Chapter Text
The next morning, there was a knock at the hospital room door.
“Who could that be?” questioned Todd.
He skipped over to the door and threw it open, revealing all of their friends. Knox, Meeks, Pitts, Cameron, and…
“Gloria?” cried Neil and Todd at the same time.
She winked. “Yup!”
She and Pitts linked hands. “Through all this craziness, we’ve realized just how in love with each other we are. We don’t want to spend another second apart,” Pitts announced. Then the two of them shared a kiss.
“You guys ,” groaned Meeks, but there was an affectionate smile on his face.
“Coming through, coming through,” came yet another voice. It was the wise old Keating, pushing through the other people until he came to stand at Neil’s side. “Neil, my boy! You’re alive! Ugh, how wonderful. It’s as Walt Whitman always said - ‘o death, where is thy sting?’”
“Uncle Keating,” came yet another familiar voice. “That was Johnny Cash.”
Charlie Dalton walked through the doors, making a beeline for the bed where his best friend lay.
“Actually it was the bible,” Neil corrected, before pulling Charlie into a tight hug.
Todd gasped. “Charlie, I thought you were gone forever.”
“Well, I had to come back to see my best friend in the whole wide world,” Charlie said matter-of-factly. “Oh, and also - to do this.”
He walked over to where the rest of their friends stood. Knox had his mouth wide open. “Ch-charlie?” he asked. “What are you doing.”
Charlie dropped to one knee and pulled out a small velvet box. “Knox Overstreet,” he said, face growing serious for a second. “I’ve been unrequitedly in gay love with you for years, but now I’m starting to think you might be a little fruity with it too. If that’s true……will you do me the honor of being my husband?”
“Oh my god!” exclaimed Knox. “I thought you’d never ask!”
Todd, not to be outdone, then also dropped to his knee and pulled out a small velvet box. “Neil, I’m literally so happy you didn’t die. You’re my best friend and sooooo cute. Do you want to get married?”
“Uh, duh!” squealed Neil. He looked over at Charlie. “We can have a double wedding like in the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice adaptation just like we always wanted!”
“Or like in glee!” agreed Charlie. “Wow, this is so perfect. I can’t think of anything that would make this moment better.”
Suddenly, the air started to shimmer. The sounds of wind chimes and harps played out of nowhere until a ghostly figure appeared in the air. It was Mr. Perry! Wearing a white robe and a halo over his head.
“Neil, I’ve seen the light,” he said kindly. “I love that you’re gay. I’m part of the ‘Proud Dads of Homosexuals’ club up here in heaven now that I’ve repented for being an asswipe. If you’re looking for a maid of honor at your wedding, I’d be happy to stop by.”
“Of course, dad,” Neil said with a wide grin. “I love you! Thanks for letting me pursue acting.”
Mr. Perry gave a gentle smile, then vanished with a puff of vanilla scented air.
“Well this has been quite a morning,” chuckled Keating, “but I’m afraid I have to head home now. The missus is making a huge breakfast of pancakes waffles fruit eggs bacon and more. And by the missus, I mean George McAllister. That’s right. McKeating is so real. I love my husband.”
“Wow,” exclaimed Neil. “Can we come?”
“Sure! The more the merrier!” cheered Keating.
They all danced through the hospital where the doctors and nurses, who had heard about the engagement, were doing a choreographed dance and singing ‘Love Story’ by Taylor Swift.
“This is the second time there have been Taylor Swift lyrics at my engagement,” laughed Neil, winking at Gloria.
She just rolled her eyes and laughed. “You gaybo.”
They all got into Keatings car and drove to his sprawling estate in mid-Manhattan. When they walked up to the door, Mr. McAllister was waiting for them in a pink frilly apron and a spatula.
“Agricola,” he greeted. “Agricolum.”
“Oh, George,” said Keating with a wry smirk.
As they ate their breakfast, Neil looked around. “Wow. This society is so poetic, I might as well be dead.”
“Hang on,” Meeks said slowly. “Say that again.”
Then they all laughed, and nobody ever came to arrest Charlie. They really had carpe diemed.