Title::.Quinn's Gap Year (Chapter One)
Rating::..PG for mild coarse language and mild sexual references
Spoilers::..Love, Love, Love
Genre::..Romance and drama
Characters::..Quinn Fabray, Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson, Rachel Berry, Santana Lopez and Roxy Carton (OC)
Pairings::..Klaine and Pezberry
Author's Note::..I haven't done a chaptered fanfic in ages and this was my attempt in getting back in the game. Unfortunately, I've fallen out of love with this story as of late and it sits untouched in my writers box, but I figured it shouldn't go to waste. I thought sharing it with y'all and getting your feedback would help reinvigorate my love for it and inspire me to finish it off. So let me know what you think and what you would like to see happen in future chapters.
For those who are familiar with my past works it will come as no surprise that I'm planning on working Joe Hart into this story to have a fling with Quinn. I thought I was done writing for Blaine after The Break-Up, but writing married!Klaine is kind of great. Roxy Carton is an original character from an original story I have written, I loved her so much I pulled her out of that story to share her with the world.
Summary::..Upon finishing college Quinn goes to stay with her newlywed friends Kurt and Blaine in New York.
There was wind whipping past her face, playing amongst the long blonde hair behind her. The sound of desperate panting accompanied this, an ache in her chest as she struggled to fill her lungs. There was pain in her feet too as they slapped repeatedly onto the ground, dashing across the never-ending concrete. There was a sinking feeling that told her she couldn't outrun the source of her panic. This caused her to run even faster.
A harsh electronic beeping ripped Quinn away from this vision. Her eyes flashed open to reveal the familiar dorm room around her. Despite it being a dream she still found herself out of breath. She couldn't move at first, it would have been entirely impossible to reach out and shut the alarm up. She lay still, consumed by fear and uncertainty. The thoughts doubled, then tripled at an alarming rate, providing her with a new reason to struggle for breath. Her vision became blurry with tears.
Today was her last day at Yale University, School of Drama. All of her degrees had been collected and all requirements fulfilled – there was nothing more for her to do on this campus, now she had to conquer the world. Another chapter of her life closed, another home to be left behind.
The majority of her fellow graduates were thrilled that this day had finally arrived. She wasn't, not to the same degree. Unlike a lot of them she didn't have a career in the industry awaiting her. There was no job for her to get excited over. They were taking the next step on the road to success, she felt like she was about to step off of a cliff. She had excelled in design and, it would have come as no surprise to her high school friends, critique. Now she had to figure out how to translate these skills into real world accomplishments. She was blind to any kind of solution.
Eventually her hand moved out and found the snooze button on the clock's plastic casing. She found strength in reminding herself that today wouldn't be too scary. No definitive decisions about her future needed to be made on this day. Instead all she had to do was ride a train to New York where Kurt and Blaine would be waiting for her. Nothing to panic over.
Kurt and Quinn hadn't been very close during high school. They had seen a lot of each other due to Glee club, but there were only a handful of moments that belonged to the two of them. They had been tuned in to different frequencies: she with all of her boy drama while he had been preoccupied with fashion and the pursuit of a solo. Never enemies, but far from besties.
They had kept in contact after leaving McKinley behind and she had been among the many to attend his wedding to Blaine. He had reached out to her through Facebook, wanting to know how she was progressing at Yale. They had shared regular messages, keeping up to date with each other's lives. It felt good to finally get to know Kurt and she wished she had done it sooner.
During a Skype session one night he had asked what her plans were for post-graduation, surely she knew exactly what she was going to do. She had shrugged, a lacklustre response about going to see her mom, maybe. He hadn't been impressed by this, immediately coming up with a better idea. She should come to New York for a couple of weeks; he and Blaine would happily have her.
A break to New York, it sounded perfect. A chance to get away from everything and just have fun with her friends. She had worked hard, she deserved a vacation. She had booked a train ticket and he had done up the guest bedroom for her. It had served as something for her to look forward to, while her classmates rambled on about their new jobs she could at least say she was going to New York (leaving out the part that it was to sight-see and mooch off of friends).
