
Kurt rolls his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, Finn."
Finn bends to put Penny down. She immediately runs off, looking for what cool things she can find to play with in the apartment. "Don't start with me, Kurt," Finn says as soon as the little girl is out of hearing range. "I had a long day and I'm really not in the mood for it." When Kurt opens his mouth to argue, Finn holds his hand up. "Do you want me to babysit or not?"
Even though Blaine knows that Finn is just bluffing, he figures that he should get Kurt out of there as fast as he can. So he hands Finn Penny's diaper bag, says a quick goodbye, grabs Kurt's hand and drags him out of the apartment. The entire time, Kurt is yelling all of the rules he has for Penny, but Finn just shakes his head. Kurt acted as if Finn has never babysat for Penny before.
He hears a crash somewhere in his apartment and then Penny's little voice rings out: "Uh-oh!"
Finn laughs out loud and heads back towards where Penny was surely making trouble. He knows that his night definitely won't be dull.
iii.
"Oh, this is so bad!" Rachel runs down the street as fast as she can in her heeled boots. Admittedly, they were not the best choice of footwear, but she wasn't really going for practicality.
She has just left her parents' favorite bakery with two of their best pies balanced in her hands. With all of the rehearsals she's been a part of, she hasn't exactly had a lot of spare time to get the dessert for Thanksgiving dinner.
Rachel bites back a frustrated groan when she feels one of the boxes begin to slip. Looking down but still walking as fast as she could, Rachel tries to straighten the containers. She's just about to be late for dinner and she's never been late for anything in her entire life. Rachel's family will not let her live this one down for sure—especially since she's bringing the pies.
Just as she manages to right the containers, she slams into someone. Her scrambling with the pies had been for nothing, since she watches them tumble from her arms. They seem to fall in slow motion and they finally break on the ground. It's only after she gives the pies a sad look does she realize there are two more destroy pastry boxes next to her.
Rachel looks up just in time to hear a man curse under his breath. "Why weren't you looking where you were going?" he demands.
"Excuse me?" Rachel's head juts back and she tilts her head back. Surprised, she finds herself looking into a pair of vaguely familiar amber eyes. But that doesn't stop her sudden anger over losing her pies. "It wasn't as if you were watching where you were going, either!"
He ignores Rachel's statement and shakes his head. Rachel is close enough to him to see that he has a smattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks. The sight gives her the strange urge to smile, but she holds back and points to the ruined desserts on the ground.
"I was supposed to bring those pies to Thanksgiving dinner! What am I supposed to do now?" Rachel demands. She can feel her phone buzzing in her pocket, but she doesn't want to answer and tell her fathers that she lost the dessert.
The man she bumped into throws his hands up into the air. "What did you think I was doing? I had to bring dessert for my family, too!" He drags his hand through thick, messy hair and Rachel tries not to notice how large and strong his hands look. She's supposed to be mad at this guy, not noticing how attractive he is.
Deciding that it's best to remove herself from the situation before she does something embarrassing like asking him out, Rachel shakes her head and steps around the man.
"I don't have time for this," she says as she begins to walk down the street. "I have to figure out how to replace the dessert.
Even as she walks, though, she looks over her shoulder to take another look at him. Rachel catches his eye, and she's surprised to see the corners of his mouth tilting up a bit.
iv.
Finn runs into his parents' house, carrying a plastic bag containing two packages of cupcakes. He knows that he's going to receive some crap about buying grocery store baked goods, but it's not like he can just find another homemade pie like the ones he has lost.
Shaking his head, Finn still can't believe that he had slammed into some petite girl and ruined the pies. Slowly, Finn walks through the living room. He only has a few moments before he has to face the entire Hudson-Hummel family in the kitchen, and he wants to savor those moments.
But of course, his mother catches sight of him almost immediately. "Finny!" she exclaims as she rushes over to him. Carole Hudson-Hummel hugs Finn tightly and then reaches up to fix his perpetually messy hair. As he had done since he was a child, Finn pushes her hand away but still smiles.
