A/N: So here is chapter 50. Landmark chapter, but not the last. Apologies those of you who wanted more Beth, but someone reminded me that i had perhaps been ignoring Rachel a little in this story of late and i kind of agree so i have redressed the balance with this chapter, pretty mych most of it is about them.
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee
Chapter 50
The summer for Rachel and Quinn was perhaps the most rewarding either had experienced. They firstly had two weeks off together, finally getting their road trip that had been planned such a long time ago. Rachel spent a week making bookings and an itinerary that took in Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.
Rachel was driving their rental car that they had picked up in Denver. They had just two small cases in the trunk and Quinn's chair on the back seat of the open top red Mustang. Their trip so far had involved driving to Durango, riding the old steam train to Silverton and back the next day, then heading east to take in the huge vistas they were currently enjoying along the Route 163 scenic highway. They had Rachel's iPod connected up with their specially chosen holiday playlist on and sang along. It was five in the morning as they approached Monument Valley. Quinn had persuaded Santana to give her one of her good cameras to use and she had it in her hands checking the settings. San had given her a few lessons in how to get good shots and told them to set out before the sun came up if they wanted the best landscape photos.
"Pull over here, this is great."
Rachel pulled up to a stop in a refuge and opened the car door. "Do you want to get out?"
Quinn shook her head. "Nah, I just want to sit and look for a while. San said to wait until the sun was up and then just keep hitting the button." She glanced at Rachel.
"Memory is cheap," they both said it at the same time after hearing Santana bleat on about it all the time. She was pretty much surgically attached to a camera these days and was rarely without one in her hands. The pair broke out into laughter.
"We shouldn't make fun of her when she isn't here to defend herself," Rachel said, a little embarrassed.
"Please! She rips pretty much everyone to shreds given the chance. She can hold her own. That said, I can take much better pictures since she got all artsy on us." Quinn grinned and snapped a pic of Rachel stood on the roadside. She then checked her phone where she had made a few notes about taking nice pictures so she didn't forget. She checked the setting and pointed the Canon at the sunrise over Monument Valley and started hitting the shutter. She held her breath each time she fired it off, just as her best friend had told her. They sat for nearly forty minutes as the sun rose and Quinn took a hundred pictures, hoping that at least one would be good enough to blow up and put on their wall. She used her phone to snap a quick pic and mailed it to Santana, then felt guilty that it was seven in the morning for her.
She got a quick reply.
'Nice photo but WTF, I'm still asleep.'
Quinn smiled and showed it to Rach, they both burst into a fit of giggles.
Another message came in straight after it.
'Only text me at this hour if U broke another leg!'
Their laughter rang out again on the deserted road.
"You know I missed having time like this." Rachel turned back to Quinn. "Don't you feel like we've just been on this rollercoaster ride for ages and it's finally stopped?"
"I know what you mean. You know our problem is we're both ambitious and we've been willing to overlook living sometimes in order to succeed. I'm guilty of that for sure."
"But the sacrifice was worth though. We both got what we wanted, sort of, this summer."
"Yeah, I'm pleased with what we did and I am really looking forward to graduation, but I could live without having to make the damned speech again."
"You love it really," Rachel grinned at her. "What was it you once said about loving being the center of attention?"
Quinn quirked her eyebrow. "I think you have us confused. You said that, I just admitted I liked performing!"
Rachel's mouth fell open and she pretended to be shocked, but couldn't maintain the pretense and broke into another giggle. She sat on the edge of the car and took Quinn's hand. "I'm glad Santana is still in classes another week. I love her dearly, but I really wanted this to just be for us."
Quinn nodded. "I don't feel guilty in the slightest. We've lived in each other's pockets for four years almost. Four years sounds a crazy amount of time. College went by in a flash."
"Well, we have all the time we want together for the next week and a half. Any idea what you are going to say in your speech?"
Quinn shook her head. "Not really. I didn't actually expect it to happen, coming first."
Rachel huffed. "When did you ever finish second? Don't quote me swimming races where the other swimmers had two working legs either, they don't count."
