"Toni can we start already?"
Interrupting one of her sister's typical rambles, Beth asks in annoyance.
"B! It's extremely important that everyone knows their part."
The eight years old brunette says as she is upset that she was interrupted.
"Do you really think he got what you told him?"
Beth says, trying to hold back her smile as she knows she is stepping into dangerous territory. It's never good question the one Lucy Antoinette.
"Why wouldn't he?"
"Maybe, I don't know… because… he's four years old?" The older girl teases.
They both look down at their brother, Beth with a sweet smile on her face and Toni with petulance. The Berry-Fabray clan is gathered in the living room on a snowy day in New York for their favorite pastime, playing together.
"Did you get what I said Ben?"
The little blond boy nods his head with his eyes never leaving his sister. In his toddler mind she looks like a little princess; she always has the best ideas for playtime, she sings perfectly and she is so like their mommy, maybe that's why she is so pretty to him.
"See?" Toni addresses to her sister.
"Okay." Beth strokes his hair playfully as he giggles.
"Hey, my babies, I'm back!" Quinn shouts as she descends the stairs. The blonde actress is wearing a Star Wars tank top and yoga pants with her shoulder length hair pulled back into a ponytail.
"Good, I was just explaining to my beloveds' siblings the arrangements of our fun activities."
Toni says as Quinn walks closer to her daughter, smiling from ear to ear. She should be used to it by now, but it never stops amazing her how Toni is so much like Rachel, like she's her clone. Had she not chosen the donator with Rachel, she would believe her daughter was actually Rachel's clone.
"Really? What are these arrangements?" Quinn asks playfully.
"Ugh! Mom!" Beth says impatiently. "Enough talking. Who wants to play?" She holds Benjamin in her arms.
"Me!" He shouts happily.
"Okay, but Mom doesn't know what we're going to play." Toni says as she crosses her arms.
"Honey I was here helping you guys set everything Remember?" Quinn smiles teasingly.
"You think I'm annoying too." Toni pouts.
"Aww… No, I don't… come here." Quinn kneels and opens her arms tenderly. But Toni stubbornly refuses her mother's affectionate embrace.
"No, you think I'm annoying. I know that."
The little girl frowns and Beth rolls her eyes as she whispers in her sister's ear how much of a drama queen she is, that of course makes Toni start to giggle, well that and because she is getting tickled.
"Of course I don't! Come here." Quinn pulls her daughter into her arms as she kisses her cheek. "You're my sunshine." She kisses the other cheek as Toni tries her best not to smile. "You're not annoying; you're the smartest girl ever and you're sooo pretty."
Toni giggles.
"How much pretty?"
"The prettiest girl in the world."
Toni gets satisfied with her mom's response.
"Even toothless." Beth adds mockingly.
"Mom!" Toni stomps her feet.
"I'm not toothless anymore!"
"Beth!" Quinn reprimands her older daughter though she is smiling. "She is not toothless! She is more like a half toothless smile now." Tony pulls away from her mother in on motion. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." Quinn presses her face on her daughter's belly making her giggle.
"I play now." Ben says from Beth's arms as he is starting to get impatient.
"I want too." Beth says amused.
"Okay. Everyone taking your places!" Toni shouts bossily.
"Right away!" Quinn replies playfully.
Toni goes towards the couch, otherwise known as Princess Toni's royal bed. The living room is… well, unrecognizable. Covering the couch as a tent they put bed sheets, so it is now the castle princess Lucy Antoinette has been sent to be in exile. Pillows and cushions are weapons, the dinner table chairs plus more sheets are the wicked witch (yes, there's an evil witch) castle, you cannot pass unless you defeat the wicked witch! The carpet on the floor is a lava river, don't touch or you're dead.
The mission is to rescue the Princess and take her from exile. Quinn is the brave knight or as Toni said, the brave knightess with her loyal squire Benjamin the little. So being, Beth is the wicked witch. She is Princess Toni's sister, just to add more drama. Nobody would tell! Because you're evil and I'm good! (Toni's words).
After a couple of hours of trying to pass through the evil witch castle as Beth played hard to stop that from happening with her many weapons and spells like when she turned Ben into stone and made Quinn go upstairs to take the singing fairy pixie dust (Rachel's moisturizing cream) as it was the only way possible to bring him back and as Beth told Toni that Quinn didn't want to follow the rules, the older blonde ends up walking upstairs mumbling how much of a dork her daughter is.
They finally reach the climax of their journey, which only means one thing:
"Lightsaber fight?" Quinn laughs amused at her daughter's dorkness.
"Are you scared?"
"Me? Scared? To learn you much have... my young padawan."
"Uh… Mom? Your dorkness is showing." Beth teases her mother.
"Whatever. Who proposed the lightsaber fight?"
"Uh… I-I was…" She stutters as Quinn smirks prideful of her comeback.
"It was your shirt! It gave me the idea!"
"Sure… nerd… Let's get this started, shall we?" She turns to Toni who is still laying on the couch completely in character. "We need some soundtrack sunshine."
She is the singing Princess so she is in charge of the music. Most of the time she sings as she needs to call the attention of potential rescuers, but when the moment calls for a soundtrack, she takes her iPod and hits the play.
"Right away. I shall turn on the enchanted music player!"
She hits the play and the soundtrack of Anakin and obi-wan epic fight starts filling the room. Benjamin watches with a big smile on his face as Beth and Quinn starts fighting with their lightsabers.
After lots of laughs and antagonizing words the wicked witch finally falls onto the floor in a very dramatic way (which led Quinn to think that Beth has chosen the right career, not that she didn't know it already).
"Finally! OH! Princess Toni we're on our way-"
New York.
She is already missing it even though she is still a month away from the moving out. Maybe the fact that it's Christmas' time makes things even more melancholic. She loves the city in this time of the year, so many memories, besides, moving out from their apartment is the end of an era. Ten of the happiest years of her life has been spent in that place, their home.
However, being melancholic because the moving out doesn't mean she is not ready for it, rather, she is completely certain they are doing yet another right step on their lives. Two years ago, Quinn bought a large land in Los Angeles and now their dream home is finally finished.
And that's why she is kind of stressed out; she wants to make this Hanukkah and Christmas very special for their babies. Really, she just loves her family so much. They are everything to her.
"Finally! OH! Princess Toni we're on our way."
"What the hell?!"
Rachel shouts as soon as she walks in the living room with Shelby right behind her. All eyes on her, all widely open, green, hazel, brown and… well, Ben isn't looking at her because he is running towards her.
"Mommy!" She forgets, at least momentarily, about the mess in her living room as she bends down to take her son into her arms.
"Oh! Here he is! My devastating handsome baby boy!" She plants many sweet kisses all over his face, making the little toddler giggle happily.
"Let me kiss this boy." Shelby says smiling as she gets close to Rachel and takes Ben. Now that she is Ben-free, her attention lies on her blonde wife standing in front of her with a guilty smile plastered on her face.