Naturally, it's Kurt who spots in the bag in Finn's hand. "Finn Hudson, are those store-bought cupcakes?"
Finn rolls his eyes and sets the packages on the counter. "There was a little mishap with the pies," he admits.
Burt Hummel, Finn's stepfather, laughs out right at that. "Mishap?" he repeats. "What kind of mishap are we talking about here?"
"Some girl ran into me and we both lost our pies." Finn shakes his head, his mind once again going towards that petite brunette. Kurt gasps and points an accusing finger at Finn.
"You like her!"
"What?" Finn immediately tries to cover up the fact that he can feel his ears turning red. "No way. She ruined dessert!"
Kurt opens his mouth to retort, but Burt stands up and steps between the two arguing brothers. "Come on, it's Thanksgiving. Kurt, it's just a pie that you probably wouldn't have eaten anyway. Finn, stop letting Kurt get on your nerves." Burt peers into the bag and smiles at Finn. "Hey, you got red velvet!"
Kurt looks into the bag as well. Red velvet happens to be one of his favorite types of cake, so he nods his head at Finn. "This is acceptable."
Finn cracks a smile at his brother and reaches over to ruffle his hair. Kurt slaps his hands away, but he can't stop himself from laughing. With that crisis averted, Burt orders his kids to help Carole set the table up for dinner.
Even as the Hudson-Hummel family gets ready for their Thanksgiving dinner, Finn's thoughts move towards petite brunettes with an attitude and big doe eyes.
v.
Hiram chuckles and nudges his daughter's side. "Stop worrying so much, Rachela. We get to make our homemade blueberry squares instead of eating some pre-made pie."
Rachel stirs the blueberries into the batter she has just mixed together. "Those are your favorite pies, Daddy. I'm sorry that I ruined dessert."
Scooping his finger through the batter, Hiram quickly dabs it on Rachel's nose. He had always done that when she was little and they would bake together. Rachel reacts exactly as Hiram expects she would; she gasps and pretends to be indignant, but then she laughs. Reaching for a napkin, Rachel wipes the batter off and smiles.
"You didn't ruin dessert," Hiram assures his daughter. "So don't worry about it."
Leroy Berry comes walking into the kitchen then. While Rachel and Hiram create the new dessert for the Thanksgiving dinner, Leroy has been tasked with keeping the rest of their family members entertained. He's wearing a disgruntled look on his face, because Hiram was definitely the one who entertained as opposed to Leroy. However, Hiram is also the one who bakes, so it wasn't like there are a whole lot of options.
"Are we talking about dessert?" Leroy asks. "Because I'm pissed that some jerk ran into our little princess. It's a good thing that he only ruined the pies and not Rachel!"
Rachel laughs again and pours the batter into a baking dish. "Oh, Papa."
"I'm serious! You should have made him go back in there and buy you some new pies. And then we would have made the blueberry squares anyway. They're my favorite." Leroy nods his head resolutely, causing Hiram to laugh as well.
Hiram takes the dish from Rachel and slides it into the oven. It will bake while they're having dinner, so there has been no harm done with the pie mishap. "And we wonder where Rachel gets her tendency for dramatics from. I'm sure that poor young man didn't mean to run into our little Rachel."
Hiram and Leroy begin to gather up the rest of the family so they can serve dinner. Meanwhile, Rachel finds her thoughts drifting towards the man she had literally run into and how familiar he is to her. She blushes when she remembers the way he had smiled.
vi.
Christmas is Finn's favorite time of year. So naturally, he always makes sure to find the perfect gift for his family. Finn has already bought presents for Burt, Blaine, Kurt, and Penny. It takes him a little bit to find a good present for his mom, but he finally decides on a KitchenAid mixer.
