I suppose this is the part where I say that this fic is based off of One Tree Hill. You know, just to clear up any confusion. As I have stated before, this is Finchel as Naley, and it's something I'm very excited for and have a lot of plans for. Thank you. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This chapter title comes from the song "The Desperate Kingdom of Love" by PJ Harvey.
Rachel shut the door behind Puck and turned around to face her husband. There was a rather amused look on his face, and Rachel was sure that her own mirrored his. Unsurprisingly, Puck had been ridiculously confused and couldn't make heads nor tails of this new situation. So Finn and Rachel gave him the shortest version of the story and then sent him on his way.
Rachel giggled, but then she caught the look in Finn's eyes. The longer he gazed at her, the darker his amber eyes became. He stepped towards her slowly, and Rachel felt as if the temperature in the room had suddenly shot up a hundred degrees.
"You know," Finn said, his voice husky. "I think you wear my hoodie better than I do."
Rachel toyed with the zipper on said hoodie and made her eyes go as wide and innocent as they possibly could. "Is that so?" she asked. Then she slowly dragged the zipper down, just enough to flash a bit of skin.
Finn bit back a groan. He was still advancing towards her, and Rachel rubbed her thighs together. She didn't know how she could get so turned on by just one simple look from Finn, but it seemed that she could.
"Yes," he muttered.
Rachel tugged the zipper down again, this time baring her naked breasts to him. Finn growled and was suddenly in front of her. Rachel squealed in surprise when he swept her into his arms and spun towards the bedroom.
As soon as Finn had deposited Rachel on the bed, his lips were on hers. He slid the zipper on the hoodie the rest of the way down and then yanked it away from her body. He didn't waste any time in shedding the clothes he had been wearing when he answered the door. Soon, Finn and Rachel were pressed skin to skin, and it made Rachel want more.
"Oh God, Finn," Rachel gasped as his lips closed around one of her nipples. He was certainly skilled with his mouth and his hands. But there was only one thing she wanted at that moment… "Please. I need you."
Finn thought about prolonging their sweet torture, but he saw it in his wife's eyes: she couldn't wait. And to be completely honest, neither could he. Finn found a condom and managed to slip it on before Rachel got too impatient. She locked her fingers in his hair and dragged his lips down to hers just as she lifted her hips to meet his.
Finn slipped inside of her easily and groaned against hers lips. He was pretty sure that this was what perfection felt like. He now understood why it was called "making love." This was only the third time they were being intimate, but Finn felt as if no one had come before Rachel. She managed to match him stroke to stroke and thrust for thrust.
Their movements were frenzied and erratic. They were both trying to reach that place of ultimate satisfaction, and they wanted to get there at the same time. Rachel wrapped her legs around Finn's waist and cried his name out just before his lips came down over hers again.
Finn managed to push Rachel over the edge just before he came as well. He did his best not to collapse on top of her, but instead just tucked his face into her neck as they both tried to catch their breath.
"I love you, Rachel," Finn murmured before he pressed a tender kiss to her collarbone.
Rachel smiled, already half asleep. "I love you too, Finn."
"Mom, I... I need to talk to you."
Carole immediately picked up on the serious note in her son's voice. Staring him directly in the eye, she demanded, "You didn't get Rachel pregnant, did you?" Anne had told her about the pregnancy scare that Puck and Santana had. Just like Anne, Carole didn't want for her son to have such a responsibility at such an early age.
"What?" Finn's cheeks turned bright red. "No! No, we haven't even—" He abruptly stopped talking and his entire face almost turned purple, he was so embarrassed. He couldn't believe that he had almost divulged details of his sex life to his mother.
Carole relaxed. As long as there was no teen pregnancy, she was pretty sure she could handle whatever it was that Finn wanted to talk about. "I just wanted to make sure, Finn. Now what did you want to talk about?"
"Well..." Finn rubbed the back of his neck. "This probably isn't going to thrill you, either."
"Finn, you're worrying me," Carole said honestly. She stood up from her desk in the study and walked over to her son. Sometimes she couldn't believe how tall he was. Even so, she put her hands on his shoulders and guided him to sit down on one of the couches in the study. "You know that you can always talk to me, right?"
Finn nodded his head. "Yeah, but this is... kind of insane." He took a deep breath and then said, "Have you ever been in love? I mean, really in love. Like you can't imagine living without that person kind of love."
A wistful look came onto Carole's face. She quiet for a long moment before she whispered, "Yes." She didn't elaborate and Finn didn't ask her to.
"That's how I feel when I'm with Rachel. And before you say anything, I don't think we're too young. I see my future when I'm with her. I look at her and I know that everything is going to be okay."
Carole smiled and patted Finn's hand. "The two of you are so sweet together. She's been good for you, Finn."
"Right. Which is why I want to ask you to give me permission to marry her."
Carole stared at her son and then blinked. She replayed the words that Finn had spoken in her mind, unsure if she had heard him correctly. But Finn was watching her with an earnest, open face-he had been completely serious.
"I'm sorry. What did you just say?"
"I'd like to marry Rachel. But since I'm not eighteen until March, I need your permission to do it."
"Finn—"
"Before you say no, can you just hear me out?"
Carole snapped her mouth shut and sucked in a deep, calming breath through her nose. She was trying her best not to completely lose it. If anything, she was going to hear Finn out. He was becoming an adult and she couldn't just dismiss what he had to say.
Taking his mother's silence as a cue to continue, Finn said, "Rachel doesn't just make me happy, Mom. She taught me how to be happy with who I am and what I have. I don't need football to be happy, and I don't need to put myself under that pressure anymore. I'm just happy with who I am. For the first time in my life, I finally feel good."
And now Carole felt like she was going to cry. Somehow, Finn had gone from a spoiled teenager to a young man in the blink of an eye. Carole knew the fact that she around more often had something to do with that, but Rachel's influence had had much more of an impact. She couldn't be sure who's idea this was, but Carole also knew that she couldn't blame Rachel for Finn wanting it so much. Not when she heard him talking like this.
