Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter. This was my second favorite Season 3 episode, and I know this is a longer chapter, but I had a lot I thought of to add in. Enjoy and review if I should keep going!
Chapter 68: Nationals
The Jellybean in Millenium Park. Wrigley Field. Sears Tower. As the bus drove by each of those landmarks, the glee club knew: they were in Chicago. This was it, their final competition. Rachel couldn't believe that this was the last one. The bus ride to Chicago had been fun, but now that they were here, it felt so final.
"This is amazing," Finn said as he looked at the sights.
"Not as amazing as New York, but still pretty amazing," Rachel said. "We can do some sightseeing on one of our breaks."
"I'd love that," Finn said. "I just wish we could share a hotel room."
Rachel pouted. "Me too, but Mr. Schue would never let us. Kurt and I requested each other as roommates, so maybe you could get away with coming into our room."
"It wouldn't be the same as private time," Finn countered.
"Hey, at least it's not like last year, when they crammed Kurt and the girls into one room and you and the rest of the guys in another," Rachel giggled.
"True," Finn said.
The bus pulled up in front of an Embassy Suites. "Okay, we're here," Mr. Schue said.
The group got off the bus as Finn picked up Rachel's bag. "Let me help with that."
"Thanks," Rachel said, smiling up at her fiance. "I can't believe this is our last competition, and then we're going to get married, and go to New York and live happily ever after."
"Me too," Finn said. "Everything feels so right."
Finn and Rachel walked into the hotel lobby and looked around. The hotel had a huge fountain, and there were plants in the lobby.
The chaperones went to check in and then came over.
"Okay, New Directions," Coach Sylvester said. "We have your keys."
"You all excited?" Miss Pillsbury asked.
The group cheered.
"Okay," Mr. Schue said, handing out room keys. "Sugar and Brittany, you're in Room 2001. Quinn and Santana, you're in Room 2002. Mercedes and Tina, you're in Room 2003. Rachel and Kurt, you're in Room 2004. Artie and Sam, you're in Room 2005. Blaine and Finn, you're in Room 2006. Puck and Mike, you're in Room 2007. Joe and Rory, you're in Room 2008. Coach Beiste, Miss Pillsbury and I are in Room 2009, and Coach Sylvester's in Room 2000."
As Rachel heard the room numbers, she realized this was better than she thought it would be. Not only would she be rooming with Kurt, but Finn was rooming with Blaine, and their rooms were next to each other. Maybe they could swap roommates when no one else was around to have time with their significant others.
"To be clear, we will come by to make sure you're in your rooms by 10:30," Coach Sylvester said. "So don't think you can go around switching rooms. Okay, everyone. Get your things to your rooms. We have the hotel ballroom booked for a practice at 7, so be there by 6:59."
Rachel groaned to herself. She was hoping that she and Finn could spend some time in bed together, but it sounded like things would be pretty tightly supervised. As she got on the elevator, Kurt smiled at her. "Hey roomie!"
"I am glad I got you as my roommate," Rachel said.
"Yeah, me too," Kurt said.
"Anything I should know about my roommate?" Blaine asked Kurt and Rachel.
"Hey, I'll be an awesome roommate!" Finn said.
"He kicks in his sleep sometimes," Rachel giggled.
"Well, there's two beds in these rooms, so that shouldn't be a problem," Finn said.
The elevator got to the 20th floor, and Rachel went to her hotel room with Kurt. As she put her stuff down on one of the beds, she heard Kurt. "Rachel, look!"
Rachel followed Kurt over to the wall. There was a door in the wall. Kurt grinned as he opened it, revealing Finn and Blaine's room.
"Hey!" Blaine said, looking up at Rachel and Kurt.
"Looks like our rooms are connected!" Rachel said with excitement.
"That way we can do some late night stuff together without having to go through the hall!" Blaine said.
"You guys were thinking of that too?" Finn asked.
"Yeah," Kurt admitted.
"Hey, at least we're all in on it," Rachel said. "This is going to be the best week ever."
x
The group rehearsed from 7 to 10 that evening with a 30 minute dinner break. Rachel had managed to book an additional afternoon rehearsal tomorrow to add on to their morning and evening rehearsals, and Finn thought that was a good idea. It was 30 minutes until the evening bed checks, and Finn and Rachel were making out in Finn's bed. Blaine had gone into Rachel and Kurt's room, and Finn heard a knock on the door.
