Hi guys.
This chapter has been difficult. After I found out that Cory had passed away, I almost couldn't write it. My heart is aching for Lea Michele and all of the people that loved him...and for all of the people who are brave enough to seek treatment for drug addiction but do not win their fight. Cory's drug addiction does not change the type of person that he was or the fact that so many people loved him and will miss him dearly.
Glee speaks to a little piece in all of us. The piece of us that is different or afraid to be who are. Without Cory, Glee will never be the same. As I wrote this scene, I kept replaying the scene of Finn punching Brody and telling him to stay away from his future wife. In my heart, Finn and Rachel end up together. And so do Cory and Lea.
I hope that this chapter brings solace to those of you who are hurting. Furthermore, I hope you enjoy this chapter because it is the final one. After struggling immensely in writing this chapter (and crying because I felt awful for writing about Finn…who Cory represented so well), I decided to end my humble story. I believe that I tied everything together neatly.
I sincerely hope that those of you who are reading my story enjoy it. I also hope that you feel I did Finn and Rachel justice.
I do not own Glee.
Fourteen::
Finn
Sweat poured from Finn's brow as he struggled to stay in tune with the music that was pumping from Kurt's speakers. Anxiously he attempted to hop, skip, and turn but stumbled over his feet. He rolled his neck to loosen some of the tension in his shoulders. Being in Rachel's theatre, knowing that she might not forgive him, was suffocating. The space where his wedding band used to reside felt naked and only contributed to his nervousness. Wiping his forehead, he once again attempted the move that Blaine was so furiously barking at him.
Tripping over his feet again, but this time landing on his ass, he groaned with frustration. He lay on the floor, motionless, until Santana wandered over to him.
"If it helps, your falling was a lot less Frankenstein and a lot more Aaron Carter. Not that it's much of an improvement but if you keep going at this rate, you'll have all of the steps down by next month."
Finn rolled his eyes as he pulled himself off of the ground and stated flatly, "Kurt, Santana is right. This is a waste of time. I'll never have the dance moves down in time."
Kurt nodded his head reluctantly and said, "I think you're right. We should concentrate on the song. Besides, Rachel didn't fall in love with the suave dancer that you aren't- she fell in love with the goofy Bartender that begged her for another chance."
Blaine wrapped an arm around Kurt's shoulders gently before turning to Finn and adding, "What Kurt's trying to say is, Rachel loves you Finn. Exactly as you are. She's just scared about trusting you with her heart again."
Blaine pressed a kiss to Kurt's forehead and gently led him away before tossing a sympathetic smile in Finn's direction.
Finn sighed as his heart twisted in his chest. He had messed everything up. He had allowed Rachel's heart to dangle in the balance while he moped and felt sorry for himself. He had allowed Quinn to come between them and poison their marriage. The truth seemed glaringly obvious- he didn't deserve a second chance. As he watched Kurt snuggle into Blaine's shoulder and Santana scratch behind Lord Tubbington's ears, he felt his stomach drop to his knees.
Everything seemed to slide into focus. He had pushed Rachel to stay in their marriage. A marriage that she had wanted to get out of. He had made her promises- promises that he had shattered. He had lied. He had waited weeks to come after her. He had ruined everything. If he really loved her, he would set her free.
Stoically, he met Santana's eyes, shook his head slightly, and turned to leave the theatre. He heard a chorus of concerned voices calling after him but he ignored them. He loved Rachel. And he would do this for her.
He would set her free.
-LTN-
Rachel
"Flight 56, departing to Las Vegas is boarding now. Flight 56 to Las Vegas is boarding now."
Rachel rolled up onto her toes and searched the crowd for Finn's dark brown hair and lanky figure. She craned her head above the sea of people and felt her heart pounding anxiously in her chest.
"Finn, where are you?" She muttered to herself softly.
After yet another search had proved fruitless, she sank down into her chair and sighed. Pointless, she thought. He was probably long gone, and worse, he believed that she no longer loved him. Smoothing down the creases in her dress, she felt her eyes well up with tears.
"Finn! Finn! Put me down this instant! It is beyond un-ladylike for my derrière to be in the air this way! Finn Hudson, come on!"
"Rach, you're going to love this, ok? Just let me have my fun!"
Grinning, Rachel pressed a kiss to Finn's shoulder blade and relaxed her posture. Finn's skin was warm beneath her palms and she smiled as she felt his muscles ripple with each step he took.
"Will you at least tell me what this is about? You burst into the bedroom while I was changing for work!"
