I know I'm a month late, but here's yet another post 3x22 fic.
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.
She finds herself smiling as she loses herself in the streets of Broadway.
It still has that same effect on her as it did over a year ago. New York has a wonderful way of providing her that feeling of belonging. It's no wonder that for so long, this city, was her destiny and for the longest time, her dream.
Her first instinct once she reaches her hotel is to call Finn and go on and on about how incredible New York is. It isn't until her index finger is a half centimeter away from his contact number that she remembers.
Everything's different now.
That's the funny thing about dreams. They change and alter as alongside the creator. Broadway is still her dream, heck even the world knows it, but now there's more to it. It's amazing that within a year, her dream became filled with new hopes and plans, with new directions to take. And just when she was so close to having it all, the evil sinister side of fate decides to strike once more.
To think, just a few hours ago she'd thought she was going to be married. Now here she is, alone in New York City.
In the end, that's what it really comes down to anyways right? New York, or love?
She calls him anyways, because she can't help it. Nothing feels real if she doesn't, and even if calling him is just another confirmation of their split, she'll take it if it meant hearing his voice one more time.
Her fears of him not answering are vanished when she hears his usually greeting for her on the other side of the line.
He's relieved to know she's okay, and he tells her how happy he is for her, even though his voice sounds broken, because he's broken. They both are.
She tells him she loves him before they hang up, and he does the same.
And as the line goes dead, she brings the phone to her chest and holds it there, letting herself cry again.
She has to cry, she has to let all the pain and heartbreak out somehow. Because if she holds it all in, if she pretends she's okay, that she isn't hurting, then eventually, she's going to lose all her composure all at once.
She doesn't know what's going to happen to both of them. With her in New York, and Finn in Fort Benning. It's hard for her, not knowing, not being able to plan ahead like she's used to, being forced to let go. She doesn't even know what their current relationship status is. Should she even still call him, even though he told her to let go? They love each other, there's no doubt about it. But is it enough?
She looks at the ring wrapped around her ring finger. It's a symbol, of the love they share, and the future they could have had.
She can't find the strength to take it off.
It really amazing just how powerful love can be.
To love somebody so much that you'd defer a year of studying at your dream school. To love somebody so much that you'd set them free, to follow that dream.
Truth is, life just really sucks sometimes.
Mr Schue always talked about the journey of life a lot. About how each of them have their own journeys to take, their own paths to follow.
He just didn't know that a path without Rachel would hurt this much.
But she has to follow her own path, and he has to follow his.
And right now, the first step in his path as a high school graduate is to redeem his dad.
All his life, all he wanted to do was to make his dad proud. Clearing his name, finding some way to change it to an honorable one, would lift the burdens of his shoulders. And what better way to clear his name than to join the Army, and redeem the Hudson name. He has to do for his dad, a man who lost his life because of war. He has to do it for himself, to prove to himself that he is capable of fulfilling something.
Fort Benning seems like the solution.
He could actually do it, he could join the Army, accomplish something, and redeem his dad's name. He wouldn't be a failure if he did.
Registration starts in July, and the days are counting down fast.
Even though summer totally sucks this year without Rachel, he terrified at how quickly time passes. It's like each day brings him closer to reality, and farther and farther away from Rachel.
Their phone calls become less frequent, and they eventually stop altogether. She returned back to Lima a little while ago to spend the rest of the summer there before the semester starts. He doesn't make the effort to see her and neither does she. He knew this was going to happen, that the best way for them to let go was to gradually fall apart.
It doesn't mean he loves her any less, or that it hurts any less.
It's just that they're both birds trapped, and in order for everything to work out, they have to set each other free.
He does see her again a week before registration.
He's taking a night jog around Lima when he finds her at the park of all places. She's sitting on a swing, staring up at the dark sky. As if he felt his eyes of her, she turns her head to look at him. They share one of their legendary angst look of longing before she motions for him to join her.
He complies and sits on the swing next to her, surprised that the thing can even support him.
They're hands find each other and naturally intertwine together. For the first time in forever, everything seems right. He would give anything to stay in this moment, to stay on these swings for the rest of their lives, to stay young, like a child, without any worries about the future.