"Okay, fair point," Quinn squeezed her hand. "Thanks though, for ….," she hesitated not quite knowing how to phrase her sentiments. "Thanks for breaking down my barriers and being infinitely patient while doing it."
"You're welcome," Rachel replied. "Thanks for putting up with my ego."
"You don't have an ego, Rach. You have a gift. When we were younger, I was like a lot of people and just didn't recognize it for what it was. But now I see how you just believed in yourself and made sure everyone saw it. You should never apologize for that. It's part of why I love you."
"It is?" Rachel screwed her nose up, which made her look very cute in Quinn's opinion.
"Yeah that and a ton of other reasons, but I'll save them for when you have fewer clothes on," Quinn's eyebrows wiggled up and down suggestively. "Oww," she rubbed her elbow as Rachel slapped her playfully on the arm.
"I never thought captain of the Celibacy Club at McKinley would be propositioning me on a remote highway in Utah."
"I've done a lot of things the captain of the Celibacy Club ought not to have done so why worry about one more!"
On the porch of their suite in the best hotel Monument Valley had to offer, Quinn and Rachel lay together in the swing seat. The pale moonlight was very romantic and they were both full of food, so not really feeling like sleep yet. The four years of college had been a rollercoaster ride and had flashed by much quicker than either had anticipated. Between shows, plays, sports, the band, training and practicing for hours each week, they had forgotten what it was like to just have an empty space in front of them with nothing to do but enjoy each other's company. They talked about things then that neither had dared say before. Both had had enough of student life, even though Quinn had been put under some pressure to consider continuing her studies for a master's degree. Rachel had loved being in Funny Girl and a number of other off-Broadway shows, but the last year or so without them had given the pair their evenings together and that was likely to be borrowed time if Rachel was serious about her Broadway career, and she was.
"Do you think we'll be okay once I get another part in a musical and have to work most evenings, while you are up at the crack of dawn to hit the pool early? I didn't like it when we barely saw each other for days on end."
Quinn had her arm around Rachel's shoulders. "You don't have to worry about it for much longer. I told you before, once Rio is over, I will be retiring from swimming and getting a proper job. If not acting then something else that doesn't need me to be up at five in the morning every day."
"But what are you going to do for your competitive fix?"
"Work mostly, but I think Julia is right, I did that triathlon earlier in the year and I liked it enough to want to do it some more. I quite like racing but I also like training. I can train in the evenings when you're working or if we end up working the same hours, we can train together, whatever, it doesn't matter. We'll make it work Rach, like other people do. We'll make time for each other like we used to."
"I wish we could work together."
"We would drive each other nuts then. I think it's healthy to spend time apart and to have our own lives, but so long as we make time for each other in the crazy world that I feel you may well be inhabiting before long, we'll be okay."
"We don't get much time alone like this though, do we?"
"We would if we got our own place," Quinn threw it in the pot now, though she had been thinking about it for some time.
"Really, would you like to? I would love it. It would be nice to stay near Santana and Kurt too though."
"We can look for somewhere maybe from October onwards. Let's get everything out of the way this summer first and then see what we can afford."
"That sounds perfect to me," Rachel sighed. "So long as I get to come home to you each night, I'll be happy."
Quinn was almost drifting off to sleep when her phone started ringing. She didn't recognize the number, though it was a New York dialing code, so she answered cautiously.
"Hello, Quinn Fabray here."
She listened to the voice on the other end.
"Yes, Hi, how are you?"
Rachel was trying to listen in, but Quinn had the phone to her ear.
"I did, thank you. You know already?" There was a brief pause. "That explains it, thanks."
Another pause.
"Yes I would love to. I am on vacation until I graduate in a couple of weeks, but I can call you when I get back to arrange it."
Another pause.
"Absolutely and thank you again." Quinn terminated the call and turned to Rachel.
Rachel looked at Quinn who seemed a little taken aback.
"What? For heaven's sake, tell me!"
