A/N: This is a sequel to my previous story, 'Don't Stop Believin,' so I highly recommend reading that before continuing on. It provides some much needed context since this is an AU canon, which I explained in that story's author's note. Also helps with understanding where Finn is in his life which is important since he is a major part of this story. This is the first of two planned chapters so when you get to the end, remember, there's more to come and nothing is settled yet! I also highly recommend listening to the final song while reading that section, it helps bring the scene to life in a way that reading it alone wouldn't. I hope you enjoy and I look forward to hearing what everyone thinks! The second chapter should come in a week or so but don't hold me to that, depends on how much inspiration strikes.
Dreams Come True (Or Do They?)
Mid-morning rays of light streamed through the blinds of a modest Manhattan apartment. Modern in design and styling with white walls, it was a far cry from the rustic charm of the Bushwick apartment that Rachel, Kurt, and Santana lived in when they first came to New York. Sitting on the couch in front of a large flat screen television was Rachel Berry in her pajamas, holding an iPad with a fuzzy pink cover. She was on YouTube watching a speech from the Tonys the previous night.
In the video Rachel was walking up to the stage of Radio City Music Hall in a stunning black dress as the audience applauded her. It was clear she was enjoying it, even if she seemed slightly surprised to have won. When she made it to the podium she accepted the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical from the presenter. She looked around smiling, lifting the award up to inspect the plaque on the front before turning back to soak in the applause.
Rachel paused the video. She was still in a bit of disbelief that the whole thing had happened. Especially after having lost that same award for her performance in Funny Girl four years ago. Make no doubt, Rachel Berry always knew she was going to win a Tony one day. But she had been very nervous that she would be passed over again despite how talented she was. That was not the case this time.
She resumed the video. The applause began to die down as she started to speak.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so incredibly honored to be up here tonight to accept this award. I always knew I would be up here one day but I didn't expect it to be so soon. But I wouldn't be up here if it wasn't for my wonderful director Jesse St. James."
The shot changed to Jesse sitting in the audience as he briefly smiled into the camera while the audience clapped for him, then it focused back on Rachel who was actively trying to hold back tears.
"He's not the only one I want to thank tonight, though. I would like to thank my two amazing dads for all the singing and dancing lessons they paid for. And thank all my friends from McKinley High in Lima, Ohio. Without their years of love and support I wouldn't be here tonight. I especially wanted to thank one of my closest friends, Finn, for being here tonight."
The camera shot changed to one of Finn sitting in the audience in a tuxedo, as he looked shocked that she mentioned him. Once he had recovered, he cracked a timid grin and waved at the camera before it once again focused back on Rachel.
"You always believed in me ever since the day we first met, that I would one day become a big Broadway star. I couldn't be happier that you are here tonight to see it happen." It was clear that Rachel was struggling to hold back tears at this point.
"However, there's one person in particular I wanted to dedicate this award to because I wouldn't be on this stage tonight without him: my high school glee club coach Mr. Will Schuester. Mr. Schue, you always taught to my strengths and not my weaknesses. Even when I was at my lowest you cheered me on. You taught me one of the greatest lessons that any teacher could, and there are so many great teachers out there. And that is that being part of something special does not make you special. It's special because you were a part of it. Mr. Schue, I love you so much." Rachel was really struggling not to cry at this point.
"And to all the boys and girls at home watching tonight I wanted to let you know: dreams really do come true. Thank you."
Rachel shut the iPad as Finn walked out of the bathroom.
"What were you watching?" He asked.
Rachel turned around on the couch to look at Finn, who was standing there with a bad case of bed head.
"Oh, I was just watching my Tonys speech again."
"What is that? Like the fiftieth time?" He quipped.
She looked down and chuckled before turning her head back up to look at Finn.
"I mean, you were there. How many times do you have to watch it?"
"Until it stops feeling like a crazy dream and starts feeling real."
Finn sat down on the couch next to Rachel and held her hands. "This is real. You are a Tony winner." Rachel smiled.
"There was never a moment last night when I thought you would lose. I knew that Tony was yours. None of the other women up there were even half as talented as you are." Rachel began to blush. "I'm glad the world has finally recognized the incredibly gifted star that is Rachel Berry." Rachel couldn't help but hug Finn in that moment, although part of her wanted to kiss him.