"Quick, under the covers," Finn whispered to Rachel. He looked up. "I'll be right there."
Finn went to the door and opened it, seeing Mr. Schue. "Shhhh!" Finn whispered as he pointed to Rachel under the covers on his bed.
"Blaine's asleep already?" Mr. Schue asked.
"Yeah, he was really tired," Finn said.
"He's not the only one," Mr. Schue said. "When we stopped by Rachel and Kurt's room to make sure they were there for the night, Rachel was asleep, too."
Finn had to stop himself from laughing that Blaine and Kurt had come up with the same plan he and Rachel had.
"Good night, Mr. Schue," Finn said.
"Good night, Finn," Mr. Schue said.
Finn closed the door and went back to join Rachel. "He fell for it!" Rachel giggled.
"Hey, they're the ones who put our rooms next to each other!"
"Yeah," Finn said as he kissed Rachel passionately. "Maybe we can do some sightseeing the next day."
"I'd love that," Rachel said.
x
Morning rehearsal had been exhausting. There was an hour break for lunch, but the afternoon rehearsal was interrupted when the girls got back from Chipotle and Mercedes complained about being sick from her burrito. Finn and Rachel were doing their best to run afternoon rehearsal, but after a few hours, people seemed to be getting tired. When Puck sat down and opened a book, Mike lost it. "What the hell are you doing?"
"I know the number, I need to study for my geography test!" Puck said.
"You can wait until after we win!" Rory said. "We need to win!"
Puck threw one of his papers and the room began to sound like a riot. Then Mr. Schue came in.
"He's studying for geography while we're trying to rehearse! It's bogus!" Sam told Mr. Schue.
"Cause I already know the dance! You dance like you got your feet caught in bear traps," Puck shot back.
"Mr. Schue, are you aware that while we're arguing about jazz squares, Unique is being handed the key to the city by Rahm Emanuel?" Kurt asked.
Mr. Schue looked shocked. "Really?"
Brittany looked out the window. "And plus my pillow and my blanket fell into the pool. Disaster."
"Look, I think everybody is just a little tired," Artie tried to explain. "We've been rehearsing for three straight hours."
This year Finn didn't want anything less than perfection though. "Yeah, and we'll rehearse all night if we have to. We can rest after we've won!"
"Just because we've lost Mercedes doesn't mean we can be anything less than perfect," Rachel added.
Arguments started up again before Santana shouted. "Okay, you know what? You know what? Hey! I don't want to hear any of this, 'we can't do it without her' because guess what? We don't have a choice. So be warned: if you are not giving this everything you've got, I will go all Lima Heights on your sorry asses."
"Listen to yourselves," Mr. Schue said.
"I know, I'm sorry," Santana rambled. I always go to the yelling place. I have rage."
"No, it's a good thing," Mr. Schue countered. "A great thing. There is so much passion in this room. Even all your arguing, it's about the work. You guys really want this. Okay, so let's take a half-hour break, and then we'll run it from the top."
Yes, that was why they were arguing. Finn wasn't sure if anyone wanted this as badly as he did. Maybe not even Rachel. He still hadn't heard back from the Actor's Studio, and he thought a Nationals win could really set them over the top. But as the lead, he felt a lot of pressure.
"Mr. Shue, is it okay if we keep going?" Tina suggested. "We got the first slot, which is, like, the death slot. We have to be amazing."
"Yeah, Edge of Glory's a bitch," Quinn said. "I said I'd be dancing by nationals. I'll be damned if I don't."
Mr. Schue smiled. "Okay, then let's keep going. Mike, help the guys out with the choreography. Artie, help Puck with his geography. Ladies, Edge of Glory. Come on. Brittany, run us through it."
Maybe Finn was wrong. Maybe everyone else wanted to win as much as he did. He'd never seen them all working this hard. Maybe it was because this was it. The last competition with the original incarnation of New Directions.
x
"This is definitely the biggest jellybean I've ever seen!" Finn said as he and Rachel stood in front of the jellybean at Millenium Park.
"It's pretty cool, huh?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, pretty cool," Finn said. "How do you think things will go tomorrow?"
"I don't know," Rachel said. "I just know we've worked as hard as we could and whatever happens is what was meant to be."
