It's graduation day. Both Dean and Jack are surprised of how emotional they become about it. John insults Gwen involuntarily, but is forgiven. Jack lies to his parents about why he want to stay in Lima for another day. Gwen shares a secret with Jo. Jack has nothing to do that night, but he eats his humble pie and begs for company.
Songs in this chapter
Mashup with:
With a little help from my friends - The Beatles - M/L: Lennon, McCartney and
We Are Young - Fun Ft. Janelle Monáe - M/L: Ruess, Dost, Antonoff, Bhasker
Seeing his brother sitting there in his cap and gown with the rest of the seniors was actually a little emotional for Sam. Dean had always said that he didn't want to make a big deal out of it, and that he could graduate without all the pomp and circumstance, but Sam knew that his brother had downplayed it because they didn't have the money back when the stuff was ordered.
In the evening before the main event, Mr Evans had called and told Dean that he could borrow his old one. After the call, Dean had hid in the alcove for the longest time, and both Sam and their dad left him alone.
Now, they were just waiting for the principal handing out the diplomas. They had to sit through a couple of speeches, and then the orchestra played. Sam could see Charlie in the back with her violin.
"Do you know that Castiel guy? Castiel is an interesting name by the way." His dad leaned over to whisper into Sam's ear. Sam didn't know what to say. He knew Cas fairly well, but he didn't know why his dad was interested. "Sure. He is a friend of Dean, and I have met him plenty of times."
John Winchester nodded, "He didn't look like the kind of guy Dean would befriend. I just, there was something odd about the way they interacted." Sam agreed with his dad. Castiel was not the kind of guy Dean would have hung out with in the past. As far as he knew they hadn't hung out that much anyway, but daddy didn't need to know. Sam had inside knowledge that he wasn't prepared to share with anyone.
"They have rehearsed together. I think their voices fit or something. I don't know. He's a nice guy, and Dean needs to hang out with nice guys." Sam smiled at his dad. "I'm happy that he have found friends like that. He didn't always pick the best guys to hang out with before."
He got another nod from his dad as the orchestra faded out. The main event was starting, and Sam focused on the stage. "He seems a little queer. I could be wrong, but you don't think that Dean…?" The question hung there for the remainder of the ceremony, and Sam hoped that his dad would forget about it before the event was over.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
John was excited. He'd just got the okay from his mother that they could go to Europe for their summer vacation. Visiting Gwen was part of the plan, although his mom would rather go to the French riviera or see the Sistine Chapel than to spend time in Wales.
"I'm coming." He was leaning over the backrest of her chair. They were seated alphabetically, so she was sitting in the front row, while John was placed in row two. "Uh? Coming where? It's starting. What are you talking about?" Gwen sounded a little annoyed.
The orchestra was almost done with their performance, and John knew he was running out of time. "I'm coming to England. I'm coming to visit you at the end of the summer."
Gwen turned to him and gave him an evil stare. "You won't find me in England. I live in Wales, and if you want to be welcomed there, you should learn the difference." With a scoff she turned around to look at the stage.
John cursed to himself. He knew the difference, but he'd been too excited to heed it. He patted her back. "Sorry. I'm so sorry, I'm just an ignorant American. I know. I really do know." The main ceremony was starting and John had to get back to his seat. Just as he was about to walk away, Gwen turned to him. "Tosser. Americans can't be expected to know these things, so I think I'll let you get away with it this time."
John knew it was a subtle insult, but he didn't care. He knew her well enough; she wouldn't hold it against him for long, and he decided to catch up with her after it was all over. As he sat down he threw a peek at her, and she looked back at him at the same time. He wasn't sure, but it looked like she mouthed; 'looking forward to your visit', and he perceived it as her way of telling him that he was forgiven.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Jack was proud. He didn't think that the graduation would affect him so much, but when he shook principal Schuester's hand after getting the diploma, he had a small lump in his throat.
