Dear readers!

Here it comes, the final chapter. I have been putting it off as long as possible, not wanting it to end. God, it's been an incredible journey over the past 1,5 with writing this story. Your reviews with your ideas, your feedback, your thoughts and feelings really made every letter I typed worth the while!

So far, the responses I have received for this story have been really encouraging and inspiring. Don't ever underestimate your own importance as a reader. You make these stories come alive in all your heads with all your emotions you put into them while reading. So thank you for pouring all these little pieces into this story, whenever and wherever you are reading it.

Thank you for sticking with me until the end!

Also, thank you for all your offers to beta read the sequel! I'm going to respond to you personally (if you haven't signed in as a guest, this way I will not be able to send you a personal message. Maybe you can PM me then).

Guest 1: Unfortunately I cannot find the story you recommended anymore. Which fandom is it?

Guest 2: I'd love to get back to you on your offer, but since you signed in as a guest, I cannot contact you. Maybe you can drop me a personal message?

Flyingpinguin: Vielen vielen Dank für dein Feedback! Deine Ideen habe ich auf meine List emit aufgenommen! Danke für die Anregungen.

Reb: Thank you for this wonderful feedback. Go for it! Go go go and never stop! :-)

And one huge and big THANK YOU to Diannasbacon for beta reading these many chapters. Wow!

Now, enough of the housekeeping stuff.

71 - Final Chapter

The morning after the award show Santana knocked on Quinn's bedroom door. Quinn grumbled and pulled her pillow over her head. The Latina knocked again.

"Come on Q, get your ass out here. Muevete! And bring your girlfriend with you!"

Quinn groaned and threw the pillow against the door. "Go away!"

Rachel stirred, woken by the movements next to her. Quinn dropped flat on her back, her forearm over her eyes.

The brunette squinted at her girlfriend with one eye.

"Whassgoinon?" She mumbled sleepily.

Quinn pointed at the door. Intruder alert.

"In the middle of the night?" The question was accompanied with a hearty yawn.

"Hmhm." Quinn nodded, her arm back over her eyes to shield herself from the light that shone through the window. Maybe not so middle of the night anymore. Damn. They had forgotten to close the curtains the night before.

Rachel luckily kept hers eyes open a moment longer and noticed the door open.

"Hey, ignorant bitches, you have guests waiting outside!" Santana entered the room fully when she had made sure the girls weren't involved in any lovemaking games.

"Santana, I have no idea what you just said, but it didn't look nice." Rachel grumbled. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the word bitches was involved."

Quinn had the good grace to repeat their roommate's words, which caused Rachel to sit up with a bolt. "Shit! Is it that late already?"

The Latina nodded. "Yup."

Santana wasn't any less tired, had she stayed up the night to wait for her friend's. She'd been so happy for them that she couldn't just go to bed. For the two women it was also a perfect way to wind down after the exciting evening. The Latina had anticipated that getting up in the morning would be a little hard on Quinn and Rachel and had taken into her own hand the welcoming of the guests.

A blonde, small head squeezed itself between the lanky form of Santana and the doorframe. Then, with a sudden spurt the little frame jumped on the bed and landed between Quinn and Rachel.

"Oomph!" Quinn groaned, feeling her daughter's knee land halfway on her stomach.

Rachel luckily had seen the little canon coming and was not as surprised. "Hey, Beth!"

She hugged the girl who had half-way fallen into her open arms, which luckily took the weight off Quinn's belly. With relieve Rachel noticed that the small blonde had had the good grace to take of her shoes before jumping on them.

Santana stood chuckling in the doorway. "This is your wakeup call, I'm getting breakfast ready," she also managed to sign for Rachel, before she left.

Beth was on her knees and excitedly bobbed up and down.

"Oooohh, can't we have breakfast in bed?" With that question she turned and snuggled between the two women.

Quinn laughed. "Good idea." Then she turned towards Rachel.

Beth asked if we could have breakfast in bed.

Rachel grinned and sighed. "Oh yeah! Though I don't think we'll all fit in here."