Finn gave Rachel a kiss. "I won't lie, I want to win."
"Yeah, me too," Rachel said.
"It's been quite the journey," Finn said.
"I'm going to miss this so much," Rachel said.
"Me too," Finn said. "I know we've spent all this time together over the last three years, and it's crazy to think of us scattering to the four winds."
"I hope we keep in touch," Rachel said.
"I know we will," Finn said.
x
There was only one more night before they left for the competition tomorrow. The glee club members sat around the floor of Kurt and Rachel's room, talking.
"Do you think we'll win?" Tina asked.
"I hope so," Artie said.
"At least you guys still have next year," Kurt said. "This is our last shot."
"Glee isn't going to be the same without the seniors," Sam said. "I'm really going to miss you guys."
"So am I," Blaine added.
"We had a good ride here, didn't we?" Quinn asked.
"We really did," Finn said. "I just really want to win this, not just for us, but for Mr. Schue." If it wasn't for Mr. Schue, the glee club wouldn't be here right now. Finn didn't know how that pot had gotten into his locker, but he was so glad it had and that Mr. Schue had found it. If he hadn't been blackmailed into joining glee, he'd probably still be feeling like the outsider on the football team.
"Yeah," the rest of the group mumbled.
"Remember our first competition?" Santana asked. "When Finn wasn't showing up and we almost got stuck with JBI and then our setlist got stolen?"
"Yeah!" Puck said. "And then at Regionals, Quinn's water broke that year."
"At least I could finish up the performance!" Quinn said.
"And for the millionth time, Finn and I are sorry about what happened last year at Nationals, since I know if I don't bring it up, someone else will," Rachel giggled.
"Hey!" Finn said. "That was pretty awesome. And our duet was amazing."
"I just hope we place higher this year," Kurt said.
"We will," Finn told himself and the group. "I know we will."
x
The group arrived at the convention center for Nationals. As Finn left the changing room, he saw Rachel talking to Jesse St. James. He hoped that Jesse wasn't degrading New Directions, as he'd done before, so he walked over. "Hey, everything okay?"
Rachel turned to Finn. "Yeah, everything's good. I'm gonna go get ready." She turned to Jesse. "It was very good to see you."
"You, too," Jesse said, giving Rachel a flirty look.
Finn tried to hold in his annoyance. "Hi."
Jesse gave Finn a cocky look. "Heard you two are getting married."
"Yeah," Finn said.
"Good for you," Jesse said, extending a hand. "Good luck today."
Finn shook Jesse's hand. "You, too." He went backstage and decided to try to distract himself by giving Rachel the Chicago glass he'd bought her in the hotel lobby. He found her at one of the dressing room tables and handed her the glass. "For me?" Rachel asked.
"Well, it's for the wedding," Finn explained. "For the Jewish part where you smash the glass. It's like, the climax of the wedding, right? Right before we kiss?"
"Yeah, it's supposed to symbolize the fragility of life or the destruction of the temple or something like that," Rachel said. "It's very sweet."
"I wanted a piece of this town to be there," Finn told Rachel. "This is the town where everything's gonna change. We're gonna go from losers to National Champs."
Rachel smiled. "Your optimism is very sexy."
"Well, I'm so optimistic, I put my money where my mouth is," Finn said. "I bet Rick the Stick 500 dollars that we'd win."
Rachel looked horrified. "Wait a minute. That money was supposed to be for our honeymoon, okay? It was our money that we saved from babysitting and the tips you made at the tire shop!"
Finn knew that they were just going to get more money. "I'm gonna double it. I'm gonna make it a thousand dollars. That's, like, an extra two nights in Niagara Falls."
"What if we lose?" Rachel asked.
Finn wasn't going to think that way. "Not this time. Carmen Tibideaux is coming, and we're gonna be perfect. And then we're gonna get married, and I'm gonna smash this glass, and then we're gonna live happily ever after."
"I love you," Rachel said.
"All right, gather around, everyone!" Mr. Schue called out as the glee club circled up. "I just want to say a few words before we go out there."
Finn wanted to tell Mr. Schue about the glee club's conversation. "Hold on, Mr. Schue. You've given us a lot of pep talks over the years, but remember, you told us once that, you know, a teacher's job is done when his students don't need him anymore?"
"Okay Finn, the floor is yours," Mr. Schue said.