Unfortunately, with work and everything, Finn can't pick up the package from the post office until the day before Christmas Eve. It's insane, and there's like a million people around and Finn can barely get up to the counter, let alone reach for his package.
Someone bumps into him from behind, sending him stumbling forward into the person in front of him. It's an older blonde woman in a tracksuit who immediately begins yelling at him, and Finn holds his hands up apologetically.
"Sorry, sorry!" he says, hoping that she'll stop yelling.
She narrows her eyes at him. "Don't make me break you, Gigantor," she snaps and then pushes three people aside in her effort to get to the front of the line. Finn sighs and drags a hand through his hair; he just wants to pick up the package and get it home so he can wrap it.
Finally—finally—he gets to the front of the line. There's a mess of identical looking boxes all over the counter, and the workers at the post office are frenzied and tense. Finn does his best to be patient, but the workers are sliding so many boxes onto the counter that he's not quite sure which one is his.
So Finn sees a KitchenAid box and he snags it off the counter. He's so done with the busy post office, and he just wants to get out of there as fast as he possibly can. Luckily, the large box kind of works as a battering ram, and he can use it to nudge people out of the way.
It's only when Finn gets home that he sees the box is actually addressed to Rachel Berry.
vii.
Rachel is proud of herself for thinking of getting a KitchenAid mixer for her daddy. Since Hiram loves to bake so much, it's obviously the perfect present.
Rachel's family celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah. Naturally, she's on top of buying all of the Hanukkah presents. Then Rachel gets really busy between Hanukkah and Christmas and she finds herself scrambling to pick everything up for her friends and family.
Luckily, her friends are easy to shop for. They get spa gift cards and bottles of wine, so they're all set. And Leroy was easy to figure out as well, since Rachel just gets him some fancy new golf toy for him to play with. But really, the KitchenAid mixer is so the best present of the holiday season, and no one can tell her otherwise.
With the last minute shopping, Rachel has to go down to the post office to pick her package up. She considers this to be an extreme hassle, but the mixer is well worth it. Honestly, though, she didn't exactly plan on fighting through the large crowd of people in an effort to get to her package.
"Oh great," she mumbles under her breath. Someone knocks into her but Rachel pushes back, budging her way forward as much as she can. She gets stopped by another wall of people, but that hardly deters Rachel.
Thankful for her small size, Rachel manages to slip past a few more people until she finally reaches one end of the counter. She tells the person at the counter her name and taps her fingers against the surface impatiently. Finally, several boxes are being shoved onto the countertop and Rachel spots one with the logo KitchenAid across it.
Rachel hasn't really planned on the box being almost as big as her, but she's determined to manage it. She lifts the large box and breathes a sigh of relief when she makes her way out of the crowded post office.
It's slow going, but Rachel finally gets back to her apartment. She only had to stop to take a break three times, so she considers it a success. Setting the box down by the front door, Rachel kneels down next to it so she can open it and inspect the mixer.
As she lifts the top flap, Rachel catches sight of the name on the box: Finn Hudson.
viii.
Thankfully, Rachel Berry's box came with an address on the slip in the box. It appears that she got the same mixer that he did, only in a bright shade of yellow. Finn had chosen a white mixer instead of one of the colored ones. While it would have been funny to see Kurt freak out over how the yellow mixer clashed with the rest of the kitchen, Finn really does want the mixer he ordered. Besides, it's Christmas Eve. This is really the last time he can switch the mixers.
He hopes that this Rachel Berry has picked up his box, like he has with hers. That way, they can just switch and there will be no harm done. He recognizes the address on the shipping receipt; it's an apartment building not too far from his. So with the KitchenAid mixer in hand, Finn sets out to Rachel Berry's apartment.
Reaching the apartment, Finn explains to the doorman the situation and he calls up to Rachel Berry's apartment. It isn't long before she calls down to let Finn up. Finn takes the elevator up to Rachel's floor and heads down the hallway.
