"Good morning," a sing-song voice said into his ear as his eyes opened to the barn around him. Finn smiled when he remembered why he was in the barn to begin with and what happened in the barn.

Finn rolled over and looked at the beauty lying next to him wearing nothing but a gorgeous smile just for him. "Good morning? More like greatest morning ever."

Rachel giggled and pulled Finn in for a kiss making his heart beat his blood southward at an incredibly fast pace. She ground her body against his when she could feel how happy she was making him against her leg forcing a groan from his mouth.

"If you're gonna do that, you better follow through," he mumbled into her mouth with a playful smirk.

"Oh I plan on it." Rachel rolled Finn onto his back and sat up whipping her messy sex hair behind her. She teasingly rubbed herself against Finn as he stared at her glorious boobs.

"You are trying to kill me aren't you?"

Rachel smiled devilishly at him. "Of course not. How could I do this," she lifted herself and sank down on Finn's shaft, whining in self-indulgence, "if you were dead?"

Almost too slow for Finn's eager libido, Rachel rocked her hips back and forth taking him inside her repeatedly. She leaned forward to plant a mind-numbing kiss on him and allowed him to flip them over. His thrusts into her were slow and drawn out, making her beg for more.

"Finn, faster please," she cried out as she clutched the pillow her head was on tightly. Finn obliged and began moving faster and harder into her making her moans louder and more pronounced. She closed her eyes and let the sexual delirium wash over her.

"Holy crap!" a male voice Rachel had never heard before yelled out from her right. Her eyes shot open and she screamed a little when she saw a blonde head poking out of the entrance of the stairs.

Finn whipped his head around when he realized Rachel wasn't screaming because of anything he was doing and immediately went into defensive mode. He made sure Rachel was covered as he sat up and turned to deal with the intruder.

"What the hell are you doing in my barn?" the blonde man yelled at them. Then his eyes widened when he saw who exactly he was yelling at. "Your Majesty! I'm s-sorry. I had no idea it was you!" The man averted his eyes from the naked lovers and bowed his head before going back down the staircase.

Finn turned to Rachel, who he just realized was tightly holding his body to hers. He pried her fingers from his arms and held her hands in his. "Are you okay?" he asked, bringing her hands up to kiss them reassuringly.

She nodded her assent. "Mhm, just a little shaken that we were walked in on."

"Yeah, he had bad timing. We should probably get dressed and get out of here. I can guarantee you that no one will bother us back at the castle." He waggled his eyebrows at her before taking her face in his hands and giving her a chaste kiss.

Finn reluctantly tore himself away from Rachel and searched for their clothes only finding his pants and vest and Rachel's dress. They threw on what they had and hastily made their way downstairs.

"I don't care, Sam. This is our barn! People shouldn't be just - oh, your Majesty! I didn't realize it was you upstairs," a larger black woman stated when she saw it was Finn who traipsed down from the loft guiltily. "I just heard noises up there and thought it was some thieves or something. I would never have sent Sam up there if I had known..."

Finn put his hand out to stop her. "It's alright Mercedes. We really need to get back to the castle anyway. Thank you for letting us stay here last night even if you didn't know about it. I'll be sure to make it up to you."

"Oh, it's no problem, your Majesty. Anytime. Actually, would you like to stay for breakfast?" She smiled at them. "I made a ton of food since my brother and his kids are coming over later. Oh and we found your shirt and whatever these are on the ground this morning." Mercedes held out Finn's missing shirt and Rachel's panties for them to take. Rachel, feeling totally embarrassed, ripped her underwear from Mercedes' grip and hid them behind her back until she could get somewhere private to put them on.

Finn looked at Rachel. "Do you want to stay for breakfast?"

"As long as we aren't imposing?" Rachel shrugged and looked at the couple opposite them. She only now realized how incredibly hungry she was.

"You wouldn't be imposing. You're more than welcome to join us," Sam said.

"Okay, breakfast would be great," Finn replied to their hosts. Rachel and Finn followed Sam and Mercedes out of the barn and into their adorable little cottage home. They walked in and found a large spread of food all over their cute little kitchen.

