A/N: I wanted to provide some context as this is set in my own personal Glee canon. Biggest difference is that Finn is still alive, but there are others as well. New Directions won season 5 Nationals and was only disbanded at the end of the season. Rachel never left Broadway for that disastrous tv pilot so she's still in New York with Kurt and Santana. There was a 3 year time skip between seasons 5 and 6 so this story takes place at the end of this alternate season 6 in the spring of 2018. Finally, Finn is a teacher as he's graduated from college and was the main one reviving the New Directions in season with occasional help from New Directions alumni and Schue. I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think! I may write other stories set in this canon in the future but haven't decided yet.
Don't Stop Believin'
"Glee, by its very definition, is about opening yourself up to joy." – Lilian Adler
The William McKinley High School auditorium was empty, most of the students having gone home nearly an hour ago when the school day had ended. Finn stood there on the center stage, wearing a maroon button-up shirt and a red tie with black jeans and shoes.
He casually glanced around a room he knew very well. The spotlight illuminated his face as he gazed at the darkened auditorium with its familiar red walls and the rows of seats that stretched upwards toward the exits on either side. This is where he would always come when he needed to think and get away from the world. Of course, this time it wasn't for a bad reason. He was in a state of disbelief.
He put his hands in his pockets and started pacing back and forth while staring at the glossy black floor. He just couldn't believe they had done it. That he had done it. He had actually managed to lead the New Directions to a victory at Nationals. Sure, Mr. Schue and him had done it years ago right before he stepped down from the glee club, but they had done it as a team. This time it was all on his own.
Well, that's not entirely true. He did have help from the New Directions alumni from time to time. Even Rachel and Kurt had traveled all the way back from New York to assist in coaching the team. Still, they wouldn't have gotten anywhere without him at the helm.
He didn't know quite how to feel. Pride? Accomplishment? Relief? How had they even gotten here despite everything that Sue had thrown their way? And Vocal Adrenaline? It was still hard to believe.
"I guess I'm not a bad teacher after all?" he thought to himself. Maybe he actually was good at this job. Maybe this really was what he was meant to do with his life. He had inspired these kids to understand each other, to accept each other, to embrace themselves for who they were, and to forge a bond as a team. Together they had overcome all the odds and claimed that first place trophy. "This must have been what Mr. Schue felt when we won Nationals all those years ago," he mused.
He still remembered that day in Chicago. The shock on everyone's faces when they announced that the New Directions had won first place. The cheers from the crowd as the confetti fell on the stage. That tall trophy being handed to Mr. Schue as everyone congratulated each other and hugged. It was one of the happiest moments of his life.
It was then that he was finally able to put a word to what he was feeling: joy. He was happy for his kids; they had worked hard to get here. And, really, he was happy for himself. That he had even managed to be in this position in the first place. That he had been, well, a leader which everyone had insisted he was even though he often had not felt like much of one. He really did feel accomplished in this moment, that this really was where he was meant to be and this is what he was meant to be doing.
It wouldn't have mattered if they hadn't won. If Sue had disbanded the glee club yet again because they lost. That was never what it was about. It was about sharing a passion for music with others, forging memories that would last a lifetime, and finding yourself. If the New Directions had managed to do that, well, who needed winning anyway? As long as he stood up for his kids, for their dreams, and never gave up the glee club would never really die. He would never let that happen as long as he lived.
Finn couldn't help it when his mind drifted back to where it all began. To that day in sophomore year of high school when he had just had enough with the football team's bullying of kids like Artie. When he had decided to stick with Glee Club instead of quitting because he couldn't live with himself if he had passed on doing something he loved. Something that had made him want to come to school everyday.
That was the first time he felt like he had truly stood up for himself instead of letting others push him to do things he didn't really want to do. It was the first time he had really been a true leader, not just pretending to be one because he had to as quarterback of the football team. The universe had given him a sign that day as he was pushing Artie out to the field and saw the Emerald Dreams guy spraying the field while listening to that song. A song he loved a lot. That was the moment when his life had started to turn around. He had taken charge of the New Directions and convinced everyone that he was there to stay. They had decided to put on a performance to show that they weren't going to give up on Glee Club even if Mr. Schue was.