Finn has barely knocked on the door when it swings open, revealing a petite brunette. Finn's eyes widen as he takes in her pretty face and big eyes. She looks familiar, and it's only when she speaks that he remembers.
"You're the one who ran into me and made me drop my pies!" she exclaims.
Finn remembers that well. Despite his frustration over the lost dessert, her fiery attitude had made him smile a little.
"You know," he says good-naturedly. "I could say that you ran into me. And I dropped my pies, too."
Rachel relaxes and finally smiles. Finn can't help but smile in return, and they stand in the hallway like that for several long moments.
"So," Rachel finally says. "You must be Finn Hudson."
"And you're Rachel Berry," he responds. He holds the box up, showing it to her. "And I believe I picked up your mixer by mistake."
Rachel steps aside, allowing for Finn to walk into her apartment. She watches him, taking note of the kind smile on his face and how tall he is. "Thank you for returning my mixer," she says. "You didn't have to do that."
Finn sets the box down in a place where it's easily maneuverable for Rachel. "It's not a big deal," he says. "I was actually kind of hoping that you managed to grab mine like I did with yours."
"As luck would have it…" Rachel points to the corner of the living room, where another box is. "The white one is a very nice choice. I would have gotten that one for my daddy, but he absolutely adores yellow."
Finn goes over to the other box and checks it. Sure enough, it's the mixer he ordered for his mother. "It seems that we had the same idea. I got this one for my mom for Christmas."
Rachel giggles and then immediately blushes. "I guess great minds think alike."
Finn smiles at her again. Even though they previously met under less than desirable circumstances, he can't help but find her completely adorable.
"I guess I should let you go, then," Finn says. He bends down to pick up the box, and he completely misses the way that Rachel definitely checks out his butt. She doesn't know what comes over her, but this Finn Hudson is ridiculously attractive and so sweet. "It's Christmas Eve, after all."
Rachel walks Finn to the door, holding it open for him so he doesn't have any trouble with the box he's carrying. "Merry Christmas, Finn," Rachel calls after him.
A half-smile that makes Rachel's heart skip a beat graces Finn's face. "Merry Christmas, Rachel."
ix.
Rachel grasps the handle above her head as the subway jolts to a stop. More people crowd into the subway car, and Rachel shifts more towards the row of seats to the left. Her back is turned, and she realizes that the subway is so full that she doesn't even have room to grab onto one of the bars anymore. Rachel prays that she'll be able to stay steady the next time it stops.
As usual, that isn't the case.
The subway grinds to halt and Rachel can't keep her balance. She sways and loses her footing, collapsing onto the lap of the person sitting behind her. She hears a grunted "oof" and large hands wrap around her waist, steadying her. Then she hears a deep chuckle in the chest of the person she's now sitting on top of.
"I guess we meet again."
Rachel recognizes that voice. Titling her head back, she looks into the twinkling amber eyes of Finn Hudson. She laughs, because she's so embarrassed that she has literally landed in the lap of Finn Hudson that she doesn't know what else to do or say.
"You could call it that," Rachel finally says. She doesn't move to get up from Finn's lap and he doesn't remove his hands from her hips. He's studying her face, and Rachel sees a flash of recognition in his eyes. He smiles again before speaking.
"We've met like this a few times," Finn points out.
Rachel giggles and takes note of how large and strong Finn's hands are. "It's almost like it's fate or something," she says without thinking. Her words are incredibly cheesy and it makes her cheeks turn bright pink. Finn doesn't make fun of her, though. Instead, he just grins.
"I guess so," he agrees. "So would you maybe…" He gets a little shy, rubbing the back of his neck adorably. "Would you like to grab some coffee with me?"
Um, of course. Rachel can't even believe that he has to ask. She's still sitting in Finn's lap, after all. "At the next stop?" Rachel offers.
Finn squeezes her waist and nods his head. Rachel stays on his lap until they get off the subway together.
x.
