yay, all faberry shippers' glorious creative week is here! this is an interesting prompt and i've long since wanted to write one-shot like this so i thought, why not?
read, ponder and enjoy. :)
i admire people who have the ability to touch you and still be thousands of miles from your presence.
-William Chapman
Quinn Fabray was an honorary graduate from Yale. She had a Master in English Literature. She had a Bachelor in Psychology. She had a Diploma in dancing. She was smart. Very smart. Everyone had known that since she was a child.
Her intelligence and beauty combined scared people. Her father, most especially. He was threatened by the wonderfulness that was her daughter. It was why he detached himself from her. It was why he began treating her like a precious antique, showing her off to people and not allowing people to touch her. She was to be seen but not touched.
She scared herself.
It was why she ran. She slept with her best friend and she ran. She didn't even bother to come home for one of her best friend and her first love's funeral. She'd received the text from Santana. She'd seen the calls from Kurt and Mike and Mercedes. She ignored them and she mourned in silence.
She studied her ass off and it paid off. She was now an internationally renowned author. Her books made staggering sales within the first week of each of their releases. She'd been on a couple of talk shows. She traveled everywhere. She met people and led a life of promiscuity and absolute fun. It was more than she imagined her life to be.
But she'd never been lonelier. She'd never been sadder. She'd never been more scared.
Her life was empty. She had no purposes. She had no one to go home to. She had nothing. She cut off all contacts with everyone from her high school life. She used her all her loneliness and sadness and fear and poured them all into the bestselling masterpieces on the shelves in various bookstores today.
It was why she was surprised when she saw the letter in the mailbox of her apartment in Paris. The scrawl across the surface of the envelope was all too familiar, even if she hadn't seen it in nine years.
Quinn Fabray, Rachel Berry's familiar boyish scrawl wrote.
She sat at her kitchen table and gingerly flipped the flap open. She pulled the parchment out and unfolded it, reading the words on the lined paper.
Quinn,
I found out from your agency that you're now in Paris and they gave me your address. I think they thought I was a fan of yours. Well, not that I'm not.
I know we haven't seen each other in nine years. You probably will ignore this letter. I'm just sending this on a whim, because I really missed you and it has been nine years. Santana misses you. Brittany misses you. We all miss you.
I just want to tell you that there will be a New Directions reunion on the 21st of February at the loft I used to live in. We decided on this date because it was truly one of the days where it gave us the biggest impact. And we just thought we might remember you this way in case you can't make it. Or we can turn this day into a celebration if you do make it.
I hope you can make it.
Rachel Berry
P.S.I will be breaking my own rule and make a plate of bacons for you.
She felt the plane touched down in New York. She pulled the blanket higher and watched as the familiar New York airport came into view. She swallowed and heard the pilot making an announcement. The seatbelt light turned off.
She remained seated in her seat and waited for the other passengers to make their way out of the plane. She nonchalantly stood up from her seat in the first class area and pulled her carry-on out of the overhead compartment. One of the stewardesses stopped her and smiled gingerly at her with her latest book in hand and asked for an autograph.
Quinn smiled and nodded, taking the pen from the stewardess and signed on the cover of the paperback. She thanked the stewardess for supporting her and then walked out with her carry-on in hand. She didn't pack much. She figured she'd only be here for two days and no more.
She didn't want to be here for more than two days.
On the cab ride to the hotel she was going to be living in for the next couple of days, she stared out the window, watching the people walking and the huge billboards on almost every building. She sucked in a breath when she saw Rachel's beaming face on one of them for the revival of Wicked. Sure, Rachel's face was painted in green but Quinn Fabray would recognize that face anywhere.
One of the reasons she ran was because she couldn't handle the overwhelming feelings she had for that woman on the billboard.
She still had them, in spite of how she buried them deep in her heart and went on to leave a string of broken hearts on her heels.
She dressed herself in a black tank top with a bomber jacket over it and a pair of skinny jeans. She decided on a pair of subtle pumps. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and stuffed her phone in her pocket and that was it.
Once she was outside the building where Rachel's loft had once been, she took a deep bracing breath and closed her eyes, counting to ten – as if it would help. She ignored the hustle and bustle that was normal New York City life. She ignored the noise. She focused on readying herself.
She briefly wondered how her former glee mates would feel after nine years of complete disappearance before she climbed up the staircase. She was slightly baffled that this place had no elevators had all. Not even a creepy old one that stopped working once in a few weeks.
She rounded the corner and walked slowly down to the end of the hallway. She could hear the laughter and conversations going on inside, especially Rachel's boisterous laugh. She could make out Santana's snarky voice making some snarky comment at Sam. She could hear Mercedes doing runs. She was suddenly brought back to the glee club room in McKinley High, where this happened almost every day.
