Hi everyone. Thanks so much for your reviews of my last chapter. I really appreciate that. I'm sorry to say that this story will be over soon! I'm not ready to stop. I wish I could have written Season 5. But I am already brainstorming for my Season 6. Enjoy this chapter and review if I should keep going! And visit this story's Tumblr (FinchelSeason5) for Season 6 spoilers!
Chapter 54: From Lima and New York to Boston
"All right, New Directions!" Mr. Schuester declared. "I hope you all have your bags packed for Boston, because this is it. We didn't win last year, but I think this year we're going to do it."
"Because you gave me one of the parts of the duet, I know we're going to win!" Harmony declared.
The rest of the group exchanged looks. Rachel had told Kylie that she herself used to be like Harmony, but Harmony was the early high school Rachel with the volume turned up.
"Yes Harmony," Mr. Schue said. "You are going to be great in the duet. So, as you all know, Marley and Harmony will open with For The First Time In Forever from Frozen, and then we'll move into When You Wish Upon A Star, and then Circle Of Life."
The group cheered as Marley coughed. Kylie turned to Marley. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay," Marley said before coughing again.
"Good, because we need our captain to be in top health for Nationals," Unique declared. "My last Nationals."
"Yes," Mr. Schue said. "We need to give the seniors a good farewell. Speaking of which... seniors, do you have plans for next year yet?"
"Yes!" Harmony said. "Well, I haven't heard back yet, but I know I nailed my NYADA audition."
"So your sister might be dealing with her next year," Kitty whispered to Kylie.
"Oh, I'm sure she'll love that," Kylie whispered back.
"I'm trying to get a Visa to go to NYU so Harmony and I can both be in New York," Rory said. "If not, I did get a scholarship to University of Dublin."
"I'm going to Cedarville," Joe said. "It's a Christian college not too far from here so I can spread God's word."
"I'll be not too far from him at Ohio University," Sugar added. "Also known as the best school for parties in America!"
"And Unique will be gracing Marymount College of Los Angeles with her presence!" Unique finished.
"Wow," Mr. Schue said. "You guys will be going amazing places. I try not to be overly optiminstic, but I do think we have a good shot at winning again."
"Yeah, because that French Canadian guy graduated," Jake said.
"According to Finn, he's in Funny Girl with Rachel," Ryder said.
The group sat there in silence before Kitty asked the question everyone was thinking. "Mr. Schue, are you going to be here or in LA next year?"
Mr. Schue looked discouraged. "Now isn't the time to be talking about that."
"Then when is?" Jack asked. "You've been saying that every time we ask."
"You have Nationals in a week," Mr. Schue said.
"Yes, but some of us have one, or two, or three years left in the club!" Kylie pointed out.
"Guys..." Mr. Schue began.
"Just tell us," Marley asked. "Are you going to LA or not?"
"The deadline to sign the contract hasn't come yet," Mr. Schue said. "I would be so sad to leave you guys, but this may be what's right for me and my family."
The group didn't know what to say to that. "I know you guys probably are upset that I might leave, but we need to focus on Nationals and the weddings now," Mr. Schue said. "Let's just run through our numbers for Nationals."
x
Finn sat at his desk in the apartment studying for his history final when his phone rang. He saw that it was Ryder and picked up the phone. "Hey! Getting ready for Nationals?"
"Finn..." Ryder began.
Had Mr. Schue taken the job in LA? "What's going on?" Finn asked.
"Mr. Schue told us he's probably going to take the job in LA," Ryder said.
"What?" Finn pretended to be surprised. He knew Mr. Schue would tell the group sooner or later, but if he was telling them... maybe he really would take it.
"Yeah," Ryder said. "Finn, with Nationals around the corner... and Mr. Schue possibly leaving... as the captain I feel so much pressure."
"I know what that's like," Finn said. "As the captain and the lead, it kind of feels like it's riding on your shoulders, doesn't it?"
"It does," Ryder said. "Especially since I have a major part in both group numbers... and Marley doesn't seem to be doing well."
"What?" Finn asked. "What's wrong with Marley?"
"She has a cough," Ryder told Finn. "Maybe I'm overreacting. I know boyfriends always get worried when things seem off with their girlfriends... but she has to be okay... She just wanted to go home and rest after glee."
"I hope she's better in time for Nationals," Finn said.
"Yeah, me too," Ryder said. "Finn, do you think there's a chance that we could convince Mr. Schue to stay?"
"The best advice I can give you guys is to kick some butt at Nationals," Finn said. "We're going to be there next week," Finn said. "Luckily enough, all of us in New York have finals this week, so we'll be in Boston to be there for you guys to encourage and cheer you on as soon as we're done."
