I'm sad to say this story is almost over! I'm really going to miss it. It's probably been my favorite fanfic to write so far. Thanks to all of you for sticking with me during the slow updates. I REALLY hope we at least get SOME time with Finchel together in S4. We all need to hold on to hope! I have an idea for my next Finchel fic, but I'm going to wait until I finish my other fic I'm working on now before I start it. But if you want to know, I'll tell you my idea!
Hope you enjoy this chapter! Please review if you want me to continue!
Chapter 24: Defending The Title
Finn's mind shot back to last year as he sat in the airport terminal with Rachel, Kurt and Santana. It was last year in Chicago that he'd led Paradise By The Dashboard Light and been named New Directions' MVP of Nationals. They'd won the Nationals trophy and gotten the celebrity treatment back home. And it had been an unforgettable week for him and Rachel.
The next week had been heartbreaking. He'd gotten rejected by Pace and lost Rachel. If he had to guess where he'd be at this time now, he wouldn't guess that he and Rachel would be weeks away from their wedding. But the wedding was fast approaching, and he and Rachel would officially be Mr. and Mrs. Hudson.
This year, Nationals were being held in Los Angeles. All eight members of the Class of 2012 would be in the audience. Finn and Rachel had booked a hotel room at the same hotel the New Directions were staying at, and Kurt and Santana were plotting to crash Blaine and Brittany's rooms.
Finn was able to walk short distances on his own now, but his goal was not to need his wheelchair or crutches at all on the wedding day. He and Rachel had begun practicing their dancing again, and he was even worse than he was back in high school.
"Do you think they'll win again?" Kurt suddenly asked. "Blaine feels so much pressure, doing the solo."
"They couldn't have picked a better person to do the solo," Rachel said.
"Of course they'll win," Santana said. "You two won't be there to make out on the stage again."
Finn rolled his eyes. "We said we were sorry!"
"Yeah yeah," Santana said. "We forgave you a while ago."
"It's going to be a long flight," Rachel groaned. Finn sighed as he took his fiancee's hand. He knew she wasn't the biggest fan of flying. He'd felt awful on the flight to New York, seeing how scared she was and technically being unable to hold her and kiss her.
"At least we got a direct flight," Kurt said.
"I'll hold you," Finn whispered to Rachel. Rachel smiled up at Finn.
The flight attendant called that the flight to Los Angeles was boarding, and Finn wobbled on to the plane. Rachel walked slowly beside him so he could keep up with her.
When they sat on the plane, Finn lay his head on Rachel's lap. She bent down and kissed him on the forehead as the plane took off.
x
When the plane landed in Los Angeles, Santana immediately spotted Brittany and took off to see the New Directions. Watching them, Finn felt a bit of envy. He wished he could be on that stage again, wishing he and Rachel could sing a duet that would lead their team to victory.
"Are you okay?" Rachel asked.
"Just a bit sentimental," Finn said.
"Yeah, me too," Rachel said. "Let's go say hi."
"You're here!" Mr. Schue said, noticing Finn and Rachel walking towards them.
"We wouldn't have missed it," Rachel said.
"Are you ready for your big solo?" Finn asked Blaine.
"I think so," Blaine said. "Sam and Artie are going to sing backup for me, so I won't be totally alone."
"You'll be great," Sam said. "So, this is where I'll be in the fall."
"Are you excited?" Finn asked Sam.
"I can't wait, but I think Mercedes is more excited," Sam said. "She won't stop talking about it!"
"What about you, Artie?" Finn asked. "Are you excited for college?"
"I'm excited, but I am going to miss Ella a lot," Artie said. "I'm happier with her than I've ever been with any other girl, and I hope things don't fall apart after I leave."
"Don't worry," Blaine said. "Kurt and I did fine this year."
"Yeah, so did Mercedes and I," Sam said. "So, Finn, you're walking pretty well."
Finn smiled and nodded. "Yup!"
x
After chatting a little with Tina and Brittany, Rachel went over to the three new girls in New Directions who she'd befriended. "Are you girls excited for your first Nationals?"