As he continued to think about that day he felt a swell of emotion, of joy and accomplishment, and couldn't help but sing out how he felt as he had done so many times before.
{Music begins to fade in as the McKinley jazz band appears behind Finn. That iconic keyboard intro starts to play before it is promptly replaced with an electric guitar. Looks like this cover is going to have more of a rock quality to it than the others. A smile slowly begins to form on Finn's face as he walks further out toward the edge of the stage before beginning to sing.}
[Finn]
Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train
Goin' anywhere
{Finn glances to his right, expecting someone to join in with him. Then he remembers he's all alone on that stage.}
Just a city boy
Born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train
Goin' anywhere
{Finn feels like reaching out at this moment. To anyone. No, to Rachel.}
{The guitar solo begins to play as Finn looks around. He feels in that moment that he isn't alone. The music continues to rise as the guitar gets faster and faster.}
{All of a sudden the original members of the Glee club appear behind him: Tina, Kurt, Rachel, Artie, and Mercedes. And so does Mr. Schue. They are all wearing similar costumes to what they had worn the first time they had performed Don't Stop Believin': red shirts, blue jeans, and black Converses. Even Mr. Schue joins in with a red button-up shirt, red tie, maroon vest, blue jeans, and black dress shoes.}
{They are backing him up both spiritually as well as musically as they sing the melody a cappella. Finn begins to smile as he looks around at his friends and mentor. Everyone's arms come down except Finn's as they sing "Ja dah!" to introduce the second verse.}
[Finn]
A singer in a smoking room
The smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on
{In that moment Finn just wants reach his arm out and spin around and around with someone else; with Rachel.}
{Suddenly the lights fade in on either side of Finn. It's the other six members of the original New Directions: Quinn, Santana, Brittany to Finn's left and Puck, Mike, and even Matt Rutherford to his right. They are dressed just like the others and join in as backup vocals. In the distance a figure can be seen in the left entrance to the auditorium but it's too dark to make out who it is.}
[Finn]
Strangers, waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows
Searching in the night
{Mike and Brittany then break away from everyone else and begin dancing in front of Finn. He can't help but smile remembering all the times they had done that in the choir room when they were still in high school.}
Streetlight, people
Livin' just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night
{Finn swings his right arm upward in unison with the rest of the New Directions and Mr. Schue as he belts the last note of the pre-chorus. In that moment he feels nothing but pure joy. A mix of electric guitar and a cappella punctuate the small riff before the third verse begins. Finn can be seen jamming with the rest of the team before he walks make to center stage and starts singing again.}
[Finn]
Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Paying anything to roll the dice
{Finn swings his finger up as he sings the next line}
Just one, more, time
{Finn walks over to Rachel, both of them smiling as she continues singing the melody a cappella with the rest of the New Directions. He's tapping his foot along with the beat as he too continues to sing the song.}
Some will win
Some will lose
Some were to born to sing the blues
Oh the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
{Finn walks back to center stage as a member of the jazz band plays the guitar solo. The rest of the New Directions re-arrange themselves behind Finn, with Rachel and Mr. Schue to Finn's left and right respectively while the rest are behind him.}
[Finn]
Don't stop, believin'
Hold on to that feelin'
Streetlight, people
{Finn and the rest of the New Directions and Mr. Schue raise their left arms up in unison as the music swells.}
Don't stop, believin'
{The rest of the New Directions join Finn, Rachel, and Mr. Schue in a line as they all walk toward the front of the stage together.}
Hold on to that feelin'
{Everyone turns to their right and stands there as the song reaches its peak.}
Streetlight
{The whole team sweeps their arms to the left as Finn continues singing.}
People
{One by one the rest of the New Directions walk behind Finn and form a diagonal lines on either side of him in a V formation with Finn at the center while Rachel and Mr. Schue flank him on his left and right respectively. Everyone turns around as Finn sings the final line.}
Don't stop!
