Just my short addition to "Opening Night".
Rachel sat motionless, staring back at herself in her dressing table mirror. This was all Rachel had ever wanted. This was the opening night of her first Broadway show. This was all she had ever dreamed off her entire life. She could only wonder... why wasn't she happier?
"Yeah, I-I got him a seat tonight. I know it's weird, but he always made me promise I would get him a ticket to my opening night on Broadway."
"It's not weird. It's lovely."
Her last conversation with Mr. Schue played in her mind as she cupped her face in frustration. Everyone kept telling her that Finn was 'here in spirit'. But 'here in spirit' isn't going to give her a pep talk before the show. 'Here in spirit' isn't going to give her a kiss of reassurance in the ten minutes before showtime. 'Here in spirit' isn't going to pick her up and spin her around once the show's over. 'Here in spirit' isn't good enough.
Rachel's eyes began to water. The more she tried to fight the tears, the more her emotions suffocated in her chest. "You know crying is going to impact on your voice, Rachel. C'mon, shake it off" she internally encouraged. She took a deep breath and lifted her head, renewing her gaze at her emotionally incomplete self in the mirror. "Ten minutes, Rachel". She nodded slightly, which was surprising, since she felt frozen. Grabbing the picture of Finn she had plastered to the frame of her mirror, she slipped into a daydream..
"Hey, superstar." Finn said as he peered through the doorframe. "I don't feel like a superstar." Rachel mumbled, shaken up by pre-show nerves. "Hey..." Finn said as he walked up to her. He sat next to her and grabbed her hands. "Don't you sit there and say that. You know you're a star, Rachel. For Heaven's sake, you sign your name with a star. It's the law of nature - Rachel Berry is a star. That's not about to change." Rachel held her stare, looking into his welcoming eyes for comfort. "I-I know, Finn. It's just... there's a lot riding on this. On me." She said, overwhelmed with worries. Finn grabbed her shoulders. "Rachel. You know that you can do this. There is absolutely no question. You are the brightest star that has ever shun. You're gonna go out there, and... and blow the crap out of the presumptions that audience has of you. They're all gonna love you the minute you step out there and sing. I know I already do... and I always will" he said with his signature crooked smile. Rachel finally cracked a smile and exhaled slowly. "I love you, Finn" she mumbled. "Now you go out there and make that show go all over the place!" He joked making Rachel laugh. "You know, Finn, it was funny the first time, but now you're exhausting it". "I don't care" he said playfully as he pecked her lips.
Rachel paced back and forth in her dressing room smiling to herself. She did it. Her first Broadway show. This was a dream. Finn and all of her friends are here to support her. She's completely and utterly happy and she simply cannot believe it. "You did it!" Finn shouted excitedly as he burst through Rachel's dressing room, picking her up and spinning her around as she laughed hysterically. "Argh, I knew you had it in you! And so did you." he said, locking lips with her as he slowly lowered her to the floor. The rest of Rachel's friends piled into the dressing room crowding in on her and Finn for a group hug. Rachel laughed and rested her head on Finn's shoulder, enjoying the warm embrace from him and all of those who love and support her. She was complete.
"Show time, Rachel". Rachel snapped out of her daydream of how this night was supposed to go. As sad as she was, her daydream left her with a warm sensation of comfort. Yes, Finn was here in spirit. He was here with her.