I do not own glee.

Finn woke up the next morning, groggily wiping the sleep away from his eyes. He had been so tired he crashed on the couch. Okay, that wasn't true he came home and cried to his mom and he fell asleep with his head in her lap as she rubbed his forehead.

"We should have told you sooner."

Finn whipped his head around to see the entire glee club standing in his living room.

He looked directly at Puck and Kurt and pointed at them both, "You. You should have told me. You're my brothers. I mean what if I really never found out and found out after she died. That you all knew? How would you feel if I did that to you?"

Quinn stepped forward, "I know." She motioned around the room, "We know. It's just that some of us were never really that nice to Rachel in school. So when we found out and she asked us not to tell you...I guess that we thought it was our way of apologizing to her in way. I'm sorry."

Santana cleared her throat, "None of that matters now, you know and she knows you know."

He leaned back on the couch while they made themselves comfortable around the room, "How did you all find out?"

Mike started the explanation pointing at himself, "I found out because I was home working at my dads office. I was the one that took her back to see Dr. Riley the day they told her. She made me promise, but...I told Tina."

Tina nodded, "I knew something was up when I noticed her facebook page was completely gone, and then when Mike told me...I didn't tell anyone."

Quinn took a deep breath, "I was at an AA meeting with my mom and at the room next door was a support group for parents of children with cancer. I saw her dads walk in and I put two and two together."

Puck sat up, "They said prayers for her at temple just like when she was younger, and for the record I tried to get her to tell you. I even told her I would drive to Boston and tell you myself. In the end though she made me promise. I'm sorry man."

Finn looked at Kurt, "So who told you?"

Kurt sat down beside Finn, "Santana, she found out when she went to volunteer at the hospital after being grounded."

Santana smiled, "She was my first patient."

Quinn sighed, "One night Rachel called us all over here and filled in those who didn't know, making us swear that we would never tell you. That you would just move on with your life and...Finn, we told her it was stupid and selfish that how would she feel if it was the other way around and…"

Finn ran a hand through his hair, "and what did she say?"

Brittany played with the edge of the blanket on the sofa, "She said that you would be strong and she could be there for you. She knew she couldn't be strong through this and she didn't want you to remember her so weak."

Finn shook his head, "I've thought Rachel was a lot of things over the years but weak has never been one of them. Well I guess maybe I have some good news to share." He sat up straighter on the couch, "I proposed last night. I'm going to marry her no matter what she decides to do."

Kurt showed the most excitement clapping quietly, "I'll plan something simple, but soon?"

Finn smiled, "Definitely soon. I want her to have a beautiful wedding photo before the effects of the treatment or the cancer take over."

They were all silently praying the small brunette would choose the treatment. Conversation drifted to catching up with everyone else when Carole walked in clutching the phone.

She took a deep breath and looked at Finn, "You have to get dressed. Rachel's appointment is at 11:00 and she would like her fiancé there."

Finn's emotions got the best of him. He put his head in his hands releasing the tears he had been holding inside. Mercedes knelt in front of him, "Finn?" He looked up and met her kind eyes, "You're going to see Rachel in a way she never wanted you to. You're going to need to be strong for her, but when you are with us. You need to have these moments. Do you understand? You be there for her and we will be here for you." Finn nodded and hugged Mercedes before rising off the couch and looking at his friends. "So...Saturday? Is that good for everyone for the Finchel wedding?"

Finn waited patiently in the living room while Santana helped Rachel get ready for the doctor. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at her dads, "Uh, I realize I did this backwards, but as you know I asked Rachel to marry me. I hope that is okay with you both. It wasn't a bribe for her to fight I was going to marry her no matter what her decision was. I love Rachel with everything I am and..."

Hiram enveloped Finn in a huge hug, "Son, There is no need to explain how much you love Rachel. We heard everything last night. We always knew it would be you."

Leroy looked over with his hand extended toward Finn, "Welcome to the family."

Finn smiled and tapped his watch, "I would like to marry her Saturday. Kurt is already doing preparations."

"I think I'm available Saturday"

Finn stood up and looked toward the stairs where Rachel stood at the bottom leaning against Santana beaming at Finn. She was wearing loose fitting sweatpants and a pink v-neck t-shirt with her flipflops. "I trust Kurt to plan our wedding, but I want to pick out my dress."

Finn walked over taking her hand, "I'll tell him to come over when we get home."

He helped Rachel into his truck and followed behind her dads' car to the hospital. He snuck his hand over to her thigh where her hand was resting. Linking their fingers together he raised her left hand to his lips kissing her knuckle and smiling at the ring. "Do you like the ring?"

She smiled brightly at him, "Of course, is Carole okay with me having it?"

Finn laughed as they pulled into the parking lot, "She told me it was yours after our first date."

Their smiles quickly faded as they sat in Dr. Riley's office. The little man with the glasses sat behind his desk and smiled, "Rachel, let me just say I am so glad you've decided to go forward with treatment. It's much different than when you were ten, but there are some things that we didn't worry about then that we do now that you're older."

Finn held Rachel's hand as words like radiation and chemotherapy began bouncing around the office. Her diet would need to change and she would also be on strong medicine while she was home. They were going to come at this full force and now Finn understood why Rachel had decided to give up. He still held her hand and cleared his throat, "I know this might be a stupid question but with as aggressive as this treatment is, can the treatment kill her before the cancer does?"

Dr. Riley shook his head, "No, but it will make her more susceptible to illness so you will have to watch what you are bringing home with you.

