Hey everyone! After a summer hiatus, I've decided it's time to get back to work on my series about Finchel's kids. This story will cover Emma and Ryan's senior year. Emma in particular struggles with choosing a college and deciding what dream she wants to follow. And of course, what will happen to Nicma and Ryva after graduation? There will also be lots of Finchel in this story, and Finn and Rachel will become co-directors of their kids' show choir. Lots of focus on the Finchel family too!
If you haven't read the previous stories in this series ("Senior Year," "The Future," "Keep Holding On," "i'll Stand By You," "We are Young" and Without You") I recommend you do so you know who all the OCs are and have a better idea of the background. Hope you enjoy and please review if you want me to continue with this. I should also have the next chapter of my other story up tomorrow.

Chapter 1: Rising Seniors

"It's our kids' third Nationals!" Finn said to Rachel as they took their seats in the Civic Center in downtown Chicago to watchRyan and Emma compete for the National title in show choir.
"I know, I can't believe they'll officially be seniors in a week!" Rachel said. "I think they're glad to be with the Gold Stars again."
"I know they are," Finn said. The family had returned to Ohio the previous July after spending a year in New York so Rachel could perform on Broadway.
"With Ryan and Emma back in the mix, the Gold Stars are guaranteed at least a top three finish," said a now thirteen-year-old Sarah, who was just finishing up seventh grade. "When I'm there in two years, we'll be winning."
"I'm pretty impressed with the setlist I picked out, and they're pretty good with it," Rachel said. Finn had helped her with it. Nick and Emma would be opening with the duet she and Finn had written, "Pretending." The group numbers, both of which would be led by Nick, Emma, Ryan and Ava, were the Journey mashup from Finn and Rachel's sophomore year, "Any Way You Want It/ Loving Touching Squeezing" and Meatloaf's "Paradise By The Dashboard Light."
Rachel had a plan in mind - in the fall, she wanted to make Finn co-director of the Gold Stars. He'd been temporary director when she'd gone on maternity leave with Zoe two years ago and when she'd had back surgery in the fall. He'd helped them to victory at Sectionals, and the kids loved him.
The MC came to Center Stage and announced the first group was coming center stage. Finn and Rachel sat back to watch, awaiting their kids' turn.
x
Emma nervously stood in the wings, waiting for the Gold Stars' turn to perform. She'd performed with them at Nationals before, but last year she'd been on another team. She and Nick were doing the duet and sharing leads with Ryan and Ava in both group numbers. The pressure was on.
"Are you okay?" Nick asked, approaching Emma.
"I'm freaking out," Emma said, fussing with the skirt of the purple dress for their performance.
"Don't, we're going to win," Nick said, putting his arms around Emma.
"I've taken the lead at Nationals twice and my team's lost both times," Emma groaned. (This year, the Scale Steppers, her New York show choir, hadn't even won their Regionals, therefore not making Nationals.)
"Yeah, but you and I took the lead on both group numbers at Sectionals and Regionals," Nick pointed out. "Well, we split them with Ryan and Ava, but our group still won."
"That's true," Emma said.
"We'd better go catch up with the rest of the group," Nick told Emma. "We're on soon."
"Okay," Emma said. Of course, what was at the back of her mind was that in a week, she'd officially be a senior. She had already begun visiting colleges. She didn't know what was in store for her after high school. Chances were she and her friends would all be at different colleges. Maybe one of them would be at the same college as her. Maybe only one. And then there was Nick. She loved him and never wanted to be with anyone else but him. But he was at the top of their class, a shoe in for valedictorian. He was already getting scholarship offers from Ivy League colleges. And Emma knew that it was his goal to go to an Ivy League school. He'd talked about thinking he owed it to his mother's memory. Her grades were good, but there was no way she could get into an Ivy League school.
She decided to put that out of her mind. At least for now. Right now, she wanted to enjoy Nationals. It had already been a really fun week in Chicago. She'd been to Navy Pier, Lake Michigan, Water Tower, Sears Tower, Millenium Park, some museums, the zoo and a Cubs game. Placing high tonight would make the week even more special.
"And from Cleveland Heights - University Heights High School in Cleveland Heights, Ohio - the Gold Stars!"
"Let's do this," Emma whispered to Nick.
x
The curtains opened, and Finn and Rachel watched as their daughter and her boyfriend walked on to the stage to perform the duet they'd written for themselves when they were also high school juniors.

