Chapter 7 Graduation

Rachel was now 12 weeks pregnant and today was her and Finn's next doctor's appointment. They were hoping they could find out the sex of the baby soon but as it was still early they would wait until Dr. Michaels asked them about it.

Rachel laid on the examination table, Finn next to her as Dr. Michaels did the ultrasound.

"You are progressing very nicely Rachel," said Dr. Michaels. "Your baby is looking healthy. However, I am changing your due date from November 14th to October 31st. I miscalculated the first time based on your conception but according to the baby's measurements you are actually fourteen weeks pregnant."

"That would explain why she was showing super early," said Finn, smiling at Rachel.

"I may be able to determine the sex of the baby as, well hello there," said Dr. Michaels.

"What?" asked Rachel a bit concerned.

"Rachel, Finn, somehow we also missed that you two are going to have twins."

"What?!" they cried.

"You're joking," said Rachel.

"Nope, here's the first baby, and there's baby number two," said Dr. Michaels, moving the ultrasound wand over to the left to reveal the second baby. "She must have been hiding."

"She? It's a girl?" asked Rachel.

"They both are," said Dr. Michaels with a smile. "They're fraternal, but you are going to have two girls. They may be mirror twins."

"Oh Finn, two girls," whispered Rachel as she looked up at Finn. He grinned and kissed her and he let out a "Whoop!"

After Dr. Michaels printed out more pictures for them of both babies and cleaned off Rachel, Finn kissed Rachel again.

"I love you so much," said Finn. "Two babies." There was a brief pause. "Oh god, two babies in New York."

"Finn, it's okay, we'll manage," said Rachel, taking his hand.

Later that night, Carole and Burt cried when Rachel and Finn showed them the latest ultrasound. On the way home, Rachel and Finn had stopped at Walmart and bought a pink picture frame. Rachel then hot-glued the word "Our Granddaughters" to the frame in white wooden lettering.

"Two babies?" cried Carole. "Oh Rachel, Finn, they are beautiful."

"Oh my gosh, I have to start getting ideas for outfits," said Kurt excitedly. "My nieces are going to be the best dressed infants in New York!"

"Hey, right now you guys have one thing to worry about this week and it's Graduation," said Burt.

"Puck's geography exam is tomorrow," said Rachel. "Hopefully Quinn is having better luck with him studying."


Well Rachel was sort of right when it came to Quinn and Puck studying. Puck was getting frustrated. His brain was going a million miles an hour and he couldn't concentrate. Luckily, Quinn had a solution.

"Let's take a break," said Quinn. "You need a good old recharge. Where is the man I fell in love with?"

"I'm just so blanked out," mumbled Puck. "Quinn, you shouldn't love me, I'm a Lima Loser."

"You are not a loser," said Quinn, taking Puck's face in her hands and forcing him to look her in the eyes. "I. Love. You. That should be enough. Come with me to New Haven. I bet you can clean a lot of pools there."

"Not in the winter," muttered Puck.

"No, but I bet you could still clean indoor ones at say, hotels and universities," grinned Quinn. She leaned forwards and kissed him gently.

"I love you," whispered Quinn as she pulled a box of condoms out from her nightstand. "I want to be yours forever, Puck. You know this stuff. You got this. You always have me. Make love to me."

Puck pulled Quinn into a passionate kiss and soon clothing was shed. Lips collided as skin-to-skin contact was made between the two for the first time in two years. Quinn moaned as Puck grinded against her, his erection throbbing as he gently rocked inside her.

"Puck, god, don't stop," moaned Quinn. "Oh god, harder..."

"Oh god, I'm gonna come," moaned Puck. "Oh...oh wow..." Puck gently rolled onto the bed, causing Quinn to roll over towards him.

"Wow, that was..."

"Better than our first time?" asked Quinn with a smile.

"Yeah," whispered Puck, kissing her gently. He rolled her back over.

"Round 2 already?" cried Quinn.

"Puckerman is back," whispered Puck, grabbing another condom from the bedside table..