"I just got a job interview for a job I didn't even apply for." Quinn's eyebrow rose. "The producer as ESPN found out I applied to them for a graduate post but he said I was over-qualified for shuffling paper around and I have to go in and see him for an interview when I get back. They haven't decided where I might be best placed yet, but they are considering offering me a better job."
Quite a bit of squealing followed.
And then some alcohol was consumed.
And then they got naked (back inside the room obviously, as Quinn put it, we could do it here and get arrested for lude conduct but that wouldn't look good on her resume.)
The remainder of their vacation whizzed by and by the time they were on their penultimate day, lounging by the pool at The mirage, enjoying the sun, they hadn't much of a care in the World. Rachel turned over and saw Quinn asleep face down on the sunbed. They had a late night that spread into the following morning and neither of them had enjoyed enough sleep. She reached over and felt the skin on the back of Quinn's legs, they looked a little pink but were just warm rather than hot.
"Quinn?"
There was no response so rather than wake her, she took the spare towel which was lining Quinn's chair and draped it over the slender legs. Quinn didn't stir, she had her earphones in and was blissfully unaware of anything. Rachel felt the frame of the wheelchair and it was fine for now, but it wouldn't take long to heat up in the ninety degree heat that was Vegas in early summer. They had to be careful Quinn didn't burn, but also that she didn't over heat because only half her body could sweat and she was naturally fair-skinned. Rachel checked her watch; they had been out for an hour, so she would let Quinn sleep a little longer then wake her up. She took her own towel off the sunbed and draped it over the wheelchair and left her robe on the bed so no one stole it while she went to get bottles of water from the bar.
As she strolled back to her sleeping soulmate, Rachel saw Quinn stretch her arms out from under her and shake the stiffness from them. She glanced behind her, looking confused at the towel, then at the empty bed next to her and in a practiced move, pushed up and flipped over at the same time so she was sitting. Able to see around her now, she caught sight of the brunette bringing water and gave her a big smile, while propping herself back on her hands.
Rachel dropped down the bottles on the small table between them, followed by two glasses with ice in.
"Thanks, did you wrap me up?"
"I was worried you might burn."
"I'm trying to even out my tan, I have like the worst tan ever."
"That's not true, I heard once about a skier who got a sunburnt tongue after falling asleep at the top of a mountain, that's got to be the worst."
Quinn grinned and tried to inspect the back of her legs. "The back is always paler than the front."
"So, who cares, its not like they get that much exposure most of the time, the back of your legs I mean."
"Yeah but my knees are really brown, well for me anyway, then my shins are a bit paler and the backs are really pale."
"Occupational hazard," Rachel shrugged. She really didn't see what the big deal was.
"I guess," the blonde continued to poke at the back of her legs. "I really should stretch today, I have been lax in my exercise."
"It doesn't show, and it isn't going to make any difference. You are still going to win by miles in September, you have like thousands of miles stored up in your arms."
"I think you may be exaggerating," she dropped her legs back down and threw the towel back over.
"I had a phone call earlier," Rachel said quietly.
"Who from?"
"Monica, Shelby's friend."
"What did she want?"
"Her agency offered to take me on," Rachel shrugged nonchalantly.
"God, Rach. That's amazing. You have an agent. This is big time." Quinn was thrilled for her but Rachel didn't seem overly excited which was really not normal. "Why aren't you like bursting out into a song or something?"
The brunette shrugged. "I was hoping she might want to take you on as well. She said before that you are really talented."
Quinn sighed. "Yeah, but it's a big agency and they are kind of musical theater specialists and commercial at that. Let's face it Rach, I'm probably not mainstream or commercially viable enough for them."
"Well I was thinking of telling her I didn't want them to take me on unless they took you as well. I know you have this ESPN thing, but I can't help feeling its not what you really wanted and you were amazing in your solo. Everyone said it was brilliant."
