Chapter 1
The sleek black car pulls up in front of the large apartment building and comes to a stop. Rachel Hudson jumps out of the back and books it into the building. The doorman smiles and nods to her.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Hudson."
"Hi, George!" She calls as she hurries past.
The entire elevator ride up to her floor is spent getting control of her emotions and twisting the fabric of her shirt. She'd gotten the call after her matinee performance, when she'd still been taking off her makeup. She'd started hyperventilating. Marcus, her hair and makeup guy, had panicked and ran to get Rupert Campion, her director. Everyone tends to panic when anything minor happens with her. The one time she got dizzy from standing up too fast after her head was below her heart for too long, they'd panicked and she'd had to assure them that she was fine and it was expected. But this wasn't minor. Rupert had come running into her dressing room and kicked everyone else out, shutting the door behind him. He demanded to know what had caused it, so she told him about the phone call she'd just received. He'd hugged her. She'd made him swear not to tell anyone so that she could tell her loved ones first, herself. Starting with her husband. They deserve to hear it from her, not social media. He'd agreed and let Marcus back into the room to help Rachel quickly finish getting her makeup and wig off. He'd had a car ready and waiting for her outside the theater.
The elevator dings and she hurries down the hall to her apartment. The moment she opens the door, Yero comes running up to her. She pets him and kisses his head before distracting him with a treat. Finn walks into the kitchen.
"Hey, I thought you wouldn't be back for—"
She jumps on her husband, her legs wrapping around his waist and arms around his neck. She kisses him passionately and he responds instantly. When she finally slows down and pulls back, he stares at her with a mix of surprise and concern.
"Babe?"
"I got a call today. I've been nominated for a Tony!" She squeals excitedly.
His entire face lights up. "YES! Congratulations!" He spins her around, making her laugh. "We need to celebrate."
"After my show tonight, definitely. Then, tomorrow, I'll tell everyone else."
"Why not run downstairs and tell our brothers now?"
"Do you really think Kurt can keep this quiet for an entire night?"
Finn laughs. "No, I guess not. So why don't we do a quick celebration now, then a proper one when you get home tonight?"
She doesn't respond verbally. She grabs his hand and leads him to their bedroom. They have a very nice, and fairly large, apartment. They got lucky. Rupert knows the owner. Billy Washington is a huge Broadway buff and a fan of Rachel herself. So when Rupert called him up and said that the Rachel Hudson, the newest star on Broadway, was looking for a new home for herself and her husband, Billy had jumped at the opportunity to help out. He gave them a fabulous deal on one of the best apartments in the building…with the promise that Rachel get him tickets to her shows whenever he asks. That includes her current show and any future shows. She'd happily agreed. So they got an amazing apartment at an incredible price. Plus, she came into more of her lottery winnings and used a good chunk of that towards the apartment. Three bedrooms, two and a half baths, a small office, a large homey living room, decent sized dining room, and modern kitchen. It also includes a small balcony with a nice view of the nearby park. A park with actual grass and trees, which makes both of them (and Yero) very happy. They took the third bedroom and made it a soundproof music room so Rachel (or Finn or any of their framily) could practice singing however loudly they want without disturbing their neighbors….or anyone else in the apartment.
Kurt and Blaine got married two months ago after a short engagement. When they began looking for a place to live, Rachel suggested they find an apartment in the same building as them. They'd balked at the price. Rachel was a little uncomfortable, but the idea of her brother(s) living in the same building as her was too good a dream to pass up. She swallowed down her discomfort and called up Billy to request some assistance. He wouldn't go as low as he did for Rachel and Finn, but he did agree to a helpful price drop. That, combined with both Kurt's parents and Blaine's parents giving them a lot of money as a wedding present meant they were able to afford it. And Kurt's boss at Vogue ), Isabelle Wright, also gave him a very nice bonus as a combination wedding gift, graduation gift, and five year anniversary working at Vogue ) gift. All of that combined helped them get an apartment here. It's smaller than the Hudson's apartment but not by much. It's a two bedroom and doesn't have a dedicated office, but it does have a den that the men turned into an office for Kurt. While Kurt keeps auditioning for shows (and briefly did a small off-Broadway show), he mostly works with Isabelle. Blaine, now graduated from NYADA as well, is performing on Broadway. He has not yet been a main character, but he does currently have a solo.
All of them have officially moved out of the townhouse. It was a bittersweet day to see the last of them move out. Sam and Noah share an apartment together nearby, though Noah spends a lot of time in New Jersey with Quinn, his girlfriend. That had been a surprise to some, but not to Santana. She'd suspected. Santana and Brittany had also tied the knot in a small but lovely ceremony. The wives live in a nice apartment just a few blocks away from the Hudsons and Hummel-Andersons. Santana is officially working as a social worker, tracking down or following people, which she loves. She claims she's a spy. She still sings and dances, but just for fun. Brittany dances professionally, having joined a professional dance company straight out of Juliard. Tina and Mike are dating again and living in Chicago together. Mike dances professionally and Tina does some acting and teaches dance to small children on the side. Artie is working on directing his first Indie movie with another director. Mercedes is currently still in California with her boyfriend Connor and working as a backup singer for Beyoncé. Santana had snorted when Mercedes announced it with pride, bragging about her new job.
"She spent all of high school demanding solos and bitching about how she's not a backup singer, she 'ain't no Kelly Rowland'. Now she's thrilled with a career as a backup singer?"
Despite agreeing with her, Rachel had hit her and hissed "Don't you dare say anything to ruin her joy! Maybe she's showing emotional growth."
"Whatevs."
Rachel pulls her clothes back on and smiles at her husband stretched out lazily in bed. As much as she loves her job, sometimes she gets jealous of his normal 9-5 schedule. Or….7:30 to 3:30 schedule. It does go later on the days he has football practice or games. He started helping out as the assistant coach early on. Rachel had been a little dismayed to learn that the school he's working at doesn't have a show choir.
"How do they not have a glee club?"
"Babe, we didn't have a glee club until you and Kurt made one."
"True." She'd responded with a despondent sigh.
She's just glad that he sees coaching as a fun hobby, with the benefit of getting extra pay for it. He enjoys it and that's all that matters to her. Still, he's often home on Saturdays while she has to work. Thankfully, she has Sundays and Tuesdays off. She and Finn have one day a week to spend the whole day together. Of course they spend time together every night, but sometimes she gets home really late. And if he has a game on Fridays during football season, then he gets home late. Sunday is their only full day to relax and spend together. While he's working on Tuesdays, she runs errands like grocery shopping and cleaning. Usually she does it alone, but sometimes she convinces someone to come with her (whoever is available). She's grateful to still have so many people nearby to join her. If she goes shopping with Brittany she comes home with more junk food than normal. If she goes shopping with Santana, she often comes home with some bizarre new item to try. If she goes with Blaine, she comes home with more healthy foods. If she goes with Kurt, they often end up getting distracted and doing something else entirely. It annoys and amuses her in equal parts.
Rachel gazes at his muscular form and has to shake away the urge to climb back into bed with him. Tonight. She'll be back later tonight. She kisses him once more.
"Don't forget to take Yero out again."
"I won't."
"Don't fall asleep!" She calls as she leaves the room.
"I won't." Comes the sleepy reply.
She stoops down to Yero and pets him. "Go wake Finn. Jump on him. And bring your leash."
Yero scrambles for his leash, grabs it with his mouth, and runs into their bedroom. She's just stepping out the front door when she faintly hears Finn's groan. Yero must have landed right on him. She laughs, pulling the door shut behind her.
Life is good.
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On Sunday, the Hudsons sleep in. It's her favorite day of the week. Lazy mornings, coffee on the balcony, and they either hang around the apartment or go do something in the city that interests them. Even if it's just a walk. They like going to the little farmer's markets that pop up spring through fall. In the winter, they like exploring the holiday shops and kiosks that appear. Later in the day, she plans to call her mom and tell her and Scott the news. She nudges Finn.
