What the World Needs Now
Rachel sends her continuous updates about how the New Directions are doing. Sue had thrown a surprise invitationals where she would judge, but of course Rachel Berry was able to pull through and had broken into Sue's computer and found her emotional playlist so they managed to win the competition.
Rachel sent her a picture of the trophy which she is eighty percent sure says Bowling Champions! engraved on the bottom. She prints a picture of Rachel and Puck both standing next to the trophy and pins it on her corkboard on her wall in her dorm room.
They keep up with their monthly FaceTime tradition of having dinner all together. Santana and Brittany join them in person since the both of them have moved to New York together. The two of them both got into NYU and have been studying there for the past couple of months. Brittany studying Math and Santana surprisingly found a love for business.
The three of them go on biweekly outings together, whether it be getting their nails done, shopping sprees, or dinners together. Sometimes Kurt joins them so she and he can help Santana and Brittany plan for their wedding.
They're able to decide on a few things like flower arrangements, cake, and a theme. Santana let Brittany choose the theme, but to both her and Kurt's surprise it wasn't a terrible idea: heaven.
Tina offers to design both of their dresses, finding a love for fashion. Even though Brown doesn't offer fashion classes, Tina had been telling her about how she decided to take some classes at a local fashion college, but her focus is still acting.
xxx
They all decide to go home for a few weeks to help Rachel with sectionals and to further plan for Brittany and Santana's wedding. But Brittany had come to Quinn and told her the true reason why she wants to go home for a while is because she wants to try and convince Santana's grandmother to come to their wedding.
"They had been so close Quinn. I know Santana wants her to be there, but won't ask herself, I want to do this for her." Brittany had told her when she had told Brittany she wasn't sure it was a good idea.
Mercedes goes back to Lima two weeks before the rest of them to mentor. Not all of them are going back this time because contrary to everyone's belief, it actually is quite a bit of a hassle to go back and forth all the time.
Artie, Mike, and Tina are planning to come back for sectionals only. Originally it was only supposed to be her, Sam, Santana, Brittany, and Kurt, but then Blaine also decided to come down because Sebastian had asked him to mentor the Warblers for sectionals.
She can't say she's surprised about Sebastian, she remembers Kurt complaining to her about how much Blaine and Sebastian used to text while he and Blaine were still together.
Brittany tells her about her plan to trick Alma, who is Santana's grandmother, into talking to Santana at the auditorium, and she has to say, it's kind of a solid plan. Brittany pretending to be a nurse and gaining Alma's trust? Not the worst idea Brittany has had.
She and Sam are staying at their respective houses again because she knows Mary would die if she found out her son was living with his girlfriend out of wedlock, even if it is only on vacations and weekends.
xxx
While Santana and Brittany are meeting with their parents regarding wedding preparations, she, Kurt, and Sam decide to slip into a glee club rehearsal to see how everything is doing.
Sam drives the three of them to McKinley and they park five minutes before practice starts. She gives Rachel a surprised look and a thumbs up when she sees they have managed to recruit one other member since they all left, a football player which she knows was probably more Puck's doing than hers, but good on her anyway.
They go sit at the back as the bell rings so they don't distract the group, but it doesn't matter because Rachel grabs her hands and pulls her up onto the floor while squealing "sing something!" anyway.
"I don't have anything prepared!" She says mostly to Rachel who takes a seat between Puck and Mercedes while she stands alone as everyone waits for her to perform something.
"Who cares! Sing!" She hears from Sam who she glares at. She huffs and walks to Brad and whispers to him her song choice.
She takes a deep breath and waits for her cue.
We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January
And this is our place, we make the rules
And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you, dear
Have I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?
Kurt squeals and claps his hands together and Sam rolls his eyes when the both of them realize she's singing a Taylor Swift song.
Can I go where you go?
Can we always be this close?
Forever and ever, ah
Take me out, and take me home
You're my, my, my, my lover
She spins and twirls around the room and doesn't notice as someone gets up and begins to sing along with her.
We could light a bunch of candles
And dance around the kitchen, baby
She hears and whips her head around to see Sam standing in front of his chair in the back of the room looking at her.
Pictures of when we were young would hang on the wall
We would sit on the stoop
I'll sing love songs to you when we're eighty
He begins to walk down towards her and when he stops in front of her, he grabs her hands, giving her flashbacks to when they had sung their first duet together and he had done the same thing.
See, I finally got you now, honey, I won't let you fall
He spins her around and she laughs as the two of them dance around the room, everyone else watching them fading away into the background.
Can I go where you go?
Can we always be this close?
Forever and ever, ah
Take me out, and take me home (forever and ever)
You're my, my, my, my, my lover
They stop and stand in the middle of the room and stare into each other's eyes while she raises one of her hands to cradle his cheek in her palm.
Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand? With every guitar string scar on my hand
I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover
He places one of his hands over top of hers and pulls her closer with his other one.
Look in my eyes, they will tell you the truth
The girl in my story has always been you
I'd go down with the Titanic, it's true, for you, lover
She smiles and takes a step closer, their chests touching as she continues to look into his eyes.
And you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me
And at every table, I'll save you a seat, lover
(save you a seat)
He peels her hand off of his cheek and spins her into his arms, just to spin her back out as the two of them finish their duet.
Can I go where you go? (Can I go where you go, baby?)
Can we always be this close?
Forever and ever, ah
Take me out, and take me home (forever and ever)
You're my, my, my, my
Oh, you're my, my, my, my
Darling, you're my, my, my, my lover
He dips her just as the song ends and pulls her up to the melody of everyone's applaus.
"That is the kind of energy y'all need to bring to sectionals!" Mercedes intructs while standing up, still clapping and she blushes.
Sam bows goofily and she pulls him back to their seats so Rachel and Puck can start their rehearsal.
xxx
She and Kurt meet Santana and Brittany at the Lima Bean to discuss wedding plans. They're waiting for Tina to fly in to discuss bridesmaid and wedding dresses, but Santana and Brittany have made choices such as the DJ, the venue, and the videographer while in Lima.
"There is one more thing we have chosen, but we need your opinion on it." Santana says as Kurt writes down the details Brittany is giving him in his planner.
"Quinn, will you be our maid of honour?" Santana asks and she gasps and nods as tears prick her eyes.
