Welcome to Simile! This is a sequel to my fic Metaphors (although it's not really necessary to have read Metaphors, as it's pretty self-explanatory.) Finn and Rachel make up after the Puckleberry/Santana drama and this takes place at the end of Senior year. Finn and Rachel are preparing to leave Ohio for New York after graduating, but obviously being a Finchel fic there will be angst and adorable fluff along the way. Some Quick will feature later on as well as Quinn/Rachel friendship.

Thanks and enjoy!

I am usually able to remain optimistic in any situation. Or at the very least successfully pretend I am optimistic. I perfected my show face when I was five years old and it has gotten me through countless funerals of distant relatives, failed auditions, losing at Nationals, being dumped by Finn and a daily round of slushies.

But today is different. Today I feel, well, for want of a better word, bummed.

I really need to stop hanging around with Finn so much. Next thing you know I'll start peppering my sentences with 'uh y'know' and 'awesome' and that just won't do.

The thing is I'm sitting next to him, watching him wolf down his stack of pizza without a care in the world. He pauses briefly, only to use his tongue to search for the little dollop of ketchup that has made it's way to the bottom of his right cheek. He's so pleased; so optimistic about everything his future, our future has to offer.

Which means he didn't get the letter.

Which means, by the looks of things I think, he's going to New York. And I'm not.

I try to control my breathing as I become a little more panicked. I know I've changed a lot in the past year or so. My appearance has changed; my ambitions have changed; the way I see the world has changed. But I guess despite all that I truly always thought I was going to live in New York.

It started when I was eleven years old. I hated being eleven years old. All the girls around me were starting to dress differently and dying their hair. It made me feel even more different that I already was. Then one day in History our teacher made us do a project on our favourite place in the world. I was resolute on doing my bedroom or the dance studio where I undertook my tri-weekly sessions, until daddy showed me a scrapbook of his favourite memories of when he lived in New York for an internship. The way he described it just mesmerized me.

"New York is so different than other city darling.. It's like everybody who wants to be someone goes there. Yet at the same time the people, there's every kind of person there and the city just opens its arms to them. It doesn't matter if you're different because everybody in their own way is there."

I want to be somebody, I remember thinking. I'm different! I want to live in a city that embraces me rather than one that kicks me whilst I'm down. Since that day, my devotion to the city has never faltered.

I need to tell him, but I know this is has gradually become his dream too. Since our reunion and him getting his scholarship he's gradually become more sure and excited about our plans. And now he's put down his pizza and he's clutching the itinerary (which only took him three days to print) in his hand.

"Rach, did you miss out the part where we go to the Metz game or something? And why are we going to see my mom on the third day that we arrive?"

I peer over his shoulder, noticing the little doodles of music notes and footballs that he's sketched all over the white paper. He's underlined the word MOMA and put a question mark next to it.

"That's MOMA Finn; it's a very famous and interesting art gallery. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time for sport once we've acclimatized ourself to our surroundings."

His enthusiasm only reminds me that I don't exactly know which surroundings I'll be acclimatizing myself too.

"I need to tell you something Finn," I start, taking the itinerary out of his hands and placing it gently on the marble kitchen worktop. "About New York. Now the important thing is we remain positive in the face of adversity. Our relationship has overcome many damaging wounds before, yet despite this…"

He looks up from the chunks of pizza crust that he's begin flicking around his plate and the interrupts me "hang on isn't a wound like getting punched in the gut or something? Did someone punch you?"

"It's a metaphor Finn." I reply quickly, eager to return the conversation, "I'm saying that it seems like we've had lots of wounds because we've had lots of problems within our relationship, yet now it is all plain sailing…"

"and you're saying that because now it's real calm and good?" he interrupts, nodding slowly. "yeah like a ship on a sea right when there's no waves? Is that another metaphor? Because it would be a lot easier to just say what you mean rather than pretending we're actually getting punched on a boat."

I laugh at the simplicity of it all, because Finn's right. It would be a lot easier if we didn't skirt around the issue and my statements were simple and bold rather than long and poetic. I guess that's the writer in me. "Because then it would be a simile," I add "anyway I digress Finn, so like I said we're in a really good place but I've had some news, some bad news..."

"WAIT!" He shouts, startling me and his mother, who has entered the house, still clutching her front door keys.

"Oh hey ma.." he says, leaping off the stool to kiss her cheek quickly.