"Do you want to tell Dad and Mom?"
She started calling Carole 'Mom' after they got married, at the woman's request. She calls her Mom when talking to Finn about her and to Carole herself. Otherwise, she refers to her as Carole so things don't get confusing. Same with Scott. She calls him Dad in person, but otherwise refers to him as Scott so as to not confuse him with Burt.
"Are you sure?"
She shrugs. "I told you and Rupert. I'm about to tell my mom and Scott. I'm telling our brothers later today. Other than that, I don't care if you or I tell the news."
He kisses her. "Thanks. I'll call them now. But I wanna be there when you tell our brothers."
They started referring to Kurt and Blaine as their brothers after they got engaged. The men found out and were touched. Obviously, Kurt is Finn's stepbrother and they've been calling each other brother for a while. Rachel has referred to Kurt as her brother for nearly a decade. But it's new for Blaine and they all love it. Mostly, it's less of a mouthful to say "the brothers" or "our brothers" rather than "Kurt and Blaine". And everyone knows who they're talking about. Besides, now that the men are married, Blaine is their brother-in-law. They're their brothers.
"Of course! I invited them over for dinner."
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Shelby stirs the sauce continuously as she rereads the recipe. It's a new one and the base of the sauce requires almost 20 minutes of nonstop stirring. She eyes the timer and sighs, wondering if this new recipe was a mistake. She likes cooking, but standing over a stove and stirring nonstop for 20 minutes is pushing it for her. She's double checking that she has the next set of spices ready to add in when her phone rings. Still stirring, she grabs her phone with her free hand and answers.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Mom!"
Shelby smiles. "Hi, honey. How's it going?"
"Good. Really, really good."
"That's good to hear. Any particular reason?" She just talked to Rachel two days ago and she didn't mention anything new, so she's left pleased but baffled. Plus Rachel and Finn were here not long ago for Passover and they didn't mention anything coming up.
"Yeah, actually. I've been nominated for a Tony."
Shelby's hand stops moving and she drops the wooden spoon into the sauce pan. She blinks and her mouth falls open. She tries to talk but no sound comes out. She sucks in a breath, realizing she'd released all her air in her shock. "Oh my God!" She finally manages to gasp out. "A Tony?!"
"Yes. A Tony Award. I've been nominated."
She can hear the pride and excitement in her daughter's voice and her heart is near bursting. Shelby steps away from her stove so she can focus on her conversation with Rachel.
"I'm so proud of you, baby girl! Oh, I wish I could hug you!"
Rachel's laugh fills her ear and warms her heart. "Me, too. But Finn has hugged me plenty and I'm sure my brothers will when I tell them in a little bit. And you're still coming here for Mother's Day, right? You and Carole and the others?"
Shelby smiles happily. She and her friends have been looking forward to it. This year, all the kids living in New York (and Quinn in New Jersey) invited their mothers to join them up there. They've already made reservations and plans to all spend the day together, then to have dinner with their respective kids. The moms are staying with their kids that night, then heading home the following morning together.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, honey."
"Good. We're looking forward to it, too. And I need the distraction. I still have two months before the Tony's air in June. I'm going to be pulling my hair out in nerves soon enough."
Shelby laughs. "I can imagine. But try to leave your hair attached to your head. And you can call me whenever you want to talk about it."
"Like I don't already call you almost every other day?"
"Almost." Shelby agrees. She'd love to talk to Rachel every day, but accepts that she's an adult with a husband and a career and a busy life of her own. When she's not working she's very often doing something with (or for) someone in her framily. The fact that Rachel takes the time to call her as often as she does is very sweet. Even though she knows this, she'd still love more.
"Mom." Rachel chides with a chuckle. "If I called any more often we'd have nothing to talk about."
"If you say so, Ms. Tony Nominee."
"Alright, I've gotta go check on dinner. I invited the brothers over for dinner to tell them and they'll be here soon. I just wanted to tell you before them."
"I love you, Rachel. And I'm very proud of you."
"Thank you. I love you, too, Mom."
With a huge smile still firmly in place, Shelby sets her phone down. A Tony nomination. At 22 years old and after only 8 months of performing on stage. It's impressive. She can't wait to tell Scott when he gets home. She frowns and sniffs the air. Something is burning.
"Shit, the sauce!"
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Rachel made salmon and asparagus over rice for the four of them. They enjoyed the delicious meal and good conversation. They all love living in the same building. They're one floor apart. Just a quick elevator ride or a jog up/down a flight of stairs and they can visit one another. They're over one another's places constantly. They joke that they still sort of live together. After dinner, they're sitting around the living room sipping wine when Rachel can't hold it in anymore.
"I actually had a specific reason for inviting you over tonight." She admits.
Finn takes her wine glass from her and sets it down, predicting what's about to happen. She grins at him before focusing on the other men.
"Well, what is it?" They ask expectantly.
As usual, any time Rachel has news to share, there's a mix of worry and excitement. Worry it'll be the bad news of a relapse and excitement over the possibility of good news, like pregnancy. But Finn and Rachel have discussed it and want to wait on children, which they have repeatedly told everyone when they ask.
"I've been nominated for a Tony."
Kurt is out of his seat at the word "nominated" and is yanking her out of her seat by the time she's finished speaking. He hugs her tight and raves about how much she deserves it. Far more calmly, but just as happily, Blaine takes his turn hugging her. They congratulate her thoroughly before sitting again, excitedly chatting about her odds of winning.
"Everything's been happening so quickly lately." Rachel admits. "Getting engaged, landing my first Broadway role, graduating, getting married, the show succeeding, getting this apartment, and now a Tony nomination? It's my first show and I've only been performing in it for eight months."
"And you made a huge impression on them on your opening night. And all reviews have stayed positive since then. You haven't had a poor performance, Rach. Every time you set foot on stage it's never less than great. Sometimes it's better than great. It's never less than great. Because you never give less than your best." Kurt insists.
Blaine grins. "What my husband is trying to say is that even though you're still technically a 'new' star with only eight months of performing under your belt, you've been so good and made such a positive wave in the Broadway world that it's not surprising to us that you've already been nominated for a Tony."
"That's what I was implying." Kurt mutters irritably.
Blaine rubs his arm. "We know. I was just reiterating your sentiment."
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Rachel wasn't the only one nominated from her show. Her costar Paolo San Pablo, who plays Nick Arnstein in the show, was also nominated. They congratulate one another, then accept their kudos from their fellow cast members. Rupert announces that they were all nominated for Best Revival of a Musical, to which they all celebrate. Their performance that night has extra energy thanks to their excitement over the nominations. After, they go out to party and celebrate. Rachel is glad she already celebrated with Finn and told her family.
She's so excited and happy that she bounces off the walls for an entire week. Finn teases her once again that her life is full of extremes and it's almost never 'calm'. He offers to wear her out every night so that she can sleep peacefully. She laughs but accepts his generous offer.
Sleeping isn't often an issue for her. She's healthy and in very good shape. But thanks to her years battling Danton's Aplastic Anemia, she is a little weakened. It presents itself when she has a particularly physically grueling day or if she got less sleep than usual. Not always, but a few times. She also catches illness more often than others, but she's been taking immune supports, which have helped. She's had a minor cold (which she performed through because she insisted she was well enough and still sounded good), a stomach bug, and the flu. But each time she recovered fast and was back at work quickly.
