A/N: I am posting the last few chapters of Protecting my one all at once because I didn't want to keep you wonderful readers waiting too much longer. Then I'll start on the rewrite for second part of this story, I wanted it to be me. Thanks for reading.
**keep on drumming**
School on Monday, was inundated with different versions of what happened Friday night, how the story got around I don't know, but Rach and I just wanted to put it behind us and get on with the last couple of weeks of senior year.
Prom was this Friday, Rach had found her dress a couple of weeks ago and told me it was a surprise,
"Can you at least tell me the colour baby, so I know what colour flowers to get?" I asked hopefully.
"Ok Finn." She says with a cheeky giggle "It is dark purple with some black, that's all."
Rachel had kicked me out of her bedroom while she was getting ready, and when she glided down the stairs an hour later. I was rendered breathless, my eyes fixated on the satin encased goddess in front of me. Rachel's dress was a one shouldered, deep purple with a layer of fine black lace over the top, fitting tight around her boobs and waist before falling straight to mid- calf. The waist line was defined with sparkling diamantes. Her shoes were a deep plum colour, with 5-inch heels also embellished with sparkling stones down the back of the heel, then along the outside edge up to the toe. Her brunette locks were piled on the top of her head with sparkly star pins placed strategically to catch the light. Soft makeup highlighted her beautiful face, with a light covering of dark purple on her eyelids, lips a dark plum.
Her neck showed off the ever-present twin heart necklace. The wound in her shoulder was still sore and healing and tonight covered by a skin coloured adhesive bandage with the strap on her dress wide enough to cover the evidence. I knew I had picked the right flowers for her corsage, when I chose the combination of two light purple, and one dark purple rose bud with a silver ribbon embossed with black velvet hearts.
I was dressed simply in a black tux, white shirt and black bow tie. When Rachel slowly walked up to me and told me how handsome and sexy I looked while pining the single purple rose with silver leaves to my lapel, I could do nothing but pull her closer by the waist and press a deep kiss onto her plump purple lips, showing her how absolutely stunning she is.
A bunch of us pooled our money and splurged on a limo, so after the many, many photos dads took we hopped in and made our way to collect Kurt and Blaine who along with everyone else had assembled at the Hudmel house. While everyone else was taking photos, and putting the finishing touches on their outfits and hair, (Kurt mainly) amid laughter and friendly teasing. I was reflecting on the fact that I had only really known these people for a year, but they had become the best friends I'd ever had in my life. I was so thankful I'd had late baseball practice that Friday, because if I'd just gone home like normal I would probably still be the jock trying to find my way in life. But hearing that magical voice changed my entire life's focus of what I thought was important and helped me find a better future.
I was shaken from my memories when the tiny brunette love of my life wrapped her arms around my waist and kissed my cheek,
"Are you ok baby?"
I looked down into her chocolate brown eyes with a soft look, wrapping her in a tight hug.
"Yeah, I'm good babe; I was just thinking how much my life has changed for the better in just one year, you know before I heard an angel sing for the first time and fell in love without even knowing who belonged to the voice, joining glee was one of the best things I ever did. But do you know what the very best thing is?"
A small negative shake of her head made me chuckle.
"Finny don't laugh at me" she pouts "tell me!"
"Babe the best thing I got from joining glee is you! Silly, the one and only love of my life."
"I am really glad you joined too Finn, and I can't wait to begin the next stage of our life."
I leant down to take her sweet lips hostage until we heard the clearing of a throat behind us and turned to find our parents and friends, all with the same look of amusement on their faces.
"Um, when you two are finished, could we get some photos of all of you please?" Mom questioned.
With a giggle, embarrassed smiles and pink cheeks Rach and I just nodded and went to join the others hand in hand.
This year the decorating committee had really outdone themselves. The gym looked like a set from a 1930's movie; it was funny to think it was usually filled with sweaty guys in shorts. There were wicker chairs and tables and potted palms and big flat fans wafting overhead, twinkling lights and drape covered walls, even the basketball hoops were used as stands for spotlights, everything was fantastic. We were some of the first to arrive so we found our same spot as last year and pulled the tables together. The school band was set up next to the stage and DJ again, some of the younger glee kids were singing again this year but us seniors were just chilling and enjoying ourselves. But we had a surprise for Mr Schue.
Just before Principal Figgins announced king and queen, the original 6 members of The New Directions, took over the stage and sang Don't Stop Believing, because that's where it all started. When we finished, Mr Schue was flat out crying and came up on stage to hug all of us and whisper his thanks for making his job so much more enjoyable and rewarding.