She got out of bed and moved around the barren dorm. All of her belongings had been put into storage. The only things to remain were two suitcases containing her essentials and the bed sheets. Soon it would be as if she had never been here, her personality stripped away as the decorations had been taken down, one-by-one. Her time at this school had been very special to her, but would Yale look upon her so kindly in the years to come?
She checked over her luggage, preparing to leave forever. Her mind played a movie-style montage as she refolded some clothes. She remembered all of the best times and her heart ached to experience more.
All too soon it was time to leave; otherwise she would miss the train. She walked out with heavy feet, dragging the bags behind her. She took long looks around at everything, wanting to commit all details to memory.
She emerged outside to the sunny day. The cab she had called was waiting for her alongside the curb. Her bags were loaded up and the door stood open for her. Before getting in she paused to survey the campus for the last time. She reflected on her first day, arriving as a young woman with wide and sparkling eyes. She couldn't recognise that girl anymore. She slid onto the backseat, accepting that it was time to let this go. The cab pulled away and she watched her home slipping away, growing smaller until it was gone altogether.
She couldn't define herself as a student anymore; she had to step out and officially become part of the Adult World. She still had no idea of how she fit into it.
Whatever fatigue Quinn felt after the long train ride couldn't endure in the face of Kurt and Blaine's enthusiasm. They were ecstatic to see her and this spirit was infectious. Or perhaps it was all of the compliments they paid her that served to boost her mood.
They chattered at a quick pace as they carried her bags back to their car. Blaine navigated his way away from the station, while Kurt turned around in his seat, catching Quinn up on the latest details of their life. Iconic buildings and colourful billboards flew past her window, too fast for her to pay them the proper admiration as Kurt asked a million questions.
Her worries of this morning were too far away to feel anymore and she felt back to normal by the time they arrived at the couple's home. She was ready to enjoy this holiday.
The apartment had been a wedding present from their parents – a spacious home in a safer neighbourhood to start their lives in. It was well-kept, the surfaces shining with pride. There were framed posters for their favourite musicals decorating the walls, Quinn had only heard of half the titles prior to this. There were richly-coloured rugs inviting her feet. Kurt took her on 'the grand tour', which took a mere five minutes. He showed her the uncluttered rooms, mementos displayed with love. It was a perfect first home for the newlyweds, modest but still embracing Kurt's elegance.
Quinn freshened up in the bathroom. She was wary of using any of the soaps, they all looked very expensive. The room smelt sensational thanks to the men's organic hair products. There were scented candles lined up around the edge of the tub, it looked like the ideal place to come to relax after a long day at work.
"This place is gorgeous." She marvelled as she stepped out into the dining room.
"A lot of the furniture were bargains from flea markets; we did what we could with our budget." Kurt shrugged.
"Well I love it." She declared, taking a seat at the table.
Blaine placed a cup of coffee in front of her. "I hope you're not too tired after the train because we invited some friends around for dinner and to welcome you to the city."
"How many friends?" She asked hesitantly, worried by the idea of meeting a bunch of new people and facing the inevitable question of 'what do you do for a living' repeatedly.
Blaine gazed over the top of his mug innocently at her. "Just a few."
"Okay. So how's everything with you two –work, school, all of that?" She asked, settling into her seat and enjoying her first sip of coffee.
Blaine was currently in his final year of NYADA. He had risen to the captain of the academy's Glee club. He was as impressive as ever, involved in a bunch of clubs and extracurricular activities. He maintained a position at a clothing store, which provided him with a generous discount that the couple took full advantage of.
Kurt's days at NYADA were behind him now, allowing him to focus on his job at . He was working on a musical show in his spare time, upon completion he would direct and take on the lead role, naturally.
They were still madly in love with each other, and living in New York. They talked about their favourite places to hang out and all of the friends they had made. Unlike Lima, they clearly belonged in this city. They often saw shows on Broadway and visited landmarks from their favourite movies. They had found their natural habitat.
The conversation waned when their attention moved to Quinn. Her shoulder slumped forward, curling in on herself and becoming shy.
"What's next for Quinn Fabray?" Blaine asked, his eyes wide with optimism.
She cleared her throat uncomfortably, suddenly very interested in the spots on her mug. "I'll let you know as soon as I find out. I guess I spent too much time concentrating on being at Yale that I didn't really think about what I'd do afterwards."