I so totally got this... thought Puck as he strolled through the halls of McKinley with Quinn the next day. Everyone stared as they watched the two head for the Geography classroom. If there was ever a doubt in my mind that I couldn't do this...it was yesterday and it's out the window.

Quinn gave Puck a passionate kiss before he walked into the classroom, grabbed the test off Ms. Doosenbury's desk and sat down.

An hour later, the New Directions were standing outside Ms. Doosenbury's classroom as Quinn walked up.

"What's going on?" she asked, seeing Puck pacing the floor.

"Waiting for Ms. Doosenbury to finish grading my test," said Puck. "If I don't pass it's open season on all Faculty tires!" he yelled into the room as Ms. Doosenbury came out of her classroom. Rachel started to head towards her but Puck yanked the test out of Ms. Doosenbury's hands and walked away from the group clutching it to his test. He looked down at the test.

"What's it say?" asked Finn with baited breath. Puck turned around and excitedly held up the test.

"C-! That's a Puckerman A+! I'm graduating!" cried Puck and the group cheered as Quinn leapt into his arms and kissed him full on the mouth.

"I knew you could do it," said Quinn kissing him.


And then it was Graduation. The seniors in the New Directions were going last in the diploma handing as they wanted to go out with a musical number. Brittney looked on sad from the crowd since she had to repeat her senior year. As Finn played the drums, Puck started playing guitar while he and Finn sang.

Puck:
Yeah. C'mon. Hoo!

I had a friend was a big baseball player
back in high school

"Michael Chang Jr.," said Figgins as Mike stepped out to cheers, hugging the underclassmen New Directions and heading up to receive his diploma.

Puck:
He could throw that speedball by you
Make you look like a fool boy

"Quinn Fabray!" said Figgins. As Quinn stepped out from behind the curtain, she laughed as her caught her hat from falling off her head as she stepped down the stairs and headed towards the stage, turning around and waving at her mom.

Finn:
Saw him the other night at this roadside bar
I was walking in, he was walking out

We went back inside sat down had a few drinks
but all he kept talking about was

Puck and Finn:
Glory days well they'll pass you by
Glory days

in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days

"Mercedes Jones!" said Figgins and Mercedes stepped out to cheers and applause and she headed for the stage.

Finn:
All right boy watch me working now! (
Puck: Working now)

"Noah Puckerman!" cried Figgins.

"Finally," said Puck as he walked over to Miss Pillsbury as the instrumental interlude played. Miss Pillsbury handed his diploma.

"Thank you," said Puck, before hugging her. The music cued him back in.

"WHOO!" cried Puck flipping his tassle to the left.

"Santana Lopez!" cried Figgins. As Santana appeared in the doorway of the entrance, she gave a little shimmy, causing everyone to laugh.

Puck:
Now I think I'm going down to the well tonight
and I'm going to drink till I get my fill
And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it
but I probably will

"Kurt Hummel!" cried Figgins. The crowd enthusiastically cheered as Kurt spread apart the curtain and did a high kick. Kurt walked over to Blaine, tears in Kurt's eyes and Blaine handed him a handkerchief. Everyone laughed as Kurt walked up the steps dabbing his eyes as he cried uncontrollably. Burt high-fived Michael Chang Sr.
Finn:
Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture
a little of the glory of, well time slips away
and leaves you with nothing mister but
boring stories of...

Kurt curtsied as he moved his tassle after he got his diploma to cheers from the crowd.

"Whoo! That's my boy!" cried Burt in the crowd. Carole was sobbing uncontrollably too.

New Directions:
Glory days well they'll pass you by
Glory days

"Finn Hudson!" said Mr. Figgins as Finn let the drummer take over and he walked over to pick up his diploma.

New Directions: in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days

Finn hugged Ms. Pillsbury and fist-pumped to Mr. Schuester.

Glory days well they'll pass you by

"Rachel Berry-Hudson!" cried Figgins and everyone enthusiastically cheered as Rachel pushed the curtain apart and appeared.

Glory days in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days

She carefully walked down the steps and high-fived the underclassmen of the New Directions.

"I love you!" she said to the underclassmen. Finn walked over to help her up the stage and walked her over to Ms. Pillsbury, who handed Rachel her diploma.