Finn let out a low growl before caressing Rachel's ass, "I'm glad I did. The lacy panties that you're wearing right now should be on display all day. Plus, I kinda like the fact that you wear those panty-hose with the straps."
"Garters?" Rachel asked coyly, "I wear them for you, you know."
"I do know. Once I show you my surprise, I plan on take them off with my teeth," Finn's voice trailed off huskily as he trailed his hand down the curve of Rachel's legs.
Suppressing a shiver, Rachel felt a surge of heat come throbbing to life between her legs. His touch left her feeling out of control and unmistakably sexy.
"Close your eyes!" Finn's enthusiasm was so catching that Rachel felt herself smiling broadly.
"Ok…" Complying immediately, she felt Finn's warm hands lowering her carefully to the ground. His fingertips trailed themselves over the swell of her breasts and his warm breath passed over her shoulder.
"Open."
As Rachel opened her eyes, she found herself in front their refrigerator. Turning to look at her husband curiously, she raised an eyebrow.
"Finn?"
His hazel eyes brightened as he looked at her for a moment. While they watched each other, Rachel felt her skin tingle with anticipation.
"Look again."
Turning her body towards the fridge, Rachel studied it more carefully. A new sheet of paper hung crookedly above the myriad of pictures that she had lovingly plastered over the stainless steel surface.
"You bought me a star?"
Finn's face lit up as he pointed to the certificate eagerly, "I bought it online and it came in the mail this morning! It has the coordinates so we can look at it with a telescope."
Rachel found herself growing breathless at Finn's joyfulness- her eyes stinging with happy tears as he detailed the process of choosing her star.
"And the best part is…are you ready? I named it Finn!"
Rachel's grin froze uncertainly on her face. Confusion raced through her as she quirked an eyebrow and asked him, "Finn, aren't you supposed to name it after the person you bought it for?"
Finn's face fell as he searched her eyes, "You hate it."
"No…No! I definitely don't! I just thought you bought me the star." Rachel pivoted her body so that she was staring into Finn's soulful hazel eyes and curled her fingers into his open button down shirt.
"I didn't name it Rachel for a reason! I thought about it, I really did. But then I named it Finn Hudson…because there's already a star named Rachel Berry and she's brighter than any of those stars up there, so I just wanted to make sure that whenever she feels lonely she can look up into the sky and, no matter where I am, can know that I'm looking down on her…you know…when it's nighttime." *
Rachel's eyes welled up as she watched Finn's blush creep up his neck. He smiled at her reluctantly before shaking his head, "You hate it! I should have gotten you earrings. I'm sorry, Rach."
Rachel pressed a finger to Finn's lips gently before rising to her toes and gently kissing him. As she pulled away she grinned so broadly that her cheeks hurt, "This is…this is the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me, Finn. I absolutely love it."
Finn's entire face lit up as he lips spread into a crooked grin, "Really?"
Nodded enthusiastically, Rachel exclaimed, "Yes! Finn…the fact that you believe in me so ardently- I don't feel like I deserve it. I haven't always been the most humble person but life taught me to never take people for granted. I have you, I have our life together. What more could I possibly need?"
Lowering his lips to hers, Rachel felt her body come alive with heat and lust. Trailing her fingers slowly through his hair, she pressed her body firmly against his. Groaning, he picked her up and placed her on the countertop that had made them face their love so many weeks ago.
"Mr. Hudson?" she asked coyly.
"Yes, Mrs. Hudson?" His voice was so gravelly that it sent sparks shooting down to her core.
"I believe you promised me that you would remove these garters with your teeth."
"Did I?" Finn slowly trailed his fingers from her calf to the tops of her garters and back down as his mouth busied itself at her neck. Rachel's fingers pulled slightly at his hair as the teasing of his fingers danced near the apex of her thighs.
"Yesssss…"
"Well then, Mrs. Hudson, I can't break promises, can I?"
Rachel giggled breathlessly as Finn slid her bra strap over her shoulder and kneaded at her exposed breast.
"No, you definitely can't."
"Miss? Miss, are you ok?" A soft voice interrupted her thoughts. Rachel looked up to find an elderly woman shooting her a genuine look of concern and felt her cheeks flame with embarrassment.
"I'm…fine," she whispered hoarsely. Lonely, aching for my husband, and incredibly stupid, she thought instantly, but fine.
"Were you looking for someone, dear?" The woman sat down delicately next to her, shrugging her lavender cardigan closer to her body. Rachel eyed her for a moment before nodding her head.
"I was. My husband. I think I've wrecked my chance, though," Rachel's voice quivered while her fingers twirled the at the wedding band that had been dangling on a necklace since she had left Las Vegas.
