The Graduate

"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart," Rosemarie said to her daughter with a smile.

Peggy gave her mother a small, weak smile. "Thanks, Mom," she smiled, "I just wish Buckaroo could've been here."

Rosemarie nodded a bit. "I know, dear."

"I mean, I know this research opportunity is once in a lifetime, especially for his scientific aspirations, and I couldn't be more proud of him, but I just wish he would've been able to come."

Peggy's boyfriend of four years now- Buckaroo Banzai- was one year older than her. He had graduated with a doctorate from Merton College the previous year, just like he'd planned; she still attended the college to graduate the year after him. A few months before his girlfriend's graduation, he'd gotten a once in a lifetime chance to study with some of the world's top scientists in a lab in the Netherlands. It was an opportunity he couldn't pass up if he wanted to advance in his science career, but he'd considered turning down the opportunity just so he could be there when she graduated. He only ended up going because she reminded him of the importance of the study and its research, and how it would open so many doors for what he wanted to do in the scientific field; she'd practically made him go.

"You know he wanted to see you graduate," Rosemarie commented, "But you told him he had to go."

Peggy glanced down at the ground sadly. "I couldn't not let him go," she answered with a sigh, "I'd ruin his life if I did that."

"But you've only made it better," Professor Hikita said with a small smile as he walked up to the two women.

Professor Tohichi Hikita, the man who had saved Buckaroo Banzai's life and had practically raised him as well. Ever since 1955, when the young scientist's parents were killed in that explosion, the professor had taken over as the young boy's legal guardian. He was the young scientist's father figure and mentor, and had always been there for him and everything involved in his life- which included being there for the young man's girlfriend, Peggy, on her college graduation day.

Peggy turned to face the older professor. "Hi, Professor Hikita," she smiled and went to hug the man, "I didn't know you were coming today."

Professor Hikita hugged the young woman back. "Of course I would come," he said with a smiled, "You're like the daughter I never had. And it's true what I said about how you've made his life better."

The young graduate shrugged a bit. "I don't know. And even if you are right, I didn't want to change that and ruin his scientific career."

Rosemarie gave a sad look. "You wouldn't have ruined his career," she said, "He's already started work on that institute in New Jersey for research."

"Well, that's part of the reason I said he should go in the first place. He might meet scientists that he could recruit for the institute, and he could learn even more to help with his own research."

Before the three could say anything, there was an announcement for all the graduates to line up, and for all the guests to find their seats. The three bid goodbye to each other as the two older adults walked away and toward their seats in the stands while the young graduate walked toward the line of graduates. She stepped in line between two other people she was graduating with whose last names also began with the letters "Si", like her own.

Peggy felt her heart begin to pound in her chest as the iconic graduation song began to play. Was she a bit nervous about the ceremony? Of course she was, this was graduation for earning her doctorate degree. Working and earning a doctorate is not an easy task, especially in science. Working for a doctorate is a challenging task in general, and not everyone you run into on the street could say that they earned their doctorate- not to mention through a full scholarship to an overseas college- so it was definitely something to be proud of. But she'd be lying if she said that she didn't want her boyfriend to be in the stands and there with her while it happened.

Peggy was the one who convinced Buckaroo to go to the lab in the Netherlands. Was it a hard thing for her to agree to? Of course it was. The research experiment was supposed to take a period of six months, and so far, it had only been five. That meant that she was graduating during the beginning of the six month of research. Because of this, he had considered turning down his chance just to see her graduate. While she was so thankful to have a boyfriend that cared about her enough to skip such an opportunity, she couldn't and wouldn't let him do that. She said that it was fine for him to go and miss the ceremony and for him to go to the Dutch lab, since it was most likely his only chance to do research in that lab with so many great scientists. Everyone she'd explained this to her had only slightly understood her logic, but they just shrugged and said that it was her love life, and that's what she got for falling in love with a fellow scientist.

Peggy sat with her legs crossed as the Dean of the college gave his congratulatory speech. She looked over to the crowd, trying to locate where her parents and Professor Hikita were sitting in the stands. She scanned the whole area that they'd told her they would be sitting in and stopped when she located the three. She saw her mother with her camera, and the young woman couldn't help but smile at the familiar scene. Her father sat next to her mother, a proud smile and look embodying his facial features. Professor Hikita was at the other side of her mother, an equally proud smile on his face.

"Margaret Simpson," the Dean called as the person in front of her walked back to their seat. The audience applauded her as she took a deep breath and walked up the steps of the small stage. She walked across to the Dean, who handed her the diploma she'd worked so hard for. "Congratulations, Peggy," he whispered with a smile, and she couldn't help but smile back at the middle aged man.

After the ceremony was over, Peggy met up with her parents and Professor Hikita. They all congratulated her and hugged her, her mother taking as many pictures as she possibly could.

"We have a surprise for you," Professor Hikita said with a smile once they'd all calmed down a bit.

Before Peggy could question that three of them, a person walking through the crowd caught her eye. She smiled when she realized that the tall, slender man who carried a bouquet of red roses in his hand was her boyfriend. She ran over to him and hugged him, burying her head in his chest. He quickly wrapped his arms around her smaller frame, holding her tight against his torso as if he hadn't seen her in years rather than a few months. As he held her close to him, he planted a soft kiss on her left temple, then nestled his own head into the crook of her neck.

Buckaroo's experimental work in the lab in the Netherlands had finished a month earlier than any of them had planned. He had got on a place two days previous and took it to England, and got to England the previous day. He slept for a good twelve hours when he reached the country, since he didn't really get an ounce of sleep on the plane ride to the country. Then, during the ceremony, he'd snuck in without his girlfriend noticing, and he'd sat himself in the seat behind Rosemarie Simpson and Professor Hikita so she wouldn't see him quite yet and he could surprise her- and he saw it had worked like a charm.

"What're you doing here?" Peggy asked him eagerly, her voice slightly muffled, "I thought you were going to be in the Netherlands for another month before you came back?"

Buckaroo shook his head and smiled at her as he looked at her. "We finished early," he answered, his smile still in place and he ran his hand through her blonde hair.

"Have you been here the whole ceremony?"

"Right behind your mother and the professor. And you know what, Peggy?"

"What?"

His smile grew slightly. "I couldn't be prouder of you."

Peggy smiled again and she stood up on her tip toes and planted a soft kiss on his lips, and Buckaroo didn't hesitate to kiss her back. The two pulled away, and held each other tighter for dear life.