"Wow, that's a lot of food," Rachel commented.

"I enjoy cooking. Keeps me busy and popular among the town," Mercedes responded as she offered Rachel a plate.

"Mercedes works at the pub in town. She makes the best chili." Sam leaned down to give her a kiss before he pulled the chair out for her to sit down.

Finn did the same for Rachel and they all started eating. Sam looked at Finn and Rachel who were sitting very close to each other. Finn's hand was below the table on Rachel's knee and she smiled at him as she twined her fingers with his.

"So your Majesty, if you don't mind my asking…why did you need to spend the night in my barn? You live in the nicest place in the entire kingdom," Sam asked between bites.

"I was showing Rachel around because she's new to town and we got caught in the storm on the way back to the castle. I knew your barn was close by and I didn't think you'd mind."

"Oh yeah, no problem. I was just surprised when I found you. But you're welcome here anytime, your Majesty."

The small group talked jovially throughout breakfast and Mercedes and Sam let Finn and Rachel clean up a little before they said their goodbyes. They walked out to the barn and Finn took Rachel's hand and led them over toward where they had left Rodney and Henrietta for the night. Except when they got there, neither horse was in their stall. "Um, where did they go?"

Rachel was just as perplexed as Finn. She hadn't seen Rodney or Henrietta leave but she also hadn't been paying much attention to anything other than Finn then they went to breakfast. Finn left Rachel by the stall momentarily to ask Sam and Mercedes if either of them had seen their horses. When he returned he looked annoyed.

"Where'd they go?" Rachel asked.

"Sam didn't know whose horses they were so he let them out and they ran off. They definitely aren't getting extra carrots now."

"Will they be okay roaming around on their own?" Rachel asked with concern.

"Oh yeah, they'll be fine. They know how to get back to the castle. They were probably starving and couldn't wait for Brittany to feed them. Doesn't help us though."

Rachel smiled. "Well we can just walk back. I can see more of the natural beauty of McKinley that way." Rachel clasped her hands together and swayed a little.

"That's a good idea, Rach. Actually..." Finn trailed off in thought. "Let's go."

Rachel took Finn's hand and let him lead her toward the exit. "So what thought did you just have?" Rachel asked Finn, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him as they walked in the direction that would lead them back to the castle.

He just grinned down at her. "You'll see when we get there."

"My interest is quite piqued, your Majesty." Rachel giggled as she slipped her hand into Finn's and leaned her head against his shoulder.

They walked along in peaceful silence until Finn led them over to a small overgrown pathway Rachel would never have noticed if Finn hadn't pointed it out. "Seriously Finn, where are we going?"

"Can't I just surprise you? Believe me, you're gonna love it," he crowed of their secret destination.

"How do you know about this place?" Finn moved some branches out of the way so they could step through to where the path was fully cleared.

"I found it when I was a kid and wandered off castle grounds and got lost. I've been going there ever since whenever I need to get away from the castle for a while. It's a really nice place to sit and think. Very few people know about it."

"Do the unicorns know about it?" Rachel chuckled a bit. She still couldn't believe there were unicorns in McKinley.

"They do actually since the water there is full of magical qualities...or so Brittany says. I've never had any magical experiences while there. The unicorns usually avoid it whenever humans are around though."

They walked a long a little ways and Finn started to get even more excited as they got closer. "How much further is it?" Rachel asked curiously.

"We're nearly there. I can hear the water."

A few hundred yards away beyond a grouping of large willow trees Rachel could hear the water too. Finn's face lit up as he pulled back the long vine-like branches of one of the willows and let Rachel go forward first. They moved through the shadows until they got to the other side where Rachel took it upon herself to draw back the branches and gasped at the utter beauty she saw on the other side.

"Oh my...Finn this is beautiful." Rachel's mouth and eyes were wide open in awe as she spun around taking everything in. It was like something out of a dream. There was a small sandy white shore that turned into a small crystal clear lake. On the far side of the water was a large rock face with the biggest willow tree Rachel had ever seen growing out of it over the water and a little waterfall spilling around both sides of the tree. When she looked closer she could see there was a cave beyond the water.