"Hi beautiful." Quinn gets close to her wife. "How was your day?" She kisses Rachel's lips with the sweetest of all the kisses.
"Quinn…" Rachel says in that voice, the one that sends shiver down Quinn's spine and makes the blonde's knees weak.
"Yeah?" Quinn gulps, barely breathing.
"Are you trying to soothe me?"
"No!" She tries to look surprised. "Why would I do that?"
"I don't know… why is my living room a complete mess one day before Christmas Eve?"
"Oh! This? Is nothing…" She waves her hand behind her back as she is silently asking Beth to take Toni upstairs. Beth gets the message right away and gestures to Toni who stands up and hides behind her older sister. They start walking as Quinn keeps distracting Rachel. "I'll take care of everything don't worry. We are going to… to put everything in place."
"Of course, you are." She smiles pleased then she turns her head as Beth and Toni's behavior is really odd right now and she wanted to see what they are up to, but Quinn is faster than her as she holds Rachel's chin and presses their lips together in one motion.
"What came over you?" Rachel pulls away abruptly though she is smiling.
"I just wanted to kiss you." She smirks. Beth and Toni are almost near the stairs.
"Sure, there's nothing to do with that two over there." She turns to the two girls.
"What are you two doi-" She narrows her eyes as she finally notices what Toni is wearing. "Is that my Dior?!" She turns to Quinn with her mouth wide open.
"Mommy, please don't get mad at Mom." Toni walks toward Rachel. She is wearing one of Rachel's dresses which is of course bigger them her size, making her adorably cute. "I convinced her to let me wear it, it's my fault." She says with her poppy eyes that would have made anyone melt, only Rachel knows that act pretty well since she used to do it a lot when she was Toni's age.
"It's not about fault sweetie." Rachel says tenderly. "Now take it off and put where you found it." She adds rather harshly for Quinn liking.
"Come one little one." Beth takes her sister's hand. "I'm gonna help you."
Quinn watches as her daughters climb the stairs and turns to Rachel with a frown on her face.
"Did you have to talk to her like that?"
"Like what?" Rachel says impatient.
"You know she loves to wear your dresses."
"I have lots of dresses… that one is my birthday's dress!"
"I know! I gave it to you, remember?"
Six days ago, Quinn presented Rachel with the perfect dress as they were going to celebrate Rachel's thirty-nine birthday.
"Exactly."
"I can buy you another one if you think it's so important!"
"That's not the point!" She huffs. "You know what? Never mind."
"No, tell me. Why is it so important?"
"Because you gave it to me baby."
Quinn sighs.
"It's no big deal. Besides I must say, it's your fault baby."
"My fault?" Rachel asks confused.
"You encouraged her with this 'I want to be like my mommy' thing." Quinn smiles as she looks at her wife's pensive face. "I told you not to, sure you guys are very alike in many aspects but she needs to understand that she can't be like you all the time."
"I don't encourage her." Rachel retorts.
"You kind of do honey." Shelby says as she still has Ben in her arms. "These girls are trouble aren't they, little guy?" She says with a smile on her face.
"You were too harsh with her baby." Quinn adds tenderly.
"I wasn't!"
"You were." Shelby interjects again.
"Mother!"
"Rachel…" Quinn gets closer to her wife and wraps her arms on the small of Rachel's back.
"Okay. Okay…" Rachel sighs heavily.
"What's the matter?" Quinn says as she connects their foreheads.
"Nothing."
The blonde actress pulls away and locks their eyes onto each other's, not buying Rachel's answer.
"All right." Well, it's been nine years of marriage even though Rachel hadn't said anything yet Quinn knows something is bothering the Broadway star. She knows Rachel that much.
"I'm kind of a little stressed because of the holiday celebrations."
"Why is that?"
"I don't know"
"I'm going to help the girls." Shelby states. "I'm taking this one with me." Quinn nods and waves her fingers to her son playfully as she smiles at him as well.
"I just want everything to be perfect. It's our last Christmas here."
"It doesn't have to be."
"What you're talking about? We're moving out. It's decided. It will be better for the kids." She gestures to the living room's new arrangements.
"If that is any indication."
"I know baby. But I was talking about Christmas specifically. We can still spend it here. We're not going to sell this place."
"This place…" Rachel sighs.
"What?" Quinn runs the pad of her thumb on Rachel's bottom lip in awe.
"I don't know. You just let go too easily. You know, we have a history here. This is our home." She bites her wife's thumb tenderly.
"No, this is our house. Our home is where our family is. It doesn't matter where we are Rach, all I need is you guys with me."
"I wouldn't want it any other way." She sighs again this time with content.
"Then stop worrying."
"I'm not... It's more like…"
"Hm?"
"I think I'm just a little tense. I'm going to go talk to my baby girl."
"Tense uh?" Before Rachel can walk away, Quinn pulls the Broadway star into her, captures her wife's lips and kisses her passionately.
"Don't start something you can't finish." Rachel says playful. But Quinn doesn't answer back, the blonde lifts Rachel off the floor and takes her to the couch.
"You're crazy!" Rachel laughs.
"For you." Quinn kisses her again.
"Do you think mommy is mad at me?" Toni asks as she has her sister helping her to take the dress off. They are in Toni's pink princess bedroom. Beth is sitting on her bed while the younger sister is standing in front of her.
"No, she is not, don't worry." Beth answers absentmindedly, but she is certain Rachel isn't mad at Toni.
"Oh okay."
But seeing that Toni is not convinced, Beth stops her motions.
"No one can get mad at you little thing, it's impossible."
"You get mad at me sometimes." She says a little sadly and Beth laughs at that and turns her sister around so they can look at each other.
"That's because we're sisters. We can't be all touchy feeling all the time. It would be boring. Sometimes is fun when we fight. You have ..." She smiles as she is pondering how to make her little sister understand her point. "You have a strong personality; it's really impressive since you know… you're just like soooo young." She mocks.
"I'm not sooo young." The brunette girl retorts. "I'm eight years old already."
The young actress giggles amused.
"Okay. What I'm trying to say is that is okay that we fight. You just have to know that I love you."
Toni nods, a big smile spreading on her face.
"Now let's take this dress off."
"Hey there girls!" Shelby enters in the room with Ben in her arms.
"Oh no! No boys allowed here."
"Not even your brother?" Shelby says sweetly as she gets closer to the girls.
Specially my brother! The life ruiner!
Toni thinks, although she has a big fake smile on her face.
"I guess I can make an exception." The brunette girl says not a little pleased. It's not that she is a bad girl and yes, she loves her brother, but she is a very possessive. Ultimately that little cute blonde boy has been responsible for her not having all the attention from her mothers as she used to have, at least until she was four.
