I do not own Glee. I just love it a lot!
Rachel heads back to school with a new goal. She is going to prove to her dads that it doesn't have to be either/or with Finn. She can be a star and have him. She just has to stay focused. This time, its easier. Neither of them is as clingy and if they don't text all day its ok. She isn't constantly checking his Facebook to make sure he's being faithful. He isn't constantly texting her to make sure he isn't forgotten in her big city life. They both know they only have to make it through this year apart.
She is so proud of herself for finally getting the lead in the drama department play, even though it means she won't go home for Christmas. Her dads are there for opening night, like always, and they joke about visiting her on Broadway next year with stars in their eyes. She smiles with them, but she doesn't tell them what a struggle it's going to be, that sometimes even the sheer force of Rachel Berry's will can't always get her what she wants.
The last night of the show is New Years Eve and when she walks through the lobby afterwards, she hears a familiar voice call her name. For a minute, she doesn't even believe it's real, but then she's running into his arms and kissing him the best hello. He tells her he drove all day to surprise her and he has to go back tomorrow, but he really wanted to see her one more time before summer. She asks if he wants to go to Times Square and see the ball drop, but he says they have forever for that madness and he just wants to spend the time with her. They stop on the way back to her dorm and pick up chinese food and a bottle of champagne. Her roommate is out for the night and he holds her as they watch the ball drop and the fireworks on tv. She pulls his face down to hers and they make fireworks of their own.
He barely sleeps, he tries to memorize everything about this moment. Her dark hair spread across the pillow, the rise and fall of her back as she sleeps, the way her arm tightens around his waist while she dreams, he needs to soak it all in, because it will be months before he sees her again. He kisses her awake when he sees the first morning light and he tells her goodbye. He won't be able to come back until school is over. She watches him drive away in Mike's car and tries to convince herself she didn't dream the whole thing. But her pillows smell like him and her roommates think she's crazy when she carries one around the dorm the rest of the day.
Her last semester of classes start and it's a busy time. She has to stage a 4 person play on campus for one of her finals and she's finally made the lead for the spring musical. She barely has a minute to think about right now, let alone what's next and she doesn't really pay attention when he asks what her plans are after graduation. But before she realizes it, its April and her dads are in for the last musical production and they are asking her what she's going to do next. She tells them she doesn't know. She thinks she won't come home and just go straight into auditioning. She hasn't had a minute to look for an apartment, but she promises she'll figure it out as soon as the play wraps. Finn texts her the next week and asks if they can plan a time to have a real conversation on the phone. It's late when he calls and she's sitting in her bed surrounded by homework. He makes small talk for a minute, but finally gets to the reason behind his call. He doesn't want to rush her and he's ok with whatever decision she makes, but his final decision on his loan reimbursement has come through and he's been placed in a school in the Bronx.
"I can share an apartment with one of the other guys in the program, but I just thought maybe you'd want to share with me instead?" and his whole body relaxes when she says yes. They excitedly make plans for his visit in a few weeks to look for an apartment and talk until her roommate throws a pillow at her. Her dads are concerned when she tells them her plans. Finn's a good kid, and they've always liked him, but they worry she'll be too distracted playing house to keep her priorities straight. She resists the urge to call them their priorities and eventually wins them over because she'll be safe with Finn, and at least living with him is better than living with some random person from Craigslist.
It doesn't go over so well at Finn's house either. His mother is heartbroken that he isn't coming home. She doesn't understand why everyone wants to leave Lima so badly. Lima is a great place to raise a family. Didn't Finn love growing up there? Well, didn't he? His ears go red at the thought of a family, but Burt is reigning her in and he placates her with promises of lots of visits and frequent Facebook updates. And she still cries buckets when he leaves, but he's so excited for the future it hardly phases him.
And the first morning he wakes up, with sun streaming in the tiny window and Rachel curled up in his arms, he thinks it's all been worth it.