It wasn't like he needed it for anything really. That his spanish had improved significantly was good, and the general knowledge he'd picked up could possibly come in handy, but the whole thing had really been a postponement of the inevitable.
His parents had been very disappointed that he wouldn't go back with them that evening, but they did understand that he wanted to say a proper goodbye to his friends.
"I may not ever see them again. Lima is like a bump in the road, and most of my friends are moving to go to different schools anyway." Gwen came strolling by as he explained the procrastination to his parents when they showed up for the graduation. "Like this one." He stopped her in the stride and presented her to his mother and father. "She is going all the way back to the UK. This is my last chance to hang out with her for the longest time."
Gwen was twisting her hands, and even if she smiled and greeted them, she was clearly in a hurry to get somewhere. He let her go after a quick hug, and was happy that she didn't reveal that the two of them had no plans to hang out that evening.
Jack had to admit to himself that he felt more ready for the New York adventure now than he did two years ago. Having the diploma, and not being perceived as a dropout, could help when he applied for work.
Working with Rachel on her show, he would be put up in a flat with a couple of other extras. He had no idea who they were, but didn't really care. The only thing he was sure of, was that it was cheap and that he would have a few bucks left over every week. If the show turned out to be a success, he would have a steady gig for a while, and that was more than he had the last time.
He'd done this before, so he knew to save every penny this time around. There would be no partying or other frivolous activities because he knew that a time could come when he had to wait tables to make ends meet.
How Ianto would fit into all of this was still a puzzle, but the next few days could solve some of it.
As he sat back down, John had caught up with him and slumped down. They had been seated next to each other according to the list, but Jack had done his best to avoid talking to the guy. He knew perfectly well how John felt, and after the phone conversation, Jack didn't have anything more to say.
"Do you have a lot of stuff. or will it fit into a sedan?" John leaned over and whispered. "The van is kinda, I don't know, kinda soccer mom style." Jack had no idea what the guy was referring to. and this was not the time for a discussion about cars. "What?" He whispered back as he watched the McCarthy twins enter the stage.
"Ianto needed to borrow a car so he could take you home. What car does he need. You can't take my mom's Mercedes, she'd flip out." John eyes were also focused on the guys on stage. Jack wanted to laugh. After all the commotion John had stirred up regarding this, he went ahead and let Ianto borrow a car. "A sedan is fine. I don't have that much stuff. Thank you though, I'm, erm, I don't know what to say."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Her last performance in New Directions was coming up. Gwen didn't know how she was going to sing with that big lump in her throat, but didn't want to miss it for the world. Still in their caps and gowns, the seniors of the choir walked towards the stage as soon as everybody had gotten their diploma.
Ianto, Castiel, and Jo were already waiting in the back, while Charlie had to climb between cellos and bassoons and a few other instruments to get up there with them. For a moment Gwen worried that Garth and Kevin had gone AWOL, but then she could see them come running down the aisle.
Sam Evans came up there as well and presented the choir for the crowd. Most all of them knew who they were regardless, but there could of course be a few parents and grandparents that hadn't heard about them. As soon as Sam was done, he gestured for Dean to step up.
"What would you think if I sang out of tune
Would you stand up and walk out on me?"
The band and the orchestra were quiet. For the first lines, Dean was strumming his guitar and singing alone until Ianto joined him with his guitar. It was the first time Ianto had played it in public like this.
"Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key."
Dean threw an encouraging glance over at Ianto as the two of them sang together. For the next few lines more and more voices were added.
"Oh I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm gonna try with a little help from my friends
Dean and Ianto were still playing, but now the band and a few orchestra members had joined in. John and Jack collaborated on the next part.
"What do I do when my love is away?
(Does it worry you to be alone?)"
"How do I feel by the end of the day?
(Are you sad because you're on your own?)"
After the next chorus, all the girls stepped in front of the guys for the bridge. Unique took the lead, and all the others were snapping their fingers as they followed.