Although sometimes she gets jealous of her mothers with regard to Ben, she got used to the fact that she has to share her mothers' attention and affections with her brother. Beth though is another story. Regarding her sister, her jealousy is completely irrational. She wants Beth all to herself.
"That's sweet honey. But Ben wants to show me his super heroes' collection." The older brunette kisses the top of her granddaughter's head and then she leaves the room with Ben.
Toni feels relieved. She will have more sister time. At least it was what she was hoping for before they are interrupted again, this time by Beth's phone.
"Hi Baby!" The blonde picks up her phone rather excitedly.
Great! The life ruiner number 2.
"Quinn." Rachel moans. "We should stop." She moans again. "We are in the living room."
"You don't seem so sure." Quinn says as she kisses Rachel's jaw line going toward her wife's neck.
Sometimes she just hates the fact that she is married to such a teaser. Yes, even at the age of thirty-nine Quinn Fabray sometimes is just like she used to be when she was a teenager. Thank God, she didn't date her back then. She can only imagine how it was like for those poor boys.
Although… ugh! Here it comes, the whirlwind of jealousy. They're not poor boys. They're fucking stupid bastards (And yeah that includes her ex-husband) They took the sweet juices of her youth; they had Quinn in all of her teenage glory. They took… Oh God! Stupid Noah! Breath, she needs to breath.
However, looking from another perspective, who has the Miss pretty blonde cheerleader, prettiest girl of school (and of the entire world, in Rachel's opinion) on top of them? Oh yeah that's right! Miss Manhands Berry! Who is feeling up that glorious ass?
"Oh, fuck yeah! Me!"
"What?" Quinn lifts her head to look at her wife.
"Uh. I was…"
Damn it!
These random thoughts of hers are going to be the death of her sometime. Certainly, this is not the first time it happens albeit she usually doesn't count that time inside the glimpse, and thank God she hasn't committed a blunder of that proportion in this life. No, she never let slip that she was thinking about another woman while Quinn was sucking her neck. Not that she thinks about any woman! Therefore, she would not have reason to let it slip that she was thinking about another woman.
"What are you thinking? Your face is..."
"I'm not thinking about any woman!" She says rather loudly.
Oh God!
"Why would I think you were thinking about another woman?" Quinn asks curious.
"Okay. I did it again. Random thoughts…"
"Care to share dear love of mine? Because for all I know, when I'm kissing you, you're not supposed to be thinking about anything other than me kissing you, let alone another woman."
"I wasn't thinking..."
Quinn frowns and exhales heavily.
"Okay, I was thinking about how much of a tease you still are."
"Still?" She arches a perfect eyebrow.
"Don't be cynical! You know what I'm talking about. Anyway, that got me thinking about your teenage self which lead me to think about the boys you dated, my ex-husband included, at first, I took pity on them but then I remembered that they all had what I hadn't and then I got jealous and mad at them, especially Noah. Well, you know what he took from me."
Quinn keeps up with Rachel ramble with delight. She just loves it so much.
"Besides." She pouts. "I couldn't even be the first woman you slept with as Santana took that from me." She huffs and Quinn knows she is actually serious about that, which makes her laugh even harder.
"Baby." She regains her composure. "You can't get upset about Santana as uh… you know between Santana and you there were lots of women, right?" Quinn smirks as she knows she elicited the desired effect on her wife. "Giulia for example." She knows she is playing with fire but she is not that crazy to mention Emily. Rachel clenches her teeth as her nostrils flares slightly. In a word, Quinn is about to regret she brought that up. In fact, she is about to turn on the diva mode when she sees the beginning of a smirk on the corner of Quinn's lips.
"You're such a tease, you said it on purpose!"
"Okay." She grins pleased with herself. "I did."
"You're playing with fire you know."
"I do." She presses her lips on Rachel's ear. "You're so hot when you're jealous."
"Really Quinn?" She says dumbfounded.
"Yeah, and sex is always great when you're like that." She bites her bottom lip seductively.
"Except that you're not going to get any." She sits up forcing Quinn to do it as well.
"What's wrong?" The blonde frowns, slightly worried. Rachel snorts angry.
"You toyed with my feelings to fulfill your fantasies and you're asking me what's wrong?" She stands up and walks away.
"Okay I'm sorry."
"Oh, how nice of you." She keeps walking.
"But Rachel..."Quinn follows her.
"I'm going to talk to Toni now." She climbs the stairs leaving a dumbfounded Quinn behind.
"Have I gone too far?" She says to the empty room. She really hopes she hasn't.
"Oh, hey Rachel, I was just finishing with her but... No, Rachel just walked in… hold on a second baby." Beth says as her attention is divided between Rachel and her phone call. "We were going to put it back in your closet."
"It's okay honey. I can handle it from here. Tell Jake I said hi." Rachel smiles at Beth, missing Toni not so pleased face.
"I actually have to go." She says as she gets closer to Rachel and kisses both of her cheeks then she turns to her younger sister. "See you tomorrow little thing."
"You're leaving already?" Toni whines.
"Yes, but I'll be here all day tomorrow okay?" Toni nods her head knowing she has no choice in the matter.
"Where's mom?"
"I'm here." Quinn says from the doorway.
"Oh, hi mom." Quinn smiles at that delightful word. It was something natural, it just slipped from Beth lips when she was twelve, and even though Toni's first word was 'Mama' as she grew up and watched Beth calling Quinn Mom she started saying it too. "I have to go now." Beth goes toward her blonde mother and kisses her goodbye. "Mommy!" She calls out from the hallway.
"I'm here!" Shelby answers from Ben's bedroom. The young actress walks toward her brother's bedroom to say goodbye.
"Why does she have to go?" Toni complains as she crosses her arms childlike.
"You'll understand when you get older." Rachel explains kindly.
"Please God take as much time as possible." Quinn whines and walks toward her daughter. Seven years ago, her heart had to suffer the consequences of being a mother of a teenage girl.
She was on the verge of a nervous breakdown when Beth went out on her first date. Seriously, she got very close to tears because of Beth first kiss. Three years later because of Beth's first time she just couldn't help it. She cried in her wife's arms. "She is still my baby Rachel." She said at the time.
"I'll never replace you for any boys." She hugs her mother tight making Quinn smile from ear to ear as she tilts her head to kiss her daughter.
"Wait... Does that mean that you're going to replace me for a girl?" She says playfully.
"Quinn!" Rachel reprimands though she is smiling too.
"Okay, I'll never replace you for any boy or girl."
"Promise?" The little girl nods and hugs her mother even tighter.
"Huh uh." Rachel clears her throat.
"I'm… it's time for Ben to eat." Quinn states as she looks at Rachel silently pleading for forgiveness, but Rachel only huffs impatiently so Quinn leaves the room.
"Are you mad at Mom?" Toni asks.
"No."
"Are you mad at me?"