Santana rolls her eyes. "I don't know who else you expected us to pick, you're our best friend." Santana says and Brittany grins.
"And we were thinking Sam could be the best man since we're both close to the best of him and he's you're Santana." Brittany tells her and a tear slips out of her eyes.
"You guys," she starts, but Santana shakes her head.
"Jesus Fabray, you need to stop being so emotional or else you're going to be a trainwreck for the wedding."
xxx
Two days later Brittany tells her she convinced Alma to come to the auditorium with her because she thinks she's going to meet Brittany's fiancé, which she is, it's just not going to be a guy like Alma thinks.
Santana thinks the best way to get through to her grandmother is through song, so she prepares a solo, Alfie, that Rachel and Puck have the New Directions sing backup as practice. Feeling left out, she convinces Rachel to let the other alumni join in as well since Brittany will already be singing backup.
She thinks she's more nervous than Santana is the day of. She knows Santana hasn't seen or spoken to her grandmother since she came out to her in senior year. But then Santana starts singing and she notices her hands shaking and knows Santana is freaking out inside.
She holds her breath as Brittany joins Santana at the front of the stage and grabs her hand. She knows Alma has to know by now that Santana is Brittany's fiancé, but she can't read Alma's expression.
Sam tugs on her hand and drags her backstage so Santana, Alma, and Brittany can have their privacy, but she stops and peers past the curtains so she can listen in on their conversation without being seen.
"Quinn," he groans. "Don't meddle." He says.
"Shh." She hisses, swatting him away.
She begins to pray that Alma is just able to look past her uneducated beliefs and accept her granddaughter because she knows how much Santana loves her grandmother.
But then Alma says no to Brittany's invitation to the wedding and says that girls marry boys, not other girls.
She knows Santana is putting up a strong front about losing her grandmother because she won't accept the fact that Santana is marrying Brittany.
She sees Santana's lip quiver and that's all it takes. She ignores Sam's protests and chases after Alma into the parking lot.
"I haven't spoken to my dad in about five years!" she shouts so Alma can hear her before she can get into her car.
Alma freezes, but doesn't turn around.
"And I resent him so much for not being able to push aside his beliefs to accept his daughter when she needed him." She says, taking steps closer to Alma who still hasn't turned around.
"But most of all, I resent him because I miss him so much and there's nothing I can do about it because he will never forgive me for the choices that I made in my life." Alma doesn't turn around, but she doesn't care. Her still standing there indicates to Quinn that she's listening to what she's saying.
"If you won't love Santana for who she is, that's fine, there are a village of people I know who will. But I know Santana loves you, and I know it is killing her to know you won't accept her because of who she loves."
Alma's hands are shaking, so she knows her words are affecting Santana's grandmother. She just prays that they're getting through to her.
"It's sad, because Santana could be a murderer or a psychopath, so much worse than just a lesbian, but you act like the worst thing she could ever do, is love girls."
She shakes her head and turns around, satisfied with all she's said. She looks back to see Alma still standing there, back turned to her and she stops.
"Are you really willing to lose your granddaughter or something as small as this?" She asks, not waiting to hear Alma's answer.
xxx
She feels for Santana. She knows that she would never show it, but she can tell Santana is a little heartbroken over losing her grandmother again. So she creates a plan with the rest of the alumni to sing a song for Santana and Brittany.
Rachel gets her glee kids to bring Santana and Brittany to the auditorium so the rest of them can serenade her. She knows Santana will probably hate it, she hates anything mushy like this, but she also knows her two friends deserve to see how many people they have on their side.
They created a speech about what family truly is, even if they are not connected by blood.
And then the song begins and they start singing What the World Needs Now. The smile on Santana's face makes her face breakout in a grin and she runs down the steps of the stage to grab the both of them and bring them onto the stage with the rest of them.
A Wedding
Kurt kidnaps her at 7am and doesn't bother to tell her where he's taking her, just hands her a coffee and squeals from the passenger seat beside her. She groans and rubs her eyes with the palm of her hand, still clad in her pyjamas with a mop of bedhead on top of her head.
"Kurt, are you even going to give me a hint as to where we're going?" She asks, her voice still laced with sleep.
Kurt just chuckles and takes another sip of his coffee, way too energetic for a quarter past seven. "Well you know how I've been struggling with a venue because gay marriage is still illegal in Ohio." He says and she hums. Originally Kurt had wanted to do most of the organizing for the wedding himself, but then realized how difficult it was because some places will still not cater to gay or lesbian weddings, seeing them as wrong and such. If she thinks about it too much it makes her blood boil.
Anyway, I was driving to Indiana to pick up this super cute tan leather jacket I found. It has all these cute little studs and this belt buckle that-"
"Kurt," she interrupts and he gasps and rolls his eyes in fake offence.
"Fine, I'll just show it to you later. But on my way to the store I stumbled upon the most perfect venue, or at least I think it is. Which is why I brought you today, I need you to tell me your opinion as maid of honour." He says and she nods.
They talk about Vogue and how Kurt has been doing there along with other wedding details that need to get done, and then finally two and a half hours later they arrive. Kurt parks along the side of a dirt road and she bits her lip, a little sketched out of the abandoned area they are in.
"Kurt, what the hell is this place?" She asks, hesitant to follow Kurt who is walking a few steps ahead of her.
"Oh come on Fabray, do you seriously think I would take you out here to kill you? I would never risk getting my outfit stained with your blood." He states and she glares at him, but follows nonetheless.
"What do you think?" He asks when they get inside of the barn. Okay, she can't deny it, it's stunning.
"What's your plan?" She asks, referring to decorations and such while walking around the empty barn. It's a beautiful place to have a wedding, but it still needs a bit of touching up to do.
"I'm thinking lights everywhere, a white dance floor in the middle of the floor, white decorations everywhere to bring the Heaven theme to life. Maybe some clouds, maybe a gate archway in the entrance." He says and she closes her eyes, visualizing everything.
"I love it." She tells him once she pictures the final product. Kurt grins.
xxx
Kurt drowns himself in finding decorations for the barn, so he gives her all the responsibilities for the bridal party. She assumes Santana and Brittany would be okay with having a joint bridal party since there are two brides for this wedding. She tells Rachel to leave sectionals responsibilities to Puck and help her with the organizing for the bridal party.
