Five Years Later…

The arena's bright lights shine glaringly around the crowd.

All she can hear around her is the repetitive clicking on the dozens and dozens of cameras that fill the arena's space. The lights flashing on and off and on and off, over and over again, everyone in the crowd trying to take their best shot at the stage front and center of the building.

The speaker on stage drags on and on and on. Making some speech that she assumes is suppose to be uplifting and inspiring. But she doesn't even know what the speaker is talking about - she hasn't been paying much attention the entire time she's been here.

But when he's finally done speaking and he's walked off stage, she's relieved, only to have another voice start filling the area, echoing on the speakers lined through the venue.

More speeches.

She zones out again - events like this totally aren't her thing. Even though her career requires her to attend so many events similar to this; large crowds, speeches, recognizing achievements across the industry. She figured she'd be used to them by now, but it's something she hasn't really grown accustomed to. She loves her job, she loves music, she could just do without that side the business.

But then, she sees him. Off to the corner, all full of smiles. Her eyes lift up at the sight of him, off on the side of the stage and soon to be called. Her focus shifts back into gear, just in time to hear his name called off the scroll. "Jesse Swanson."

She lets out a, 'Whoo,' from her seat, holding both hands close around her mouth to get as much volume into it as she can. It's so out of character for her, but she can't help it. She's so proud of what he's accomplished, so happy to have been here to witness it all at his graduation from USC.

It's after, when all graduates are amongst the crowd, Beca finds herself pushing through people looking for him in his cap and gown. Finally, from behind her, she hears, "There's my girl."

She turns around quick, launching herself into his arms, him tightly wrapping his right back around her, lifting her up and spinning her around amidst the busy arena floor. "I'm so proud of you."

"I'm pretty proud of me, too," he smiles, placing her back down on the ground gently. Beca looks him up and down, Jesse looking knowingly at her. "You're checking me out aren't you?"

"I might be."

"You can say it, Beca," he eggs on. "I look good, don't I?"

"You're alright."

Jesse reaches forwards, lifting her left hand with ease and lacing their fingers together. "What do you say we get out of here?"

"Yeah," she nods, letting him guide her out of the crowded auditorium into the fresh air. "Where do you want to go for your celebration dinner?"

"My celebration dinner?"

"Well, yeah," she says. "You did just graduate from film school."

"This is as much your night as it is mine, Ms. Mitchell."

"Jesse."

"Hey, not all of us can say we have a recording session with Taylor Swift in the morning!" His arm slips around her shoulders as they walk to his car. "That is something we celebrate."

And as they walk together in the parking lot, laughing, smiling, happy, there's only one thing she can think of.

She has everything she's every wanted in this moment. She has great friends, she has her dream career. She has Jesse.

Their journey together may have been long, and it may have been hard. But through all the ups and downs, they found their way to each other, found a way to make it work in the end and well...

It feels right.

/

Y'all. This has been a ride. I can't believe I've finished a full length fic. I never thought that would happen. Thank you to everyone who's read, reviewed, favorited, followed…all of it. The support you gave me was what kept me going.

And I know this isn't your traditional full closured ending, but I like open endings. You get to decide what you think happened in the five year gap!

Now…what to write next?