Finchel time baby! Hello Dravenites, welcome to another Glee story ( what can I say, it's a GOAT status show) * shrugs*. So, considering how popular Maybe baby was, I figure its time for a prequel. Also, this deviates from the canonical timeline.
Please enjoy!
Lima Ohio. A sleepy town in which an amazing Glee club brought its citizens together. Of this club were two well known members; Finn Christopher Hudson and Rachel Barbra Berry. Vocal powerhouses who just happened to be madly in love.
However, they did have their fallouts. After breaking off their engagement after Rachel got too touchy feely with a gigolo; Brody Weston, Finn became lost, aloof and depressed. However, the one thing he knew was that Rachel never left his mind. He saw her in his dreams at night and thought about her the second he woke up in the morning. He knew he had to get her back.
After going to New York and getting a bit tipsy at Blaine Anderson's 27th birthday party, it became apparent to Rachel that without Finn in her life, she was absolutely miserable. The guy she was with; Jesse St James, she had settled for. He was nice and all, but he just stroked her ego and never showed his true self.
So, after practically dragging Finn into the hotel at which Blaine was celebrating, it became apparent to Rachel that she was miserable without Finn, so the pair decided to give their relationship one last shot, and the rest was history.
After a successful enrollment at a local college. Finn slacked off for a while before getting a wakeup call from Noah Puckerman of all people. It was then that he took his classes seriously. With encouragement from his family, friends and Rachel, he was able to speed through his classes and graduated with top honors.
With his new teaching degree and Cambridge teaching certification, he was headhunted by Joyce Hart; a new principal at a local progressive school. Eager to make his way in the world, Finn happily agreed. He and Rachel moved into a house in Lower Valley, a trendy neighborhood in Lima to be closer to family and friends.
Despite living together for 2 years, Finn realized that he never wanted to be away from Rachel, she was his one true love. So, he enlisted the help of his and Rachel's closest friends to assist in a grand proposal plan.
Finn was going to leave a post it note on their kitchen island, Rachel never could resist an instruction from someone she respected. During that period, he would have Quinn and Kurt come over to entertain Rachel for an hour whilst he prepped the area that he would be proposing in; the McKinley high auditorium.
Once Rachel went to McKinley, she'd be greeted by Will Shuester as she entered and he'd hand her a rose and make up some bullshit excuse to explain why he was at school on a Saturday.
Once that was over, Rachel would go into the auditorium and be greeted by the New Directions alumni singing one of Finn and Rachel's favorite songs.
Once the woman would reach the stage, the alumni would stop singing and Finn would propose, hopefully either love or the fact that her friends were looking at her would compel her to say yes.
However, Finn still needed a ring. Rachel had lost the one he gave her in senior year and Finn wasn't about to give her a ring pop.
This led to him spending his Saturday at a jewelry store with Kurt.
-x-
'' C'mon think. Something simple and classy. Something nice but not too expensive'' Finn muttered to himself analyzing the rings in front of him.
'' Seriously? You've been staring at those things for almost an hour now. Just pick one'' Kurt scoffed. Finn had brought him along for advice.
He was not the only visibly frustrated person there. An exhausted cashier had a fake smile on so as not to annoy any customers, both current and potential.
'' Hey, you were on the opposite side of this. Blaine proposed to you.''
'' Fair enough, but still, its Rachel. As long as its you proposing to her, she couldn't care less.''
Finn smiled. '' As usual little brother, you know exactly what to say.''
'' I know'' Kurt shrugged. '' Now pick a ring. I have a video conference with some Milan people and they hate waiting.''
'' Fine, I'll take…that one'' Finn pointed to a silver mesh wedding ring with a white stone inside it.
'' An excellent choice dear sir, and how shall you be being for this item?'' the cashier asked.
Finn fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a black card with silver numbers on it. '' So long Pumpkin Reaper skin'' he sighed.
-x-
Later that day, Rachel emerged from the front door, visibly exhausted.
'' Hey babe'' she called.
No answer.
'' Where is he? It's a Saturday'' she asked herself as she went into the kitchen.
'' What the?'' Rachel saw a pink post-it note on the island.
Meet me at the old McKinley choir room at 6PM – Finn it read.
'' Weird'' Rachel said out loud.
'' What is?''
Gah! Kurt, Quinn! What're you doing in here?'' Rachel gasped, clutching her chest.
'' I have a spare key. Also, Blaine and Caroline are playing catch in the back yard. Ugh, sports.''
'' Noah has the boys watching cartoons and if I have to watch any more Peppa Pig I may become a carnivore'' Quinn added.
'' Alright fine, but please tell me next time?''
'' Sure, thing babes. Hey, a post it note, from Finn. What does it say?'' Kurt said with glee.
'' McKinley auditorium at 6, not sure why though.''
'' Me neither'' Kurt lied. In actuality, Finn had put both himself and Quinn up to the task of keeping Rachel entertained until 6PM. It would be in the auditorium that Finn would propose and hopefully actually get to marry Rachel this time.
