Hey everyone! Thanks as always for all the reviews, they mean so much to me. The event Rachel participates in during this chapter was actually inspired by an event I covered for the citizen journalism newspaper recently, and it's also the type of thing I can see Finchel arguments about. I'm sorry for not having the original gleeks in this story more, but don't worry, they'll be in some of the upcoming chapters! Hope you enjoy this chapter and review if you want me to continue!

Chapter 21: Earrings and Ponytails

Every day for the past two weeks, Allie had asked to get her ears pierced. Rachel was beginning to think it might not be a bad idea, but Finn was still pretty adamant that it not happen. Rachel was hoping Finn would just give in to stop the daily arguments. Almost every day, when Allie asked and Finn said no, Allie would storm to her room and slam the door.

Today, Kurt had offered to go out with Allie in hopes that time out of the house would make her less mad at her parents. Finn and Rachel were sitting in the living room talking, and Rachel knew she had to bring up the pressing question with Allie. But Allie wasn't the only one who wanted to change how she looked. Rachel had an idea for herself, but she had a feeling Finn wouldn't like her idea.

"You're being pretty quiet," Finn said to his wife. "Is something up?"

Rachel looked at her husband. "Baby, maybe we should get Allie's ears pierced."

"She's too young!" Finn said for what felt like the millionth time.

"Aren't you tired of her always yelling at us?" Rachel asked. "And storming to her room and slamming the door?"

"Well, yes," Finn said.

"I could help with the cleaning," Rachel said.

"I don't want her to get an infection," Finn said.

Could that be it? "The starter earrings they give out don't really give you infections," Rachel assured her husband.

"And doesn't it hurt when they do it?"

Rachel thought there may be no changing Finn's mind about this, so she decided to take the subject off Allie, even though this would likely start another argument. "Finn, what would you think if I got my hair cut?" She already knew what he would say. He loved her hair. When they lay together in their bed, he ran his hands through it and twirled it around his fingers. He was always smelling it and telling her how soft it was. In fact, she wondered why she was even asking this.

"Like a trim?" Finn asked.

Rachel looked at Finn. "Like, cut maybe a foot off."

Finn shook his head. "No way. Why on Earth would you do that?"

"I saw a sign at work about a fundraiser they're having for cancer research in Times Square, and they're taking hair donations," Rachel said. "I was thinking, my hair has been long my whole life, and it's a good cause, so why not?"

"Because I like your hair the way it is already," Finn said. "You are perfect."

"Wouldn't you want someone who doesn't have their own to have some perfection?" Rachel asked Finn.

"They can get it from someone else," Finn said.

Rachel sighed. She wanted to do this, but Finn clearly didn't want her to.

Allie came in with Kurt. "Hi Mommy! Hi Daddy!" Since Kurt just lived down the hall and was family, he had a key to the apartment.

"Hi Allie," Finn said. "Did you have fun at the park with Uncle Kurt?"

"Oh yes!" Allie exclaimed. "And he thinks I should get my ears pierced."

Rachel looked at Kurt. "You do, do you?"

"Yeah, why not?" Kurt asked.

"Because she's four," Finn said.

"Finnegan, you need to loosen up," Kurt said.

"Yes, he does," Rachel said.

"What's going on?" Kurt asked Rachel.

"Rachel wants to cut off her perfect hair," Finn said.

"Not all of it," Rachel said. "Maybe a foot or so to donate at that fundraiser next week."

"And that's way too much," Finn said.

"Somehow I'm not surprised this is the type of thing you two are arguing about," Kurt said.

"You're so bossy," Allie said to Finn.

"Allie, stop," Finn said.

"But it's not your hair, it's her hair," Allie said. Rachel had a feeling Allie was doing this to get her on her side about the earrings.

Allie surprisingly didn't say anything else about earrings and just went to her room. Kurt turned to Finn and Rachel. "You know, while we were out, she asked me to take her to the ear piercing place."

"Thank you for not doing that," Finn said.

"I would have taken her to put a stop to this, but she needs a parent or guardian's signature," Kurt said.