"Maybe if we all make ourselves really small…" Beth suggested, while Quinn was helping out with ASL again.

Then the girl looked at Rachel.

"You looked very pretty last night. Were you nervous when you had to go up on stage? Did you know about the award? Were these people who gave the award to you your friends?" The questions bubbled out of Beth's mouth in rapid succession.

Quinn lifted herself up and scooted back to lean against the headboard.

Rachel gratefully noticed Quinn stop the torrent of words with a comment, signin in parallel.

"Now, Beth, you remember that you have to sign, if you are talking with Rachel, right?"

"Oh!" Beth duck her head. Then she looked up again, sorting her little hands.

Sorry. I forgot!

"That's ok, Beth," Rachel smiled at the excitement the girl radiated. She lifted her own hands. "Now, what did you want to know?"

Before the girl could answer, another head appeared in the doorframe.

"Good morning, sorry to barge in like that. Is Beth bothering you? I couldn't stop her," Shelby explained with an apologetic shoulder shrug.

"No, we were only bothered by Santana's oh so polite interruption of our beauty sleep," the older blonde grumbled playfully. She gave her daughter a hug and pulled her down to tickle her.

Beth squealed and squirmed, trying to get away from the offending hands.

"Stooooop! Stooooooooooop, puleeeeeezzz," she managed between fits of giggles.

Rachel jumped in to help Beth and soon all three were involved in a nice pillow fight.

Santana who had come back to check if the two women were finally ready to greet their guests, held up her hands in mock offense, turned with a roll of her eyes and ventured back into the kitchen. Shelby grinned and followed her.

After a couple of minutes all three of the bed fighters lay sprawled across the mattresses, panting and gasping for air.

"That was fun!" Beth exclaimed with a huge grin on her face.

They took another couple of moments to catch their breath, before Quinn gently reminded the little girl:

"You wanted to ask Rachel something."

"Oh yeah, right! But you were so pretty, too Quinn! But it was sad that you didn't win! At least you got a Tony for the whole musical that's great!"

"Yes, I'm really happy about that," Quinn grinned.

The singer's hands never rested during the small exchange, giving Rachel the chance to be part of the conversation.

Beth then repeated her original questions with Quinn's help, as she didn't know all the signs. Rachel tried to answer as honestly as possible and that seemed to satisfy Beth's curiosity.

Did you know that they played your song at the end? Beth then wanted to know.

"Yes." Rachel inclined her head, looking at Quinn, then back at the girl. "Quinn told me."

In a spurt of girlish tenderness, Beth hugged the brunette, mumbling against her neck, while Quinn gave form to those words with her hands.

It sounded very beautiful! And I'm glad that the other people gave you an award. I think you deserved it, really!

"Awww," Rachel was touched. "Thank you, Beth!" She gave the small girl a gentle squeeze, before letting go.

Beth, back to her energetic self, jumped from the bed and dashed through the door, shouting over her shoulder: "I'll check if breakfast is ready!" leaving two smiling women in her wake.

"Wow. If you were like this when you were young, we definitely have to talk about whom of us is having kids," Rachel mumbled while getting up and grabbing some clothes. At the door she turned and held out her hand towards a stunned Quinn.

Rachel didn't know that it was possible to stutter in sign language, but Quinn displayed a good equivalent of it. With an amused expression on her face the brunette watched her girlfriend's reaction to her comment about having children.

You… you… I mean… we… kids? She ended lamely and then a smile slowly appeared on her face as if she started to like the idea.

Rachel laughed. "Well, not right now. Right now, I have food on my mind and….. you a little," she stated and went back to pull her girlfriend up, leaning in to the approaching lips to catch a kiss. She kicked the door close with her foot.

A second later Quinn groaned and pointed at a smirking Kurt.

"Good Lord, we need a lock on that door!" Rachel exclaimed. "Or maybe we should have breakfast in bed, since everyone seems to be inclined to come in here anyway."

Aw, Rachel, it's not like we haven't shared a bed before, Kurt remarked with a cheeky grin.