"Finn!" Rachel giggles as he squeezes her sides, tickling her lightly. Still, she doesn't move away from his strong arms. Instead, Rachel leans further into Finn's embrace as they walk down the street.
Their coffee date had only been the beginning. After exchanging numbers, Finn and Rachel have talked anytime they were free. Almost two weeks after casually meeting and hanging out, Finn has finally asked Rachel out on a proper date.
They kept it simple, with dinner and a walk through Central Park. Now Finn is bringing Rachel back to her apartment, but she doesn't want the night to end. She really enjoys spending time with Finn. Honestly, she still can't believe that they met by ruining each other's Thanksgiving desserts, but it's actually really cute.
Rachel is glad that it's the middle of winter, because it gives her an excuse to cuddle close to Finn. But she wouldn't need one anyway, because Finn tightens his arm around her and pulls her closer. They come to a stop outside of Rachel's apartment building, and Finn reaches for her hand.
"I had a lot of fun tonight," Rachel says as she watches Finn's long fingers curl around her palm. She can't believe how much bigger his hands are compared to hers, but it only endears Finn to her even more.
"So we can do it again later this week?" Finn asks sweetly. Rachel beams at him and squeezes his hand, nodding her head.
She steps closer to Finn. She's really hoping that she gets a kiss from him, because if this date has to end, then a kiss would be the perfect ending. "I would love that," Rachel says.
Finn gives her an amused look, because he knows exactly what she wants. The winter wind whips up around them, and Finn pulls her closer. Ever chivalrous, he pauses before he brings a hand up to the back of Rachel's head, making sure that it's okay with her.
Rachel responds by wrapping her arms around Finn's neck. Warm tingles of excitement run through her entire body, and she has never been so sure of something in her entire life.
Just as their lips are about to touch, the skies split open and a torrential downpour begins. Rachel's head juts back, a look of complete and utter disbelief on her face.
"Really?" she yells towards the sky. "Honestly?"
Finn just laughs and slips his hand behind Rachel's neck. Suddenly, his lips are on hers, completely distracting her from the rain. Rachel sinks into his embrace, her lips moving against Finn's eagerly. His tongue touches her bottom lip and hers part, allowing for his to tangle with hers for a brief moment before he pulls away.
The rain has soaked them through completely, but neither Finn or Rachel really seem to care. Rachel laughs and pulls Finn down towards her for another kiss.
It may not be perfect by romantic novel standards, but it's perfect for them.
xi.
"Finn, will you please relax?" Rachel is doing her best to hold in her laughter, but she doesn't think she's being very successful.
Finn is practically pacing back and forth in her kitchen. "Rach, I can't relax! You two fathers! Not just one, two!" It's been a month since they started dating, and Rachel's fathers have finally managed to snag a dinner invitation out of the couple.
"Oh, Finn." Rachel steps in front of Finn, effectively stopping his pacing. She grabs his hands and squeezes them comfortingly as she smiles sweetly up at him. "My fathers will love you, I promise."
Finn isn't too sure about that, but he still pulls Rachel closer to him and kisses her. As it always does with Finn and Rachel, the kiss escalates. His fingers tangle in her hair, his lips insistent against hers. They're so caught up in one another that they don't hear the front door to Rachel's apartment open and close. It's not until someone clears their throat that Finn and Rachel realize they're no longer alone.
Rachel turns towards the newcomers, and she smiles. "Daddy! Papa!" she exclaims. She stretches up onto her tiptoes to kiss Finn's cheek before she extracts himself from his arms and goes to hug her fathers.
Finn stands in the middle of the kitchen, unsure of what to do. He can't believe that Rachel's fathers just caught them making out. He's sure that it's probably not the best way for him to meet Rachel's parents, but there's not a whole lot he can do about it now.
The father with glasses greets Finn with a broad smile. "And you must be Finn!"
