The rest of the school week was uneventful; getting used to being back at school, back to glee practice and life in general. All the kids were looking forward to the party on Saturday; a chance to relax and enjoy the prospect of their futures. Friday night Santana was digging through her closet, trying desperately to find something to wear to the party. There were clothes thrown all around her room and it looked a little like her closet had thrown up. Brittany stood in the doorway watching her girlfriend run around her room in a state of panic.

"Santana it's just a party, just wear something nice."

"Brittany I am trying to find something that is nice, but I don't know if I should wear a dress or pants or a skirt, I can't match anything together and now my room is a mess."

"Why are you so flustered about this one party?"

"I don't know I guess I just want people to take me seriously. I don't want them to think how could she get into college when she looks like a prostitute?"

"You don't, nor have you ever, looked like a prostitute. Well except for that one time you wanted to play dress up in the bedroom." Santana blushed beat red while Brittany walked over to the closet and pulled out a pair of black pants, a black blazer and a red top that was thrown haphazardly on the bed and handed them to Santana. "There all done, it's professional, fun, sexy and sharp. It practically screams college girl."

Santana shook her head, "what would I do without you?"

"Apparently walk around naked."

"You say that like its bad."

"Well I think you naked is great, but the Army has a dress code babe." Britt gave Santana a quick kiss and walked to the doorway, "I'm going to bed, I'll see you in the morning." Santana watched Brittany walked down the hall to her bedroom and close the door softly behind her. Once she cleared off all the clothes from her bed she settled into her mattress and drifted slowly off to sleep. The next morning Santana woke up to her alarm going off at 9am. She quickly shut off the offending noise and rolled out of bed and made her way down stairs. Brittany was already sitting at the table eating cereal and her mom was in the kitchen finishing a pot of coffee. As she took a step off the last stair her little brother came rushing past her.

"Move it Satan." Before he got far enough away, Santana grabbed him by his arm and turned him around, twisting his arm around his back and pinning him to the floor.

"What did I say about calling me that brat?"

"Santana let him up, you're going to break his arm." Santana ignored her mother, "apologize dweeb."

"Christ Santana, I'm sorry. No wonder you joined the army, you don't even need a damn gun." Santana let the boy up and let go of his arm, "and don't you forget it runt." Santana grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and sat down next to Brittany who was still contently reading the cereal box.

"Santana what time does the party start at the Hummels?"

"Noon. Britt told Kurt we would get there early to help set up, but you guys don't have to come with us that early."

"Mom I don't want to go to some stupid high school party." Her brother winning earned him a flick on the ear from his sister, "good thing you aren't invited then isn't it?"

"Santana, quit it. Your father and I will meet you two at the party a little after noon. He gets off his shift at 11 and so after he changes we will be over. Now go get ready or you are both going to be late getting over there to help." Santana and Brittany both finished their food and headed up stairs to change. When Santana returned she had her outfit on hangers in her hand and was wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt with running shoes.

"Santana why aren't you dressed?"

"Relax mom, Brittany is driving over there and I'm running. If I start getting in shape now the training at school will be easier to break into." After arguing that regardless of how cold it was she was still going to run, Brittany came downstairs all dressed in a navy blue dress that hit half way down her calf accented with a black sweater. She took the clothes from Santana and went to go put them in her car, they loaded up their things and soon Santana took off running down the street and Brittany followed her in the car.

Kurt and Finn's house was about 3 miles from Santana's house and the run wasn't hard so Santana handled it fairly well. She arrived and saw Brittany's car parked in the drive way behind Finn's truck. She rung the door bell and it soon swung open and Carole quickly ushered Santana inside.

"We thought maybe you had frozen out there, why on earth would you run here when you could have easily driven Santana?"

"Gotta get in shape for training Mrs. H, West Point doesn't care how cold it is." Carole smiled and pointed to the living room and kitchen area. Kurt and Brittany were trying to hang a banner with Finn trying to blow up balloons using the air tank and Blaine was running around in the kitchen helping to set up the food.

"Well, well, well, hell may not have frozen over, but Satan sure looks cold."

"Kurt you're soooo funny, and equally as lucky that there are too many witnesses around." Santana shed her jacket and helped set up tables for food and set up the speakers for the music. Around 11 when everything looked like it was in place Santana grabbed her clothes from the car and headed up stairs for a shower and to change. Half an hour later, she came back downstairs looking very sharp in her suit, her hair loosely resting on her shoulders and her suit clinging tight to her frame. Brittany walked over to her and wrapped her arm around Santana's waist, "I told you that suit would look amazing for this party. Come on they are setting out the food right now." Brittany walked over and helped Carole and Kurt lay out the trays of food. Santana turned around to see what she could do and she quickly spotted Burt hauling in more fire wood from the backyard.