"No, I'm not mad, that's why I'm here." Rachel sits on the bed and pats her lap for her daughter to sit. The younger brunette sits down with a big smile on her face, wrapping her arm around her mother's shoulders as Rachel wraps her arms around her daughter's waist.
"I'm not mad at you and I'm sorry if was being too harsh with you."
"You weren't mommy."
"Yes, I was and for that I'm very sorry."
"I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have taken your dress."
"That's what I want to talk to you about. Not the dress thing specifically. Your mom thinks I'm encouraging you to be like me, maybe she is right and I will try to control myself. No more trying to compare the two of us." She kisses her daughter's cheek. "I just want you to promise me that you will always be yourself. I'm not saying you don't do that already, because I know you do and you're one amazing girl. But you know how your Mom is. Ever since I bought that pink piano for you she complains to me. She wouldn't leave me alone until I've talked to you about it."
"I like playing my piano."
"That's one of the things we're different. Even though I do like playing I'm not passionate about it as I know you are. Besides you're so much better than me when I was your age."
"Mommy, I'm better than you now."
"See this thing?" Rachel gestures to her daughter. "This self-assurance? This is one of the things that we are alike." The younger brunette giggles happily.
"It's still true Mommy."
"Okay, but I'm the better singer."
"That's not fair I can't compete with your voice."
"You're right you can't. Years of practice you know."
"We're even, that is until I find something I'm better than you at."
"So, minutes ago you were the girl who wanted to be just like me, now you want to be better than me? Your Mom is going to kill me. I think it's been proven that I'm a terrible Mother." She smiles.
"Oh! Let's ask Brenda!" Brenda is Toni's stuffed and very pink (although now that she has more than five years of 'toy services', she is not so pink anymore), female cat.
Rachel reaches out and takes Brenda from her spot which is close the pillows.
"Hello Brenda. How are you? It's been a while since we last talked. I'm sorry about that; I've been a little busy. So, I have a very important question to ask, I know you're rather young but I believe you are a very smart girl as well as your mother. And that's exactly what I want to ask, is Miss Lucy Antoinette a good mother?"
She places Brenda's mouth on her ear and pretends she is really listening to the inanimate object, making a straight and concentrated face.
"I see." She hands Brenda to Toni. "She said you're not a good mother. Cause you're amazing!"
Toni giggles loosely.
"See? You're better than me."
She lifts her hand up, the one that is not on Rachel's shoulder, and cups her mother face, the intensity of her eyes as she looks into her mother's eyes makes Rachel feel warm all over her body.
"You're an amazing mommy too."
"I love you. Have I told you that?" Rachel says beaming with joy.
"Not today."
"Oh! That's just not acceptable!" She hugs Toni a little tighter. "I love, love, love, love you!" She plants lot of kisses on her daughter's cheek.
"I love you too mommy." She states, her smile reaching the megawatt status that is so much like Rachel's.
"Can we talk now?"
"I'd rather we don't, I'm actually quite tired." Rachel says nonchalantly as she is preparing herself for bed.
"I can't sleep with you mad at me." Quinn complains with a low tone as she doesn't want to wake the kids.
"Who said I'm mad at you." She lies down and nestles into the sheets.
"You don't have to say it specifically, I already know."
"Good night Quinn."
"Rachel..." She whines.
"Sleeping now."
"Yeah right I forgot… you always get your way."
Quinn says it not in the reverent way she used to and Rachel notices, but she doesn't want to point it right now. Should she be alarmed? After all, they never went to sleep with unresolved issues, at least not after they got married. She nibbles her bottom lip as she is pondering her options.
She knows that anything she might say now will lead to an argument and she really doesn't want to fight with Quinn late in the night, besides tomorrow is Christmas' Eve. She is a mother, she is not a teenager, she has kids to take care, no she won't get into an argument with Quinn, not tonight.
"Dad! Daddy!"
"Baby girl!"
"Rachelah!"
The three Berrys greet each other with an extra tender hug in the middle of the entrance. Nothing will ever change the Berry family way of greeting. The fondness and love they have for each other is never lacking.
"Grandpas!"
Toni runs toward her granddads as soon as she catches sighs of them.
"Rachel number two!" Hiram shouts overjoyed.
"Daddy." Rachel complains amused.
"That's not her name honey." Leroy reprimands.
"I know." Hiram lifts the brunette girl off the floor, he might have gray hair all over his head now but he still has enough strength for that. "I just can't help it! Look at her!"
Rachel rolls her eyes though she is smiling.
"All right you fool. Let me hug my granddaughter." Hiram puts Toni down and Leroy embraces her with tenderness and love.
"Hi guys." Quinn gets close to them; she is all smiles when she hugs both men.
"Is Judy here? I need to have a word with that lady."
Leroy says with faux seriousness.
"Do I need to get jealous?" Hiram teases his husband. They all laugh at that except Leroy, he just rolls his eyes. Why did he marry with such a child? Oh yeah right, he loves that silly husband of his.
"Yes, Mom is here already. She is with Ben upstairs." Quinn says still smiling.
"I'm going right now then; I want to see my baby boy!" Leroy leaves them.
"Grandpa H, do you want to see me playing the piano?" Toni says with her head tilted up.
"Of course I do." He caresses her hair fondly. "I'm just going to hug my little blondie upstairs first." He adds, smiling as the brunette girl subtly twists her nose.
"Okay." She takes his hand rather possessively and they walk upstairs together, leaving the couple behind.
Alone for the first time since they woke up, they look at each other and just like that, they get lost into each other's eyes (For the millionth time) and they fall in love all over again.
"Hi." Quinn whispers. Rachel is always up when it comes to talking, but now she thinks talking is really not necessary. She leans forward and captures her wife's lips eliciting a contented sigh from Quinn.
"I missed you." The blonde rests her forehead on Rachel's.
"We were making out on that couch just yesterday." Rachel teases trying to light up the mood.
"You know what I mean."
"Sorry."
"No." Quinn shakes her head.
"It was my fault." Rachel sighs. "I shouldn't have made it a big deal. I was unreasonable. I have no reason to be jealous of them. We weren't together back then; I mean I'm a grow woman now and I…" She snorts as she is upset with herself. "Sometimes I act like I'm that girl who got mad at Finn because he lost his virginity with Santana."
"I like that girl." She smiles, nostalgic and happy. "I actually fell in love with that girl." She kisses Rachel forehead. "It was stupid of me to tease you like that."
"It was."
"It was tactless, I admit."
"Already forgiven." The brunette kisses her wife quickly and pulls away.
"You can't blame me though." Quinn adds as they walk toward the living room.
"What you mean?" Rachel asks casually.
"I was just trying to spicy things up." She says absentmindedly and not noticing that Rachel is no longer by her side, she keeps walking. "We..." She looks back and regrets everything that came out her mouth.
"To spice things up?"
"I- it's just that."
"You know what?" Rachel presses her hands together holding them up. "I have the impression that this is a matter that will certainly kill the mood. Our family is here, today being last day of Hanukkah and Christmas' eve and I just want to have a nice and lovely day with my family."
