Married
With the New Directions winning Regionals earlier that morning, the group now gathered at the Lima Municipal Court to witness Finchel get married. While the guys were already in the courtroom, Rachel sat in a chair in the dressing room that was reserved for brides and their bridesmaids. Quinn was fixing Rachel's hair, while Noelle was putting the finish touches on Rachel's makeup. The other girls were finishing their hair and makeup and bringing their last minute things together. A knock came at the door and Noelle answered it to see her mother.
"Mom, we'll be ready in about fifteen minutes," Noelle said.
"Okay, I just wanted to check with you all," said Carole as Quinn pinned Rachel's veil onto Rachel's head. "Oh Rachel, you look lovely, Sweetheart."
"Thank you Carole, tell Finn I will see him soon," Rachel smiled. Carole smiled back and held up a finger.
"Oh, I almost forgot, I wanted you to have this Rachel," Carole said, pulling a small box out of her purse and handing it to her. "It was my mother's. She left it behind when she and my father moved away when Finn and Noelle were babies. She wanted me to give it to whoever Finn married."
"What am I? Chopped liver?" Noelle scoffed.
"Oh don't worry, there's plenty of things your grandmother left behind for you," Carole reassured. Rachel beamed as she pulled out a beautiful pearl necklace and embroidered handkerchief.
"Oh Carole, they're gorgeous!" Rachel gushed. "Thank you so much, I will truly cherish these and take wonderful care of them. Will you help me put the pearls on?"
"I would be happy to," Carole said, walking over to the girls and clasping the pearls around Rachel's neck.
"Okay, I think we're all ready," Noelle said as she finished Rachel's makeup. "You ready?"
"Yeah," Rachel nodded. "I think so."
"We'll meet you all out there," Santana said, ushered the other girls out. Quinn took Beth's hand and led her out to find Puck, leaving Noelle and Carole with Rachel.
"I'll go let Mr. Schue know that you're ready," Noelle reassured Rachel, hurrying out to find their teacher.
"I think it was so nice of Will to give you away," Carole said as Rachel grabbed her flowers. Rachel nodded.
"Me too," Rachel smiled. There was an odd feeling churning in Rachel's stomach as Carole walked her out of the room. Will was standing near the entrance to the courtroom with Noelle and Quinn, and before Will, Noelle, Quinn and Carole could react, Rachel put a hand to her mouth and darted for the bathroom. The four's eyes widened and Noelle groaned.
"Oh no," Noelle murmured. "I'll go check on her."
"I'll come with you," Quinn assured Noelle and the two girls hurried into the bathroom and saw Rachel throwing up into one of the toilets.
"Holy crap, are you pregnant?" Quinn hissed to Rachel as she handed some toilet paper to Rachel.
"Quinn!" Noelle scolded. "I'm sure my brother, unlike you and Puckerman, isn't THAT stupid when it comes to protection."
"Actually, I am," Rachel sighed. Noelle and Quinn gasped.
"What!" hissed Noelle. "How? When?" Noelle held up a hand. "Nevermind, I don't want the details. Does Finn know?"
"No, I was going to tell him tonight," Rachel murmured as she pulled some mouthwash out of her clutch and rinsed her mouth. "Please don't tell him."
"It's a bit late for that," came a voice and the three turned to see Finn standing in the doorway with Puck, who's jaw had dropped at Rachel's proclamation.
"Finn! Get out of here! It's bad luck to see the bride!" Noelle hissed.
"You know I'm not superstitious, unlike you," Finn scowled as he hurried over to Rachel. He gently cupped his hands on either side of her face. "Rach, are you sure?" Rachel nodded.
"I took the tests this morning," Rachel sighed as Noelle ushered Puck and Quinn out. "They were all positive." Finn pulled his bride into a hug and kissed her hair.
"I'm gonna make sure this baby is gonna have the best life ever," Finn said. "You are gonna be a great mom, and I can't wait to be his or her daddy."
Tears were streaming down Rachel's face and she kissed Finn.
"You are gonna be the best daddy ever," said Rachel.
"Come on, Mrs. Hudson, we can't keep everyone waiting now," said Finn, holding his arm out to her.
"Okay, let's do this," Rachel replied. They walked out of the bathroom and back over to the courtroom door.
"We'll walk in together," Rachel said to Will. "You can still 'give me away'."
"Okay," Will replied with a smile. He placed a hand on either side of Finn and Rachel's faces. "Congrats you two, Noelle told me."
"Noelle!" Rachel scolded. Noelle blushed.
"Sorry, Mom wanted to know what all the fuss was about and I can't lie to her," Noelle said sheepishly.