It was a fun night, Rach and I spent most of the night with our arms wrapped around each other slow dancing or sitting talking with our friends It was the perfect end to our senior year, now all that was left was graduation next week and we were done.
We arrived at school for graduation not sure how to feel exactly, on one hand we were excited because it was the end of 12 years of formal schooling, but also a little nervous about the next stage, in our new adult lives. We could see our parents were all sitting close together chatting away like the good friends they had become, when we were told to make our way in alphabetical order on to the stage. Special awards were given to many kids including, Mercedes, Kurt, Blaine, Tina, Rachel and to my great surprise me!
As Principal Figgins called us all by name and Miss Pillsbury handed us our diplomas our parents cheered and clapped to the point of embarrassment. By the end of photo time it felt like our faces were fixed in the same position.
I grabbed Rach away from the group and kissed her with all the passion I could muster. "Oh, Rach I am so proud and happy that you are mine and now our life can really start."
She answered me once her breath returned that she couldn't wait either.
We had decided to stay in Lima until the middle of July, as I had a very special event planned for Rach and wanted all our family and friends to be there. I had spoken to Dads and asked for their permission to propose to Rachel, they had given their consent, with tears and giant hugs. Mom and Burt also knew of my plan as did Kurt who was finding it hard to keep the news a secret from Rach. It just felt like the right time, some people might think it was too soon and that we were much too young, but deep in my heart I knew the timing was right, anyway being engaged didn't mean we had to get married right away.
I had secretly invited all our friends to a party at Mom and Burt's, telling Rach it was a graduation/going away party, which was technically true, as the four of us were heading to New York, Mercedes and Tina were headed for California and Artie for North Carolina. The Saturday of our graduation party arrived and everything was going to plan. Mom had taken Rach in to Dayton a couple of days before to find a new outfit and Kurt had given Rach a makeover, not that she needed one but there you go she looked beautiful as always. All our friends arrived by 7pm even Mr Schue, Miss Pillsbury and coach Beiste, as she had become a good friend and mentor. I invited Puck too, not sure if he would show but hoped he would. Time was spent reminiscing about the 4 years spent at McKinley; Mr Schue had put together a video of all our performances from our competitions and some random shots from the choir room, and given each of us a DVD as a graduation gift.
After a buffet style dinner, everyone was gathered in the family room just talking to each other music playing softly in the background, when I gave Kurt the signal to change the music to what we had decided on for the moment! Rachel was sitting in our favourite comfy armchair when I knelt in front of her and took hold of her left hand and said a bit nervously.
"Rachel, you are without a doubt, the most beautiful and caring person I have ever met, and the unfailing belief you have in me, takes my breath away, I am so very grateful you found it in your heart to love me and let me love you in return, and I can't imagine a future without you by my side, when I think what we have been through lately, it just goes to show how tethered we are, I am so in love with you, so I am asking you Rachel Barbra Berry to make me the happiest man in the world and consent to be Mrs Rachel Hudson.?"
I opened the little box and said quietly
"This is the ring my Dad gave Mom and they were so happy, I hope to make you as happy if you will have me."
My answer came in the form of a squeal and a teary
"Of course, Finn Hudson, there was never going to be any other answer but YES!"
She launched herself, into my arms nearly making me drop the box and fall backwards. She pulled away just enough to let me slide the single diamond surrounded by sapphires and diamond chips on a thin gold band, onto her tiny finger, it was a perfect fit, I was so glad I'd had it resized. We kissed with all our friends and family cheering and crying with happiness for us. As we stood up and went around the room accepting everyone's congratulations, I noticed a familiar Mo-hawk in the doorway and handed Rach with a kiss on her cheek, over to Mercedes and Tina so they could admire her ring.
"Hey Man, long time no see, I'm glad you could make it." I said and gave him a bro hug.
"Yeah well, you're leaving soon and I have felt like the worst best friend in the world for a while now, you know dude, since you joined glee club you've changed and I guess I didn't know how to handle it, bein' an individual and not just followin' a leader has always been hard for me."
"Don't sweat it man I guess I've just grown up and finally figured what I want out of life." looking over at my fiancée with a love stuck look on my face.
"Who would have thought it dude you and Berry." He chuckles nervously but I can see the truth in his hazel eyes that he really is happy for me.
"Yeah well, when you change your way of thinking, you are bound to find good things when you least expect to."
"Well if you are happy, I'm happy for you dude, when do you leave?"