Quinn nods in agreement not that she has any other choice. It's not that she likes to argue with Rachel but she is not liking this evasive attitude her wife is showing.
No longer after the Berry men arrived, Frannie and her husband arrive as well, soon after Beth and Shelby (she is single again, the woman has no luck with partners) came too. This year, and that's why Rachel is so stressed with the holidays' celebration, they all decided that they were going to stay together and as this were going to be the last Christmas they are going to spend in their New York's apartment.
Rachel decided that their celebrations had to be in New York. Even though their apartment is ridiculous huge, their family decided to stay in a hotel.
"Mom I understand Rachel's dads and Frannie, but you could have stayed with us."
"Maybe she didn't want to catch you in the act if you know what I mean." Frannie teases her sister as her husband smiles, he is sitting on the arm chair with his wife on his lap.
After the dessert, they all moved to the living room. Beth and the kids, who are, Toni, Ben, and Julian, Frannie's ten years old son, are playing monopoly, that is, Ben is actually on Beth's lap holding his sister's fake money as he doesn't know how to play this game. Toni would have gotten upset with this set up, but she is too busy being competitive. There isn't anything she dislikes more than losing, especially to her cousin.
"Okay! Firstly, that was ages ago; move on already! And besides we weren't doing anything at all, believe me." Quinn explains.
Frannie grimaces mockingly.
"And secondly, you're actually lucky..."
"Quinn!" Judy reprimands her younger daughter.
"I didn't mean it like that." She rolls her eyes. "I meant that with Frannie's incredible talent at being a nosy person and well, mine and Rachel's sex..."
"For the love of God don't finish that sentence!" Leroy adverts dramatically.
"Okay can we stop talking about my sex life?" Rachel demands annoyed.
"Or the lack of." It was mumbled but Rachel has trained ears and heard every word, but she let it go; she doesn't want to ruin the night. They glance at each other but their stare contest is interrupted by the doorbell.
"I'll get it." Beth says smiling.
Moments later she walks in the living room with Jake on her track. They're holding hands as Beth takes her boyfriend towards her relatives.
The life ruiner number 2… pretty but still… ugh! You're not supposed to like him! I don't! I'm just saying he is very pretty. He really looks like a prince.
Toni thinks as Jake enters the room with Beth.
Jake is an actor too, and that was how they met each other, six years ago, he was in the movie Beth and Quinn worked together. Since then the couple has dated, broken up and got back together again.
Toni knows the difference that lies between movies and real life as she is used to it. She has a Tony and an Oscar winner as her moms after all and yes, she knows the difference between all the awards. But sometimes she is just a kid, and then Jake is just that prince she saw in a movie, although she still doesn't like him at all.
"Hey guys! Look who is here." Beth says happily.
The life ruiner…
This time Quinn is the one thinking it.
Yes, he was Beth's first.
Shelby is the first to greet him, she, just like Rachel is part of the Jake's fan club, the Jewish cult; Quinn named it as the young man is Jewish too.
The blonde actress smirks as she is remembering how she and Puck used to stalk him, she is fond of a particular memory of them threatening the poor guy six years ago. Speaking of Puck, she must call him. She makes a mental note to remember it later.
"Have you talked to Puck honey?"
"Yes." Beth frowns as she gets curious. "Why?"
"Nothing, just remembered him now. I have to call him."
"You said you were going to sleep with me." Toni says unexpected.
"Seems I have competition." Jake states mockingly. Annoyed, Toni glances at her Mom, they share a meaningful look. Rachel on the other hand laughs amused, annoying her daughter even more.
"I will Lucy, don't worry." Beth promises.
The brunette girl frowns slightly, she doesn't like when Beth calls her Lucy. Like mother, like daughter… Lucy is just her girly name; it is for special occasions, when she is playing as a princess, for example.
"I'm just passing by." The couple smile at each other with the moony eyes lovers usually share. Then, Beth gives him a peck on the lips.
Last day of Hanukkah and well, Christmas' eve is successful. The firsts to leave is Frannie and her family.
"Bye sis enjoy your staying, remember is all on me." Quinn says sarcastically, she is paying the hotel expenditure.
"Quinn, don't be an ass." Judy says playfully.
"You don't have to worry about that. We definitely will." She turns to her husband. "Right honey?"
"Well, I can refuse such gift." He says playfully, making a smile spread on his sister in law's face. After all the hugs, restrained ones, after all they are the Fabrays not the Berrys, the four blonds leave the apartment.
Meanwhile the Berrys plus Shelby are having a meeting in the kitchen. They learned to be civilized regarding to the woman, for Rachel's sake, of course.
"So, tell me. What's going on between you and Quinn?" Leroy bursts out as soon as he gets the chance.
"What are you talking about?"
"Rachel honey. We just know you okay."
He looks at his husband waiting for reassurance and Hiram nods in agreement.
"We know you and we've been married for a while now. So, I guess I have a little bit of knowledge in this area. Besides I watched you girls the whole day, it's not normal for you both to be so civilized with each other."
"Civilized?" Rachel gets curious.
"That was a euphemism, you father wanted to say appropriated rather than inappropriately over each other as you guys always have been." Hiram explain hiding back his smile.
"Yeah, I'm a witness." Shelby teases. Rachel sighs heavily, fidgeting with her necklace. Her 'Q' necklace.
"That bad?" Hiram questions her.
"Hiram." Leroy reprimands his husband.
"Nothing is happening per say. We're not talking and it's my fault. Quinn wanted to talk. I just… I wanted to avoid it because I didn't want us to fight on Christmas Eve."
"But what happened?" Shelby asks.
"Something silly actually." She smiles weakly. "I should have talked to her." She runs her fingers through her hair. "Anyway, it's not Quinn."
Right in this moment Quinn is getting close to the kitchen's door. She stops abruptly when she hears her name but she was going to enter as she has no intention of eavesdropping on her wife or her dads and mother in law, that is before she hears Leroy's concerned tone.
"It's not her it's you…?" Leroy places his hand on his chest. "Rachel…"
"Dad…" She smiles, because really her dad is just being too melodramatic and he probably misunderstood the whole thing.
"I'm just stressed these days. I'm not a person who let's go easily you guys know it."
"Are you having an affair?" Leroy asks with wide open eyes.
She would laugh, hard, had Hiram said that. Even though she knows Leroy is just like his daughter, a drama queen, she feels her knees getting weak. She waits, Quinn waits for the negative. She waits for Rachel's answer.
She waits what seems to be an eternity, but in reality, has been only a few seconds. The answer doesn't come, so she leaves. She locks herself in their bathroom, her mind goes into overdrive. It can't be true, right? Who? Who is the fucking bastard! Is it a man or a woman?
"Breathe Quinn. Just breathe." She can't do this; she can't take it for granted. She trusts Rachel.
