"Hurry the fuck up!" Naya rolled her eyes, ripping open the packet of popcorn and pouring it into the bowl left out on the counter, practically searing her fingers in the process. "It's about to start!" She shook her head, laughing, as she poured two more glasses of red wine, tucking them between her fingers as she headed toward the living room.
"Lea, I was there. I don't have to see every second." She handed off one of the wine glasses before settling onto the couch next to her friend, snuggling into her side teasingly. "Although I am interested in seeing your interview. They did interview you, right?"
"Did you think they'd have a choice?" the blonde on the furthest end of the couch giggled, nudging Lea's side and earning a halfhearted glare in response. "Her interview was really cute though Nay. I'm sure you'll appreciate it."
"Lady got to see it before I did? Not cool." Naya jokingly shifted away from her friends, tucking her feet underneath her and leaning in the opposite direction, though it only placed her a few inches further from the brunette to her right. It did however, snuggle her comfortably into the blonde on her left, who wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her more closely.
"Stop fussing," she murmured. "It's starting." They all immediately switched their gazes to the television, the introductory segment flickering against four pairs of wide eyes.
"Honestly, did we ever think that we'd all be gathered in one place again? Probably not," the man on screen said with a laugh. "It's been five years since Glee ended, and while some people have kept in touch, it's difficult to get us all in one place, because everyone has conflicting schedules, you know? I think this is a pretty incredible reason for the cast to be brought back together though, and I for one, am glad I can be here to share in this moment."
"Aw, Little Bee!" Naya could be heard off to the side, and Kevin threw his head back in laughter. "You're so cute."
Leaning out of the camera's square, he grabbed the brunette's hand, pulling her into the camera's line of sight, as she fought against his grip. "I see this one all the time, and I'm still glad to be here. Disgusting isn't it?"
"Completely disgusting," she agreed, snuggling into his side and flashing a cheeky grin at the camera.
Heather couldn't help but mirror the woman's smile, hiding her grin behind the rim of her wine glass before taking a sip. Placing it on the side table nearest her, she stole a few kernels of popcorn from Naya's fingers, winking when the woman scowled at her, feigning upset. Dianna bounced a few times on the other end of the couch, earning a laugh from her three friends as the segment continued, with a stereotypically deep voice taking over the narration.
"In what has been dubbed the most highly anticipated event since William and Kate's wedding, E! has received full access to what happened behind the scenes of what has coincidentally also become the Glee cast reunion that never was."
"We need more reunions," Lea murmured.
"The entertainment industry throws us a reunion every year Le," Naya teased. "It's called the Grammy's." All four women watched as the camera panned over expansive tables sprawling across a large backyard, with several people running across the screen, all intent on having things perfectly placed as they had been ordered.
"It's crazy that we're all back here! You spend so much time with these people for years, and then one day, it's all over." Vanessa smiled sadly for a second before refocusing herself. "So I'm totally happy I get to see everyone, and having a huge party seems like the best way to do it, right? Tonight is going to be unbelievable! I'm so excited!" She let out a squeal of excitement before clapping her hands over her mouth and giggling, the dusty rose of her dress bringing out the flush of her cheeks.
"Little Lengies," Heather cooed with adoration. "I'm glad she was able to fly in. It had been a while since I'd seen her." The other girls nodded in agreement, not turning their heads from the television screen as the narration resumed, with Ryan Seacrest appearing as Vanessa faded out.
"Thanks to cooperation from our hosts, we're here to give you exclusive insight into the minds of the guests here tonight, in addition to shedding a little light on the history of this event."
All four sipped on their wine, ignoring the commentator's soliloquy now that their friends' interviews had finished, their attention regained only when the E! logo appeared on screen and the first break was taken. "I hate commercials," Dianna muttered. "It was just getting good."
"That's how I used to feel about Honey Boo Boo," Naya joked. "But she was much more interesting."
"I don't know," Heather mused, swirling her wine glass around, the deep red of the liquid reminding her of a night nearly six years ago. "I think this should be pretty good." She dug the fingers of her free hand into the brunette's side, tickling her mercilessly, glad that despite that night, she hadn't lost her best friend. Naya squealed against the sudden sensation, making vain attempts to escape.
"What was that for?" she finally choked out, still catching her breath as the blonde watched her, a mischievous smirk playing on her features.