There's not too much she has to do. She decides to hold it at her mother's house so she doesn't have to lug everything back and forth and this wait she can do a little bit of decorating each day so she's not rushed the day of.
She decides to hold the brunch sort of thing at noon because everyone knows she is not a morning person. She sends out invitations to various cheerios Santana and Brittany stayed in touch with, the glee girls (and Kurt) including Sugar Marley, Unique, and Kitty because Brittany knows them well, and some friends Santana had made in New York and while on tour with Mercedes, along with parents and Santana and Brittany's relatives.
She had asked Santana if she wanted to invite any faculty, but Santana had told her specifically no teachers or staff except for the wedding. This is not a Finn, Mr. Shue situation Santana had told her.
She still finds herself rushed the day of, ironically. She forces Sam to attend even though it's more for ladies because she needs him to help her decorate and carry around the heavy stuff. In the promise ring speech, remember? She had asked him when he had groaned and told her he didn't really want to spend his Saturday at a bridal shower.
He helps her hang up decorations and set up games while they wait for Rachel to come over and help. She doesn't hear any rustling for a while and knows Sam is still in the room, so she turns around to see what he's doing.
He has a goofy grin on his face and his hands behind his back, taking a few steps towards her. She rolls her eyes. "Sam, they're going to be here in a couple of hours, what are you doing?" She asks him as he stops and stands in front of her.
"Can you imagine yourself doing this for us?" He asks as he places a tiara with a veil attached to it on top of her head.
"I really hope I don't have to organize my own bridal shower." She says, turning back to put the finishing touches on the presents table.
Sam grabs her hand and spins her around, causing her to lose her footing and stumble a bit, but he steadies her. He's always catching her when she falls.
She giggles and swats him away, telling him they need to finish setting up, but of course he ignores her. Instead, he twirls her around and hums the opening notes to Lucky.
She laughs as he dips her and she leans her head back to look at the door when she hears it open.
Rachel just shakes her head when she sees them. "Now I know the real reason why you said it was taking so long to get everything ready." Rachel teases as she hangs up her coat and joins them in the living room.
"Okay." Rachel says, clapping her hands together. "Where do you need me?"
xxx
A few hours later her house is filled with guests, talking, laughing, eating.
Sam is standing near the food table talking to Adam who Kurt dragged here so Sam wouldn't be alone in a room full of women, although she doesn't think her boyfriend would mind.
The party is only around four hours, but she's still exhausted when it's over. Carole stays to help clean up, and she asks Quinn how Yale is doing while they pack up the leftover food in the kitchen.
"I remember the last time I did this." Carole says casually, causing her to freeze. She had completely forgotten the last glee wedding they had was supposed to be Finn and Rachel's. She opens and closes her mouth a few times, having no idea what to say to Carole. She feels like a complete idiot.
Carole must notice her struggle, because she places a hand on her shoulder and tells her it's okay. "I've learned to appreciate the time I had with him instead of being bitter over what could have been." Carole says, and she nods. The guilty feeling still lingers.
"Do you think she'll ever find anyone else?" Carole says, nodding her head to Rachel who is in the living room, laughing at some joke Sam made.
She had often found herself worrying about the same thing, but she knows Rachel is capable of loving again, she just needs to be ready first. There had been a time while in Toronto where she had asked Rachel whether she would ever want to date again, or even get married.
Rachel had been silent for a while, but then had given her an answer that said everything she needed to know.
What a gift it will be to love twice in one lifetime.
And ever since then, she stopped questioning it.
"I don't doubt it for a second." She tells Carole.
xxx
Kurt also puts her in charge of the bachelorette party. She finds a lesbian strip club in Dublin and calls a few weeks ahead to inform them she'll be coming in with a group of girls for a bachelorette party.
They have a small dinner with the same ladies who attended the bridal shower, but the real bachelorette party occurs a week later with Santana and Brittany's closest friends: herself, Rachel, Kurt, Tina, and Mercedes.
She rents a party bus for the seven of them since they are all twenty-one now, except for Tina who they got a fake ID for.
"Should I be jealous that you're going to a strip club?" Sam asks her from where he's laying on her bed, leaning his head on his palm with his elbow bent, watching her get ready. She rolls her eyes and readjusts her gold dress.
"It's a lesbian strip club Sam." She informs him as she checks to make sure she has everything she needs in her purse.
"Yeah, and you've had sex with Santana before." He says and she smirks as she turns around and gives him a quick peck.
"Will you be okay here by yourself?" She asks him and he nods. He'd been staying with her ever since Stevie kicked him out of his room, saying Sam takes up too much room, and his old room had been converted into an office so they had both decided that it would be easier if he just stayed with her.
"Yeah, I'm going to have dinner with your mom and then maybe hang out with Blaine for a few hours before coming back here." He says and she rolls her eyes again. She doesn't know if she finds it cute or weird that Sam and her mother have such a close relationship.
He walks her out to where everyone else is waiting for her inside of the party bus and tells them all to have fun.
"I'm keeping her forever guppy lips!" Santana shouts from an open window, already a little drunk.
It's around an hour and a half drive from Lima to Dublin, so most of them are already half past drunk by the time they get there. Mercedes and Kurt opt out of drinking too much, deeming themselves as the responsible ones who take care of everyone else.
"I'll give mama here a day off." Mercedes says, slinging an arm around her shoulders once she makes herself into the club.
They stay until one in the morning, dancing and drinking. Santana and Brittany are both wearing sashes saying Bride so they get most of the attention while they're there. She, Rachel, and Santana are the most drunk out of the seven of them, Brittany being able to handle her alcohol the best out of all of them and Tina tapping out a few hours ago. Rachel is still able to walk on her own, but she and Santana stumble their way out of the club, hysterically laughing.
She trips, unable to walk in heels while intoxicated and Kurt groans, ready to pull his hair out from dealing with her.
"Hurts." She slurs, pointing to her feet. Tina whispers something into Kurt's ear and he nods. She runs back to the club and returns back a few moments later with a bodyguard.
Before she knows it, the bodyguard is hauling her over his shoulder. She giggles. "Hi." She says to him. He grunts in response.