"I can see why you come here all the time."

Finn shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, it's my favorite place in McKinley."

He watched Rachel walk forward and remove her shoes. She dunked her toes into the water and was surprised at how warm it was.

She turned her head back to look at Finn. "Is the water always this warm?"

"Yeah, even in the winter. I like to come here to swim."

Rachel turned back around and started pulling her dress up over her head. Finn gulped as she removed the garment and threw it back onto the beach. She stood there in only her panties and shyly looked back at Finn when she realized it would be the first time he'd really see her fully naked in the light. She smiled softly at him as she pushed her panties down her body revealing her backside in its entirety. Slowly she turned around and it was practically comical how fast Finn developed a boner.

"Would you care to join me for a swim?" she asked sweetly, stepping back into the water and swimming backward when she got deep enough in. Finn stood still, gaping at Rachel who was smirking at him. She dunked her head under and when she resurfaced found Finn finally undressing and joining her in the water. He moved to take her in his arms but Rachel swam away. "Nope, you need to earn it first." She bit her lip and smiled as she giggled and swam around.

"You really enjoy torturing me, don't you?" Finn smiled back at her and moved forward to attempt to capture her but she swam away too quickly.

"We're going to play a game. Have you ever heard of Marco Polo?"

Finn shook his head. "Nope. Who's he?"

"He was an explorer but more importantly his name has become a game. If you want all of this," Rachel announced suggestively with a cute head tilt, "then you need to win the game."

"How do you play?"

"Close your eyes." Rachel waved her hand to indicate he needed to close them. "Close your eyes."

Finn followed her orders and closed his eyes listening for the next direction. "What now?" He could hear Rachel splashing around then felt her presence directly in front of him.

Her breath was on his ear. "You call Marco and I call Polo then you come find me." Then she was gone.

Finn cleared his throat. "Uh, um, Marco?"

"Polo," her melodic voice called from far off to his right. He moved in that direction.

"Marco."

"Polo." This time her voice came from his left. Finn's head swiveled in that direction.

"Marco."

"Polo." Her voice was behind him and seemed to be closer this time.

"Marco."

Finn could feel warmth spreading over his back. "Polo."

He whipped around quickly and pulled Rachel to him before she could escape again. His eyes opened to see her shining smile greeting him. "I won. Now what's my prize?"

Rachel hopped onto Finn and wrapped her legs around his body. "Me." She giggled and Finn held her closer, furling his fingers around her neck and pulling her to him to kiss her deeply.

They took their time kissing, sucking on each other's tongues, nipping at the other's lips, enjoying the taste of each other as they remained wound around one another. Finn's hands explored the contours of Rachel's body, the gentle curve of her back down to her rounded behind, over her smooth legs. Her body pressed against his and Finn ran his hand up Rachel's stomach to her breast.

"Make love to me, Finn," Rachel whispered quietly against Finn's lips as their kiss broke apart. Finn nodded softly and reached down between them to guide himself into Rachel. She whimpered as he slowly made love to her in the water, taking his time to make sure she was satisfied and coming undone around him before releasing into her.

"I love you so much, Rachel," Finn breathed as he stroked her hair and pressed kisses to any bit of skin he could reach.

"I love you too, Finn. I love you."

While Finn held Rachel there, suspended in rapture, warm tingles spread through her starting from the tips of her toes and fingers, down from the top of her head, pulling inward until they balled up inside her and finally came to rest with a soft pulsing sensation in the center of her body. She had never experienced anything like the sensation before but it was incredible.

"I think even my body loves you because I just had the most incredible tingling sensation."

"I think it's the water because I'm feeling tingles too. Must be part of the magic," he said with a grin.

Rachel turned her head and noticed the cave behind the waterfall. She nodded toward it. "Have you ever been in there?"

Finn looked at the cave too. "Of course. Let's go." He moved Rachel to his back and swam them over to the cave until they got to the natural rock steps that led up into the hollowed out rock. Much to Rachel's surprise a black and glittery sand covered the ground.

Rachel was in awe of the structure as every inch of it glittered, casting colorful rays of light over their skin. "McKinley is just full of surprises. This is so beautiful. I've never seen anything like it."