Smoothing her graying hair, the older woman smiled wistfully, "Darling, it's never too late for love. I reunited with my Reginald after forty-five years of separation. I know I'm just an old woman but when it comes to love, I'd like to think that I know a thing or two."
Rachel blushed and said, "I'm sure you do. But…what if the circumstances are too much to overcome? He hurt me and then when he asked for forgiveness, I hesitated. I wanted to forgive him for everything that had happened between us but…I…"
As her voice trailed off hesitantly, the older woman grimaced and said, "It can often be a challenge for us to forgive. Reginald left me shortly after he came back from Vietnam- and I was devastated. A shell of myself. Then I met Barry. I think he knew that I never loved him the way I was supposed to, but he gave everything to me and our children. When he died, God rest his soul, I realized my fear had been holding me back from truly being happy. What's truly holding you back, dear?"
Rachel opened her mouth and closed it quickly. Speechless, she stared at the woman before her and felt her eyes welling up with tears, "I can't lose anyone else from my life. I'm afraid there will be nothing left of me if I do."
The woman shifted closer to Rachel and wrapped a thin arm around her shoulders, "The only way you lose is if you never really try. You're here. I would say that you won half the battle."
"GRANDMA!" A chorus of shouts filled the air as a herd of children stampeded towards the elderly woman gently rubbing Rachel's shoulder. She winked at Rachel before kneeling out of her chair and holding her arms open.
"My beautiful Grandbabies! Oh how I've missed you!" The woman's voice became dramatic and playful as the horde of children swarmed her, giggling and dropping wet kisses all over her cheeks.
"Gramma, who is that?" A blue-eyed little girl poked her head out from behind her Grandmother's back to observe Rachel cautiously. She tangled a finger in her auburn curls before retreating back to her hiding spot.
"A friend, my dear. She was feeling sad and I was trying to make her feel better."
"Well, did she?" A blonde haired boy with sparkling green eyes demanded.
Rachel grinned, "Yes, she did. Your Grandmother is a talented woman."
Nodding their assent, they tugged her to her feet and began pulling her away. Rachel watched the family eagerly before she called out, "I didn't get your name! You helped me so much and I just…Thank you!"
The woman turned and said, "Holly. Holly Holiday. And you're welcome. I wish I had had someone challenge me when I so conflicted."
Rachel stood and walked over to Holly's lanky frame and said, "I'm Rachel. Thank you, Holly. I don't want forty-five years to go by without Finn. Thank you."
Holly grinned cheekily and said, "I will say this, the 'S-E-X' is better when you're in your twenties. But it's not too shabby in your sixties."
Laughing at Rachel's mortified expression, she tossed her hair back and nodded towards her grandchildren who had run over to their parents, "I'd better be going before they decide to leave me here. My second daughter just had a baby! It's my solemn duty to spoil them before returning home. Good luck, Rachel! Don't give up."
Nodding, Rachel turned back to her chair and eyed it speculatively. She shouldn't give up just yet. Fingering the solid weight of Finn's wedding band on her thumb, she stood up and walked determinedly to the counter.
"Hi, I need information about my husband's flight and you're going to give it to me."
"M'am, I am not allowed to release flight information. I apologize for the inconvenience," The woman behind the counter smiled banally while adjusting her glasses.
"I believe you misunderstood me. I need information about my husband's flight and you're going to give it to me. If I have to speak to your manager or GLAAD about this, I will. My father's were prominent members in both the NAACP and GLAAD. It would be horrible for a huge scandal to befall this airline," Rachel smiled sympathetically, as if she understood the woman's situation, before tapping her fingers on the counter.
"So…what's it gonna be?"
-LTN-
Finn
"Mercy, I'm fine. I knew that coming up here would be a long shot but I took it anyway. Letting Rachel go is for the best. If I love her, really love her, then I'll let her get out of our marriage just like she wanted to in the first place."
"Finn…Kurt told me you just walked out of the theatre. You gave up! That's not the Finn I know."
Finn nearly rolled his eyes at the pleading tone in Mercedes' voice before steeling himself to reply, "This is the right thing for me to do. I love her but I have to own up to what I did. I lied. I hurt her. And I can't keep convincing her to be with me. If letting her go helps her achieve her dreams, then I love her enough to do that."
"Flight 736 to Las Vegas, now boarding. Flight 736 to Las Vegas, now boarding."
Finn grimaced as the loud announcement filled the air and shouldered his bag to the opposite shoulder, "Mercy, I've got to go. My flight is being called. I must be later to the terminal than I thought. I'll see you when you get home."