Mercedes takes her once they make it to the party bus. "Thank you!" She shouts after him as she leans against Mercedes, waving frantically. He doesn't turn back around, causing her to pout.
They throw her and Santana next to each other, Rachel next to Santana so the three of them can deal with each other.
"You're getting married!" She cries out of nowhere ten minutes into the ride, causing Santana to get emotional as well.
"I know!" Santana cries with her as the rest of them snicker at them, except for Rachel who's lip begins to quiver as well.
"What am I going to do?" She asks, flailing her arms around, and then she gasps. "All of my best friends are going to have gay weddings." She points out.
"Marry Berry." Kurt suggests, causing Mercedes to burst out laughing from beside him.
She turns to Rachel. "Rachel, will you marry me?" She asks.
Rachel nods and places her hands over her mouth. She drunkenly grins and says "yay, now I get a gay wedding too."
"You have to give me a ring." Rachel points out, placing her hand on her promise ring.
"No way, you can't have that one." She says, pulling her hand away from Rachel's and cradles it to her chest.
She dozes off soon after that and wakes up when the bus stops at a halt. "Why're we stopping?" She mumbles.
"Because we're at your house princess." Kurt says, pulling out his phone and typing something before putting it back into his back pocket.
"Oh." She says, standing up too quickly but then grabbing her head because everything begins to spin. "Ugh." She says and Tina pulls her back down.
"Not yet Quinnie." Tina says as Kurt looks out the window.
A few minutes later her boyfriend appears clad in only a pair of flannel plaid pyjama pants and white socks.
"Hey." She says while pointing at him. "I know that guy."
"Jesus Christ." He says as he walks towards her. "What did you guys do to her?"
"She had a lot to drink." Rachel tries, but fails to whisper to him.
Sam just chuckles. "I see she wasn't the only one." He says, causing Rachel to pout.
"Okay baby, grab your purse and shoes and then say goodbye to everyone." He says and she follows his instructions.
"See you guys." He tells everyone as he carries her bridal style out of the party bus and into the house.
She drops her shoes with a thud once they get inside and he shushes her. "Your mom is asleep, you have to be quiet." He scolds her.
She groans and throws her head back. "Boo!" She whisper-shouts.
He carries her upstairs and into the washroom and puts her down onto the toilet. "I want to sleep." She complains and she rests her head onto the sink counter.
"Too bad, we need to wash your face first." He tells her and she huffs.
He grabs her face and holds it up as he grabs a makeup wipe in his other hands and begins to take the makeup off of her face.
"I'm going to have a gay wedding with Rachel." She informs him and he hums.
"Is that so?" He asks and she tries her best to nod her hand with her face still being held in his hand.
"I can divorce her right after so we can get married." She offers and he bursts out laughing.
"Sounds like a plan Q." He says, helping her off the toilet and taking her to the sink so he can help her finish washing her face and brush her teeth.
Ten minutes later she's in her pyjamas and under the covers waiting for Sam to turn off the lights.
"Maybe we can have a gay wedding anyway." She says once he crawls in beside her.
"What about Rachel?" He asks as he lazily throws an arm across her stomach, his voice indicating to her that he's a few minutes from falling asleep.
"There's no one else I'd marry but you." She promises him, knowing that even if he's fallen asleep he already knows.
xxx
Tina had sent a local seamstress some of the dress designs she had created for Brittany and Santana months ago, and the seamstress had called Santana a couple of days ago to let her know the dresses were ready.
She picks up Mercedes, Tina, and Rachel and meets Santana and Brittany at the wedding dress store, where Santana informs them the two of them don't want to see the others' dresses so they'll be coming out one at a time.
One of the ladies gives them all two panels, one with a thumbs up and one with a thumbs down. They have about four to five dresses each, but she thinks Brittany finds hers on dress three.
"Oh Brittany, this is gorgeous." She says as the rest of them gasp and nod in agreement.
"No fair! I want to see!" Santana shouts from inside her dressing room.
Brittany smiles and tells them that this is the one and quickly runs back into the changeroom before Santana comes out, who picks her dress two dresses later, the very last option of course.
xxx
The boys have been decorating the barn while she and the girls have been distracting Santana and Brittany, but Kurt decides a few days later it's probably time to show Santana and Brittany where their wedding venue is.
She takes the two of them after the mani-pedi appointment she arranged for the six girls. Mercedes, Rachel, and Tina had left before them, going to help the rest of the guys finish decorating the place.
She takes her time, goes through a Starbucks drive through and pretends to get lost two or three times. Then finally, they arrive.
"A barn?" Brittany asks and she bites her lower lip, a little afraid the two of them won't like the venue.
"It's still not done being decorated, I know Kurt still has a few more ideas on what to add to make it look nicer, but we thought since neither of you are really religious it wouldn't make sense to have your wedding in a church." She rambles as she takes them inside of the barn and Kurt joins them, nervously holding his clipboard as he waits for their reactions.
"You guys, this is beautiful." Santana says after a few minutes of silence and she lets out a sigh of relief.
"Really?" Kurt asks and the two of them nod.
"Yes!" Brittany squeals and loops her arm around Kurt, asking him to show her everything.
"I can't believe you're going to be married in two weeks." She says as she leans her head against Santana's shoulder.
"I know, it all feels so surreal." her best friend says and she smiles.
"I am so happy for you." She tells Santana, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.
"Thanks Q, I seriously don't know what I would have done without you." Santana says and she smiles wider, pulling Santana further into the barn so she can properly show her everything.
xxx
She meets Rachel, Santana, and Mercedes at the choir room to go over seating chart arrangements.
She's a little late because she found McConaughey chewing on one of the shoes she was planning to wear, but she knows Santana and Brittany are going to have very different opinions on where they want everyone to sit so she knows it probably doesn't matter.
Santana, Brittany, and Kurt had dealt with the obvious yesterday: glee kids at two tables next to each other, relatives together, etc.
"Put my mom next to Sam's parents." She says once they've moved onto parents. She picks up the little chair figurine with her mom's name on it and places it on the table with Burt and Carole, Sam's parents and siblings. Once she places it down she notices a chair not yet placed on the chart.
"Hey, since when is Jesse St. James invited to your wedding?" She asks, picking up the chair with his name on it.