Rachel didn't deny it but she didn't say she is having an affair.
Maybe it was just a onetime thing that she regrets? That's why she can't let go? She can't forget what she has done.
She leaves the bathroom and starts pacing in their bedroom.
Back to the kitchen.
Rachel stares at her dad. She stares and stares until she can't take it anymore. She bursts out laughing.
"Oh my god! Are you serious?" She covers her mouth with her hand.
"And I'm mister funny." Hiram teases his husband.
"Okay." Leroy pouts. "I overreacted."
"You think?" Rachel says amused. "Anyway, as I was saying I was just a little stressed out because of the moving out." She adds emphatically but playfully. "Now enough with this talk. Tomorrow is Christmas and my babies should be sleeping already."
"Yeah, this guy should be sleeping too." Leroy squeezes his husband nose.
By the time the Berry men are ready to leave as they are in the same five stars hotel the Fabrays are, Quinn is going down the stairs, mesmerizing Rachel as she does so. Well, Quinn still has this effect on her, albeit Rachel is pretty sure Quinn always will.
"I think I'm going to go as well." Shelby announces.
"I doubt he is going to let you." Rachel says smiling at her sleepy son; the blond boy has his head on Shelby's shoulders.
"I'm going to put him on his bed."
"Mom you don't have to. Let me take him."
"Don't you dare." Shelby warns playfully. She then goes toward the stairs as to take the little boy to his room.
"You too little girl." Quinn says to her daughter. "Where's Beth?"
"On the balcony." She rolls her eyes and stands up from the floor as she finished organizing all the games they were playing.
"Come here baby girl." Hiram opens his arms and Toni goes right away. They all eventually leave, even Beth's boyfriend.
Toni went to bed on cloud nine, after all, tomorrow she will be able to open her gifts. Maybe, who knows, Santa leaves something really special? Like he could give Jake acne, this way he wouldn't be so pretty and Beth would break up with him.
He is not a good boyfriend, he made Beth cry a million times and one day she overheard her Mom and Uncle Noah badmouthing him, besides her mom is really not a fan of Jake.
Suddenly she remembers she forgot to Skype call Amy.
She is the only one who understands her, even though Brittany and Santana's daughter is an only child. So, she takes her cell phone.
"What are you doing?" Beth asks, she is already laying on the bed. She never really used the guest room as Toni always demanded that they shared her bed, and that's why she doesn't have a regular bed for kids.
"I'm going to send a message to Amy." She explains.
From Toni: We need to talk tomorrow! I hope you had a great day S2
Amy answers her right away.
From Amy: Ok. :) I had great day! S2 S2
Toni giggles and starts typing again.
From Tony: S2 S2 S2 It means I love you more!
From Amy: You always want to win.
From Tony: I have to sleep now good night!
From Amy: Not time to sleep here in ohio :)
Santana and Brittany are spending the Christmas in Ohio.
From Tony: Okay, remember Skype tomorrow.
From Amy: Okay.
"Done?" Beth asks playfully.
"Yes." Toni says as she gets closer to nestle on her sister's chest. Another benefit Beth can provide, since all of her reminds Toni of her Mom.
After checking her son and the girls, Rachel finally heads to their bedroom. When she gets there, she finds a thoughtful Quinn undressing completely absentmindedly. She was so off that she gasps when Rachel hugs her from behind.
"We need to talk." Rachel says into Quinn's ear making her wife's heart speed up into her chest.
Why is she this affectionate all of sudden? Wasn't she mad at me? Is it remorse?
The blonde nods ever so slightly. They do need to talk, well sooner rather than later.
"I'm just going to… you know my night routine." She kisses Quinn cheek.
Just like Judas.
She thinks and scolds herself immediately. What is she thinking? Of course Rachel is not having any affair.
When Rachel gets back to talk, she finds Quinn already fast asleep. She smiles and admires the beauty before her, but then she remembers that she is also very tired and that she needs to rest too.
But there was no talking on Christmas, rather, they spent the day with the kids. They might have issues now but their children are their life.
They would never do anything that could put their happiness in jeopardy. Which is another reason for Quinn to put all the thoughts about affairs aside and focus on her family and all went well, in fact the next day they finally had the talk, Rachel explained that she just overreacted, that she was stressed because of the moving out and most important of all, that she loves Quinn. Quinn decided to let it go.
At least until now.
"Where's your ring?"
"Hm?" Rachel asks distracted.
"Your ring Rachel." Quinn stares blankly at Rachel's left hand that is holding her glass of wine. Both of them are having dinner as the kids are already on bed.
Rachel frowns, slightly startled by Quinn's tone. She looks down on her hand and finally figures out what Quinn is talking about.
"My wedding ring?"
"The very."
"Probably upstairs. Why?"
"Why are you not wearing it?" She asks, voice cracking.
"I took it off for some reason. I don't remember." She says with casualness as it was a natural thing. Actually, it is and that's why she is not following Quinn's line of reasoning as in truth she is the one fonder of their wedding rings.
"You don't remember." She chuckles.
A million of thoughts passing through her mind. They are not having sex, when was the last time? One week? Maybe more. That's ages for them. Rachel is thinking about… another woman! That's what that was all about!
"Just tell me."
"Tell you what?" Rachel smiles, but she is really confused right now.
Quinn stands up abruptly and very close to running she goes to her bedroom. She has a whole plan formed when she gets there. Kind of…
"What was that all about?" Rachel bursts inside their bedroom moments later.
Without hesitation, she grabs Rachel's waist pulls her closer and kisses the hell out of her. The plan is simple, she is going to ravish her wife, and she is going to worship every piece of that marvelous body.
She needs to make Rachel see how much she loves her; how much she craves for her. Rachel has no time to protest as in one motion Quinn takes off her blouse. Her brain is in red alert but she really doesn't have it in her now to stop Quinn's maneuvers.
She can't deny that she is really turned on by it. So, she gives in and starts undressing the blonde as well, at first in a calm and smooth path. But as Quinn's kisses get even more searing, she enhances her pace. Item by item they get closer to the bed.
The only moment they stop kissing is when Quinn pushes Rachel's back on the mattress removing rather roughly Rachel's underwear. Not long after they are both completely naked, moaning and panting as their skin rub each other.
All the thoughts she was having moments ago are gone, she can't focus on anything other than Quinn's fingers deep inside her, not that she wants anyway. They make love through the night, over and over again. Until they eventually fall asleep.
The next morning Rachel wakes up naked and alone. Quinn isn't home. Did she have some commitment she didn't know about? She thinks as it's pass noon now and the kids are watching TV. She decides to call her wife one more time, but just like previous attempts, it falls on the voicemail.
Where the hell are you Quinn?
Quinn is a mess, a mess of tears and sobs. She is at Kurt and Blaine's apartment where hours ago she was pouring her heart out. She told everything to them and of course none of them believed Rachel had cheated on Quinn. So, now they are having a phone conference.