Quinn shook her head. It was a nice gesture, but she didn't want Rachel making a mistake. "No Rach, take them up on the offer. You'll get work. Acting is a pipe dream for most people and often its not what you know but who you know. You've done far more than I have in terms of performing and that's why you're going to get more work. I have a lot to think about over the next few months so I don't want you passing up on this opportunity through some misguided loyalty, though admittedly it's very honorable. You are very sweet and I adore you."
Rachel grinned. "It would be silly to pass them over."
"So get on the phone and tell Monica that you will accept, but you need the first ten days in September off, don't forget that."
"I'm not missing out on Rio for anything," Rachel replied. "I already have my flight booked."
Rachel fidgeted nervously with her mortar board. She kept adjusting the pin holding it in place. She was not only graduating, but also performing before and immediately after the commencement ceremony.
As one of the three prize winners; one for acting, one for dancing and of course her one for singing, she was expected to give everyone a demonstration of her talent and it had taken her a long time to think of the perfect songs for the occasion. She had considered her usual repertoire of classic ballads or Broadway standards, but she actually fancied something nice and simple that would appeal to the mass audience that would make up the guests. Kurt was always her go-to person when trying to decide what to sing for an occasion. Kurt didn't fail her and his obscure knowledge of British boy bands came good. The suggestion was a bit left field; a song she hadn't even heard until she and Quinn had been into one of the big strip hotels in Vegas where they seemed to love retro English pop. When she heard it she didn't even know if she could change the key to suit her voice, but Blaine helped her out and together they practiced it in the apartment until it was perfect. For the other song, she knew exactly what she was going to sing.
Rachel stood at the front of the auditorium and breathed in deeply. She could see her dads and Quinn near the front. They were only a small school so no mass graduation like Quinn's would be next week; it was a more intimate and personal ceremony, where each graduate would say a few words after the presentation of their scroll.
"Good afternoon everyone. My name is Rachel Berry and it's my pleasure to sing for you today. The song I have chosen is called Never Forget.
Quinn kept her eyes locked onto the petite brunette the entire time. Hiram whispered to her.
"I don't know this song. Why is Rachel singing something I don't know?"
LeRoy elbowed him in the ribs and shushed him.
"Just listen to the words," Quinn whispered back dreamily. She was as always, about to melt.
Rachel inhale deeply once more and began her a cappella intro.
We've come so far and we've reached so high
And we've looked each day and night in the eye
And we're still so young and we hope for more
Been on this path of life for so long
Feel I've walked a thousand miles
Sometimes strolled hand in hand with love
Everybody's been there
With danger on my mind I would stay on the line of hope
I knew I could make it
Once I knew the boundaries I looked into the clouds and saw
My face in the moonlight
Just then I realised what a fool I could be
Just cause I look so high I don't have to see me
Finding a paradise wasn't easy but still
There's a road going down the other side of this hill
Never forget where you've come here from
Never pretend that it's all real
Someday soon this will all be someone else's dream
This will be someone else's dream
Been safe from the arms of disappointment for so long
Feel each day we've come too far
Yet each day seems to make much more
Sure is good to be here
I understand the meaning of "I can't explain this feeling"
Now it feels so unreal
At night I see the hand that reminds me of the stand I make
The fact of reality
Never forget where you've come here from
Never pretend that it's all real
Someday soon this will all be someone else's dream
This will be someone else's dream
We've come so far and we've reached so high
And we've looked each day and night in the eye
And we're still so young and we hope for more
But remember this
We're not invincible, we're not invincible - No
We're only people, we're only people
Hey we're not invincible, we're not invincible
So again I'll tell you
Never forget where you've come here from
Never pretend that it's all real
Someday soon this will all be someone else's dream
The applause was deafening as the students in particular recognized the meaning of the words. They were all performers and hoping for a career in showbiz. It wasn't going to be easy to succeed and often success would be fleeting for some of them, so they had to make the most of it while they could and take the opportunities presented. For Rachel though, the meaning was a much stronger one, every time she looked at Quinn she was reminded of how different her own future might have been if their places were reversed on that fateful day.