"Thanks, Finn. You always know the right thing to say." Finn hugged her tighter, relishing the moment before it soon ended.
Before Finn could respond, Rachel's phone buzzed. She picked it up.
"Oh, it's a text from Jesse." She then read it out loud. "Everyone is talking about you. They want to know what you're doing next. Big things are headed your way."
Finn's expression suddenly changed. He crossed his arms, his brow furrowing before he began to speak.
"You know, I'm glad you invited me and all but did Jesse really need to be there?" He seemed annoyed.
"Come on Finn, he was my director in the musical. Of course he was going to be there."
It looked like a vein was about to pop out of Finn's head.
"I can't look at the guy without wanting to punch him in the face. You're lucky I held back last night."
"Oh, so that's what you call what happened." Rachel clearly wasn't buying what he was saying.
Finn went slack-jawed. He had almost forgotten what happened or maybe he just wanted to forget it. It was not his proudest moment.
"Uh, well…."
The scene then cuts to a flashback of the night before.
Jesse, Finn, and Rachel are sitting at a table in an upscale Manhattan restaurant, probably some place that has a menu you can barely pronounce. Rachel was sitting in between Jesse and Finn. Finn was glaring at Jesse, clearly uncomfortable that he insisted on joining them for dinner.
"So, Finn, I heard you're a teacher now." Jesse said, a smirk on his face. "That's nice." For some reason the words hit Finn like barbs. Jesse was some hot shot Broadway director now, was he trying to make fun of Finn because he was never as talented as him?
Finn became increasingly agitated. Then he started lunging at Jesse across the table.
"Let me at him! Let me at him!" He shouted aggressively as he started throwing fists. Rachel began screaming and had to hold Finn back before some waiting staff rushed over to break things up.
The scene then cuts back to Rachel and Finn in her apartment.
"Ok, well, he was clearly being condescending about me being a teacher." Finn's voice wavered, he clearly didn't entirely believe what he was saying.
"Look, Finn, I know you don't like him. But he's really not a bad guy. I don't know why you can't give him another chance."
"Because he's a jerk. I'm sorry, I just don't like the guy and I never have." Finn wasn't convinced Jesse really was a good guy.
He had led Rachel on and toyed with her emotions when he joined the New Directions because he was on a mission from Shelby. Then promptly betrayed Rachel and everyone else by going back to Vocal Adrenaline. Not to mention egging Rachel and teepeeing the choir room. Then he came back a year later and was a dick to everyone in the glee club except Rachel. Follow that up with coaching Vocal Adrenaline, their arch-nemeses, and being against Unique performing as herself on stage even though Kurt told him she killed that number. He's glad the last time he had seen him before now was during Nationals in senior year. He had been holding back even then.
Jesse only seemed to care about Rachel's talent, never caring about how she felt the way Finn did. He didn't understand why she ever felt attracted to him, other than him being as musically gifted as her.
Rachel thought it wouldn't be the best time to tell him about her and Jesse then. That was a conversation for later. Finn then uncrossed his arms.
"Anyway, I don't want to talk about him anymore. What I want to talk about is us." Rachel's interest was instantly peaked.
"Us? What about us?" She asked in a confused tone. She wanted to know where this was going.
"Well, I thought last night was nice." Finn and Rachel had slept together. No, not in the sexual sense. They had just slept in the same bed and cuddled all night long. Still, Finn felt that deep connection he had always felt with Rachel. The one that kept him from being able to commit to a serious relationship with any other woman.
"I was thinking…" He began. However, before Finn could finish his sentence there was a knock at the door.
Finn and Rachel turned their heads as the knocking continued. "I'm coming!" Rachel shouted as she quickly darted off the sofa and went to the door. As she opened it none other than Mercedes Jones was standing there in a black leather jacket and boots.
"Heeeeey, girl!" Mercedes uttered, a big grin on her face. "I had to come over here myself first thing to congratulate you on your big win." She came in and hugged Rachel. Rachel hugged her right back.