Rupert and Finn have traded phone numbers specifically so that they can alert one another when Rachel is showing signs of being exhausted or coming down with something. On the rare mornings she struggles to get up, Finn sends a text to Rupert so he knows to keep an eye on her and try to make sure she gets plenty of breaks if they have an event to attend. If she's dragging her feet by the end of some event or after a show, Rupert texts Finn. Finn then, if possible, meets her in their apartment lobby and wraps an arm around her, taking the elevator up with her. If he can't because he's at football practice or a game or a meeting, he has Kurt or Blaine meet her. It has only happened twice, but they all feel better with this system in place. Except Rachel, who thinks they're going overboard, but she learned not to argue with them. It's an argument she always loses. Mostly because Finn will give her his puppy dog look and she caves in.
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Burt Hummel replaces the filter in the car and closes it up. He's just grabbing the next tool he needs when the owner of the car walks up.
"Hey, Burt. Any idea how much longer?"
"Just a few minutes, Mitch. I need to replace your one headlight, then you'll be good to go."
"Thanks. Say, I wanted to ask, why do you have a poster for the musical Funny Girl in your waiting area? Seems like a weird thing to have up in a car shop. And you don't have anything else like it up, so it really stands out."
Burt grins widely. "The woman on the poster is my daughter. She's on Broadway and was just nominated for a Tony Award."
Mitch's eyebrows shoot up and his eyes widen. "No shit! That's wonderful! You must be a proud father."
Burt shakes his head, still grinning. "You have no idea."
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Finn walks into work and greets his coworkers. Most are nice. The secretary, Lauren, is a huge musical fan and loves seeing shows. She and Finn hit it off fast after she found out he married a Broadway star. That discovery still amuses him when he thinks about it.
"Why? Why why why?" Lauren groaned, grabbing her face.
Finn, who had been clocking in in the main office, frowned as he looked over at her. He hesitated, not knowing her well, then headed to her desk. "What's wrong?"
"I've been trying to get tickets to see Funny Girl since it opened! And it's always sold out on the days I'm available! Well me and my friends."
"You a Funny Girl fan or just a Broadway fan?" He asked curiously.
"Broadway. I've never seen Funny Girl before and wasn't going to see it, but the reviews are making me curious. And someone put a bootleg clip of Rachel Hudson singing on YouTube and she sounds amazing. So now I have to go see it. And my friends want to go, too. I just tried to get us all tickets for this weekend but there aren't three seats together. Not in a section we can afford, at least." She grumbled before giving him a smile despite her annoyance. "Sorry. Didn't mean to rant. I'm just frustrated."
Finn smiled at her. "I can see if I can get you tickets. Does it matter which day you go?"
She frowned at him. "What are you talking about?"
He raised an eyebrow, giving her an incredulous look. "I'm Finn Hudson. My wife's name is Rachel."
"Yeah, you mentioned that when we were first introduced. But what—"
"Rachel. Hudson. My wife."
He turned his phone to her, showing her a picture of Rachel in costume but in her dressing room with Finn, then another photo of the two of them on the beach on their honeymoon. Lauren's jaw dropped. "Your wife is the star of Funny Girl?"
"Yeah. I'll give her a call and see if she can do anything to help you out with those tickets."
When it was clear that she was unable to vocally respond, he'd chuckled and walked away. He'd gone back to her during his lunch break and told her Rachel was able to get three seats next to each other for the Saturday matinee, on the house. She'd squealed and hugged him. The following Monday he'd been both amused and mildly annoyed to have to listen to Lauren give her feedback on how great the show was and how talented his wife is. He let her ramble excitedly about the show and how nice Rachel was not just for getting them tickets but when she signed their Funny Girl shirts for them. They've been friends ever since. Though, just work friends. For the sake of Rachel's (and Finn's) sanity, he never invited her out with them anywhere.
Now, he walks in and leans across her desk. "Morning, Laur."
"Morning, Finn! How was your weekend?"
"Great!" He leans over even more and quirks a finger to beckon her closer. She does. "Rachel was nominated for a Tony."
Lauren gasps, her face lighting up. "That's awesome! Tell her I said congrats! I hope she wins."
"Me too. She's freaking out about it. But mostly she's just honored to be nominated."
They talk excitedly for a few more minutes before he heads to the gym. His coworker, Paul, is already there. Paul is another gym teacher and the football team's head coach. They're friendly but not close, despite all the time they spend together. They often go out for beers after their team wins a game, but that's about it. This, combined with how Paul feels about Broadway, makes Finn hesitate to say anything. In the end, he's too damn proud to stay quiet.
"Hey, Paul."
"Morning, Finn."
"So, uh, Rachel has been nominated for a Tony Award."
The man doesn't even look up from his lesson plans. "That so? I guess that's a good thing?"
Finn chuckles. "Yeah. It's a big deal. It's sort of like the Super Bowl. We find out in two months if she won."
"Cool. Good for her."
Finn shakes his head and sits at his own desk to review his own lesson plans. He can't help but think about the first time Rachel and Paul met. Instant disaster. Neither cares for the other's passions. They'd won a game and were out celebrating. Finn sent Rachel a text, inviting her to join them instead of heading straight home after her show. She did. And then regretted it.
"Rachel, this is Paul. Paul, this is my wife Rachel." Finn introduced the two.
Paul put on a polite smile and shook her hand. Rachel smiled back in a friendly way. "It's nice to meet you. Congrats on your win."
"Thanks! It's nice to meet you, too."
Rachel ordered her drink and listened to the men tell her about the game. Finn grinned, knowing how much she just….does not care. Or understand. But she's supportive and listens with a smile. When they finish, Paul turned to her.
"So, Rachel, what do you do?"
Rachel shot Finn a look. Finn had shrugged. Of course he'd told Paul his wife is a performer and on Broadway, but the man had shrugged it off.
"I'm a singer. I perform on Broadway."
"That's like….a musical, right?"
"Right."
"So…." Paul squinted, thinking hard. "Is Broadway like a big deal or something?"
Rachel had choked on her drink. Finn placed a soothing hand on her back. He answered for her.
"Yeah, man. Broadway is like the NFL for musicals. And every musical is a team, some doing better than others. She's in the major leagues."
That explanation had made Rachel laugh. Paul had shrugged. "Sorry, I've always heard about Broadway, but I just…..don't get it. I don't see how sitting in a theater listening to someone sing a song in a story matters. Who cares?"
Finn was already wincing before turning to look at his wife. Rachel's mouth was twisting and she responded in a clipped tone. "Lots of people. I perform to a packed theater every night."
Paul turned over his hands so they were palm up in a depreciating manner. "Sorry. It's just not my thing. I don't get the big deal."
"It's fine." It's not fine. Finn could already hear the rant he'll be in for before bed. "I could say the same about football. I don't care for it and I don't see why professional football matters. I don't think it should be a big deal. Football games should be for kids to play."
Paul's jaw dropped. "It's a beloved sport! It's America's pastime."
"Actually, that's baseball." Rachel corrected. "But do go on. Tell me how men slamming into one another in padding is better than Broadway."
Paul huffed. "Millions of people watch the games and are passionate about them!"
"Millions of people watch musicals as well and are just as passionate about them."
"No, I mean millions of people could watch one game at the same time! That's not possible with Broadway."
"No, because we're far more exclusive."
Finn coughed to clear his throat and took a long draw of his beer. Paul set his beer down firmly.
"Football forces the players to be physically fit. Athletic. They have to be hardworking."
"So do singers and dancers! We're athletic and physically fit and very hard working!"
"Football is inspiring to many!"
Rachel laughed derisively. "Yeah, you've definitely never seen a musical if you don't understand the inspiration that can come from one. Or even from a single song from a musical."
Finn shook his head and let them go at it. The two went back and forth for several more minutes. However, Finn noted that as time went by, they were starting to lose their frustrated tones. Now, they sound a little more teasing. Thank God. By the time they were out of ways to defend their expertise, they were grinning at one another. The way their sharp comments changed made Finn think of Will and Sue. Frenemies. The thought made him chuckle. At the end of the night, Rachel and Paul shook hands while giving one another half-hearted glares.