But they're not children. No, it's time to accept reality. The future is knocking on their door, and eventually, they have to answer the inevitable.
"It's hard to see the stars in New York," she says. "With all the bright lights and skyscrapers, it's hard to see them. Plus there's so many of them. It's hard to stand out."
She continues to look up at the night sky, and he knows she's trying to look at a certain star, her star, named 'Finn Hudson.'
"That doesn't mean they're not there though, or that they're any less special," she continues. "Did you know Kurt still wants to go to New York? He says it's where he's supposed to be, and even though he didn't get into NYADA, he's not letting that stop him. Him and Blaine, they're going to try a long distance relationship."
He closes his eyes and sighs. "Rachel-"
She shakes her head, "I just don't get it. Why does all these things happen to us? Why does everything in our life have to be so complicated. The other couples, they're trying the long distance relationship. Why can't we?"
"Because we're not like the other couples. Rachel, we have to face the truth. Getting married now, right out of high school, isn't the right thing to do, not when we still have so many opportunities ahead of us, things to accomplish on our own. We have to let go. We have to surrender."
"What exactly are we surrendering to? Are we giving up on us, are we letting go of our love too?"
He turns his head and looks at her, seeing tears swelling up in her eyes. "A love like ours doesn't just go away. We're surrendering to destiny, unconditionally. Right now, destiny doesn't want us to be married or to live in a shoebox apartment in New York. The universe wants us to follow the path fate has planned out for us, wherever that takes us."
"What was the point of all this then? This last year that we spent. What was the point of going through all of that if we're just going to give it all up."
"Do you regret it? Everything that happened between us? Do you regret it?"
"I'd certainly be a lot more happier in New York if none of this happened, if I had never had fallen in love with you. It would be so much easier to let go. But I can't. I could never regret any of it."
"Neither can I. There's a reason why everything happened the way it did. The universe wanted us together then, to learn something when we were together. And now, it wants us to learn something while we're apart."
"Is it just me," she asks, "or is the universe plotting against us?"
He tucks strands of her hair behind her ear and cups her cheek before he answers. "I believe, that the universe has a plan for us. It has something good, something great waiting for us. We just have to wait, and let everything take its course."
"You and I meeting right here, right now, wasn't a coincidence. Everything that happens to us from here on out is part of that course," he continues.
Wiping the tears off her eyes, she stands up and walks over to him. Placing her hands on his broad shoulders, she kisses him.
"I love you," she says against his lips.
"I love you," he instantly says, and he kisses her right back.
It all ends too soon. She leans his forehead against his one last time, and then takes a step away from him.
"I just want you to remember Finn, I want you to remember every memory we shared, every accomplishment you made. Remember that feeling, when we won Nationals, when we were winners. Remember that, and maybe then you'll realize you are a star, everything you experienced in high school was just a taste of what victory really is. I know for a fact that your father would be proud of the man you are, and the man you will become. You don't have to follow in his footsteps to make him proud. He would want you to take your own steps. You keep mentioning the universe and fate, and I know there are too many things in this world that we have no control over. But you see, one of the best parts of being human is the ability making choices. You made the choice to be a part of Glee Club, way back during sophomore year. You chose to dress up like Lady Gaga to support Kurt. You chose to apply to Pace. You chose me Finn, over everyone else, you chose me. And right now, you're choosing to let me go, because you think that's what's for the best. And now, I'm choosing to accept that, because I love you just as much as you love me. But don't forget that Finn, don't forget that you always have a choice. Just know that whatever you do, whatever you choose, I will support you and believe in you, just like you do in me. Even if we may not be together as we had planned, I can make that promise to you."
She wipes away the tears that swelling up in his eyes, and then she walks away, leaving him alone, under the stars, gently swing back and forth according to the force of the wind.
And now, he has to make a decision, as an adult.
Yeah, Fort Benning seems like the solution.
But is it the only solution?
She stops wearing his ring on her ring finger around second semester of freshman year.
Somehow, it ends up off her finger and around her neck on a chain, just like old times.