"Next I expect you to win a Grammy with that amazing voice of yours, that is if I don't beat you to the punch first." Mercedes and Rachel both laughed as Rachel shut the door. "I'm telling you, girl, one day you're going to achieve EGOT status. I would bet a lot of money on that." Then Mercedes saw Finn standing there awkwardly behind Rachel as he was twiddling his fingers while they spoke.
"Now why am I not surprised to see you here?" Mercedes practically shouted, a frown on her face. She seemed annoyed to see him. Finn was caught off guard and clearly looked confused. What had he done to piss her off? Then her frown melted into a smile.
"Aw, I'm just messing with you. Come here." Mercedes gestured to Finn to come her way, so he walked over and they hugged.
"I'm glad to see you. I also think it's time I also congratulated you on winning show choir Nationals." Mercedes was beaming, happy to see two of her friends living their dreams.
"Thanks, Mercedes. I couldn't have done it without your help." Finn said softly.
"Well, aren't you Mr. Humble. Don't sell yourself short, Finn. I saw what you were doing in that choir room. Those kids couldn't have done it without you as their fearless leader. I was just there to back you up." They both smiled at each other.
Then there was another knock at the door. Well, who could that be now? Rachel walked over and opened the door. It was Kurt and Blaine holding a gorgeous bouquet of flowers.
"Hey Rachel!" Kurt and Blaine said in unison. They gave each other an awkward look before turning back to her.
"Congratulations on winning a Tony! These are for you." Kurt said as he handed the flowers to Rachel.
"Oh my god, these are so beautiful! Thanks you two." Rachel replied with a little smile on her face.
"Yeah, Kurt and I were just in the neighborhood and we saw these sitting out on a flower stand, so we just knew we had to get them for you." Blaine butted in.
"Awwww, thank you so much!" Rachel hugged Kurt and Blaine as they walked into the apartment, shutting the door behind them. Kurt then saw Mercedes, who was now sitting at the kitchen table.
"Mercedes!" Kurt looked a bit surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"The same thing as you, looks like great minds think alike."
"Or great friends." Blaine chimed in.
"Yeah, that." Mercedes said, holding back a chuckle. Kurt then turned his head and noticed Finn standing there in front of Rachel's sofa.
"Finn!" Kurt bellowed. "I didn't expect you to be here!" He ran over to hug his stepbrother.
"It's nice to see you too, little bro." Finn said as he and Kurt hugged.
"I thought you would have been staying in a hotel or something." Kurt was talking fast, excited to see Finn again.
"Well, Rachel offered to let me stay here if I came as her guest to the Tonys. How could I say no to that?" Kurt knew Finn had got him there.
Just then there was another knock at the door. Rachel thought this was starting to get a bit absurd as she rushed over to let the next uninvited guest in.
"Look who has arrived to congratulate Rachel Berry on her Tony triumph." Santana announced as she waltzed into the apartment, pushing past Rachel. Then she looked around with a mixture of shock and confusion as she saw the apartment was already pretty crowded.
"Hold up, what did I miss? Did all of you decide to throw a high school reunion without me?" Santana spat out, clearly irritated that she was not the only one there.
"No, it looks like we all came here to congratulate Rachel on her Tony." Kurt responded.
"Do none of you have jobs? Or lives? Or anything more important to do than travel all the way across New York to Rachel Berry's apartment on a Monday morning?"
"I could say that right back at you, sister." Mercedes shot back. Her and Santana glared at each other for a few seconds before Rachel interrupted them.
"Look, do none of you know how to use a phone? I haven't even been able to change or wash my hair." Rachel said, still dressed in her pajamas. She pulled nervously at her hair. "I wish I had known all of you were coming so I could have made myself more presentable."
"Nobody cares, Unibrow. It's not like I haven't see you looking like a half-decomposed zombie that stumbled out of bed before." Rachel's mouth fell open, she looked at least mildly offended. Santana could not help herself when it came to hurling insults.
Just then she saw Finn. "And I see Lumps the Clown is here as well. Hi, Lumps!" She gave Finn a little wave.
"Hey, Santana." Finn responded dryly, not sounding that enthusiastic.
"What, are you not happy to see me?" Santana threw her arms up.
"I just wished you would stop making fun of my weight. I mean, I'm in great shape so it doesn't even make any sense."