"Uh, yeah." Finn holds his hand out, offering it for a handshake. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Berry."
"Please, call me Hiram," the other man says. He turns and points to the large man behind him, who Rachel is chattering away at. "And this is my husband, Leroy."
Leroy shakes Finn's hand, his grip tight. Finn is glad that he's a firefighter, because he has a strong handshake and isn't intimidated by Leroy's at all (but that doesn't mean that he's not intimated by the rest of Leroy).
"Call me Mr. Berry," Leroy orders. Finn manages a smile and nods his head. Rachel moves back to Finn's side, slipping her arms around him. Finn relaxes immediately, sending a real smile Rachel's way.
"Dinner is just about ready," Rachel announces as she runs a hand up Finn's chest. Hiram smiles at the interaction, but Leroy's brow furrows in a glare towards Finn. Rachel's not focusing on it, so Finn decides not to worry about it either.
Dinner goes well after that. Hiram keeps the conversation going, and eventually Leroy stops glaring at Finn long enough to participate. Rachel keeps Finn relaxed throughout the evening, and he ends up thinking that the night goes pretty well.
Hiram insists on cleaning up since Finn and Rachel prepared the dinner for them. He coerces Leroy into helping him, leaving Finn and Rachel to move into the living room on their own. They do, and Rachel takes it upon herself to thread her fingers into Finn's hair and pull him down for a kiss.
The fact that her fathers are just in the next room completely leaves Finn's mind as he wraps his arms around Rachel and pulls her into his lap. He doesn't know what has come over his girlfriend, but he certainly isn't complaining.
A quiet moan escapes Rachel's lips and she tugs at Finn's thick hair. Her kisses get more insistent and Finn's hands move from her back down to her behind.
The clearing of a throat startles Finn so much that he accidentally dumps Rachel off of his lap.
Rachel lands square on her butt with a surprised squeak, and Finn is frozen in what he can only describe as fear. Her fathers just caught them making out. Again.
A beat of silence passes and Finn scrambles off the couch, helping Rachel to her feet. She looks like she's about to burst into laughter, and Finn happens to think that that reaction won't help matters at all. He shoots her a pleading look and she bites her bottom lip.
Rachel thinks this whole situation is kind of hilarious, but she doesn't want Finn to take the fall for it. She steps between Finn and her fathers, ready to smooth this whole situation over.
Finn, meanwhile, hopes he can make it through this night without getting maimed by his girlfriend's fathers.
xii.
A smile spreads across Rachel's lips as she sits up on her elbows and looks down at Finn's sleeping form. His eyes are closed and he's on his stomach, hugging the pillow with one arm. Finn's other arm is extended towards Rachel, draped across her waist. Rachel's smile widens and she snuggles closer to Finn's side.
Finn wakes up, his eyes opening slowly. He gives Rachel a sleepy smile, scooting Rachel towards him even more by curling his arm tighter around the naked skin of her waist. His head ducks down, and he presses his lips to Rachel's tenderly.
"Morning," he mumbles, his voice heavy with sleep.
"Good morning," Rachel says in return. She brings a hand up to cup Finn's cheek, smiling brightly at him.
Finn kisses her again. "Love you," he says against her lips.
Rachel wants to squeal when she hears the words. The happiness she feels coursing through is something that will never get old. Rachel touches her forehead to Finn's, breathing in his comforting scent. "I love you too."
Finn moves to sit up, intent on pulling Rachel into his arms. However, Finn doesn't take into account that his body is half hanging off the bed and ends up tumbling off. His head hits the side of the bed on the way down, and he lands in a heap on the floor.
Still practically half asleep, Finn just kind of lies on the floor and closes his eyes. His head throbs and he can't believe he that he just did that. He hears Rachel gasp, and she scrambles over to the side of the bed to check on him.
"Finn, are you okay?" Rachel demands.