Finn never again invited her to join them and she never asked.
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In early May, Brittany's dance troupe looks for a female singer to perform live while they dance at a major event. Brittany begs Rachel to do it. Rachel hesitates, uncertain if she's a "big" enough star to be wanted. She'd be embarrassed to offer her services just to be shot down. But for Brittany, she'll try. The directors of the troupe are thrilled and accept her offer with enthusiasm. Apparently being nominated for a Tony is enough for them. Rachel rehearses the song in the days leading up to the event. She takes off work the day of the event and spends the morning rehearsing the requested song with them. It's only when she gets to the event that Brittany reveals it'll be televised.
"You didn't tell me that!" Rachel gives Brittany wide eyed look.
Brittany shrugs. "It doesn't change anything."
"Britt, I've only been on tv for things related to Funny Girl, and that was with the rest of the cast!"
"And this time you'll be in the background singing. We, the dancers, are the focus. So relax. The pressure is on us, not you."
Rachel shakes her head. "Right, because no one will notice if the soloist messes up."
"When have you ever messed up a performance?" Brittany questions.
That gives Rachel pause. "There's a first time for everything."
"You'll be fine. And if you mess up, I'll still love you."
"Thanks." Rachel deadpans.
Thankfully it goes off without a hitch. As soon as it ends, Brittany hurries over to hug her and say how amazing she sounded. Rachel praises her dancing; she's not gonna lie, she nearly got distracted while singing by how beautifully her friend was dancing. When she tells her this, Brittany squeals and hugs her tight.
"And I nearly got distracted dancing listening to you sing! We're twins!"
Rachel laughs at that. "Well this half of the twins has to go call her agent before she flips out. She doesn't like when I do anything publicly without consulting her first. I've gotta go do damage control."
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Mother's Day was fun for all. They were supposed to all come together late Saturday night, but the mothers changed the plan to surprise Rachel. They arrived earlier and went to see the show. They were lucky they were able to get tickets; Funny Girl is very often sold out in advance, thanks to the continually positive reviews. As it is, their seats aren't all together. Shelby has seen the show several times but always fills with pride and joy watching Rachel in her element on stage. The group of eight mothers stand around the stage door after the show, waiting for the stars to come out. They watch with smiles as people beg Rachel for her autograph. Rachel smiles at everyone and interacts with her fans in a warm and friendly manner. When the mothers are able to get closer, Rachel finally sees them and laughs. She slips under the rope and hugs them all. When security asks her to go back behind the rope for safety reasons, Rachel laughs again and says she has the best protection of all; mothers.
They head to their respective children's apartments for the night. Rachel takes Shelby, Carole, and Donna (Blaine's mom) home with her. Donna stays with the Hummel-Andersons while Shelby and Carole stay with the Hudsons, since they have more room. The next morning, they all meet up at a nice restaurant for Mother's Day brunch. They go see a show together, then walk through Central Park. That night, the kids have their own private dinners with their mothers; and in-laws since most of them are married. Rachel enjoyed having dinner with her husband, her brothers, her mom, her mother-in-law, and Blaine's mom.
The Mother's Day event was deemed a wonderful success. The next day Sam and Noah called Rachel and thanked her, since it had been her idea to begin with. They admitted that they'd have probably forgotten about the date entirely if she hadn't planned for something for all of their mothers.
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The Tony Awards are held in June. It's a crazy month for Rachel. She has work, the Tony Awards, the benefit, her four year anniversary of being in remission, and preparing for her one year anniversary with Finn the following month. They want to do something special, but Finn is being annoying and mostly leaving it up to her to decide and plan. It grates on her nerves, which she makes clear by making him do the cleaning she usually does around their home while she focuses on all her other tasks. He grumbles but agrees.
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Kurt, Blaine, Santana, Brittany, Noah, Sam, Quinn, Mike, Tina, Artie, and Mercedes sit around the Hummel-Anderson living room. They're all dressed up, they have the tv on and ready, drinks and food fill the kitchen, and the family talks excitedly. The last time they all got together like this was to support Santana when her grandmother passed away. They all talk frequently and get together a couple times a year as a whole group, but this is a special occasion. It is the night of the Tony Awards and they are eager to see if Rachel wins. As soon as she found out she's up against Bette Midler, Rachel shrugged and said she doubts she'll win but she's honored to be nominated. Her family still thinks she has a shot.
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Shelby Matthews moves around her home excitedly, chatting with everyone she passes. She's positively thrumming with nerves. Her daughter was nominated for a Tony Award and they'll find out soon if she wins. She and Scott are hosting a big party at their house for the event. All of her family, his parents, their friends, and even some neighbors fill the house. Oliver, now 12, is almost as excited as Shelby herself. The boy has seen Rachel's show two times and would have seen it more often if he was able. He was there with the rest of the family for her opening night and he went again over his winter break with Shelby, who offered to take him. Rachel had hugged him tight and laughed, saying he could always just call her up and she'd sing for him over the phone whenever he wants. Wide eyed, he'd taken her up on that. Dylan talks to her on the phone, too, but Ollie is the one who shares her passion for music. He sings at school. He doesn't think he wants to do it professionally like Rachel, but he does enjoy singing. Mostly he likes listening to her sing. He still has the CD of songs she sang for him years ago. At his request, she made another one not long ago. And of course he has a copy of the Funny Girl soundtrack. Apparently he got made fun of when he was listening to it at school. But all it took was him saying that the star is his cousin and the teasing mostly stopped.
"It's starting!" Scott calls.
Shelby hurries over and squeezes onto the couch next to her husband. She's amused by how nervous she is. It truly doesn't matter if Rachel wins or not. Even just being nominated is a huge honor; especially this early in her career. But she knows Rachel wants to win. They've talked about it a lot and while Rachel desperately wants to win, she's also happy just being nominated and getting to be there. She swore she won't be upset if she doesn't win. Shelby believes her. After everything she has been through, Rachel has a fantastic outlook on life. She doesn't let things keep her down or upset for long; not that she's had a whole lot of bad things happening lately. The worst being Yero getting sick and being worried over him, but all he needed was some medicine and he ended up being fine. Shelby prays for the good times to continue for many years. Rachel deserves it more than anyone else she knows.
And how awesome would it be for her to start by winning a Tony Award?
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Rachel grips Finn's hand. They're sitting in their seats with her directors and Paolo and his wife. Rachel does her best to remain calm and simply enjoy the moment. She is sitting, in person, at the Tony Awards. That alone is exciting. Waiting to hear if she wins is making her heart thud wildly. Finn grips her hand back, then leans close so his lips are against her ear.
"When you win, remember to keep your acceptance speech short." He whispers with a teasing grin.
Knowing how long winded she can be, she has spent the past two months working on a short but sweet acceptance speech. It felt weird to work on it. She dreamed of it when she was a kid; now it's possibly a reality. She gives him a look; he knows how hard she's been working on keeping it short. He grins back and she realizes he was just distracting her. She relaxes and smiles at him in thanks.
"Best Revival of a Musical goes to….Funny Girl!"
Rachel applauds and smiles widely. She hugs Rupert before he heads up to the stage to accept the award on behalf of everyone on the show. Rupert gives a short speech thanking the producers, the investors, the crew, and the cast.
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"Best Revival of a Musical goes to….Funny Girl!"
Shelby and the others cheer, thrilled for them. When the camera pans to the cast, they see Rachel and Paolo high-five and they laugh.
The awards continue and they get quiet to hear.
"Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical goes to…..Ben Platt from Dear Evan Hansen!"
"Oh, that's a shame. I thought Paolo did a fabulous job." Carole says.
