Graduation Day Again

Once again Finn and Rachel stood in the back of an auditorium waiting for the Graduation March to begin. The last time that they had heard the strands of this melody was five years ago at McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio. Now they were graduating from Ohio State University together.

Standing alphabetically, Christopher Finn Hudson stood in front of Rachel Berry Hudson in the line of red graduation robes.

"I'm sorry that it isn't Juilliard," he whispered to her.

"This is better; Juilliard doesn't have a National Championship football team, and Juilliard doesn't have you," she whispered back to him.

It had taken them five years for both to get to this point. They were both graduating from Ohio State's School of Education with honors, but they'd taken the hard way to get there. Finn had to take so many preparatory classes that did not count toward graduation, and Rachel lost almost a full year after the attack, but today they stood in that red line together.

Out in the audience sat Hiram, Leroy, Burt, Kurt, and Carole with Nate on her lap. The nearly three year old toddler was really not what the newlyweds Finn and Rachel had needed at the time, but he was a God send. Finn was right to name him Nathaniel. A Hebrew name meaning Gift from God.

Rachel's attack and the trial had cost more than her voice, but Finn and the baby had brought Rachel back to life. Jesse's taunts and threats to her at the trial had been brutal, but forgotten as each day she and Nate learned to talk and sing together. Rachel's injuries had healed and a new voice returned. It wasn't the same soaring voice of her high school days, the scar tissue made the high F notes impossible, but a beautiful voice none the less. Her singing voice now had a raspy quality to it in the lower registers that Finn thought was incrediblely sexy.

As the commencement coordinator asked them all to face forward, Rachel disappeared behind the much taller Finn.

"Babe, are you still back there?" Finn said as he reached his left hand behind him. She took his left hand with her left had and held it, clinking her wedding band against his. A little inside gesture just between the two of them that they sometimes did at night in the dark. Just to let the other know that they were there.

The line moved forward and soon the graduating class of 2017 was seated with their family and friends around them.

"I wouldn't have gotten this far without you," Finn whispered to her.

"You and Nate, got me to this day," Rachel whispered back.

Diplomas were handed out, tassels turned, and it was official. They were university graduates ready to embark on careers and their future together.

That evening the Hummel/Hudson and Berry clans gathered for a celebratory dinner in Rachel and Finn's honor. As the toasts were going round, Rachel stood and asked to propose a toast herself.

"The last time that we gathered for a graduation celebration like this was five years ago. Because I almost did not get the chance speak at this celebration dinner I would like to toast all of you with a voice that the doctors were doubtful would ever return."

"To Dad and Daddy, there are not enough words to describe how much I love the two of you. You have stood by me every step of the way, and I thank you for being the best two parents that I could ask for."

"To Kurt, Mercedes and Tina, you saved my life that day and I'll never forget it. You looked out for me when I stubbornly insisted on my independence, and you protected me from a basement full of mice. Thank you little brother.

"To Burt and Carole, Burt, when all of this happened and I was left without my ability to sing or even speak, I remembered the speech that you made at yours and Carole's wedding. Jesse closed a door for me, but God opened a much bigger and better window for me when he gave me Finn, Nate, Kurt, and you and Carole."

"Carole, when Finn asked me to marry him, he gave me the engagement ring that his father had given to you. He said that he thought that it represents an unfulfilled promise. That promise had been fulfilled. Thank you for sharing your ring with me, and thank you for sharing your son with me. You have raised him to be an incredible person that I will cherish for as long as I live. Thank you also for being the mom that I never had."

"To Finn, my husband, you have stood by me through my darkest days and brought me back to life on the other side. You got me thought that terrible winter when life was just not worth living anymore. You stood by me at the trial and protected me every inch of the way. That Wednesday evening when we were leaving court building and you dragged me into the magistrate's office and asked me to marry you again was the day that I truly started to live again."

"To Nate, our son, you don't know what this means, but you are the living personification of our love for each other. You gave me the will to learn to speak and as you learned to talk and I learned with you. You are my greatest accomplishment. Not a career on Broadway, but being your mom."

"So it is to my family that I would like to raise my glass and say thank you," Rachel concluded

Carole had tears rolling down her face when Rachel concluded her toast. "Rachel, I only have one thing to say. In this increasing family of men, you and I are the only females. When am I going to get my granddaughter?" asked Carole as she held Nate on her lap.

"We'll work on it Mom, we will work on it," Finn said trying to hide the spreading blush on his face.

The evening ended and Nate spent the night with his Uncle Kurt and his grandparents at their hotel. Rachel and Finn went back to their apartment on campus to finish packing their belongings for the move and to have a night to themselves.