So she decided to approach it objectively instead of shooting the idea down right away. "Finn, you do realize that this isn't like some high school relationship. Marriage is a commitment. It's not something you can just decide to end when things aren't easy anymore."
"I know," Finn said seriously. Finn knew that. He hadn't exactly been surrounding by shining examples of commitment, but he had always known that he wanted more than what his parents had. Sure, Finn had acted out in his early high school years, but that's because he thought that no one cared what he did. He had seventeen years of zero supervision, and he took advantage of it. Now, things were different.
"Have you thought about your futures?" Carole asked. "What about college? Things change once you get married."
"I know I want to play football at a school in the city," Finn said. "Beiste told me that there are a few recruiters asking about me. Rachel wants to go to school in the city, too. And then we'll do what every other college student does: we'll figure it out from there."
Finn knew that he was making this sound a million times easier than it actually was. There were so many factors that they had to consider. But if Finn was absolutely sure of one thing, it was that he and Rachel were going to figure it out together.
"I'll be eighteen in March," Finn reminded his mother. Carole's eyes flashed towards him, but Finn remained calm. "I'll wait until then if I have to. But I'm going to marry Rachel Berry."
Carole couldn't believe that this was actually happening. Finn really seemed to have thought this over and had come up with some kind of plan. There was more that they needed to talk about, of course, but this wasn't just some crazy declaration by a teenager. Looking at Finn, she could see all the love and sincerity that he had for Rachel Berry. This was real.
And then Finn said the words that would change everything for Carole: "She gets me, Mom."
Years from now, Carole would never be able to put her finger on what made her say yes. But she would never regret it.
The late morning sun streaming in through the windows is what woke Rachel up. She smiled and stretched, her body feeling deliciously sore in the way that could only come after a night of pleasure. And it had turned into a pleasurable night as Finn and Rachel got to learn each other's bodies and what they wanted and liked.
Rachel rolled over onto her side and took in her husband's peaceful sleeping face. She was a wife now. More importantly, she was Finn Hudson's wife. That thought alone filled her with a warmth that she wouldn't even begin to know how to describe.
"Rachel Hudson," Rachel murmured to herself. A smile lit up her face, and she giggled.
An arm slipped around her waist, and Rachel's naked body was pulled back against an equally naked Finn. She gasped when she felt his hardness against her behind. Even though it had only been a short time, Rachel was amazed at how sweet and gentle Finn had been with her.
Truth be told, she had been so, so nervous. It was no secret that Finn had quite a bit of experience—way more than Rachel had, that was for sure. Rachel had been worried that she wouldn't be able to do enough for Finn... that she wouldn't be enough. That in itself was ridiculous, because Rachel knew that she was enough all on her own and she had nothing to prove. But in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder if everything Finn had done in his past would trump their first night together.
Of course it hadn't. As he had proven early this morning, Finn wanted her and seemed to be in awe that she wanted him just as much in return. The night before—their first night together—he had been gentle and patient. It hadn't been perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it had been perfect for Rachel, and that's what mattered.
Finn pressed a kiss to Rachel's bare shoulder and then trailed his lips up her neck, biting playfully down on her pulse point. Rachel was sure that by now, she had several hickeys that she would need to hide. She didn't mind (for the moment, anyway). Rachel felt some weird kind of satisfaction that Finn wanted everyone to know she was his.
"I like that," Finn murmured against her warm skin. His hand slid up her hip and further up her side, teasing the curve of her breast.
Rachel's breath hitched. "Like what?" she managed to ask. She moaned and then pressed her lips together, hoping to hold in any other sounds of pleasure.
Finn smirked and kissed under her jaw. "I like your name. Rachel Hudson."
"Mmm... well, you do realize that it's actually Rachel Berry-Hudson, right?" Rachel was proud of herself for sounding semi-coherent. It wasn't like she needed to let Finn know the power he held over her with his lips and hands.
That didn't deter Finn in the slightest. "You still have my last name. And hearing you say it is pretty hot." Without waiting for Rachel to respond, Finn rolled her underneath him and pinned her wrists above her head with one large hand.
"Finn!" Rachel exclaimed. But she had to admit that she was surprised by how incredibly turned on she was at that moment. Oh, she wanted him bad.
Finn smirked, and his amber eyes flashed knowingly. Of course he knew exactly how she was feeling. With his free hand, he lightly teased the nipple on her left breast. Rachel bit her lip to hide her moan, but she couldn't help the way her back arched towards him.
Finn pressed a trail of hot, open-mouthed kisses down Rachel's throat and to her collarbone. He bit down playfully, sucking until he was positive he left a mark. Then he laved his tongue over the skin, soothing it. Rachel couldn't even be angry with him because she loved how it felt too much.
The hand that had been teasing her breast slid down her body with feather-light touches. And then Finn's long fingers were suddenly between her legs, sliding through her wet folds. Rachel gasped and thrust her hips towards him, causing Finn to chuckle.
"Someone's excited, aren't they?" he teased.
Rachel couldn't even berate him for teasing her because she wanted him so badly. He had to do something—anything! She didn't care. She just wanted to feel him. "Finn, please. I need… I need you to…"
She trailed off on a loud moan when Finn slipped one long finger inside of her and pressed his thumb to her most sensitive spot. He added a second finger a few moments later, pumping them inside of her while he pressed down on her nub. Finn's fingers inside of her coupled with his lips on her breast made Rachel come with a scream not long after that.
Rachel didn't even have time to catch her breath, since Finn's lips were suddenly on hers. He kissed her deeply, and Rachel was completely consumed by the feel of his body pressed against hers. Finn drove her crazy in the best way possible, and she knew that she was going to spend the rest of her life like this.
Just as Rachel's hand began to slip between their bodies, Finn's phone started blaring. Finn and Rachel both paused and then looked back at each other. With matching smiles, they silently agreed to ignore it. Just as their lips connected again, Rachel's cell phone began to ring as well.
With a sigh, Rachel pulled back and slipped out from underneath Finn, instantly missing his warmth. She wrapped the sheet around her body while Finn found his boxers discarded on the floor and tugged them on. He reached for his phone just as Rachel answered hers.