"A couple of weeks just remember if you're ever in New York you are more than welcome to stop by man, just please don't advertise the fact that's where we are, coz I don't want any blonde crazies knowing."
"Thanks dude, and of course, I'm still getting my head around that business, glad I was never interested in goin' there." Just at that moment Rach comes bouncing over and wraps her tiny arms around my middle.
"Hello Noah, how are you?"
''I'm good Rachel, I guess congratulations are in order."
"Thank you, Noah, what are your plans now you have graduated?"
"Not sure I was thinking of taking some courses at Lima Community College maybe something to do with music, if it can change Hudson's life maybe there is hope for a Lima Loser like me."
"Oh Noah," putting her hand on his forearm Rach says softly, "Please don't quote that horrible cliché or use it as an excuse not to try, if you want change in your life badly enough you can do it, it doesn't matter what anybody says." Rachel turns away as she is being called by Mom, she leans up to kiss my cheek and skips off again.
"You know" he says, shaking his head with a small smile, "She is the only one besides my Mom and sister who has ever called me Noah, I don't know how can she be so nice to me after all the shit I've done to her over the years, I mean when we were like real little at temple I always thought she was cute and nice every time she brought sugar cookies or brownies in, and as we grew up she always had this belief that she would get out of Lima by being different. I guess I was a little jealous but instead of being nice I just followed the jock mentality and started to pick on her, but it never seemed to matter how many times I threw a slushy or teased her she was always nice and never held a grudge."
"It just goes to show how big her heart is man, maybe you should take her advice now and try and change if you really are determined to be a better person. Anyway, enjoy yourself tonight man and don't forget the offer of a place to crash if your ever come to the Big Apple, take care bro."
I shook his hand and left Puck, hopefully thinking seriously about his life and making a change for the better, he deserves the chance to show he can be good at something, after all isn't that what everyone secretly wants?
Mine and Rachel's engagement notice was in the local paper a week after the party with a photo, clearly showing how happy we are. The final preparations for the move to the big city were about done, goodbyes had all been said. So, the last week or so was spent with just family.
Burt had organised a couple of U-Haul trailers through a friend who had a hire yard in Dayton as well as in New Jersey, we would just leave them at his yard once we got there. Kurt and I would tow them to take everything, besides furniture, that was easier to buy new once we worked out how much space was available at the loft, both Mom and Blaine's Mom Louise, had packed boxes of plates and pots and pans and general household stuff, so at least we wouldn't be eating off paper plates, or ordering takeout all the time.
Two days before our big move a letter was delivered to the Berry's addressed to Rachel. She arrived at Mom's just after lunch nervously twisting the ends of her hair with her fingers, as soon as I saw her car in the drive I raced downstairs to greet my beautiful girl, but stopped short at the look on her face.
"Rach what's happened?" I pulled her to me and pressed my lips to her cheek, she just gripped my shirt tightly, her engagement ring sparkling in the sunlight from the window, "Babe?"
She thrust the envelope at me and hid her face in my shoulder. I recognised the return address straight away it was from the Columbus County Jail, I tore it open, tugged out the paper and started to read my temper rising with every word. Mom had come into see what was going on and why Rach was upset.
Manhands,
I have just read a funny story in the local paper, it must have been a print error or an early April fool's joke, because it said you were engaged to MY Finn. I know that would never happen because how can he think seriously about marrying you when he doesn't even like you, and anyway he will be here in Lima with me and our children. Don't think anything can come of this little game you are playing Manhands, because Finn is MINE! He won't figure out that I know he will never be anything more than a simple tire mechanic, but I'd rather him here bored than let YOU have him. Any way once he has my kids to support he will never leave me. I know you will fail in which ever place you end up, and it will depress you enough to make you jump off a bridge, or under a subway car. I'd give you a hand but can't leave Ohio right now, but soon you will go away for good and leave Finn alone so he can be where he belongs with me, you know you will never be good enough for him or anyone else or anything.
Mrs Quinn Hudson.
There was no way in hell that crazy fucking bitch was going to get anywhere near me or Rach again.
"Finny? What was it?"
"Nothing, baby just another piece of garbage from crazy Fabray, I pulled away from her just enough to put my thumb under her chin to tilt her face so our eyes would connect and said "I don't want you to think of her ever again, we are going to New York in two days and our new life together is about to start, remember we have a new house to organise, college then Broadway to and a wedding to plan, I don't want to wait too much longer till you are Mrs Hudson."