They had settled down into bed exhausted from all of the packing when Finn asked Rachel. "What my mom said about wanting a granddaughter, what do you think?"

Rachel yawned, "I think that it is a great idea, but not just yet. I would like both of us to get established in our careers first and maybe get a house. A house, with a yard, and maybe a dog for Nate."

"Sounds like a plan," Finn said as he pulled her close to spoon.

-/-

Two months later it was mid July and Finn, Rachel, and Nate had settled into a newer larger apartment.

"Do you know what tomorrow is?" Rachel said to Finn as he was feeding cereal to both he and Nate with the same spoon.

"Not a clue, babe, but if I don't get out the door soon, I'm going to be late. I know that next week is our fourth anniversary, and Nate's third birthday is the week after that. Do I get a gold star for remembering those two red letter days?"

"Of course, if fact you get two gold stars," Rachel said giving Finn two kisses as he was heading out the door.

"Are you and Nate still going to Lima today?" Finn asked.

"Yes, Nate and I are going to run up and see the folks, but we'll be back before dinner."

Finn backed his truck out of the driveway and headed off while waving at Rachel and Nate as he left.

Soon Rachel had Nate bathed, dressed and in his car seat, ready to go and meet Nana, Papa, G-dad, and G-daddy for lunch. The grandparents couldn't get enough of Nate so she left him with them as she went to close out her safety deposit box and retrieve one last thing. It would be five years tomorrow since Finn had written his essay, "Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years?" It was like their personal time capsule and it was time to open it.

Rachel returned to pick up Nate and it was hugs and kisses all around before the two headed back to Columbia and dinner with Finn. As usual, Carole had a care package ready for her to take back to Finn. Cookies, new socks and underwear for Finn along with perfume samples for Rachel, and a new bath tub toy for Nate.

"How were the folks?" Finn asked as he came through the door that evening giving Rachel and Nate a kiss.

"They're fine and they all send their love. Your mom sent a care package; it smells like chocolate chip cookies," Rachel told him as she put the final touches on their meal.

''I bet that it's chocolate chip cookies, socks and underwear," Finn said as he leaned over her shoulder to see what was cooking in the pot on the stove.

"Probably, but we aren't going to open it until after we eat. If it's chocolate chip cookies, Nate won't eat a bite of his dinner."

"Rach, I've been racking my brain all day, but I can't figure out what's so special about tomorrow. Can you give me a hint? Is it the anniversary of our first date or something? Should I buy a gift or flowers? Are you pregnant?"

"Nope, I'm not pregnant, and it's not the anniversary of our first date, that was last month. No gifts or flowers are required. You'll just have to wait until tomorrow."

Finn tried to tickle the information out her later in bed, but she wouldn't budge. He had to settle for getting laid instead.

The next evening Finn came through the door on time and with flowers just in case. He was still clueless.

"Okay I'm here, what's so special?" Finn called to her as he ran through the door into the kitchen.

"It's just a little something. I'll give it to you after Nate's asleep," Rachel said giving him a wink.

Poor Nate, that night Finn gave him the fastest bath and the fastest bedtime story ever. Thank goodness that he couldn't tell time, Finn had him tucked in and asleep half an hour early.

When he came back downstairs, Rachel was sitting on the couch with two glasses of wine poured and a yellowed envelope on her lap.

"Do you remember this? Look at the date on it. It's your essay from your first summer at OSU," Rachel said as she handed the paper to him.

"I can't believe that you kept this paper. Has it really been five years since I wrote this?"

"You bet I kept it. You gave it to me before I stepped on that plane for New York for the first time. I brought it back and placed it in my safety deposit box over Thanksgiving break that year. It's been there ever since. It's dated five years ago today."

Finn took a sip of his wine before he thumbed through the pages. "It still has all of the red marks on it, they haven't faded. I can't remember that professor's name, but Jillian was right. He was old enough to have come over with the Pilgrims. Well let's see, how many of my predictions did come through," Finn said as he began to read the essay out loud to Rachel.

Where Do I See Myself In Five Years?

By

Christopher Finn Hudson

In five years, I hope to see myself looking back at me in the reflection of Rachel Berry's eyes as I slip a gold wedding band on her finger. I want to marry Rachel Berry the person, not Rachel Berry the performer, the singer or the Tony winner. Only three people in the whole world know Rachel Berry the person, and I am privileged to be one of them. I would ask her to marry me now, but our education and preparations for the future must come first. To that end I am blessed to be football scholarship student here at Ohio State working on an education that my mom couldn't have otherwise afforded.