"That was years ago and we just had a movie night! Besides, Mercedes was with us in that bed too!"

"Uh, a threesome!" Quinn laughed.

Rachel swatted at her hands. "You're not helping!" She complained in mock disdain.

"Yadda yadda yadda!" Kurt gave a dismissive wave with his hand before he signed and commanded: "Come here you two Tony ladies and let me hug you!" He waved them closer and heartily threw his arms around them.

After a moment Kurt released his friends to usher them towards the bathroom. Come on, your guests are waiting!

Before Quinn could ask him what he was actually doing here, he had already disappeared down the hallway.

Anymore surprises you want to warn me about? She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Rachel chuckled. "No. I invited just some guests for breakfast since we couldn't have the party with our friends last night. But you knew about Beth and Shelby."

Right. I just didn't know that Beth would greet us with her knee on my stomach, Quinn laughed.

Rachel crunched up her face. "Yeah, I saw that. Think you can still eat?" She asked with mock concern.

Definitely! Quinn proved her point and nabbed at Rachel's shoulder.

Finally the two made it into the bathroom and managed to get some decent clothes on before stepping in front of their guests.

Quinn's jaw dropped, when her eyes beheld the amount of people, shortly before the shout:

"Surprise!" rang through the apartment.

"Oh my god!" She threw her hands in front of her face and then in unison with Rachel she asked:

"What are you all doing here?" Because there were some people that even Rachel hadn't counted on showing up.

Next to Shelby, Beth and Kurt were Blaine, Jenna and wait - Quinn's mom? And next to Judy stood – that was another surprise for Rachel – her dads.

Santana had a huge grin on her face. "Well, mi hija, since you couldn't have your official party last night with us, we decided to give you a surprise birthday breakfast party, at least. Um, your mom and Rachel's dad actually just invited themselves," she chuckled. "I guess they couldn't wait to congratulate you two personally."

Hiram stood up, not forgetting to sign along his words. "Yup, totally our fault, sorry for barging in like that, but after what happened yesterday, we had to see Rachel and Leroy had the idea to ask if Judy wanted to come along. We warned Santana through, that we would come."

"Yeah, with a text message at 1.00 a.m." The Latina threw in, also moving her hands along.

Rachel couldn't hold back anymore and ran towards her fathers. Quinn, a little more composed, walked to her mom and the two women embraced.

"I'm so proud of you Quinn. I can't put into words what I feel."

Judy held her daughter at arm's length and took in the beautiful features. Quinn didn't need words at that moment. The fact that her mom had driven the whole way with Rachel's fathers to New York and the expression she wore on her face were enough.

She pulled her mom closer again and held her tight. "Thank you mom. Thank you for coming," she whispered, leaning into the embrace.

Rachel was sandwiched between her two dads who didn't seem to want to let go anymore.

"Um, daddy, dad, I can't breathe," a somewhat muffled voice drifted from their midsection up. Hiram laughed, and Rachel having her head pressed against his chest felt a rumble ripple through her body.

She noticed her dads give her some space so she could take a breath. "Thank you," she sighed relieved, brushing her hair out of her face.

Berry, for a minute I almost thought I had to rescue you there, Santana sighed to her, having watched the emotional displays between the families while she and Kurt busied themselves bringing more food to the table.

"Thanks, but I managed to survive," Rachel chuckled, seeing Quinn's mom moving over to hug her as well.

Rachel was surprised about the gesture. After all, she hadn't met Judy yet, not since high school and certainly not since… all that drama. She was a little apprehensive that Quinn's mom would lecture about having hurt her baby, but apparently that was not the case.

A little shyly Rachel wrapped her arms around the blond, older woman for a short hug. Judy then looked around for someone to interpret. She held on to Rachel's hands while she spoke. Kurt had been closest and caught the questioning gaze, while Quinn greeted Jenna. He stepped closer and nodded at Judy.

Congratulations for your honorary award. You were amazing, Rachel. I was surprised to see you actually walk up on that stage after… after all that happened, Judy shortly looked at Quinn and then turned back to the petite brunette, smiling. Rachel knew what Judy was referring to. She didn't mean any offense and Rachel didn't take any.

