Author's Note: The following chapter is an epilogue, dealing in part with the events that took place in the third episode of season 5. I haven't watched the episode yet, so this is my interpretation of it, although in my version I think I'm about a year ahead of the show by now! Although this chapter deals with a character death, I'd like to hope I've given it a positive message and that it ends on a happier note.

Epilogue: Make it Mean Something

The phone call came on a bright and breezy Saturday afternoon at the end of April. When the phone rings at two a.m. bad news can be expected, but no one ever expects an innocent ring on a sunny day to be a foreboding of tragedy.

Santana took the call, and listened quietly for several seconds, before starting to cry. Her tears were silent but they racked her body, and Quinn ran horrified to her side to support her trembling form.

They traveled home together – Kurt, Blaine, Quinn, Santana, and Rachel – the first four surrounding the tiny brunette like planets orbiting a star. Rachel was completely lost, but they shepherded her through airport security and got her onto the plane, all of them wondering what they could possibly say that would help her, as they struggled to deal with their own grief.

Both Quinn and Kurt knew the pain of losing a parent, but to lose a contemporary was a new kind of hurt, and Quinn couldn't begin to imagine the pain of losing a lover. She and Santana clung tightly to each other's hand, neither wanting to let go for even a second.

The memorial service was due to take place in the McKinley High auditorium, after school let out on Friday. It seemed that the whole student body was in attendance, as well as a lot of past graduates who'd gone to school with Finn.

Finn's family sat in the front row, along with Blaine and Rachel. In much the same way as Quinn and Santana were clinging to each other, Blaine kept a protective arm around Kurt as he dabbed at his eyes with a monogrammed handkerchief. Rachel's grief seemed beyond tears as she sat stoically and waited.

The glee club members, past and present, occupied most of the next two rows. They'd each been asked if they wanted to be a part of the memorial service and Quinn knew that Kurt was planning to give a eulogy and Mercedes had asked to sing. Rachel was planning a song as well, although none of them knew which song. Santana had flat out refused to participate but Quinn knew it wasn't because her girlfriend didn't care, it was because she cared too much. Quinn was planning to make a speech, and she fingered her notes nervously, hoping her words would do justice to both her own and Santana's feelings.

Mr Schuester opened the service with a reading, then Mercedes got up to sing, her gospel tones permeating the silent auditorium in a perfect tribute to their lost friend.

Burt Hummel spoke next, telling them all how Finn was a wonderful son and brother, before Kurt got up to give his eulogy. Halfway through, he broke down, and Blaine had to finish it for him, his own voice cracking on every word.

Then, it was Quinn's turn to speak.

"Finn was a good man," she started simply. "You've heard a lot today about who Finn was as a son, and a brother, but to most of us in this room, Finn was our friend. Other people are better placed than me to talk about his last couple of years, we'd drifted apart after high school – that happens – without us even realizing it a lot of the time, and it's only after something like this happens that you stop to see it. But, I can talk to you about Finn's character. Finn was loyal. He was loyal to his friends, and to the glee club especially. Even when we turned our backs on him, he came through for us. Finn was humble, he was willing to admit when he'd made a mistake, and he was willing to learn from those mistakes. Finn was compassionate – he's been there for every one of us at one time or another, even when we've tried to push him away." She paused and looked directly at Santana, who smiled at her through her tears. "Finn was loving," Quinn continued, trying to hold on to her composure until she finished her speech.

"He loved Rachel with all his heart – I think he always loved Rachel, even when he was dating me." She shrugged slightly, smiling to herself, and a low rumble of laughter moved through the auditorium. "But more than anything," Quinn said finally, "Finn loved life. He embraced it with both hands. Some of you in this room have faith in a higher power, some of you don't. I've been thinking a lot about why God would take someone young and vibrant away, when he's so needed here on Earth. Surely, there must be some message we can take from this tragedy? Well, maybe it's this – Finn lived every day to the full. We get so caught up in the little things sometimes, that we forget about what's important – friends, family, helping others. Finn knew that innately. It takes some of us a little longer to come by, I know, I've only recently started to see things that way. So, when we leave here today, try to remember what's important, and try to live the way Finn did. Experience everything life has to offer. I don't mean rush through life like every day's your last. I mean, savor each experience, each moment, embrace life. Make it count." She paused and her eyes swept over the auditorium. "Make it mean something."