Nick and Emma: Face to face and heart to heart
We're so close yet so far apart
I close my eyes I look away
That's just because I'm not OK
Emma: But I hold on
Nick and Emma: I stay strong
Wondering if we still belong
Will we ever say the words we're feeling?
Reach down underneath and tear down all the walls
Will we ever have a happy ending?
Or will we forever only be pretending?
We will always, always, always be pretending?
How long do I fantasize?
Make believe that it's still alive
Imagine that I am good enough
And we can choose the ones we love
Nick: But I hold on
Nick and Emma: I stay strong
Wondering if we still belong
Will we ever say the words we're feeling?
Reach down underneath and tear down all the walls
Will we ever have a happy ending?
Or will we forever only be pretending?
Will we always, always, always be
Keeping secrets safe
Every move we make
Seems like no one's letting go
And it's such a shame
'Cause if you feel the same
How am I supposed to know?
Nick and Emma with Gold Stars: Will we ever say the words we're feeling?
Reach down underneath and tear down all the walls
(Emma: Tear down all the walls)
Will we ever have a happy ending?
Or will we forever only be pretending?
(Nick: Only be pretending)
Will we always, always, always be pretending?
Will we always, always, always be pretending?
Will we always, always, always be pretending?

"At least they didn't kiss!" Sarah whispered to Finn and Rachel as the song ended. Rachel nudged her middle daughter, but had to laugh as the music to the Gold Stars' second number began, the same mashup they'd done at Regionals their sophomore year.

Nick: She loves to laugh
She loves to sing
She loves everything
She loves to move
She loves to groove
She loves a lovin' things
Emma: It won't be long, yeah, 'til you're alone
When your lover (Lizzie: lover)
He hasn't come home (Lexie: Oo Woah)
'Cause he's lovin' (Laura: lovin') (Izzy: lovin')
He's touchin' (Meg: touchin') (Ava: touchin')
He's squeezin'
Emma and Nick: Another (Ava: Another)
Gold Stars: Any way you want it
That's the way you need it
Any way you want it
Any way you want it
He said any way you want it
That's the way you need it
Any way you want it (oh)
Na, na, na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na, na
Na, na, na-na, na
Na-na, na-na, na-na
Ryan: I was alone, I never knew
What good love could do
Ava: Ooo then we touched, then we sang
About the lovin' things
Emma:'Cause he's lovin'
He's touchin'
He's squeezin'
Emma and Nick:
Another
Emma and Nick with Gold Stars:
Anyway you want it
That's the way you need it
Anyway you want it
Gold Stars: Anyway you want it
He said any way you want it
That's the way you need it
Anyway you want it (oh)
Na, na, na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na, na
Na, na, na-na, na
Na-na, na-na, na-na
Any way you want it
That's the way you need it
Any way you want it
He said any way you want it
That's the way you need it
Any way you want it
Any way you want it
That's the way you need it
Any way you want it (oh)
Gold Stars: Na, na, na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na, na
Na, na, na-na, na
Na-na, na-na, na-na
Gold Stars: Any way you want it
That's the way you need it
Any way you want it
Any way you want it
That's the way you need it
Any way you want it
Na, na, na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na, na
Na, na, na-na, na
Na-na, na-na, na-na
Any way you want it
That's the way you need it

"Two down, one to go," Finn whispered to Rachel. "Though I must say, this last song choice was a little risky."
"They're good at it, and they wanted to do it," Rachel giggled.

Nick: I remember every little thing
As if it happened only yesterday
Parking by the lake
And there was not another car in sight
And I never had a girl
Looking any better than you did
And all the kids at school
They were wishing they were me that night
Gold Stars Boys: And now our bodies are oh so close and tight
It never felt so good, it never felt so right
Ava and Ryan: And we're glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
Ryan: C'mon, hold tight,
C'mon, hold tight
Lizzie, Lexie, Laura, Izzy and Meg: Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night
Ben, Evan, Jeremy, Ricky and Connor: I can see paradise by the dashboard light
Nick: Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night
Ava: In the deep dark night
Nick: Paradise by the
Nick with Gold Stars: Dashboard light
Nick: We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
Nick and Ryan: We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
Gold Stars boys: We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
Gold Stars: We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
Emma: Stop right there
I gotta know right now
Before we go any further
Do you love me
Will you love me forever
Do you need me
Will you never leave me
Will you make me so happy
For the rest of my life
Will you take me away
And will you make me your wife
Nick: Let me sleep on it (Gold Stars: Sleep on it)
Baby, baby let me sleep on it (Gold Stars: Sleep on it)
Let me sleep on it
And I'll give you an answer in the morning
Emma: I gotta know right now
Do you love me (Gold Stars: Do you, do you love me)
Will you love me forever
Do you need me (Gold Stars: Do you, do you need me)
Will you never leave me
Will you make me so happy (Gold Stars: Will you never leave me)
For the rest of my life
Will you take me away (Gold Stars: Do you, do you, do you)
And will you make me your wife
(Gold Stars: Do you love me)
Will you love me forever
Nick with Gold Stars boys: Let me sleep on it
Emma with Gold Stars Girls: Will you love me forever
Nick with Gold Stars boys: Let me sleep on it
Emma with Gold Stars girls: Will you love me forever
Nick: I couldn't take it any longer
Lord I was crazed
And when the feeling came upon me
Like a tidal wave
I started swearing to my god
And on my mother's grave
(With Gold Stars:) That I would love you to the end of time
I swore I would love you to the end of time
So now I'm praying for the end of time
To hurry up and arrive
'Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you
I don't think that I can really survive
I'll never break my promise or forget my vow
But God only knows what I can do right now
I'm praying for the end of time
It's all that I can do
Prayin' for the end of time
So I can end my time with you!
Nick with Gold Stars (Emma): It was long ago and it was far away (It never felt so good, It never felt so right)
And it was so much better than it is today. (And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away (It never felt so good, It never felt so right)
And it was so much better than it is today. (And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away (It never felt so good, It never felt so right)
And it was so much better than it is today. (And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife)
Gold Stars: Felt so right!
Felt so good!
Paradise!