Finn only groans in response, and Rachel finally dissolves into laughter. She couldn't hold it in anymore, laughing so hard she can barely breathe. Finn groans again, but he cracks a smile because really, this is just too funny.
It's another moment before Finn pulls himself up and off the floor and back onto the bed. He playfully collapses on top of a giggling Rachel, and she squirms under him as he drops kisses on her face. Rachel tugs the sheets back up around their naked bodies, making sure that they're covered from the cool morning air.
She's looking at Finn's face, checking for any injuries, but she can't stop the giggles from escaping her lips. Finn pouts at her, his brow furrowing in an entirely too adorable manner.
"It's not funny," Finn grumbles. But even as he speaks, he cracks a sweet half-smile, and Rachel kisses his protruding bottom lip.
"Don't worry, baby," she says as she climbs onto his lap. "I'll make you feel better."
xiii.
Rachel pushes past the people in the hospital waiting room until she finally spots Mike Chang and Noah Puckerman.
"Where is he?" Rachel demands. Her heart is beating loudly in her ears. She had received the call that Finn was in the hospital only twenty minutes ago and had to have made it to the hospital in record time.
Puck laughs loudly. "Berry, you have to relax."
"Relax?" Rachel demands. "What do you mean, I have to relax? Finn is in the hospital!"
Mike is laughing as well, and it makes Rachel pause. Something is definitely up; if it was a serious injury, Mike and Puck wouldn't be laughing like this. She puts her hands on her hips and waits for one of them to explain.
"Finn sprained his ankle going down the pole in the firehouse," Puck finally reveals. He dissolves into laughter once again, and Rachel's brow furrows. She knows that they're generally not allowed to slide down that pole, because more than one person has been injured on it.
"Puck dared Finn to do it," Mike adds, and Rachel rolls her eyes.
"Of course," she mutters under her breath. Boys will be boys, she supposes. Leaving Finn's coworkers laughing over his silly injury, Rachel manages to find out where Finn's room is.
When Rachel arrives at Finn's room, she finds him sitting on his bed, glaring down at his elevated foot. She can't help but giggle, and the noise draws Finn's attention towards her.
"Aw, man," he groans. "I knew that they were going to call you! I can't believe they made you come all the way down to the hospital."
Rachel laughs again and walks into the room, taking a seat on the side of Finn's bed. She leans over and kisses him gently on the lips. "Don't worry, baby," she says. "I'll take care of you and your sprained ankle."
"Thanks," Finn grumbles. Still, he smiles and pulls Rachel close for another kiss once again. She pats his cheek when she pulls away and stands up.
"I'll run down to the cafeteria and grab you some of your favorite ice cream," Rachel says. She squeezes Finn's hand and then disappears from the room. Only a few seconds pass when Finn hears a loud crash and then what is unmistakably Rachel's voice screaming.
"Rach?" Finn calls, unable to get up from the bed. "Rachel, are you okay?"
Finn's doctor appears in the doorway. "We're going to have to take Miss Berry to get an x-ray, Mr. Hudson," he says. "It looks like she might have sprained her ankle. We'll bring her into your room once we get her settled."
Finn can only laugh in response. Something like this would happen to them.
xiv.
Finn and Rachel are curled up on the couch together, both with their ankles propped up. The story of the couple with the matching sprained ankles has quickly spread through the hospital, and it became the tale of the day. Mike and Puck have taken them back to their apartment, and all four of their parents have stopped by to check on them. Now Finn and Rachel are alone and just enjoying the silence while trying not to think about the strange predicament they have managed to land themselves in.
Rachel's drifting off to sleep tucked against Finn's side. The combination of the pain medication and Finn's warm body against hers makes her want to close her eyes and not open them until morning. "Can I let you in on a secret?" Finn murmurs against her ear.
Rachel makes herself open her eyes, and she tilts her face up so she can see Finn. "Hmmm?"