"(Do you need anybody?)
I need somebody to love
(Could it be anybody?)
I want somebody to love."
During Brad's improvised piano-solo, the sophomores and the juniors in the choir started pushing the oldies away, and as they stepped up to the edge of the stage the tune had changed.
"Tonight, we are young
So let's set the world on fire
We can burn brighter than the sun."
They were dancing and jumping and hugging each other, as they made sure no senior came forward.
"Tonight, we are young
So let's set the world on fire
We can burn brighter than the sun."
They pulled apart and opened up for the older members to join them, and as they kept singing the chorus of that song, the seniors went back to the Beatles, in a more upbeat fashion.
"Oh I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm I get high with a little help from my friends
Oh I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends."
"Tonight, we are young
So let's set the world on fire
We can burn brighter than the sun."
Tonight, we are young
So let's set the world on fire
We can burn brighter than the sun
"Oh I get by with a little help from my friends."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Some of the other students in the audience started throwing their caps in the air, while the rest cheered and clapped. Dean didn't know if they cheered for New Directions or just because High School was finally over, and they were graduates.
It didn't really matter. His friends on stage hugged it out between them. Gwen and Jo cried, and didn't even try to hide it. Kevin, John and Unique all wiped their eyes clandestinely. It wasn't hard to see that the whole thing was a little emotional for everybody, but the rest of the guys managed to keep it cheerful, although Dean himself could feel the sting in his eyes.
When he went over to hug Castiel, he got a response that he hadn't anticipated. Cas just let their cheeks touch briefly before he pulled away and turned to Jo and Gwen who were clinging to each other talking gibberish between the sobs.
They hurried to pull Castiel into their embrace, and the guy didn't even throw a peek back at Dean. He did however give a very brief nod towards the crowd on the floor. It wasn't easy to actually pick up on his line of view, but then Dean saw his father and his brother in the back, staring right at him.
He had to chuckle a little to himself. So Cas didn't trust himself to act decent if the two of them came too close. It was kind of nice to think of, although it could all have a whole different and more disturbing explanation.
For Dean that was not an option at this moment. He felt that his - and his brother's - luck had changed. Things were looking good for them right now, and that Cas behaved a little strangely was not going to ruin Dean's mood.
The papers were signed, and except for a few small issues that his dad would take care off during the week, they now owned a house. The manager at the garage had offered Dean more hours over the summer, and even if it wasn't full time, it would still add a good portion of cash to their household expenses.
Jo's family ran a little B&B in the summer, and they had hired Sam as a handyman. What kind of handy-work they expected his brother to do was beyond Dean, unless they needed him to maintain their internet connection. Although his brother wasn't all thumbs, he was - in Dean's mind - not especially skilled in much more than nerdy stuff. Dean believed that it had more to do with their wish to keep an eye on Jo and Sam.
Sam had gladly accepted even if it would be only a few hours a week. He wouldn't get payed that much either, but it would help..
While he and Sam got ready to attend graduation, their father had spent the whole morning at the house to assess what needed to be done there. Bargaining with the owner, he did manage to knock the price down even more, and that left them with a few thousand to fix the place up. That was after putting away some money for a car for Sam.
Things were looking good, and even if this moment was a bit rough in the tear ducts, Dean couldn't help smiling. He had a house, he had a job, and he had Castiel; and in the fall he could possibly attend Lima community college on a part time basis.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Jo didn't know how it was possible to shed so many tears in one go. She would be severely dehydrated when this was over. She and Gwen clung together the whole time as they walked around and hugged the rest of the guys in the choir.
As they pulled Charlie into their embrace, Unique came over. She had been the unofficial leader of the Glee club until this moment. She kissed them all on both cheeks before she handed Charlie a key. "It's not much; it's more a token. It's the key to the choir-room, and I think you are the one best suited to fill my shoes. It doesn't mean much. The choir is a true democracy with a dictator as a director." She giggled a little and nodded towards Mr Evans. They all knew what she meant, and if it was possible, Jo cried even more.