The ceremony was lovely for all involved. Rachel actually went up second to collect her degree; it was by alphabetical order. She re-took her seat afterwards and turned to glance at Quinn and her dads and saw all three blew her a kiss. She covered her mouth so her giggle didn't disturb the ceremony.
As the commencement came to an end the three prizewinners performed. The dancer performed a contemporary piece what wowed everyone, the actor did a monologue from Twelfth Night and Rachel finally stepped up to close the ceremony with her second song of the afternoon.
Just as she was about to start Rachel looked directly at Quinn and held her gaze for a moment, before the music started and she was lost in the music.
I see trees of green, red roses, too,
I see them bloom, for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue, and clouds of white,
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky,
Are also on the faces of people going by.
I see friends shaking hands, sayin', "How do you do?"
They're really sayin', "I love you."
I hear babies cryin'. I watch them grow.
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
As she was about to sing the final words, Rachel's gaze fell upon Quinn once more and she directed the words straight at her.
Yes, I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Quinn wasn't fond of wearing a suit to be honest, but she was wearing one at the moment and fiddling with it. It had taken trips to countless stores to find one that looked okay for someone who was sat down all the time. The skirt and pants were easy; the jacket was the main problem. She had trawled stacks of department stores and respectable shops like Brooks Brothers to find something. In the end she found what she wanted in Thomas Pink on 6th Ave. They had some suits with short jackets and then in petite fitting that made them perfect for Quinn's narrow hips. Unfastened jackets tended to get wrecked in a chair, the wheels did plenty of damage to most of her regular clothes and the last thing she wanted was to turn up for an interview with dirty streaks down the side of her new suit. Rachel and Santana had both accompanied her to find one and eventually they found the shop by accident because Santana wanted to visit one of her favorite photography shops nearby and between that and Rachel begging they stop for coffee, they just happened to walk past, then decide it was worth having a look inside.
Santana wasn't convinced at first, thinking the store was a bit square looking but then Quinn found the jackets and the assistant found both the pants and skirt to match, went to get a couple of nice shirts to try it on with and half an hour later, Quinn declared herself happy and bought the same suit in two colors and a few shirts as well. Her favorite was a delicate pale and dark pink striped one that went perfectly with the mid-grey suit.
As she emerged from the elevator into the foyer at ESPN a few days later, she was feeling smart and confident. It wasn't that she didn't get nervous, of course she still had butterflies in her stomach, but they were the good kind. She had opted for the skirt rather than the pants because it was hot and to be honest, she felt more confident about her legs being on display than she had when she was first injured. Catching a glimpse of herself in the elevator mirror she was satisfied with her appearance and put on her best dazzling smile as the doors opened.
Approaching the receptionist, she introduced herself and was asked to take a seat in the waiting area. She had to stifle the urge to say something funny, thinking that today perhaps wasn't the ideal time to make someone embarrassed over their poor choice of words. So instead she flashed a smile and rolled over to the tables and chairs. There was a coffee machine bubbling away that might have tempted her usually, but not today. There wasn't going to be any risk of spillages down her new suit.
Eventually two men approached, one familiar and one not. They were introduced. Mark Jansen was the producer she had worked with before and his colleague was called Eric Moore, an executive director and pretty important in the company's regional office. She had her game face on from the moment they introduced themselves and recognized the interview had already begun. In her backpack sat copies of her portfolio. She had already sent them recorded copies of her most recent performances; Santana had helped her edit the videos, and her latest updated resume. Along with the work she had produced for them last year, she felt confident it showed her performing and academic qualities were strong enough. She just had that tiny annoying doubt in the back of her mind that perhaps they were just being nice to her because of the chair and that somehow it might get in the way of her being accepted. Squashing the doubt, she set about winning them over.