"Yeah, me either," Finn replied, staring at Rachel's naked body wandering around the cave rather than the cave itself. When she looked down from the stalactites on the ceiling to catch Finn's eyes raking over her body, her whole being blushed. It was still an unusual occurrence for her to be so vulnerable in front of another person.

Rachel folded her hands behind her back and walked back to Finn, grinning like a fool. "You realize you're staring, right?"

Finn looked up from Rachel's chest and into her eyes. "Sorry, you're just…gorgeous. I love every bit of you."

She wrapped her arms around his body and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. "I feel the same." Rachel kissed him again and Finn picked her up before laying her out on the sand.

Finn brushed some hair out of Rachel's face, smoothing his thumb over her cheek. "Right now I plan on showing you just how much I love every bit of you."

The lovers spent hours at the Crystal Lake making love and discovering each other. Finn couldn't get enough of Rachel and Rachel couldn't keep from needing more of Finn all day. It was only as Finn watched Rachel pick a flower and put it in her hair that he realized this was where it should happen, here and now.

Nervous excitement building in him, Finn dug through his pants to find the little box he'd been carrying around since the day prior. When Rachel got back to the cropping of rocks they had been lying out in the sun on, Finn stood up and took Rachel's hands before she could sit down. She looked concerned when she noticed he was sweating and licking his lips repeatedly.

"Finn, are you okay?"

He smiled at her. "I'm fine; more than fine. I'm fantastic, Rachel." He took a deep breath and launched into an impromptu engagement proposal. "Rachel, I know we haven't known each other all that long but you love me right?" She nodded and went to speak but Finn continued. "I love you too and I've never felt this way about anyone. Ever since I met you four days ago…or I guess, technically yesterday in this world, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. When we're together I feel whole and when we're apart all I do is think about being with you again. So, what I'm trying to ask you is," Finn got down on one knee and Rachel's eyes widened and she chewed on her lip nervously, "will you do me the honor of becoming the Queen to my King and marry me? I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I don't want you to leave McKinley. I want you to stay with me and be with me, so please say yes." He held out the stunning starburst diamond ring with the simple platinum band, waiting patiently for her to accept it.

Finn stared up at Rachel with hope in his eyes but all she could do was stare back at him in terror. Rachel had spent two days in this world ignoring reality and enjoying Finn's company but Finn's sudden proposal had broken Rachel of the spell McKinley had cast over her. She wasn't from this world, she couldn't stay here. Sure she loved Finn, but she had only known him for four days, not even that many in McKinley. She couldn't leave behind her life in New York forever after four days!

"No," she breathed out so low Finn almost didn't hear her. His face fell slightly but Rachel could still see just a glimmer of hope on his features.

"What?" he croaked out. "Rachel-"

"No, Finn," Rachel said louder this time. Tears began to well in her eyes. "I can't marry you."

"But we love each other…" Finn stated with confusion. They loved each other, why couldn't they be together?

"I do love you, Finn but I barely know you. We've known each other for four days. Even four months would still not be enough time."

Finn was really confused. Four months. He couldn't wait four months, he wanted Rachel to be his now! He needed her now!

"Four days is longer than my parents knew each other before getting married."

"I'm sorry, but I can't." She pulled her hands from Finn and beckoned for him to stand up. He gripped the ring tighter in his hand. "Finn, I have a life back in New York. I have an apartment and a job and my dads and I can't just leave those things behind."

Finn's face drew together in frustration. Why was she doing this? They loved each other and he knew she was unhappy back in her world, he could sense that from the beginning. She had been happy in McKinley with him, why wouldn't she want to stay with him where she was in love and happy? Why couldn't he make her see it?

"Rachel, you live in a single room and have a job you don't like. You only have one friend who is an old man and a creepy neighbor who probably jerks off to the sound of you breathing."

Rachel's mouth fell open aghast at his blunt assessment of her life. "Thank you for pointing out how entirely awful my life is Finn because I didn't know that already." She stormed over to where her dress was still lying forgotten on the beach.