She was on the verge of turning around and walking away when the rusty metal door slid open to reveal Tina's face. The grin on her face broadened and she released a disbelieving squeal. Quinn could barely catch her when she leaped to hug her. Quinn hesitantly wrapped her arms around the woman's waist and returned the embrace.
"I can't believe you're here!" Tina yelled excitedly in her ear.
At this point, everyone had already come out to see what the commotion was about and they all got pretty excited when they saw Quinn. Out of all the reactions, this was what she expected the least. She thought they would be pissed of her for cutting all contacts, not excited.
Everyone came and hugged her once Tina released her, yelling words of excitement and happiness at seeing her. Puck was laughing raucously in her ear and he even spun her into the room. Brittany told her Lord Tubbington missed her terribly. Quinn was even surprised to hear that the cat was still alive.
Santana stood in front of her with an emotionless expression on her face. Everyone else was staring at them. Then they gasped when she smacked Quinn across the face. Quinn clutched her cheek, jaw dropped and speechless but Santana was smirking.
"Now we're even," she drew out and then squeezed Quinn into her arms. "You fucking bitch." The hint of affection in Santana's voice told Quinn that she wasn't really pissed.
"I missed you too," Quinn whispered and smiled for real this time. Santana eventually loosened her arm around her and Quinn caught sight of bling on her finger. "I see you're married."
Santana grinned and held her hand out for Brittany. "We figured things out," the taller blonde said and leaned in to kiss Santana's temple.
"Someone has been very excited to see you." Santana and Brittany stepped aside to reveal Rachel who was bouncing on her heels behind them with a face splitting grin on her face. "There you go, short stuff."
Rachel stepped forward and swiftly took in Quinn's appearance. Quinn took the time to admire Rachel's increasing beauty and adorableness over the years. She smiled. Rachel released a muffled squeal and literally jumped into Quinn, wrapping her legs around Quinn's thighs and her arms around Quinn's neck.
Quinn yelped and staggered a few steps back. Puck barked out a laugh.
"I'm so happy you came back," Rachel whimpered into her ear.
Quinn laughed and leaned back against the door, lowering Rachel onto her feet. They drew back from each other, their arms still around one another. Quinn surveyed all the familiar faces she loved so much and laughed with a nod.
"Me too."
There were laughter and bickers and everything that the old New Directions had once been. They talked about everything and anything. Each one of them showed her a photo of their collection of her books, even Puck. Quinn promised each of them to autograph the books for them if she had the chance.
They demanded an explanation from her for disappearing for nine years and she gave them one. The environment was pretty sober for a couple of minutes before Puck suggested a game of truth or dare. They might be in their late twenties now but they still had some of their teens in their hearts.
Two hours later, Quinn slipped out the fire escape and sat down on the step to take a break. She brought the bottle of beer up to her lips and took a swig. She watched the night life of this dingy area of New York take place. She couldn't help but giggle when she saw a drunk teen ramming his bicycle into a wired fence.
Not long after, a hand slipped onto her shoulder and she didn't even have to look back to see who it was. Rachel took a seat one step above Quinn, her hand still on Quinn's shoulder.
"I'm really glad you decided to come," Rachel said softly.
Quinn nodded slowly and looked down at the beer in her grip. "Yeah."
"I really missed you, Quinn."
Quinn closed her eyes and nodded again. "Yeah."
There was a long pause before she heard Rachel suck in a breath sharply. "Can you please look at me?" Quinn lifted her head and breathed a couple of times before she was shifting her body sideways so she could look up at Rachel. Rachel looked at her for awhile and Quinn was silent. She felt like Rachel was looking into her soul or something. "I know, Quinn."
Quinn frowned. "Know what?" Though she had a vague idea what the brunette was talking about.
Rachel smiled tenderly and reached up to tuck Quinn's fringe behind her ear. "You loved me."
Quinn looked away and down to her lap. She shrugged nonchalantly. "It doesn't matter."
"How long are you staying for?"
"I leave the day after tomorrow."
Another pause. "Can I take you out tomorrow?"
Quinn's head snapped up to look at Rachel with wide eyes. Rachel's smile turned sheepish and she lifted her shoulder in a shrug. "I've come to a few realizations over the last nine years."
Quinn watched the emotions swirling in the woman's eyes. She couldn't read people anymore. Nine years of isolation stole her ability to read people, especially Rachel. But she could see a glimmer of something in those brown orbs.
Quinn smiled and nodded. "Yeah."
She wasn't sure. But she felt the glimmer of hope in her heart spreading ever so slowly after she said it.
i'm leaving it open-ended for your imagination. review to tell me what you think? oh and enjoy the rest of Faberry week!