"I have some good news and I read this weird superstition thing that you should always tell someone good news before bad news. So I want to tell you the good news tonight, I had like a whole date planned and once you go back home to change we can straight head out. Unless it's really bad, like somebody's dying. Nobody's dying, right?"

I nod and laugh. I can put this off another hour, it's fine. Plus the idea of a date that Finn is intriguing. Perhaps Finn has planned a romantic meal? Although this is unlikely considering when I first broached the idea of cooking Lebanese he though it was something that lesbians ate, which made very little sense. I glance down at my trusty denim shorts and the long grey vest that I've lived in this summer.

"Fine," I reply, "it must be really fancy if I need to go change, Do I need to wear a dress?"

"Na" he answers "just a picnic in the park but I got that soy yoghurt crap you like especially and strawberrys, that's good right? I just know how much you love those shorts and how you were pissed when you got those grass stains after we ..."

He pauses, taking in his mothers bemused expression, as she looks up from the dishes she's began scrubbing and attempts to correct himself "rehearsed and you tripped and got grass stains. So anyways I'll drive you to your house to get changed, just in case we uh rehearse again and you uh trip again and then we'll head out. I'll take this with me."

He produces a small picnic basket without a florish and although I expect he's mother helped him pack it, I'm deeply touched by the gesture. He grabs his keys in his other hand and escorts me out of the kitchen.

This date couldn't be perfect I think as Finn gently places a strawberry into my mouth. I greedily swallow it and he laughs gently.

"What?" I say, only the tinniest bit self-conscious. I smooth down the blue polka dot dress that I slung over my vest. It's a little old school for the new me, yet it does the job fine.

"You have a little juice on your chin…" he leans closer towards me and strokes the area with his thumb, "right here."

"Oh really," I tease, looking into his eyes. I kick off the black Havinas that I bought on sale at the mall with Quinn. My toes are gently tickled by the grass as I adjust my position, moving a little closer.

"Or are you just trying to trick me into kissing you again?" I add, " I know the moves now Hudson, I'm not 14 anymore!"

"Hey!" he responds, indignantly. "That wasn't the moves! You did have some cosmo on your lip! I was actually trying to be helpful and then I uh just got a little distracted" he pauses for a second "Oh screw you babe, you're the one who totally dragged my ass into the auditorium and packed a picnic in the first place. You know how much I like food…"

Feeling playful, I grab another strawberry from the plastic pot and place one in his mouth, cutting him off. He devours it instantly, barely taking time to swallow, and then looks into my eyes.

"I loved you then y'know" he says and the teasing look grows more serious. "And I really love you now, so when you think about it I've loved you for like a really really long time. Which is why I don't you want to go all girl crazy when I tell you my news" he says cautiously, grabbing my hand.

I laugh and then add "I won't I swear," half expecting it to be about football, a final glee performance or maybe that new X Box game he brought online. Finn doesn't do big dramatic moments. "So the thing is..." He pauses, exhaling loudly. He pulls away a little and digs his elbows into the grass as he leans back.

"..I got us a house."

What. The. Hell!

I'm aware that I don't usually swear but I feel it is entirely warranted giving the circumstances. I got us a house. He says it as though he picked it up at the grocers along with coffee and cereal. I got us a house. Finn finds in a nuiscance to buy my soy yoghurt at the health store yet here he is, getting us a house!

I'm pretty sure I didn't ask for a house!

"No, no it's not like that!" he says quickly, noticing my panicked expression. "It's not like that I swear! So my mom was freakin about fees and I know I have a scholarship but New York is still like frickin expensive, which sucks. I read it costs like $8 dollars for a carton of milk! I was stressing about how to pay like dorm rent and food and it turns out my mom's cousin lives in Brooklyn! Which is odd cos I didn't think my mom had any family but he's moving to Australia."

This may be one of the longest speeches that Finn has ever given. Yet I'm still no clearer as to why as he has taken upon it himself to secure my living arrangments.

"So anyways" he continues, rubbing his palms on the grass to wipe of the sticky strawberry stains, "he's gonna let me live in it! Well, us live in it! I'm just gonna pay the heating bills and stuff and he's pleased cos I'm like house sitting. So I spoke NYC and cancelled my dorm and then I was telling your dads and I kind of hinted maybe you could come too, just to see because I didn't wanna be like a train journey from you. They thought it was totally awesome because I told them that we'd be living in a quiet part of town which he thought was much safer than the dorm block. I mean I may have told him others would be sharing but we can sort that. So your dad's went ahead and cancelled the dorm fees they'd set up and the good part is David goes like tomorrow. We could be in New York like tomorrow! "

What. The. Hell.