It's around the time that she miraculously lands a role in the school play. She's an understudy to a supporting cast member, but nevertheless the fact that she's a part of the production as a freshman raises her confidence. It's hard to stand out in a crowd, to accept the harsh criticism that is constantly thrown her way, but she manages to prove herself worthy.
She connects well with her classmates. They understand her ambitions, and they even share some as well. She makes friends, best friends even, and even finds the time to connect with her old ones.
She, Kurt, and Santana move all in together their own apartment.
Kurt eventually makes it into NYADA second semester, while Santana, using her mother's check, is on her way to becoming 'famous.'
All their dreams don't seem too far away anymore.
She tries not to think about Finn. The three of them spent their winter break in New York getting the apartment situated, and she hasn't heard any news about him since their last goodbye.
Kurt tells her he doesn't know much, and maybe it's better that way.
She tries her best not to think of him joining the Army, having to cut his beautiful hair, hair that she will probably never get to run her fingers through. She tries not think of the possibility of him losing his dear, precious life as a result of being in the Army.
No, she tries to push those thoughts away and move on with her life.
Easier said than done, she distracts herself with school, singing, theater. She even gets a job at a café to help pay for rent.
She making experiences. She's happy here in New York.
But she was happy with Finn too.
He doesn't attend Fort Benning.
He doesn't want to join the Army- it was never his dream to do so.
No, what he wants to clear his dad's name. And there has got to be another way to do it.
One of the many things he learned from being a relationship with Rachel is to never give up.
So he writes more letters, dozens of them, all to different people under the Discharge Review Board of the Army. He makes phone calls, does his research, and still finds time to study for his community college classes.
He gets the hell out of Lima, and spends his first semester of college at a community college in Cincinnati, crashing at a relative's house.
There, he learns more about his father's life after the war. According to his relatives, after his discharge, his father sorta went crazy.
It's hard to hear about his dad's addiction, how his dad wasn't the hero he had pictured in his growing up, but he has to accept it if he ever wants to redeem his dad.
By the time he finally gets a letter back, it's about how the Discharge Review Board can't change his dad's status because a) it's been over fifteen years since the discharge and b) his dad totally went AWOL on the Army.
But there has to be a reason why his dad left the army early and became an addict.
His mom told him before that he returned from the war a completely different person. Yeah, war does that (another reason why he doesn't want to join), but there's a piece missing. And he has to figure it out.
Surely, there must be friends of his dad's, veterans, who can help him.
After doing more research, he makes the decision to temporary drop out of community college and travel the country to find the people who can hopefully give him an explanation.
He has to redeem his father, and now he just might have found a way to do it.
The next time she sees him is at Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury's wedding.
With them having pushed the wedding back until March, she's glad to finally get reacquainted with her high school friends again.
She tries to keep her distance away from him as long as possible, She notes that he's definitely gotten a lot scruffier (making him even hotter, if that was even possible), and that his hair is a bit longer than the last time she saw him.
The alumnus preforms with the current Glee club, and the both chemistry and sexual tension between her and Finn is still undeniable.
Towards the end of the night, he asks her to dance, and she accepts. It hurts as he holds her close, and she knows he's hurting too.
They both thinking about it, the wedding they could have had. She imagines for a moment while she's in his arms again that she's wearing her own wedding gown, and they're dancing as husband and wife.
"Is this the right thing to do?" she asks.
"I don't know," he admits, "but here we are anyways."
They end up in a hotel room making out on the bed.
He's kissing her neck, and she doesn't even care that he's leaving marks all over her. She's his and there's nothing else to it.
In fact, she pulls his face closer to her, and moans whenever he kisses her. She misses this, she misses him all too much.
She's beginning to take off his tux when he pulls away.
"Rachel…" he half moans as he pulls away.
"I know, I know, we have to surrender and-"
"I wasn't going to say that at all. Look, I know we're all caught up in the moment, but god I just missed you so much."
"I missed you too," she replies kissing him again, "so much."
"And we're here, together, and like, I just feel like we're supposed to be here right now, together in this moment."
"Then what's stopping us?" she asks as she begins to kiss him again. "Let's just, enjoy this rare night that we have together."
"We could do it, you know, while we're here together."