"Last night we all sat around in a circle after you went to bed and we told stories," Finn said. "But then we went around the room, and everybody said what they wanted to win this thing for, and we all said the same thing: we want to win this for you. And I know every year at school Figgins gives away the Teacher of the Year award. But I don't think any of us have to wait to see how we feel about that. You're, like, our Teacher of a Lifetime."
"Wow," MR. Schue said. "Thank you, Finn, all of you. I love you guys so much."
"New Directions, line up," a voice said over the PA.
"All right, that's it," Mr. Schue said. "Show time. Hands in, everyone."
"Now I know you weren't planning on doing the show circle without me," a voice said from the door.
The group turned and saw Mercedes. "You're alive!" Tina exclaimed."
"Yeah, thanks to Sue," Mercedes said. "She's a miracle worker."
"Oh, well, it's amazing what a little TLC, some cortisone and a witch doctor will do," Coach Sylvester said.
"Thank God you're okay because that just means I'm not gonna fall on my face during that Troubletones number," Quinn said.
"Oh, screw that," Mercedes said. "This is our last time performing together. You're doing it, and so you are you, Tina. I'm not taking no for an answer. Plus I have so many steroids going through my body right now, I may turn into the Incredible Hulk if you piss me off."
"Okay, if we don't get out of this room soon, none of us will be performing.
Let's go!" Mr. Schue said.
The group cheered as the Troubletones took the stage for their number and the music began.
Santana: There ain't no reason you and me should be alone
Tonight, yeah, baby!
Tonight, yeah, baby!
I got a reason that you're who should take me home tonight
Mercedes: I need a man that thinks it's right but it's so wrong
Tonight, yeah, baby!
Tonight, yeah, baby!
Right on the limits where we know we both belong tonight
Quinn: It's hard to feel the rush
Tina: To brush the dangerous
Quinn: I'm gonna run right to
Tina: To the edge with you
Quinn and Tina: Where we can far both fall in far in love
Troubletones: I'm on the edge
Of glory
And I'm hangin' on a moment of truth
I'm on the edge
Of glory
And I'm hangin' on a moment with you
I'm on the edge
The edge,
The edge,
The edge,
The edge,
The edge,
The edge!
I'm on the edge
Of glory
And I'm hangin' on a moment with you
I'm on the edge with you!
Mercedes and Santana: Oh! Oh, oh, oh! Uh-oooo-oh!
On the e-edge with you
Santana: Another shot before we kiss the other side
Mercedes: Tonight yeah baby!
Tonight yeah baby!
Santana: I'm on the edge of something
Final we call life tonight
Mercedes: Put on your shades 'cause I'll be dancing in the flames
Santana: Tonight yeah baby,
Tonight yeah baby!
Mercedes:
It isn't hell if everybody knows my name tonight
Quinn: It's hard to feel the rush
Tina: To brush the dangerous
Quinn: I'm gonna run right to
Tina: To the edge with you
Quinn and Tina: Where we can both fall far in love
The Troubletones: I'm on the edge
Of glory
And I'm hangin' on a moment of truth
I'm on the edge
Of glory
And I'm hangin' on a moment with you
I'm on the edge
The edge,
The edge,
The edge,
The edge,
The edge,
The edge!
I'm on the edge
Of glory
And I'm hangin' on a moment with you
I'm on the edge with you!
Ooo, whoa, whoa!
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Eh, eh! (Ooo, Ooo)
Uh-uh! Uh-uh!
Woah, woah!
I'm on the edge of glory
And I'm hangin' on a moment of truth
I'm on the edge
Of glory (Yeah!)
And I'm hangin' on a moment with you
I'm on the edge
The edge,
The edge
The edge
The edge
The edge
The edge!
I'm on the edge
Of glory
And I'm hangin' on a moment with you
I'm on the edge with you
I'm on the edge!
With you, with you,
With you, with you, with you
I'm on the edge with you!
With you, with you,
With you, with you, with you
I'm on the edge with you!
With you, with you,
With you, with you, with you
I'm on the edge!
With you, with you,
With you, with you, with you
I'm on the edge with you!
Finn noticed that throughout the Troubletones number, Rachel kept looking out into the stands. At the end, Rachel turned to Finn. "She didn't come."
Finn didn't want Rachel to worry about NYADA right now. "Stop it. Look at me. This is your moment, okay? Three years in the making. Forget about everything else. Take it."