"That's okay, it's probably best to take some time to fully consider your options, then you can be sure you're making the right decision." Blaine reassured her. "That's what this vacation is for."
Kurt had fallen strangely silent; apparently he didn't have any ideas to contribute. It appeared he was thinking about something deeply, something else. Despite being lost in his own thoughts he kept his eyes fixed on Quinn. He concentrated on her, wearing a pensive expression.
It made her nervous. Undoubtedly he wasn't attempting to unsettle her, but this was the exact effect his piercing eyes had on her. She looked away, breaking eye contact and relaxing. But when she glanced back he was still staring. What was he thinking? Was there something hanging off her cheek and dominating his attention? Had she accidentally said something offensive? This was starting to get creepy.
"Something I said?" She asked, anxious to find out.
He blinked, his focus (thankfully) failing. "Pardon?" It appeared he was coming back to planet Earth, needing to reconnect to the environment.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you…" Blaine burst out, ruining Quinn's chances of finding out what Kurt had been thinking about. "That sweet old lady from next door died last night."
"Ms Dennings? Oh-no, I loved her." Kurt sighed. "She baked us a cake the week we moved in. She was old but she had a wicked sense of humour."
"And really funny stories." Blaine added. "The kind that don't kill you to stop in the hall and listen."
"I wonder what her kids are going to do with her apartment…" Kurt pondered.
Kurt and Blaine's definition of a 'few friends' had been stretched beyond reality. As the sun started to fall behind the skyscrapers, the apartment began to fill. It seemed Kurt couldn't go two minutes without answering the intercom and buzzing a new guest into the building. Rather than enjoying a quiet dinner Quinn soon found herself in a party.
The guest list was filled with an eclectic group of quirky friends. Kurt's friends from Vogue were so stylish; their outfits were on-trend while they maintained an effortless air. Blaine's fellow NYADA students were very animated in their discussions; there was a lot of gesturing. Among the crowd Quinn had spotted a couple of drag queens, strutting around the apartment in intimidating high heels.
It seemed everyone was a performer of sorts, their family of struggling artists. Everyone she spoke to mentioned a project they had in the works. There was some kind of show to prepare for. This served for no end to the interesting conversations, far superior to listening to working stiffs talk about their office jobs. Quinn listened to all of their anecdotes eagerly, hoping some of their ambition and creativity would rub off on her.
Kurt guided her through the gathering, keeping her from getting lost with his arm linked with hers. From a distance he gave her an explanation of each character, notifying her of any topics to stay away from. He would then introduce her, letting everyone know that she had just graduated from Yale and had been the most popular girl during high school. She felt herself standing a little taller as Kurt dished out the compliments; it also caused a blush to rise in her cheeks.
She was trying to keep track of all of these names, but it seemed there were far too many people for this to be possible. As she was running through the list in her mind a familiar voice rose from amongst the murmurs.
"I didn't believe it when I heard it, but the bitch is back."
Before Quinn could get a proper look at Santana, something solid crashed into her. A pair of arms was thrown around her and she was pulled into a tight hug. She could barely breathe from the pressure; she was being smothered by love.
"Quinn, I'm so happy to finally see you again!" Rachel exclaimed, beaming as she released Quinn from her overzealous arms. "It's been too long."
"I know, I've really missed you." She agreed, casting her eyes over to the woman accompanying Rachel. "Both of you."
"Lying is bad for your complexion Q." Santana teased.
Santana and Rachel made an odd couple; they had been out for each other's blood for most of school, seeming too different to ever get along. But they lived together and had been doing so for years now. Quinn never would have placed any money on these two voluntarily spending time together. Somehow enemies and rivals had transformed into irreplaceable friends.
Quinn was glad to see Rachel had reverted back to her old style. Her eyes weren't overshadowed by a heap of smoky makeup and her hair no longer gave her the appearance of a lingerie model. She was wearing a bright party dress, leaving the skin-tight clothing and stripper boots to Santana. This was how it belonged; Quinn was finally looking at the real Rachel again.
"How have you been?" Rachel asked.
"Good, really good." Quinn responded, thinking about her excellent grades rather than her lack of job offers. "What about you two?"