"Do you want to?" she asks.
"I want to. I really, really want to."
"Then make love to me Finn."
They make long, sweet, intimate, passionate love all throughout the night.
They find time to talk in between, and they tell each other everything.
She relieved to know that he didn't join the Army, though a huge part of her still wants him to be with her. He could easily do research in New York as well, and she'd help him too. But she can't ask that from him, she loves him too much.
He's fast asleep with his arm draped around her by the time the sun rises.
She doesn't regret it, any of it. It was one of the most amazing nights of her life. The way he treasures her, and makes her feel loved. Only he could make her feel like that, and she knows that only she could do that to him. What they have isn't some high school relationship with an expiration date. They're not just some random hookup for a night.
They're something special, two people joined together by true love. And that's what makes it heartbreaking.
They both can't deny each other. Not after everything they've been through, and what they still feel. And perhaps that's their biggest problem.
She was wrong before. The hardest thing about love isn't choosing to believe that you found the one. No, the hardest thing about love is making it work.
He's leaving soon, they both are. They're still not meant to be together just yet, not when he still has obligations to his father. She has to let him go, once again.
But she's not strong enough to say goodbye to him again.
So she leaves before he can wake up.
He calls her later that day, and asks her what she thinks this all means.
She tells him she thinks they should start seeing other people.
Truth is, boys in New York giving her the attention she's always craved. Many of them have even asked her out, and for so long she denied each of them. But maybe, change is good, change is for the best.
He neither agrees nor disagrees.
She finally stops wearing the ring all together.
He finally heads over to New York that summer to meet one of the guys his dad saved. He doesn't tell anyone that he was coming, not even Kurt.
He was going to surprise them. He didn't want them to go through all the trouble for him, since he did plan on staying only for a few days.
Truth is, being in New York, knowing that it isn't where he belongs, sucked.
But she just happened to be working in the café that he just happened to go to.
He could feel her presence the minute he walked in, and well the look on her face isn't exactly encouraging.
She looking at him like he's the Ghost of Christmas Past or something, and it takes her a moment to snap out of it before she welcomes him with a hug.
Things start to become natural as they sit and chat during her break. It's like they're falling back into the same routine.
He's covering her hands with and smiles at her. But then pulls away and frowns.
"You have to know Finn, that I'm… I'm seeing someone."
He's stunned. He knew she told him about seeing other people, but he'd never planned on how to handle it.
"You are? That's… that's good Rach, that's really good. I uh, I'm really happy for you. Wait, he's not a douche is he?"
"No, no, he goes to my school. His name is Robert, and he played my love interest in the play I just starred in recently. He's really kind and very sweet. He was one of my first friends here in New York actually. And you know, it feels nice to be wanted."
It's like someone is stabbing him the heart. He can't stand the idea of someone else holding her, making her smile, kissing her, loving her. He can't stand the idea of someone replacing him, someone else making her happy. But he knows, that she deserves to be happy without him.
"Why wouldn't guys be interested in you? You're incredibly amazing, and talented, and sexy." He says the last part before his mind can ever process what he's saying. "Point is, you deserve everything Rachel, and I'm proud of you. I knew you could do it."
"Thank you Finn, and I'm really proud of you too. You traveled around the country, seen parts of it others can only dream of. And you're passionately fighting for something you care about. You're going to clear your father's name Finn, I know it."
"And you're so close to stardom Rach, I know it too."
She and Robert lasted about two and a half months before she ended things with him.
Things had actually been going smoothly between them, too smoothly.
There was no thrill with him, nor passion, nor drama.
Without a script, there was absolutely no chemistry between them.
Besides, it was probably one of the slowest relationships known to mankind.
So she went out with Andy, someone who's a cross somewhere in between Puck and Sam, figuring she should at least try something different.
And it lasted a surprising month before she once again broke things off.
They were just fighting way too much over the littlest of things. And sad to say, she eventually got tired of him. Every single thing he did just began to irritate her. And she figured that if she really loved someone, she would love all their flaws too.
She didn't dump Peter though.
No, she caught him cheating on her with his ex-girlfriend.