I'm just as proud of you as of Quinn, Rachel. And I hope you will keep that courage you displayed yesterday.

She gave Rachel's hands a short squeeze, before letting go.

"Thank you, Ms Fabray," Rachel answered a little overwhelmed at the praise coming from Quinn's mom.

After all the greetings and congratulations where delivered, they finally settled around the breakfast table, sharing their views and tales of the evening before. More than once Rachel and Quinn had to tell how they each felt when the other was called up on the stage.

They all took turns interpreting so Rachel didn't miss much.

The most surprising comment came from Santana though, when it was her turn to tell her view of events.

"Oh my god.. I almost peed my pants when they called Rachel up on stage. Honestly I don't know if I would have gone up, Rachel. You have more guts than I give you credit for." She told the whole room before she took on an earnest expression. She lifted her hands again, signing only. You are one of a kind, Berry. I love you. And the Latina leaned over to give her friend a hug.

"If anyone of you repeats any of this outside this room, I will kill you!" She then added in the typical Santana fashion, pointing her finger at each one. This caused the room to break out in laughter again. Kurt had told Quinn's mom and Jenna what the Latina had signed.

Despite all the drama and emotions that had been displayed the evening before and during the recount of events, the whole atmosphere of the little celebration was light and joyous.

Rachel leaned back at one point, taking in the scene in front of her, watching almost everyone trying to speak with their hands however accomplished they were in ASL. A slow smile spread across her face. She still found it so surprising that so many people, be it family or friends, went so far out of their way to accommodate her.

The former singer was very grateful to experience that. And she realized that she owed these people. She owed them to cherish their support. She had to move forward, never giving up on trying to be happy, to make them happy as well. Especially that one person that sat among them, looking up in that instant, sharing the smile with her girlfriend as if she could read her thoughts.

Quinn nodded slightly and raised her elegant brow, as if asking Happy?

And Rachel laughed and nodded, moving both flat hands, palms lightly touching her chest, forward in a circular motion. She had a blissful expression on her face.

Happy!

Me too!

… … …

Several weeks later when the last snow had melted, the sun warmed the grass and green leaves were already swaying in a light breeze, Rachel and Quinn had a little picnic in Central Park.

Rachel sat cross-legged on the blanket they had spread out and observed what was going on around her. She enjoyed the weather. It was one of those perfect spring days, when the sun was warm enough, but not too hot, a little breeze was tickling her skin and carried the scent of the blooming flours around her. She inhaled deeply. Lost in thoughts Rachel was playing with some blades of grass she had plugged a little earlier, wrapping and unwrapping them around her finger.

Quinn lay on her back in front of her and stared at the clouds, trying to identify little figures in their shapes. Her right hand lay on Rachel's knee and her index finger drew gentle circles on the surface of her girlfriend's jeans.

The brunette watched the people around her. She saw two young women reading to each other, it almost looked like they were learning some roles. That was something she'd have to take up soon as well, if she was lucky.

Two days ago she had auditioned for the role in Tom's movie. He had wanted to give her the role immediately when she told him that she approved the script. But Rachel had insisted on going the official way, she wanted to audition. Even though it was more or less her life being portrayed in that movie, she wanted to make sure that everything went the right way. And who knew, maybe there was someone out there who could portray the main character better.

If she wanted to be treated like a normal person, then she had to act like one. And that meant she had to succumb to the rules that applied for everyone. With a smile she remembered their argument.

Rachel, just say it and you have the role! Rachel could almost hear the exasperation in Tom's voice, even though the words were just written down for her to read.

But she had her principles.

"No! I will audition; I will do it the official way!"

But Rachel, this is your role anyway! I didn't dare to ask you if you wanted to act, because I wasn't sure if I was overstepping a boundary. But you have been my first choice from the beginning. You have the role.

"Let's wait and see. Maybe there will be other actresses who might be better for the role than me!" That comment had surprised Tom.

That doesn't sound like the Rachel I know! How come you don't think that you're the best?

