Quinn can't believe that of all the places in the continental United States, they are in Texas. But, here they are, at a rest stop off of I-10, trying to figure out why the dashboard keeps flashing "door ajar." Rachel isn't of any help, simply giggling from the passenger seat, as she has been for the past 45 minutes about how no, the door is not a jar. "Baby, please shut up. If I don't figure this out, we aren't going to make it to Austin, you won't make it to the festival, you won't perform, and no one will buy your album."
Rachel sobers quickly, immediately hopping from the car, shutting and reshutting each door, including the back hatch and even the sunroof. The two of them climb back in the car, and Rachel whimpers what sounds like, "my Grammy." As soon as Quinn started the car, the incessant dinging resumed. "Quiiiiiiiiiiiiinn! We're using the windows from now on. We're living an action movie lifestyle as soon as we figure this out."
Quinn sighs, leaning over the console to reach into the glove compartment. She flips through a few pages, silently wondering why Rachel thought a roadtrip was a good way to get to a show. We could have just rented a car and taken the scenic route home. Although, she's not particularly fond of that idea, either, considering they drove through fucking Juarez, of all places. How they aren't dead is beyond her. Finally, a little blurb of text catches her eye. She steps from the car, waltzing around to the rear hatch, pulling from just above the license plate, and the rear windshield pops open like a mini hatch. She slams it shut and climbs back into the car. The two of them hold their breath as the engine turns over. After a few moments, the girls yell out in triumph.
"Yes!" Rachel leans over, giving her wife a victory kiss. "Now, speaking of my album…" She reaches into the bag at her feet, pulling out a cd case. "I got the advance copy!"
"Rach! You couldn't have pulled that out already? We've been driving for almost two days!"
Rachel beams at how excited her wife is. "I haven't had it the whole time; my agent had it waiting when we got to Tucson." She pulls the disc out and holds it to the mouth of the player, settling back into her seat once it swallows her greatest work. She spent almost eighteen months on that thing and damn if it isn't her pride and joy.
They coast along the highway, getting closer and closer to their destination. As the last song is ending, there are tears in Quinn's eyes. "Rachel, honey, sweetheart, that was so incredible. I'm so proud of you. I knew the day I married you that I could never stop falling in love with you."
Rachel's eyes well up, matching her wife's. "That means so much to me, Quinn, that you like it so much. I know I love you more every minute. I would so kiss you right now if I weren't afraid we'd run everyone off the road." She reaches over, grabbing Quinn's right hand from the wheel, tenderly kissing each knuckle.
Quinn smiles at Rachel, lighting up the whole car, as well as Rachel's heart. "Start it over! I wanna hear it again."
"Just wait a second."
Quinn cocks an eyebrow at her wife, and then, applause fills the car. "Honey, you put applause at the end of your own album?" Quinn looks absolutely incredulous, until she hears the fumbling thumps of a microphone, then a lone violin, and the applause dies down. "I thought there were just thirteen tracks?"
"Quinn, you know I'd never. Broadway superstitions run deep, and thirteen is not my lucky number. Fourteen is though. You know why?"
Quinn rolls her eyes good-naturedly. "Of course I do baby. February 14, 2014, the day I asked you to be my girlfriend. February 14, 2018, the day we got married. I'll never forget. Now shush, I wanna listen." As soon as they stop talking, the orchestra starts up. One of the most recognizable songs in American history, but it means so much more to Quinn in this moment than it ever has, barring one very specific night. "Rach, I… how?"
Rachel smiles at the tears now streaming down Quinn's face. "I had the sound guys rip it from our wedding video." It was the song she sang to Quinn at their reception, when everyone but their closest friends and family had gone. "It's just on this copy, everyone else gets a live version of the single. This one's still for us only." I just wanted something special for us to share. Everything's happening, Quinn. Everything we dreamed of. You're novel's a best seller, the screenplay just got picked up, I'm going on tour, my movie is coming out thins month. We made it baby, and I just wanted to commemorate our present with something special from our past."
Quinn whips into the nearest exit, cutting off two lanes of traffic and pulling into a gas station, all in a matter of seconds. As soon as she throws the car in park she's scrambling into Rachel's lap, pulling her into a loving embrace and a deeply passionate kiss. When they finally break apart, Rachel's crying too. She stares up into Quinn's eyes, feeling nothing but joy and love radiating from the both of them, and she sings along with the last few lines,
"And here we are in heaven
for you are mine...
At Last."