Rachel nodded and went on stage.
Rachel: There were nights when the wind was so cold
That my body froze in bed if I just listened to it right outside the window
There were days when the sun was so cruel
That all the tears turned to dust and I just knew my eyes were drying up forever
I finished crying in the instant that you left
And I can't remember where or when or how
And I banished every memory you and I had ever made
But when you touch me like this
And you hold me like that
I just have to admit
That it's all coming back to me
When I touch you like this
And you hold me like that
It's so hard to believe
But it's all coming back to me
It's all coming back
It's all coming back to me now
There were moments of gold
And there were flashes of light
There were things I'd never do again
But then they'd always seemed right
There were nights of endless pleasure
It was more than any laws allow
Baby, baby, if I kiss you like this
And if you whisper like that
It was lost long ago
But it's all coming back to me
If you want me like this
And if you need me like that
It was dead long ago
But it's all coming back to me
It's so hard to resist
And it's all coming back to me
I can barely recall
But it's all coming back to me
Now!
But it's all coming back
But you were history with the slamming of the door
And I made myself so strong again somehow
And I never wasted any of my time on you since then
But if I touch you like this
And if you kiss me like that
It was so long ago
But it's all coming back to me
If you touch me like this
And if I kiss you like that
It was gone with the wind
But it's all coming back to me
It's all coming back
It's all coming back to me now
There were moments of gold
And there were flashes of light
There were things we'd never do again
But then they'd always seemed right
There were nights of endless pleasure
It was more than all your laws allow
Baby, baby, baby, when you touch me like this
And when you hold me like that
It was gone with the wind
But it's all coming back to me
When you see me like this
And when I see you like that
Then we see what we want to see
All coming back to me
The flesh and the fantasies
All coming back to me
I can barely recall
But it's all coming back to me
Now!
If you forgive me all this
If I forgive you all that
We forgive and forget
And it's all coming back to me now
It's all coming back to me now
At the end of Rachel's solo, she ran into the wings and gave Finn a hug. "She came!"
"I knew she would!" Finn said as they went on stage for the final group number. Finn would be the main lead with Rachel as the secondary lead, and he was determined to sound the best he'd ever sounded.
Finn: Well, I remember every little thing
As if it happened only yesterday
Parking by the lake
And there was not another car in sight
And I never had a girl
Looking any better than you did
And all the kids at school
They were wishing they were me that night
Puck: And now our bodies are oh so close and tight
It never felt so good, it never felt so right
Kurt and Blaine: And we're glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
Blaine: C'mon! Hold tight!
Oh c'mon! Hold tight!
Brittany and Santana: Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night
Blaine and Kurt: I can see paradise by the dashboard light
Finn: Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night
Mercedes: In the deep dark night
Finn: Paradise by the dashboard light
Finn and Puck: We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
Blaine, Finn, and Puck: We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
New Directions: We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
Rachel: Stop right there
I gotta know right now
Before we go any further
Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me?
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy
For the rest of my life?
Will you take me away
And will you make me your wife?
Finn (New Direction Girls): Let me sleep on it (Sleep on it)
Baby, baby let me sleep on it (Sleep on it)
Let me sleep on it
And I'll give you an answer in the morning
Rachel: I gotta know right now
Do you love me? (New Directions: Do you, do you love me?)
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me? (New Directions: Do you, do you need me?)
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy (New Directions: Will you never leave me)
For the rest of my life?
Will you take me away (New Directions: Do you, do you, do you)
And will you make me your wife?
Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Finn with New Directions Boys: Let me sleep on it
Rachel with New Directions Girls: Will you love me forever?
Finn with New Directions Boys: Let me sleep on it
Rachel with New Directions Girls: Will you love me forever
Finn (with New Directions): I couldn't take it any longer
Lord I was crazed
And when the feeling came upon me
Like a tidal wave
I started swearing to my god
And on my mother's grave
That I would (love you to the end of time)
I swore! I would (love you to the end of time)
New Directions: Ah, aah, aaah
Finn with New Directions: So now I'm praying for the end of time
To hurry up and arrive
'Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you
I don't think that I can really survive
I'll never break my promise or forget my vow
Finn: But God only knows what I can do right now!
Finn with New Directions: I'm praying for the end of time
It's all that I can do (Mercedes: All that I can do!)