"I do," she grinned, mischief shortly flashing up in her eyes, before she became earnest again. "But I don't want any bonuses. Let me do it the regular way. Please!"

Tom threw up his arms in surrender.

Ok. Fine. If you insist, you'll get an official invitation. But what will you do if the majority decides for another actress?

"I don't know. Do I have veto rights?" She grinned again. "Just kidding. As hard as it might be, I will accept the team's choice. I want this movie to be good. And if it has a chance of being better because someone else is participating in it, so be it. "

Tom studied her for a moment.

All right. As soon as we have decided which scene to use for the auditions you get to go through the official process, weird as it seems.

"Thank you! That's all I'm asking."

Rachel had looked at her friend then. She had the feeling he knew where Rachel's insistence on auditioning came from. She wanted to – needed to prove herself. Like she had said, she didn't want to earn the role just by being the woman the story was about. She wanted to be chosen because of her talent and nothing less. And she had also pointed out that maybe there was another actress who had a better access to her role because she was not involved too deeply and could give the whole character a different approach.

Tom was sure that there wasn't such other talent out there. Not for this role. And he knew that Rachel would give everything she had. Deaf or not, that determination and drive was hard to surpass.

… … …

Rachel smiled remembering the discussion with Tom and that she had won her argument. There some more auditions this week until she would know the team's final decision.

She cast the blades of grass aside and played with one of Quinn's golden locks instead. After a while of this leisure bliss, Rachel inclined hear head and caught Quinn's gaze.

"Let's play a game," the brunette suggested.

Quinn stretched out her hands, asking: What kind of game? I'm game.

"Haha, very eloquent, Quinn." Rachel chuckled, and then proceeded to explain her idea. "You tell me what you hear and I'll try to identify where the sound is coming from."

Ok. Quinn turned her head, which prompted Rachel to exclaim:

"No! Don't look. Close your eyes."

The blonde cast a curious look on Rachel, but obeyed and focused on the sounds around her. She then lifted her hand and started to wave it in a general direction, only to be stopped by her girlfriend's fingers upon her own.

"No pointing. Just describe the sound."

Without opening her eyes and her hands still caught in Rachel grasp, Quinn commented verbally:

"Tough rules."

"Yeah. Now concentrate." Rachel ordered good naturedly.

"Yes ma'am." The comment was accompanied with a challenging look from the hazel eyes, before Quinn closed them again to focus back on the sounds. She rested her hands on her stomach to keep them from spoiling the game.

The first thing she noticed was the wind in the tree above her. She had not been consciously aware of it before, but it had provided a constant background noise, she now realized. She reveled a moment in the acoustic display before she moved her hands to describe the sound. Quinn kept her eyes closed in order not to betray the object of her description with a look.

I hear a rustling, a soft whisper, as if there was a constant background conversation going on in some secret language between two parties. It is sometimes soft, sometimes a bit stronger, sometimes is stops for a second.

"Oh, that was a very poetic description. Hm, I'd say…. " Rachel looked around, watching the action in the park. But nothing seemed to fit the description at a first glance. Then she tilted her head upwards. She watched the green leaves of the maple tree above them move in the soft wind, stroking against each other in a little dance, moving closer, then being separated again by an unseen force.

Rachel smiled, finding Quinn's description very appropriate of the movement above their heads. She managed to recall the sound from memory and for a short moment it seemed so real and authentic, that she involuntarily let out a small laugh.

"You're hearing the wind in the trees," she then simply stated, gazing at her girlfriend with a gleam in her eyes, already enjoying their little game.

Quinn nodded, smiling at the joy in Rachel's face, wondering what secret revelation she'd just had.

Correct. Very observant, darling.

"Next one," the brunette demanded.

Quinn inhaled deeply, trying to isolate one particular sound from around her. Like before, she closed her eyes again and concentrated.

There is pure joy bubbling over, carefree and happy. Like champagne that floods out of the bottle as soon as the cork is pulled out. The sound describes one of the moments where nothing else matters, only the happiness inside you.