Finn rolled his eyes. Rachel was about to say something, but then she heard a knock on the door. She opened it and let Blaine, Brittany and Santana in.

"Hey!" Rachel said as her friends came in.

"How are things going here?" Santana asked.

"Same as the past few days," Rachel said.

"Why are you being so inflexible, Finn?" Santana asked.

"She might chicken out if we take her," Brittany said. "My mom and I went four times before I did it."

"Yeah, and my mom said she got it done when I was a baby so she didn't have to worry about me getting scared," Santana added.

"Her best friend has pierced ears, and she really wants to get them pierced," Rachel said. "I honestly think it's fine, but Finn really seems opposed."

"Finn, she's a girl," Santana said. "You knew she would ask sooner or later."

Finn sighed. "I guess so."

"It's like I said, I'll help with the cleaning and all that," Rachel said.

"I wouldn't be good at that anyway," Finn said.

"So are you saying she can get it?" Rachel asked, feeling a sense of relief come over her.

"You three girls can take her," Finn sighed. "I guess it was always pretty inevitable."

"Hey, I want to go too," Kurt said.

"Allie!" Rachel called. "Can you come out here?"

Allie came back into the living room. "Uncle Blaine! Aunt Brittany! Aunt Santana!"

"Hey!" Blaine said, picking up Allie.

"We were talking," Rachel said. "We've decided you can get your ears pierced."

Allie began jumping up and down. "Yay! When?"

"How about now?" Rachel asked.

"Really?" Allie asked, looking excited.

"Yeah, let's go," Rachel said.

"Allie, remember, if it seems too scary, you don't have to get it done yet," Finn told his daughter.

Allie laughed. "I'm not scared, Daddy."

x

Finn was in the living room with Blaine after Rachel, Allie, Kurt, Santana and Brittany left for the mall. He turned to his friend when they were gone. "Well, I remember when we were in grade school and all the girls were getting their ears pierced and talking about how grown up they were now. So, Allie's taking that step sooner rather than later."

"Is that why you didn't want her to get her ears pierced?" Blaine asked.

"Part of it," Finn said. "I'm also worried she'll get an infection.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Blaine assured Finn.

"Why can't these girls realize they're perfect how they are?" Finn asked. "Now Rachel wants to cut her hair."

"Girls like changes," Blaine told Finn.

"The last time Rachel made a big change was when she got that awful makeover at Vogue and wore too much black and too much makeup," Finn said.

"I'm sure all Rachel wants now is a haircut," Blaine said.

"I'll think about that," Finn said. He still wasn't sure if he liked that idea.

x

"So, you'll sign here," the associate at Claire's said, handing Rachel a form to give them permission to pierce Allie's ears.

"I can't believe you're not nervous at all," Brittany said to Allie.

"I wanted to get my ears pierced!" Allie said.

Rachel signed the permission slip and handed it to the associate. "I can't wait to show Mia my earrings!" Allie continued. Allie had chosen her birthstone as her starter set.

The associate took out the piercing gun and Allie nudged Rachel. "Mommy? Could you hold my hand?"

Rachel smiled at her daughter. "Of course I will."

Allie held Rachel's hand as the associate shot the earrings through Allie's ears. Rachel noticed that Allie winced a little, but seemed fine other than that. She gave Rachel a big hug after. "Thank you, Mommy!"

"I ran away from the stand the first time I went," Brittany told Allie.

Allie laughed. "Wow, Aunt Brittany."

"We'll see what your dad thinks when we get home," Santana said.

"He'll like them," Allie said. After the group paid for the earrings, they caught a train back to the apartment and went in.

"How'd it go?" Blaine asked when they got back.

Allie pointed at her ears. "Look, Daddy! Look, Uncle Blaine!"

Finn had a genuine smile, and Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. "Those are really pretty," Finn said.

"Now are you glad you let me?" Allie asked.

"Yes," Finn said.

Allie gave Finn a big hug.

x

"I'm glad you ended up letting Allie get her ears pierced," Rachel said after they put Allie to bed that night. Kurt, Blaine, Santana and Brittany had gone back to their apartments, so it was just the two of them.