Prayin' for the end of time
So I can end my time with you! (Mercedes: You! Yeah!)
Finn with New Directions (Rachel): It was long ago and it was far away (It never felt so good, It never felt so right)
And it was so much better than it is today. (Mercedes: Better than it is today!) (And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away (It never felt so good, It never felt so right)
And it was so much better than it is today. (Mercedes: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!) (And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away (It never felt so good, It never felt so right)
And it was so much better than it is today. (Mercedes: Long ago ooh!) (And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife)
Finn and Rachel with New Directions: Felt so right!
Felt so good!
Paradise! (Mercedes: Ooh yeah!)
At the end of the number, Finn knew that this was one of the best performances they'd ever had. But when they sat down to watch the other performances, Finn began to get nervous. Some of the other teams had some pretty outstanding numbers. One of the groups from Portland had even done a routine on roller skates.
"Do you think it was enough?" Rachel asked Finn as the last group performed.
"I hope so," Finn said, his heart beating a million miles an hour. Then an announcement came over the PA.
"Our top three teams this year are The Portland Scale Blazers, New Directions and Vocal Adrenaline!"
They made top three? Well, that was something. The top three teams went to the stage, and Finn heard the announcer say that Unique had gotten the MVP award. Great. If Unique was MVP, Vocal Adrenaline probably won.
Third place was announced. It was the team from Portland with the roller skates. Well, second wouldn't be a bad way to finish Finn's glee club career.
"And now the moment you've all been waiting for - " the announcer began. "The 2012 National Champions... from Lima, Ohio - the New Directions!"
They'd won? They'd won? The sixteen glee club members erupted in joy as a shower of confetti landed on them and Mr. Schue was handed the trophy. They'd done it. And Finn was sure that none of them had ever been happier than they were right now.
x
"Congratulations, you guys," Mr. Schue said at the hotel. "You guys deserved this."
"I can't believe it!" Rachel said. She'd performed the solo for the winning team at Nationals. It was the best night of her life. She'd never, ever forget this moment.
"Now, I know the MVP award went to someone from another team, but I'd like to award another MVP award," Mr. Schue said. "The entire group was amazing, but there always is that one person who stands out. The 2012 Nationals MVP is Mr. Finn Hudson."
Rachel gave Finn a big hug as she saw a look of shock on his face. "Me?" Finn asked.
"Yeah!" Mr. Schue said as he handed a small trophy to Finn.
Finn looked at the trophy. "Wow."
"You deserve it," Rachel said. Even though she'd done the solo, she thought Finn really deserved the MVP award. Not just of Nationals. He really was the MVP of glee club.
"Thank you so much," Finn said. "Thank you all for entrusting me with our big number and with so many big numbers at competitions over the years. I feel so lucky to have won this award, but more lucky to have been part of this group."
The group applauded as Rachel gave Finn another hug. Then they heard a song on the radio. "This is perfect for our Nationals victory song!" Rachel said.
"Yeah!" the rest of the group agreed as they started to sing along to the song.
New Directions: Woow! Woah!
Artie: Take me to your best friend's house
Goin' around this roundabout
Oh yeah
Take me to your best friend's house
I loved you then and I love you now
Oh yeah
New Directions: Don't take me tongue tied
Don't wave no goodbye
Don't break!
Oh! Take me to your best friend's house
Marmalade, we're making out, oh yeah,
Oh! Take me to your best friend's house
I loved you then and I love you now
Finn and Rachel:
Don't take me tongue tied
Don't wave no goodbye
Don't break!
Rachel and Santana: One, two, three, four
Don't leave me tongue tied
Let's stay up all night
I'll get real high
Slumber party, pillow fight
My eyes and your eyes
Like Peter Pan up in the sky
My best friend's house tonight
Let's bump the beats 'til beddy-bye
Finn: Don't take me tongue tied
Don't wave no goodbye
Don't take me tongue tied
Don't kiss me goodnight
New Directions:
Take me to your best friend's house
Goin' around this roundabout, oh yeah
Oh! Take me to your best friend's house
I loved you then and I love you now!
Don't leave me tongue tied
Don't wave no goodbye
Don't leave me tongue tied
Don't...
Don't leave me tongue tied
Don't wave no goodbye
Don't leave me tongue tied
Don't...
Santana: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Artie: Yeah, yeah...
