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The first time Finn meets Rachel in New York is when he leaves the army.
Finn was excited. He finally decided to leave the army and is on his way to New York to surprise his only love, Rachel Berry. The two had split ways after a failed engagement in high school and their differences in career choices. Rachel had made it big on Broadway, as expected. Finn had contacted Kurt to tell him where Rachel lives and after hours of persuasion, Finn had gotten the address. After checking into his hotel, he wasted no time to head over to Rachel’s house. He wore his best tuxedo and brought Rachel’s favorite flowers, red roses. That’s what he had gotten her after graduation senior year and the tall man prayed it hadn’t changed. He now stands in front of the Berry residence, nerves finally kicking in. With a shaky hand, he rings the doorbell. There’s no movement on the other side of the door so Finn rings again. After a muffled groan he can barely hear, the door opens.
“Santana, I swear if yo-” Rachel swings the door open and her face drops. “F-Finn.”
“Hey Rach.” Finn smiles.
“Rachel! If you don’t come back, I’m going to have to finish myself off!” A voice comes from the bedroom.
“Just a minute!” The brunette calls back. “So, how are you?” Rachel flushes. She moves to let Finn in. He holds the flowers out to her and she flushes even deeper. Finn smirks at her reactions, realizing he still had the same effect on her since high school.
“I’m good. I missed you.”
“Finn-”
“I wanted to make this right. You know, us .” Finn grins. Rachel’s eyes widened.
“Uh, would you like some coffee?” Finn nods and sits down on the counter next to the coffee machine. Rachel awkwardly shuffles to the cupboard to grab the ingredients.
“So, how is the army?” Rachel clears her throat.
“It was wonderful,” He accepted the mug Rachel handed to him. “But, I left. For you and a better life.”
Rachel visibly stiffens. “Finn, I-” Rachel is cut off by another loud groan from the bedroom and a door opening.
“Rachel, who is so important that you couldn’t even…” A girl walks into the kitchen with a shirt half off and is struggling to put it on. “Finish.”
Finn looks up from his mug and gasps. The girl glances at him and shrieks.
“Quinn?!”
“Finn?!”
Rachel groans and hands Quinn a cup of coffee and glances uncomfortably at Finn. The brunette fixes the clumsy blonde’s shirt and smiles at her.
“Finn came to visit.”
“I can see that.”
“I came to reclaim my love for Rachel.” Finn explains.
“Right… he did that.” Rachel confirms with a nod.
Quinn just smirks.
“Anyways,” Finn glances at Rachel. “Are you living with Quinn? Roommates?” Quinn giggles.
“Sure, you could say that.” Rachel subtly elbows Quinn in the ribs and the blonde responds by wrapping her arm around the brunette’s neck. This doesn’t go unnoticed by the taller boy and he feels a surge of jealousy shoot through his veins.
“So, Rachel-”
“Finn. We need to talk.” Finn nods. “Quinn isn’t just my roommate. Quinn and I… we’re married.”
“What?” Finn asks incredulously. “You’re kidding, right? Rachel, we-we were supposed to be together. That’s how the story plays out! Quinn even said that herself!” He points an accusatory finger at the blonde who is looking at Rachel like she hung the moon.
“No, Finn-”
“You’re not even gay.”
Quinn sighs, “Listen, Finn. Yes, I did treat Rachel like crap, but I’ve apologized to her thousands of times, even in our wedding vows.” Rachel notices Finn wince at the word wedding. “Yes, I did tell Rachel about you two, or whatever, but that was when I was repressed as hell. I was so into hating myself that I projected it onto others. I’m now a proud lesbian and Rachel is bisexual.” Quinn finishes with a kiss to Rachel’s temple.