"And where would the fun in that be? Don't take it too personally, Lumps, this is how Auntie Snixx shows her love." Santana said with a smirk.
Just then there was yet another knock at the door.
"Ok, now this is getting ridiculous." Santana said. "I wouldn't be surprised if Santa Claus waddled in with his gay little elves, ready to put on a nauseating performance of Jingle Bell Rock that nobody asked for." None of her friends questioned the fact that it was June and nowhere close to Christmas.
Rachel gripped the doorknob and swung the door open.
"Hi Rachel!" Tina said. Artie was sitting in his wheelchair right next to her waving at Rachel. "We just came here to congratu-" Tina paused as she noticed everyone else in the apartment staring at her and Artie.
"Wait, when did everyone else get here?" Tina appeared absolutely stunned to see all her other friends there already.
"I think the more important question Lucy Liu is why you and Artie showed up together? Are you, like, an item now?" Santana asked, sensing there was something more going on here. Her Mexican third eye never lied.
"Well, you see…" Artie looked a bit nervous as he struggled to complete the sentence.
"Artie and I just happened to be on the same train because we take the same line to go uptown." Tina blurted out, saving Artie from trying to explain what happened. "So that's why we came together."
"Oh that's cute, I'm sure everyone here is buying that." Santana responded sarcastically, looking around at everyone else in the room.
Tina and Artie glanced at each other anxiously. Was she really on to them? Was it that obvious? As everyone continued to fixate on them, waiting for an explanation, Tina couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Fine, Artie and I are in a relationship." She finally admitted. Artie looked at Tina, mouth a gape, clearly feeling betrayed at this moment.
"Tina, this is not how we agreed to tell everyone!" He scolded her.
"Look, Artie, they were going to figure it out anyway." Tina shot back. "Better to do it now than having to keep coming up with crappy lies."
Finn, sensing the tension building up in the room, stepped forward to interrupt the little spat that was going on. "It's nice to see you all here. I think it would be great if we all went to brunch together and caught up. How does that sound?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"That sounds like a great idea, Finn." Mercedes said. "Just let me call my producer real fast so I can reschedule a meeting." She then picked up her phone and walked out of the apartment.
"Fine, I guess I have time for that." Santana said unenthusiastically. She then went over and opened Rachel's fridge, pulling out a yogurt cup and peeling off the lid. "Where do you keep your spoons?"
Rachel sighed. Of course Santana would just raid her fridge without asking.
"It's the drawer next to the sink." She replied as she pointed in that general direction.
Santana gave her a little smirk as she turned around and sauntered over to get the spoon.
Finn and Rachel gave each other an exhausted look, this was going to be a long day for sure.
Finn was standing at the foot of Rachel's bed putting clothes into his suitcase. He had used one of his vacation days so he didn't have to take a late night flight back to Ohio right after the Tonys ceremony. However, now it was time for him to head back to Lima as the school year was starting to wrap up and he needed to debrief the New Directions after their Nationals victory. Just then, Rachel walked in and lingered in the doorway.
"Hey, Finn, can you talk?" Rachel said as she leaned up against the door frame.
"Yeah, of course." He answered, putting the last few pieces of clothes in his suitcase before zipping it up.
"There was something you were trying to tell me before Mercedes and everyone else showed up. It seemed very important."
"Oh yeah, that. I think we should sit down for this conversation." Ok, Rachel definitely knew something was up.
They both strolled into Rachel's living room, Finn putting his suitcase and a backpack he had brought down by the end table, and plopped themselves down on the couch.
"Do you remember what I told you when I drove you to the train station and let you go to New York on your own right after graduation?"
"How could I forget?" Rachel said sullenly, a sad look in her eyes. That was one of the worst moments of her life. Part of her was still mad at Finn for forcing her to leave without him. She knew he did it because he loved her and didn't want to hold her back from her dreams but it still hurt to this day.
Finn saw her expression change. He could sense it was still a painful memory despite all the years that had passed since then.
"I'm sorry about that, I really am. I just couldn't let you put your future on hold for me while I had things I needed to sort out."
"I understand, I just wish you had done it in a way that hurt less." She looked down briefly, reliving the pain in her head for a second.
"I know, I know. But that's water under the bridge, now, right?"
"Yeah, I suppose it is."
