I know I say this every time I update, but I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, subscribed and favorited my story so far. It means so much to me. I've been having a lot of fun with this story and after I finish it, I definitely want to write another!
So, here's Chapter 9!
DISCLAIMER: If I owned Glee, the scene at the end of this week's episode wouldn't have happened and there would be no Sue. So, as you can tell, I don't.
Chapter 9: The Ring
For everyone else, the first semester of college had just ended.
Unfortunately for Rachel, she had only completed about a month of school. Then she spent two weeks in the hospital and headed back home, where she spent most of her time either in therapy or doing the exercises she learned in therapy. She was beginning to walk without her walker, but it hurt. She was afraid to walk without the help of her mom or her dads.
She was just beginning to master basic tasks, like getting dressed and taking showers. These were times when she was glad her mom had come back into her life - she wouldn't have been comfortable with her dads doing these things.
Finn stayed true to his word and came home every weekend to check on Rachel. Often, at least one other member of the Glee club would come to visit, too. The only times Rachel felt marginally better was when she was with Finn or one of her other friends.
It felt terrible knowing that all her friends were off at school, having experiences she wouldn't get to have. She wasn't getting to make new friends, sit in college classes, go to campus events, live in a dorm or eat in a dining hall.
Rachel wasn't even sure if she wanted to go back to Princeton. Just being on campus terrified her and brought back bad memories of the day she was attacked. The day she nearly lost her life. She was too scared to get out of the car when her parents had gone back to clear out her dorm room.
Rachel wanted to go somewhere, though. She had already started applying to transfer schools in Ohio during winter break and considering starting somewhere new after winter break started. What the attack had taught her was that she really didn't want to be too far away.
Rachel's scars were beginning to fade, though some of them may never fade. She spent three afternoons a week in intensive physical therapy and did exercises at home. Often, she was too afraid to leave the house, even for a simple trip to the library or the grocery store.
The holiday season was underway. For the first time EVER, all three of Rachel's parents had spent Thanksgiving together and had the entire extended family over to her mom's house. Thanksgiving had been nice, but she was disappointed about not being able to join Quinn, Mercedes, Tina, Brittany, Lauren and Santana for the tradition they'd started of going Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving.
x
Little did Rachel know, the day after Thanksgiving, for the first time in his life, Finn had asked Kurt to go with him to pick out a very special gift for Rachel.
Luckily for Finn, Kurt knew exactly where to go. They'd just arrived at the mall when Kurt pulled Finn into the store and before Finn knew it, they were looking all over the place.
"All of these are so nice," Finn said. "But I don't know if they're right for Rachel."
"You are such a boy!" Kurt said. "She'll love ANY of them."
"Do you need help?" Finn turned around to see a store representative standing there.
"He's here to pick one out for his girlfriend," Kurt said.
"This is big!" the employee said. "One of the biggest purchases you'll ever make!"
"I know," Finn said. "That's why I need the right one."
"How about that one?" Kurt said. "Or that one? Or that one?"
"What about this one?" the employee said, pointing to one of the few in the store Kurt hadn't pointed out.
"Oh, I like this one!" Finn said.
"So do I," Kurt said. "I can just see Rachel wearing it."
"I think this is the one," Finn said. "Yes. This is definitely the one."
"Good choice!" the employee said.
With that, Finn paid for it, had it packaged and left the store. "I think she'll like it," he told Kurt.
"I think she'll love it," Kurt said. "When are you going to give it to her?"
"When I have the guts," Finn said. "And when the time feels right."
x
Rachel was unaware of Finn's purchase, just doing her best to enjoy the holiday season, even though she couldn't fully participate. She didn't go along with her mom and Beth or with her dads to pick out a tree and could only do a little bit of the decorating. She still listened to music and watched the movies with her family and friends, but she had to buy all her gifts online.
To top it off, her birthday was fast approaching. Her parents moved her therapy for that day to the day before, but it still wouldn't be the same. She had hoped to go out to dinner at a fancy restaurant or go to a show with Finn and maybe some of her other friends, but more than likely she'd be spending it at home on the couch or in bed.
Rachel's 19th birthday arrived. Her mother wished her a happy birthday as soon as she woke up and helped her into a nice blue dress with silver tights. She also straightened Rachel's hair and flipped it out on the ends.
"What's the point of looking nice, Mom?" Rachel said. "I'm stuck inside, as usual. This is my birthday. I really wanted to go to a show with Finn, but I'm homebound as always."
"Rachel, it's your birthday!" Shelby said. "Even if you're not going anywhere, you should look nice."
"Thanks, Mom," Rachel said.
Her dads came over after breakfast and gave Rachel her presents. Rachel was visiting with her dads in the living room, as all three of her parents kept looking out the window. Eventually Shelby said, "Rachel, someone's dropping something off in the back. I'll be right back, okay?"
"Okay," Rachel said. As she talked with her dads, she thought she heard some people coming in.
"Who do you think that is?" Rachel asked. After her attack, whenever she heard background noise, she became paranoid.
"I'm sure it's just someone delivering something for your mom," Hiram said. "It's Christmas season, after all. Don't worry, honey."
About ten minutes later, Shelby came back into the living room. "Rachel, I was just in the basement and forgot something down there. You should probably get used to walking around, so could you go down and get it for me?"
"I don't want to," Rachel said. "I'm still scared."
"Rachel, I was just down there," Shelby said. "I know there's nothing dangerous down there."
"Okay," Rachel said. "What do you need me to get?"
"You'll know when you get down there," Shelby said with a smile.