"For the fact that you're practically old now, and you're still addicted to reality television." Naya's eyes widened comically, and she handed her wine glass to Lea, intent on beginning her own assault on the blonde, her fingers wiggling as they drew nearer to her abdomen.
"You're less than a month younger Heather Elizabeth. You can give up now; apologize and you will be spared."
"Never" she gasped out, trying to remove herself from the line of tickle fire, but found that she was pinned into the corner of the couch, with the brunette not showing any signs of giving up.
"It's back!" Lea squealed, automatically garnering the pair's attention as they shifted back towards the television.
"We're here with Lea Michele, who just released her third album, and recently found out she received a Grammy nod. How are you doing Lea?"
Rather than responding with her trademark confidence and endearing cheek, the brunette fidgeted a little, shooting a watery smile toward her interviewer before swallowing slightly and answering. "I'm really, really great," she said quietly, trying to keep her tears at bay. "I feel so blessed to be able to be here and see all of the people I called my family for all this time - "
Naya heard sniffles on her right, and tugged Lea closer into her side, running her hand up and down the woman's arm. "You were amazing," she whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of dark tousled locks. "I wouldn't have gotten through that day without you." Both brunette's turned back to the television screen when Naya's voice filled the living room. Her grip on her wine glass tightened slightly, and Heather scratched the top of her head affectionately, calming her down. She could barely hear her own words through the buzzing of her skull, though she remember exactly what she had said. Lea's hand squeezed her thigh, and Heather's hands continued to run through the top of her hair, and eventually, the white noise between her ears faded away.
"I never thought I'd be here," she said quietly, a shy smile gracing her features as she gestured to the party behind her. "It's been one of my biggest dreams, but I certainly can't say that I ever thought I would actually make it to this day, you know?" Ryan nodded, his expression mirroring the petite woman's in front of him. "I am so, so thankful for all of the people who helped me get here - who pushed me, who kicked me in the ass when I needed it, who told me to never give up on myself or on my dreams. Without them, without their unconditional love and support, I wouldn't be standing here with you. I wouldn't be marrying the love of my life today."
She felt Heather's arm wrap around her again, melding their bodies together as she tilted the brunette's chin upwards just enough to capture her lips. "I love you, so much." Naya grinned, nestling into her wife's neck and readjusting herself to turn towards the TV.
"I've always said that Glee was a dream, and it was. It allowed me to do the things that I loved, with people that I loved, every day. My cast mates from then are some of the most beautiful, talented individuals that I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Did I think that when I walked onto set, just to teach one dance, that I would join the ensemble, portray a bisexual cheerleader, and consequently fall in love with my on screen girlfriend? Absolutely not," she laughed, her blue eyes bright against the sky behind her. "It's crazy, I know it is, but I wouldn't change those years for anything. If it weren't for Glee, if it weren't for the producers taking a chance on me, I wouldn't have known true love, in the purest form. I wouldn't be walking down the aisle to marry the most incredible woman I've ever known."
Turning to her left, she saw Heather's face flush slightly and she pressed a kiss to the apple of her cheek before snuggling back into her side. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that both Lea and Dianna had abandoned their popcorn for tissues and she nudged the brunette with her foot teasingly. "Always the dramatic," she quipped.
Lea smacked her leg in response, holding the Kleenex to her mouth with her other hand. "I waited almost ten years for this. I'm allowed to be a little dramatic," she grumbled halfheartedly, with Dianna nodding in agreement. The screen faded from Heather's bright smile, telling the story of how they met on set, with interviews through their early years filtering in throughout the shots of the wedding set up. All four giggled at how young they seemed in some of the videos, and Naya's surprised to find some of their behind the scenes shots have been worked into the E! special as well. She remembered the warmth of Heather's scarf as she leans in behind her, with the blonde proudly announcing, in a high pitched voice, that she was her best friend. There were photos of them from set and the numerous events they'd attended, including their infamous red couch picture, and several videos Ashley had provided of the two of them.
"I've supported them both since day one. We saw the chemistry early on, but I didn't notice how perfectly they fit until we explored that chemistry on screen, in their characters relationship. Almost five years ago, Naya opened up to me about their being a couple, and I couldn't have been more proud of either of them than I was in that moment, until the day they announced themselves as a couple to the world. It took a great deal of strength, and I feel so blessed to be involved in this day. These two deserve all of the happiness in the world, and I'm glad they've finally opened themselves up to that."