"Hello, Noah!" Rachel greeted brightly when she saw her best friend's name flash across the screen. "How are you?"
Puck released a heavy sigh on the other end of the line, and it instantly made Rachel worry. "Rachel, is Finn there?" he asked.
"Yes, he's here." Rachel grew concerned, both from Puck's tone of voice and from listening to Finn attempt to calm his mother down. "Noah, what's going on?"
"Carole called my mom a few minutes ago." Puck swallowed hard. "Rachel… Burt had a heart attack."
The phone almost slipped from Rachel's hand. If she had been that shocked, she couldn't imagine how Finn was feeling right now. Turning, she saw that he had fallen completely silent and was now just gripping his phone so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.
"He's at the hospital, right?" Rachel asked.
"Yes, but—"
"We'll see you later, Noah," Rachel said quickly. She hung up her phone and tossed it on the bed. Approaching Finn, she slipped her tiny hand into one of his and squeezed reassuringly. With her other hand, she reached up and took the phone from Finn.
"Mrs. Hudson?" Rachel said into the phone. "Are you at the hospital?"
"Yes," Carole said. She took a deep breath and then sniffled, and Rachel wondered how long she had been at the hospital and how much of that time she had spent alone.
Rachel tried to keep her voice soothing, both for Carole's sake and Finn's. "We'll be there soon, Mrs. Hudson."
After saying goodbye to her new mother in law, Rachel discarded Finn's phone as well and reached up to touch his cheek. "Finn," she said gently. He was vacantly staring off at nothing, and it was really worrying Rachel. "Come on, Finn. Look at me."
Finn's eyes focused finally, and he wrapped his fingers around hers. "I wish… I wish I knew Burt better," he said. "What if I don't…"
Rachel's heart went out to the man that she loved so very much. "You can't think like that, Finn," she said. Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed a gentle, loving kiss to his lips. Given that Chris Hudson harbored such a dislike for his older cousin, he never really gave Finn a chance to know Burt. That wasn't Finn's fault, and he had suffered at the hands of Chris Hudson for far too long.
"I don't understand," Finn admitted. "She was so upset just now. I mean, I know she likes Uncle Burt and she cares about him, but…" Finally, Finn shook his head. Bending down, he pressed a tender kiss to Rachel's forehead.
Rachel nodded her head, once again impressed by Finn's resilience. Finn gave her that half smile she adored so much, kissed her again, and then disappeared into the en-suite bathroom to take a shower. Rachel, for her part, curled back up on the bed and waited until it was her turn. She supposed that this was now as good a time as any to ruminate over her new life.
Finn and Rachel were lucky; the Hudsons lived in what amounted to a mansion (due to old money from Carole's family) that was on sprawling grounds and came equipped with a full guest house. Once they had all of the needed permission from their parents, Carole had even taken it a step further and had offered up the guest house to Finn and Rachel.
And it wasn't like they were simply being given everything, either. Finn and Rachel were given the responsibility of paying for the amenities: things like electric, water, Internet, and cable. They also had to buy their own food and were required to help out around the house should Carole need it. This bothered neither Finn nor Rachel, and they found it was a compromise they could all agree on. Now that Finn and Rachel were married, they were no longer their parents' responsibility. Even so, Carole, Leroy, and Hiram had shown that it didn't matter and they were still fully willing to be supportive parents.
"You're still our little star," Hiram had said before he and Leroy had walked Rachel down the aisle. "We don't mind helping you when we can. We'll always be there for you."
Rachel was grateful that she was surrounded by such understanding and wonderful adults in her life. Her fathers had especially been there for her. When Finn had asked Hiram and Leroy for permission to marry Rachel, they had been (understandably) shocked but agreed to hear them out.
"We can't let them get married, Hiram!" Leroy exclaimed. "Rachel just turned seventeen! She's too young! There are too many things to consider."
Rachel was safely hidden in a small alcove outside of her fathers' joint office. It was where she had often tucked herself away as a child, and she picked that same spot now to eavesdrop on Hiram and Leroy to listen in on their discussion about Finn's request.
Hiram watched his husband with a tender, knowing smile on his lips. "People told us that we couldn't get married, either."
Leroy stopped his pacing and drew up short. "That's different," he said firmly.
"Is it really, though? Love is love, Leroy. So they may be a little young, but that doesn't mean that what they're feeling isn't real. Besides, our Rachela is an old soul."
Leroy smiled at that. "That she is." Then he sighed and ran a hand through his graying hair. He was positive that it had gone even more gray, and it was all because of Rachel. "I can't believe that I'm actually considering this."
Rachel clapped a hand over her mouth in an effort to his her squeal of joy. Could this really happen? Could she end up marrying Finn Hudson? Sure, they were young and they had school and their futures and their careers to think about, but who's to say they couldn't have it all?
"What if it doesn't work?" Leroy questioned in a heavy voice. He didn't want anything to hurt his only daughter. As her parent, it was his job to make sure that nothing bad ever happened to her.
Hiram stood up and took Leroy's hands. He kissed his husband reassuringly and smiled. "Then we do what any other parent would do: we'll be there for her."
"What are you thinking about?"
Rachel started when she realized that Finn was leaning over her. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, and his hair was sticking up in a million directions. Tiny droplets of water that hadn't dried yet ran down his chest, and Rachel licked her lips.
But she had to push those thoughts aside. She sat up and made sure that the sheet was still wrapped around her. "Nothing much," she told Finn. Hopping off the bed, she made her way into the bathroom and tried to ignore the way Finn was smirking after her. He totally knew she was checking him out.
Finn was still hugging his mother well after arriving at the hospital. She seemed distraught, which was confusing to both Rachel and Finn. Burt was her family, but Chris had kind of been adamant about not spending a lot of time with him unless it was for a big family gathering. Carole was basically in tears at the hospital, and Rachel couldn't help but wonder what was really going on.
"When will he wake up?" Finn asked.
Carole shrugged her shoulders and pulled back from her son. "The doctors told me that he could wake up at any time today. He just needs to recover enough to do so."