"Hey, I think it's great," said Will. "Another Glee Baby. I'm going to need future students in time."
Everyone laughed.
"He's right, you know," Quinn teased. "Beth needs someone to grow up with."
"Okay, we'll be inside," Carole told the two as she hugged and kissed them both. "I can't wait to be a grandma!"
Finn and Rachel were left alone as Carole, Will and Noelle hurried inside.
"Ready, Mrs. Hudson?" Finn asked.
"Ready, Mr. Hudson," Rachel replied. They walked into the courtroom, and the New Directions were softly humming Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" as Finn and Rachel entered the room. As Finn and Rachel reached the Judge's bench, the group stopped humming and formed a half-circle around the two. The judge smiled as she put on her reading glasses and spoke.
"A wedding is such a wonderful occasion filled with hopes, dreams and excitement. We are here today to celebrate the love that Finn and Rachel have for each other, and to recognize and witness their decision to journey forward in their lives as marriage partners. May your love create a safe haven for you both on the journey that lies ahead of you. Lead with your hearts and take the time to do the simple things that will nurture your love. Deeply listen to each other—to your dreams, and to your frustrations. Be helpmates. Be playful in finding new ways to give your love anew to each other every day. Let your love be an inspiration to others to reach for what is good within us all. May your love be so abundant that you have plenty to share with the rest of us as well. It is your love that has brought us together here today. May it grow deeper and sweeter with each passing year."
The judge looked over to Will, Emma, Burt and Carole.
"Who gives this woman to this man?" the judge asked.
"We do," Will and Emma replied and Rachel smiled.
"And who gives this man to this woman?"
"We do," Carole and Burt replied.
"Having acknowledged the deep value of marriage, and recognizing marriage as the convergence of your individual and joint destinies as well as the greatest support for them, do you both choose to marry, to speak the words that will bind you as husband and wife, allowing you to become most fully yourself in each other's presence for the rest of your days?" the judge asked Finn and Rachel.
"We do," Finn and Rachel replied.
"Finn, do you take Rachel to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love, honor,
cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her?"
"I do," Finn replied, looking down at Rachel with a smile. Rachel squeezed his hand.
"Rachel, do you take Finn, to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love,
honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?"
"I do," Rachel replied, smiling back at Finn. The judge turned to Puck.
"Do you have the rings?" the judge asked Puck. Puck nodded and pulled two gold bands from his breast pocket and handed them to Finn and Rachel, who took each other's band.
"Finn, place the ring on Rachel's finger and repeat after me," started the judge. "Rachel, I give you this ring to wear upon your hand as a symbol of our unity, love, respect and trust."
"Rachel, I give you this ring to wear upon your hand as a symbol of our unity, love, respect and trust," Finn repeated as he slid Rachel's wedding ring onto her left hand.
"Rachel, please do the same. Finn, I give you this ring to wear upon your hand as a symbol of our unity, love, respect and trust."
"Finn, I give you this ring to wear upon your hand as a symbol of our unity, love, respect and trust," Rachel repeated and she slid Finn's ring on his hand.
"In so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows, by the authority vested in me by the State of Ohio, I now declare you to be Husband and Wife. Congratulations, you may kiss your bride."
As Finn lifted Rachel's veil and kissed her, pulling her into his arms, the New Directions, Carole, Burt, Will, Emma and Beth all clapped and cheered.
Finn and Rachel pulled away and the judge led them, Puck, and Quinn over to her bench to sign the marriage license.
"Congratulations you two," the judge said a moment later. "Make sure to take that back over to the Probate Court to file."
Rachel sighed as she looked up at the night sky on the balcony of her and Finn's hotel room at the Marriott later that night.
"Well, Mrs. Hudson, we're married," Finn said as he came up behind her.
"That we are," Rachel smiled, looking up at him as he wrapped his arms around her.
"And we're having a baby," Finn replied.
"I told this afternoon that you are going to be a great dad," Rachel replied. "I mean it."
"I hope it's a girl," Finn murmured, brushing his hand along her stomach.
"Really? You want a girl?" Rachel asked with a smile.
"I'd be okay if it was a boy too, but I think I would want a little girl first," Finn smiled. "A mini-you."
"Me too," Rachel whispered. "And we're going to be at all of your football games, cheering you on in the Horseshoe."
"And when you're on Broadway, we'll be in the front row," Finn replied, kissing her.
"I would be okay performing wherever you end up when you go Pro," Rachel replied. "I told you, being a mommy to our children and growing old with you is my real dream, and it's coming true."
"Let's go to bed," Finn whispered huskily. "And I don't mean to sleep."
"Lead the way, Husband."
"You got it, Wife."