"I've never been on a plane before, even!" Erin said. "Yeah, I'm really excited. And Joe's got a surprise date planned for me."
"So, you and Joe are doing well?" Rachel asked.
"Yes, he's a really great guy," Erin told Rachel.
"We have some really good songs picked out," Emily said. "Kyle and I get to sing part of one of them together."
"Yeah, Blaine told me the songs they picked," Rachel said. "And it's always fun to sing with your boyfriend."
"I love Kyle!" Emily giggled.
"We're so glad you guys could come," Erin said.
"Well, you girls are part of the New Directions family now," Rachel said. "After you graduate, you'll be watching in the stands with us, too."
"Artie said next year he'll come to watch me," Ella said. "I'm going to miss him next year."
"Don't worry, you can do it," Rachel said. The bus pulled up and the New Directions boarded it, along with Mr. Schuester, Mrs. Schuester, Finn, Rachel, Kurt and Santana.
x
Finn looked out the window in his and Rachel's hotel room. Their room was right next door to Kurt and Santana's room, and coincidentally, right above Blaine, Sam and Artie's. Right now, Blaine was next door with Kurt, and Finn could hear them talking, but he didn't complain, as he knew how much Kurt missed Blaine. Santana had gone downstairs to be with Brittany. Rachel had told Finn that Brittany had kicked Tina and Sugar out of the room so she and Santana could have some time to themselves. The view from the hotel room was amazing. The beach was within a nice view, and it looked down on the hotel courtyard and pool. Rachel was on the bed, watching television.
"Hey Finn," Rachel said. "Come on to the bed with me."
Finn smiled wide, knowing what Rachel had in mind. He lay on the bed next to Rachel and pulled her close to him, kissing her passionately.
x
An hour later, Finn was still holding Rachel in his arms on their bed. The noise from Kurt's room had calmed down, so Finn thought that meant Blaine had gone to rehearsal. Then Rachel's phone vibrated.
"Who was that, Rach?" Finn asked.
"That was Kurt," Rachel said. "He and Santana went to go visit Mercedes. The New Directions are rehearsing."
"Oh," Finn said, realizing he and Rachel were alone at the hotel now. Then he felt his own phone vibrate and saw that it was a text from Puck. "Hey man! Heard you guys are at the Embassy Suites, too! Want to meet Q and me at the pool?"
Finn looked up at Rachel. "Hey Rach, want to go down to the pool and meet up with Puck and Quinn?"
"I'd love that!" Rachel said. She went into the bathroom with her swimsuit, and Finn knew that meant she couldn't wait. He texted Puck to say that they would be right there, and quickly put on his swim trunks. Rachel came out of the bathroom in her new black bikini with the gold stars on it.
"You look hot," Finn said.
Rachel smiled. "I'm not!"
Finn kissed his fiancee. "You're the sexiest person ever."
"I am not!" Rachel giggled. She pulled on a cover up, took Finn's hand and began heading down to the pool, where Puck and Quinn were waiting.
"Hey!" Finn said.
"Hey guys!" Quinn said, hugging Rachel.
"So, this is where we could have been," Puck said to Quinn.
"I'm glad we're where we are," Finn said.
"Yeah, me too," Puck said. The boys watched as Rachel and Quinn headed for the hot tub. Then Finn turned to Puck and said, "So, where's the ring?"
"It's in my pocket," Puck said.
"Then give it to her now!" Finn told his friend.
"No!" Puck said.
"Puck, you're giving Quinn that ring before Rach and I leave for our honeymoon!" Finn declared.
"I just remember, I left it in New Haven," Puck said.
Finn thought his friend was lying. "Okay, whatever. Let's go join the girls."
x
The next day, Finn, Rachel, Kurt, Santana, Puck, Quinn, Mike and Mercedes sat in the stands with Mr. Schuester and Mrs. Schuester, waiting to see the New Directions compete to defend their title. The groups that had already performed had been outstanding, and Finn was getting a little nervous. When the New Directions were announced, Finn felt Rachel squeeze his hand. The curtains opened, and Blaine was in the center of the stage with Sam and Artie close behind. Then, the music began.
