Carry Me Home Tonight

Chapter Four

Rachel walked wide eyed around the aquarium at all the fish, all of these beautiful creatures she had seen so many times, but they looked different. "They are caged." Rachel turned to Finn, "Why do you keep them in here?"

"They aren't caged, Rach. They have plenty of room to swim." Finn assured her.

"I want to go in and see for myself." Rachel stated with a foot stomped and Finn grinned at the sweet girl in front of him.

"I can figure out how to arrange that." Finn nodded, "First, we have to feed them."

"They don't catch their own food?" Rachel tilted her head in confusion.

Finn shook his head, "They have to come get it, but they don't have to kill it."

Rachel scrunched up her face in sadness, "I don't like this place, Finn. This is why my Daddy doesn't like you guys." Rachel said proudly.

Finn let out an exasperated sigh, "I'm sorry, Rach. I didn't mean to upset you. We just keep them here so people can learn about the ocean."

Rachel lowered her voice and put her hand on Finn's arm, "If they knew about me, they would keep me here too." She told him with a nod.

"Well we're not going to let that happen, I promise you." Finn's tone was serious and Rachel knew she could trust it.

Rachel's face expression faltered and a smile took it's place, "I think I want to do that thing we've been talking about."

"You've been talking about." Finn corrected, "A lot."

"Well…" Rachel pursed her lips in thought, "It's just every time you say something cute or get close to me like that, you're just too handsome and you make me feel this tingle."

Finn took a deep breath, and laughed a little nervous laughter, "Stop it." He chuckled, "You're making me nervous. And really excited."

"If you're excited, then why can't we do it?" Rachel pouted.

Finn leaned down to kiss her softly, "If it means that much to you, we will. But, I just don't want to take advantage of your innocence Rachel. And I don't want to hurt you. You're so little, and all of this…" He motioned to her legs, "It's new and I don't want to … break you or something." Finn let the fear creep in to his face.

Rachel giggled, "Fine, fine. We'll go slow or something." Rachel shrugged. "Is that a thing?"

Finn chuckled a kissed her again, "Yes, that's a thing. We'll go slow." He looked past her at the clock, "We've got to go, I'm late for my shift." Finn growled and pulled her along with him.

It was hours, hours and hours of going to each area and dishing out different types of foods for different types of fish. But there were these stingrays that the visitors could pet and Rachel took a liking to that. She stayed by their area for a half an hour and she looked like she was maybe whispering to them. Finn shook his head and ignored it and hoped no one else noticed how strange this beautiful little girl was.

How strange was she, how strange was this whole thing. He saw her and then… she had legs. Easy as that? No, it couldn't be. Finn and Rachel needed to figure out how it happened so it could keep happening.

Finn cleared his throat behind her and she turned around with a grin, "I think they are happy here." Rachel told Finn without shame. "They like all the free food and all the nice people."

Finn's head slanted and spoke softly, "Did they tell you that?"

Rachel shook her head furiously, "They did." Finn reached out his hand for her and she took it, "Are we going to swim with them now?"

Finn shook his head, "I won't be able to go in with you, but you can go in a couple places."

"Why can't you?"

Finn bit his lip, "I don't know how to explain… my boss, the guy who tells me what to do…" Finn explained slowly, "He doesn't allow me to go in the tanks without him. But you can take a tour with one of the scuba diving tour groups."

Rachel shook her head, "Oh no. I'm not comfortable with that." She told him seriously. "The stingy's said you were good to them, and I believe them." Rachel told him, "I don't want to hang out with any other humans. I don't think I'm there yet."

"Why are you so scared of us?"

"Not of you, silly." Rachel giggled.

Finn smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek, "Let's walk." They began to walk out of the aquarium, "Here is my question, why are you so scared of humans, but not of me."