'' Well, hey, its only 5, we have an hour. What do you want to do?'' Quinn asked.
'' No clue. The bachelorette isn't on at the moment and if Finn found out that I watched the Good Place without him, he'd flip out.''
'' Ooh, I have an idea'' Quinn grinned as she dashed out to her car.
'' Any idea what she's going to do?'' Kurt asked his friend.
'' No clue-oh my Gd'' Rachel gasped as Quinn re-emerged. With her she had what looked like the most expensive karaoke machine, either Kurt or Rachel had ever seen.
'' Quinn. Where'd you get this?'' Rachel asked in amazement.
'' My husband's weekly poker games. He won this off a navy seal.''
'' Oh ok. So, what're we singing?'' Kurt rubbed his hands together with glee.
'' The New Directions classic?'' Rachel grinned.
''Mmm. Na. I say we do the Wicked classic-
'' Defying gravity?'' Rachel smiled, finishing her best friend's sentence.
'' Exactly. Quinn! Hook it up!''
'' Excuse me Hummel? I don't work for you'' Quinn spat back.
'' Oh, uhm, sorry-
'' Dude I'm kidding. Sure, I'll plug it in.''
Once Quinn had activated the machine, the trio began to sing.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye. Before the trio knew it, the alarm Quinn put on her phone went off.
'' Oh shit, time to go'' Quinn gasped, running off.
'' How does she do that?'' Rachel asked.
'' She's a kindergarten teacher with two small children, she's quick on her feet'' Kurt answered. '' Now come on, I want to see what Finn has planned'' Kurt practically dragged Rachel behind him.
-x-
Once the trio arrived at McKinley high, Quinn made up a convenient excuse.
'' Oh, I forgot. Kurt, Tommy wants fashion advice'' Quinn said quickly.
'' Oh… he does? Why doesn't he ask his mommy or daddy?''
'' He admires you and he's an infant. Rachel we'll be back. Get out'' Quinn said sharply.
'' Wait, why can't you call him-
'' Go!'' Quinn snapped. The woman was becoming impatient, ever since Finn had filled her in on his plan, she had become super impatient for Rachel to give him her answer for the second time.
'' Ok ok'' Rachel breathed, getting out the vehicle and entering her old school.
'' Hey Rachel'' came a familiar voice.
'' Mr. Shue. What're you doing here?''
'' You do know that I'm the principal, right?''
'' Yes, I do. I meant what're you doing here on a Saturday?''
'' Escape. I have three sons, a daughter and a wife. I need some alone time you know? Also Saturday detention.''
'' I don't have kids so I wouldn't know. But I'll take your word for it Mr. Shue.''
'' I almost forgot to ask you what you're doing here'' Will added.
'' Oh, Finn asked me to meet him at the auditorium, not sure why though.''
Wil tried to hide a knowing grin. '' Huh, ok then. By the way, Emma's taken up gardening and wanted me to give this to you'' Will handed Rachel a rose.
'' Oh. Thanks'' Rachel said, surprised by the random gift. The woman then proceeded to make her way to the auditorium.
Once inside, Rachel was greeted by pure darkness.
'' Ugh. You'd think the light would be on'' Rachel flipped the switch and was greeted by all her friends on either side of the auditorium who began singing '' Don't stop believing''. Of course the only voice she was actually listening to was coming from her boyfriend on the actual stage.
'' Singer in a smokey room'' Finn sang to Rachel as she went on stage with him.
'' Smell of wine and cheap perfume'' Rachel added.
'' Up and down the boulevard. Their shadows searchin' in the night.''
''Streetlights, people. Livin' just to find emotion. Hidin' somewhere in the night'' Fin bellowed, now taking Rachel by the hand.
'' Workin' hard to get my fill. Everybody wants a thrill, payin' anything to roll the dice, just one more time. Some will win, some will lose, some were born to sing the blues.
Oh, the movie never ends, it goes on and on, and on, and on'' the pair finished.
'' What's all this?'' Rachel breathed.
'' He's proposing!'' Puck called, from the far right of the room.
'' Are you?'' Rachel asked.
'' Well. Here's the thing. When we broke up when you were in your first year at NYADA and had feelings for the naked gigolo, I was lost. Being the Glee director helped and so did getting my teaching degree, but something was always missing, and it was you. Look, I can't promise that life's going to be easy. Hell, if anything its going to be a rollercoaster that just snorted an entire kilo of coke. But with us by each other's side, I know that we can get through it together. Rachel Barbra Berry, will you marry me…again?'' Finn chuckled.
'' That's weird'' Rachel furrowed her brow.
'' Is that a no? Because if so, this this isn't refundable.''
'' No, its just that I've never seen someone laugh at their fiancé when they propose'' Rachel smirked.
'' Wait? That's a yes?'' Finn said excitedly.
Rachel pressed her lips to his. '' Absolutely.''
The entire room burst into thunderous applause, celebrating the newly engaged couple.