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard and that's coming from me." Brittany says from the other side of the phone line, not pleased with Quinn's misgivings.
"Q, you know I have your back but I have to agree with them. You didn't even talk to her. She is your wife Quinn; don't you think she deserves the benefit of the doubt? She fucking loves you! Please, don't you dare to tell me you're doubting that too!" Says Santana.
"That's what I said." Kurt says patiently.
"I'm not." She wipes her tears as Blaine rubs her arm. "I know she does."
"So?" Santana waits for her argument.
"I don't know. She didn't deny it."
"How can you know? You walked away." Kurt complains.
"Okay. Can we stop acting like teenagers and get to the point? Quinn I can call Rachel and ask her, but I think you should do it. Just talk to her Quinn, I would say that I'm here for you no matter what, but really I'm one hundred percent sure that she is not having an affair." Brittany says firmly. "Rachel is a terrible liar." She adds mockingly.
They all remain quiet for a moment, it's not that this is something new but Brittany all mature and grow up is still kind of shocking. Pregnancy was really good for her.
"Oh! Guess what?" Kurt says lively as he takes out his phone. He has an incoming call from Rachel.
"Hello divalicious."
"Hi Kurt." Her voice is weirdly low, he notices.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, to be short Quinn left home without saying anything. She is…" She holds back her sob. "I don't know what's going on Kurt. Please, if she is there just say something, I'm dying here, I know if that is the case she is doing it on purpose and she probably doesn't want me to find out she is over there. But…"
"Yes." He says simply, but meaningfully.
"I see. Is she okay?"
"Not really."
"Let me talk to her."
"I don't know..."
Santana and Brittany are still on the phone and Quinn and Blaine watch Kurt from their spot on the couch.
"Put me on the speaker."
He obliges.
"Quinn? You have two options, one you come here, or two I'm coming after you. I'll have to take the kids to Shelby's house on New Year's Eve if I have too." She pauses for a moment. "So, what are you going to do?"
Quinn holds up her arm and Kurt hands her his phone.
"I'm going back home."
"Good. I'm waiting you."
"So?" Santana questions her.
"I can't live without her. I don't care if she…"
"She didn't Quinn." Brittany replies with certainty.
"I don't care." She really doesn't. That's how much she loves Rachel.
###
She goes home and finds her family in Rachel's music room. She gets close to them and hugs both of her children as tight as she manages.
"You just missed Mommy singing." Toni informs her, smiling happily. She loves when Rachel sings to them.
"I bet it was amazing." Quinn smiles at her as she is now holding Ben in her arms. "Did you like Mommy singing little guy?"
"I liked." Ben answers, nodding his head frenetically.
"Mommy is always amazing." Toni says prideful.
"Mommy is right here." Rachel says playfully which makes them laugh.
"Honey, can you take care of your brother, I need to talk your mom?"
"Are you guys going to fight?" She asks concerns and Rachel bites down on her bottom lip.
"More like a discussion."
Toni holds Ben hands and walks away from the room.
"Come one Ben, let's play."
"Are you going to yell at me?" She says half joking, but as Rachel remains weirdly silent she holds up her index finger doing a circular motion. "Soundproofed room."
Rachel nods ever so slightly, her smile not even close to reach her ears. She stands up slowly. She crosses her arms and gets closer to Quinn, leaning against the piano. The taller woman gulps nervously, how weird, she is having this strange feeling of similitude.
Wow! It's twenty-three years ago…
She figures out why.
"You can't hate me…" She says softly.
"Of course not… Quinn what's..."
"Uh… no." She shakes her head. "Twenty-three years ago. This…" She gestures between them. "I don't know. It reminds me of that day." Rachel gets puzzled; she is trying to remember what could possibly have happened twenty-three years ago to Quinn bring it up now. "I managed to get through that, I can handle…"
"Oh…" Rachel smiles as she remembers. Of course, she would remember. "Unless you are going to tell me you're secretly dating Finn I would say that the resemblance lies only in this Piano over here." She points to said piano but she gets worried as she notices Quinn's sad face. "What's wrong Quinn?"
"Are you cheating on me?" Rachel stares at Quinn, waiting for a clue, a laugh, a smile, because it must be a joke, just one of Quinn's jokes.
But she was taken aback when her wife showed no enthusiasm, and now that she is looking carefully she can tell that the blonde had been crying and this breaks her heart.
She was asking about the ring…
Rachel drops her eyes to her hand and rubs her thumb over her ring finger.
Quinn observes her movements as she starts panicking; Rachel is still not wearing their wedding ring.
I was thinking about another woman, that is, I was thinking about how I don't think about any woman… wait, what? Whatever, focus, Quinn asked you a question…
"Answer me!" The blonde raises her voice as it cracks at the end, tears starting to stream down her face.
"No." Rachel says right away. "I can't believe you're asking me this."
"No?" Quinn feels relieved.
"Your dad, Leroy said, he asked…"
"You were eavesdropping? You-" The Broadway star freezes.
Wow! Eavesdropping, cheating, New Year's Eve, why is it so familiar?
Oh! Of course! Oh god! I cannot believe us!
"You're teasing me, right?" Rachel says looking up at the ceiling.
"What are you talking about?" Quinn asks confused.
"What honey, I am talking about." She gets closer and pulls her wife closer. "Is that I can't believe you thought for one second I would cheat on you!"
"You're not wearing our wedding ring and we haven't had sex in weeks."
There it is, now the déjà vu is complete.
"We had sex last night."
"Yeah because I practically forced you."
"You didn't-" Rachel frowns and pulls away. "Wait a minute." She holds a hand up, pressing her lips in a thin line. "You were under the impression that you were forcing me but you did it anyway? What the hell Quinn! Do you really think I would let you fuck me like that if I didn't want you to?" She is almost screaming now. "Because thinking about it now, that's what we did! We fucked each other like strangers! You didn't say you love me not before not after."
"I thought you were cheating me!"
"Why was that? Oh yeah right! You overheard something my dad said! If you had stayed longer, as I'm assuming you hadn't, you would have heard my answer which was a fucking laugh as his assumption was ridiculous!"
"I…" Quinn tries to speak but fails.
"You took it for granted, you believed I was cheating on you, you left me alone in our bed after we had sex and… this is so wrong I can't even…"
"I needed to make you see how much I love you. I thought I was going to lose you or something." She cries harder now. "I'm stupid. I know."
She is mad, furious even. But she can't stand seeing Quinn cry.
"Yeah, but you're my stupid." She wraps her arms around Quinn's waist. "You can't get rid of me that easily. We made a vow."
"You're not mad?" She asks
"I am mad. But I love you more." Rachel kisses her neck. "Next time just talk to me okay. I know I've been busy these last days with the whole holiday thing, but it's our marriage, it's more important than anything else okay?"