Rachel thought for a moment, "Well, I guess I'm so scared because, well, my Daddy always taught me to be. I know if people found out what I was, they would hate me. Or run weird tests on me, or lock me in a tank. A tank is fine for stingy's and sharky's but for me? That would be detrimental. How would I swim to Japan in a tank?" Finn's eyes widened at her story, "But you, you're different. I can tell." Rachel smiled up at her tall boyfriend. "You kiss me with your tongue and you made sure I got into the water when I needed to. You're just different. I can tell. Mermaids are a little psychic."

"Really?" Finn asked surprised.

Rachel laughed out loud, "NO!" She shouted, "I was just, um, what's what called?"

"Teasing me?" Finn arched his eyebrow.

Rachel nodded, "Yes. That. We don't do that in the ocean. But, it's fun. You really believed me."

Finn nodded, "I did. But, remember Rachel if you had told me that and I believed you and you didn't correct me then it would be a lie, not teasing. Lying is bad."

Rachel's eyes widened in horror, "I've heard of liars." Rachel said softly, fear lacing through her words, "I don't want to be one of those people."

Finn smiled at her sincerely, "You won't be. Just make sure you tell me if you're teasing, okay? There isn't a lot I know about your world. So you have to tell me everything truthfully."

"I don't know that much about your world either, Finn." Rachel told him, "But I'm excited to learn."

Finn pulled his hand from Rachel's and put his arm around her, pulling her into his chest, "I'm excited too. So what do you say, we go shopping. Get you some more clothes and then get a little dinner before I have to take you to the ocean."

Rachel nodded, "I wish I could sleep at home with you." She pouted.

Finn stuck out his bottom lip in agreement, "I wish you could to, I'd love you sleep with you in my bed."

"What's that?"

"A bed?" Finn furrowed his brow.

"Yeah, sounds nice."

Finn nodded, "It is, I'll show you."


Finn kissed down Rachel's neck as they walked into his apartment, she backed into the small area and Finn kicked the front door closed. Rachel giggled and the contact but gripped into his hair. Finn's lips found hers again and they made their way to his room. He clicked on the lamp and pointed towards the bed.

"That's a bed." He told her and continued to kiss her, kicking off her shoes. She did the same, "We lay in it."

"Can we kiss in it?" Rachel asked a little out of breath.

Finn nodded, "That's encouraged."

"Good." Rachel grinned, "Let's lay down on the bed." She demanded and Finn complied without question.

They fell on the bed, bodied intertwined, Finn kissed her lips, her nose, her neck and chest every inch of skin he could find. Rachel moaned loudly and gripped her fingers in his hair as she moaned. "I love this." Rachel told him as he kissed her.

Finn smiled at her before bringing his lips back to hers, "You are really good at this." Finn commented into her mouth before dipping his tongue into her mouth and Rachel gripped the back of his head tighter. She moved her hands down his back until she got to the hem of his shirt and she knew she wanted to feel underneath. She ran her hands under to feel his bare back and then around to feel his chest. He gripped her tighter around the waist before letting his hands roam as well. When he located her ass he gave it a tight squeeze and she squealed into his mouth.

She broke their kiss for much needed air, "I think you're better at this then me." She told him honestly.

"No, I think we're just good together."

Finn wasn't sure how it happened, but he was really really falling for this girl. This mermaid. This perfect girl. In his arms.

Finn stared into her eyes for a moment before kissing her lips softly, "We should slow down, Rach."

"No." Rachel whined. "I like this."

"I do too. Trust me, I really do. But, if we don't calm down, I'm not going to be able to stop." Finn frowned, "And I've only known you a day. I don't want to scare you off too soon." He chuckled.

Rachel snuggled into his neck, "You're weird, Finn Hudson. But you're quite snuggly and nice." She noted as he held her in his arms, "You also smell nice. Like… maple syrup and salt."

"That isn't considered a good smell to smell like, I don't think."

"Well I like it." Rachel assured him, leaning her face up to pepper his neck with kisses, "You skin is salty sweet. And your mouth is just sweet."

Finn laughed and brought his lips to meet her, "Your mouth is pretty good too, Rach." He laughed, "I'm kinda tired from all the making out though."

"Huh?"

"Kissing with tongue for a long period of time is called making out." Finn explained quickly and without frustration.