Mark immediately sat beside her and Eric took the chair opposite. They were both considerably older than her, but typical sporting media types; well-presented, smart, confident and good-looking. She hoped she was pulling off the same. One of the most important characteristics she had found out about presenters, was their ability to make those they were interviewing feel comfortable. Since her accident, Quinn had had to do that countless times; stop people thinking too much about the chair when they were around her. She had often commented to those she was closest to about how amusing she thought it was, that she was the one having to work hard to make others feel at ease. Now though she was so used to it, that it was a bit of a practiced habit and she hoped it would work well in a new environment. To his credit, Eric didn't seem to worry about it; she could always tell if someone was a little fixated by the chair, but he seemed to be at ease. She guessed he had seen the stuff she had recorded the summer before and understood she wasn't the sensitive type.
They talked informally for a while and Mark asked her about her graduation ceremony at the end of the week.
"I could live without making a speech, don't get me wrong, I am not one to shy away from being the center of attention, but everyone is expecting me to be inspiring and I haven't quite decided what I'm going to say yet." She shrugged.
Mark grinned at her. He had enjoyed having her around the office the year before and his staff still talked about her from time to time. "Serves you right for letting yourself end up as valedictorian again."
"Well, I'd like to say it was unplanned, but you know…" Quinn raised her eyes nonchalantly at first and then dropped them as a cheeky grin spread across her face.
Eric was thoughtful for a moment. "Mark tells me that you will be competing in Brazil in September."
The blonde nodded. "I'm just starting to get really excited about it now that its within touching distance. I just got my team kit this week so it looks like I am going to get another stamp in my passport."
"We usually go on a tour to start with but as you know the place so well, it doesn't really seem necessary."
"I wasn't sure what to expect today really. I got lead to believe graduate interviews can be pretty tortuous."
"This isn't really an interview, Quinn. It's a formality." Eric stood and pointed the way. "Shall we go to the conference room and iron out a plan?"
Suddenly Quinn realized this wasn't what she thought it was. They already wanted her and now it was just about details. This was a negotiation that's all. She recognized for the first time that she was no longer a schoolgirl from Ohio, she was valedictorian of an Ivy League college, an international athlete and she had a face people liked to look at and a voice they listened to. Of course they wanted her, who wouldn't?
But did she want them? Part of her brain was still thinking about Broadway plays and musicals, about Shakespeare and Miller. Quinn thought about her future though. She was good at winning and didn't want that to end.
"Lead the way," she smiled warmly. Decision made. The portfolios never left her bag.
A couple of hours later, Quinn emerged into the bright summer sun and paused for a moment outside the building. She unfastened her jacket and peeled it off, not wanting it to get ruined without the protection of the air-con inside. She folded it neatly in her lap and then popped a little wheelie in celebration. In her backpack was a signed contract of employment starting the beginning of October. She would have the summer to prepare for Rio, then go to the games, even staying on until the closing ceremony if she wished, despite the swimming finishing at the end of the first week. She would then have two weeks break before starting her new job.
It would have been nice to get a presenting gig straight away, but she had told them she was willing to earn her stripes first and gain more on camera experience. She enjoyed making the magazine program and would continue to work on those, plus she would cover for regular presenters when the opportunity arose. The rest of the time, she would prepare scripts and research if needed. It was a great starting package and they seemed genuinely interested in her remaining with them for some time. The standard graduate entry to the company had been significantly 'enhanced' as Eric described it to her. It included several non-standard benefits and bonuses for anytime she appeared on air. Quinn was ecstatic as she tipped onto the back wheels and rolled in a long, smooth wheelie down the ramp to a waiting line of taxis. She wasn't taking the bus this afternoon, she had a job, a good job at that, so she was going home in style.
If Rachel was nervous for her graduation, Quinn could pretty much quadruple that. She didn't hate public speaking, that would be ridiculous, but as she looked out at the packed quad in front of her from the stage, she had more than butterflies. She was almost sick. But she swallowed down the concern that she might make a fool of herself as she had so many times before and thought back to all the other times in her life that she was shitting bricks and took a deep breath.
The dean was up talking about her and her achievements; she was trying not to listen because that would only make it worse. Instead she scoured the crowd looking for her familiar people. They were just too far away, but she knew roughly where they were and focused on that instead.