“Okay…now I’m just confused.” Rachel then tells Finn the whole story on how the two got together. Quinn was the first to use their Metro North passes, when Rachel was still living with Santana and Kurt. The two became extremely close friends and Rachel asked Quinn out after being pestered by Santana. After six years of dating, Quinn proposed. Rachel got her lead on Funny Girl and Quinn landed a job as a screenwriter and director for two upcoming movies. The blonde also landed a couple big roles in a few TV shows. The couple was extremely successful and the media loved them together, with countless interviews and challenges uploaded of them on the internet. They got married in the winter, specifically choosing an area where it snowed a lot, because the two loved the snow. It was a fairly small wedding. Only Santana, Brittany, Kurt, Blaine, their parents (only Judy for Quinn), Sam, Mercedes, and a few college friends were invited.
Finn noticed the way they looked at each other. It’s not like they tried hiding it. After a while, Rachel excuses herself to go to the bathroom. She shoots a pointed look at Quinn, who just nods.
“So,” Finn starts. “I wanted to say I’m sorry, you know, for-”
Quinn nods. “I know. You guys wouldn’t have gone long anyway, right?” Finn nods sheepishly, because the blonde was right. The clumsy boy and hardworking diva would’ve never had that much of a future, they were too different. Finn wouldn’t have been able to get a well paying job in New York and was most likely stuck in Lima while Rachel was destined for New York.
“You deserve her, Quinn. High school was shit for you. You deserved better than that.” Quinn smiles.
“Thanks, Finn. You deserve good things, too.” When Rachel comes back, Finn tells the women that he’ll be leaving to go meet up with Kurt early in the morning tomorrow. The couple bid him goodbye with a hug and when Quinn hugs Finn, she whispers in his ear.
“By the way, if you ever want to seduce my wife again, her favorite flowers are gardenias, not roses.” She places a kiss on Finn’s cheek. The man just rolls his eyes and winks at Quinn.
Finn walks away happy for Rachel and Quinn.
***
The second time Finn meets Rachel (and Quinn) in New York is at Brittany and Santana’s wedding.
Santana had reluctantly invited Finn after he met her in Lima, working in Burt’s shop. The Latina’s car broke down in the middle of the street and Finn had fixed it. After an awkward silence, Santana invited him.
He was in the first row and was waiting for the wedding to start. Rachel came up next to him and greeted him.
“Hey, Finn!”
“Hey, Rachel! Where’s Quinn?”
“She’s getting ready right now. She’s going to look so pretty!” Rachel squealed. She looks at her watch and quickly hugs Finn and disappears to the room where the bridesmaids are.
The wedding starts off smoothly, but by the time it’s time to say the vows, everyone is in tears. Rachel is crying uncontrollably on Quinn’s shoulder. The couple and Mercedes were standing on Santana’s side and Sam, Kurt, and Blaine were on Brittany’s side. It was time for the family and friends to give speeches. Finn had a speech ready and not only because Santana had forced him to make one.
“Santana and I were never really the best of friends in high school, especially during sophomore year.” Quinn starts. “But, during senior year, we got really close and I now have the privilege of calling her one of my best friends. Brittany and I rarely talked, mostly because of Santana and her jealousy.” The crowd laughs and Santana rolls her teary eyes. “But, these girls have a love so strong, even after multiple heartbreaks because of high school and boys.” Quinn winks at Finn who just blushes. “They make me so happy and words can’t even describe how much I wish them the best in life. They deserve everything and are both equally insane. So, they are a match made in heaven.” Quinn hugs Santana, who is now sobbing and then Brittany who kisses Quinn on the cheek and hugs her again,
“Santana and I were really not friends in high school,” Rachel speaks, already getting multiple chuckles. “We were basically enemies and tried every way to sabotage each other. If you had told me in sophomore year that I’d be Santana Lopez’s bridesmaid, sophomore year me would probably just laugh and then give you a lecture of words that you didn’t even know existed. But, the same thing would’ve happened if you had told me that I was married to Quinn, I would probably just run away.” The crowd laughs again. Quinn just hugs Rachel closer. “Anyways, Santana and I became roommates in freshman year of college with Kurt and it was… interesting. Santana has given me tons of advice and she’s helped me through so much and I can’t even find the words to thank her, for once. Brittany and I became friends when she had told me about her feelings for Santana and I tried my best to help her. Unfortunately, that was when Santana was so deep in the closet, it would take three years to find her.” Santana flips Rachel off and Brittany giggles. “But, I truly wish the best for these girls who have come into my life and made me a better person. I love you guys.” Santana starts sobbing again and Rachel hugs her. Brittany hugs Rachel before Rachel can even leave Santana’s embrace.
