A/N: My version of Nationals. Loosely sticks to what we've seen but some parts are out of canon. Anyway, enjoy, let me know what you think and I'll try to put up the next chapter tomorrow :)
He absent-mindedly looked over his shoulder and saw her standing there, smiling radiantly. Like always. With that steely determined glint in her eye, as she stared up at billboards for Wicked and Les Misérables, he thought she'd never looked more beautiful.
He turned round to watch her, knowing that she was thinking of her future in this city of bright lights and neon stars. As he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket he thought, that maybe, just maybe it could be their future, not just hers.
She looked over her shoulder and noticed him staring. She smiled, a half smile, and demurely beckoned him up to her. He climbed the stairs, two at a time, racing to be up by her side.
"Look at this, Finn." She sighed, blissfully, "Isn't it amazing?"
"Yeah, it is." He murmured a reply.
"I'm going to come back here one day." She said, her voice full of purpose. "I'll be here for good. And it's going to be me up there on those billboards. I know it."
"I know it too." He replied, and for a moment she looked up at him, a face of gratitude and hope, before she returned to gazing at the display for Wicked. "I never doubted you wouldn't." He glanced to her, and saw a small smile tugging on the corners of her mouth.
"Can you believe how far we've come? I mean two years ago, we were just six kids singing Journey in bright red T-shirts."
"I know." Finn smiled, remembering the day like it was yesterday. The day when, though he didn't know at the time, Rachel Berry cemented her place in his heart.
"I have to thank you Finn," she continued, turning away from the boards to look at him seriously, "Without you, we would still be only five kids singing a painful rendition of 'Sit Down you're Rocking the Boat'. You brought us together, to be the group we are today; you brought us to New York."
He laughed under his breath and realised that though sometimes he's lost his way, he's tried to be the best leader this group could have. But he couldn't have done it without his right-hand man… or girl…
"No, Rachel, I couldn't have done it without you. You convinced me to be better than I am, and without your determination and passion and of course talent, I doubt we'd have made it past our first Sectionals."
"Good team?" she asked looking up at him, holding up a hand for a high-five.
"The best." He replied, returning the gesture. As he did so, he realised they're so much more than a team for Glee, they were a team together, as a couple, and even though she kissed Jesse St. Jackass the other week, it doesn't mean they can't be together. They had fought so much to get to New York, they hadn't let that dream go, so in no-way was he going to let this one go without a fight.
Mr Schue called them down for a group meeting.
"Right," he said, rubbing his hands together, "Here we are!" He laughed, holding his hands out. "I have some, erm, stuff to do, for Nationals. So, here's the plan. We're going to go to the hotel, check in and sort ourselves out. Then you guys are going to work on the songs whilst I do my… stuff. Then free evening, hopefully we'll come up with some amazing ideas whilst we're here. And then Nationals!"
The whole group let out a cheer.
"Alright!" Mr Schue laughed again, "Let's get going."
Finn turned around to see Rachel wrestling with the handle of her suitcase. His mind immediately flashed back to wheeling her pink trolley bag into school that first week of Glee Club.
"Here, let me help."
She flicked her fringe back, and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Thank you."
He pulled the handle out with ease and said, "No problem. Listen," he bent down close to her. "Meet me in Central Park, tonight, 6.30, dress up." And with that, he handed her the suitcase handle and walked away, flashing a last smile over his shoulder and as she stood there, staring after him, he noticed a slight smile creeping over her mouth.
Want more? R/R x