"Quinn Fabray is here not only as an exceptional student, but as an exceptional human being. For four years she has performed flawlessly in her academic pursuits and in her chosen extra-curricular activities. Her academic results have made her a Dean's List student, with an almost perfect GPA of 4.31 and her average grade in advanced classes this year was A+. Quinn has represented Columbia at swimming and in her junior and senior years has gone on to be selected to represent the US Paralympic swimming team, including breaking World records numerous times and last summer finally becoming a Paralympic World Champion. In a few short months she will represent her country once more at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and we have no doubt that she will do us proud again. Her performances in her chosen field of drama have been simply outstanding, and for someone who spends most of her days sitting, she stands tall amongst you all." The dean broke briefly and turned to Quinn with a smile. "Quinn did actually give me permission to say that by the way in case any of you thought I was being insensitive." There was another round of laughter. "In addition to her sporting achievements, Quinn volunteered to teach children to swim in the holidays here at Columbia and was involved in further stage appearances with a community theater group. The college was so impressed by her academic and sporting achievements that she was nominated for the prestigious ECAC Scholar-Athlete prize and won, but more importantly she was nominated by her fellow teammates for the Award of Valor, which she also won, for her inspiration during her time with the squad. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Columbia University Class of 2016's Valedictorian, Quinn Fabray."
Quinn rolled up to the microphone in front of five thousand graduates; a virtual sea of sky blue all around. She had on her cap and gown, the pale blue was a good color for her. The crown badges in navy affixed to her chest, the symbol of the university on display all around.
"I would just like to say a few words of thanks before I begin. My amazing family, some blood and some informally adopted, are here today and without their support, I wouldn't be, so thank you sincerely for being on my journey with me. My thanks also extend, as no doubt do yours to the faculty without whom we would not be graduating today and receiving one of the best things we can ever hold in our hands; a great education that becomes a key with which to open the door to our futures." She paused while a round of applause peeled around the grounds in thanks to their teachers. "I would also like to thank the Dean, his joke about my standing tall leads me to believe that Columbia is a place where everyone, no matter their station in life, can walk tall." The sound of both laughter and applause followed.
"I'm going to tell you a little story now, which I promise isn't plagerized either," Quinn turned to the Dean again with a grin. A previous valedictorian had embarrassed himself and the university by stealing a comedian's jokes a few years before. Another ripple of laughter went around the crowd. "It might seem a little sad in parts but I wouldn't want you to think that it doesn't have a happy ending because it does. I am going to take you back four and a half years. I was sat on the stage in my school auditorium, unlike now, it wasn't because I couldn't stand up, but because we were all sitting down talking to our glee club teacher, Mr Schuester. A former school student we all knew had tried to commit suicide because the students at his new school found out he was gay. Fortunately he didn't succeed, and Mr Schue asked us all to say what we were most looking forward to in the months ahead. He wanted us to see the big picture, not the small stuff that can sometimes get us down and in our mixed up teenage brains become disproportionately depressing. My answer is as clear to me now as it was then, I told everyone that I was looking forward to graduating top of my class," she paused briefly knowing how the crowd would react to her next words, "at Yale." She grinned as a ripple of boos rang out at the mention of one of their biggest rivals.
"What can I say? I was young and naïve." She shrugged and giggled a little. "Anyway, two if my friends were influenced by what happened that day. They were young and in love, got engaged and the events of that week inspired them to move up their wedding from the end of the year to the coming weekend. Now our glee club was performing at the regional championships that Saturday and my friends decided they would get married later that afternoon. But I wasn't very supportive and told them they were too young and immature for that kind of responsibility and I had refused to support the wedding right up until we won that regionals competition. I heard my friend sing and I heard love in her voice so I changed my mind and told her I would go to the wedding. She was thrilled and so we both dashed back to my house to pick up my bridesmaid's dress and set off for the county courthouse." She took a breath and held it for a second, as much for a dramatic pause as anything.
"But we never made it." The massive crowd was momentarily silent waiting for what most of them would guess was the inevitable conclusion.