Santana looks just as confused as she is so the both of them look at Brittany.
"I invited him, I didn't want Rachel to be lonely." Brittany says while shrugging as Rachel opens and closes her mouth, clearly at a loss for words.
"Um, well okay." She says, placing the chair back down. It takes them about an hour to sort everything out, Brittany and Santana only bickering about eight times before being satisfied with everything.
She, Rachel, and Mercedes exchange thankful looks before she tells the four of them she needs to pick up their bridesmaid dresses and will see them all later.
xxx
Everything hits her during the rehearsal dinner.
Santana and Brittany look completely calm, but she can't calm herself down. Her hands are shaking, she keeps thinking something is going to go wrong. She just wants this day to be perfect for the both of them.
"Babe, calm down." Sam soothes her. "Everything is fine."
She nods and looks over to her two friends who are eating and laughing with Santana's parents. They don't seem worried, so she assumes everything is okay.
"Want a distraction?" He asks her and she nods. "Tina is planning to ask Mike to marry him." He says casually and she whips her head to look at him.
"What?!" She shouts, getting some odd looks from nearby guests.
"God Q, keep your voice down. She asked Blaine, Artie, Puck, and I about it at the beginning of the rehearsal dinner. I guess she and Mike have gotten a lot closer and she said she can't imagine spending the rest of her life with anyone else." He tells her and her eyes widen.
Huh, she knows eventually Tina and Mike would have found their way back to each other, but she wouldn't have expected it to be like this.
She remains calm after that, eating, drinking and laughing with her friends. Sometimes Sam twirls and spins her around to the music causing Kurt to swoon and ask to plan their wedding as well. She rolls her eyes.
She shares her anxiety with Kurt, wondering if he feels the same, being the wedding planner and all. Kurt tells her it might be the fact that her best friends are marrying each other and that's why everything is affecting her so much, or because she wants a wedding herself. She rolls her eyes and tells him that's ridiculous, but the idea of getting married to Sam never really leaves her mind.
xxx
The wedding doesn't start until two, but there is a lot to do today so she wakes Sam up at five in the morning.
She can barely find the strength to get herself out of bed, so she drags herself downstairs and makes herself a giant cup of coffee before going to wake Sam up. Thankfully he doesn't put up too much of a fight. She instructs him to pack everything they need while she goes to take a shower.
They don't end up leaving until a quarter to six so they don't end up getting to the venue until around eight thirty.
Kurt, Adam, Rachel, Mercedes, Blaine and Artie are already there. Kurt puts the two of them to work, sending Sam with Adam and Artie to set up the video equipment and sending the three girls to put the centrepieces and name cards on all of the tables.
Tina, Mike, and Puck arrive shortly after and Kurt gives them all tasks as well.
Santana and Brittany won't be arriving until twelve, only to get ready. Kurt wants this wedding to be as stress free as possible.
xxx
It takes them until a quarter past eleven to get everything ready and set up to Kurt's satisfaction, and then he shoos them all off to get ready. Mercedes had flown in her hair and makeup team to get all of them ready so they don't need to stress.
She gets ready first just in case she is needed somewhere. She knows Kurt is also already ready and dealing with the groomsmen. Santana had talked some sense into Brittany and convinced her that the stupid superstisons about not seeing each other before the wedding isn't exactly true.
"So I have something for you guys." She says as she crouches down between both of their chairs while they're getting ready. "I know Tina took care of something blue, and your families dealt with something borrowed, but I have something new for you guys." She tells them and Santana shakes her head.
"Quinn, you've done so much. You didn't have to get us anything." Santana says and she shrugs.
"I know." she responds while pulling out two boxes out of the small shopping bag she brought with her.
"Quinn." Brittany gasps when she opens the box. She had bought them both lockets with the engraving UHT and an infinity symbol on the inside, with their initials engraved on the back of each necklace.
"I hope you don't mind, but I got myself one too." She says, pulling her necklace out from under her dress to show them.
"This is beautiful, thank you Q." Santana tells her with tears in her eyes and she smiles and squeezes her shoulder.
There's a knock on one of the barn doors and she calls out "come in!" because she assumes that it's just Kurt coming to check in on them.
"Santana?" She hears and she whips around to see Alma standing in the doorway.
She looks back at Santana who has the same surprised look on her face that she does and then looks at the rest of the girls who look just as concerned.
"What are you doing here?" Santana asks and she takes this as her cue to usher the girls out of the room and check to make sure everyone has everything ready.
Ten minutes later Santana's abuela exits their dressing room and she peeks her head in to make sure everything is okay.
"Thank you, she told me about what you said to her." Santana tells her once she sees her by the door. Santana walks up to her and hugs her. "You're partially the reason why she's here, thank you Q."
She squeezes her friend close before asking the both of them if they're ready. They both look at each other and nod and she gives Kurt a thumbs up who tells the musician to start playing.
Mercedes and Artie walk out together first, and then Tina and Mike, followed by Rachel and Blaine, and then Kurt walks out alone. Brittany wanted Kurt to be a bridesmaid because they had wanted five bridesmaids and five groomsmen.
"But with Blaine, Sam, Artie, and Puck you'll only have four." Kurt had pointed out.
"Finn is our fifth groomsman." Brittany says, finiately.
So they had decided Kurt would wear a pink blazer to match their dresses and would walk alone, although Brittany is convinced Finn would be walking beside him.
She had bought a post to stick behind the rest of the groomsmen and gotten Finn's name written on a namecard to stick on the post so everyone would know Finn is a groomsman as well.
"You look beautiful." Sam whispers to her as the two of them get ready to walk out together. She smiles softly and cups his cheek, mimicking the two of them before sectionals years ago.
The barn doors open and the two of them walk down the aisle together, a huge grin never leaving her face. Brittany walks out first, her arm looped around her fathers. Santana walks out next with her father and stands on the side of the groomsman where Brittany stands on the side of the bridesmaids. She takes the bouquets from both Santana and Brittany to hold onto as they grab each other's hands.
Burt officates the wedding and she sobs next to Rachel the entire time. Her hands shake as she hands Brittany the rings and cheers as the two of them kiss.
xxx
She dances at her table with Sam, Kurt, Adam, Rachel, and Mercedes during Artie's version of Hey Ya. She laughs as Sam pulls her onto the dancefloor.