"Yeah, he really did." Shelby agrees. "But I can't deny that I agree with the winner. Ben Platt did amazing and absolutely deserved to win. I feel bad for Paolo, though."
"He doesn't seem too upset." Scott points out.
The camera pans to the other nominees in that category. When it gets to Paolo, Rachel is leaning forward and has her arms wrapped around his shoulders from behind (since she's sitting in the row behind him). She's smiling and whispering something in his ear. He laughs and pats her arm. It's a sweet scene. The camera moves on to the next nominee.
"Aw, that was nice of Rachel." Shelby's mom says. The others nod.
They listen to Ben Platt's acceptance speech. Dylan looks at the adults. "Um, I love Rachel and all, but…..does she have a short speech planned? I know she tends to talk a lot."
The adults chuckle. "Yes. She spent the past two months working on a short speech."
"Ok, good."
Ollie, however, looks disgruntled. "She talks a lot, but she's a professional. She's prepared, Dyl. Don't doubt her."
Dylan rolls his eyes. "I'm not doubting her! I just know her!"
"Shhh! Her category is up next!"
"Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical goes to….."
They all lean forward.
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"Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical goes to….."
Kurt feels like he can barely breathe. He's vibrating with anticipation. His eyes are open wide, his entire body is tensed up, and he leans forward, closer to the tv. His husband is gripping his hand. All around him, his family is doing the same. All of them are holding their breaths and holding each other's hands, dead silent and eyes on the screen.
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"Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical goes to….."
Rachel stops breathing. Still, knowing she's being televised, she keeps her face carefully neutral.
"Rachel Hudson from Funny Girl!"
Sounds around her are muffled. She blinks. Her husband kisses her cheek, reminding her to take a breath. At his urging, she stands shakily and is immediately engulfed in a hug by Finn. She steps out of his arms and into Rupert's. He kisses her cheek and holds her arm, guiding her out of the row. Paolo steps out of his row to hug her and kiss her cheek as well. Still stunned but starting to acknowledge what's going on around her, Rachel's face slowly breaks into a smile as she walks up to the stage.
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"Rachel Hudson from Funny Girl!"
Shelby would not have been surprised if her windows shattered and her roof blew off her house after the sudden explosion of noise in her living room. Everyone was on their feet shouting and cheering and jumping around. They hug one another and laugh. On the tv, Rachel looks stunned. Tears form in Shelby's eyes and she wipes them away while laughing. Her baby girl is a Tony Award winner.
"That's my little girl!" Burt shouts, pointing at the tv as though his favorite quarterback just scored a touchdown.
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"Rachel Hudson from Funny Girl!"
"YES!"
"I knew it!" Blaine shouts.
Everyone in Kurt's living room is on their feet and cheering. They hug and high five, laughing and clapping. Tina and Mercedes are laughing while crying and hugging one another.
"I knew she'd do it." Santana announces with a wide smile.
"We all did!" Sam argues happily.
Blaine pulls Kurt into a deep kiss, then hands him a tissue. Kurt dabs his eyes but his smile is still firmly in place. His sister just became a Tony Award winner.
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While walking up to the front, a pre-recorded voice tells the audience about how she is winning this award for her spectacular performance in her Broadway debut. She barely hears it. Rachel makes it to the stage and accepts the statue being handed to her. It's heavier than she expected it to be. She hugs and kisses the hosts, then steps up to the podium. The audience is still on their feet applauding. She looks for her husband and finds him watching her with shining eyes and a huge smile. She smiles back. Once they quiet down and take their seats, Rachel knows she needs to start talking. It'd be easier to do if she weren't shaking.
"Wow." The audience chuckles with her. "Thank you. I dreamed of this moment my whole life, but still didn't actually expect it to happen. Especially since I was up against Bette Midler. I saw that and didn't think I needed to bother preparing an acceptance speech."
There's more chuckles and she catches Bette Midler's eye. The woman is smiling warmly and touches her heart then gestures towards Rachel. Taking that as a thanks and acceptance, Rachel smiles wider and goes on.
"But now I'm glad I listened to my husband and did anyway. I know I don't have long and I tend to talk too much, so if I go too long just toss me off the stage; I won't be offended." There's more laughter. "I am beyond honored. This is truly a dream come true. I could stand here and recite cliches, but I think what I've learned most in my life, which helped get me to this point, is that you need to have the courage to keep fighting for your dreams, even when it's too dark to see them. But you also need anchors, who keep you grounded and secure so that you don't drift off course while reaching for those dreams. I need to thank so many people who were both my anchors keeping me secure and who lifted me up and helped me shine. My glee coaches from high school who never stopped believing in me, Sue Sylvester and Will Schuester. Madam Tibideux and all the professors at NYADA, such as Cassandra July, who helped train me. Thank you for pushing me. My director and producers for seeing my potential and taking a chance on me despite my lack of experience. My costars for their support. Thank you, all of you, for lifting me up while I was learning the ropes. But most importantly, I need to thank my family. My mom and my dad for always supporting and loving me. Thanks for letting me sing around the house at all hours growing up and not telling me to quiet down." She chuckles wetly. "I need to thank my brother for always being by my side and encouraging me. The rest of my family and friends for always being there for me, through absolutely everything. And my incredible husband, my anchor, whose love and faith in me has never wavered. I wouldn't be here today without all of them. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
Rachel uses one hand to brush the tears off her cheeks, still smiling widely, and accepts the applause from the audience. With a small bow, she leaves the stage and returns to her seat. Rupert squeezes her hand as she passes. Once in her seat, Finn interlaces their fingers.
"Told you." He whispers.
She chuckles quietly. For the rest of the ceremony, Rachel's attention is split between staring at the small statue in her lap and focusing on the stage and the other awards being given out. It actually happened. She actually won a Tony award. In her first year on Broadway, in her very first show. There are only two things left on her bucket list now. Becoming a mother and recording her own songs. She decided that becoming a surrogate for her brothers is not a bucket list item but something she'll offer at some point in the future. She has done everything else she set out to do. Everything. Most of which was done in the past year. June 2016 to June 2017 has been the best year of her life by far. Thrumming with emotion, Rachel thinks about her future and how incredible the rest of her life will be. Especially once she crosses off the final two items on her list.
She can't wait to experience it all.
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Hours later, after many pictures, parties, and celebrations, they finally make it home. Rachel is exhausted but happily so. Her cheeks ache from smiling so big for so long. Her eyes are red from random tears that pop up. She keeps staring at her Tony award in awe, still in disbelief over its existence. She stands in her living room in her sleek black dress, holding her award, and hoping she doesn't wake up from this incredible dream.
"I know it's late and we're tired, but I wanted to give you something." Finn says.
Rachel pulls her eyes away from her award and looks to her husband. He's holding a long box, which he sets on their coffee table. He gestures to it, so she sets her award down and opens the box. Inside is a slab of wood. Just a slab of wood.
"What is this?"
"A shelf. I figured you'd need one to hold all your Tony awards. Starting with this one."
Her eyes well up with tears and she grabs him by his suit jacket to pull him down for a kiss. "It's perfect. Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'll hang it up tomorrow."
Still holding him by the lapels of his suit, she grins. "Now, I know we're tired, but wanna have sex with a Tony Award winner?"
He looks at her uncertainly. "Uh….you're not gonna hold the trophy while we do it, are you?"
Rachel glances at it. It had crossed her mind. Realizing how ridiculous that would be, she blushes. "No. Of course not."
He gives her a knowing grin.
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Blaine is watching her with a peculiar look on his face. She nudges him and he blinks. "What?"
"Nothing." He says with a small grin.
"C'mon, tell me." She says with a playful whine.
"I was just thinking…your life could be a Hallmark movie."