Hanging up the phone, Finn searched the hallway for a sign that would lead him to his terminal. Walking quickly, he tried to ignore the nagging worries that were twisting anxiously in his mind. He knew that he was doing the right thing. Leaving Rachel, giving her a way out, was the right thing to do. He had pleaded with her for another chance- dressing it up, impressing her with a song…none of those things would replace her reluctance or take away her fear.
She had chosen.
And now so would he. He would move on for her. He would let her go gracefully and wish the best for her. When he saw her on television someday, he would wish her well. For her, he could.
As he approached the terminal, he heard soft music and noticed a crowd gathering. Groaning, he searched for a way around them so he could board his plane. As he edged closer to the crowd, he heard it.
Rachel.
Stopping in his tracks, he stared at the heart of the group and felt his stomach flopping nervously.
Noticing him, she smiled nervously and kept singing:
When I was younger I saw my daddy cry And my momma swore But darling,
And curse at the wind.
He broke his own heart and I watched
As he tried to reassemble it.
That she would never let herself forget.
And that was the day that I promised
I'd never sing of love if it does not exist.
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception. Maybe I know somewhere
Deep in my soul
That love never lasts.
And we've got to find other ways
To make it alone.
Or keep a straight face.
And I've always lived like this
Keeping at comfortable distance.
And up until now I've sworn to myself
That I'm content with loneliness.
The crowd parted as Finn stumbled forward, his eyes growing wet with tears as Rachel's cinnamon eyes bore into his own. This song, this moment…was for him.
Because none of it was ever worth the risk. Well you are the only exception.
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception.
I've got a tight grip on reality,
But I can't let go of what's in front of me here.
I know you're leaving in the morning
When you wake up.
Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream.
Oh-oh-oh-ohhh.
Stepping closer to him, Rachel extended her hand towards him slowly. His body pulsed with nervous energy when his fingers interlocked with hers- but he kept moving towards her.
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception
And I'm on my way to believing.
Oh, and I'm on my way to believing.
As Rachel's voice trailed off, he pulled her petite frame closer to his body and gently cupped her face.
"Rachel…I-"
Rachel pressed a finger against his lips and shook her head violently, "No! Let me get this out. Finn Hudson, I am madly, insanely, irrevocably in love with you. I was scared before. Terrified. I convinced myself that our marriage would never truly work because of how it began. Then everything with Quinn happened and I doubted you. I let so much come between us because I was afraid to open myself up to you and then have you decide I wasn't worth it. Letting you leave me was the biggest mistake of my life and I had to tell you. I had to let you know that…nothing is worth having without you. You're in my heart. Permanently. I can't…I can't let you go."
The crowd released a collective 'Aw' before shifting to look at Finn expectantly. He could feel the weight of their stare boring into his back and flushed.
"Rachel, I pushed you into this marriage. I want to give you a way out," Finn's voice trailed off uncertainly as he slowly moved away from Rachel's embrace.
"No."
"What?"
"You heard me. No. You are not backing out of this marriage and you are most certainly not leaving me. No."
Flabbergasted, Finn stared at Rachel. Her eyes were flashing dangerously as placed her hands on her hips. The crowd began murmuring, arguing over what they thought he should do before he turned to face them, "Do you think you could give us a moment?"
An older man from the crowd called out, "Just kiss her! With a set of jugs like that, you should just take her home and bend her over! I know I would."
Feeling the deep flame of anger come alive within him, he took a menacing step forward, "You stay away from my wife. You got that?"
The crowd hissed in shock before beginning to dissipate slowly. Finn kept his eyes on the cocky jerk who had been eying Rachel's breasts, jaw clenched with fury.
Rachel placed a calming hand on Finn's arm before grinning, "Your wife, huh?"
Finn searched his heart for a hint of insecurity or uncertainty before taking a step towards Rachel, "Yes, my wife. Rachel, are you sure about this? Because I love you. And if you take another step towards me then I'm never letting you go."
Rachel carefully moved closer to him before grinning, "I'm sure. I've never been surer of anything in my life. I love you, Finn."
Dropping his bag on the ground, Finn embraced Rachel's thin frame and kissed her passionately. A shock of heat tore through his body as Rachel's tongue tentatively traced the crease of his lips and he smiled.
This was how they were always meant to be.
Together.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Should it stop feeling so perverse to write about him, I will write and post an epilogue. When I first began this story, I imagined a world where nothing could stop Finn and Rachel from being together- and I think I accomplished that.
Don't stop believin'.