The slender hands dropped back on the flat stomach and the hazel eyes gazed up at Rachel, watching her trying to locate the source of the sound.

The brown eyes stopped and a smile lit up Rachel's face.

"You're hearing the toddler laugh with his mom. She's lying on her back and holds him up above her, playing airplane with him. He seems absolutely happy."

Correct. He's cute!

"Yes, he is." They both watched the mother and her son for a moment longer, before Rachel asked for the next challenge.

There is a love connection going on somewhere near hear. Cupid has definitely shot his arrow at one of the two. The other though somehow sounds …restrained, insecure and artificial.

"Cupid's arrow… Quinn?" Rachel had to laugh. Quinn squinted at Rachel, grinned happily before she closed her eyes again and nodded.

Rachel turned and swept her gaze across the couples that dotted the green lawn. Well, there weren't many, just two that sat close enough so Quinn could hear them, Rachel guessed.

The brunette watched for a moment and came to the conclusion that this was not the pair her girlfriend had listened to. They seemed to be two students; both had books on their laps while wildly discussing something. But there was a benign air around them, laughter accompanying their words. No, both of them seemed comfortable enough.

She checked the other couple. The woman was leaning back slightly while she talked. She rubbed her right hand against her thigh and her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. The guy said something to her and again, the woman turned her head slightly away from him, playing with the charm on her necklace.

Rachel pointed unobtrusively at them. "You mean t those tow over there?" She asked quietly.

Quinn lifted her head and looked. Yes, she just told him she would wait for him while he was on an extended business trip.

"Didn't looked like she really would."

Didn't sound like it either, but I doubt in his love haze he noticed it, Quinn chuckled, feeling a little sorry for the guy.

Quinn sat up fully and broke the line of vision between Rachel and the two people she had been watching. The brown eyes focused on the beautiful face in front of her.

"Now, you genuinely look like you want to be kissed," Rachel chuckled.

Quinn nodded and pursed her lips while Rachel was happy to comply.

After sharing a passionate kiss, they both lay back again on the blanket, Quinn's head on Rachel's shoulder.

Rachel's thoughts went back to the past months and all that had happened. Every person, every event that had accompanied her suddenly appeared to her like pieces of a mosaic.

Carefully she picked up every little fragment and put them into their rightful places. She said good-bye to some and found new ones that replaced the discarded ones. Those were new friends, new possibilities, new perspectives and …love.

One of the parts she had carefully looked at and then thrown away, was the one that held the word ultimatum.

Rachel no longer needed to give herself a certain timeframe to adjust. She would take every day as it came, she would be grateful for everything she had and she most definitely make the best out of it any given time.

Finally a new picture seemed to form itself in front of her.

The picture represented her life now.

Another analogy came into her mind. This "new" life somehow felt like wearing a new shirt. It fit, but you still had to get used to it. The more you wore it, the more it became your favorite one. Until it one day it will be too washed out and will be replaced by another one.

Rachel had come to wearing her "new" set of clothes with more and more ease. They fit better every day.

She was getting closer to being the Rachel Berry that Santana had seen. The one that took on every challenge head on. She almost felt like herself again.

As if reading her thoughts, Quinn lifted her hands and started signing

Do you remember that song that I sang during my concert, the last one?

Rachel nodded. "Yes, of course I remember."

Do you remember the words "you are alive because you know how to love"?

Rachel nodded.

You are alive, Rachel and nothing can stop you, because you will always love and you will always follow your heart. Then Quinn chuckled. Well, maybe sometimes with a little detour, but eventually you will find the right path again.

Rachel laughed. "I've had enough of detours, believe me. I'm heading for the straight way." She thrust out her hand to underline her comment.

Quinn grabbed it and kissed it. Just don't leave me behind again.

"Nah, never."

Boy, am I relieved, Quinn chuckled and both started laughing.

… … …

Later that night there was a free concert in the park. They had moved closer to the stage and sat on their blanket under a tree. The orchestra was playing movie soundtracks. Quinn described to Rachel every song and how it sounded, when it was silent and slow and when the music swelled and whirled all around them.