Rachel bursts out laughing, along with everyone else. They're all hanging out to celebrate her Tony win.
"A Hallmark movie?" She wheezes out between laughs, her eyes welling up with tears of mirth.
"Yeah! You started out with a small, loving family. One parent died and the other became an abusive alcoholic. You were alone and hurting as a child. Then you met and became friends, then family, with Kurt and his dad. Then you created a new family for yourself and were pretty happy but then you got sick. You met your mother for the first time and quickly formed a close bond with her. Hell, there could be an entire movie just on that! But then your health got worse, you fought for your life, went into remission, celebrated, relapsed, melted down, fought for your life again, continued fighting while living your life and reaching for your dreams, never giving up, only to go into remission again, get healthy, marry the love of your life, land your dream role, star on Broadway, fulfilling your lifelong dream, and then winning a Tony? All by 22? And then live happily ever after? That is definitely a Hallmark movie."
"One of the better ones, too." Artie chimes in.
"And how would you know a good Hallmark movie? Watch them often?" Noah teases.
"Yes, I do!" Artie admits. "From a purely professional place; I watch them to get an idea of the director's style and choices."
"Riiight." Sam says with a grin.
"He's right, you know." Quinn says, ignoring the men teasing Artie. "It does sound like a Hallmark movie."
"Or a musical!" Kurt eagerly adds in.
Rachel is still chuckling. "A Hallmark movie? Or a musical? Of my life. Oh, my God."
While the others start talking about who would play who and the likelihood of it being believable (with her life going from extreme to extreme), Rachel laughs until she's crying.
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Her cast mates threw a party both for them winning best revival of a musical and for Rachel winning best performance by an actress in a musical. At the party, with liquor flowing freely, they surprised her with an offer.
"So, last year we watched your benefit live."
"Yeah. I know that won't be possible this year. It's okay." Rachel insists.
"Well, we had an idea. What if we plan for both of our understudies to go on while I go to the benefit and perform with you?" Paolo offers.
Her mouth falls open. They're all smiling at her. "Seriously? You'd be willing to do that?"
"I would." He smiles.
"We all want to go but realize we can't without canceling both shows." Poppy says. "The rest of us will watch the live stream when we can."
"But we were thinking it'd be me, Monica, and then Jenna and Peter want to come as well." Paolo explains.
Jenna and Peter are understudies. Obviously Bethany, Rachel's understudy, has to stay and perform. And Gordon, Paolo's understudy.
"So now all we need to decide is what we're going to perform together." Monica grins.
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Her husband and brothers laughed at her, but Rachel was reluctant to leave her Tony award behind when they went to Ohio for the benefit a few weeks later. In the end, she did leave it on the shelf Finn put up. But it was hard for her. Worries over being robbed crossed her mind. Finn had to remind her that Billy, the building owner, is a fan of hers and of Broadway. He'd sent her a bottle of fancy champagne the day after winning. Clearly, he'll make sure the building is secure so her award isn't stolen. That soothed her nerves and she agreed to leave it behind. At the airport in Columbus, Rachel's grandparents pick them up. She runs into her grandfather's arms and he lifts her off her feet, just as he did when she was a teenager.
"Grandpa!"
"My granddaughter is a Tony award winner!" He says proudly, setting her down on her feet.
"Hi, Nana." Her grandmother pulls her into a hug next. "I've missed you."
"We've missed you too." They talked on the phone after her win, but they haven't seen each other since Passover.
Rachel removes Yero's service animal vest as soon as they're in the car. While she used to put it on him once in a while so that she could sneak him into stores and restaurants, she hasn't done that since starting on Broadway. Her agent, Ana, pointed out that if a fan sees her with a service animal there'd be talk and speculation over why. The only time she puts it on him now is for the plane ride so he doesn't have to go in a cage in the cargo hold. They talk happily on the drive back to their house, where her aunt, uncle, and younger cousins are waiting. After hugs and greetings are out of the way, Oliver asks his very pressing question.
"So? Where is it?" He asks eagerly.
"Where's what?"
"Your Tony! Didn't you bring it with you?"
Rachel gives her husband and brothers a look. "Told you." She mutters. They laugh and shrug. She focuses on Oliver. "Sorry, Ollie. They convinced me to leave it behind."
"I wanted to see it." He grumbles.
"Sorry. Next time you come visit me I'll let you hold it."
He hugs her. "Okay. Do you at least have a picture of it?"
"I may have a few." She says, face flushing while the men in her life laugh.
"More than a few." Kurt laughs.
"Shut up."
They hang out at her grandparent's house until Scott comes to pick them up. He scoops Rachel into his arms and spins her around in circles.
"I'm so proud of you!"
She laughs. "You told me already, Dad!"
"I know, but that was over the phone. Now I can tell you in person how proud I am."
They say goodbye to her extended family, knowing they'll see one another tomorrow for the benefit. He drives them to the Hummel house first. Burt is working but Carole is home. She hugs all three of her sons, then squeezes Rachel tight.
"We were so proud and impressed! And your speech was very sweet, absolutely wonderful." She gushes, still holding Rachel in a side hug.
Rachel keeps her arms wrapped around her mother-in-law. "Thanks, Mom. Finn helped me shorten it a lot but I was worried I'd go off script and start rambling or get too emotional."
"No, I thought it was perfect. Short and sweet with a dash of humor."
"Thanks."
"So are we to be forgotten now that we have a Tony winner in the family?" Kurt asks with fake aggravation.
"I have one daughter and three sons. While I love my sons, let me have a moment with my only daughter. The fact that she's a Tony winner is icing on the cake."
"It's just a statue." Kurt grins, pretending it's no big deal.
"Then where's yours?" Rachel asks archly.
He glares at her while the others laugh. In reality, Kurt spent an hour holding her award and gushing over it. Blaine held it for nearly as long. Burt comes home and shoves through the boys to get to Rachel. He does the same thing Scott did and spins her around. Again, she laughs.
"Dad!"
"I've missed you, princess."
He kisses her cheek and starts telling her about how many of his customers talk about her Tony win and how he has a poster of her show in his waiting area.
"We really are forgotten!" Blaine laughs.
"Hey, I can't help that I'm the only daughter." Rachel smirks.
Kurt fake coughs something that sounds vaguely like "Favorite child."
Burt takes the hint and hugs his sons. The parents take them out back to reveal a surprise. The kids get excited at first, then annoyed. Kurt turns to his father with a glare.
"You got an in-ground pool?! You waited until after we moved to another state and started careers that don't let us leave often to put in an in-ground pool?! Are you serious?!"
Their dad shrugs. "It's half so that we can relax and float around after work and half to tempt you all to come home to visit more often."
"They got the pool and we got the hot tub." Scott chimes in.
"A hot tub?"
"It's not in yet. It'll be a while before it is delivered and set up. But it's ordered."
Rachel grins. "So you all worked together to create reasons to entice us home more? One with the pool and one with the hot tub?"
The three parents share a look then nod. "Yup."
The kids laugh and admit that it'll probably work. The family talks together for a while before Scott checks the time.
"Shelby will be home any minute. She's gonna wanna see them as soon as possible."
"She can come over here." Burt says.
Scott gives him a knowing look. Before he can say anything, Rachel stands. "Once Mom and I start talking Tony stuff, it won't stop for a while. Better to do at home. We'll see you guys tomorrow at the benefit."
Reluctantly, Burt and Carole let them leave. Scott drives them home, chatting about possible upgrades they're thinking of making to the house. Part of Rachel doesn't want the house to change at all, so she stays quiet and lets Finn share his opinion. They get to the house before Shelby does. They put their luggage in her old room and take the opportunity to freshen up. Her mom gets home and they practically run into each other's arms, hugging tight.
"I'm so happy for you." Her mom tells her. "You deserved it."
"Thanks, Mom."
