The six original glee members had decided to perform for everyone else the first ever number they did together in honor of the last week of classes — maybe ever for some of them. So, that was how Piepr found herself like this, embarrassing herself with some of her friends as she did Sit down you're rocking the boat with them.
"That was the most ghetto number I have ever seen." Santana joked as soon as they were done.
"Then just call me George Jefferson, because we went from the ghetto to the penthouse." Artie said, as everyone cheered and Mr. Schue walked in with an emotional smile. "National champs, baby!"
"This week's assignment is easy." Mr. Schue said, then, as he wrote Goodbye on the whiteboard and the kids dispersed to take their seats again. "Graduation is just a few days away. There's nothing left to prepare for. Our work here is done, so there's only one thing left to do: say goodbye. Underclassmen, pick some songs to say goodbye to the seniors; seniors, pick a song to say goodbye to us."
"A part of me wants to lock these doors and stay in here with everyone forever." Mercedes mumbled quietly as Piper smiled sadly, holding Quinn's hand in her lap.
"We can use the wastebasket for the toilet, and then we could eat Joe for the food, since she's been here the shortest, so we know her the least." Brittany said, as everyone chuckled quietly.
At that, Mr. Schue smiled as well, going to take a seat as he picked up a guitar.
"I really hope you're about to rap." Quinn joked, clearly trying to hold back her tears as the teacher chuckled.
"No such luck. I'm leading by example here." Mr. Schue said, as he took a moment to look at everyone's faces with a smile. "This one is for you guys."
And as Mr. Schue sang his rendition of Forever Young for his students, a few tears were shared and a few looks were exchanged. Quinn leaned closer to Piper then, resting her head on her shoulder and squeezing her hand a bit when the brunette sniffled quietly. Friends and partners holding onto what could possibly be the last time they'd all be together like this in a long time.
***
"I still can't believe you're moving to L.A." Piper mumbled, as she took a bite of her pizza, laying in Mercedes' bed with her head on her lap as the two of them and Kurt had a sleepover that night for old time's sake. "I mean, I can. Like... I knew you'd do it. But it's just... It's on the other side of the country and I'm gonna miss you like crazy."
"Oh, don't you even start Piper Snow." Mercedes chuckled a bit. "We promised no crying today, remember?"
"Sorry, my bad." She giggled, sniffling a bit as Mercedes smiled down at her.
"It is crazy, though." Kurt nodded, sitting across from the two girls as he leaned against the headboard. "We're so used to seeing each other everyday and now... Now Mercedes is off to L.A. and Piper's headed to New Haven with her girl. Who would've thought, huh? That small little trio that happened by chance because Ms. Snow almost dropped out from auditioning for glee club three years ago would be here now... Talking about the future..."
"It's insane." Mercedes nodded. "But, hey, P... Did you and Quinn find an apartment?"
"We found one that we really liked and that's within budget." She nodded with a small smile. "We're driving down there to see it this Saturday, though."
"I'm really happy it all worked out for you in the end, you know?" Kurt smirked a bit when Piper blushed. "You deserve to be happy. Both of you."
"You really made Quinn a better person, you know that?" Mercedes nodded as Piper shrugged.
"It was the least I could do. She saved my life, in more ways than I can count." She admitted as both Mercedes and Kurt smiled softly at her. Piper shook her head then. "Well, but that's enough talking about me. Let's talk about you. When you go to L.A., what are you gonna do with Sam?"
"Sam?" Mercedes deflected the question as Piper and Kurt exchanged a look.
"You two are dating, right?" Kurt asked.
"Yeah, wasn't he the one who posted the video and stuff?" Piper asked.
"We're... I don't really know what we are." Mercedes admitted with a sigh. "It's just... We didn't put a label on it or anything. Besides, we both knew that by summer, we wouldn't be a thing anymore, so... I guess that means we're breaking up?"
"Oh, that's a shame..." Piper mumbled. "I really liked you together."
"Yeah, I know that." Mercedes glared at the girl as Kurt laughed at the exchange. "Don't think I don't know you helped him get back with me as soon as he got back from Kentucky."
"Okay, first of all..." Piper squeaked as she lifted her head from Mercedes' lap and turned to her with an offended expression. "I didn't. All I did was tell him that you got super sad when he left. Which was not a lie. And second of all... You should be thanking me, okay? This whole thing only started because I noticed he was into you and I pushed you together at prom. I gave you true love in a silver platter and you're throwing it away... What a waste..."
Piper laughed then, when Mercedes rolled her eyes and pushed her playfully.