They watch slideshows and dance to The Trebletones and mothers' version of I'm So Excited and then finally it is time for the performance she prepared for Santana and Brittany.
"So I know we said no more gifts," she starts, gearing her attention mostly to Santana and Brittany. "But what would this be without an Unholy Trinity trio?" She asks and the two of them laugh.
She nods her head to Artie, indicating for him to start the music as she drags Santana and Brittany on the dance floor and urges all the other couples to join them.
Today was a fairytale
You were the prince
I used to be a damsel in distress
You took me by the hand, and you picked me up at six
Today was a fairytale
She sings, handing Santana and Brittany each a microphone who are slow dancing on the dance floor, urging them to join in whenever.
Today was a fairytale
I wore a dress
You wore a dark grey t-shirt
You told me I was pretty when I looked like a mess
Today was a fairytale
She walks to Sam who is sitting at their table and sings to him a bit, then walks to the next table and sings to Artie.
Time slows down
Whenever you're around
She turns around when she hears Brittany and Santana join her and walks to the middle of the dance floor to join them.
Can you feel this magic in the air?
Must have been the way you kissed me
Fell in love when I saw you standing there
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
She looks at Sam as she sings who is slow dancing with Stacey and tries not to laugh at Stevie who is awkwardly with a girl his age.
Today was a fairytale
You've got a smile
Takes me to another planet
Every move you make everything you say is right
Today was a fairytale
She dances over to Tina and Mike, who holds up an engagement ring and she gasps. Tina holds a finger over her lips to indicate to her to keep it a secret.
Today was a fairytale
All I can say
Is now it's getting so much clearer
Nothing made sense 'til the time I saw your face
Today was a fairytale
She feels an arm loop around her waist and she grins as Sam grabs her empty hand so the two of them can dance around together.
Time slows down
Whenever you're around
Sam nods his head to somewhere beside them and she follows his line of sight to see Rachel dancing with Jesse St. James. She smiles, noticing Rachel's grin and how happy she looks. She hasn't seen Rachel that happy in a really long time.
But can you feel this magic in the air?
Must have been the way you kissed me
Fell in love when I saw you standing there
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
Sam dips her and she grins as pieces of her hair fall into her face. He brings her back up and moves the stray pieces out of her eyes.
Time slows down
Whenever you're around
I can feel my heart
It's beating in my chest
Did you feel it?
I can't put this down
Time slows down
Whenever you're around
But can you feel this magic in the air?
Must have been the way you kissed me
Fell in love when I saw you standing there
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
Everyone claps and she hands her microphone back to Artie as Santana and Brittany stand back on their stage to throw their bouquets.
"Even though traditionally there's only one bride so one bouquet is thrown, nothing about this wedding is traditional so we're throwing both." Santana states before turning around and joining Brittany.
She glares at Tina who stands next to her because she's already engaged, but she guesses it doesn't matter because Rachel catches Brittany's bouquet.
"No fair, you always get them." She whispers and yelps when she sees a bouquet flying right at her, catching it right before it hits her in the face.
To say she's shocked is an understatement. She turns to look at Sam who looks white as a sheet with a laughing Puck beside him.
She looks back to the front to see Santana winking at her and she rolls her eyes, now knowing it was a set up.
xxx
Everyone talks, laughs, drinks, eats, and dances until Santana's mother starts the speeches. Brittany's father had already made one earlier so she assumes now it is her turn.
She taps her knife to her glass lightly and waits for everyone's attention before starting off her speech.
"So for those of you who don't know me, I am Quinn Fabray and I am the maid of honour.
I met Santana when I moved to Lima. She was this short feisty Latina who I fought with ninety percent of the time, but that other ten percent of the time she was my best friend.
There was no one I fought with more than Santana, and god did we ever go at it. Between hallway fights to stealing each other's boyfriends, it's a surprise that we've managed to stay friends.
But there is also no one who I fought harder for than Santana, and that is because contrary to belief, mostly because she won't let anyone think otherwise, Santana is one of the most kind hearted people I have ever met.
She is there for her friends like no one else. It's like having a tiny bodyguard, with her at your side everything just hurts less because either she'll beat up the person who hurt you or she'll yell at you as her way of comforting, which is somehow oddly motivational." She waits for everyone to stop laughing before she continues again.
"For a while I was afraid that there would be no one who would be able to handle Santana. At the time of my worries, I didn't think there would be a guy who would be able to take all she is, because it's a lot," She says directly to Santana who just rolls her eyes, but she doesn't miss the tears hidden in them. "And accept her for it."
"And then there was Brittany. We met Brittany at the beginning of freshman year when she had tried out for the Cheerios. In walks this tall blonde with legs for days and dancing skills I had never seen before. But most of all, she held this kindness that was so rare. Brittany was always the peacekeeper between me and Santana, she has this quality to her that radiates comfort and calm. Every time I have had it with Santana, Brittany is somehow always able to bring me back down.
At first I thought the two of them were just experimenting, god knows I did." She jokes and tries not to flinch at her mother's horrified expression. "And then Santana came out and I realized how perfect the two of them were together. No one could see past Santana's hard exterior the way Brittany did, and no one understood Brittany the way Santana did. It's like when you combine two foods that you don't think will fit well together, but then you take a bite and say, oh, that's kind of perfect.
These two are seriously the best things that have ever happened to me, sorry Sam." She teases and giggles at Sam's pout. "From holding my hair back when I was puking my guts out in the washroom because of morning sickness in sophomore year, to helping me learn how to dance again after my accident in senior year, there is nothing these two haven't done for me, and there is nothing that I wouldn't do for them.
So to my two beautiful best friends, I am so glad the two of you were able to find each other. I know I won't have to worry another day about the two of you finding someone to make you happy because I have never seen you happier than with each other. From the bottom of my heart, I love you, and congratulations." She says, blowing a kiss to Santana and Brittany. Brittany pouts and places a hand over her heart and she snickers as Santana uses a napkin to wipe away some tears.
Sam stands up next and pulls out a piece of paper out of his coat pocket and she winks at him as she passes him to get back to their table as he stands in the middle of the dance floor to deliver his speech.
