Spending an hour of her Saturday afternoon sitting in a crowded train station was not Santana's idea of a good time. "What do you mean the train isn't late?"
"Quinn's train gets in at 3 o'clock. I told you that yesterday, Santana." Rachel released a sigh of disappointed and directed a less than patient look at her roommate. "I even added it to our shared calendar. I don't know why you insist on turning off the auto sync feature on your phone."
"It drains my damn battery and calendars make me itch. Why the fuck did we get here an hour early?"
"Santana," Rachel's tone was the one heard commonly in places with many small children, "you know how I dislike being late. Leaving early insured that no unforeseen mishaps would impede our being here to meet Quinn on time."
"You could have said that with, at least, like twenty fewer words." Santana shifted further down on the horribly uncomfortable bench Rachel picked out for them. From here, we'll have the perfect angle to spot Quinn exiting the train. "I don't know why you're so jazzed about the Ice Princess visiting anyway. You've been flitting around like a demented fairy all week."
Rachel barely glanced in her direction before her attention was pulled away a voice announcing the next train arrival. "That should be Quinn's train." Rachel managed to scoot even closer to the edge of her seat peering around as if Quinn would suddenly materialize from thin air. "Should we get closer? I don't want to chance her not seeing us. Or her getting knocked around by the other travelers. She said that her back was bothering her a few days ago. Maybe we should have caught the train to New Haven and then accompanied her here. I'll have to keep that in mind for next time. Though, I'm not sure if Quinn's pride will allow for…"
"Jesus Christ, Berry, will you please just simmer the fuck down already?" Santana took a deep breath and tried to reign in the urge to strangle Rachel. "I'm sure her royal highness will see us just fine. And I'm pretty sure her back would be doing a lot better if she would spend less time banging whatever gross over the hill Hellenic Literature professor she's attached to these days. In fact, I bet…"
"Here, eat this. Kurt and I made them yesterday." She handed Santana some sort of odd oatmeal brick wrapped in plastic.
"What the hell is this and why would I consider eating it?" Santana peeled the plastic back and was immediately assaulted by the scent oatmeal mixed with something that reminded her vaguely of the gross wads of chewing tobacco her grandfather always left in a can next to his favorite chair.
"It's a granola bar. Kurt and I made them yesterday." Rachel's head swiveled back in the direction she expected Quinn to come from. "You get cranky when you don't eat. Trust me, you'll feel better."
"I don't want to eat a goddamn thing you and Grandma Hummel concocted. And I do not get cra-..."
"There she is!" Rachel was out of her seat before Santana could fully register what see she had said, skipping happily towards Quinn. Santana watched Rachel run directly into Quinn, wrapping her arms around Quinn's neck and rocking slightly. Oh no, what about her poor injured back.
Santana watched them for minute before heading to greet their guest, "Fabray."
Quinn quirked an eyebrow at her and threw a questioning glance to Rachel. Rachel shrugged and mumbled something breakfast. "Hello to you too, Santana. I can see you're in good spirits today."
"Screw you, Fabray. How's Yale treating you? Still working out your daddy issues with whichever professor is still capable of getting it up?" Santana felt some of the irritation from the past few days slide away. The payoff of putting up with Rachel's pre-Quinn crazy was the opportunity to antagonize Quinn until her face did that thing where to vein on her forehead started to pulsate.
"Enough, you two. Santana, could you please try to be nice?" Even though Rachel's initial statement was directed at both of them, the look of disappointment was aimed solely at Santana. "Here, would you carry this for me?" She took Quinn's bag and passed it her roommate before linking arms with Quinn starting for the exit.
Santana rolled her eyes and followed them. This weekend is going to be just fucking awesome.
Kurt text to inform them that he wouldn't be able to join them in whatever they decided to do that evening. Isabelle had invited him to some swanky party. Santana couldn't really blame him for ditching the Quinn Fabray Appreciation suck-fest she had been audience to all day.
Quinn it's so amazing that you go to such a prestigious university. Oh Quinn, of course they invited you; any sorority would be lucky to count you as one of their members. You look so good, Quinn. I'm happy you cut your hair again, Quinn. It really highlights your bone structure, Quinn.
"SANTANA!" Rachel leaned into her line of sight looking concerned. "Where did you just go off to? Have you had too much to drink already?" Rachel put the back of her hand to Santana's forehead. "Do you need water? I'll go and get you a bottle. And ice, I'll get you a cup of ice. We'll get you hydrated and you feel good as new in no time."
"Berry!" Santana pulled Rachel's hand from her forehead. The fuck was she even checking for? "I'm fine. Where did Quinn go?" This was the first time all day that Rachel had let Quinn out of her sight. They had spent the entire trek back to the loft with their arms linked while they caught up. Rachel would occasionally try to pull Santana into their conversation but eventually conceded that a cranky Santana was not someone capable of civilized conversation.
"She went to the ladies' room. Are you sure you're okay? Your forehead felt kind of warm." Rachel shot her a worried look. A look that said she was seriously considering trying to check Santana's temperature again. "I would hate to think I forced you to come out when you're feeling under the weather."
"I'm good. It's just a little warm in here tonight" Lunch had been followed by lazing about the loft while Rachel fretted about where they would have dinner. Santana and Quinn shared amuse looks as Rachel debated the merits of different options with herself. Eventually, Santana suggested the Thai place across from their favorite bar. And what's the point at eating at that place if not the convenience of cheap drinks without being carded right across the street.
"This place is so fun." Quinn plopped back into her seat next to Rachel. "How did you guys find it?"
"I applied for a job here. The owner is a cool guy. Said something about not hiring jail bait but he told me to come by anytime. He hooks us up with free drinks sometimes." Santana downed the last of her drink. "If you can get past the completely cheesy piano bar vibe, it's not too bad."
"It's so cool that we can all hang out together." Rachel squeezed her hand and smiled at Quinn. "It's like the fulfillment all my grade school fantasies." That drew raised eyebrows from Quinn and Santana but Rachel didn't seem to notice or care. "This is a special occasion. I think we need shots." With that, Rachel was out of her seat and on her way to the bar.
Great.
"Quinn you're just so beautiful. Like, you're so radiant. I've wished I looked like you so many times. Your face is a perfect face."
"Rachel, most of this isn't even really my face. Now, your face is gorgeous. So unique. You're one of kind."
"Okay lushes, there's only so much of this shit I can take." Santana knew the shots were a bad idea. Rachel's always been a lightweight and Quinn had not inherited her parents alcohol tolerance. Those two had been lost causes after the first two shots. That, sadly, did nothing to dissuade them from taking the next four. Santana had wrangled them into a cab and somehow talked them up the stairs to the loft. Upon entering the apartment, Rachel and Quinn had sunk onto the couch and proceeded to lavish praise on each other. "I'm going to bed. You two try not to burn the place down or anything." They ignored her and continued their drunken conversation, quieter now.
"I'm happy you came to visit, Quinn. I've missed you. We barely saw each other at the wedding." Rachel tucked herself against Quinn's side.
"I know. I'm sorry I didn't visit sooner. School is crazy. And sometimes I'm crazy." Quinn smiled at Rachel, resting her chin against the top of Rachel's head. "I'll be better."
"You don't need to be better. You just need to be here."
Santana stalked to her "room" and pulled her curtain closed. It was going to take a whole more than the three shots she had to scrub the sap fest she just witnessed from her mind.
Gag.