"How are your finals so far?" Ryder asked.
"Well, so far, they have been tough," Finn said. "I don't know how I managed to get into an Ivy League school after my low grades my first two years of high school. I got good grades last semester, and I need to keep my spot on the Dean's list."
"You got in because you're Finn Hudson," Ryder said.
Finn laughed. "Well, maybe."
"I'll let you know if he says anything else," Ryder told Finn. "Good luck on your finals."
"Thanks," Finn said before hanging up the phone.
x
Rachel left the roundroom after her voice final. She'd performed one of the hardest songs she'd ever done for the final, and she had to admit, she was nervous about what sort of grade she'd get. As she left the campus to head for the bus stop, she saw that her phone was ringing. Noticing that it was Kylie, she picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Rachel, I think Mr. Schue really is leaving," Kylie said.
"What?" Rachel asked. 'What do you mean?"
"At practice today, Mr. Schue told us that he might not be back next year," Kylie said. "Apparently the deadline to sign the contract hasn't come yet, but he thinks this might be what's best for him and his family."
"Oh gosh," Rachel said. She didn't want to tell Kylie, but she had a feeling she knew what this meant. If Mr. Schue left McKinley, glee would likely be done.
"He told us he wants us to focus on Nationals and the weddings," Kylie said.
Rachel wanted to ask more questions, but then her bus pulled up. She said goodbye to Kylie before getting on the bus and rode home, where Finn was in the living room, apparently studying for a final.
"Finn, Kylie said that Mr. Schue might be leaving McKinley," Rachel told Finn. "He still hasn't made up his mind yet. If he was staying, he'd flat out tell them that was staying."
"I know," Finn said. "Ryder called and told me the same thing..."
"So do you think glee will be over?" Rachel asked.
"I don't know," Finn admitted. "To be honest, Mr. Schue called me recently and told me he was leaning toward taking the job."
Rachel couldn't believe Finn hadn't told her. "What? And you didn't tell me?"
"He told me not to," Finn admitted. "Plus, I thought if I told you, you'd tell your sister, and she'd tell the New Directions..."
Rachel saw Finn's point, but she didn't think they should keep things from each other when they were about to get married. "Finn! You shouldn't keep things from me."
"I'm sorry," Finn said.
Rachel didn't know what to say. She understood what Finn meant, but she wasn't happy that he'd kept something from her. Before she had a chance to say anything else, she heard the door open and turned, seeing Blaine and Sam come in. "I need to go study for my finals, Finn. You may want to tell Blaine and Sam about your conversation with Mr. Schue. And after you have this conversation, Blaine should probably tell Kurt and Sam should probably tell Tina."
x
Finn knew Rachel would be annoyed when she found out that he hadn't told her right away, and he knew he couldn't be angry at Rachel for being unhappy with him. With Rachel gone, he figured he might as well tell his two best friends. "Mr. Schue's leaning towards taking the job in LA."
"He is?" Blaine asked.
"Yeah," Finn said. "He told me on the phone recently... and I guess he told the New Directons today, according to Ryder."
"Right before Nationals?" Sam asked. "Shouldn't they be focusing on that?"
"That's what Ryder said he told them to do, but I doubt they'll be able to after hearing this," Finn said.
"I agree," Blaine said.
Sam looked at Finn and Blaine. "Can I talk to you guys about something?"
"Yeah, of course," Finn said.
Sam looked around the apartment and then spoke so quietly, Finn could barely hear him. "Mercedes kissed me."
Finn wanted to say that he was surprised, but he wasn't. He knew that Mercedes still liked Sam and that Sam was feeling conflicted. "When did it happen?"
"Today," Sam admitted.
"How?" Blaine asked.
"I came over here to study for a final since the dorms were too noisy, and she was the only one home, and she offered to help me out, and she was quizzing me and I was doing well, and she told me she was proud of me and how much she missed me... and then we kissed."
"So you kissed her back?" Blaine confirmed.
"Yeah," Sam admitted.
"You're going to have to tell Tina about this," Finn said. He remembered his days of being in love with Rachel when he was with Quinn and Penny, and all that had happened was that he'd hurt people.
"I know," Sam said. "I bet she'll be mad."
"Of course she will," Blaine said. "Sam, answer this: do you still love Mercedes?"
"Well... I didn't think I did, but ever since she got here, my feelings for her have been coming back," Sam admitted.
"You're going to have to talk to Tina and tell her that," Finn said. "It's not going to be easy, but it's something that's going to have to be done. I've done that. The girls weren't happy with me, but we need to be honest about our feelings."