Yero jumps up and squeezes between them, wanting attention from Shelby. The women laugh and Rachel steps back so her mom can pet him. Scott and Finn strike up a conversation about renovations while Rachel and her mom talk about the Tony's in more detail than they have on the phone. When it gets late, they call it a night and head to bed. While waiting for Finn to finish in the bathroom, Rachel looks around her old room. She stands before the painting of the boat on the river surrounded by mountains in the night. She contemplates how her life has changed since then. And how it has stayed the same. She is blessed and she knows it. Finn exits the bathroom and steps up behind her, sliding his arms around her waist. He kisses her cheek.
"It's so weird to think about that time." He whispers.
She nods. "Yeah. It is. Sometimes it feels like it was just a horrible nightmare. But it really happened."
"But like a nightmare, it's over. Life got better."
"So much better." She turns in his arms so they're chest to chest. "I still remember you giving me my promise ring. You had a second box. What was in it?"
"Nothing." He admits with a grin. "I knew you'd be against actually getting married right then, so I was only half serious. So the black box was empty and I had your promise ring in the pink box."
She chuckles and kisses him.
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Everyone else from their group in New York arrived either late the night before or early that morning, including her Broadway friends who are staying at a hotel in town. Elliott was supposed to come this year, but something came up last minute. Rachel assured him she understood. They all went over to the high school early to meet up. All of her friends got together the night of the Tony's so she's seen all of them recently, but they still hug hello. However, she hasn't seen Mr. Schuester or Sue in a while. Mr. Schue hugs Rachel tight and rambles on about how he has been bragging to his students that the newest Tony winner was once his student. She laughs at that. Sue hugs her warmly and congratulates her. The biggest surprise walks in.
"Holly!"
The tall blonde woman smiles widely and catches Rachel in a hug, then greets the others. "Sorry it's been a while."
Holly had gone home to Idaho to help take care of her sick father. Between taking care of him, then burying him, then supporting her grieving mother, she ended up being gone for almost two years. While they talk occasionally on the phone, it isn't often. When she returned to Ohio, and her dentist boyfriend, Rachel and the others were in New York. Then she missed a benefit because she was on vacation with her boyfriend. Holly came to their wedding and that had been the first time they'd seen one another in person in a while. Then she came to see Rachel's show after it opened.
"Are you staying in the area for a while?"
"I kind of have to." Her old tutor says with a shrug. "I married Carl and his practice is here."
Rachel squeals and hugs her. Holly shows off her ring. Holly tells them it was a small, quick ceremony before a judge.
"So you're participating in the benefit?" Quinn asks her.
"I am. Since I'm living here permanently now, I'd even be happy to start helping each year."
"We're happy to accept all the help we can get." Mr. Schue assures her. "It gets bigger every year."
After they arrive, Rachel introduces her cast mates to the others. They go through the schedule together, then get ready for it to start.
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"I have been in remission for four years." Rachel tells the audience with a wide smile. She waits for the inevitable applause to die down. "And I am still healthy. Granted, I do have the rare morning where I have a hard time getting up and going, but that's usually after I didn't get much sleep or have a cold or something. I do tire occasionally if I have a very physically strenuous day, but I've learned to take breaks and rest in those cases. And all I really need is a good night's sleep and I'm back to being fine the next day. My life is truly incredible and I've never been happier. On top of being in remission this long, in the past year I've graduated top of my class from NYADA, got married to the love of my life, I've been starring in one of my favorite musicals on Broadway, and I just won a Tony Award for it."
She stops and waits for more, longer, applause to die down.
"My family teases me constantly that my life is a series of extremes. I've dealt with extreme lows. And now I have extreme high after extreme high. I honestly couldn't be happier. But in order for this to continue, I do need the cure. The possibility of a relapse is always hanging over me. But once there's a cure, that'll be gone and I and my loved ones will be able to completely relax and let our guards down. My final big dream is to have kids, which would be much less stressful to do if I didn't have the threat of relapsing hanging over me. So please, donate whatever you can towards the cure today. It'll give me the chance to keep living my amazing life. It'll also give thousands of other people a chance to be healthy again and live long lives. It'll make sure anyone who is diagnosed in the future doesn't have to go through what I went through. Every year they get a little closer, but they're not there yet. Please donate. Thank you."
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Rachel and her mom sing the first song of the benefit together as a duet, as always. Rachel misses getting to sing with her mom and she knows her mom feels the same way. They make a point of singing together whenever they visit one another, but it used to be a nearly daily occurrence. It's been years since it was a frequent thing, so now they truly treasure their time singing together. Next, Rachel introduces her fellow cast members to the audience and they sing a song from the show together. Then she and Paolo sing one of their duets. Rachel and her friends watch the new New Directions perform a song together and applaud. Then, they have the "original" New Directions "show them how it's done" and perform their beloved "We Are Young" song. Rachel focuses on singing with people she doesn't often get to sing with, like Mercedes, Tina, and her mom. She even drags Sue on stage and makes "Who Are You Now" a duet with her. Then Rachel and Finn have their duet.
"Rachel and I got married last year. Next month is our one year anniversary. I found a song that is perfect for us. You see, Rachel calls me her anchor. I call her my guiding star but I also call her my kite. I keep her anchored and secure, she lifts me up and shows me the way to something beautiful. It's how we balance each other so well. So I found this song called 'The Anchor and the Kite' by Forest Blakk. We turned it into a duet for this."
Rachel starts off.
"There's a kite flying high
But looking down
Wondering what it would be like
To have her feet on solid ground
Unafraid
Of the storms that come and pass
Wishing for a life a kite
Could never have"
Finn takes the next verse.
"There's an anchor
Holding fast unto the shore
Wishing he could trade his iron arms
For paper wings that soar
High above
With his head up in the clouds
But it's just a dream
'Cause anchors don't know how"
They sing the rest together, harmonizing.
"If only
It was as easy as knowing
The sky and the sea
Can be lonely
Without something holding
Both ends of the line
The story of the anchor and the kite
There's a way
Though at first they couldn't see
But the binding twine, the silver lining
Was always in between
Both of them
And the string that drew them close
Was the thing that gave these dreams wings of their own
And her heart could always find its way back home
If only
It was as easy as knowing
The sky and the sea
Can be lonely
Without something holding
Both ends of the line
The story of the anchor and the kite
The story of the anchor and the kite
And finally
After the waves and the lightning
Both heaven and earth intertwining
Together
A love you could never
Deny
The story of the anchor and the kite"
They finish to a standing ovation and cheering. They share a sweet kiss before bowing and stepping off the stage.
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Rachel brings her Funny Girl cast mates back onto the stage with her. Wanting something fun but unrelated to their own show to perform, the group of five has been meeting up to rehearse a fun number. They took all the songs from The Little Mermaid, shortened them, and combined them into one long medley. They had a lot of fun planning and rehearsing it, and just as much fun performing it. And the audience clearly loved it as well.
Rachel's solo, and rather emotional, performance of "She Used To Be Mine" from Waitress had many in tears. But then the group number of "The Fox", which Blaine insisted had to include puppets, had them laughing. Noah and Quinn had a great duet with "Just Give Me a Reason". As usual, everyone had plenty of chances for solo numbers, duets, group numbers, and the usual donor requests and game portion of the day. They ended the benefit with a group number of "Take On Me". As always, the benefit was successful and fun.
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Rachel's agent, Ana, called with a very interesting opportunity. Rachel discussed it with her agent, then she discussed it with Finn. Then with her mom. Finally, she talked it over with Rupert. She has a big decision to make and isn't sure what the best course of action would be. She takes her time thinking it over before calling Ana back with her answer.