"Do they know what happened?" Rachel asked gently. She handed Carole a warm cup of coffee that she had retrieved from the machine down the hall, and Finn gave her a grateful look.
"Anne found him at the house when they were supposed to meet for breakfast this morning," Carole revealed. "He was by himself, so it took a little while before anyone actually noticed that anything was wrong. If it had been just a little bit longer, then he might have..." She trailed off, but she didn't need to elaborate. They all knew what might have happened if Burt hadn't been found.
It also left Finn with an odd, upset feeling. He didn't know Burt very well. Since he had been around Puck and Rachel much more often, he had a chance to spend time with his uncle. Finn hadn't realized that he could have lost this chance to know Burt. It was eye-opening and incredibly sobering.
The double doors at the end of the hallway flung open, and Anne Puckerman marched towards the small group with a determined look on her face. She was carrying a large brown paper bag, and Puck actually had to hurry to keep up with his mother. He was carrying one of the bags as well, and he kept giving her looks full of confusion.
"Anne!" Carole wiped at the drying tear tracks on her cheeks and attempted to make herself look a little more presentable for her friend. She actually seemed kind of embarrassed to be caught looking so upset, but Anne gave her a kind look.
Puck looked between Carole and Anne with his brow furrowed. Carole continued to look embarrassed, but Anne seemed as if she understood whatever Carole was going through. Rachel squeezed Puck's hand and Finn clapped him on the shoulder. Puck gave them both a grateful look. Regardless of how confused they were over what was happening with Burt, Carole, and Anne, Burt was still a part of their family. The Puckerman family was probably hurting just as much as anyone right now.
Anne set the large paper bag down before she pulled Carole into a tight hug. "Carole, of course I would be here," Anne said. " I wanted to make sure that you were okay. Besides." She shot the other woman a wry smile. "I couldn't very well let any of you eat hospital food. So I thought we could go down to the cafeteria for a little bit."
Carole nodded her head slowly, and Anne squeezed her shoulder and then hugged her again. Her voice was low as she spoke, but the three teenagers standing by their sides still heard her. "Don't feel guilty, Carole. You shouldn't feel bad at all."
Rachel was positive that she had a look of complete alarm on her face. Looking towards her new husband, she saw that Finn was just as shocked by Anne's words as she was. He opened his mouth to question what was going on, but shut it at the last second. Puck looked hopelessly lost, and he shrugged his shoulders when Finn and Rachel looked to him.
Carole sniffled again and then stood up straight, squaring her shoulders. "Let's go to the cafeteria and eat then," she suggested.
So the unlikely group of five headed down to the cafeteria and unloaded the impressive spread of food that Anne had brought. They all sat in silence as they ate, not really knowing what they could talk about.
At least, it was silent until Puck said, "Hey Finn and Rachel. How are you guys enjoying married life?"
Anne promptly began choking on a bite of pasta salad. Puck thumped his mother on the back, and she gulped down some water before she looked at the teenage couple sitting across from her with wide eyes. "I'm sorry, did Puck just say that the two of you were married?"
Finn reached for Rachel's free hand on top of the table. Her left hand was exposed, proudly displaying the vintage diamond ring on her third finger. Carole had given it to Finn, as it had been his grandmother's ring. They hadn't had the time to buy a wedding band, but Rachel didn't mind. She loved the family heirloom that had been passed down to her.
"You're married?" Anne repeated. "Rachel Barbara Berry. You're married to Finn Hudson?"
Rachel cleared her throat and looked upon the woman that she had considered a mother figure. "It's Rachel Berry-Hudson now, actually."
Anne blinked at her and then swiveled her head towards Carole. "Did you know about this?"
Carole nodded her head and then jammed the fork she had laden down with chicken parmesan in her mouth so she didn't have to speak. Anne gaped openly at Carole and then turned back to Finn and Rachel. Meanwhile, Puck was trying his hardest not to burst out laughing. The situation was actually pretty serious, but Anne's reaction was priceless.
Anne took a deep, steady breath and then smiled at the young couple across the table. "I suppose some congratulations are in order, then. This is something to be celebrated!"
"It'll sure be a surprise to everyone else," Puck muttered under his breath.
Rachel made a face at Puck and slid her arms around one of Finn's, pressing closer to him. He looked down at her with that sweet smile on his lips, and in that moment Rachel felt complete and utter happiness. When Finn looked at her like that, Rachel truly believed that everything would work out just fine.
They finished their lunch and headed back up to the waiting room. It wasn't long before the doctor was coming out and asking for Burt Hummel's family. By that time, Kurt Hummel had arrived as well. He was so distracted by badgering the nurses for news about his father, he didn't even notice the hints that Puck was dropping about Finn and Rachel's marriage.
The doctor told them that Burt was awake, and Kurt and Carole tore off for Burt's room before the doctor had even finished speaking. Anne chuckled and shook her head and then encouraged Puck and Finn to go into the room, as well. Rachel nodded her head at her husband, letting him know that she would be fine out in the waiting room with Anne until Burt could have more visitors. Finn gave Rachel a quick kiss before he followed Carole, Kurt, and Puck down to Burt's room.
"I really am happy for you two, you know," Anne said gently.
Rachel turned to Anne in surprise. Earlier in the cafeteria, while Anne had congratulated them, she hadn't really sounded very thrilled. Now, however, she was looking upon Rachel with a sincere, almost motherly gaze.
"You are?" Rachel asked. "I mean, I know it must have come as a bit of a shock. It's… well, it's…" Rachel trailed off and shrugged her shoulders. She knew how it sounded. Why in the world would two teenagers even consider getting married, let alone actually do it? It seemed a little far-fetched, and Rachel knew it.
Anne smiled warmly at the young woman in front of her. "I am. Anyone can see how much you love Finn, and he loves you too. You changed him. It's going to be hard, but you can do it. Your love is real, and I have a feeling that it's going to be the one of the ones that lasts forever."
Rachel threw her arms around Anne and hugged her tightly. Hearing that her and Finn's marriage was actually, truly supported meant more than Rachel would ever be able to explain. Anne returned Rachel's hug just as Finn entered the waiting room. He smiled when he saw them, and Anne nodded her head in acknowledgement.