Her lips found mine and we shared a heated kiss full of anticipation and desire for each other, I eased Rach out of my arms with a kiss on her cheek and gently pushed her into Mom's waiting arms,
"Will you stay here with Mom? I have some business to do down at the station." I grabbed my phone, keys and the envelope and took off for the Police station, arriving ten minutes later demanding to see Det. Jackson straight away.
"Finn good to see you, and I hear congratulations are in order." He extends his hand I shake it. "I hope you will both be very happy." His cheery mood fades when he sees my face.
"Thank you, I know we will be." I hand over the paper I have scrunched in my fist. "I want to see this bitch once more before I leave town and get it through her crazy blonde head, that I don't want anything to do with her ever, I have left my fiancée, at home with my Mom, very distressed and worried because of this crap, and she doesn't even know what is written in this." I point to the paper on the table. "I will not have her upset or physically hurt anymore, we have a life to live together and nothing this crazy bitch says or does is taking Rachel away from me, we already have a reminder that will be with us for ever now." I wince and gently rub my right bicep.
"Ok Finn I'll call the jail now and organise a visit, for today?" nodding at the determined face I give in answer.
While he was organising the visit, I called Rach she picked up on the second ring.
"Finny are you ok, Baby what's going on? I'm worried about you."
"Baby girl, calm down please and listen, I'm with Det. Jackson, I brought him the letter, and I asked him to take me to see HER."
"No Finn, don't go."
"Baby I have to, I have to get her to stop all this shit and leave you alone, you know I will always be yours and only love you, but I have to try one last time to get her to give up on this shit."
"OK" she says in a quiet voice "Finn, I'm not happy about your going there by yourself, but I know you feel you have to at least try just please, please be careful, I love you always."
"I will Rach, and I won't be alone Det. Jackson is going to be with me the whole time, don't worry. I love you too more than anything, I'll see you later baby, will you stay with Mom please?"
"Ok, I'll ask dads to come over for a coffee or something so we can all hear how you got on together."
"Ok baby, I love you bye."
"Bye Finn, love you too."
"Are you ready to go Finn?" Det. Jackson asks,
I nod as I end my call, "Yeah let's, get this shit over with once and for all." During the drive to the jail, I was trying to think of what to say without punching her in the face.
As Det. Jackson and I are waiting in the interview room, I look around me and think of what a depressing place a jail is, and how I never want to be inside one again. I am relieved to see the booths have a glass panel between because as soon as Quinn enters from the other side she rushes up to the window and calls my name while putting her hand up to the glass with a beaming smile on her face, smoothing her hair behind her ears. I jump back even though I know she can't touch me.
"Hi Finn darling, I knew you would come to take me home, when can we leave?"
As she is talking I slide the letter on to the table in front of me with a glowering look on my face, trying to keep my voice calm,
"Quinn listen to me, I've not come to visit because I want too, nor have I come to take you out of here, you deserve to be in this horrible place and I hope you stay for a good long time. I came to tell you that this threatening letter sending shit stops now, because there is no way on earth I would ever have sex, let alone marry and want to make babies with you. I will under no circumstances have my fiancée upset by these lies any longer, I am in love with Rachel and leaving with her in a couple of days to start our lives together. Do you understand what I just said Quinn?"
"You know deep down she is not what you need Finn, she will only drag you down and what happens if by some stoke of magic, someone in some big city feels sorry for her and lets her screech all over their stage, are you going to want to be standing there holding the ladder so her ugly hobbit self can reach it? You will be lost anywhere that isn't a small-town Finn, there is nothing you can do with her, that you can't do better and be more popular at here with me, and she won't want to be with anyone who is more of a failure than she is, but I will be good enough for both of us and we can start our perfect life in Lima and …."
I jumped up from my chair and kicked it angrily out of my way, then started pacing the small room running my hands through my hair like a maniac. Calming down after a few minutes when I pulled my wallet from my back pocket and looked at the picture of Rachel, I suddenly felt calm enough to say in a normal voice what I came to.
"Enough! Stop Quinn, Just, stop you need to listen to me. I am in love with Rachel Berry now and forever, and she feels the exact same way about me. I am moving away from Lima with her. We will get married and start OUR Hudson family. I Love her! Do you hear me I love Rachel not YOU! Nothing you can do will ever break us up, and knows perfectly well these badly manipulated fucking photos and letters full of your sick twisted lies and pretend stories can't hurt us because we are tethered! So, for the last time Quinn, I don't want you, I never really liked you I was just going with the high school flow and dating you for status, which I'm ashamed to say was important to me at the time. For the last time I don't want you, just forget about me and your fantasy world and serve your time in jail for attempted murder, and maybe while you're here learning how to be a better person."