Finn sighed realizing he may not have put that in the best terms. "Rachel, that's not what I meant. I only meant that I know you aren't happy at home. I realize McKinley doesn't have Broadway or karaoke bars or showers – which I'm going to look into getting because they're awesome – or even electricity, which is also awesome, but it has me. Now I may be crazy, but from what I've seen, I make you happier than all those other things combined, Rachel." He started to tear up himself as Rachel hastily pulled her clothes on. She couldn't leave him. She just couldn't.

"My life may not be the greatest, I don't live like royalty, but it's still my life and I can't just abandon it because I had four amazing days with a man I hardly know."

Finn reached out and grabbed Rachel's hand when she turned to stalk off to get to the path back to the road. "But you do know me," he yelled out louder than he meant to. His frustration with the stubborn woman he had fallen in love with was beginning to grow. "And I know you. So it's been four days but we know each other better than some people I've known my entire life. I know that when you're upset you like to drink water because your dads would always bring you a glass of it when you were sad as a little girl, I know that you dream of playing Eva Perón, Fanny Brice and Laurey Williams even though I have no idea who those people are. I know that you snore, loudly, and drool when you sleep but I find it adorable. I know that your singing is the most enchanting thing in any world and your cheeks get so rosy when you're drunk and when I find that sweet spot just below your ear, your leg shakes from it. I know that you weren't treated fairly by anyone in your world and that you deserve better than spending your time working as a sad clown, living in one room, waiting for Prince Charming to come along and save you. Well guess what Rachel, Prince Charming has arrived and you're turning me away. I'm sorry that I'm not from your world but that doesn't mean I'm not real."

Rachel was crying openly now trying to hold back the more intense sobs.

"I love you, Rachel. Why can't that be enough?"

"Can you please take me back to the castle now? I need to go home." She ripped her arm away from Finn and tried to walk around him.

"Rachel-" Finn tried to grab her again but she spun around and screamed at him.

"You can't ask me to decide this now, Finn! I need time and I need to go home, now! So please, just take me back to the castle."

Finn stood there stunned at her outburst. Tears streamed down her face and her eyes and nose were red and puffy. Though she looked miserable he still could only see the dazzling woman who had captured his heart and was now holding it in a vice grip and crushing it. He just nodded, his lips mashed together tightly trying to hold back his own tears as he walked to grab his clothes. He shoved the ring back in its box angrily and put it back in his pocket.

He couldn't believe he had been so vulnerable with her in every way, he was even naked, and she stepped all over him like that. Finn didn't love Rachel any less but he could not understand why she wouldn't accept him. It just wasn't a concept fathomable to him that she would say no after everything.

Rachel turned away from Finn to let him dress a little more privately after she had just destroyed his dream. She couldn't marry Finn. Rachel loved him but love wasn't always enough. They had to be realistic. With the constant time shifts of traveling back and forth through the door, there didn't seem a way to make things work with them each staying in their own worlds. Brittany said it had never been done and it probably wouldn't end well which would mean one of them would have to choose to leave their world behind forever to be with the other. Rachel couldn't let Finn give up everything for her and she couldn't leave behind the only life she knew.

"If you're ready, I'm ready," Finn called from behind her tersely. She turned around to find him staring at her brokenly. He shook his head and led the way out of the hidden lake. The walk back to the castle was a silent lonely one with Rachel walking a few paces behind Finn the entire way, a far cry from the love filled and happy walk from Sam's barn.

When they made it back, Finn told Kurt to spread the word that he was not to be disturbed by anyone until further notice and Rachel changed back into her own clothes. When she walked back into Finn's room she found him sitting dejectedly on his bed with his head in his hands.

"I'm so sorry, Finn. I really do love you but I'm just not ready for this yet." A tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. Finn looked up at her sadly.

"I don't think you aren't ready. I think you're scared and you're letting your fear get in the way of your happiness." Finn stood up abruptly and took Rachel's face in his hands. "I love you Rachel and if you say you need some time to think, I'll give you some." He lightly pressed his lips to her forehead. "Please, come back to me."

Finn pulled away from Rachel and walked out to his balcony facing away from her. He didn't want to have to actually watch her leave him; it would hurt too much.