A tear ran down Charlie's cheek as she took the key. "We will have to make a vote when Glee club starts up in the fall, but I'm grateful for the gesture." She wiped the tear away before she hugged Unique.
After that, Jo and Gwen got a moment alone. Jo wanted to tell her how much she would be missed, but Gwen stopped her. "I know. I'll miss you to pieces, but I want to tell you something." After looking around as to make sure they didn't have anybody else nearby, Gwen leaned in and whispered: "Don't say a word, I'm only telling you because you have been my best friend here." She threw another peek over her shoulder before she lowered her voice even more. "I'm pregnant."
As if she'd got a punch in her stomach, Jo lost her breath for a second. "What? Really? What?" She wanted to ask all sorts of questions, but Gwen shushed her. "Nobody knows. Well, Ianto knows, but I didn't want to tell anybody until I've told Rhys."
They got pulled apart before they could say anything about it. Jack practically lifted Gwen off the ground and swung her around. "Careful, she's…" Jo choked on her own words, remembering that it was supposed to be a secret. Gwen shook her head and smiled as she laughed and gave Jack a kiss in the cheek. "I'll miss you too, but I will definitely take the trip if you ever come to West End."
Jo didn't know what that meant, and didn't get time to ponder on it before she got the same treatment as Gwen. "I'll miss you too. little one." Jack kissed her on the cheek as he put her down. "Little one? Are you insulting me?" Jo tried to sound offended, but didn't quite manage. She was the shortest one in the choir, and had heard that nickname a few times.
The show was over, and Mr evans gestured for them to gather for a quick bow towards the audience before they exited the stage. Nobody down there seemed to notice as they were busy hugging each other and their family members.
Jo managed to grab Gwen's hand as they ran over to join the crowd. "Why don't you come over after?" Gwen practically shouted as the two of them closed in on Gwen's family. "I'm sure it's okay. And if you want, you can come with to the airport tomorrow."
Jo had actually made plans to hang out with Sam later, but this was big, and she was pretty sure he'd understand if she chose to go with Gwen instead.
"Sure, if it's okay with your family, I'll be happy to."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Dean was still hanging with some of the choir members, but the crowd was starting to scatter as the seniors caught up with their families. Sam knew he'd see most of them again before the summer was over, so he didn't bother to partake in the hugging; only Jack and Gwen would be gone for good very soon, but he didn't know the two of them that well.
When Jo came over with Gwen in tow, he reached his hand out to say goodbye to the Welshie, but she pushed his hand away and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'll miss you too. Take care of her, and don't do anything I wouldn't do." She smiled and nodded towards Jo as she pulled away. "I'm going to take her away from you today. I hope it's okay?".
Sam wasn't thrilled, but understood perfectly when Jo cancelled their plans. He had a lot of things on his plate anyway, so it wasn't such a big deal. Their dad was leaving in at the end of the week, and wanted to spend as much time as possible at the new house. He had already purchased a new front door, and he had also been calling around to get a deal on the work he was not able to do himself.
Sam had been a little torn between hanging out with Dean on his big day and also helping out at the house, or spending time with Jo. It solved itself nicely when Jo told him that she was invited to Gwen's farewell dinner. Sam knew that they would spend a good portion of the summer together regardless, so it wasn't such a big deal.
Jack and Dean came towards where Sam and his dad were standing. The former patted Sam on the back. "Well, this is it. I'm leaving tomorrow, and I haven't made any plans to come back, but you never know. Take care of your brother, and make sure he practices. He should definitely start a band."
Dean rolled his eyes and looked away for a moment. "Sure. I'll look into that, and if it happens, you better show up for my first gig." He chuckled as he grabbed Jack's hand. "And good luck to you. I hope it won't be the last time I see you."
Daddy Winchester hadn't said much during the farewell scenes around them, but he'd seemed a little stressed at the end.