"Mr. H let me take some of that." Santana scooped the wood out of his arms and set it down next to the fire and added a few pieces to the already burning pile.

"Thanks Santana. Excited about the party?"

"Yes sir, it was really great of you and Mrs. H to have everyone over to celebrate."

"Well, Carole loves any excuse to throw a party and besides after what you all have been through and accomplished you deserve a god damn parade, a party was the least we could do. And none of that 'sir' stuff, Burt will do fine."

"Burt then."

"So Kurt tells me that your girlfriend got into Julliard. He damn near ruined his voice and my hearing he was screaming so loud when he came home with that NYADA letter in hand."

"Yeah, Brittany is so happy and going to New York with Kurt and Rachel, it means a lot to her. Makes me feel better that she will have people to live with in apartments and friends to keep an eye out for her."

"You two aren't living together; I thought you got into NYU with Quinn?"

"I did, but Puck and I also got accepted into West Point so living together sort of went out the window."

"That's right, I forgot about that. That's a great accomplishment getting in that program. How's Brittany handling it?"

"She was mad because I didn't tell her I applied, but once we got a chance to work it out she was fully supportive, but she is naturally concerned. She knows that it will help me through law school and I can even stay in the military and work through JAG. It's steady pay, I get to serve my country and do what I love, practice law and support my family." Santana nodded towards Brittany.

"Sounds like you have it figured out. Does that mean you and her are in it for the long haul?"

"If she's willing to put up with me, absolutely." Just then the doorbell rang and Burt went to go answer the door. Glee clubbers filtered in over the next half hour and so did their respective families. Soon the living room, kitchen and dining room were filled with people talking and eating and just generally having a good time. Santana broke away from Brittany and went in search of Kurt who she found in the kitchen helping his step mother get the cake set up.

"Kurt I have a favor to ask of you."

Kurt eyed her carefully, "You're not going to make me do anything illegal are you?"

"What? No dummy, I need you help picking out a birthday/graduation present for Brittany. Quinn already said she would help so between the three of us I figure I can't miss."

"I never turn down the chance to shop, just tell me where and when, I'm in."

"Thank you, I'll text you next week ok?" Just then Burt asked everyone to gather around the dining room table for cake. Carole set down one very large sheet cake that had all the colleges that people were attending on it as well as Congrats Glee Club Seniors written in icing.

"Now everyone, you will notice that there is one school missing from this cake and just so you know we didn't forget, Burt and I wanted to have a special treat for our two West Point soldiers." Santana and Puck both shared the same look of confusion as Finn set down a small box and slowly lifted the small cake inside. When he put it on the table Santana was blown away; the cake was expertly decorated with fondant that looked like army fatigues and it had the West Point emblem on the center of the cake with Congrats Santana and Puck written around the circular top. The sides were decorated with the motto of the academy and it was a beautiful cake. Everyone clapped and whistled while Santana and Puck smiled and blushed.

"We are all so proud of all you kids and how hard you all have worked. We just know you're going to win Nationals this year and close you senior year out with a bang. It won't be the same around here without you guys running around singing journey and show tunes like no one else can hear you, but you are all going to do such amazing things in college. So I would like to toast the graduating Glee club members, you all entered this club for different reasons, some good, some bad, but somewhere along the way you all grew up and matured into beautifully strong men and women. You went from a group of merry misfits who didn't fit together and evolved into a family. You bring out the best in each other and seeing how you all have changed is simply amazing. Some of you have found your voice, others found their talent, some of you found your best friend while others found their soul mate and most importantly you all found yourselves and created a wonderful group of people who genuinely love each other. There is not a doubt in my mind that when you all graduate you will go off and do wonderful things in this world; whether you'll become teachers, lawyers, doctors, dancers or stay at home parents I know that you will be successful as long as you follow your dreams. So a toast to the graduating seniors of the original New Directions group, may you all remember that humble beginnings are the stepping stones to a successful future; to New Directions." With tears in their eyes, everyone raised their glasses in the air and clanked them.

After the cake was passed out and everyone finished, Kurt called for their attention, "well this party just got way to serious so I say we party it up and dance till we faint." He hit the play button on his ipod and a very familiar song filled the room. All the teens grabbed a partner and started to dance to the familiar Journey song that started it all.

Hope this party chapter lightened the mood slightly and next up will be Santana's shopping trip, any guesses as to what she might be buying?