"Anyway, remember what I told you? That we needed to let the universe do its thing and if we were meant to be together then we would?" Rachel nodded.
"Well, look at us now: you, a Tony award winning Broadway actress and me, a national champion show choir director. All of this has happened in such a short span of time. It almost feels like the universe is sending us a sign." He said enthusiastically.
"It does?"
"Yeah, at least for me it does." Finn was being very sincere. He truly believed the stars were beginning to align for them. "Do you think that, maybe, now is the moment we're meant to get back together?"
That question hung in the air for a few seconds as Finn patiently waited for Rachel to respond.
"I mean, I haven't given it much thought." That was only a half-truth. She did think about it last night when her and Finn were being driven home but hadn't thought about it again since then.
"Ok, well I have. Every moment since you won that Tony I've been wondering 'is now the time for us?' I can't get it out of my head." Finn pointed to his temple.
"Everything is working out for both of us except this one thing. We almost have it all and we can have it all." Finn was confident they could get back together, that everything would work out.
"But can we, though?" Rachel was skeptical if it was possible, even though she wanted it to be.
"What do you mean?" Finn looked genuinely confused.
"Do I have to spell it out for you? I live in New York and you live in Lima. It would be hard to get back together if we're not in the same city."
"I know that, but there's a way we can make it work. I know there is. I love you just as much as when we broke up, maybe even more now. Nothing's going to stop me from finding a way to be with you." Rachel appreciated Finn's determination and optimism, she just wished she could feel the same way.
"I can't leave Broadway, Finn. This is my dream. This is my life now."
"I'm not saying you have to." He argued.
"So what, then? We're supposed to try long-distance?"
"I don't know, maybe?" Finn didn't sound very sure.
"We've already been doing that! It's been wonderful knowing I can talk to you whenever I need to. That we text each other all the time. But it's just not the same as going out for dinner or staying up all night watching movies together like we used to." Rachel was happy they hadn't lost touch over the years and had remained close friends but being friends was different than being in a serious relationship.
"Then we can find a way!" Finn insisted, gripping her hands. He wasn't going to give up on this.
"What way, Finn? You leaving Lima to come live here with me?" Rachel had hit on something. She could see the wheels churning in Finn's head as he thought about it.
"No, I can't." He shook his head and looked down.
"Why not?"
"I can't leave my kids. They still need me."
"Finn, they're National victors now! You've taught them all you need to. There are plenty of kids here in New York who need someone like you to get them on the right path. To show them the joy of music and the arts." Rachel was making a good point, but Finn felt bad about abandoning the New Directions after one season. It didn't feel right.
"No, I just can't do it." Finn shook his head again. It didn't feel like the right time to think about leaving Lima, not yet at least. Rachel was getting flustered. She let go of his hands and pushed them away, then got up from the couch.
"Why is it that I'm the one more willing to make sacrifices than you to make our relationship work?" She snapped at him.
"What is that supposed to mean?" He responded angrily.
"I was going to hold off on my future for a year so we could be together in New York while I was at NYADA. You're the one who decided to let me go against my will so I could achieve my Broadway dreams alone." She reminded him.
"But that's not the same as this." Finn asserted. Rachel didn't know if Finn was trying to convince her or himself.
"Isn't it? What's any different about this? I always thought Broadway was my true love until you came along. I was ready to choose you over that back then. Why aren't you ready to pick me over the glee club after you've achieved everything you've set out to do? What's holding you back now?" That was a good question. Finn had a difficult time putting into words how he felt.
He loved Rachel but he also cared deeply about his students. He was deeply conflicted over what the right thing to do was. Is this how Mr. Schue had felt when he was deciding whether to stick with the glee club or become an accountant to support his family all those years ago? What was he supposed to do? He didn't have a lot of time to think as Rachel continued.
"Do you not love me enough to choose being with me over those kids of yours?" Now that question struck deep into Finn's heart.
"I...well…uh…" Finn was struggling to find the right words. He didn't even know what the answer to that question was. He did know, though, that it felt unfair of her to make him choose between her or the New Directions at a moment's notice.
Rachel was growing impatient with his nonresponse. It hurt that he didn't say right away that he did. That he loved her so much he would do anything to be with her. She couldn't stand the silence any longer.