Rachel cried a little harder as she walked to the cabinet. She took one last glance at Finn's back, his head hanging low as he leaned on the railing, before stepping inside and shutting the door behind her.

Miles away in a dark corner of the kingdom where very few ever dared to venture, Lady Fabray and Quinn were hesitantly knocking on the door of the one woman who could help with their predicament.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Quinn asked her mother for the umpteenth time.

Lady Fabray knocked on the door again. "If the King is as obsessed with this woman as it seems this will be the only way for you to marry him."

The door flew open and a haggard old woman stepped forward out of the shadows. "What?" she barked at the two blondes on her doorstep.

"Terri Schuester?" Lady Fabray stuttered out.

The woman in the door sighed. "It's Del Monico now, but yes?"

"We were sent by her Highness Sue Sylvester-"

The Witch threw them a scary sweet smile. "Oh yes, come on in." She let them enter her home and they reeled at the scent in the air.

"What is that awful smell?" Quinn asked wrinkling her nose at it.

"Anti-aging potion. It's nearly ready." She walked over to her small cauldron and dipped a spoon into it, sniffing the contents more closely. Terri smiled in satisfaction before filling a glass full of the reeking potion and downing it. Before Lady Fabray and Quinn's eyes the woman dropped decades by the second to reveal a much younger and more attractive woman. "Oh my goodness, that is so much better. I was beginning to actually feel old that time. More teenagers really need to walk through this wood so I can steal their youth."

Quinn took a step back as Terri eyed her delicate features. "Right. Can we just get down to business please?" She needed to be wary of this woman. If she was known to associate with Sue willingly chances were she was absolutely no good.

"Of course." She looked more closely at Quinn. "You have magnificent bone structure and is your hair naturally that color?"

Quinn's nostrils flared. "That is not pertinent to our business. Now if you could please focus."

The air in the room suddenly became charged as Terri's mood shifted. "I suggest you watch the tone you use with me young lady. I can do some serious damage to that pretty little face of yours." She slid her finger along Quinn's jaw then sat down in her oversized chair at her table, motioning for Quinn and Lady Fabray to sit as well. "So, what exactly do you need from me that Sue sent you?"

"The King-"

"Stop right there." Terri stuck her finger out. "If you're here to try to get me to help you kill the King, it's a big fat no. Those days are behind me. I don't kill anyone anymore ever since I killed the love between my husband and me. I only torture and maim."

"We don't want to kill the King. We just need a simple potion to make Quinn here look like the woman King Finn is infatuated with," Lady Fabray explained.

Terri stared at them like they were stupid. "Simple? Simple? You think a potion like that is simple? No, it's not. I can't just brew you up a batch and hand it over. It's an active potion which means I need time and the girl, not to mention payment. Nothing is free in this world, ladies."

Quinn and her mother looked at each other. "What if we could get you out of this…" Quinn glanced around at her surroundings, "less that desirable living situation and back into the castle?"

Terri's ears pricked up at this. "How?"

"With the success of this potion Sue will become queen and can then reinstate you to your former position. She may even be able to get you your husband back." Quinn arched her eyebrow as a mischievous smirk crossed her face.

"I'll need more than that. There's no guarantee you'll succeed in whatever your plan is."

Lady Fabray then pulled the biggest diamond Terri had ever seen out of her purse. "Is this enough for payment?"

Terri's eyes were wide and sparkled as she salivated over the jewel. "That'll work. Just bring me the girl and I'll have everything else ready for when she gets here." She stared at the diamond reaching out for it until Lady Fabray snatched it back.

"You'll get paid once we have a working potion." She stood up and pulled Quinn to her feet as well. "Have it ready by tomorrow. We'll be back with the girl then."

Leaving Terri seething at losing the diamond, Lady Fabray yanked Quinn along with her as they exited the dilapidated cottage.

"How are we supposed to get the whore? She's with Finn constantly. He'll notice if she goes missing."

Lady Fabray smiled wickedly at her daughter before getting into their carriage.

"Leave it to me, my darling."

Mwahahahahaha!