"I'm jealous of you two," Sam said. "Of what you have with Rachel, and what you have with Kurt."
"It wasn't an easy road to get here," Blaine said. "There were times last year when I thought Kurt and I wouldn't get back together."
"Same for me with me and Rachel," Finn said. "But you'll figure things out."
x
Rachel heard a knock on her door. She had a feeling that it was Finn. It was pretty late at night now, and she'd been studying all evening. Finn had a shift at the diner, and he was due home about now. After doing some thinking, she did understand why Finn hadn't told her right away. Plus, Finn didn't need to knock, this was his room, too. "Come in."
But it wasn't Finn. It was Kurt and Tina. "Hey, what's up?"
"Well, Sam and Mercedes kissed," Tina blurted out.
Rachel closed her textbook. "Seriously?"
"Yes," Tina snapped. "I can not believe him. He said she initiated it, but he didn't have to let her."
Rachel knew she wasn't innocent in situations like these. She'd encouraged Finn to cheat on both Quinn and Penny, and she'd emotionally and physically cheated on all her boyfriends - the time she kissed Puck when she was mad at Finn her junior year, dating Puck and picturing Finn whenever they did anything, kissing Finn on the stage in New York while with Jesse, making the Run Joey Run video with two other guys while with Jesse, and sleeping with Finn while with Brody. "I'm so sorry to hear that."
"Well, you're both guilty of doing what Sam did," Tina snapped. "Remember what happened at Mr. Schue's wedding when you were with Adam and Brody?"
"So, did you break up with him?" Kurt asked.
"I think it was a mutual breakup," Tina said. "He said he didn't think that things were working, and I don't want to be with a guy who likes another girl."
"Do you think you were in love with him?" Rachel asked.
"Well..." Tina began. "I don't know. Not like I was with Mike."
"Do you still love Mike?" Rachel asked.
"Even if I did, what would the point be?" Tina asked. "Mike's dating that Haley girl in Chicago."
"Well, you'll see him in Boston next week," Kurt said.
Tina groaned. "Oh, I don't know if I want to go to Boston for Nationals."
"But this is such an important thing for glee," Rachel said.
"I just want to spend the summer in Lima," Tina sighed.
"No!" Rachel protested. "You signed the lease for the apartment down the hall. We were so excited for you to live here."
"Yeah, and I was going to share a bedroom with a guy who cheated on me!" Tina snapped. "How about Mercedes pay the other third of the rent of that apartment for the summer? After all, she is freeloading here!"
"Tina..." Rachel began. She didn't like seeing her friends fight.
Santana and Mercedes came in. "What's going on, Girl Chang?" Santana asked.
Tina looked at Mercedes. "Oh, you didn't tell her? Mercedes thought it would be a good idea to kiss my boyfriend."
Mercedes looked guilty. "I wasn't trying to."
"What do you mean you weren't trying to?" Tina snapped. "You don't just kiss people!"
"I felt my feelings for him coming back..." Mercedes admitted.
"Tina, I doubt she was trying to hurt you," Kurt said.
"Speak for yourself," Tina snapped. "Not everyone's like you and Blaine." She turned to Rachel. "Or you and Finn, for that matter."
Finn, Blaine and Sam came in. "What's going on in here?" Finn asked.
Tina looked at Sam. "Well, if it isn't the cheater!"
"I thought we already talked about this!" Sam said. "I told you, I'm sorry."
Tina started to leave. "I'm going back to my dorm."
Blaine started going after Tina. "Tina, talk to me..."
Kurt, Santana, Mercedes and Sam left the room as well, leaving Finn and Rachel there. "Hey," Rachel said to Finn.
"Hey," Finn said softly.
As a way of letting Finn know she wasn't mad at him anymore, Rachel leaned over and gave Finn a gentle kiss. Finn deepened the kiss. "What was that for?" he asked as they pulled apart.
"I'm sorry I got mad at you earlier," Rachel said. "I shouldn't have."
"I get why you did," Finn told Rachel. "I should have told you."
"Like I said, I understand," Rachel said. "I overreacted, and I'm sorry."
"Well, you're more than forgiven," Finn said as he kissed Rachel.
x
Nationals would be starting this week, and the New Yorkers were on the train to Boston. However, tension had been going on. Despite the fact that the second apartment lease was starting the week after they got back from Boston, Tina was still threatening to go back to Lima and was refusing to speak to both Sam and Mercedes. Because of this, Finn and Rachel had to reorganize the processional order of their wedding. Kurt told Rachel that he and Blaine were feeling even more conflicted, since Sam was Blaine's best man and Tina was his maid of honor, so not only would they have walked down the aisle together, they would have stood by Blaine together on the podium.