Finn chuckles and brushes the hair away from her face. "We've met before. Before our whole pie problem at Thanksgiving, that is."
"What do you mean?" Rachel is a little more awake now, and she's interested in Finn's statement.
"I realized it when we were on the subway," Finn begins.
Rachel's cheeks turn bright red at the mention of that moment. "You mean when I fell into your lap?"
In one swift movement, Finn pulls Rachel back onto his lap. He's careful not to jostle her ankle too much, and Rachel settles comfortably against him. "You were walking across the street, and I was driving an ambulance—"
Rachel gasps, cutting him off. His words trigger a memory that she had long ago forgotten about. "That was you?" Rachel exclaims. "You're the one who almost hit me with an ambulance!"
"I didn't almost hit you!" Finn immediately protests between laughter. The look on Rachel's face is just too priceless. "You walked out in front of the car!"
It's not long before Rachel's dissolving into laughter right along with Finn. It shouldn't surprise her that she and Finn saw each other like that before they actually met. It just makes it that much more funny and wonderful.
xv.
Finn paces back and forth. He runs one hand along the railing of Rainbow Bridge and shoves the other one into his pocket, making sure that the small velvet box is still there. He's not taking the chance that he might lose it, so he constantly checks for the tiny box.
Rachel will arrive at what has become "their spot" in just a few minutes, and Finn can't stop himself from pacing. He hasn't planned for this moment; when he woke up that morning, he came to the realization that this is the day. This is the day that he's going to propose to Rachel Berry.
Finn catches sight of Rachel as she makes her way to the bridge. Locking eyes with her, he relaxes completely and smiles. This is it.
"Hi!" Rachel greets brightly. She slides her hands into Finn's and stretches up on her tiptoes, her lips searching for a kiss. Finn presses his to hers, his fingers flexing on her hips. He's nervous but strangely calm all at the same time, and Rachel's bright smile makes him feel at home.
Rachel begins speaking about her rehearsals for the day, her fingers tracing over their initials in the bridge. They drew that there once, back when they first started dating. Finn smiles when he remembers how Rachel had admonished him for "vandalizing such a beautiful piece of architecture, Finn!" But he knows that she secretly loves it, because she never fails to find it every time they visit.
Rachel is looking at Finn now, asking him how his day went. In that moment, Finn realizes that he has completely forgotten everything that he was going to say. Taking Rachel's hand, he blurts, "Will you marry me?"
As soon as the words leaves Finn's mouth, the skies above them split apart. Rain begins to fall, pelting against them. Finn can't believe that this is happening, but then he hears one word above the din of the rainfall:
"Yes."
Finn stares at Rachel, his lips parted. And then he lifts her in his arms, wrapping them completely around her. He presses a kiss to every bit of skin he can reach before his lips finally find hers. They're both smiling again each other's lips, and Rachel's fingers curl into Finn's now soaked shirt.
When they break apart, Finn digs into his pocket for the little box. Opening it, he reveals the ring and Rachel's eyes go wide. Grinning at her speechlessness, he takes her left hand and slides the ring onto her finger.
Rachel stares down at it, and she couldn't have imagined anything else on that finger. Her heart belongs to Finn Hudson, and she knows that she's going to spend the rest of her life with him.
"This is pretty familiar," Rachel says as she gestures to the rain falling around them. Neither Finn nor Rachel really care, though. They don't both to find shelter from the rain; instead, Finn just chuckles.
"This would happen to us," he says. Every time something like this happens, one of them always makes that statement. Just as Finn knew she would, Rachel giggles. She throws her arms around Finn's neck and jumps into his arms.
They've come full circle from that very first kiss. "I love you, Finn Hudson," Rachel breathlessly declares.
Finn kisses her deeply, holding her against him as the rain continues to come down upon them. "I love you too, Rachel."
Rachel will always remember the day that Finn Hudson almost ran into her, because she knows that she would never have it any other way.
Thanks for reading! :)