They weren't technically in a relationship, they've only been dating for two weeks, but that didn't mean she didn't slap him.
She never did expect a brainiac like Peter to cheat on someone, but then again she never, she never expected to fall in love with the captain of the football team in high school neither.
As different as these men were, they all had one thing in common. They all weren't Finn. That's exactly why none of them and no else in the planet could ever work out. She already knew what love was, and she knew, deep down, that she could only share that type of love with Finn. Only Finn.
He gets the call during Thanksgiving break in November.
His speculations were right; according to the doctors, his dad did develop PTSD during the war. That's why he quit the Army before his time. That's why he turned to drugs, it was his outlet.
And the board has to give him an honorable discharge now, because he had a disorder.
They wrongly accused him, and now justice is about to be served. Despite it being over fifteen years, the board might be willing to make an exception being that it was an impropriety or inequity in discharge, at least according to Wikipedia.
He's already sent his DD-149 file he requested and all the evidence to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records, now all he has to do is continue waiting.
He's so close, he could feel it.
He calls Artie over, who is on his way to becoming a director, and has him help him make a video.
Hopefully he'll be lucky this time.
On the morning of Thanksgiving Day itself, he stops by the Berry's household to drop off his mother's pecan pie recipe they requested.
It's also a perfect opportunity to see her.
She's still his friend, and he wants to know how she's doing. He wants to hear about how great her life in New York is, and how successful she's becoming. He needs to know that he's made the right choice.
Coincidentally or not, she was planning on seeing him that day too.
They take a stroll through the park on the way back to his house, and it's all a bit a romantic, the wind blowing through their hair, the vibrant colors of autumn reflecting in fallen leafs, the way they subconsciously walk arm in arm.
It's all too romantic, and he shouldn't be thinking about romance, not when she's in a relationship.
"So, how's you and Robert?" he asks as casually as he can.
She just laughs at him.
"Long story short, "I ended it," she says, "it wasn't fair to him, nor Peter, nor Andy, nor any other guys I dated. Being with them, and away from you, it made me realize that my heart, it belongs to you. I can only be in love with you. I've experienced so many things without you Finn, and they shaped me. I was able to learn to be independent from you, but they also made me realize just how much I want to share these experiences with you."
She leans up to give him a kiss but he pulls away before she can.
"I need to give you something," he says to her, taking her hand and leading her back to his house.
"My word…" she says when she sees all the souvenirs that are in his room. "You have everything-shot glasses, magnets, snow globes. How did you afford all these souvenirs?"
"I uh- used the college money I've been saving. It's also what I used to travel the country. But ever since August, I started working for Burt again. You know, make some money again. I'm not getting any younger, and I just thought I needed to start taking care of myself more. Which is why, I'm selling all of these."
"Oh Finn-"
"People in Lima haven't even left the state, much less the only side of the country. That and plus all those people on Craigslist, I can make a lot from all this."
"But Finn, these are tokens from your adventures..."
"Well now, I can make some room for some new ones. Anyways, the reason I brought you here is because I want you to have one of these. Choose any one you like. Shot glasses, mugs, Nevada, Alabama, whatever you want."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, totally. I mean, that is if you want to."
"I'd be honored to."
She searches through his dozens and dozens of souvenirs with that determined look on her face as if she's looking for something specific.
"Anything I want right?"
"Anything."
Before he knows it, she holds up a glass from Chicago, the same glass he bought for their wedding.
"Rachel…"
"It was the place where we became champions. The time when you believed that we could have our happily ever after. If it's okay with you Finn, I'd like to keep this as symbol of that time."
"Take it," he smiles.
"Oh I'm not keeping it," she replies. "No, I'm just going to hold onto it for a little while, and I have no doubt that one day, you'll get it back."
"I see, while in that case, I'll only let you hold onto it on one condition."
"What's that?" she asks.
"That you come back here during winter break and spend Christmas here, with the Hudson-Hummel family."
"You've got yourself a deal Mr. Hudson."
"Great, I'll see you then."
"Can't wait."
Yeah, everything is slowly falling into place. Everything.
They reconnect after that.
More importantly, they make an effort on both parts.