The blonde had her eyes closed for a moment. Her body swayed slightly in the rhythm while signed.

Even though Rachel could not hear the music, she knew the sounds where still there, all around her. It bounced off her skin and as she took a deep breath, inhaling the warm scent of summer, grass and flowers, inhaling the music. Closing her eyes, the imagined the sounds in her head that Quinn had described, she let them dance on her tongue and when the music swelled again and the large drums sent vibrations through the air, she could also feel it.

When she listened inside, she was still filled with the sound of voices and laughter, of music and noise. And she would do everything to keep them alive as long as possible. She knew she'd have any help she wanted to breathe the memory of sound into her silent world.

It was still tough to wake up every day and be reminded of the fact that she was missing one of her senses, but as Lauren had said, it got a little bit easier to live with it day by day.

The project she held in her hand gave her a sense of fulfillment and purpose. She felt alive again, like she had something to live for.

She leaned back and placed her head in Quinn's lap. Looking up, she followed the blonde's continued description.

Rachel reached up and plugged one of the hands out of the air, pulled it down and placed a soft kiss on it, before letting go again. It was amazing that this wonderful person next to her had managed to show her how to love and be loved again. That was the most important reason to live, Rachel thought gratefully. With this kind of wonderful support and love they held for each other, anything seemed possible.

When the concert was over, a lot of people stayed around to enjoy the still warm air, lazily finishing their food and drinks.

Rachel's eyes wandered up to the night sky where she could make out some stars, despite the bright lights that still shone off stage.

She felt a nudge on her thigh.

Rachel?

"Hmmmm," came the lazy reply. The brunette watched Quinn through half opened eyes.

I have a question.

Really? Rachel grinned. Why don't you ask it then? She signed back, too lazy to talk

Quinn fiddled a bit with the hem of her girlfriend's shirt. Rachel propped herself up on her elbows and tilted her head to get a better look at Quinn's face.

"Is it so hard to ask?"

The blonde nodded.

Rachel chuckled. "My, my. Must be some question." She sat up and crossed her legs. "Shall I guess?"

Quinn nodded barely noticeable. She needed to… she wanted to…. But couldn't find the courage to form the words. Maybe it was easier if Rachel said it out loud, but the blonde wasn't sure if she would ever guess what Quinn wanted from her.

Rachel's gaze left Quinn's face and wandered around the park, taking in the people that were still scattered around, the pretty lampions in the trees, the people clearing the stage and…

Her eyes darted back to Quinn.

"You want me to sing for you." Rachel stated flatly.

"I'm sorry. Forget it. Please forget I ever asked, well technically I never did ask, but…" Quinn rambled whispering. Rachel lifted her girlfriend's chin and shook her head with a questioning look, indicating that she wasn't able to read the words from her lips.

The blonde repeated them with her hands and Rachel just sat there for a moment, staring at Quinn's guilt ridden face not quite knowing what to do with that statement.

Quinn had heard her sing once, twice actually, if you counted the recording on the CD. She wouldn't have ask if you wouldn't have liked it, would she? And wasn't it such a compliment if Quinn really asked her to sing for her? That she wanted to hear her voice – not just talking, but singing?

What was the worst it could happen? That she missed a tune, but all in all she knew she could still sing a little. She knew Kurt would have told her the truth if it wasn't so. Time she trusted his judgment, because it was the only way she could know what she was still capable of.

She had agreed with him to work out a weekly schedule to keep up the level she still had. Singing. She did this for no one but herself. Ultimately it would help her with her speech level, just like her therapist had suggested. Quinn knew that she was practicing with Kurt and had never asked her before to sing or be present during one of their practices.

So before any more doubts could grow inside her head, Rachel bent forward and kissed Quinn's lips, then her hands.

Rachel didn't need to think long about which song she would sing.

She closed her eyes and took a deep – a very deep - breath. Then she forced herself to relax and to not get nervous.

When she felt the butterflies in her stomach ease down, she took another breath. She sent the required command to her vocal cords in order to get them to produce the sounds she could feel in her throat and body. The techniques she had learned with Jasmine and the practice she had with Kurt, helped to find the right cues.