"You know... Overall, the three of us finally had a good year of love, didn't we?" Kurt asked then, causing the two girls to stop playfully push one another and look at him instead. "I mean, after Mercedes' cheating scandal that is."
"We swore we were never gonna speak of it again!" Mercedes complained as Kurt just laughed.
"My point is... We had a good year." Kurt said. "And even if I'm not going to New York, at least I'm going to have Blaine, right?"
At that, both of the girls softened, as they crawled across the bed and sat on each side of Kurt and wrapped him in their arms in a hug.
"You're gonna get into NYADA, Kurt." Mercedes assured, as Kurt sighed sadly, but happy to have his best friends beside him at that moment. "You killed that audition."
"That's right. Don't give up on your dream, Kurt." Piper nodded. "Because you know what? You're destined to be on Broadway. I just know it."
"That's true." Mercedes said. "And when you get your first role, P and I are gonna be on the first row, cheering you on like two lunatics, you can write that down."
At that, Kurt laughed, trying not to let his fear show as he just enjoyed the company of two of the people that had made his high school life suck a little bit less everyday.
"Promise?" He asked quietly as the two girls nodded.
"Promise."
***
"And now the seniors of McKinley High School, class of 2012, are going to sing for you." Mr. Schue said, as all the seniors of glee club stood in the choir room and the underclassmen sat in their chair, watching them with smiles on their faces.
"This is your glee club." Finn stepped forward as soon as the first notes of You get what you give started to play. "Take care of it. It'll take care of you. One! Two! One, two, three, yeah!"
And as everyone sang and danced, the seniors went over to the underclassmen, playing around with them, teasing and dancing; making sure they all knew that this song was for them and that, wherever they may go next, they would always be missed and they would always be remembered.
***
"So, yeah, Puck needs a C-minus to pass, but the boys are helping him out, so I think it'll be okay." Quinn said, as she sat on Piper's bed, watching her as she stood in front of her mirror and used her curling iron.
"Well, a C-minus in that test is a hard grade, but I hope he gets it." Piper responded, keeping her own eyes on her hair. "I mean, it would suck to graduate without everyone."
"Yeah." Quinn nodded, standing up then as she walked up to Piper and wrapped her arms around her waist from behind as she looked at her girlfriend up and down through the mirror, smiling at her choice of a blue dress to match her green one. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you." Piper smiled, turning off her curling iron and putting it down before turning around to face Quinn properly. "Are you ready, though? We're already kind of late."
"I'm ready." She nodded, grabbing her hand in hers as the two of them started to make their way out of the room. "Come on."
With that, the two of them made their way downstairs as Harry smiled at them both and took them out to Piper's favorite restaurant in town as a graduation gift to her. And that was the plan: the dinner was Harry's gift to his daughter, but he had another little trick up his sleeve. He just hoped the two of them would enjoy it.
"Daddy, you okay?" Piper asked at one point, after the three of them sat down at a table and looked over the menu. At that, Harry lifted his eyes to look at his daughter. "You seem a bit nervous."
"I'm fine, bunny." Harry shook his head then, only to widen his eyes when he looked over their shoulders. "Actually, hum... I... I have something to talk to you girls about."
Piper and Quinn exchanged a glance then, suddenly worried.
"Okay?" Quinn nodded then, turning to look at the man in front of her. "Is... Is everything okay, Harry?"
"Yes, Quinn. Everything's alright." Harry assured, noticing the way Quinn started to grow a bit nervous. "I just wanted to give you a graduation present as well."
At that, Quinn gasped, smiling a bit as her eyes softened.
"Y-You really didn't need to." She said, as Piper smiled, reaching over to place a hand over her thigh. "You... You let me live with you for so long, you... You've been so supportive of... Of me. Of us. I..."
"I know." Harry smiled. "And I'm proud of you. Of what you've become and I'm proud of what you two have. I can't wait to welcome you officially into my family someday. But, until then... You need your own family. Which is why... I got your mother to come here."
And, at that, the two girls turned around in their chairs only to see no one other than Judy Fabray herself standing there.
"Oh, my God..." Piper mumbled as Quinn stood up, freezing a bit when Judy smiled at her a bit.
"Mom?"
"Hi, Quinnie." Judy smiled a bit as Quinn looked away from her and back to her girlfriend. "Quinnie, I... I'm sorry. I... I heard you got into Yale."
"Yeah, I did." Quinn nodded as Judy smiled.
"That's so impressive, Quinnie. I'm so proud." The woman said, as Quinn just nodded, still guarding her feelings, afraid of what could come out of the encounter between Judy and Piper.
"Thanks." She said, causing Judy to take a step closer to Quinn.