They started calling each other on the phone every day, just like before. They never forget to text each other 'good morning' or 'good night.'
They Skype whenever they can, and sometimes their conversations last well into the next morning, much to the dismay of Kurt and Santana.
But even they can't complain over the fact that she's happy. She's always been happy in some way in New York, but during the past month, she's been giving off a different aura.
And not only because of the fact that Finn showed up to opening day on her new show, and stayed for her birthday.
But rather, for the first time, she knew that the universe was on her side.
She stays true to her word and flies over to Lima during winter break.
Her heart is crushed when she learns that Finn is no where in town. He's taking care of some last minute business.
She still goes over to the Hummel's house for Christmas, with a huge part of her hoping that Finn bursts through the front door like a cliché holiday movie.
He never does show up.
She tries her best to not let that ruin Christmas. It's amazing how even after all this time, Burt and Carole always manage to make her feel like a part of the family.
She's even kneels by the tree next to them and opens the gifts they've generously given her.
"Oh Carole, these bed sheets are just perfect. 400 thread Egyptian cotton just the way I need it. Thank you so much."
"Don't mention it Rachel. Now, I think that's about it."
"No wait! There's one more, way in the back under there. Hold on, let me grab it real quick," Kurt says, reaching under the tree to reach the last gift.
"It says 'To: Rach, From: Finn.' Oh would you look at that, my brother didn't forget you after all. Big surprise."
She tilts her head to the side when she holds it. It doesn't seem like a typical gift, it's rather flat.
"What is it a Rachel?" Burt asks while she opens it.
"It's just a couple of letters… oh my god."
"What?" Kurt asks.
"He… he did it. He changed his father's discharge status to an honorable. This is the actual certificate right here. Did he tell you guys already?"
"Well he told me," Carole says, "he didn't want me to be a crying mess on Christmas. But, I think he was saving that special news for you."
"I knew he would do it. I always knew…"
"Go on and open the other one dear."
"Oh, right, it's an…" she starts, "it's an acceptance letter, to UCLA. He's even being offered a scholarship."
"Isn't that the school Jesse St James flunked out of?"
"Yeah," she chuckles even though tears are starting to form, "same one. I didn't even know he applied, but I'm-… I'm very proud of him. All his dreams are coming true."
"Rachel…"
"I think I should get going, I don't want my dads to stay up waiting for me. Thank you again for dinner Mr. and Mrs Hummel, and Kurt, I'll see when we go back to New York alright?"
"Rachel-"
And just like that she was out the door. Once again, fate has found a way to stab her in the heart.
She had hoped that since Finn managed to change his dad's status, he'd come to New York with her.
But instead, he's going to LA.
"Kurt, where are we going?"
"Well while we were gone, Santana totally managed to trash the entire apartment. I really do not want to see the mess she's still cleaning up, so until then we're staying with a good friend of mine."
"Really? Who? Wait, your so called friend better not try anything on me. I still have my rape whistle you know and-"
"Relax Rachel. Everything is going to be fine. You'll see."
They continue walking to Kurt's friend's apartment, and as she stands in the lobby, she has to admit, it is located in the perfect location. Everything is in walking distance, her school isn't too far away. The apartment itself doesn't seem too old at all.
"Hey Rachel, you go on up first, I need to make a phone call."
"Wait, no! Kurt, I just can't barge into someone's home!"
"Says the girl most known for her 'dramatic storm outs'. Come on, just go on up. It's on the fourth floor, apartment number 117. Go on, go."
"Fine, but I get first dibs on the couch then."
She takes the elevated up to the fourth floor and heads in the direction towards 117. To her surprise, the front door is already wide open.
Inviting herself in, the first thing she notices is the size. It's rather small, tiny even, but even so, there's just a different atmosphere.
And, oh god, there's a balcony.
And and… hold on, that lamp is hers. And so is that photo of her and glee club, but… that photo of her and Finn at graduation isn't hers, it's…
Finn's.
Forgetting her boundaries, she opens the bedroom door and sure enough, there's both hers and Finn's dresser. Her clothes are in the closest, right next to his. And all their pictures are proudly on display.