"At least Jesse is here in New York, unlike you!" Rachel shouted. Finn looked flabbergasted at that last statement. Rachel realized the mistake she had made almost immediately as she saw the confusion on his face. Finn immediately bolted up from the sofa.
"What does Jesse have to do with this?" Finn's face bunched up in fury, pointing his finger at her. He was clearly triggered by the comparison to Jesse. Rachel knew she had stepped in it now. Unfortunately, she had no choice but to come clean.
"I was looking for a better time to tell you this, but I might as well do it now." Rachel turned around and wandered a short distance, collecting her thoughts and thinking about what to say. She then spun back around to face Finn.
"Jesse and I got back together for a bit while we were working together. But it didn't work out. It was unprofessional and, quite honestly, I couldn't stop thinking about you the whole time."
"You what? You were together? And you didn't think to tell me at all?" Finn was yelling at this point, deeply hurt that Rachel didn't divulge this information to him sooner. "You know, it's even worse because you told me you weren't even seeing anyone. Why…why would you lie to me?"
"I didn't want to tell you because I knew you would be mad. I know you've never liked Jesse, but I'm telling you he's really not that bad." By the look on Finn's face she knew he wasn't persuaded.
"I…I just can't believe you didn't tell me and then lied about it. I thought we were past keeping secrets like this from each other? Do you not trust me after all this time? After all we've been through?" Finn's face was starting to turn red at this point, the anger boiling up.
"I guess not." Rachel didn't know what to say. She was afraid of hurting him because she knew how jealous he got whenever she was with someone else, even when they weren't together.
"You didn't think I'd changed at all? You still see me as that insecure, jealous guy from high school, right? Didn't think I could handle you telling me you're with another guy?" Finn was almost shouting at her. Rachel was speechless. She couldn't say a word because he was right. To Finn, her silence was the only answer he needed.
"I see." He said, the disappointment all over his face. "And here I thought both of us had changed since high school, but maybe that's not the case. Maybe we aren't meant to be together after all." Rachel felt her heart sink, the words stun deep in her soul. "I think I should go. I need time to process all of this." Finn picked up his suitcase, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and opened the door to Rachel's apartment.
"I'm sorry, Finn!" Rachel pleaded as he walked away. Finn turned his head back to look at her in silence, his face a mixture of anger and remorse, then turned back to the open doorway. He stormed out and slammed the door shut behind him.
Rachel walked over to the door, banged on it feebly, then kicked it. She turned around and leaned up against the door. Tears welled up in her eyes as she began to sob. This is not how she wanted today to end. Her heart was aching, was this really it? Were her and Finn really never meant to get back together?
{Melancholic strings begin to play the melody of 'Apologize' by OneRepublic. The music starts to pick up as drums and then a piano join in.}
{Rachel Berry is slowly walking up to the window of her apartment before stopping in front of it. She looks out at the night sky with a sorrowful look in her eyes. Then we see Finn boarding his plane, walking down the aisle and putting his backpack away in the overheard compartment before sitting down in a window seat. He sighs and puts his head down in his hands as the weight of what happened starts to sink in. The scene returns to Rachel as we watch her through the window, the intro coming to an end.}
[Rachel]
I'm holding on your rope
Got me ten feet off the ground
{Finn looks out the window of his crowded flight, gazing longingly at the dark clouds.}
[Finn]
I'm hearing what you say
But I just can't make a sound
Oh, oh
{Rachel is now sitting at her kitchen table, a glass of red wine in her hand. She takes a sip before she begins to sing.}
[Rachel]
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down
But wai-ai-ait
{Finn is walking along the hallway exiting his flight.}
[Finn]
You tell me that you're sorry
Didn't think I'd turn around
{Finn exits the hallway into the airport gate, the scene closes in on his face.}
And say-ay-ay