Finn realized it hadn't been a bad idea. "Well, she didn't complain when you cleaned them tonight."

"Yeah," Rachel said. She had that look on her face that she got when she wanted to say something but felt like she couldn't.

"Are you okay?" Finn asked his wife.

Rachel looked down. "Finn, are you sure you don't want me to get my hair cut?"

"Yes," Finn said. "I'm a million percent sure." He looked at her hair. He loved the waves in it, and how soft it was, and how good it smelled. It was more than halfway down her back, and whether it was straight, wavy or curly, she always found a way to look good. He just didn't want her to cut it off.

Rachel gave Finn a disappointed look. "Just tell me if you change your mind."

x

A few more days had gone by, and Allie hadn't been complaining when Rachel helped her with the cleaning, and she'd told Finn and Rachel that Mia had liked her earrings. As Finn and Rachel got ready for bed that night, Finn noticed that once again Rachel was being quiet. "You okay, baby?" Finn asked.

Rachel nodded. "I'm fine."

"You're acting the way you act when there's something you don't want to tell me," Finn smirked at her.

Rachel laughed. "You know me too well."

Finn gave Rachel a kiss. "So, what's up?"

"Finn, that event I told you about is tomorrow," Rachel said. "Have you reconsidered?"

Finn looked at Rachel. "Rach, why do you want to cut your hair? It's gorgeous."

Rachel took Finn's hand. "You told me I'd look pretty no matter what."

"Yeah, but I just love your long hair," Finn protested.

"Finn, you've told me that I'll be hot and sexy no matter what," Rachel said. "I'm sure you'll think I look pretty even if I have short hair. Besides, it'll grow back, and I feel like someone else needs it more than I do."

Finn didn't want to argue with Rachel like he had with Allie. Anyway, what Rachel had said was true. "Do it."

Rachel gave Finn a hug. "If you don't like it, I'll get extensions, I promise."

x

The next day, Rachel was sitting in the chair at the event. Now she was worried that Finn might have been right at the beginning. Her hair had been long her whole life. It might not look good short. But she'd talked Finn into letting her do this, she couldn't back out at the last minute. Anyway, she'd gotten her parents, Finn's parents and most of her friends from Glee to donate money to this cause on her behalf.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the stylist asked Rachel after putting her hair in four ponytails. "You look nervous."

"Do it," Rachel said. She looked around the room, where people involved with the event were involved with other activities. She spotted Finn, Allie, Kurt, Blaine, Brittany and Santana, all of whom had tagged along. She reminded herself why she wanted to do this in the first place. Then, she heard the scissors snip, and knew that the ponytails were off. It felt lighter already. She smiled nervously at her friends and family. Finn looked more nervous than she did but then walked away, and Allie gave her a thumbs up.

"Here you go," the stylist said, handing the ponytails to Rachel. "Twelve inches. Someone's going to be really lucky to get that."

Rachel smiled. "Thanks." She took a look in the mirror and hoped that Finn would think she looked good. Her hair was just above her shoulders. Hopefully Finn would like it.

"You're so pretty!" Rachel heard Allie say, and she turned to see her daughter running over.

"Thanks," Rachel said, smiling at her daughter.

"Finn will love it," Santana said.

"Where is Finn, anyway?" Rachel asked.

"He 'had to go to the bathroom' when they cut your first ponytail off," Kurt said.

Finally, Finn came in. Rachel gulped and looked at Finn. "Well?"

Finn looked at Rachel for a minute and ran a hand over her now short hair. Finally, he smiled, and she smiled back at him. "I love it," he told her. "You look beautiful."

Rachel smiled at Finn. "Thank you."

"I'm proud of you, Finn," Kurt said. "You gave in to both Rachel and Allie."

"Can I get more earrings now?" Allie asked.

"Allie, you need to wait four weeks before you change your earrings, remember?" Finn asked.

"Oh, yeah," Allie pouted. "Then can we go to the bakery and get a treat?"

"That we can do," Rachel said. She put her arms around her husband and daughter as they left.

Chapter 22 preview: Rachel and Finn reach a milestone with trying to have another baby. A big moment for another Glee couple, too!