I DO NOT OWN GLEE OR FAITHFULLY-
THANKS AGAIN FOR MAKING MY FIRST WRITING EXPERIENCE A GOOD ONE :)
10 years later….
Will Schuester was surrounded by his wife Emma, their three beautiful children and the many students he had taught through the years for his surprise 40th birthday.
Principal Figgins took the microphone, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLIAM. YOU'RE IN FOR A REAL TREAT TODAY, I GIVE YOU THE NEW DIRECTIONS!"
Will had to blink he couldn't believe what he was seeing
Finn Hudson turned around
Just a small town girl Rachel Berry:
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere
Just a city boy Noah Puckerman:
Born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere
A singer in a smoky room
Quinn Fabray:
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
Kurt Hummel, Mercedes Jones, Tina Cohen Chang and Artie Abrams
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on
Mike Chang, Sam Evans, Brittany Pierce and Santana Lopez joined
Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night
Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
It was the original group, singing like they had rehearsed it every day since they graduated. He laughed as they even performed the same cheesy choreography.
Strangers waiting Don't stop believin'
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night
Hold on to that feelin'
Streetlight people
Puck helped Quinn down the stairs, "WHY am I always pregnant whenever we perform this song?"
Puck kissed her, "You're the one who wanted the vasectomy reversed."
Will came up with a surprised look on his face, "Wow! Just. Wow. I can't believe you all came here to surprise me!"
After the performance they all went back to Will and Emma's house and gathered on the lawn to reminisce of the past. Rachel and Quinn were talking when an eleven year old Beth could be heard, "DADDY you are not being fair!"
Quinn, Rachel, and Mercedes walked over to the confrontation going on between father and daughter. Puck crossed his arms, "You heard me, you are not going over there tonight…there are no parents!"
Rachel and Mercedes laughed as Puck turned to them with a stern face. Beth continued, "Daddy you know Josh, we're just going to watch a movie."
Puck softened, "Josh can come over here, where I can watch you."
Beth stomped her foot and walked the other way, "YOU ARE SO UNFAIR!"
He turned around to be met by another curly blonde running towards him, "DADDY!"
He picked up Addison, "Hi princess, are you having fun?" he looked over at Mike and Finn, "Of course, of course I would have girls. They're going to be the death of me. At least the one on the way is a boy."
In the distance they could hear Beth arguing with Shelby, "You're just like them! Why are you being so unfair!"
Shelby looked at Beth, "I completely agree with your father, and you know we go by each other's rules so, no."
Quinn walked over with her hands on her hips, "How many times have we told you…you do not ask each of us the same question to get what you want…THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION!"
Mike walked up with his wife, "Wow, that was weird to see."
Tina laughed, "I know, Puck the disciplinarian! Who saw that coming?"
Santana and Brittany walked up hand in hand…Santana had gotten married and now had a little boy but had gotten divorced the past year, she reconnected with Brittany at Kurt's wedding. Santana laughed, "I love it, now he has to watch out for boys that were just like him. Karma is a bitch."
Sam walked over and clinked his beer bottle with Artie, "How's it going Dr. Abrams?" The re-walk worked wonders and he made it his career to help people, he also married and had a little boy. He lived closer to Columbus now, but still hung out with Puck, Mike, and Sam as often as he could.
Kurt held his daughter's hands as she tried to walk across the lawn, "Go run to Aunt Mercedes sweetie!"
Mercedes knelt down to hug her goddaughter, "There's my mini diva in training!"
Kurt and his husband smiled as their friends doted on their daughter, they now lived in New York. Kurt realized his dream of being on the Broadway stage, but made it back to Lima as often as possible to see Carole, Burt, and his friends.
They all ended up standing huddled together talking about things Rachel had missed in the past year, while not meaning to hurt her…they did. She figured removing herself from the conversation and taking a much needed rest would do the trick. She smiled at Puck and Quinn and their family. They got married shortly after Quinn graduated and moved back to Lima to help raise Beth. Tina was a successful real estate agent and managed to find two houses in the same neighborhood…Puck and Quinn bought one, while Shelby and her husband Matt bought the other.
She watched as everyone played with the children. Including Mr. Schuester's kids…he got his graduation wish from the kids, Will and Emma became their friends. She remembered opening night of her first broadway play when she walked out and could only see the first three rows center stage. Everyone was there, cheering her on. They were together for many firsts, Kurt's big debut, Artie's graduation from medical school, every single child running around the lawn was greeted in the waiting room by the entire club the day of their birth. Rachel almost didn't make it to her audition but she was there when Santana's little boy was born. Her Dad was right they grew separately, but not apart.
