Rachel was as good as her word, the weight of her head against his chest and the feeling of her arm wrapped around his waist was one he hadn't woken up to in awhile. He wondered if it would last, if Rachel could truly be happy after everything she had been through. But for now he decided to just enjoy the moment with his peacefully sleeping wife. He smiled and began to comb her short hair with his fingers. It was only once a bit of her hair started to come away in his hands that it once again dawned on him how sick she truly was. He knew that she was right, that he had to embrace his time with her since it might not last. But he didn't want to think about it, he wanted to think about her winning her first Tony award… I'd like to thank my wonderful husband Finn for always being there. He wanted to think about having children together… mom, dad stop singing you're embarrassing us! He wanted to think about their 50 year anniversary… After all these years my lady is still a stone cold fox. He and Rachel had been together for 12 years and she'd been a colossal pain in his ass the whole time, she was pushy and neurotic and nagged the crap out of him. And the thought of living without her made him feel sick.
"Finn?" she whispered groggily.
"Hey, how are you feeling?"
"Okay… better."
"That's good."
"I was thinking about what Artie said, I think I want to perform for the kids at our old school."
"That's great, when?"
"Well, why not today?"
"Sure, I mean if you're up for it."
"Only if you go with me" she said.
He kissed her softly, "Of course babe."
She looked down at Finn's chest noticing the few strands of her hair that had broken away. "My hair is falling out isn't it?"
"Not a lot, there's no patches or anything yet."
"But there will be… I kind of had an idea" she said smiling up at him. She gave him a quick kiss and jumped out of bed with an actual modicum of energy, something he hadn't seen in months.
"Where are you going?"
"You'll see" she said disappearing into the closet. Finn heard her rummaging through one of the boxes they brought from home.
"Do you need help?"
"Nope" she said exiting the closet. She had put on her old wig. When she had first gotten it it was soft and glossy, much like her real hair. It had dulled considerably since.
"Are you sure you don't want to get a new one?" Finn said.
"Absolutely, come on get dressed, were going into town" she said grabbing his hand and helping him out of bed.
"Hold still" Kurt said as he snipped away one of Elliott's auburn curls.
"I'm sorry honey but you're taking a lot off of the top."
"Do you want to look like the picture or not.
"Yes" Elliott groaned.
"Then stop squirming, I know what I'm doing."
"Hi Kurt" Rachel said as she and Finn entered the salon.
"Jesus Rachel that wig is nothing short of tragic" Kurt said pausing from his current task.
"I'm performing at McKinley today and I need to look my best, can you fix this?"
He looked her up and down "This will be my biggest challenge yet, you'll need make-up too, the uncle fester look was never in style. Sit down I'll get you next."
"If you wanted to see her now I'm fine with it" Elliot said starting to get up.
"Sit down before I break out the duct tape" Kurt said, making Elliot sheepishly shrink back into his seat.
It was the first time Rachel had felt pretty in months. Kurt had dyed and cut the wig into a stylish chestnut brown layered cut, a far cry from the shapeless dishwater hued mop it had turned into, and her makeup actually gave her face the fullness and radiance she had lost, or at least the illusion of it. If they hadn't already known she was sick they would have been shocked to hear it.
"Kurt, you're a genius" she said, giving him a mile wide smile.
"I know" He said, sweeping his hair to the side in that Kurt-like way of his. "Now go kick ass"
Rachel hadn't set foot at Mckinley high since graduation. She even had to miss her ten year reunion because of the cancer, but somehow being there didn't feel odd or foreign, It felt sort of right. Finn and Rachel arrived hand in hand right in time for glee practice. Not much had changed except for the new group of misfits occupying the seats, even Brad was there, although his hair had gone almost completely white in the passing years.
"Rachel, just in time" Artie said.
"Finn you called him? It was supposed to be a surprise."
"Everybody, these are the guys I told you about. Former co-captains Finn and Rachel Hudson."
The group applauded.
"Are you the sick one?" asked one student.
"Unfortunately yes" she said timidly.
"You don't look sick, you look hot" Said another student.
"Brandon, no hitting on the guests" Artie said. "Rachel here is actually a fantastic singer, what do you say Rachel? do you want to show these kids what you got?"
"Don't start the party without me" Principal Schuester said, shuffling in.
"How many people did you tell exactly?" Rachel said after greeting Mr. Schuester with a hug.
"Just the two" Finn said.
"Take a seat Mr. Schuester" Artie said. "So Rachel, how about Get What You Give by New Radicals?"
"Eh, I was thinking something a little less… predictable." Rachel turned and whispered to Brad and then to Finn.
"You got it babe" Finn said taking his seat at the Drums. As Brad and Finn began to play the song Artie smiled upon recognizing it, grabbed his guitar and began to play along.
Rachel swayed her hips and began to sing.
Home in the valley
Home in the city
Home isn't pretty
Ain't no home for me
Home in the darkness
Home on the highway
Home isn't my way
Home will never be
Burn out the day
Burn out the night
I can't see no reason to put up a fight
I'm living for giving the devil his due
And I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you
I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you
Time is the essence
Time is the season
Time ain't no reason
Got no time to slow
Time everlasting
Time to play b-sides
Time ain't on my side
Time I'll never know
Burn out the day
Burn out the night
I'm not the one to tell you what's wrong or what's right
I've seen signs of what (freezing their eyes) went through
Well I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you
I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you
Burn out the day
Burn out the night
I can't see no reason to put up a fight
I'm living for giving the devil his due
And I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you
As she sang the last words she looked directly at Finn, putting a dopey smile on his face. She winked at him before turning back to the students and accepting the large round of applause.
"Wow that was really… hot" Brandon said.
"Brandon" Artie scolded.
"What? It was."
After saying their goodbyes Finn and Rachel headed back towards the car, hand in hand.
"I don't want you to die Rachel" Finn blurted breaking the silence.
"Baby what about what we talked about?"
"You were right, you were right about everything. We do need to embrace the time that we have together, but that doesn't mean we should just stop trying."
"Finn…"
"No, let me get this out. You're always saying what if you don't make it… but what if you do? Do you ever think about that?"
"All the time, but Finn I don't want you to get your hopes up. I don't want you to be crushed."
"Rachel, I'll be crushed anyway" he said putting his hands on the side of her face and looking into her eyes. "I know you want me to be okay with letting you go, but that's just not possible. I need to believe that you can make it through this."
"Finn, what do you expect me to do?" she said, deflating.
"I want you to talk to Shelby."