She understood Finn and Rachel, and she truly wanted them to make it.
"Puckerman, is this true?"
Puck dropped his video game controller and jerked around in surprise. He certainly hadn't expected anyone to burst into his room, let alone Santana Lopez.
"Is what true?" he asked with a wary look. An angry Santana Lopez was the last thing he wanted to deal with right now. He was stressed enough as it was, what with Burt being in the hospital, helping his mother to be calm, his physical therapy appointments, school, and his football practices. He was also helping out at the auto shop as much as he could so that Burt wouldn't fall behind in his work. Add to that the fact that his best friend and his half-brother just got married (even though they were still in high school). So yeah, Puck had a lot on his plate.
"Are Hudson and Berry really married?" Then Santana got a thoughtful look on her face and tapped a perfectly manicured finger against her chin. "Well, I guess it would be Hudson and Hudson now. Or is she going by Berry-Hudson?"
Puck sighed and dragged his hands over his face. "It's Berry-Hudson," he said. "And yes, it's true."
Santana stared at him for a long moment. Finally, she said, "Are you fucking with me?"
"Nope."
"Is she pregnant?"
"Nope."
"Huh." Walking further into Puck's bedroom, Santana sat down on the bed. "So they got married because… they're in love?"
Puck shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I guess so," he muttered. He wasn't one to be a romantic sap, but it was clear even to him how much Finn and Rachel loved one another. So what if they were doing things in an unconventional manner? That was just the way their relationship had progressed.
"You know what this calls for, right?" Santana asked.
Puck grew wary again. "What?" he asked in voice full of caution. Santana had that look in her eye that Puck was actually pretty afraid of. Puck had ended up handcuffed to a pole in Santana's basement for three hours because of that look.
Santana gave him a look that clearly stated she wasn't in the mood for him to obtuse. "We're going to throw them a reception. Duh."
"Santana, we can't have some kind of rager for them—"
Plucking one of the pillows from Puck's bed, Santana threw it at him. "Of course I wasn't going to do that, you asshole. I'm talking about an actual reception. You know, with a white dress and a cake and everything."
"And when do you plan on having this party?"
"This weekend, of course. They just got married. We can't really waste time."
Throwing his hands up in the air, Puck gave Santana an exasperated look. "How do you think we're going to pull this off, exactly?"
Santana smirked and snatched Puck's phone up. "We're going to call Kurt Hummel, of course."
Just as she had earlier, Santana burst into Quinn's room. She was forcibly towing Kurt and Puck behind her. Kurt was complaining loudly that Santana was going to wrinkle his shirt, and she turned around and poked him in the chest.
"Stop your bitching, Hummel," Santana ordered. Turning to Quinn, she said, "So we're planning this party for Hudson and Berry-Hudson. You in?"
Quinn was used to Santana's antics, so it didn't take her long to respond. "Of course I want to help. And I'm assuming that Puck and Kurt are part of your planning committee?"
"I am not part of the planning committee," Kurt protested immediately. "I am the head of the planning committee."
Puck rolled his eyes. He had only been there with this so-called planning committee for about an hour, and he was already annoyed with all of them. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Petunia," he said.
Kurt glared at Puck. "You're lucky that your mother just opened a night club and we need that venue for the reception."
Deciding that he needed to push a few buttons, Puck innocently suggested, "I was thinking we could have a cookout and just make hot dogs and cheeseburgers. And I know a few people we could get beer from—"
"Noah Puckerman!" Kurt yelled shrilly. "We will do no such thing!"
Puck chuckled and reached over to ruffle Kurt's hair. He had the added bonus of pissing Kurt off, so he didn't really mind when Kurt attempted to shove him. "You know I was just fucking with you, Hummel."
"Please, like we would let you plan this, Puckerman," Santana scoffed. "We all know that you couldn't handle a party of this magnitude."
Quinn burst out laughing at that, and Puck scowled. Well, he supposed that it was a good thing that they didn't both hate him anymore. That was progress of some sort. Quinn caught Puck's eye and her cheeks turned red. After holding his gaze for just a brief second, she quickly looked away and turned her attention back to Santana.
Santana and Quinn's phones buzzed at the same time. They had received the same text message from Rachel: she and Finn were at the mall and they were being hounded by their fellow classmates. Apparently, news of their nuptials had spread quickly, and everyone wanted to know how it happened.
"I guess we have to go rescue the happy couple," Quinn said. "Should we make this a group trip?"
Kurt hustled over to Quinn's mirror and did his best to fix his hair. He snatched up a container of Quinn's hair pomade and combed it through his hair. "We might as well," he said once he was satisfied with his appearance. "We can start shopping for some of the things we need for the reception."
Puck rolled his eyes. "What the hell did I get myself into?" he muttered under his breath. He was pretty sure that Rachel would be just as excited to plan as Kurt, Santana, and Quinn. So at least Finn would be there to suffer with him.
Rachel looked around and frowned when she realized that there were so many people watching them. "Do you think they'll stop staring soon?" Rachel twisted her ring around her finger, causing Finn to smile a little at the sight. Shad had quickly developed it as a nervous habit, and he thought it was cute.
Wrapping an arm around Rachel's shoulders, he pulled her into his side. "It'll die down eventually."
Quinn and Santana had caught up with the newlyweds, and Santana snorted to alert them to the girls' presence. Rachel shot her friend a glare, mostly because Santana was just teasing to get a reaction from Rachel.
"The two of you could have your own reality show," Quinn noted. "Really, how many seventeen year old kids get married?"
"Besides the ones in backwards hick towns," Santana added. Turning her attention to the crowd, Santana yelled, "You can all stop staring now! Rachel Berry-Hudson is not—I repeat not—pregnant!"
Rachel burrowed further into Finn's side, hoping that she could somehow disappear. She could feel Finn's deep chuckle vibrating through his chest, and she peeked up at her husband to pin him with a withering glare.
"Oh, come on Rach!" Finn squeezed her shoulders affectionately. "Santana just cleared up a lot of the rumor mill."