There are only two logical explanations for this. Either she has an obsessed stalker, or…
"Hey you," a voice, standing by the doorway of the bedroom room.
"Finn… what the heck is going on?"
"Isn't it nice? The apartment I mean. I chose it all by myself."
"This… this apartment is yours?" she asks, moving closer to him.
"Well, I was hoping it would be ours. You know, our own little shoebox apartment. That's kinda why I needed you over at Lima, so I can move your stuff and surprise you. And I… who was I kidding. You hate it. I shouldn't have assumed. I'm sorry, I'll just call Kurt and tell him to come back so we move your things back and-"
She cuts him off with a kiss. "I'd love to finally move in with you Finn. But, what about fate? What about UCLA?"
"Well, a very smart and special person in my life once told me that I have the freedom to make choices. Look at us and what happened over the last couple of years. We've grown and changed, but this, right here, never really changed. That's exactly why we keep coming back to each other. And so once I was almost close to getting my dad's honorable status finalized, I realized I didn't want to be away from you any longer. I realized, I wasn't ready to give up my dream. So with Artie's help, I sent in an audition video. And as fate planned it, I got in, to UCLA, my back-up, and Pace, my dream school."
"You got into Pace?" she says in disbelief.
"With a scholarship too. They were so impressed with my story, and the fact that I've been exposed to different parts of the country. And you know what the best part is? Our apartment is right in the middle of Pace and NYADA."
"Oh Finn," she gushes, crushing her lips to his once more.
"I just feel like I can do anything now, you know. That burden I've been carrying, it's finally been lifted. Nothing seems impossible now."
"It's our time now isn't it?" she asks him as she wraps her arms around his neck, resting her head against his chest. "Everything that happened beforehand was just building up for now."
"This is just the beginning Rach. This is it, I can feel it. The universe is calling out to us. Now, it's our turn to conquer the world, together."
"Do you think we can do it?"
"Rach, these past couple of years that I've spent away from you, made me a hundred percent sure that we can do it. We can survive anything life throws at us. You and I, we can make it, because right now there isn't anything holding us back. And if fate decides to be cruel again, well I'd choose you Rachel, over again if I have to."
She can't find the words to say as she looks up at his face. There's just so much she feels for him, so much that she can't even explain herself. But that's the beauty of love isn't it?
"What is it?" he asks.
"It's just… well, I'm finally home."
They don't get married until a couple years later, when they don't have to compromise on what chair to buy.
Neither of them hesitate to spend as much money as they need for their real big day.
They make sure to follow all the superstitions this time, because it's supposed to be the happiest day of their lives, they don't need another repeat of the other two failed times.
But this time is different. This time, they're both 100% sure they want to get married. There's practically no reason for them not to get married.
She even brings out the glass from Chicago for the wedding.
The ceremony and reception go off without a hitch, and before they know it, they're off to spend the next stage of their lives together as Mr. and Mrs. Hudson.
Rachel even gets offered a lead role in Broadway soon after, and snags a Tony Award for it.
Finn ends up shooting several action packed movies, making him a world-wide heartthrob.
They end up moving out of their shoebox apartment when Rachel becomes pregnant with baby Chris.
"It's all bittersweet to leave this place, isn't it?" she says, placing a hand on her growing stomach.
"Well, we knew this day would come. There's no way we can raise a family in this tiny place. Especially if they grow to be as giant as me."
"I know, I know, but this was our first home."
"It's like what you said, home," he says, "is right here," pointing to her heart. As long as I got you and our children, it doesn't matter where we are."
"Did you think this is where we'd end up?" she ask as they walk through the halls of their new home in the suburbs.
"This was my dream," he admits. "Becoming a successful actor, starting a family with you, but-"
"But what?"
"It's so much better than I ever dreamed of."
"And we have destiny to thank for that?"
"Yes and no. We choose our destiny, we choose this life Rach, and I wouldn't want it any other way."
"I guess we found it then," she says.
"Found what?"
"Our place in this world."
AN: I actually don;t want their reunification to take this long, but it just worked better for the fic.
And I do believe that RIB has something good, something great planned for Finchel. We just have to wait, and let the writers do their thing.
Review!