The blonde nods.
"Besides it's not the first time, right?" she sighs. "Baby, we're possessive over each other and we're also freaking jealous bitches. Although in my defense I had real reasons to be suspicious back then."
Quinn giggles through a sob.
"You made it up to me Miss Berry."
"Fabray, Berry-Fabray." She smiles her megawatt smile this time.
"Sorry about yesterday."
"I'm not sorry actually. It was good." She smirks. "Do you really think our sex life needs to be spiced up?"
"No."
"You can be honest."
"I am being honest. My body craves for your touch baby and every time I get the chance to touch you it's just… you know what? I'm addicted to you; don't you know that you toxic?" Rachel bursts out in laugh. "I love your laugh." Quinn stares at Rachel with shining eyes and Rachel melts with the intensity of those hazel orbs. "I love you." She strokes Rachel's long hair.
"I love you back."
"Sorry about today too."
"You're here now."
"I am, but I kind of… well, our friends are worried I have to explain everything to them."
"We need a conference."
Half an hour later, after they reassured Toni they were okay and not fighting, they settled on the couch, in the living room, the TV showing the images of Santana and Brittany on one half and Kurt and Blaine on the other half.
"I said it was nonsense…" Brittany says casually.
"We all said that B." Blaine adds rolling his eyes.
"Yeah even Satan, I mean Santana." Kurt teases freely as the devil woman is on the other side of the country.
"Yeah even me Lady Hummel, but hey! Mine was the most important opinion to my girl Q, since she usually listens to me."
"First, I'm the most important opinion to her, and she is my girl Santana."
"Whatever…"
"Guys give a big kiss to Toni for me." Brittany asks sweetly.
"She is actually talking to Amy right now." Rachel states.
"Those two…" Kurt smiles amused. "So, the talk was really nice but my baby here and I need to get going we have a fabulous party to go to! Happy New Year's girls!"
"Happy New year's girls!" Blaine adds.
"Happy New Year's guys!" The four girls say at the same time.
"What about you guys? What are you going to do?" Santana asks.
"We're staying home." Rachel answers, smirking, then she and Quinn glance at each other.
"Yeah, we're staying." Quinn adds playfully.
As Toni wanted to be awake to see the New Year party they remained in the living room to watch the celebrations around the world on the TV.
Once and while their phones rang, their friends, their parents, their relatives in a word the people they love called or even left a message, but as Quinn turns around and looks at their family, Ben nestled in Rachel's arms and Toni laying on the couch with her head on Quinn's lap, she knows she has everything she has always wanted. They are everything to her.
"What are you thinking?" Rachel asks, hand caressing Ben's hair.
"How much I love you guys." They smile at each other, just enjoying the moment.
"Oh, look. It's midnight." Rachel warns as she glances at the TV.
"Sweetie." Quinn leans her head and kisses her daughter's temple. "Sunshine, wake up."
"Hm?" She lifts her head. "it's midnight?" She asks sleepy.
"Yes." Quinn nods as Toni's face lights up with her big smile.
"Happy New Year's Mom!" She throws herself into her mom's arms.
"Happy New Year's beautiful!" Quinn squeezes her daughter, heart full of love. Toni turns to Rachel.
"Happy New Year's mommy!" She kisses Rachel's cheek and Rachel kisses her back with the same happiness.
"Happy New Year's baby girl."
Right in this moment, Toni's phone starts ringing. Yes, she does have one.
"It's Beth!" She beams, smiling from ear to ear.
"Happy New Year's little one."
Toni giggles happily.
"Happy New Year's B! You called!"
"Of course I did, did you think I'd forget my little sis? I love you little one and no one will ever replace you, but have to go now, and you should go to sleep by the way."
"Mom let me stay awake silly. They are here with me."
This time Beth giggles.
"Okay, then put me on speaker."
"Hi Beth! Happy New Years!" Rachel shouts.
"Happy New Year's honey!" Quinn says with as much enthusiasm.
"Well, technically is not New Year's yet but okay, Happy New Years!"
"Easy with the drinks honey, remember Puck is right there, and I'm not afraid of using him."
Beth laughs at that, she is in Los Angeles to celebrate with her boyfriend and some friends.
"Okay, I have to go, bye guys. I love you all!"
"Bye Beth we love you too!" Rachel says.
"Bye sis, I love you!"
"Yeah, we love you." Quinn says in bliss as she leans and kisses her daughter head.
"Okay, guess what? They are all sleeping."
Rachel bursts inside their bedroom.
"Quinn?" She looks around, and then she goes to the bathroom, nothing. She frowns intrigued. She gets out of their bedroom and walks toward the stairs. She passes through the living room and goes to the kitchen, no sign of Quinn. She is going to check the guest room when she hears a voice from the balcony.
"I'm here."
She goes toward her wife.
"What are you doing out here it's freezing?"
"So, come over here and warm me up."
Rachel smiles and gets closer to her wife. Quinn hugs her from behind, resting her chin on Rachel's shoulder.
"I was stargazing."
"In New York?" Rachel teases.
"Exactly, but if you see there's still fireworks going off over there in time square. You know after looking at all these stars." She looks up. "I have to say I have the brightest star right here with me." She bites Rachel's shoulders tenderly.
"Still a lady-killer."
"I have my moves."
"Yeah, like slapping your future wife in a bathroom."
Quinn sighs dreamily.
"If only I knew you were going to be my future wife…" She smirks. "I would have slap me, I mean, who knows maybe I could have put a little bit of sense into my head back then, marrying manhands?"she says mockingly.
Rachel nudges her hard on the ribs.
"Ouch!" She giggles joyfully. "I was kidding. You know I was head over heels in love with you." She turns Rachel around. "So, I was thinking we could have our midnight kiss here."
"It's pass midnight baby and you don't have to find excuses to kiss me by the way."
"Smug…"
"Whenever you want to kiss me just do it."
"I do." She takes her phone from her pocket and turns the alarm off. "Just in time." She smiles at her wife's curious face. "Where were we?" she says cynically. "OH yeah, midnight kiss." She pulls her wife closer. "You know, it's midnight in Ohio."
Without warning Rachel presses their lips together in a very passionate kiss. They do it every year since that first kiss, their first kiss, and the passion remains the same, as well as the fireworks.
"Happy anniversary!" Quinn says smiling from ear to ear.
"Happy anniversary!"
"What do you think of celebrating our first kiss anniversary by kissing all night long?"
"No." Rachel shakes her head.
"No?" Quinn pouts.
"Kissing is fine, but I have other things in mind…" She pulls away and gets inside. "Are you coming?"
"I hope so…" Quinn jokes as she gets inside too.
"Baby?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
"Make me."
"Challenge accepted."
Rachel grabs Quinn's neck and captures her lips.
A very important lesson, marriage is not a walk in the park for anyone but as long as they have each other, they are going to be okay.