The alumni had booked rooms at the same hotel that the New Directions were staying at, the Hilton near Fenway Park. When the train pulled up at the station, Finn's phone rang. "Who is it?" Rachel asked.
Finn looked at his phone. "I don't know. It has a New York area code..."
"Well, you should answer it," Rachel said. "It could be for school or something."
Finn nodded and picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hi, is this Finn Hudson?" the voice on the other end said.
"Yep, that is me," Finn said.
"Finn, this is Robert Williams from Central Park High School," the voice on the other end said.
This was the man who'd interviewed him for the position of the choir director. What if they wanted another interview? Finn was out of town right now... "Hi."
"Well, we've reviewed all the candidates, and we'd like to offer you the position," Mr. Williams said.
Finn couldn't believe it. He'd gotten the job? He was going to be directing a glee club of his own next year? "Wow, thank you so much!"
"You're welcome," Mr. Williams said. "Sometime before the end of the school year, could you come up to the school and fill out the paperwork?"
"Of course!" Finn said. "Thank you so much for choosing me. I won't let you down, I promise!"
"Thank you for applying. We think you'll be great and we're looking forward to working with you," Mr. Williams told Finn before hanging up the phone. When Finn hung up the phone, his fiancee, brother and friends were looking at him. "I got the job!" Finn told them. "I'll be directing the glee club at the high school in New York."
"I knew you'd get it!" Rachel said, giving Finn a big hug as the others congratulated him.
x
The other New Directions alumni had arrived in Boston, and now all the alumni and current glee club members were in one of the hotel's meeting rooms to prepare for Nationals. "We've brought back 13 people who've won a National title to help you guys," Mr. Schue told the current New Directions members. "We do have some tough competition this year, but I think you can do it. I want you all to focus solely on Nationals this week - not on other things, like drama in your lives, or LA..."
Finn noticed the discouraged looks on the glee club members' faces when Mr. Schue mentioned LA. "Can I say something?" Finn asked.
"Of course," Mr. Schue said.
"Well, I wanted to thank all of you for the video you made for me for my interview for the position as director of a glee club in New York," Finn told the glee club members. "Today I got a phone call saying that I got the job!"
The glee club started cheering as Rachel gave Finn a hug. "And I'm so proud of him."
"Wow Finn, that's incredible," Mr. Schue said. "You'll be perfect."
"Thank you," Finn said.
"And guys, something I think you should do before we start rehearsing is a fun group number together," Rachel said. "All of us. I think doing fun numbers together in practice always helped us prepare for competitions."
Finn was glad that Rachel remembered things like that. Next year he knew he'd be asking her to come in from time to time. "Yeah, definitely. And I have a song in mind." He started playing the drums, and some of the guitar players got out their guitars when they recognized the beat of the song, letting Finn start the group off.
Finn: The heart is a bloom
Shoots up through the stony ground
There's no room
No space to rent in this town
Rachel: You're out of luck
And the reason that you had to care
The traffic is stuck
And you're not moving anywhere
Kurt: You thought you'd found a friend
To take you out of this place
Blaine: Someone you could lend a hand
In return for grace
New Directions and alumni: It's a beautiful day
Sky falls, you feel like
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Kurt and Blaine: You're on the road
But you've got no destination
You're in the mud
In the maze of her imagination
Sam: You love this town
Even if that doesn't ring true
Santana: You've been all over
And it's been all over you
New Directions and alumni: It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day
Mercedes: Touch me
Take me to that other place
Artie: Teach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case
Tina: See the world in green and blue
Mike: See China right in front of you
Brittany: See the canyons broken by cloud
Puck: See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
Quinn: See the Bedouin fires at night
Kitty: See the oil fields at first light
Jake: And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
Kylie: After the flood all the colors came out
Ryder: It was a beautiful day
Marley: Don't let it get away
Ryder and Marley: Beautiful day
New Directions: Touch me
Take me to that other place
Reach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case
What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now
Finn and Rachel: Don't need it now
Was a beautiful day
At the end of the song, everyone cheered. "If you guys sound like that the day of the competition with the songs you have picked out, you'll be unstoppable," Finn said.
SONG: Beautiful Day by U2 (performed by New Directions and alumni)
Chapter 55 preview: New Directions compete at Nationals - but can they still win when they need to change things around after unforeseen circumstances? The alumni and current members spend time together - maybe a reunion or two? ;)
10 reviews unlock Chapter 55!