All of my fellow Buckeye teammates see themselves going pro in the NFL. Becoming football legends that will one day be inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. I'm realistic enough to know that only one in ten college players are ever drafted, and only a few of that number

ever achieve greatness. I'm aiming for that goal, but it if doesn't work out; I'd like nothing more than to teach.

I don't want to teach the high school history class or the middle school science class. I want to teach the special kids.

I want to teach the kids with ADD or ADHD or dyslexia. The ones that really want to learn, but have been written off as stupid, lazy, or just not interested. Their desire to learn is there, the wiring in their brains is just a little short circuited.

I want to teach the kids that nature has given an extra chromosome to. They're the ones with all kinds of difficulties, but have the biggest hearts.

I want to teach the kids who've been shortchanged, have had one road block after another thrown up in front of them, but have refused to give up.

Finn finished reading the essay that he'd written five years ago and then refolded it.

"I guess two out of three ain't bad. Isn't there a song by that name or something?" Finn asked with a small laugh.

"Yes baby there is," Rachel smiled back. "You're going to teach those special kids, and you and I are married and have a beautiful son. I'm sorry that the NFL didn't work out, but the three seasons that you were the quarterback for the Buckeyes were magnificent."

"Rach, I'm sorry that my shoulder didn't hold up, but at least you don't have to worry what song you're going to sing to me while I'm in a coma. This has been a nice surprise, thank you for saving my essay for five years," Finn concluded giving Rachel a kiss on her head.

"The surprise isn't over yet," Rachel said as she pulled another stack of papers out of the envelope.

"Since you wrote that essay, I decided to write one of my own and put it with yours in my safety deposit box," she said handing him the papers. "You have to read these too."

Finn unfolded the papers to find a letter to him and an essay too. The letter was dated November 2012.

Dearest Finn,

It's a cold rainy day here in New York, and I've read your letter and your essay at least one hundred times.

You're right, you're one of only three people who know me and accept me as I am. Warts and all! I do hope to be saying wedding vows to you one day when our college separation is over.

When I'm home for Thanksgiving next week I'm going to place my letter and my essay in my safety deposit box beside yours and wait five years to read them again.

Love, Rachel - P.S. My essay is for 4 ½ years, you had a head start on me.

-/-

Where Do I See Myself In Four and A Half Years?

By

Rachel Barbra Berry

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I've worked with one aim in mind. I've always wanted to be a headline performer on Broadway and have a mantel covered in Tony Awards. That was my greatest dream when I was alone, before I met Christopher Finn Hudson.

I still want to be a star on Broadway, and I'm suffering this separation from Finn working toward that goal, but I'm realistic too. Many come to New York looking for their big break and some achieve it. But in the end the curtain falls, the applause fades, the audience leaves, and you are left alone on the stage. A stage that becomes a cold, empty place when the foot lights go down and there's no one at home waiting for you.

My dreams also include a mantel lined with Tony awards, but my life will go on with or without them.

If I never make it to Broadway, I would like to teach music at a music conservatory or a glee club at a local high school.

I do want to one day stand in a white gown and marry Finn Hudson. He's the other half of me. He's the better half of me. He loves me in spite of myself and accepts me for who I am which isn't always easy to do.

-/-

Finn concluded reading her letter and her essay before he refolded it and said to Rachel,

"You wrote this before the attack didn't you? Rachel, I'm so sorry about Broadway and Juilliard, and Jesse," Finn said with a small tear in his eye. "He snuffed out your dreams in a second and I wasn't there to protect you."

Rachel put her arm around him and looked Finn straight in the eye. "I have a better future now. Broadway was all about me. Teaching at the Ohio School for the Deaf here in Columbus is my way of giving back. I lost my voice, but it has been restored. And I have you and Nate. Making a child with you has been my greatest personal accomplishment so far. One door closed for me, but like I told you, a bigger better window opened thanks to you.

Finally, The End

Finn and Rachel continued to live in Columbus, Ohio. Finn taught his special kids, the ones with ADD, ADHD, and dyslexia in the local elementary schools. In the summer he even taught Driver's Ed. Rachel taught at the Ohio School for the Deaf teaching sign language and music. Nate thrived and did get his baby sister eventually, Sarah Carole Hudson. Finn named her Sarah, a Hebrew name meaning princess. Rachel named her Carole, after the best mother that she could have asked for.

-/-

Thank you to the readers who have stuck with me through the last 19 chapters and thank you for all the great reviews. The reviews kept me inspired to keep writing. Thanks again, Whistler Nights