Blaine: Out here the nights are long, the days are lonely
I think of you and I'm working on a dream
I'm working on a dream
Now the cards I've drawn's a rough hand, darling
I straighten the back and I'm working on a dream
I'm working on a dream
Come on!
Blaine with Sam and Artie: I'm working on a dream
Though sometimes it feels so far away
I'm working on a dream
And I know it will be mine someday
Blaine: Rain pourin' down, I swing my hammer
My hands are rough from working on a dream
I'm working on a dream
Let's go!
Blaine with Sam and Artie: I'm working on a dream
Though trouble can feel like it's here to stay
I'm working on a dream
Well our love will chase trouble away
Blaine: Alright!
I'm working on a dream
Though it can feel so far away
I'm working on a dream
Our love will make it real someday
The sun rise up, I climb the ladder
The new day breaks and I'm working on a dream
I'm working on a dream
I'm working on a dream
I'm working on a dream
Hey!
I'm working on a dream
Though it can feel so far away
I'm working on a dream
Our love will make it real someday
Blaine with Sam and Artie: I'm working on a dream
Though it can feel so far away
I'm working on a dream
And our love will make it real someday
"Thank you everyone - we are the New Directions," Blaine managed to say above the standing ovation he was getting. The rest of the group was now onstage and the second song's music was beginning.
Blaine: Can't see nothin' in front of me
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Sam: Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
On my back's a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile line
New Directions boys: Come on up for the rising
Com on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Artie: Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here
New Directions: Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
Blaine: Spirits above and behind me
Faces gone, black eyes burnin' bright
May their precious blood forever bind me
Lord as I stand before your fiery light
Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
Blaine: I see you Mary in the garden
In the garden of a thousand sighs
There's holy pictures of our children
Dancin' in a sky filled with light
May I feel your arms around me
May I feel your blood mix with mine
A dream of life comes to me
Like a catfish dancin' on the end of the line
New Directions (Blaine): Sky of blackness and sorrow (a dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness (a dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear (a dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow (a dream of life)
Your burnin' wind fills my arms tonight
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life (a dream of life)
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
The audience was on their feet as the music for the last song began.
Blaine: In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through the mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on highway 9,
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected,and steppin' out over the line
h-Oh, Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
`Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
yes, girl we were
Artie: Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend
I want to guard your dreams and visions
Sam: Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims
and strap your hands 'cross my engines
Emily and Kyle: Together we could break this trap
We'll run till we drop, baby we'll never go back
Erin and Joe: Oh, Will you walk with me out on the wire
`Cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider
But I gotta know how it feels
Tina: I want to know if love is wild
Babe I want to know if love is real
Sugar: Oh, can you show me
Brittany: Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard
Girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors
And the boys try to look so hard
Sam and Tina: The amusement park rises bold and stark
Artie and Ella: Kids are huddled on the beach in a mist
I wanna die with you Wendy on the street tonight
In an everlasting kiss
1-2-3-4!
Blaine with New Directions: The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
Everybody's out on the run tonight
but there's no place left to hide
Together Wendy we can live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
h-Oh, Someday girl I don't know when
we're gonna get to that place
Where we really wanna go
and we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us
baby we were born to run
New Directions: Oh honey, tramps like us
baby we were born to run
Rory: Come on with me, tramps like us
baby we were born to run
New Directions: Ru-uh-uh-un
Mm-mm-mm-mm
Uh-uh-uh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Ru-uh-uh-uh-un
Mm-mm-mm-mm
Whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Ru-uh-uh-un
"And they were born to win!" Rachel whispered to Finn. Finn now was sure New Directions would defend their title. Vocal Adrenaline had a terrible performance, and a few hours later, it was announced that again, New Directions had won Nationals. The tradition was living on.
Songs: "Working on a Dream" by Bruce Springsteen (performed by Blaine Anderson with Sam Evans and Artie Abrams), "The Rising" by Bruce Springsteen (performed by New Directions) and "Born To Run" by Bruce Springsteen (performed by New Directions)
Chapter 25 preview: Two words - Finchel wedding.