"I've always wanted him to adopt me," Lea murmured, her tissue still clutched in a death grip.
"Ryan's incredible. We couldn't have done this without him," Naya remarked, unsuccessfully fighting back her own tears and grabbing the Kleenex Dianna held out to her.
"Naya's always been one of my closest friends. We clicked on the first day of filming together, because like I said then, we were the new kids, and we kind of stuck together." Dianna seemed lost in thought before she continued. "The way she looks at Heather is incredible. Even back then, the amount of love they had for one another was obvious to anyone who saw them interact. They've fought for this day. Their relationship was simultaneously the easiest and hardest thing they'd ever done. Seeing the two of them together? They fit flawlessly. It was the world that kept them apart." The blonde swallowed back the lump building in her throat, giving the camera a wan smile. "At the beginning of our fourth season, the world fought against them again, but they found their way back together, like they always have. I've waited for this day for such a long time, and I couldn't be happier for them."
Heather reached her arm around the back of the couch, squeezing the other blonde's hand affectionately and sending her a shy smile. There were no hard feelings, no residual effects from London, or the subsequent months. They both knew how important it was to Naya to have her there for their wedding, and both blondes were thankful that things had settled into the way they were meant to be.
"I wasn't there long," another blonde spoke, "but Heather and I grew close when I was filming. The Glee writers did a wonderful job of reflecting the life of their actors, whether or not they were aware of that fact. I remember filming a scene with both of these women, when their characters," she arched an eyebrow, "spoke about the feelings they had for one another. There was such truth and integrity in their words that it was difficult to think that they were acting. A couple of years later, I met Naya for dinner, and may or may not have planted the idea of a proposal in her head." Gwyneth winked, laughing at little. "She took her sweet time with it, but here we are, gathered to celebrate the beginning of a beautiful future. It's a good thing I got an invite, because I probably would have gate crashed anyway. Nothing would keep me away from this wedding."
The four women on the couch dissolved into giggles as the second commercial break aired, with Heather nudging her wife, asking her to help refill everyone's wine glasses. Gathering the goblets, Naya followed the blonde into the kitchen, retrieving the nearly empty bottle as Heather uncorked a second one. She poured the dark liquid into three of the glasses before setting it back down on the counter, smirking slightly when she noticed her wife's arched eyebrow and questioning expression. Letting out a shaky breath, she slipped her fingers in between Naya's, smiling softly.
"I love you," she whispered.
"I'd sincerely hope so," the brunette chuckled. "We're watching our wedding special on E!"
The dancer nodded, attempting to echo the laugh, but failing as it fell short. "Do you remember what we talked about in Mexico?"
"I married you Heath. I'm not sure how much more you want me to settle down," Naya remarked after a second, tilting her head to the side and flashing a cheeky grin as she gently squeezed her wife's hands.
"When Ashley and I finish production on this movie, I want us to start trying." The brunette inhaled sharply, ducking her head to catch Heather's eyes. No words were said, but the blonde nodded, letting her wife know they were on the same page. "I don't have any roles lined up, and I can still teach or choreograph for a while, so - "
She was cut off by soft lips on her own, pressing against her mouth greedily. "Okay," Naya breathed out as she pulled away, smiling softly. "Let's do this."
"Lovebirds, stop defiling my kitchen and get back in here. It's on!"
Both women rolled their eyes, laughing before returning to the living room with the three wine glasses and a cup of water and settling back into the couch, now more entangled than before. They watched as Heather's mother teared up, with Naya's thumb rubbing soothing circles into her wife's hand as the woman on screen spoke about how proud the blonde's father would have been if he were there. Nickayla gushed over how happy she was that she'd be able to officially consider Heather a sister, and Mychal mumbled something that made all four women giggle. Immediately prior to the ceremony, they flashed to Naya once more, who was shaking with nerves, a brilliant smile still covering her face.
"I think God has laid a hand, and now she's going to be my wife," she whispered with a wink before turning towards the aisle as the music began playing and Heather appeared, breathtaking as always, and soon to be hers forever.
AN: And, we are finished! I want to thank everyone who has stuck with me through this fic, because it honestly means the world to me. I sincerely hope you feel the ending did this story justice, and that you enjoyed this chapter.
I love you all, and I appreciate your kind words and endless support. xx A