Finn laced his arms around Rachel's waist, pulling her close during their late night Christmas walk. After giving a brief hello to family and friends, Finn respectfully asked for a little only time with his girlfriend. His mother couldn't help but agree, eagerly watching her son walk in his father's footsteps.

"How long do I get you for?" Rachel asked, resting her hands in Finn's coat pockets.

"January 2nd," Finn said confidently. "Enough time to celebrate Christmas and New Year's."

"Just a little over a week," Rachel sighed. "I'll take it."

"How was your birthday?"

Rachel spoke about her reunion with Shelby, conveniently leaving the last part of her conversation with her mother out. "I may get to see her once she settles into New York."

"Another familiar face."

"But it's not you." Rachel stopped them at a corner and turned to face him. "No one can take the place of you."

"I feel the same way."

Rachel rested her head on Finn's shoulder. "How long do you think you'll be in Georgia?"

Finn pulled Rachel in for a long kiss before answering, knowing that she wouldn't like what would happen next. "I signed a contract with the Infantry."

"Two years, right?" Rachel asked hesitantly.

Finn shook his head. "The contract is for eight years."

"Eight years!" Rachel threw her hands into the air, wanting to shove him backwards. "How could you do something like that without even talking about it with me first?"

"I'm sure there's plenty that goes on in New York that I don't know about," Finn pointed out.

Rachel shoved her hands in her coat pockets, lowering her head.

"I don't want to spend Christmas fighting. I want us to have an honest conversation."

"Then start talking." She refused to meet him in the eye, defiantly staring at the now dirtied snow on the ground.

"Eight years is the standard contract with the Army. I've talked it over with counselors and recruiters at the base; they think I'd make a good Indirect Fire Infantryman. I'd be able to stay in Georgia and move on into the Maneuver Center of Excellence. I'd only have to do two years of active duty at the most. I could spend the rest of the time in Individual Ready Reserve, which means they would only call on me if they needed me – after all of my training is complete. With the reserve, I can move around, maybe join you in New York eventually – if you still want to stay there."

"NYADA is a four year program," Rachel said tersely. "You know this."

"Then you spend four years in New York, I stay in Georgia."

"I was hoping you'd tire of the Army and want to leave," Rachel said weakly.

"Leave? You've read my letters, you've heard me talk about how much the Army means to me."

"Does it mean more to you than I do?"

Finn touched Rachel's shoulder. "Does NYADA mean more to you than I do?"

Rachel finally looked up at her longtime boyfriend. "I love you," they both said together, laughing lightly.

"So does that answer your question?" Finn asked.

"I've never understood why you like the Army so much."

"Being part of something special makes you special – you taught me that. Being part of a team, it's exactly what I needed – what I was afraid of losing after graduation."

"There are other teams out there; you could go to school…"

"The Army is paying for my school – I can take community classes on the base with my other trainings. They have career specialists on site that can train me for skills to use when I leave."

"Being there makes you happy?"

"It does. I know my letters don't tell you a lot, there's plenty we're not allowed to share, but the feeling I get when I'm on base, knowing that I'm fighting for others…there's nothing like it."

"Two years in active duty?"

"A minimum – they decide when."

"Is there any theatre in Georgia?" Rachel laughed.

"If there isn't, then I know just the person to a program there."

"You'd better be talking about me," Rachel nudged Finn in the stomach.

Finn took hold of her shoulders. "You and me, we're going to be okay. We have until New Years together, and there's Mr. Schue's wedding, and I will do my best to get off on holidays and coordinate with you."

"Well that's it then," Rachel said finally. "We have our own paths, and we merge together when we can."

The town bells began to chime as midnight approached. "Merry Christmas, Rachel." Finn pulled her in for a midnight kiss and suddenly the cold weather and distance didn't matter anymore.