Okay, so I know I'm not being my usual articulate self in my head right now but I really don't get what is happening. My dads cancelled my dorm room fees. Because Finn and I are living together. In Brooklyn. We're living together? In Brooklyn? Is Brooklyn even in New York?

Then it hits me, the stupid damn letter. The one that caused me to spend the whole of last night staring up at my celling on the verge of dramatic sobbing.

Dear Mrs Berry,

Due to your circumstances we have had to cancel your dorm room reservation. Please find enclosed a list of local hostels and information on our Housing Assistance Program, which we offer to some of our less comfortable students who may need financial aid.

Kind Regards,

Mr Howell

Housing Director, NYU.

It makes perfect sense! When my dad's cancelled the university must have assumed I couldn't afford the fees, hence the ton of paperwork on hostels. Well at least Finn's good news has cancelled out my bad news I think, at least I'm not going to be homeless in New York.

He notices my expression of concern that has taken over my face in the last minute and then adds "Don't worry we don't have to like literally like tomorrow, I know how long it takes you to pack."

I sigh, whilst mentally calculating how long it would take me to pack, because we weren't supposed to be heading out for three more weeks. Then I remember we have a Glee group dinner tomorrow and it's fundamental we attend. So I guess we're not going tomorrow. Although the thought of being there sooner than expected makes my heart race a little. In a good way. A really good way.

"I'm not worried about packing Finn!" I reply "I've been mentally tortuing myself because I recieved cancellation of my dorm room status from the housing officer yesterday! I've had nightmares of sleeping huddled on the streets while you party in your dorm! Or worse, being stranded here and sadly waving you off from the airport, resigning myself to a life working at Burger King and going grey before I'm thirty."

Okay, sometimes I know I can still be a little dramatic, I think, as I watch him trying not to laugh. I'm working on that.

"But why did they send you..." he replies, "oh right your fathers. That was kinda by fault Rach, I wanted to keep it a surprise until the right moment and your dad's said everything would go to their address. Man I've fucked this up already have't I? Dammit! This was supposed to be all kinds of romantic!"

I look at him as he starts picking at clumps of grass on the floor beneath him and I can't help but reflect upon how much I love him. And it was romantic in a way, besides the part when I felt as if I couldn't breath. I mean he got the strawberries and all my favourite food and when he says he loves me I can sense how much he truly truly means it. The idea of being together seems right, it seems kind of perfect. So I guess, I think, I'm moving to Brooklyn. With Finn. I'm moving to Brooklyn with Finn! I realise that by repeatedly practising the dialogue in my head, Finn has been left to swig quietly on his soda. I look up at him and grab his hand.

"So how soon can we leave I ask? Like a couple of days?" Wow, I think, we're really moving. Together.

He looks up, hesistantly at first and the rugby tackles me, enveloping me in a huge hug. "Are you sure?" he asks, excitedly, "cos I can totally speak to the university or tell my mom that David will have to find somone else and I'll just eat like Grilled Cheese twice a day to save money."

I smile and move my lips towards him to give him a quick kiss and then add, "I mean Brooklyn wouldn't be my first choice I admit. The music scene is more rock bands than Broadway and the trip from campus will take twice as long on the train. While I did envision viewing statue of liberty from my dorm room, the fees are beyond extortinate and I guess this way we'll have far more money to spend on exploring the cultural aspects of the city. Plus the bridge is supposed to be amazing at night. In addition, we'll be living together. While I admit I am a little scared it's also kind of.."

"awesome?" he interupts.

"Yeah," I nod, "awesome. So we can leave at the weekend?" He nods and kisses me briefly again.

"So this dress is super old right?" he asks, softly fingering the left strap as he kisses my left shoulder, "We don't have to worry about grass stains?" he continues, his kisses growing more and more intense. I feel his weight pushing down on me. It makes me feel safe, loved. Special.

"No" I whisper, quietly. He pulls my face towards him further and kisses my lips, while he strokes my hair.

Yeah, I think silently, reaching out to cling to the back of his neck.

It really really is awesome.

That's chapter 1! In Chapter 2 Finchel will attend the Glee farewell dinner and Puck/Quinn will enter the mix. I hope you enjoyed this. If so I'd really appreciate any reviews, I'm new to writing so I love any kind of feedback, it totally keeps me going! Thanks!