{Everyone brings their heads down and the lights fade as the music stops.}
When Finn lifted his head again everyone had disappeared. He looked momentarily confused before the sound of slow clapping filled the auditorium. Mr. Schue slowly walked down the steps in front of the stage as it's obvious he was the one applauding Finn.
"Bravo, Finn!" Mr. Schue exclaimed as he slowly stopped clapping. "You know, I never knew who picked Don't Stop Believin' all those years ago when you guys convinced me not to become an accountant. Of course it was you."
Finn looked a bit startled before he began to respond.
"Mr. Schue, uh, Will. What are you doing here?" He stammered.
"Well, I was looking for you because I wanted to congratulate you on the Nationals victory and just so happened to hear singing from the auditorium. When I came in and saw you on that stage it brought back memories from that day nearly ten years ago. Can you believe it's almost been that long?"
Finn looked down at his feet, kicking some invisible object, before looking up at Mr. Schue again.
"I know. It almost feels like it happened yesterday."
"I wanted to say I couldn't be prouder of the man you have become." Mr. Schue said, the pride evident in his voice. "I always knew from the beginning that you were just like me. An insecure, scared teenage boy who cared more about his reputation than doing the right thing and following his passion. But now look at you." He said as he moved his arms up and down in a sweeping motion.
"You've finally found your calling just like I knew you always would. You're a damn good teacher, Finn, I hope you know that." Finn cracked a grin as Mr. Schue continued. "Few people could have taken a rookie Glee club to a Nationals victory in just one season but you managed to do it even when I couldn't."
"I just learned from the best."
Mr. Schue smiled and chuckled briefly.
"Well, I don't know if I was ever the best teacher. But I knew I had to help you kids follow your passion for music and learn how to dream big. I guess I succeeded at doing that."
"I don't know if being a teacher is that big of a dream. I mean, Rachel has always had bigger dreams than me." Finn said sheepishly.
"Being a good teacher takes real leadership and determination, Finn. Not just anyone can do it. Seeing as you are now a national champion glee club director, I think that dream was big enough for you."
Finn started to choke up.
"Thanks, Will. I really couldn't have done it without you. I wouldn't even be here if you hadn't blackmailed me to join the glee club. Didn't think I would forget that now, did you?" Finn cracked a smile as he looked at Mr. Schue eagerly, waiting for his response.
Mr. Schue began to laugh, soon joined by Finn.
"I'm glad you did it, though. Not the blackmail, but for believing in me when I didn't even believe in myself. I thought glee club was lame and full of losers but you showed me that it was fun to be around other kids that loved music as much as I did. Without you I never would have been friends with Artie or brothers with Kurt. I never would have fallen in love with Rachel. I never would have had a real father for the first time in my life."
Mr. Schue began to tear up as Finn continued speaking.
"I really mean it. You're like the father I never had. I don't know where I would be or what kind of man I would have become if you didn't show me what it meant to be a man or to be a good leader. You pushed me to do better, to be better, and to dream bigger. In my mind, that's the most important thing a teacher can do. For that, I'm forever grateful."
Mr. Schue smiled as Finn walked over and hugged him for a good ten seconds before pulling away. Mr. Schue gripped Finn's shoulder as he began to speak.
"Finn, I…I don't know what to say."
Mr. Schue let go of Finn's shoulder as tears started to form in his eyes.
"Maybe how I'm like the son you never had. How you're thankful that I stuck with the glee club. How you couldn't be happier in this moment. Something sappy like that." Finn said sarcastically.
They both laughed.
"You really don't need to say anything else. I think everything you've done for me says enough."
Finn grinned as Mr. Schue wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Well, I think we should go out and celebrate your big win. Don't you think?"
"I'll make the reservation at Breadstix right away." Finn joked.
They both laughed as they walked up the stairs and out of the auditorium, arms on each other's shoulders the whole time.