Thank you for reviewing, alerting and favoriting this story. It means so much to me. I am writing as much as I possibly can, but tomorrow is a long day and there will be NO time to write in the next 48 hours. There should still be an update on Friday though. Thank you for sticking with me to see what happens. I hope you like what I have in store for our favorite couple. Enjoy!
May 15th, 2015
Finn followed Rachel to her fathers' house. He was nervous, but he always wasn't at the same time. He couldn't have been happier to be able to see Rachel and Arabella. He has missed so much in the last three years and now he was having a chance to make up for it a little bit.
When they pulled in the driveway Finn raced to Rachel's car to get Arabella out of the backseat. He scooped her up in his arms and followed Rachel in the house. Rachel led Finn up to her old room. She got out a set of pajamas for them to help Arabella get into. Finn chuckled and said, "We have some memories in this room."
Rachel returned the laugh as she got the asleep Arabella changed for bed. She softly said, "Oh yes."
"Remember the time your dads thought that having us spend the night together would make us not want to get married?"
"Yeah. It totally backfired. I thought I was going to marry you."
"I still think I am going to marry you someday, somehow. You are the only person I have ever really loved."
"That is sweet Finn, but I don't know about that. Our life has to be all about her."
"It will be, but we deserve to be happy. I could make you happy, Rachel."
"I know you could. I just want Arabella to have everything that she needs. She has missed out on so much and now that you are in her life I want it to stay that way. If something were to happen to us that could ruin things for her. I'm not about to let that happen."
"Rach, you never know until you take a risk. If I am going to risk anything I am going to risk it for you. Arie is never going to lose me. No matter what happens between us, if anything at all happens."
Arabella started to wake a little and looked at her parents. She smiled and said, "Night night, mommy. Night night, daddy."
Finn leaned over and kissed her head before Rachel put her in the crib. He said, "Good night, princess. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."
Rachel kissed the little girl's head as well. She said, "Good night, sweet girl. Mommy loves you so much." After Arabella was settled into the crib, Finn and Rachel crept out of the room. The two of them made their way downstairs. Leroy had already made his way to his room to give the pair some privacy to talk about whatever needed to be talked about.
Finn and Rachel sat down on the couch. Rachel said, "Arie is going to be so happy to have a day with her daddy tomorrow."
"You can come too. That is if you want to."
"No. I think it would be good for the two of you to have some alone time. Finn, thank you for not hating me for being away for so long. I know it wasn't easy on you or my daddies. Thank you so much for taking care of them. I'm glad they had someone here to take care of them if they really needed something."
"They are great guys and they came to be two of my best friends because they knew how I was feeling. It was so hard to live without you. I wanted to marry you, you know."
"I know. I'm sorry that I was such a coward. I should have told you what was going on, but I didn't want Arabella to ever have to go through the rejection that I did. I wanted to make sure that she knew that she was loved. I couldn't risk someone making her think that she wasn't special. She is a perfect little angel with the dancing skills of her father most of the time."
Finn sarcastically gasped. "Hey! I can't help what I pass on. I'm just glad that you kept her."
"There was never a doubt in my mind if I was going to keep her, even before I knew if she was a boy or a girl. She was part of the two of us and she was made out of complete and utter love. I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world."
"She is a mini you. She is everything and more than I thought she would end up being if we ever had a girl. Why did you name her Arabella?"
Rachel chuckled. "I remembered prom night and laying out looking at the stars. You said that if we ever had kids our daughter would be daddy's little princess and the only name that would fit a princess would be Arabella. I loved it from the moment you said it and I knew no matter what that would be the name of our daughter. Then I had to name her Faith because Faithfully was our song and I had Faith that I would see you again. I just knew that Arie would get to meet her daddy and win him over."
"It didn't take much. She is a carbon copy of you and it is so hard to not love a Berry girl. I will do whatever I have to do to make you mine again. I will wait fifty years if I have to. I was stupid and lonely. That was the only reason why I ever would be with her."