"My girlfriend has clearly always been the one who is better with words between the two of us so I don't know how I am going to top that, but I'll try.
Somehow I got roped into being best man, thanks a lot Quinn." He jokes and she rolls her eyes as everyone laughs. "And that means I have to prepare a speech? They literally know I'm dyslexic so who had this great idea?" Everyone laughs harder and she chuckles into the palm of her hand.
"My two lovely ex-girlfriends, how wonderful it is to see you two marrying each other." He jokes again and she looks over at Mary who is horrified, causing her to burst out laughing.
"I moved to Lima in sophomore year. And along with meeting my stunning girlfriend," he says directly to her while winking, causing her to blush. "I met these two. No one had you scratching your head the way these two did. From giving me offers to watch them make out and Brittany asking me advice on how to get her cat to quit his hang, I often found myself thinking, what the fu-
As I said, I dated these two. And while I'm pretty sure Santana only dated me to piss off Quinn, you learn a lot about a person after having make out sessions with them in their car. Like the fact that Santana is actually a huge fan of Gilmore Girls, oops sorry." He says, turning to look at Santana who is glaring at him while everyone else is laughing.
"But I also learned about how kind hearted she is. Like how she threatened to chop off my balls and feed them to Brittany's cat if I ever broke Quinn's heart again, pretty endearing right?" He asks, cueing everyone's laughter again. "But she also tutored me in Spanish during the short period where we dated once she found out I was dyslexic, so let's give it up to Santana Lopez for being the only reason I passed grade ten Spanish." He says, clapping his hands together a couple of times.
"And I think every person here knows how much of a sweetheart Brittany is. There is no one else I would be a parent to a cat with, sorry Quinn." He says and she rolls her eyes. "Even if I only get to see Lady Tubbington every couple of months. Whether it's trying to save everyone from asteroids and apocalypses or posting a sex tape with her girlfriend and her cat doing household chores to make her girlfriends dreams of becoming famous come true, sorry Alma." He says, flinching at Santana's abuela's harsh glare. "There is nothing Brittany wouldn't do for those she cares about.
But the thing I am most thankful to these two for, is being the best friends to my girlfriend. If you know Quinn, you know she has always been the hardest person to get to open up." He says, getting an mm hmm from Kurt, causing her to glare at him. "And I can't tell you the amount of times I've had to call Santana and Brittany and they have dropped everything to comfort her.
These two deserve the world, and there is not a doubt in my mind that they will get it as long as they have each other. Brittany, Santana, I love you guys and I wish you nothing but the best in your marriage. Congratulations." He finishes and she claps, noticing Santana wipe away some more tears. He walks to Santana and Brittany's table and kisses the both of them on the cheek and gives them a hug before returning back to their table.
They continue to dance the night away until her feet ache and she has to take her heels off to continue. Sam lets her step on his shoes so she isn't too short for him and whispers into her ear "do you think it's crazy to think this is going to be us one day."
She ponders her answer for a moment before leaning her head onto his shoulder. "You know, I don't find it so crazy anymore.
We Built This Glee Club
The months fly by quickly. Santana and Brittany head to Bahamas for their honeymoon, Puck and Rachel continue to get the New Directions ready for sectionals, and she keeps herself busy with school, Sam, and her job.
She's already booked off the weekend of sectionals, not having missed a single New Directions competition since she's graduated. She hasn't mentioned it to anyone else yet, but she's also already bought Finn's ticket. She knows Rachel has been getting ready to move on, stuck in a love triangle between Puck and Jesse who has come back to Lima to help Mr. Shue with Vocal Adrenaline.
xxx
She and Sam drive back to Lima alone. Artie had a film festival in Rhode Island so he and Tina are planning to fly down together and Blaine is already in Lima, helping Sebsastian with the Warblers. Sam is convinced that the two of them are actually together, but Blaine hasn't admitted anything yet.
Most of them only have enough time to spend a weekend in Lima, specifically for sectionals only, but she knows Rachel and Puck will just appreciate them all being there.
They decide to leave on Friday morning since sectionals are on Saturday. She planned to have them on the road by eight, but since Sam is never organized they don't end up leaving until half past ten, meaning they don't get back to Lima until a quarter to nine that night. She's exhausted and a little grouchy with how long it took them to get there, and Sam of course just looks like a kid who has been caught with his hand stuck in a cookie jar.
So the next morning she wakes him up an hour early to make sure they're not late. Sectionals don't even start until five in the afternoon so she does it more out of pettiness than actually proactiveness, but oh well, it's good to keep Sam on his toes a little bit.
She tries to talk Sam into wearing a dress shirt, but he isn't having any of it. I graduated Quinn, I don't have to dress up for these things anymore is what he had said. So she finds herself wearing a formal black cocktail dress and heels and her boyfriend wearing a black polo shirt and a pair of jeans.
They sit with Tina and Mike who have now let everyone know they are engaged, and Santana and Brittany who are back and tanned from their honeymoon. She let their usher know that she had purchased an extra ticket, but the seat will remain empty the entire time. Luckily sectionals are held at McKinley because she thinks the usher has a good idea as to why it will stay that way. Finn sits at the end of the aisle next to Santana.
Artie, Mercedes, Kurt, and Adam sit in the row ahead of them, and Rachel and Puck sit with their students. She takes notice of how Blaine chooses to sit with Sebastian and the Warblers. She also takes notice to how Jesse decided to watch sectionals with Mr. Shue despite the fact that he was only supposed to be in Lima for that single weekend.
She's surprised at how well the New Directions do. She expected nothing less from Rachel, but she does not remember any of them being able to dance that well when they were in high school.
Sometimes when she closes her eyes she can still see herself standing on that stage, gripping onto Santana's hand and waiting to see if they had won. Sometimes she can still hear the sound of their cheers.
She grips Sam's arm tightly as she waits for the results. She knew there was no way the New Directions were going to come in third, so she doesn't feel any less nervous when the winner of third place is called. And then she hears it, the winners of sectionals: the New Directions.
She jumps up and cheers and watches how Rachel jumps and hugs Puck. Puck and his brother hug, Rachel hugs Kitty. They're handed their trophy and she gets taken back in time to her senior year when it was Mr. Shue being handed that trophy on the behalf of all of them.