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For their one year anniversary, Rachel and Finn took a short trip to the beach. It was only for a few days, but it was fun. They went in the middle of the week both to save money and so that Rachel would only have to take off a few days from work. She's always off Sundays and Tuesdays, so she used Sunday to pack and drop Yero off with Sam and Noah. They left late on Monday, after her show, and returned on Thursday in time for her evening performance. They may not have gone far, or spent much money, but just having a few days of just them, on the beach, was very enjoyable.
On their actual anniversary, they went to a fancy restaurant near their hotel. They spent the entire dinner flirting and building up anticipation for what's to come back in their hotel room. By the time the waiter is removing their dinner plates, Rachel is ready to jump her husband. Which is why, when the waiter hands Finn a dessert menu and he actually starts perusing it, Rachel is staring at him heatedly.
"What do you want for dessert, babe?"
"Husband," Rachel responds coolly, "I am the dessert."
The waiter, a teenager, chokes on his own saliva. Finn's eyes jump to hers. Seeing the intense stare she's giving him, he snaps the dessert menu closed. Without ever taking his eyes off of her, he hands it to the waiter.
"Check, please." Finn says in a low voice. "Now."
Husband and wife keep their gazes locked while waiting for the check to arrive. Their waiter is practically tripping over himself to bring it back to them as quickly as possible. While Finn pays, finally breaking eye contact with her, Rachel knocks back the last of her wine. They are silent the entire way back to their hotel. The elevator ride is spent equally silent, with physical distance between them. With the tension between them, they both know that as soon as they touch, they'll be tearing off clothes. They wait. As soon as their door shuts behind them, they collide. They kick off shoes while still kissing. Finn unzips her dress while she unbuttons his shirt. She growls softly when she can't get the tie off fast enough and instead uses it to pull him to the bed. Later, lying naked in one another's arms, Rachel traces pictures on his bare chest with her finger. She is utterly content. She hums softly. He has a peaceful smile on his face while rubbing her back.
"I should be smoking a cigar." Finn states randomly.
Rachel laughs. "A cigar?"
"Yeah. Lying here like this after making love to my gorgeous wife of one year….I should be smoking a cigar."
She scoots up and looks at him in bemusement. "Are you just picturing it or do you actually want to smoke?"
"Just imaging it. It'd be cool, but I know you wouldn't be happy if smoke messed up your lungs."
"Or yours." She says pointedly.
"True. It wouldn't be a frequent thing. Special occasions like this. And when our kids are born."
"Are you still okay with waiting?"
"Yeah. You?"
"Yeah. We're only 22. We have all the time in the world." She grins at him.
He captures her grin with his lips and flips over so she's under him. She shrieks in surprise. Round two it is, then.
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Blaine heads to his apartment's gym on the first floor. He's pleased to see Rachel on an elliptical working up a sweat.
"Hey! I thought you had an event this morning. Aren't you supposed to be signing in the park with the rest of your cast?"
"It was cancelled due to threat of rain." She pants, still going. "Don't you have rehearsal?"
"No. Just the show later. Doesn't Yero get mad if you workout here alone instead of taking him for a run?"
He's seen her bring him here on rainy or icy days to run on a treadmill. He likes it well enough, but prefers running outside. They have a park nearby and that's usually where they take him.
She laughs breathlessly. "Yeah, but Finn took him for a run early this morning before work, wanting to get him out before it starts raining later."
They workout side by side for a while, talking occasionally but mostly focusing on exercising. Blaine loves living in the same building as her and Finn. He loves that they have beautiful homes. He loves that they're far enough apart to have privacy and live their own lives but close enough to visit within a minute. Which they do frequently. Even if it's just "Hey, can I borrow an egg? We ran out." He'll never forget the time he and Kurt tried to be "adventurous" and used handcuffs. First and last time for that. They somehow lost the key and Kurt was trapped. Blaine had to call Rachel to come help look for it. Which she did, laughing hysterically the entire time. She has never once brought it up in front of other people; but she does hint at it when they're alone to tease them. He has a feeling she'll never let them live that down. Since he knows she won't tell another soul, he's fine with that. He loves the idea of being this close when they start families. Obviously, Kurt and Blaine will have to adopt. However, they've discussed the possibility of using a surrogate. If they do, they'd want it to be Rachel. But that'd interfere with her job and they haven't yet researched the health risks (considering her medical history). So while it's in the backs of their minds, they won't be bringing it up any time soon. That'll change after they find a cure for Aplastic Anemia. Then, they won't hesitate to ask her. It's a major favor, but there's no one in the world they'd rather have as the mother of their children than Rachel. Still, however they come to have children, he dreams of how wonderful it'll be for them to grow up with their cousins, aunt, and uncle a floor away.
"How's your song coming?" Rachel interrupts his thoughts.
Since he's not a lead in his show, he has less rehearsal time and doesn't have to attend all related events. That leaves him with more free time. He's been using it to write an original song.
"Still stuck on the chorus." He admits.
Rachel steps off the elliptical and uses a small towel to dry her face. "Would you like some help?"
"You have time?"
"I'll make time, Blaine."
He really loves her. Despite her own life and busy schedule (shows, meetings, occasional rehearsals, interviews, and events), she always makes sure to put her loved ones first. Whenever one of them need something, she's there to help out. Big or small. "Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks."
"I don't have to be at the theater until 4. I'm gonna go shower. If you want, we can work on it a little afterwards. I can put off grocery shopping for another day. Or make Finn do it."
"Yeah! I'll finish up my workout, take a quick shower, and come by your place."
"Great! See you soon, then."
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Once a month, the members of the family who live in or near NYC all get together. They meet up in smaller groups fairly frequently and talk constantly, but with their busy schedules, they stopped being able to all get together much. Finding this unacceptable, Rachel put her foot down and said they needed to have a monthly get together. No one minded. In fact, everyone was quite happy with that. They alternate whose place they go to and what they do, but they mostly just meet up for a meal and often end up singing at least one song together. They joked that they have to stay connected to their roots. They met in a glee club, after all. Their monthly whole group get togethers are everyone's favorite part of the month. It keeps them close and connected. Plus it's always fun. Even when they argue over something, it's done with love and usually ends with laughter.
They make a point of getting together with those who live further away when they can, it's just not nearly as frequent. Still, they go to support one another. They've flown to LA and seen Mercedes perform as backup for Beyoncé. They've flown to Chicago to see Mike dance and Tina act. Those three have flown to New York to see Rachel's show, obviously, but also to see Blaine's show, Brittany's dance show, and the commercial Artie directed. They also came to see a fashion show that Vogue (.com) put on, in which Kurt had a major say in the styles. When Kurt was in an off-Broadway show for a few months, they came to see that, too. The guys even came to watch Finn's student's football playoffs. Granted, they mostly used it to reminisce over their own high school football games. But it was fun for them and that's all that matters.
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Rachel hands Finn a beer and sits next to him. "Remember that thing I talked to you about a few weeks ago?"
He looks at her and reads her expression. Then he rolls his eyes. "You mean the thing you said you didn't want spoken of yet? The thing you've banned me from discussing until it's finalized?"
"Yes. That thing."
"Babe. It's just us here. I think we can talk freely."
"Let me be superstitious and stay silent. I'm afraid of jinxing it."
"Fine. But how are we going to talk about the thing you refuse to let me name if you don't want to flat out talk about it?"
"Well…..I just got new information about it that you need to know before anything goes further."
"Just tell me."
She does. He stares at her with a peculiar expression. When she finishes, he sits in silence for a minute, absorbing the news. Rachel waits anxiously for his reaction. She doesn't think he'll be upset, per se, but that doesn't mean he'll be happy about it. First he slowly shakes his head. Then his lips tug upwards into a smile and his eyes crinkle in amusement.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" He laughs.
Rachel breathes a sigh of relief and joins him in laughing.
"What are the odds, right?"
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