Finn:
What about this!
All right!
Ooh yeah

Puck:
All right!

Finn:
Woah, c'mon now

Puck:
Oh yeah

Finn:
All right!

Rachel walked over to Finn and Finn leaned her back, kissing her passionately.

Puck:
It's alright

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the William McKinley High Class of 2012!"

Puck and Finn:
Glory days!

Hats were thrown into the air by the graduates. They were officially out of high school!


"Are they here?" asked Kurt later as he joined Rachel and Finn in the Hudson-Hummel living room. "Did our letters come this morning?"

"Yes," said Rachel holding up three envelopes. She handed Kurt the NYADA letter addressed to him, and handed Finn his envelope from Pace. Rachel held her NYADA letter in her hands. Finn tore his open first.

"I'm in!" grinned Finn. "I got in!"

"What about you Kurt? You first," said Rachel. She couldn't look just yet. Part of her was hoping she was in, because then she would tell Finn that they were going in the fall, despite the pregnancy. She could always choose different classes instead of the recommended classes. Carmen Tibedeux had left that open as an option for her should she change her mind if she was accepted. If she wasn't accepted to NYADA, she would just try again.

"I got in!" cried Kurt. Rachel squealed and hugged Kurt. She took a deep breath, resting her hand on her stomach.

"Butterflies?" asked Kurt.

"No, the girls are moving," grinned Rachel. Finn grinned and placed his hand on her bump. He placed a kiss to Rachel's belly too. Rachel opened her letter up.

Dear Mrs. Hudson,

On behalf of the NYADA Admissions Department, we would like to welcome you to the Vocal Performance Department for Fall 2012. A welcome packet will be mailed following this letter. Classes begin August 27th, 2012.

Sincerely,

Carmen Tibedeux

Head of Vocal Performance, NYADA

P.S. The offer still stands due to your condition.

"I'm in," whispered Rachel. "I got in." She grinned, and screamed, "I GOT IN!"

Finn whooped and swept Rachel up into a kiss while Kurt did a happy dance.

"MOM! DAD! We're all going to New York!" cried Kurt into the other room and Burt and Carole rushed in.

"You're in? You guys got in?" cried Carole. Rachel, who was bawling nodded and hugged Carole.

"I have to go call my dads!" cried Rachel. She handed Finn the letter.

"Start spreading the news, Hudson," grinned Rachel as she kissed him on the lips and rushed to call her dads on the house phone.

"Sounds like Rachel's gonna start in the the fall after all," said Finn. "This is going to be fun..."

"This calls for a celebratory dinner at Breadstix!" said Carole.

"Kurt? Finn? Can I talk to you boys for a minute?" asked Burt as Carole excused herself to freshen up.

"What's up?' asked Finn.

"This is your boys' graduation gift. Rachel's too," said Burt, pulling an envelope from his back pocket. "Your mother and I talked it over, and we decided that you should have this to get an apartment started."

Burt handed Finn the envelope and Finn's eyes widened at the six figure check.

"Burt, this is too much," whispered Finn. "You already put so much into the wedding..."

"The money from the wedding was money your mother had saved up, Finn," said Burt. "I just pulled the strings in getting the places on such short notice. This is money I've had saved up since Kurt's mom died. I want you three to have it. It makes me feel better knowing you guys are living in a safe place. This is for an apartment. Use it wisely."

Kurt pulled his dad into a hug, and Finn followed suit.

"I'll get started looking for a three bedroom," said Kurt as he headed for his room.

Kurt found the perfect apartment, close to both NYADA and Pace, and had called the renter. The rent was listed as a bit steep, but when Kurt mentioned that they were Pace and NYADA students, the renter had dropped the rent by about half the cost. Rachel, on the other hand had asked Dr. Michaels if she could recommend anyone in NYC and Dr. Michaels just happened to have a college roommate that practiced just blocks from NYADA. She called her friend to set up an appointment for Rachel as soon as she, Finn, and Kurt got to New York, mentioning that Rachel was having twins and because of her small stature, would probably be having a Cesarean come October.