"Somewhere on the road from my house to the courthouse, we were hit by a truck going through an intersection; it's brakes had failed and it couldn't stop. So the course of our lives was changed. In my friend's case, she recovered but didn't get married; she and her boyfriend broke up three months after the crash, realizing that life had changed and was taking them in a different direction. As you can see, the course of my life dramatically and it would have been easy at the time to think that it had been ruined by what had happened. But it didn't ruin my life. It changed it, but I'm kind of grateful for so many things that have happened because of it that even if I could go back and change the course of events, I wouldn't. If it wasn't for that accident I wouldn't have realized what I was capable of, I wouldn't have started swimming competitively, I wouldn't have met some really amazing people and I wouldn't be sharing my life with the most amazing person I know. Right now though, I wouldn't be on stage before all of you, because I would have gone to Yale." She shook her head in embarrassment and gave a rueful smile as laughter rippled across the quad again.
"The reason for telling you that is because we are all about to experience change. All of us will be moving to a new phase of our lives. A lot of you will stay here in the city but many of you will move away. Some of you may be continuing your education, but in a new capacity. Some of you, like me will be starting your career and some will be taking some time to take stock, see the World or even drop out for a little while. For all of us it's a change from what we have been doing before and that can be scary; sometimes it's how we see change. The unknown is often scary to begin with and even worse, we are now expected to have greater responsibility, like it or not, we are grown-ups now." Quinn made a horrified expression to emphasize this which drew another chuckle from the crowd.
"I have never been more scared than I was after my accident and the doctors broke the news you never want to hear about yourself; the immortal words like on some cheesy soap opera, or for those of you about to go to work in the entertainment industry, daytime drama," she made quotation marks in the air as she said it. "You'll never walk again."
The crowd quieted as she said the words.
"At that moment I was afraid of what my future would be like and although the wheelchair became a reality, the rest of my expectations didn't work out like I thought. The change wasn't the end of the World, it was in fact the start of a new life and if only I had known that then, it would have made things so much easier. But if it had been easy, I wouldn't have learned so much. We humans aren't made to have an easy life. We get fat and lazy and boring if we do. An easy life isn't one where you can experience fulfillment because that can only come from the fruits of our own labor. The harder we have to work for something the more satisfaction we get when we succeed. I cannot guarantee that today you will all leave here and live happily ever after, nor can I guarantee you all success in your chosen fields, an education can only do so much and the future is not cast in stone, it's always a moving target. What I can guarantee you though is the opportunity to succeed if you work for it. Responsibility is the key to that success. If we take on responsibility, we give ourselves the chance to be good at something and we become the leaders of the future; something that it expected of all of us as Columbia alumni."
Loud applause sounded out at her words.
"All that is left to say to you, my fellow graduates, is make the most of each day and never pass up the chance to make a difference in someone's life. We don't have to change the whole World, but if we can change the World for just one person, we become better people. Right now I feel like changing someone's World, so out there amongst the watching crowd is the love of my life and this afternoon, I'm not going to get down on one knee here because that would just be messy and I would wrinkle my gown," she grinned pulling out a small black velvet ring box and opening it so the sun glinted off the diamonds, "I would like to ask her to marry me."
There was an audible gasp and then cheers and applause as the crowd realized what was happening. In the distance, a banner appeared and was held up not by a weak-kneed, speechless Rachel Berry, who could barely nod let alone shout out a reply loud enough to be heard up on the stage, but by someone sat next to her. The banner simply read 'She said yes!'
"Phew!" Quinn wiped her the back of her hand across her brow. "Thank goodness she said yes!" The crowd, most of whom were craning their necks to try and find the object of Quinn's proposal, went nuts again. "In the words of some old Roman, folks, Carpe Diem, seize the day, you never know if it will be your last. Our thanks to those who came to watch us graduate and thanks for allowing me to make a fool of myself in front of five thousand people. Congratulations to all of you my fellow graduates and the class of 2016!"
Once again, everyone listened to Quinn Fabray.