Finn: Oh-oh-ohoh
x
Back at school, things were even better. The glee club was no longer being tormented by the student body. When they arrived back, they were slushied - but with confetti. Other students were congratulating them, even asking them to sign their yearbooks. As far as Rachel was concerned, the school was finally coming around. After she and Finn put the trophy in the case, they went to go meet with Figgins. "What could Figgins want with us?" Finn asked
"Maybe we're getting a key to the city," Rachel suggested.
"Prom royalty: Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry," Figgins greeted them. "Take a seat, as I only have a few moments before I must chastise the cafeteria cooks for selling our frozen vegetables on the black market. As co-captains of the nationally victorious New Directions! singing group, please accept these official William McKinley High School bumper stickers and miniature pom-poms."
Finn took the bumper sticker and pom poms. "Oh, cool."
Figgins handed them an envelope. "And though I don't condone youngsters getting married, and I wish that everyone would wait until they were at least 29 years old, with solid employment and a 401k retirement plan, here's a little something for your impending wedding celebration."
Rachel looked in the envelope and saw a $5 bill. "Oh, thank you so much."
"Thank you," Finn added.
"My pleasure," Figgins said. "And there is one more item on the agenda: McKinley is having a very special event tomorrow, and I am requesting that New Directions singing group perform."
"Yeah, we'd love to," Rachel said.
"Yeah, absolutely. What kind of special event?" Finn asked.
"Can you keep a secret?" Figgins asked. Finn and Rachel both nodded. "Mr. Schuester is going to get the teacher of the year award. He managed to bring the glee club's first national title in nearly twenty years."
"Oh, that's great," Rachel said. She couldn't think of a better choice.
"We'll talk to the rest of the group and put something together," Finn said.
"Thank you so much," Figgins said.
"What do you think we should do?" Rachel asked as she and Finn left the office.
Finn gave Rachel a half smile. "I have the perfect song."
x
Finn and Rachel had gotten the rest of the group together and practiced the song for the assembly. Right now they were waiting backstage for the other parts of the assembly to finish. "And now the award you've all been waiting for: Teacher of the Year," the group heard Figgins say. "To announce the winner, please welcome to the stage so-called Finchel."
Finn and Rachel went on stage and stepped to the podium. "Hi," Finn began. "The 2012 William McKinley High School Teacher of the Year Award goes to..."
He stepped aside and let Rachel finish. "Mr. Will Schuester!"
The crowd applauded as Mr. Schue started to come up.
"Wait, just, uh before you come up to accept the award, we just wanted to say a few things," Finn said. " Three years ago, I thought I had it all. I was the quarterback of the football team, I was dating the head cheerleader. And then I met you, Mr. Schue, and I realized everything I was missing. There's a lot of great teachers at this school, who teach their students a lot of important stuff, like how to drive and fractions, but you teach your students how to dream. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing more important than that."
Rachel began to speak. "Mr. Schue when I first met you, I was just an annoying Jewish girl with two gay dads and a very big dream. Today I still have two dads, and I'm still Jewish, and I'm probably just as annoying, but I stand before you headed to New York City come hell or high water and, um, I can honestly say that I couldn't have done it without you, and I will carry you every step of the way, so Congratulations. No one deserves this more than you. We love you and this is for you."
The rest of the group came on stage to perform the song Finn and Rachel had selected.
Finn: I've paid my dues
Time after time
Puck: I've done my sentence
But committed no crime
Santana: And bad mistakes
I've made a few
Rachel: I've had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I've come through
New Directions: And we mean to go on and on and on and on
Finn: We are the champions my friends
Rachel: And we'll keep on fightin' till the end
New Directions: We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions
Finn: Of the world
Kurt: I've taken my bows
And my curtain calls
You brought me fame and fortune
And everything that goes with it
I thank you all
Quinn: But it's been no bed of roses
No pleasure cruise
Rachel: I consider it a challenge before the whole human race
And I ain't gonna lose
New Directions: And we mean to go on and on and on and on
Finn: We are the champions my friends
Rachel: And we'll keep on fighting till the end
New Directions: We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions
Finn and Rachel:
Of the world!
New Directions: We are the champions my friends
And we'll keep on fighting till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions.
Of the world! We are the champions of the world!
They really were the champions. It was hard to believe this was one of their last numbers.
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