"It doesn't matter. I just can't think of dating anyone right at the moment. Arabella needs my full and undivided attention."
"I understand that, but you need to be happy, too."
"I am happy. I'm more than happy. I wouldn't trade being a mother for anything in the world. It isn't an easy job, but it is so rewarding."
"I can't wait to actually feel like a dad."
"You are a dad whether you feel like you are one or not."
"I know it sounds stupid, but I can't wait for Burt to bring the chair over to my apartment so I can sit with Arie and do some of that stuff with her. I know it isn't much."
"No. I think that is something perfect for the two of you to share. That is something she will be able to hold as a precious memory."
"Yeah. Rach, thank you for letting me be part of her life. I promise I won't let anything happen to her. We are just going to go out tomorrow to the park. I'll probably take her to the toy store and spoil her a little bit. Then have a little ice cream. That is only if those things are okay with you."
"I think that is fine. I know she will enjoy that, especially with you."
"Okay. I didn't want to overstep anything and mess up my chances."
"The only way you could do that is if you had her in any kind of danger and I know you wouldn't do that. I can see it in your eyes that you are willing to do anything to protect her."
"You have that right. I would do the same for you."
"That is so sweet, Finn. I still feel the safest when I am with you. There is just something about you that makes me feel like nothing can go wrong. I know that Arabella will feel the same way about her daddy. You are wonderful and I know that you make a wonderful police officer. You know exactly what to do to make someone feel like nothing can go wrong even if they are experiencing some of the hardest times of their lives. Thank you so much for being here with me through the death of my daddy. I was gone for so long and to come back to have to watch him leave was the hardest thing I had to do."
"Rach, I will always be here for you whenever you need me. I am just so sorry about Hiram. He was the one to talk me into going into the academy. I was ready to go into the military to forget about you. I guess it was almost like a death wish, but then he talked me out of it. He told me it would be stupid and I wouldn't be around if you ever did come back. He was like another father to me. As I see it, in my life I have had four dads. Your dads took me under their wing after you left. No one could get me to leave the house except to go to school for six months. I hated life. I didn't hang out with anyone. I spent all of my time lying in bed when I would get home from school just looking at the picture of the two of us from prom night."
"Oh Finn. I am so sorry."
"I didn't tell you that to make you feel bad. I just wanted to be honest. I want the two of us to always be honest with each other. It doesn't matter if it is a romantic relationship or just a relationship of raising Arabella together; we have to be honest with each other."
"You are very right. I promise from here on out no more secrets."
"Good. I guess I should head back to my place and get a little rest before I get to try my hand at being a dad. I don't know how I am going to sleep. I'm too excited."
Rachel smiled and stood with him. She walked him to the door. She hugged him and kissed his cheek. She told him, "It was so good to catch up with you today, Finn."
Finn smiled down at her. "It's good to have you back, Rach. Even if it only for a little while."
"This isn't the last you will be seeing of me, mister."
"Glad to hear it. I'll see you at ten in the morning."
"Great. I'll see you then." The pain shared one last hug and Finn was gone.
Rachel walked back in the house to see that her father had made his way back to the living room. Rachel sat next to him and said, "I don't know what to do. I think I am falling for him again."
Leroy held her and said, "That man loves you more than you will ever realize. He thinks you hung the moon. He has never stopped loving you and I really think you haven't stopped loving him either. If you end up with anyone I hope it is Finn. He is good for both you and Arabella. I mean he is her father."
"I know. It's just so hard to be a mom and figure out what I want for myself when it comes to relationships."
"It isn't something you have to figure out right now, star. There is plenty of time to figure out what you are going to do. He isn't going to be going anywhere. Rachel, that boy would give up everything for you."
"I know and that scares me." Rachel kissed her father's head and heads up to bed. She laid awake for hours trying to figure out what she was going to do only to realize she was nowhere closer than she was before she laid down.