I take a deep breath moving away from the window, can we please go now? I need to get home to Rach." I ask turning to Det. Jackson.
"Of course, Finn let's go." he nods and turns towards the door knocking on it to let the guard know we were ready to leave.
Without another word, I storm to the door wanting to get away from this crazy woman as quick as possible, my face set in an angry scowl and my temper ready to explode, as I reach the door I hear her scream at me.
"GO THEN FINN HUDSON, BUT DON'T COME CRAWLING TO ME BEGGING ME TO TAKE YOU BACK WHEN YOU FAIL AND SHE DUMPS YOU FOR SOME OTHER USELESS LOOSER, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A LIMA LOOSER AS LONG AS YOU ARE WITH HER!"
I turned around to take one last pity filled look at her, and shook my head before speaking in a determined voice.
"I will never come running back to you, and even if things don't work out, at least I'll be able to say I tried Quinn. But deep down you know Rachel and I won't fail as a couple and you are just down right jealous. I don't need to be popular to be happy, all I need is to know I can spend the rest of my life with someone that I love with all my heart, who loves me for everything I am, and believes in me enough to know I can be anything I put my mind to, not what they think I should be. Or to boost their reputation and make themselves feel better, about a life that they are too scared to live, and take a chance on to find their full potential. Always trying to blame other people, for their failures instead of doing something about it themselves to make it better."
Just as we walk through the door I hear a hiss from behind the glass screen. "Next time it won't be attempted..."
I don't turn my head just shake it and say sadly "Get some help Quinn."
In the car on the drive back to Lima, I was still very angry but worried about Quinn's last words, but thankful Det. Jackson was with me. "What we could do to make sure she doesn't get any more letters or other shit to Rach and will she be safe?
"All you guys can do Finn, is make sure you don't advertise your address in New York and to change cell phone numbers and tell everyone close to you to keep them private, also tell your parents if anymore letters arrive at their homes, to pass them on directly to me at the station."
I nod and say quietly, "I want to thank you for everything you have done for Rachel and me with all this crap."
"You're more than welcome Finn, it is great to see two young people find in each other so early in life, what a lot of people search their whole lives for, and still don't always find. I wish you both the very best of luck in New York and hope to see Rachel on stage one day, plus an invite to your wedding." He adds with a cheeky grin, I nod my thanks and sit quietly. Hoping that the 12 months Quinn Fabray is in jail will make her get some psychological help and she gives up on this stupid fairy-tale of hers, thinking I want to be with her, something that will never happen in a million lifetimes.
Rachel must have been waiting by the front window because as soon as my car pulled in the drive she was down the front steps jumping into my arms, wrapping her legs tightly around my waist, and her arms around my neck and her face pressed against my shoulder, her tank top clad boobs pressed tightly against me and her little skirt sliding above her butt. I stumbled slightly trying to keep hold of her, my hands automatically grabbing her butt.
"I missed you baby she says breathily, are you ok? What happened?"
"Let's go inside babe and I'll tell you OK?" I brought one hand up to take her chin and tilt her face towards mine placing a deep kiss on her pouting mouth.
When we were settled on the recliner Rach cuddled into my lap. Mom and Dads' sitting on the sofa I started trying to keep my tone level,
"I told Quinn that, nothing she did was going to make me fall in love with her and leave you, and how we were leaving and going to get married and live perfectly happy lives together forever. She kept going on about you won't want me because we are going to fail and that you are not good enough, but I know Rach not one single word she spoke was true and like I told her even if our career plans don't work out we will still be together and that she is just jealous she wasn't the chosen one, I don't understand why she thinks I'm anything special to carry high school popularity into college and the adult world, but as long as you love me that is all I need. Also Det. Jackson said we should change cell phone numbers and make sure only trusted people had the new ones. But baby listen to me please…"
I pulled her face away from my neck until I was staring her directly in the eye.
"Nothing she can do ever, is taking you away from me, it was bad enough when she hit you with the car and shot you. I felt like I would die until I saw you were ok, I am yours until I die just as you are mine. I won't miss out on 70 years with you because of some crazy girl, who can't take no for an answer."
Tears are streaming down her little face by the time I finish speaking, and all I can do is wrap her in my arms and place soft kisses on her face, all the time whispering I love her. She lifts her face and her lips find mine in a needy passionate kiss.
"I love you so, so much Finn Hudson, but I don't think 70 years is going to be long enough, can we maybe start with forever and go from there?"
"That sounds like perfect plan baby."
~XxxX~