"Quinnie, listen..." Judy started, as Quinn took a small step back and reached for Piper's hand for comfort. Judy watched them quietly then, but when she noticed how Quinn relaxed as soon as Piper laced her fingers through her daughter's, she knew what she was doing was the right thing to do. "I know I really hurt you. And you, Piper. I really hurt both of you. But Harry met me the other day and he... He made me see that loosing you, Quinnie, over something as small as... Who you love, it's not worth it. So, here I am, today. Standing before you and asking for your forgiveness."
"Mom..."
"And I realize it might take a while." Judy said. "Especially for you, Piper. But I'm willing to work on it. With both of you. If you let me."
And, at that, Piper smiled upon noticing the tears already forming in her girlfriend's eyes. Squeezing her hand in hers, Piper nodded over at Judy with a smile and, really, that was all it took for Quinn to rush over to her mom as the two of them hugged, and talked, and cried, and caught up. Piper gave the two of them a sad smile and, as soon as Harry noticed it, though, he slid Piper's chair closer to his as he pulled his daughter in for a hug.
"I did try and talk to your mom too." He admitted as Piper sighed. "She didn't even want to hear what I had to say."
"It's fine. I lost her. I knew that." Piper shrugged. "I'm glad for Quinn, though. She needed this. Since she doesn't have her dad anymore ever since she got pregnant... She needed her mom. Thank you, by the way."
"Anything for my girls." Harry whispered as Piper smiled. After placing a kiss to her head, Harry lifted his eyes to Judy and Quinn then. "Come on, guys. Let's sit down and eat. We can catch up all together now."
And as Quinn guided Judy back to the table, Harry pulled out a chair for the woman as Quinn took her seat back next to Piper and leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek.
"I love you." Quinn whispered as Piper smiled. "But I might just love your dad a bit more."
At that, Piper laughed, as the two adults across the table watched them with small smiles, even if they couldn't actually hear what they were talking about.
"It's okay." Piper smiled at her girlfriend back. "I love him more than I love myself too."
***
"Okay, seniors, the underclassmen have something they'd like to say to you." Mr. Schue announced during their next glee meeting and, as all the underclassmen stood up to pick up some benches from them, Piper smiled a bit. "Come on."
"With all the dedications being thrown around McKinley this week, there was one that we wanted to make sure didn't get missed. Finn." Artie said, as soon as all the younger kids had settled, getting ready for their song. "Right now, you're something I never thought possible when I first rolled down these halls. You're my friend... Our friend. Even before Glee Club was kind of cool, you had our backs. You were on the football team. You were one of the most popular kids in school. You had a lot to lose, and people forget the sacrifices you made. We wanted to thank you."
And, with that, they started to sing In my life to their senior friends and, as Piper watched them with soft eyes, she wiped some of her tears away, fully aware that, with each passing day, her time of seeing all of those people down the hallway every day was coming to an end.
***
So now that Puck had managed a C-minus in his Geography test, it was time for graduation.
"Michael Chang Jr." Principal Figgins called, as, one by one, the glee kids walked up on the stage to get their diploma as Finn and Pick sang Glory Days for them.
"Quinn Fabray!"
"Piper Snow!"
"Mercedes Jones!"
"Noah Puckerman!"
"Santana Lopez!"
"Kurt Hummel!"
"Finn Hudson!"
"Rachel Berry!"
And as soon as everyone was up on the stage, already graduated, they all cheered and smiled and laughed together.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present you William McKinley High's class of 2012!"
And, as everyone threw their caps up to the sky, Quinn pulled Piper into her and pressed a kiss to her lips, as the two girls smiled at one another and laughed, very much ready for the next stage of their lives.
***
Piper stood by her locker, taking out all of her books and pictures from there for the last time, putting them all in a box so she could sort through it all later and decide what was trash and what was going with her.
Picking up a picture from Nationals that they had taken as a group with their first place trophy, she smiled, the happiness from that moment still fresh on her mind. Tracing her fingers over the smiling faces of all of her friends, she allowed herself a moment to dwell on all of her memories, but before she could even do anything else, Piper frowned when a sobbing Kurt Hummel crashed into her arms.
"Hey, hey, hey..." She cooed, as she wrapped Kurt in her arms and let him cry in her shoulder. "What happened? Kurt, come on... Talk to me..."
"My... My NYADA letter came." He whimpered quietly, showing the letter to his best friend as she just sighed, already knowing what was going on, just based on Kurt's despair. "I didn't get in."
"Oh, Kurt..." Piper cooed gently, squeezing the boy in her arms as he sobbed. "You'll be okay. It's gonna be okay..."