It was probably just a birthday present from her parents. Rachel limped down the stairs. The basement was decorated with balloons, streamers and a banner that said, "Happy Birthday!" Food was laid out on the table. There was a stack of presents near the table.
"Mom! Dad! Daddy! You shouldn't have!" Rachel called upstairs, falling backwards and gripping the banister just in time.
"We didn't," Leroy called.
"Then who did?" Rachel called.
"SURPRISE!"
Rachel's friends from Glee popped up from behind the furniture and began running over.
"Oh my God!" Rachel gasped. She was glad she was clutching the banister, because she probably would have fallen over if she hadn't.
Finn ran over, gave Rachel a hug and said, "Happy Birthday, my dear."
"You guys did this for me?" Rachel said.
"Well, it was Finn's idea," Kurt said. "But yeah, we've been planning this for weeks."
"We're just so glad we get to see you turn 19," Mercedes said. "So we all decided to celebrate with you. And you remember Matt, right?"
Rachel had barely noticed the guy with his arm around Mercedes.
"Of course I do," Rachel said. "Good to see you again, Matt."
"I'm glad I ended up being able to see you again," Matt said.
"Seriously guys, I have the best friends ever," Rachel said. "Thank you so much for doing this. I love all of you."
"Well, we all love you more!" Quinn said, giving Rachel a hug.
"Hungry?" Blaine asked. "We got all your favorite foods."
"Yeah," Rachel said.
"I'll get some food for you," Finn said. "You'd better sit down. You still are recovering from surgery!"
"No, Finn, help her to the couch and then sit with her," Puck said. "We'll get some food for both of you."
"Seriously, you guys didn't have to do this!" Rachel said.
"Yes, we did," Brittany said. "And even if we didn't have to, we wanted to."
"Oh, Rachel, you look really pretty today," Santana said.
"Thanks," Rachel said, giving her a hug.
After eating and listening to music, Rachel began opening the various presents her friends had gotten her. Being alive and having all of them with her today was enough of a present, but she was touched by each one.
"Thank you, all of you," Rachel said after opening the last present.
"Um, Rach, I have one more thing," Finn said.
Everyone paused and looked over.
"Okay," Rachel said. "What is it?"
"You're going to do it, aren't you?" Puck blurted out.
"Uh... um..." Finn said.
"If you left it at home, that's fine," Rachel said.
"I didn't leave it at home," Finn said. "Okay, Rach, I need to tell you something." He was shaking.
"Are you okay?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Finn said, taking Rachel's hands. "Rachel, almost losing you was SO hard. The week you were unconscious in the hospital was the worst week of my life. I was living in fear that I was going to lose you. It was awful. It took almost losing you to help me realize I can NEVER lose you again and my life is incomplete without you."
"Well, I don't plan on doing anything that would make me lose you ever again," Rachel said.
"The first time we danced together in Glee club, I knew you were the girl for me," Finn said, putting his arm around Rachel. "I dreamed of finding the right girl to marry forever and when I met you, I knew that girl was you. I love you so much. I want to be the guy for you. I wonder what I did to deserve you, but every time I'm with you, you make me feel like you still love me, despite all my faults."
"I'm the one who doesn't deserve you," Rachel said. "I love you so much."
"I love you," Finn said. "I want to see you walking down the aisle on my wedding day. I want to raise children together. I want you to wake up every morning for the rest of your life and know how loved you are. I want to spend forever with you. I want you to spend forever with me." He got down on one knee and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small velvet box and opened it, revealing a white gold ring with a sapphire. "Rachel Barbara Berry, will you marry me?"
"Oh my God!" Rachel gasped. "Yes! Yes!"
Finn slipped the ring on to Rachel's finger, lifted her into his arms and spun her around. "We're engaged!" he proclaimed to their friends.
"Be careful, Finn! Rachel had major spine surgery not too long ago!" Mike said.
"I don't care about my back!" Rachel shouted. "I'm going to marry Finn! This was the best birthday ever! I love you, Finny!"
"I love you more!" Finn said.
They kissed and hugged.
"Um, don't forget about the rest of us!" Kurt said. "And Rachel, you know I'm going to be the wedding planner."
"Of course you are," Rachel said. "And all you girls are going to be my bridesmaids."
"Finn, how does it feel now that you've done it?" Sam asked.
"Now I'm just wondering why I kept chickening out," Finn said. "It feels great."
"Finn, WE'RE ENGAGED!" Rachel shouted loud enough for the neighbors to hear.
"What is going on down here?"
Rachel turned to see her parents standing on the stairs.
"Oh, your nineteen-year-old daughter got an engagement ring from Finn for her birthday," Quinn said.
"I said yes," Rachel said. "Hopefully you won't mind."
"He asked us a while back," Leroy said.
"Our little girl's growing up," Hiram said. "You're in college, you're turning nineteen and you're engaged."
"And they're having a Glee wedding!" Kurt said.
"Well, Rachel, what we came down to tell you was you need to put your brace back on," Leroy said.
"Even that stupid brace can't ruin my mood," Rachel said.
"Well, put it on, and then you can come back down here with your friends and your fiance," Shelby said.
"I love the sound of that," Rachel said. "My fiance, Finn Hudson."
Rachel went upstairs to put on her brace and then rejoined everyone downstairs. Now she knew why she'd made it through the attack and the surgery. Because there was a future ahead for her. As of right now, everything she'd gone through was worth it.
It didn't matter now that she was wearing a brace and still had several weeks of therapy left. This had to have been her best birthday so far. She had the best friends in the world - and was engaged to the most amazing person she had ever met.