After Mercedes, Kurt, Blaine, and Sam spoke. Finn stands up. His hands were clammy and he took a deep breath, feeling all eyes on him.
“As you guys can tell with all these speeches, high school Santana was filled with hate. But, who can blame her? We did live in Lima, after all.” The crowd laughs and claps. “If you saw Santana and I having a civil conversation, I’d just say you were definitely hallucinating. Santana will always hold a special place in my heart, because of certain events that happened in school. Brittany and I got close in junior year when she forced me to be her cat sitter for Lord Tubbington when she had to leave to the sewers in Lima.” Finn winks at a grinning Brittany. “These girls were in love in high school. Everyone knew it, we were just waiting for them to admit it. After some regrettable things on my side senior year, Santana and I got much closer. After I had enrolled into the army, we stopped talking. We somehow rejoiced not even a few months ago. Besides that, I hope you guys are safe and healthy together forever. You guys mean the world to me.” Finn finishes and hugs the couple.
***
The third time Finn meets Rachel (and Quinn) in Lima, this time.
It’s their 20 year reunion and all of New Directions are there. Even Mr. Shue, who Finn definitely thought was dead. He picks up Rachel and Quinn from the airport and drops them off at Rachel’s parents house.
During the reunion, word gets spread around about Quinn and Rachel’s commitment to each other. Many people had said it wasn’t surprising. It was surprising that those two were the most successful McKinley students since their graduation. Puck also somehow got out of prison and he was leering around the girls, trying to find someone. Finn guesses he hasn’t heard of Quinn and Rachel’s marriage and he’s trying to flirt with Quinn again.
“Hey.”
“Puck.” Quinn acknowledges.
“So, how do you feel about us making a second Beth?” Quinn stiffens.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Puck wriggles his eyebrows. The auditorium is silent, watching Lima’s most famous writer yell at Lima’s loser delinquent. Finn is by Quinn’s side immediately, Rachel had gone to get drinks.
“Back off, dude.”
“You’re dating Hudson now, Q?”
“No. What you said was fucking gross. You can’t treat me like an object and then bring Beth into this conversation. You would never be a good dad anyways.”
“Yes, I would! I told you-”
“Have you even visited Beth ever?”
“I didn’t know we co-”
“Can it, Puckerman.” Rachel comes into the conversation. “Beth and Shelby want nothing to do with you, especially after you treated them. So, leave. Quinn is taken anyway.” Rachel drops a kiss to Quinn’s cheek. Puck falters but then smirks.
“I don’t see him. And Quinn was known for cheating, wasn't she?”
“ He is right here. Quinn has grown and you should too.” Rachel gestured to herself with a sneer.
Puck straightens. “You’re gay now?”
“Get lost!” Rachel shouts, pushing the mohawked boy in the chest. “Her sexuality has nothing to do with you and her business has nothing to do with you either!”
Puck rolls his eyes. “Whatever, call me when this phase is over.” Finn punches Puck in the jaw.
“Get the fuck out, Puckerman.” Finn grits out. Puck holds his jaw and tries throwing a punch but Finn dodges it. “Forget I was in the army, Puck?” Finn asks. Mr. Shue escorts Puck out of the auditorium and Kurt helps heal Finn’s wrist.
“He asked if we could make another Beth.” Quinn’s voice cracks.
“I’m going to kill him.” Rachel mutters. She turns to Finn. “Thank you for being there with her, Finn. I appreciate it.” Finn just smiles then hisses in pain when Kurt applies antiseptic on his knuckles. Quinn kisses Finn on the forehead and links her arm with Rachel and leaves the auditorium.
“They’re probably having sex in the bathroom.” Santana explains to the confused stares.
Kurt and Brittany laugh.
“Mailman!”
“Finn!” Santana shrieks.