"May I speak with Finn alone for a moment?" All eyes were on Rachel as she made her request and they left the room leaving the couple alone, "So you get it now. This is going to be hard to watch Finn."

He shook his head and gently rubbed her arm, "I don't care about me watching it, I care about you living through it. I'm going to be there, I promise you Rachel."

She smiled and sat in his lap pulling him in for a chaste kiss that was deepening when they were interrupted by a knock at the door followed by the three men entering the room.

She looked up and smiled at the doctor, "I know we need to start soon, but I'm getting married Saturday and I don't want to be sick from…"

Dr. Riley cut her off with a wave of his hand, "Your dad already told me. Congratulations you two. Rachel your first radiation treatment will be Monday at 10 and Chemo will begin Wednesday at noon. I'm sorry I can't give you a longer honeymoon but we've already lost two months."

Leroy cleared his throat, "Dr. Riley, what time frame are we looking at here?"

"At least a year."

Rachel sat with her head down drawing imaginary lines down her sweatpants with her finger, "Is that because? I mean, did I wait?"

Dr. Riley smiled sadly, "I would've liked to have gotten to it a little sooner yes, but there's no way to tell either way Rachel."

Finn rubbed Rachel's back, "What are the concerns now that she is older?"

Rachel looked up and marveled at how calm and collected Finn was as Dr. Riley answered the question. "The treatment may mean that you won't be able to have children Rachel. It's not a definite of course but you need to be aware."

The car ride back to the Berry's was silent except for the radio playing softly. Rachel didn't wait for Finn to come around and open her door like usual or to walk with him up to her room. He shut his door, put his hands in his pockets and walked in to the house behind her. Leroy and Hiram motioned for him to join them in the kitchen.

Finn helped himself to a coke, "She's going to think it's her fault no matter what, isn't she?"

Hiram nodded, "Yes. Finn, you are going to see a very different Rachel than the one you are used to. She is still very strong and very determined even if she doesn't think so, but when it comes to this she loses her faith quite easily. She gets one giant leap ahead of the cancer only to get discouraged and end up two steps back."

Finn bit his lip trying to fight the tears that insisted on coming to his eyes. "Um, I need to go home for a while and plan out some things. Can I come back over tonight after dinner and stay with her?"

Leroy handed him the spare key off of the key holder, "Here. Whenever you want to come is fine Finn. Never too late."

Finn came back later that night around ten. He waved to Rachel's dads and headed upstairs to her room. "Hey you. Did you miss me?"

She didn't look at him. "Rach? Rachel?"

She brought her hand up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "I don't think we should get married Saturday."

Finn shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck, "Why? You were so excited about it before we left."

After a few moments she finally faced him with tears in her eyes, "You have to let me explain why and not interrupt me, okay?"

He nodded and took his seat beside her on the bed. "I don't think we should get married because I don't want you to feel responsible for me. I don't want…."

"I always feel responsible for you!"

"Finn, no interruptions."

"Sorry, go ahead."

"As I was saying I don't want you to feel like you need to take care of me. You have to go back to Boston at the end of the summer I don't want to anchor you to Lima. I don't want you to feel like just because we are married you have to be there. I want to be married to you, but when I can appreciate it and when I'm healthy and can be a real wife to you. The kind that you deserve."

Finn took his finger and lifted her chin so she was looking at him, "Are you done? because there are a few things I would like to say now, with no interruptions."

She nodded as he began. "Feeling responsible for you? I have felt responsible for you and felt the need to take care of you since we were sixteen Rachel. Whether or not we have metal bands on our fingers isn't going to change that. As for school, I'm not going back to Boston next semester..." He held up his hand before she began to protest, "I'm continuing school online and Lima community college is working out a way for me to take all exams there so I don't need to go back to Boston. You aren't anchoring me to anything, this is where I want to be. You will be the wife I deserve because it's you Rachel. You've always told me I deserved the best? Well baby that's you. There is a reason they have that whole in sickness and in health thing in those vows, you gotta be there for both." He took her hands as he continued, "Finally, yes I want to marry you Saturday because I know you. I know you want a wedding photo to look at on your nightstand every morning and not you wearing a wig but you." He swallowed before he spoke, "Do you remember when Burt had the heart attack when we were in high school?"

"Yeah."

"Do you remember I found out the next day in the locker room?"

"Yeah."

"Kurt was the only one let in to see him and Ms. Pillsbury and Mr. Schue only got to go because Kurt was a minor. Rach, my mom wasn't family we weren't allowed to see him immediately until he was stable. I swear to God if you have to go to the hospital and someone tells me I can't see you because I'm not family? I think I would actually punch them man or woman."

Rachel wiped a tear from her eye, "I never thought about that, but Finn…where are we going to live? Here? At your house? How are we going to have money? What about kids? You heard what the doctor said and I know you want them."

He winked down at her, "We'll adopt."

Rachel nodded and bit her lip to stop from crying, "I just really wanted a baby of my own."

He patted her hand, then a huge smile crossed his face, "Wait remember on Grey's Anatomy when Izzie had cancer? They took some eggs and Alex's sperm and froze it. We'll do that!"

Rachel looked up at him, "You watch Grey's Anatomy?"

Finn rolled his eyes, "Kurt got to choose the show on Thursday nights, it..it's not the point we'll make this happen Rachel. I promise you I will do everything I can."

He wrapped his right arm around her carefully bringing her closer to him and kissed her temple, "Those other things like houses, jobs, and money? Those are things I worry about, you just worry about getting better. Deal?"

She looked up and smiled at him, "Deal."

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