"I guess," Rachel grumbled. Santana only smirked and poked Rachel in the shoulder repeatedly.
"Just think about how much fun you're going to have at your reception this weekend. And you should consider yourself lucky that Q and I took over the planning of this party." Santana shuddered and shared a distressed look with Quinn. "Puckerman was trying to plan this party by himself, and who knew how that was going to end."
Rachel bit her lip. "Kurt called me yesterday. He wants to go shopping—again. But this time for a dress. And he said it had to be white."
Finn rolled his eyes in half-exasperation and half-amusement. Lately, he had been visiting Burt in the hospital twice a week with his mother. The more he got to know Burt, the more time he spent with Kurt. Since Finn and Puck were becoming friends as well, Kurt would often tag along with them. Given that Burt was still recovering, Anne was keeping an eye on Kurt. As a result, they were all getting to know Kurt more.
"Don't let Kurt stress you out," Finn advised. "This is supposed to be fun, remember?"
"You should wear a white dress, though," Quinn said seriously. "It's not like any of us were there when you and Finn got married."
Naturally, Hiram had managed to pull together a small, intimate ceremony for Finn and Rachel. He knew someone at the local arboretum and got access to one of the private gardens. They were surrounded by the beautiful, colorful blooms of hydrangeas, gardenias, marigolds, and tulips. Rachel thought it was pretty perfect, honestly.
Even though Leroy had begrudgingly agreed to let his only daughter get married, he had gone out and purchased a white sun dress for her. It was simple and pretty—perfect for this impromptu wedding ceremony.
Rachel had a bouquet of pink tulips tied with a white ribbon. Hiram and Leroy were going to walk her out of the small room she was getting ready in. The only other people waiting for them in the garden were Finn, Carole, and the celebrant that would be performing the ceremony.
"Are you ready, princess?" Hiram asked.
Rachel smoothed her hands over the skirt of her dress and accepted her bouquet from Hiram. "I am."
"Are you sure?" Leroy asked.
Hiram shot his husband a look. "Leroy!"
"What?" He looked unapologetic. "It doesn't hurt to double check."
Rachel laughed and linked arms with both of her fathers. "I promise. I'm ready."
Together, they made their way out to the makeshift aisle. Finn was waiting under an archway of colorful flowers, and Rachel fell in love with him that much more.
"Finn you're going to have to wear slacks and a button down shirt. Maybe even a tie."
Quinn's critical voice pulled Rachel from her memories. She giggled when she saw her husband make a face.
"Give me a little credit, Quinn," Finn said. "I kind of figured that when you said the party would be semi-formal."
Rachel saw Santana open her mouth—probably to give Finn some kind of snarky retort. Deciding to head off the coming argument, Rachel stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Finn's cheek.
"We should probably head to class," Rachel said. "I'll meet you at the car when classes are over?"
Finn smiled at her, and Rachel's heart skipped a beat. "See you then. I love you, Rach."
Rachel beamed at him. "I love you, too."
"My powers are magical," Kurt declared as he and Rachel walked into Anne's Café.
Rachel grunted. That was easy for him to say, since he wasn't the one lugging around a huge garment bag.
Puck raised an eyebrow from his spot behind the counter. "Oh really, Hummel? And what magical powers would that be?"
Before Kurt could answer, Rachel slapped her hand on the counter. "I need a dirty chai with soy milk," Rachel ordered. She carefully draped the garment bag over one of the stools at the counter and then proceeded to collapse into the one next to it.
"That bad, huh?" Puck asked with a smirk.
Kurt waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, she's just being dramatic."
Puck opened his mouth to make some kind of joke about Rachel always being dramatic, but she shut him up when she thrust a threatening finger in his direction. "Don't you dare say a word, Noah."
Puck slid Rachel's mug containing her drink towards her. "I wasn't going to say anything."
"I'll have a dry cappuccino," Kurt told Puck. "And we picked out a white dress, by the way. So the most important part of the party has already been figured out."
Rachel pressed her fingers to her temples. Thankfully, Santana and Quinn had taken over most of the planning, so at least she didn't have to worry about that. Rachel was so grateful that her friends were accepting of her decision to get married and were even celebrating it. She was lucky to have ended up with such an amazing group of friends. So much had changed in such a short time, and Rachel doubted that she would have been able to handle this as well as she had without them.
Puck noticed how tired his best friend was, and he took Rachel's mug, put her drink in a to-go cup. "Go home," he said. "Go see your husband. You need to relax."
Hearing Finn referred to as her husband made Rachel perk up instantly. She picked up the to-go cup and kissed both Kurt and Puck on the cheek.
"The fact that you're so sappy over this is fucking disgusting," Puck stated as Kurt nodded his head in agreement. Still, he didn't actually mean it. He was glad that his best friend and his brother had found happiness.
Rachel wouldn't let her friends' bad attitude get to her. "Bye Kurt, bye BIL?"
"BIL? What the hell is a BIL?" Puck demanded as Kurt started laughing.
Rachel was too eager to get home to see Finn, so she explained the acronym as she backed up towards the door. "BIL stands for brother-in-law, Noah!"
Without waiting to hear what Puck's response was, Rachel left the café and jumped into her car. She was home in record time, and she found Finn returning to the house from a run. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and his chest was covered in a sheen of sweat. Rachel's eyes immediately went dark, and she knew exactly what she was going to do to de-stress.
Finn pulled the earbuds from his ears and grinned when he saw Rachel. "Hey, Rach," he greeted. He bent and pressed a kiss to her lips, careful not to touch her with his sweaty body. He went to grab a water bottle, but stopped when Rachel wrapped her tiny fingers around his wrist.
"Finn," Rachel breathed. She tugged on his arm until he came back to her and kissed her again. Rachel showed how much she didn't care about the fact that he just came from a workout by wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body fully against his.
"Mmm." Finn pulled back with just enough space between them to speak. Rachel didn't let that deter her in the slightest; she simply began to kiss across his jaw and down his neck. "Any reason for this surprise? Not that I'm complaining."
Rachel bit down on his neck, feeling some primal sort of pleasure from marking him. "I missed you. I love you. Do I need any other reason?"