Something about this question rubbed Rachel the wrong way, her body tensing. She put some space between herself and Santana, her smile losing some of its brilliance. "Fine."
"Yeah, we're great." Santana agreed mechanically.
Where was Kurt to provide her with a 'do not ask' list when Quinn needed him? She bit her lip, trying to think of a way around this awkward moment. She figured the easiest way to do this would be to distract Rachel with talk about her career. "I was reading about your rehearsals on Twitter, is it still going well?"
Rachel immediately took the bait, her face lighting up. "It's amazing; I have never felt so connected to my creativity. The director is a visionary; she's pulling things out of me that I never knew existed."
Santana could see where this conversation was headed and immediately decided to check out. Undoubtedly she had heard all of this before. With a rolling of her eyes she left them behind for the time being.
Quinn didn't have the same luxury. She was quick to guide Rachel toward a chair, she knew this would take a while and it would be easier to withstand if seated. She felt proud that she had been able to cheer Rachel up, the clouds passing from her face. Rachel's enthusiasm was dialled back up to its usual height and she was soon babbling happily.
After a while Quinn felt like she was part of the production crew due to all of the details Rachel provided her with. The musical was set to open in six weeks. An original production, it detailed a young couple's wedding and the behind the scenes drama. Rachel was playing the part of the maid of honour. She argued that this was the most important female role. She insisted on Quinn coming back for opening night.
"Even if I wasn't in it I would still highly recommend it. It's just a truly fantastic show." The unwavering self-assurance that had made Rachel famous in school was one hundred per cent still intact.
"A drink Miss Berry?" Kurt had appeared, extending a wine glass to her.
"There you are!" She exclaimed, springing up from the couch. "Something new happened; I need to get your take on it."
"Okay, spill." Kurt said.
"Bedroom, we need full privacy." She insisted.
They were quick to leave, disappearing from the room. In some ways, it felt to Quinn that no time had passed since high school. Talking with Rachel had been disorientating, it was so familiar, despite how long it had been between their reunions. She and Kurt had only grown closer over the years. It felt like echoes of a life already lived.
It wasn't until Quinn caught up with Santana that she saw the effects of this new era. Not everything had remained the same and there was unfamiliar terrain to navigate her way through.
"Is everything okay with Rachel?" Quinn asked, unable to contain her curiosity as the old friends stood in the kitchen together, left mostly alone.
Santana sighed, looking down. This kind of hesitation wasn't like her at all, serving to further secure Quinn's interest. It occurred to her that Kurt and Rachel might be having the same conversation in the bedroom.
"Everything between me and her is still super messed up." Santana offered, uncomfortable in sharing even this small amount of information.
"You two are still screwing around, aren't you?" Quinn asked, already predicting the answer.
"Every now and then." Santana shrugged.
"Wow and that's clearly going great for you." Quinn commented sarcastically. "Things are so much better than they were at the wedding, aren't you glad you didn't listen to me?"
"Bitterness never goes out of style, does it Quinn?" Santana snapped.
A similar discussion had taken place after Kurt and Blaine's wedding, with Santana confessing to her habit of sleeping with Rachel. Ever since moving in to their own apartment the unattached girls had been enjoying regular sex. But something that had been intended for fun had led to more messy emotions than either was willing to deal with. Neither wanted to admit that they were getting tangled in their 'no strings attached' relationship, leading them to go around in unproductive circles.
They wanted different things, they weren't compatible. From Quinn's viewpoint it was simple, this would only lead to disaster. She had been very happy to provide Santana with this opinion, but it hadn't made any sense to her friend's muddled mind. Santana didn't see this; she didn't imagine it leading to the end of her friendship with Rachel.
"So what happened tonight?" Quinn prompted.
"I tried to kiss her." Santana huffed, as if bored of the whole situation. "I guess I misjudged the signals she was sending me. She looked really beautiful so I thought I'd kiss her. But she freaked out and she hasn't talked to me since. She hates it when I try stuff; it always has to be her that initiates the action."
Quinn had to work at containing her smile over this stunning change in Santana. "Look at you, living under the thumb of Rachel Berry. Who could have predicted it?"
"I hate you." Santana grumbled. "If you can't help me, you can at least get drunk with me." She turned to the fridge and began to rummage through the alcohol bottles.