When the first words drifted through the air, Quinn had to laugh, despite the tears that sprang from her eyes at hearing that voice.

It was a perfect choice.

I gathered up all the sticks and stones
Built a wall to keep out the ghosts
But they walk through walls
And I'm trapped inside
Oh oh oh oh

Rachel smiled at her, but didn't stop singing. It was the most beautiful thing Quinn had ever heard.

Where there's shadow there is light
Love is in the battle cry
Even in the darkest night
There is shadow and there is light
Oh there is light

When your world falls apart
Every question opens up a new room in your heart
And now you get lost
Wandering the halls
Oh oh oh oh

Where there's shadow there is light
Love is in the battle cry
Even in the darkest night
There is shadow and there is light
Oh there is light

Hold your heart up to the fire
Walk across a razor wire
Even in the cruelest fight
Love is in the battle cry
Love is in the battle cry

Rachel sang it quietly, not as boastful as she used to, but still it never failed to sent shivers down Quinn's spine. She lay down, her head in Rachel's lap, looking up at that beautiful face that first wore a very concentrated expression, but became more relaxed with every line.

Quinn didn't bother to wipe the tears away; she just let them flow freely. It was such a precious gift to hear Rachel sing. She locked the sound in her heart and would never let it go. Yes, she could listen to recordings of her girlfriend's former days, but having her right here next to her, hearing her produce those beautiful sounds was just better than any recording could ever be.

Rachel looked down at the woman in her lap and gently wiped the pad of her thumb over the wet cheeks. The words came to her lips without beckoning and her voice seemed to work on its own. She wished she could hear herself sing, she wished she knew how she sounded, but the echo she got from Quinn's expression told her everything she needed to know.

Quinn smiled and gently let the tips of her girlfriend's long hair glide through her fingers. "Thank you," she whispered, when the last note left Rachel's lips.

The brunette bent down and kissed the full lips. There was so much love eminent in that gesture that it didn't need any further words.

Rachel felt deep and pure contentment settle in. It was a feeling she had not felt for a very long time.

It had been a long and rocky road with lots of bumps and detours during the past year, but she had the feeling that she had arrived. This was home. A home she was not a prisoner anymore.

The walls of that home now held an open door.

Well, not just one, Rachel noticed smiling. On every side were wide and open doors; doors through which friends and family streamed in and through which Rachel ventured out in the world again.

At that very moment, Rachel was at peace with herself … and excited about what was still to come.

The End

The song is "Battlecry" from Kyler England.

Thank you sole's_stories for prompting this last scene. She asked me if Rachel would sing again in the story and originally I hadn't planned on it. But then her little request triggered a scene in my head and… well, there it was. Thank you for your continuous ideas, discussions and support!

Guys, go check out Mandy Harvey, she is one inspiring young lady! She is the deaf singer I mentioned before.

… … …

I thought I would be happy now that I have completed this story. But actually I am not. I am a bit sad. Though I can now use all my free time to clean my apartment again, iron, wash my clothes… :-) just go back to doing the boring household stuff.

Oh, and meet my friends again. Friends – I need to check if I still have any…

I definitely need to review the whole story as well and correct some errors I noticed. And I'll definitely work on my Voyager stuff as promised a long time ago… (BTW I'm currently totally fan-girling Sarah Paulson and I have finally watched American Horror Story Asylum and I totally love AHS Coven. Will be dropping a short story for the latter. So if any of you also liked the show … )

I cannot express what I feel right at this moment. After having written over 400.000 of them ... words fail me now! I'm sad, excited, happy, melancholic… this story has accompanied me – well, many of you too, actually – for such a long time. And I can't say that I have closed this book completely, but at least the whole big chapter of new beginnings and rocky roads for Quinn and Rachel.

Remember your dreams!

And now... off to new beginnings!

E.

PS: You'll be happy to know that I have already written a couple of pages of the first chapter for the sequel. Maybe I'll drop a teaser…