Then there was Finn…he had become a teacher and was the coach of the football team. Everyone had made it for his first game, Rachel insisted that this one time her understudy would go on for her, she couldn't miss it. He'd sacrificed so much for her, she couldn't miss what she deemed his opening night. Now, she watched him playing with the kids lifting them on his shoulders and running around. She felt sad…he should be doing that with their children. She had done Broadway, two musicals to be exact. Something was missing in her life though, she had decided yesterday morning where she truly wanted to be.
Finn noticed her far off look and sat down by her. "What's up Rach?" He put his right arm around her and tapped her left hand with his. ..(clink, clink, clink). He whispered in her ear "I love that sound."
Rachel giggled, "Baby, we've been married for three years, we're not newlyweds."
"I know, but here I see my little controllist, 16 year old Rachel Berry."
She held his arm and put her head on his shoulder as he thought back to that day:
Rachel had landed the lead on her first musical she couldn't leave New York and she and Finn really wanted to get married at home with their friends and family…where it all began. They enlisted Kurt's help. Rachel trusted him and Finn really didn't know anything about planning a wedding anyways. There was one thing he insisted on though…he would choose the song Rachel walked down the aisle to as a surprise. Kurt loved it and somehow ended up surprising Finn too.
Finn stood at the altar with Puck by his side. "You ready man?"
Finn smiled and turned to Puck, "I've been ready for her all my life."
Quinn smiled from across the aisle, "she looks amazing, I can't wait for you to see her."
Beth came down the aisle dropping the rose petals on the floor as they all smiled at her.
Then the door opened and Rachel stood there with her Daddy. Finn had to catch his breath. She wore a beautifully simple white dress, with her hair slightly pulled up and framing her face. He knew he'd never be able to tell you exactly what she was wearing but he'd always remember the way she looked.
The music began to play Faithfully…but it wasn't the version by Journey.
A 17 year old Finn Hudson's voice came over the speaker, he glanced over as Kurt faked surprise and Finn smiled.
Highway run, into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round
You're on my mind
Rachel smiled as she heard her young voice
Restless hearts sleep alone tonight
Sending all my love along the wire
He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked, she couldn't believe she was going to marry him today. Perfect symmetry.
They say that the road
ain't no place to start a family
Right down the line it's been you and me
And loving a music man
ain't always what it's supposed to be
Kurt had cut the song so it would stop when she reached Finn:
Oh boy you stand by me
Oh girl you stand by me
I'm forever yours faithfully
It was a beautiful ceremony, then they went to the reception, it was amazing. Of course everyone sang, then it was the part Finn had been waiting for. The garter! Puck had really gone all out when he took the garter off Quinn and threw it to Finn. He was going to make this even more memorable. Always one-upping Puck…even now.
Rachel danced out as Finn sat her on the chair. He had told her earlier that he was going to make it funny and sexy, just go with it. She agreed and laughed. When Finn got down on one knee she put her left foot on his knee and leaned forward grabbing his tie slowly as she leaned back and smiled. His eyebrow went up as she lifted her dress slightly, he put his head under her dress and then pulled it back out laughing. He rested his elbow on his knee as he wiped his eyes. "Really Rach?"
She smiled and laughed, "I HAD TO HAVE MY SOMETHING BLUE FINN!"
Everyone gathered around the couple as Sam yelled, "CMON Finn we're waiting to catch the damn thing!"
Finn kept laughing as he slowly began rolling her dress up to reveal to everyone what he saw. Rachel wore white high heels and blue knee high socks. Quinn could not stop laughing as she snapped pictures of the cute couple…Finn proceeded to take off the garter with his teeth and flung it behind him not caring who caught it, he picked up Rachel and sat down in the seat holding her sideways in his lap. He lifted the hem of her dress to rest on top of her knees to reveal the socks as she dangled her legs back and forth over the side of his leg. He had to admit those socks were part of what made her 'Rachel Berry' to him, and now as he held her hand and felt the metal of his ring against hers she was now Rachel Hudson. He had to catch his breath from that thought... he pulled back her hair that she had let down for the reception to whisper in her ear. "Don't ever forget this girl when you're big on Broadway baby."
She smiled as she kissed him and held on to his neck, "How can I forget her, we're still those same high school kids Finn. I'm always her whenever I'm with you…we're Finchel!"