Unable to hold back the tears any longer, Quinn hurried from the stage and into Santana's waiting arms. Rachel sang her song then, and Quinn sobbed into Santana's shoulder.

They arrived back in New York late on Friday night. Both girls had wanted to stay longer but finals started on Monday, and this was Quinn's weekend to see Beth. She desperately needed to see the little girl, to know that there was still hope, and light, and unadulterated joy in the world.

Although exhausted, the girls fell into each other's arms out of a need to find comfort and clung to each other as they made love, both of them trying to pour all the love they felt into each kiss, each caress, until they collapsed, panting and sweaty against the mattress.

"What time are you meeting Shelby tomorrow?" Santana asked nervously. Quinn knew her girlfriend was worried and she stroked her hair reassuringly.

"Two-thirty," she said softly. "And relax, Beth's going to love you." Santana would be meeting Beth for the first time, and she was adorably anxious about making a good first impression. Quinn had been hoping to introduce the two of them for a while now, but she hadn't known how Shelby would respond to the request.

Shelby had chuckled when Quinn voiced her concerns about how to introduce Santana to Beth as her girlfriend.

"Quinn, I run a daycare center for kids of Broadway parents," she'd reminded her, shaking her head at Quinn's naivety. "Half the kids there have two mommies or two daddies. Beth knows that love comes in all forms."

Santana was silent for a while and Quinn supposed she must still be fretting about the meeting. She was just opening her mouth to reassure her again when Santana spoke.

"I have something to ask you," Santana began tentatively, "and I want you to hear me out before you freak out, okay?"

"Okay," Quinn said softly. Santana's face was partly illuminated by a shaft of moonlight, but Quinn couldn't make out her expression.

"I've been thinking about your speech today," Santana said, choosing her words slowly and carefully. "About living life to the full, and experiencing everything it has to offer. You were right. I've been thinking a lot about what's important to me, and you're it, Q. Always. I love you, and I want to share all of those experiences with you. I want us to get married." Santana clamped a hand over Quinn's mouth before she could respond. "I'm not asking you to marry me next week or even next year," she continued hurriedly. "I know your views on getting married too young. I'm talking five years down the line, maybe longer. But I need to know that's where we're headed." She took her hand away from Quinn's mouth, and clasped her hand tightly instead, holding it against Quinn's chest, right above her heart. "So, what do you say, Quinn?" she asked nervously. "Will you marry me?"

Quinn considered Santana's proposal carefully. Her initial wave of panic dissipated and she started to imagine the possibilities. She loved Santana, she truly did, but no matter how nebulous and far off Santana made it seem, to Quinn engagement was a huge commitment. Was she ready for it? Was this just a knee-jerk reaction on Santana's part because of Finn's death? Quinn searched her heart for the answer. If she were honest with herself, there was really only one answer she could give. One word that had the power to change her life forever and it was on the tip of her tongue. She just didn't know how Santana would react. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth to answer…

The end.

Author's note (2): So, that's it, the end of my story. Let me know what you think! Between this and the previous story that's 45 chapters of drama, angst, and a little romance thrown in along the way. Thank you for sticking with me until the end and I hope it's been worth it. I hope you're not too mad at me for not revealing Quinn's answer to Santana's proposal – of course, in my head I know what happens next, but I had to leave something to the imagination, LOL. I'm not quite sure I'm ready to stay goodbye to these characters yet, so if I come up with a good story idea, who knows, it could become a trilogy...

Addendum... There's now a third part to this story called "Center of Gravity", if you enjoyed this, please read the follow up :)