{Scene is a split screen of Rachel and Finn. Rachel is slowly walking through a crowded Manhattan street during the day, arms crossed. Meanwhile, Finn is slowly trudging through a bustling hallway at McKinley, hands in his pockets, as students rush past him to class. Everyone else is moving much faster relative to Finn and Rachel.}
[Rachel and Finn]
That it's too late to apologize
{Rachel's scene now takes up the entire field of view.}
[Rachel]
It's too late
{The split screen returns once again.}
[Rachel and Finn]
I said it's too late to apologize
{Finn's scene now takes up the entire field of view.}
[Finn]
It's too late
{The split screen returns for one final time this chorus, each scene now focused on Rachel and Finn's faces as they continue singing.}
[Rachel and Finn]
Too late
{Interlude plays. We see Finn walking into an empty choir room, sighing and looking dejected. Afterward, we see Rachel leisurely strolling through Central Park, hands in her pockets, struggling to smile through the pain as tears fall down her cheeks.}
[Rachel]
Oh-oo-oh
Oooo
{Finn is sitting on a chair in the choir room, scrolling through pictures of Rachel on his phone, chuckling as he struggles to hold back tears.}
[Finn]
I'd take another chance
Take a fall
Take a shot, for you
Oh, oh
{Rachel is walking along the bridge in Central Park where she met with Finn for their date during Nationals at the end of season two, her face red and puffy from crying.}
[Rachel]
I need you like a heart needs a beat
But it's nothing new
{Rachel stops and leans forward onto the railing on the side of the bridge.}
Yeah, yeah
{Split screen returns with Finn in the choir room and Rachel on the bridge.}
[Rachel and Finn]
I loved you with a fire red
Now it's turning blue
And you say-ay
{Rachel is now leaning back on the railing of the bridge as her scene takes over.}
[Rachel]
Sorry like the angel
{Back to Finn, who is now getting up from his seat and walking out of the choir room.}
[Finn]
Heaven let me think was you
{Split screen returns, this time with close-ups of their faces.}
[Rachel and Finn]
But I'm afraid
{Rachel is sitting on the side of the Bethesda Fountain in the middle of Central Park.}
[Rachel]
It's too late to apologize
{Split screen once again, Rachel sitting on the fountain and Finn sitting on the steps in McKinley High's courtyard. They are both all alone with not a soul around.}
[Rachel and Finn]
It's too late
{Finn's scene takes over.}
[Finn]
I said it's too late to apologize
{Split screen returns for its triumphant finale.}
[Rachel and Finn]
It's too late
{We then see the scenes transition to close-ups of their faces.}
Woah, woah
{A brief guitar solo plays but it's shorter than in the original song. As this is going on we are looking down on Rachel in her bed wearing pajamas, staring up at the ceiling with a forlorn expression, as the scene slowly pans downward. Then it cuts to Finn in his bed doing the same thing, looking equally depressed, as the scene pans upward.}
{The music reaches a crescendo. Lights fade in as we see Finn and Rachel are now standing on the stage in the McKinley high auditorium about fifteen feet apart from each other. They are both wearing black. Finn is wearing a black button-up shirt, tie, pants, and dress shoes. Rachel is wearing a black sweater and skirt with leggings and boots.}
[Rachel and Finn]
It's too late to apologize
{We see a younger Finn kneeling down to kiss Rachel, their first kiss, from episode two.}
It's too late
{Scene cuts back to Rachel and Finn on the auditorium stage, singing together.}
I said it's too late to apologize
{Finn is now kneeling on one knee holding a black box with a ring in it, Rachel standing there in shock. It's clear this is his proposal to Rachel halfway through season three.}
It's too late
{We then see a close-up of Rachel's face.}
[Rachel]
I said it's too late to apologi-i-ize
{We then see Rachel kissing Finn on the auditorium stage before walking away, Finn looking back at her with a heartbroken expression on his face. A flashback to when they broke up at the start of season four.}
Yeah-eah
{Now it's time for Finn's close up as he takes over from Rachel.}
[Finn]
I said it's too late to apologi-i-ize
{The last scene is a more recent one of Finn and Rachel embracing each other's backs and laughing as they watch the New Directions put on a performance they had worked on together on the auditorium stage.}
Yeah-eah
{Scene begins to slowly zoom out from the above stage as Rachel and Finn sing the final lines.}
[Rachel and Finn]
I'm holding on your rope
Got me ten feet o-o-o-ff
The ground
{The lights shut off as the music fades. The stage is engulfed in darkness, the dim outlines of Finn and Rachel still visible as the world fades to black.}