The crowd was on its feet, but New Directions, Vocal Adrenaline and other big name clubs had yet to perform. Still, Rachel knew her kids had given it their all. She felt so guilty, but she wanted her kids to be National champions before they graduated from high school. That would mean beating her alma mater, the group that had given her the best years of her life. It would be hard for her to see that, but she just wanted her kids and their friends to be on top. They'd won their Sectionals and Regionals, but this year particularly had been rough for their sports teams. The soccer team (both boys and girls) had a losing season. The swimming team failed to qualify for districts. And the softball and baseball teams were both hurting badly from the loss of the previous year's seniors.
New Directions performed about half an hour after the Gold Stars. They also performed songs that Finn and Rachel had done while in Glee club (Don't Rain On My Parade, Born This Way and Rumor Has It/ Someone Like You). Rachel was glad they were still strong after all these years.
Vocal Adrenaline's performance was last, and they were awful. Then again, their best days were behind them. They didn't even make the top ten when the top ten were brought to the stage ten minutes later. Mr. Schuester waved at Rachel as the clubs awaited the results. In the end, the Gold Stars had finished second and the New Directions had finished first. Rachel was proud of her kids, but she was worried they were disappointed.
"Rachel, your kids were amazing!" Rachel heard as she was leaving the stage. She turned and saw Mr. Schue.
"Hey!" Rachel said. "Thank you!"
"So, Ryan and Emma will be seniors next year?" Mr. Schue asked.
Rachel nodded. "It's crazy!"
"I remember when you and Finn were seniors," Mr. Schue said.
"So do I!" Rachel said. "Finn's in the stands with Sarah, Grant and Zoe. As soon as Ryan and Emma graduate, Sarah's going to be in the Gold Stars."
"There's lots of Hudsons to dominate!" Mr. Schue said.
"Yes there are," Rachel said. "I'd better go find Finn."
"Okay, see you next year, if not sooner!" Mr. Schue said.
Rachel smiled to herself as she made her way through the stands, looking for her husband. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked to see her oldest daughter.
"You were amazing up there," Rachel told Emma.
Emma gave Rachel a hug. "Thanks, Mom. It's all thanks to you."
"Where's your brother?" Rachel asked.
"He's already taking Ava on a celebration date," Emma said. "Nick and I are going out tonight, but he's on the phone with his dad now."
"That's great," Rachel said. She was relieved her daughter wasn't disappointed in the second place finish. She sent a quick text to her Glee friends to tell them the results. Next year, since Nationals would be in New York, just as they had the first year they qualified, all the members of the 2010-2011 Glee club were planning to go. Rachel already couldn't wait.
Finally, she and Emma found Finn, Sarah, Grant and Zoe in the crowd.
"Yay Emma!" Zoe said, noticing her sister's medal.
"This always brings back memories," Finn said to Rachel.
"I know," Rachel said. "Every year when we come here, I think that it's because of all of this that everything we have today happened."
Finn gave Rachel a kiss. She wrapped her arms around him. Even though their own children were teenagers, she had no problem with showing how much she loved him.

SONGS USED:
"Pretending" by Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry (performed by Nick Dougherty and Emma Hudson)
"Any Way You Want It/ Loving Touching Squeezing" by Journey (performed by Nick Dougherty, Emma Hudson, Ryan Hudson, Ava Crispin and the Gold Stars)
"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" by Meatloaf (performed by Nick Dougherty, Emma Hudson, Ryan Hudson, Ava Crispin and the Gold Stars)

Chapter 2 preview: Rachel takes Emma to New York to visit colleges. Emma spends the night in a dorm with Finn and Kurt's younger sister. Rachel visits with Kurt and Blaine. Some Finchel moments and more of the Hudson family.