Quinn snapped the picture without them knowing. Looking in each other's eyes, while his hand remained on her knee holding up the dress to reveal her socks as her hand remained on the back of his neck playing with his hair. Puck grabbed the mic, "Remember earlier when I was trying to describe a perfect Finn and Rachel moment?" He gestured to the couple still lost in each other's eyes. "There it is."
He was snapped out of his memory by her voice. "Finn, do you like New York?"
"Well yeah, I love my job and I can order pizza at 2 am and they are right there Rach!"
She laughed and kissed him.
"It's just…I want our kids to know these people," she gestured to the crowd, "not just of them, but to know them. I want them playing with all these kids, I want Beth to babysit them, I want them to be able to see their grandparents all the time."
Finn hugged his wife. "Baby, we have time to talk about this, don't worry."
Rachel stood up and looked over at Finn. "True, we have nine months..."
"Exactly we have ni….wait, what!"
She smiled, "I'm pregnant."
"Oh my god! Really?" Finn picked up Rachel and hugged her so tight, smothering her with kisses as she laughed.
Santana's son looked up, "What's wrong with Uncle Finn and Aunt Rachel?
Puck rolled his eyes, "Oh who the hell knows?"
Quinn smacked him on the back of his head, "PUCK! LANGUAGE!"
Finn didn't let go of Rachel, "She's pregnant, we're going to have a baby!"
He put her down and looked in her eyes "and…we're going to come back…."
She nodded and turned around "drum roll baby" he softly tapped his fingers on her stomach and she yelled "…to live here in Lima!"
Everyone was so excited, Mercedes interrupted, "Rachel, you're a star. You have to be in New York sweetie. It's your dream."
She looked at all of her friends as Finn still held her, "I've done Broadway and it was fantastic, but it isn't what I really want my life to be." She reached out for Quinn's hand that was already on Rachel's stomach. "I want our kids to play together, I want to build a life here with the man I love and friends and family I adore. I let go of Broadway the minute I found out I was pregnant. I know where I want to be."
Congratulations went all around. Tina came running up phone in hand, "Okay I've already set up some appointments for you tomorrow, we've got to get the ball rolling on this…I think I have the perfect house for you two!"
Quinn's smile grew, "Rach, you have to have a girl! I'm having a boy…we have to make sure they have cute names for when they are dating!"
Finn put his hand up, "HELL NO, SHE IS NOT DATING PUCK'S SON! COMPLETELY OUT OF THE QUESTION."
Sam laughed, "Finn, she's …if she is in fact a she, hasn't even been born yet! You've already grounded her!"
Rachel had to stifle her laugh, she knew this look Finn was getting as he walked away and sat back on the bench. She walked over and sat on his lap, "Talk to me baby."
He held her and put his chin on her shoulder, "I just found out I'm going to be a father, apparently I'm buying a house tomorrow, my daughter is going to date mini Puck, and….I have to find a new job. It's just a bit overwhelming Rach."
Rachel held his face in her hands, "You are going to be an amazing father, we buy a house when it's right, you don't even know if we're having a daughter, and I know you will find a great job. I love you… Plus I guarantee I'm going to get crazy at some point during these nine months…you're going to need to be the sane one."
Will walked over and shook Finn's hand, "I think I can help with the new job. We'll go over and talk to Figgins tomorrow."
Rachel smiled at Will then looked at Finn, "See it's all going to fall into place."
The next morning he woke up holding his wife in his high school bedroom. He got up and began getting dressed to meet Will for the meeting with Figgins. He needed to hear it from her one more time, "Rach, are you awake?"
She smiled at him, "Yeah baby, are you getting ready to leave? You look so handsome."
He blushed and grabbed her hand, "I need to know, are you certain you want to leave New York…I know you say you want this now, but what if you get bored and resent living here…"
She cut him off with a kiss, "I plan on using that degree I got in psychology, I could never resent any decision I made that made us a stronger family, and surrounded us with our friends." She looked down and played with the thread of the blanket, something Finn had seen her do thousands of times. She looked up at him and smiled. "I want to come home."
He bent down and kissed her, "I will meet you around noon to look at the houses with Tina…go back to sleep," He moved to kiss her stomach, "you too little Hudson."
He started to move away as she grabbed his tie to bring him in for a kiss but she stopped before they touched, "Break a leg." She winked.
He smiled that smile, "I love you."
THE END FOR NOW, I MAY CONTINUE AT A LATER TIME…THANKS AGAIN FOR READING, REVIEWS, FAVORITES. I'LL DEFINITELY WRITE SOON WHEN INSPIRATION STRIKES OR I'M OVER ON TWITTER, SAME USERNAME AS HERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUGGEST SOME INSPIRATION! :)