Distracted by the feeling of Rachel's lips on his skin, Finn could only manage a noise of agreement. He lifted Rachel into his arms, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist and simultaneously rub against the hardness she could feel.
Finn didn't waste any time in getting them to the bedroom. Without letting go of each other, Finn and Rachel fell onto the bed in a mess of tangled arms and legs. Finn was already half-undressed, and Rachel relished in the feel of the strong muscles in his chest under her fingertips.
Finn slid his hand underneath Rachel's top and slowly pulled it over her head. Flipping her underneath him, he ducked his head and pressed his lips to Rachel's stomach. Pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses against her skin, he moved up her stomach and to the lacey edge of her bra. Reaching underneath Rachel's back, Finn unhooked her bra and pulled it from her shoulders.
Levering his weight above her by pressing his palms on either side of her body, Finn ducked his head and pressed a deep, passionate kiss to Rachel's lips. She slid her hands down his back and slipped her fingers inside of his shorts. She wrapped her fingers around his hard length and pumped once, causing Finn to groan.
"Fuck, Rach," he murmured, ducking his head into her neck. He was so distracted by the feel of Rachel's fingers wrapped around him that he was surprised when he suddenly found himself on his back. Rachel smirked at him and kneeled above him. With some kind of tricky maneuvering, Rachel somehow managed to get her pants and underwear off. Rachel tugged Finn's shorts off as well and took a moment to appreciate the sight of his rigid length.
She ground her hips down on Finn's length and threw her head back when he slid his hands up and cupped her breasts. He pinched a nipple between his thumb and forefinger, and Rachel gasped.
"Finn!" Grasping his hands, Rachel tugged until he was sitting up. She was still straddling him, and Finn's legs were crossed underneath her. Rachel wrapped her legs around his waist and slid her fingers into his hair, pulling him close to kiss him. At the same time, she lifted up and then let herself slide down on Finn's length. She moaned when he was fully inside of her and grasped his shoulders tightly in her tiny hands.
They began to move together, rocking their hips back and forth in the same steady rhythm. With Rachel's body wrapped tightly around his, Finn could feel her pressed completely against him. There was no space between them at all, and Finn loved the feeling of his wife pressed against him so intimately.
Rachel began rocking her hips back and forth faster. Her fingers dug into Finn's shoulders as she cried out. Finn matched her movements and ducked his head into her neck, holding onto her tighter. He was able to slip a hand in between their bodies and tease her most sensitive spot with his fingers.
Rachel's orgasm hit her like freight train, and she screamed Finn's name. She could feel him pulse inside of her as he came as well. Rachel became limp against her husband, but she remained wrapped around him as best she could.
Finn lay back on the bed and stretched out. He settled Rachel against his chest and pulled the blankets up over their naked bodies. Rachel smiled and buried her face in Finn's chest as she felt her cheeks heat up.
Finn chuckled. "What are you getting embarrassed about?"
"I just jumped you!" Rachel lifted her head to reveal pink cheeks. "You walked in the house and I jumped you!"
Finn rubbed soothing hands over her back and tried not to laugh. "It wasn't like I was complaining, Rach. I'm your husband. You can jump me any time you want." Rachel started giggling and Finn added, "Of course, you could have jumped me before I was your husband, too."
Rachel pushed on Finn's chest playfully and then curled further into his side. Closing her eyes, she relished in the feel of Finn's strong arms wrapped around her. This was the perfect place to fall asleep, and Rachel knew that it was all hers.
Rachel slapped Quinn's hands away from her hair. "It's done now! You've put enough hair spray on it for my hair to be solid for a life time!"
Quinn wrinkled her nose and backed away from Rachel with her hands held up in surrender. "Well fine then. I guess you're hair looks okay." When she saw the look Rachel shot her, Quinn laughed. "Kidding! I'm kidding. Your hair looks great."
"And so does your dress. It pains me to say it, but Hummel actually did a good job with the dress," Santana said. She checked her clipboard and then motioned for Quinn to join her. Rachel watched Santana with an incredulous look on her face.
"Santana…" Rachel's eyes narrowed. "Are you wearing a headset?"
Santana shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah. What's your point? I need to make sure this event runs smoothly."
Rachel blinked at her. "This is a small party in place of a reception. Not a red carpet event."
"You tell that to Hummel, and then you come talk to me." Pressing her fingers to the headset, Santana yelled, "No! We wanted crème colored napkins, not white!"
Rachel caught sight of her fathers and ran over to them. "Someone please do something," she pleaded. "They're completely blowing this party out of control!"
Hiram looked absolutely delighted by it all. "I love this! Princess, your friends are so sweet for doing this." With that said, Hiram bustled off to help them figure out the napkin debacle. Leroy and Rachel stood there and simply stared at all of the chaos surrounding them.
"Well," Leroy said. "I guess it's a good thing that you got married now and we won't have to deal with this latter."
That one comment made Rachel feel infinitely better, and she hugged her father's side. He kissed the top of her head and brought her over to the side of the room.
"You really do look gorgeous, little star," Leroy said.
Rachel smoothed down the skirt of her dress. It was white (of course), and relatively simple. With thick straps, an A-line bodice, and a skirt with scalloped edges, it was a sweet dress that Rachel had fallen in love with the moment she set eyes on it. The best part was that it fit her body like it was made for her.
Of course, Kurt had embellished the dress with long strands of delicate necklaces, but Rachel thought that it added to her look, rather than overpowering it. Quinn had done her hair in loose, sleek waves, and Rachel herself had made sure that her makeup was light and natural. She felt every bit the bride she had been the day that she married Finn. It was made all the better knowing that they were going to be celebrating with their friends and family.
"Has Kurt relinquished Finn yet?" Rachel demanded. "I want to see him."
Kurt came bustling into the room, wearing a headset that matched Santana's. "He's right here. I swear, the two of you are insufferable. Now just wait here for roughly seventy seconds and then you can come out."
Rachel's eyebrows shot up. "Seventy seconds exactly?" she asked, more to annoy Kurt than anything else.