"I could probably help you, but you haven't given me the chance." Quinn pointed out.
Santana ignored this, thrusting a cup into her hand. "Bottoms up."
They toasted to nothing in particular. Quinn was reminded of old times as she quickly found herself struggling to keep up with Santana's intake. She dreaded holding and rocking the weepy drunk later.
But for now all Santana wanted to do was dance. The living room floor had been cleared of furniture as pop music filled the room. There were talented dancers who managed to look good and maintain a bit of grace. Others were getting lost in the music, coming up with a new style of dancing. Some were too inebriated to keep track of the beat, looking very messy. Quinn wasn't sure which category she fit into, jumping around, her energy restored with each new song. She couldn't remember the last time she had let loose like this and it felt amazing to forget everything. Santana appeared to be feeling better as she danced through her issues, cheering and flipping her magnificent hair around. She grabbed Quinn's hands and forced her into a disorientating spin.
Occupying the floor near them, and proving to be very distracting, was a drag queen. She never missed a beat or a lyric. Quinn couldn't help staring as the queen twirled and shimmied as if performing on stage. She was unwavering in her glamour and Quinn felt a little embarrassed to be seen dancing next to someone so rhythmically blessed. Her dance moves surely looked pathetic compared to the queen.
This may have been a regular occurrence to the others. But Quinn had never been so close to a drag queen in real life before. She had seen the enchanting beings on television before, but this was an entirely new experience. It was hard to comprehend how beautiful she was. It was like watching a piece of art walk – her face was painted to perfection, her colourful wig beyond anything Quinn had ever imagined and her sassy outfit put the rest of the party to shame. Her confidence outshone the large crowd and Quinn felt like she was in the presence of a celebrity.
In the kitchen later Quinn was granted a proper introduction. With Blaine's arm around her shoulders she was escorted over to the queen. "Roxy, have you met Quinn yet?"
"Hi." Roxy showed a friendly smile. "I'm Roxy Carton, I live in the building."
"This is Quinn, she's gonna be staying with us for a while. We probably told you about her, she was the head bitch of our school." Blaine informed her.
She tilted her head to the side, a little confused. "The way Santana tells it she was top dog."
"She wishes." Quinn scoffed.
"You'll probably see a lot of each other; Roxy practically lives in our apartment." Blaine said.
"It's not my fault that you were dumb enough to give me a copy of the key." Roxy argued. "Besides, it smells so much nicer up here and the quality of food is undeniable."
"We've considered making her pay rent." Blaine told Quinn.
"If I were an escort you'd be paying me for my company." Roxy pointed out. "And don't think I haven't thought of a career change like that before."
Roxy was a star of the local drag scene, a regular fixture on the stages of gay clubs. She performed a minimum of twice nearly every week. This paid the majority of her bills, but until she made it she still maintained a day job. She worked at a clothing store, providing her expert advice to those she called the 'fashion challenged'. She wanted to make a career as an actress in movies, but until that big break occurred she kept herself busy by taking part in small theatre productions, which she classed as depressing.
She was easily the favourite of all the new people Quinn had met tonight. It seemed to her that Kurt and Blaine would have a lot of fun with a neighbour like Roxy.
"Sorry if I was staring at you before. It's just that I've never been around a drag queen before and it's kind of hard to not stare at you, you look so incredible." Quinn explained.
"Is it safe to assume you've never been to a drag show before?" Roxy enquired.
"Never." Quinn agreed.
Roxy gasped in horror as if Quinn had sworn at her. "I can't believe it, you poor thing! While you're here I'll bring you to one of my shows and I'll really give you something to stare at."
"That sounds awesome." Quinn enthused.
"I'm gonna take your draginity." Roxy grinned. "I can't promise to be gentle."
"Will you respect me the next day?" Quinn asked.
Roxy hesitated before replying. "There are no guarantees."
With no regard of the time marked out on the clock the party raged on. A few bodies had dropped, the crowd thinned out a little. Those who remained were still dancing as hard as ever. Quinn was clueless of how long she had been dancing, but somehow she had the energy to keep going, she wasn't ready to surrender to fatigue yet.