Speaking of Mr. Shue, he doesn't look a single bit upset despite having just lost. He actually looks proud as he sees Puck and Rachel celebrating with the rest of their team. She looks over at the empty chair beside Santana, knowing someone else who isn't with them at the moment who probably feels the same way.
Dreams Come True
The months fly by even quicker this time. She really hopes the rest of her life doesn't go by as fast. Maybe it's because of the amount of time she has going between Lima, New York, and Connecticut. Or maybe it's because she has drowned herself in work, school, and her relationship.
She heads back home for regionals. She comes back to help mentor a couple of times, her and Sam sneaking in duets whenever they can.
During one of her reading breaks she flies to Los Angeles again to see one of Mercedes' last shows. She attends all of Kurt's fashion shows. She and Sam attend one of Mike's dance showcases in Chicago with Tina, and she gets her first ever copy of one of Artie's short films on DVD.
She attends Beth's preschool graduation with Puck. She finally gets an updated picture with her, the last one being the one taken the day Beth was born. She frames it and places it on her nightstand.
And then it's time for nationals. They're held in Michigan this year. Neither she or Sam feel like driving thirteen hours so they decide to take a plane ride there. She and Sam spend around four days there so they can do some sightseeing as well.
They spend their first two days doing all of the sightseeing, because the third day is going to be spent with all of their friends, and the last day will be spent at nationals.
She hasn't seen everyone in a while, now almost hitting their mid twenties, their lives are getting busier and there are less moments where they can all hang out.
They still have their monthly dinners over FaceTime. She still goes out with Santana and Brittany every two weeks. But it gets harder to stay in touch with Tina and Mercedes. She can't remember the last time she spoke to Mike, but she knows he and Sam speak all the time.
She can't imagine how they're going to manage to keep in touch when Rachel returns back to Broadway and they won't have the glee club to keep them close anymore, but she tries to not worry about that too much.
xxx
She wears an emerald dress to nationals. She is able to rope Sam into wearing a suit and tie that matches her dress. She wins him over by convincing him the green will bring out his eyes, and well he's always looked good in black so he doesn't need much convincing on that end.
He seems a lot more relieved when he also sees Mike and Puck wearing full on suits as well. She had told him she already knew that Kurt and Adam were wearing one, but he had argued when do they not Q, so that was that.
They sit in the same fashion as they did at sectionals and Santana offers to buy Finn's ticket this time around, taking notice of what she did at both sectionals and regionals.
Blaine again sits with Sebastian, but now not because he is a mentor, but because the two of them are together. Sam is convinced they had been together at sectionals as well, but Blaine denies it.
They have to sit through twenty groups and she cannot remember last year being this long. But eventually they go through it all and have to wait the twenty to thirty minutes it takes the judges to decide everything.
They no longer post a sheet in the lobby of the theatre, finally realizing it takes far too long for everyone to figure out who the top three teams are, so instead now they post the list on their website instead of having everyone in the audience wait another hour just for the teams to see what place they came in.
Kurt starts crying once he sees the New Directions have made the top three. Brittany begins talking about the statistical chances there are of the New Directions winning, and she just can't believe they could be winning nationals three years in a row.
She covers her ears because she can't handle the anxiety she feels bubbling in her stomach. She can feel some of Sam's tension ease after she assumes third place is announced so she takes that as a good sign. A few seconds later he begins to jump up and down and shake her so she looks up to see the same scene of the New Directions winning sectionals, but times ten.
This time it does seem a lot like deja vu as they hand Mr. Shue the trophy who Rachel invited back to help them with nationals after Vocal Adrenaline had lost.
She knows Burt and Carole are probably recording the whole thing already, but she pulls out her iPhone and begins to take a million pictures. One to keep in the books for sure.
xxx
They let Puck and Rachel celebrate with the New Directions tonight since they're all having dinner tomorrow night anyways. Mr. Shue is leaving with the students tomorrow morning, but Rachel and Puck are taking a separate flight the following morning like the rest of them are.
She spends most of the day packing since she knows neither she or Sam are going to want to tomorrow morning. She spends the rest of it getting herself and Sam ready. Contrary to belief, Sam does not get ready for events easily. It takes him ages to pick an outfit, and ever since he started modelling it takes him even longer to do his hair. Sometimes she thinks he might even take longer getting ready than she does.
So she forces him to start getting ready first. She picks a dress shirt and slacks for him so he doesn't have to debate on what to wear for hours and then she throws on a baby pink satin dress similar to the one she wore to their nationals dinner years ago.
She throws her hair in a braided ponytail while she waits for Sam to finish in the washroom and once he does the two of them switch, she so she can do her makeup and he so he can get changed in their hotel room.
They're fifteen minutes late because Sam couldn't find his left shoe, but she knows none of their friends expected any less. They know the two of them by now. They talk and laugh and eat like no time has passed between any of them. Like it hasn't been years since they've all been able to sit down and catch up like this. Like one of them isn't missing. She sees that whoever made the reservation made it for fifteen people instead of fourteen. There's an empty chair beside Kurt and it makes her smile. Maybe she isn't the only one who still makes room for Finn.
They talk about wedding plans for Mike and Tina. Mercedes shares with all of them that she's going to be an opener for Beyonce's world tour which makes most of the females scream and cry tears of joy. She doesn't miss how Artie swipes quickly at his right eye. They finally hear about how Sebastian and Blaine got together, getting it out of Sebastian instead of Blaine of course. Rachel tells them about how the superintendent had called Mr. Shue, wanting to make McKinley into a performing arts school with him as principal since he has now won three consecutive nationals titles. Puck plans to stay and help get things settled before returning back to the air force.
Rachel tells them about how she landed a role back on Broadway thanks to Jesse, and she doesn't miss the look of disappointment on Puck's face when she mentions Jesse, but she also doesn't miss the look of sheer joy on Rachel's.
She knows eventually the rest of them will probably have big news to share. She knows it will cause them to have more dinners like this in the future. She's not worried, she knows she's going to see everyone in Lima for Christmas again at Carole and Burt's. She knows they'll all meet back up in New York for Rachel's opening night. She knows they'll all be bridesmaids and groomsmen once again for Tina and Mike's wedding.
She knows there won't be any big moment that passes by in her life without these people by her side.