Kurt chose not to answer her, but that was fine by Rachel. She caught sight of Finn then, and she couldn't help but stand there and admire just how handsome her husband looked in a pair of dress slacks and a white button down shirt. Rachel had a feeling that Kurt had attempted to tame Finn's thick, messy hair, but hadn't had any success since it was sticking up just as it always did. The smile that lit up Finn's face when he saw made him look undoubtedly in love, and that made him all the more attractive.
"Rach," Finn breathed. He slid his arms around her waist and hauled her against him. He didn't waste any time in kissing his wife, and Rachel completely melted against him. They only broke apart when they heard Kurt yell, "Thirty-five seconds!"
Rachel was also completely mortified when she remembered that her Papa was standing right there. Wearing a look that was vaguely uncomfortable, Leroy said, "I know that the two of you are married now, but there are just some things that a father doesn't need to see."
Finn went pale and opened his mouth to apologize, but Rachel cut him off by patting his chest and tugging him forward. "According to my count, we only have five seconds left before we have to enter the party. See you out there, Papa!"
"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" Finn murmured just before they entered the party.
Rachel beamed up at him just as she pushed the doors open. The raucous applause of their friends and family greeted them. Rachel became aware of the fact that they were throwing tulip petals over their heads. Holding onto Finn, the young couple made their way to the front of the room where Puck, Quinn, Santana, and Kurt were waiting for them.
Somehow, they managed to make the inside of the night club look like the arboretum where Finn and Rachel got married. Flowers were everywhere, and the colors were light, bright and happy. Gauzy white fabric was draped from the ceiling, and Rachel was amazed at the transformation that the night club had undergone.
"This looks amazing!" Rachel exclaimed. "How did you manage to do all of this?" She looked around in awe at the tulips, hydrangeas, gardenias, and marigolds—all of the flowers that had been at their wedding.
"Your dad showed us some pictures," Kurt stated in a haughty voice.
Puck hit the back of Kurt's head, making him instantly bring his hands up to his hair to protect it. "Don't be such a little shit, Hummel. Berry-Hudson, your dad talked to his friends and brought in all of the flowers."
Rachel hugged all of their friends anyway and thanked them profusely. Taking Finn's hand once again, the couple made their way around the party to greet the rest of their friends and family. Once they circled back to the front of the room, Santana handed both Finn and Rachel a glass of champagne.
"Santana…" Rachel began in a warning voice. Sure, she had a glass of wine or champagne during family events, but she wasn't ready to endorse an all-out booze fest at the reception.
Santana rolled her eyes. "Relax, Berry-Hudson. It's just for the toasts."
"Toasts?" Finn repeated in amusement. Santana smirked at him and tapped a fork on the side of her champagne flute. The crowd of people attending the reception all turned towards the front of the room, and they all fell silent at once.
"So I'm going to go ahead and proclaim myself as Rachel's female best friend," Santana began. She didn't bother to greet the attendees, and a chuckle went through a crowd. "Which means that I'm the one who's going to say that I think it's okay that these two got married. I mean, just look at them. They look more in love than half the couples that any of us have ever met."
In response, Rachel's cheeks turned red and she buried her face in Finn's chest. His arms were wrapped around her and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head in response. Even their friends and family had to admit that though Finn and Rachel were young, their relationship was genuine.
"They're not deluded or anything," Santana continued. "If you asked them, I'm sure they would tell you that they know this won't be easy. But there are times when you know that love is real… and this is one of those times."
Everyone applauded, and Rachel let go of Finn long enough to hug Santana tightly. Santana rolled her eyes, but she did hug Rachel in return. Santana even accepted a hug from Finn as well, but she got back at him by punching him in the shoulder.
Puck stepped up then, and he was spinning the stem of his champagne flute between his fingers. He cleared his throat and the crowd quieted down enough for him to speak.
"I think it's no secret that Finn and I didn't like each other," Puck began, and everyone laughed. Finn shrugged his shoulders sheepishly; he knew that he had been an asshole for a very long time. All of the pent up resentment and anger from the way his father had treated him had really taken its toll.
"But, you know," Puck said. "Things change. And I guess Hudson isn't as bad as I thought he was." Their friends especially laughed at that one, and Rachel sent Puck a mock glare. He chuckled and shook his head. "Anyway, I think it's pretty clear that they've both changed each other, and it was a really good change. So here's to Finn and Rachel and the long, happy life they'll have together."
They all raised their glasses together and took a sip in toast of the young couple. Rachel beamed at Finn over the rim of her champagne flute. He bent to kiss her, and Rachel could taste the cool, crisp bubbly on his tongue.
Sometimes, Rachel thought this was all a dream. She didn't know how she could be so young and have a life that was already so amazing. If this was a dream, she didn't want to wake up.
"You know, we should really decorate."
Finn peered into the living room and found his wife standing there, staring at the wall the television was mounted on. She was clad in nothing but the button down shirt he had been wearing during their party, and Finn wasn't sure how long he could focus on Rachel wanting to decorate their house.
"It's two o'clock on a Saturday morning and you're worried about what our living room looks like?"
Rachel turned around and planted her hands on her hips. The shirt was being held together with only one button done in the middle, and Rachel was practically swimming in it. Finn wondered how she could make a simple dress shirt so incredibly sexy, but he wasn't too concerned with thinking very much about it.
"This is our home now, Finn! We have to come up with a design scheme so that people will know that it's our home they're walking into."
Finn began to move towards Rachel slowly. "You're adorable, you know that?"
Rachel's cheeks flushed. "Don't try to change the subject, Finn Hudson."
"It's true," he said. He was just about halfway to her. "And if anyone is doing the distracting, it's you. You and that shirt, that is."
"Finn Hudson," Rachel repeated, but that seemed to be all the scolding she could do. There was something about the look in Finn's eyes that got her all hot and bothered, and she rubbed her thighs together. Finn didn't miss the movement and his eyes darkened further.
Now, he was standing directly in front of her. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Finn muttered before he slid his arms around Rachel's waist and hoisted her up. Rachel molded her body to his with a pleasure-filled sigh, and she wondered how life could get any better than this.
Finally.