"Oh." Rachel nodded. "Well making out can be exhausting, I suppose. Should we take a quick sleep."

"A quick sleep is called a nap."

"Okay, a nap then?" Rachel asked again. "We can nap in your bed right?"

Finn kissed Rachel's innocent forehead, "Yes, it's also encouraged."

"Wow." Rachel mused. "You can do a lot in this bed, huh?"

Finn smiled at her, "Yep, we can eat breakfast in it tomorrow." He told her, forgetting momentarily that he wouldn't be waking up with her in it.

Rachel nodded, "Okay, after you pick me up from the ocean we'll come have breakfast in bed."

Finn's smile faltered and he nodded, turning his face from hers, tilting his head to rest on hers, "Deal. Just sleep now, Rachel."

And she did.


Finn didn't know how long it took him to fall asleep, but he was woken up much too quickly by Rachel's screech, "Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiinn!"

Finn shot up and looked over at Rachel who now had a fin, once again. "Oh, god. How long did we sleep?"

"Finn, I can't sleep in that white tub again. I need to go back to the ocean. My Daddy is going to notice I'm missing by now." She screamed, "Please, Finn."

Finn nodded, shooting up and grabbing the largest towel he could find, "Wrap this around your fin, babe. Quick."

Rachel nodded and covered it best she could, Finn ran to the door, opening it and Max sprinted out like the guard dog he was. Finn looked back and forth to see if anyone was on the beach. "Max, boy, bark if you see anyone, okay, boy?"

Max looked as if he understood, keeping guard and Finn walked back to Rachel who almost looked like she was suffocating. Finn grabbed a bottle of water and poured it on the towel, hoping it would soak through, "Okay, I'm going to run you to the beach now." He bent down to pick her up, "Don't squirm, okay?"

Rachel nodded, "The water was a good idea." She told him tiredly, putting her head on his shoulder.

Finn sprinted out, Max followed in tow. Rachel's eyes drifted slowly, "Stay awake for me." He groaned. "Stay awake for me."

Rachel nodded, "Will you sing for me, Finny." She whispered.

Finn panted a little, "I'm a little busy here." He said looking around the beach, trying to keep watch as he ran. "We're almost there."

"I just want to hear your voice. I bet it's pretty. I bet it sounds like the moon. I bet you sound like the moon."

With that, Rachel felt the water around her and she felt like she could breathe again. She jumped from Finn's arms and emerged herself before swimming back up to him, "Thank you." She said, grabbing her arms, "Sorry I can't be out of the water like that. It's like poison for me." She frowned.

Finn frowned back, "Apparently."

They shared a soft kiss, Finn waist deep in the waves, "I'll miss you." He told her, running his hands through her wet hair. "But you'll meet me here at dawn?"

Rachel nodded, "Definitely." She smiled before pulling off her dress and giving it to Finn, his breathing hitching immediately. "Here, dry this and have it for me in the morning?"

Finn nodded, "Okay." He whispered, gulping softly and pulling her into his arms, "Go cover those up for me." He told her, "I don't want any sea men to snatch you away from me." He laughed.

Rachel nodded, "Okay. I will." Their lips met again. "Oh. Should I tell my Daddy to call off my marriage."

"Yes." Finn answered without hesitation. "Yes, please."

Rachel nodded, "Okay, good. I'll see you at dawn."

Finn nodded, "I promise. Don't tell anyone about me. Or at least about me being human. I don't want to get you in trouble, not until we can get this all figured out."

Rachel nodded, "That's a really good idea. You're really smart, Finn." She grinned and kissed him again. "You'll greet me with these lips tomorrow, won't you?"

Finn laughed and hugged her tightly, "Promise."

"That means you really will." Rachel squealed in excitement and gripped him tighter. "Can you sing for me tomorrow, too?"

Finn nodded, "Of course I will. Have a good night, Rach."

"Sweet dreams, Finn."


A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for all the reviews. I love reading those and they make me want to write more. :)

Reviews are love. :))