And now, the three New York bound young adults were loading up a giant U-Haul in the front of the Hummel-Hudson house, their friends helping out and saying goodbye.

"Rachel, Finn," said Quinn. "This is for you and Kurt." Puck stood with Quinn as she handed Rachel and Finn an envelope. Rachel opened it and found three North Metro Rail passes inside.

"What's this for?" asked Rachel.

"Puck and I each have one too,' said Quinn. "These are so you, Kurt, and Finn can come visit us in New Haven and ours are so we can come visit you in New York."

Rachel squealed and hugged Quinn.

"You have to promise to call us when you and Puck get settled in," said Rachel.

"We will," said Quinn. Mercedes and Sam were next.

"Girl, we may be 3000 miles apart, but you have to promise to Skype with me every night and give me baby updates!" said Mercedes.

"Of course, Weezy," said Rachel, hugging Mercedes. "Sam, help Brittney, Blaine, Artie and Tina keep the new underclassmen in line."

"You got it, dahlin'," said Sam in a horrible Humphrey Bogart impersonation. Rachel and Finn hugged them both. Kurt was making his way around to the others as Rachel and Finn came up to Mr. Schuester and Ms. Pillsbury.

"Here's our new address," said Finn. "The wedding is still Valentine's Day next year, right?"

"Yes, and we expect to see those beautiful babies of yours," said Miss Pillsbury.

"We'll be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas," said Rachel with a smile. "Don't worry, you'll get to see them. Everyone will. I'll post pictures on Facebook and Myspace."

"Well, I guess this is it," said Finn to Carole, Burt, Hiram, LeRoy, and the remaining New Directions as he, Rachel and Kurt stood in front of the U-Haul.

"You kids be careful, and remember to take turns driving if you get tired," said Carole, hugging them both.

"We will, I have the whole trip laid out," said Kurt. Everyone gathered in a final group hug as the trio got into the U-Haul. Will sang as the truck started up and Finn pulled out of the driveway.

Will: May the good Lord be with you
Down every road that you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when you're far from home
And may you grow to be proud, dignified and true
And do unto others as you'd have done to you

Quinn and Puck loaded up Puck's van with all of their belongings. Judy Fabray and Mrs. Puckerman hugged their children goodbye.

"If you decide to elope, please marry under a canopy, Noah," whispered Mrs. Puckerman.

"We promise, Mrs. Puckerman," said Quinn. "I don't think we are quite ready for that yet, however."

"Shelby is in New York," said Puck. "We're going to go visit Beth as soon as we're settled in."

"Give her this for me then," said Mrs. Puckerman, holding out a card. Judy did the same.

"Grandmas think alike," said Judy with a smile.

Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you'll always stay
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young

"I love you," Sam said to Mercedes.

"I love you too, Sam," said Mercedes, hugging him. She turned to the remaining Ohio New Directions standing in the main terminal of Dayton International Airport.

"Knock em dead, Weezy," said Santana, hugging her.

"You too," said Mercedes. "Have a safe flight to Louisville."

May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to Heaven
With a prince or a vagabond

Santana stood in front of her friends, the group getting smaller in size. After hugging everyone else she stood in front of Brittney.

"I love you a lot," said Brittney.

"I love you too, B," said Santana, kissing her, not caring who was watching.

And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young, yeah

"Flight 345 to Chicago now boarding," came the announcement over the P.A.

"That's me," said Mike, hugging Tina and kissing her gently.

"I love you," said Tina.

"Love you too," said Mike. He hugged his parents next.

"I'll make you all proud," said Mike with a final wave as he headed through security. As the final former New Direction disappeared from view, Mr. Schuester sighed. They were finally gone. His seniors, that were once sophomores in that choir room, were no longer children.

And when you finally fly away
I'll be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell

About ten hours after they had left Lima, Kurt, Rachel and Finn pulled up to the apartment complex that they were now calling home.

"I can't believe we're here," grinned Rachel as Kurt put the U-Haul in park.

"Hello again New York, we've missed you!" said Rachel as she carefully climbed out of the U-Haul.

But whatever road you choose
I'm right behind you, win or lose
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
For, forever young, forever young