"I'm very proud of you son, but isn't it time we took off?" He nodded towards the door. "People are leaving now, and I wanted to get some work done today."
The lack of enthusiasm for Dean's achievements was obviously noticed by Jack, and the guy looked rather surprised. Dean patted his friend's back and shook his head. "It's okay. Well. I hope to see you again sometime. Maybe we'll come to New York and watch your show when you become famous." He smiled and was about to walk away when Jack pulled him into an embrace. Dean seemed a little embarrassed, but then he hugged him back.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Jack procrastinated before he had to leave with his parents; they wanted to go with him to Rachel's house and help him pack before he had to take off to be with his friends. He didn't like to lie to them, but he really wanted Ianto to take him home. That he had to find something to do the rest of the evening was a minor concern. If he had to go to a restaurant alone, and sit there like an idiot, he'd do that just to make sure that nobody found out that all his friends were otherwise engaged.
John's mother was throwing her son a graduation party, and none of the choir members were invited. Gwen would leave tomorrow, and the Jones' were having a dinner for her on her last night in Lima. Ianto had to be there, and they hadn't invited any outsiders either.
Jane and Unique also had private parties to attend, and Dean would be busy with the house his dad had just bought.
Hanging out with any of the sophomores and juniors in the choir wasn't an option. Cas or Charlie were the only ones he could see himself having a bit of fun with, but they had left already, and calling them was out of the question.
The twins were still hanging about, but Jack had the strange feeling that they didn't like him very much. It could of course be a misconception, but he had barely exchanged a word with them outside of choir practice, and it would be weird if he suddenly wanted to befriend them now.
He could call Ianto. If he managed to express himself correctly, there was a possibility that he could get the guy to invite him over. Gwen was a good friend, and he wouldn't mind being there for her last supper in the US. That it would be a cover to be able to spend time with Ianto didn't have to be revealed. Technically it wouldn't be. Jack wanted to spend time with Gwen as well, although it had a totally different reason.
He had just said goodbye to Dean, and got a little bit surprised when the guy came running back over. "Hey. Are you stuck? Do you need a ride somewhere?" He must have noticed that Jack was a bit reluctant to leave, although he couldn't possibly know the reason.
"No. I'm fine. My parents are here, but they are waiting in the car." He felt awkward. He had absolutely no reason to hang around there, and wondered if Dean would question it. "Oh. Are you going home today? I thought, erm, never mind. You just looked a little lost, and that does not suit you." Dean laughed as he was about to walk away again.
Desperation can make a man humble. Jack decided to throw his pride out the window and ask Dean a big favor. "I guess you've heard then." He caught up with him quickly. "Ianto is taking me home tomorrow, but I lied to my parents to get them off my back. I told them that there would be a party tonight, but there's not."
Dean cocked his head and smiled. "Oh, so you will have to sit alone in your room and wait for tomorrow to arise. That's so sad." The guy didn't look sad at all. It was very clear that he enjoyed seeing that Jack wasn't on top of this.
There had never been any hostility between them. Jack actually considered Dean a good friend, although they hadn't spent much time together outside of school, but they had always competed about who was the ultimate Alpha male within the choir.
Regarding who would be the lead singer, Jack had definitely been the winner, but Dean never looked defeated by it, and managed to take it in the stride. Much more so than Jack did. The times he had to stand back, he had very verbally contested the decision.
It wasn't clear if any of the other choir members even cared, but Jack often felt inferior because he wasn't able to take a drawback with the same indifference as Dean did.
This time around, he was very aware that he was the underdog. "What are you doing this evening?" Jack knew what Dean and his brother were doing, but figured that Dean would understand why he asked without him having to beg for company.
Dean seemed to measure him before he nodded a couple of times. "It's okay honey. You can come to our place, but are you actually capable of manual labor?" Jack took the insult in the stride. "I don't know. I can bring food and drinks though."