Unsurprisingly, a karaoke machine was brought out before the end of the night. This served as the key to unlocking the bedroom door and bringing Rachel out to the rest of the group. She still couldn't resist the call of a solo. The entire apartment stopped to watch her and Kurt sing together. Quinn wouldn't have believed it before this moment, but their voices had gotten even stronger.
Blaine had everyone cheering as he delivered an upbeat song. He used the coffee table as his stage, strutting about with all of his usual confidence. Quinn was among the many he had dancing and clapping along to the beat. His spirit was infectious.
Quinn marvelled at the group's enthusiasm. She thought her life at Yale dulled in comparison to this kind of celebration. Was this what their every weekend was like?
Quinn didn't dream of running for her life that night, she was too exhausted. These New Yorkers sure did know how to party. After so much fun she didn't even have the energy to remove her white dress, falling into bed looking a mess. She may have been trashy, but she was happy.
She had been welcomed back into her friends' lives with open arms. Their experiences in Glee club had bound them together and it didn't matter how much time passed, they would always make room at the table for her. It seemed she didn't need to be at Yale to have a place to belong, she had always had this one waiting for her to come and reclaim it. It was a relief to have such reliable friends and it allowed her to wake up free of concern or fear.
Her first thought was of how desperately she needed a shower. She could already smell herself and it was far from pleasant. Her head felt heavy, she was paying for all of that loud music. She felt sticky and itchy. It was as if someone had put her out with the garbage. After last night this mild punishment was worth it, she would gladly repeat her actions.
It took a lot of effort to get herself into a sitting position. The room was unsteady momentarily around her. She immediately reached for a bottle of water to get rid of the awful taste in her mouth. She wasn't feeling confident in her chances of actually making it to the shower.
She was guzzling down water when a knock on the door came. Her voice was raspy as she beckoned the guest to come in. It was Kurt, closely followed by Blaine. Even in their sleepwear they looked handsome. Kurt was carrying a tray of food; it was beautifully presented with a flower merrily displayed. She had never been given breakfast in bed before, she was overwhelmed with gratitude.
"We're not waking you, are we?" Blaine asked.
"I just finished making breakfast and I thought you might like some." Kurt added, bringing the glorious tray closer.
He settled it upon her lap, the cutlery lined up on a cloth napkin. He had made waffles (she didn't doubt that they had been created from scratch), which were topped with expertly-sliced fruit. There was a serving of yoghurt and a glass of orange juice. She hardly knew where to start.
"I can't believe this spread." She admired. "What have I done to deserve this?"
"It's your room service." Kurt said, as if it had taken no great effort.
"Did you have fun last night?" Blaine asked, despite the bags under his eyes he was smiling widely.
Her review was nothing but positive. She let them know of all the fun she'd had and how fantastic their friends were. She couldn't recall all of their names this morning, the boys kindly filled in the blanks of her memory. She couldn't fault their party throwing skills and praised it as the ideal way to start her vacation. They agreed it had been a great night.
She reflected on only one low-point. "Did Rachel and Santana get their drama fixed?"
Kurt rolled his eyes. "That'll be the day…"
"Yeah, those two are nothing but drama." Blaine sighed.
"That was pretty mild compared to their usual bitch fits." Kurt informed her. "You should count yourself as lucky."
"That's sad." Quinn lamented.
"You'll get used to it, unfortunately." Blaine said.
Quinn began on her waffles, which were as delicious as they appeared. She could get used to being waited on like this. She offered Blaine a couple of strawberries as he sat perched at the end of the bed.
Kurt had grown tense again. "Can we ask you a favour?"
She wasn't deterred by the long pause to follow. "Sure, shoot."
"Blaine and I are starting our life together and as you've seen it's going pretty well." Kurt began and Quinn was yet to guess what he was leading up to. "But we've realised there's an essential part of our future we haven't achieved yet and we were hoping you could help us out." She looked from one face to another as they stared unwaveringly at her. She picked up her juice, still awaiting the punchline, oblivious.
Kurt drew in a deep breath, looking anxiously across to Blaine. They joined hands, communicating without speaking for a few moments. Blaine took over the reins, speaking next.
"We want you to have our baby." He announced.
An orange fountain spurted from her mouth and the couple leapt away in disgust.