I've been having a lot of Quinn feelings lately, and they aren't good.
"Finn our bags have the blue ribbon on them." Rachel sighed soothing a hand over her aching back, waiting for her husband to locate their bags on the conveyor belt.
Leaning onto the luggage holder as she waited and waited for him to find them, slowly getting anxious to just get out of the airport. Her back from the couple hour flight was aching terribly along with her feet becoming swollen from just standing there, still waiting for him.
"Right there honey, the bag in right in front of you." She pointed out as Finn grabbed the last one placing them all onto the carrier.
"Thank you." He placed a hand on her back rubbing it as he started rolling the luggage out the doors to the rental cars. Setting the luggage near a bench he sat her down. "Here's I'll go get the car stuff situated while you sit here and relax."
Biting her tongue from stating the fact that she didn't want to sit on a cold, metal bench but instead she nodded watching him go into the building taking care of the paperwork. Not wanting to call their parents to let them know they arrived, instead she wanted to surprise them.
Checking her work e-mails Rachel found herself responding to a few until Finn pulled up right in front of them, helping her into the car and loading the bags in. Turning off her phone she relaxed as much as she could into the seat watching out the window as they drove the hour long ride to Lima.
"I'm really happy we're doing this Finn. It's going to be so much more convenient for not only us but for our parents." His hand reached over for hers, kissing her knuckles giving her the reassurance that he thought so too. "I'll be so excited to come up here this summer and be able to stay in our own little home away from home."
"My mom nearly had a heart attack knowing we were going to stay the summers up here and holiday time." His hand guiding the both of theirs to her ever growing stomach, resting them there. "Especially when we told them the news."
"It's pretty perfect I mean when you get your summer vacation baby Hudson will be a less than a month old so we'll be up here with family, to have them help us. Plus with us finding a little place for us up here always assures us that we'll have our own little family time as well as with ours."
"It's perfect."
"Well, I did come up with the idea." A playful smile came to play, squeezing his hand to hers. Only having to stop once for a bathroom break, Rachel nearly threw herself out of the car as fast as she could when they got to the Hummel-Hudson household, walking up the sidewalk quickly. Not bothering to knock, she went right in.
"Carole?" She called out looking for her mother-in-law, only to find her and Burt on the patio grilling for lunch that day. Sliding the door open, the two looked back nearly dropping the spatula in happiness.
"Rachel!" Carole cried out walking towards her with open arms as they greeted each other. "You all didn't call, so I figured you hadn't got in yet. I was making lunch, there is plenty to go around."
Letting go, Carole still had her arms on Rachel's sides peering down at her body. "Look at you sweetie, you are gorgeous. Pregnant is an adorable look for you."
"Hey mom, cool to see you too." Finn chuckled throwing the bags onto the floor right inside the door, just as he was greeted by one of his mom's powerful hugs.
"Smells delicious, Burt." Rachel leaned into her husbands step father peering over his shoulder at the hamburgers grilling.
"I thought you were a vegetarian or something?" Burt questioned Rachel giving her a hug, welcoming her. But not without noticing the grimace she was giving Fin behind her as he laughed.
"Yeah well apparently baby Hudson is a carnivore like her father and likes to torture me with it's meat cravings." Rachel laughed letting go of Burt's side to sit down on a patio chair, not yet noticing the stares she was receiving from the three of them.
"Her?" Carole whispered out lovingly, Rachel sat confused looking at Finn who was giving her a playful smirk.
"What happened to not letting the cat out of the bag, Rach?" His words ringing through her ear, realizing that after weeks or keeping it a secret, waiting for the perfect time was ruined.
"Oh, my god this is amazing!" Carole squealed through her covered mouth catching a seat next to Rachel. "We are going to do so much shopping this week!"
The two woman talked upon hours of everything still needed to be done in the span of two months, before the baby was due. Clearing dinner later that night, they retreated to the living room watching a movie together. Well that was until Carole snug Rachel onto the couch looking at furniture for the apartment in New York as well as the house they are searching for the next day. Calling it an early night as for Finn and Rachel had to meet with the realtor early in the morning, Finn carried their bags up for them placing them on the bed.
Watching as she got ready for bed, he laughed watching her squeeze into one of his old shirts inside of a drawer, reading 'McKinley High Titans'. Still a little loose but still short enough to wear shorts with, Rachel climbed into bed ready to get some much needed sleep. After all tomorrow would be a big day.
xxxxx
"I am so excited!" Rachel latched onto Finn's hand walking from the parking lot into the brick building of the realtor they would be meeting with in just a few short minutes. Opening the door for the two of them, Finn took a look around to find the office of Charlene Hopkins, knocking on the door they were surprised to hear someones voice from behind them.
"Charlene had a family emergency today, in hopes that you wouldn't mind she directed you to another one of our workers." Slightly overwhelmed at the fact that the woman who they had spent days talking to about their needs and wants in a house wouldn't be there for them, Rachel stuttered a little.
"So we're getting someone completely new?" The brunette nodded "Are we going to have to retell everything or do we have a folder, if so we can wait for Charlene to come back."
"She had to fly out to Texas this morning, she did leave a file with your preferences in them. If you are willing to stay, you two may take a seat in the office right down at the end, in the corner."
Sending a questioning glance to Finn, who just shrugged she decided to just go with it hoping that Charlene had at least picked out some homes before leaving. Finn mumbled a thank you to the women, following direction into the corner office taking a seat waiting for their agent to come in. Being the observant woman that she is, Rachel takes a silent look around the room noticing pictures of a little bulldog on the desk. A picture of a little blonde child resting on the filing cabinet as well as another picture with the child and the dog. Taking quite the notice to how familiar the baby looked or similar, Rachel leaned over turning a few pictures frames. Gasping in horror, Finn looked up from his phone with a panicked look.
"What's wrong babe, is it the baby?" His hands to her stomach in a heartbeat.
"No." She hissed grabbing his hand ready to make a beeline for the door. "We've got to get out of here."
"What, why?" His eyes turning to the picture she was holding up of a one Quinn Fabray holding her toddler in her hands, smiling at the camera. Holding the picture tightly, Finn went wide eyed looking at Rachel. "Are you kidding me?"
"We need to go, like now." Yanking the photo out of his hand, she placed it right where she found it to find Finn with his hand out to help her up.
Nearly standing she was startled when the door opened, both turning around to see the blonde's nose stuffed into a folder. "Hello, thank you for the wonderful opportunity my name is Quinn Fabray and I will be helping you find your dream home."
Holding their breathes as the blonde made her way to her desk, finally facing the pair as they waited in anticipation. Quinn still had that bright smile that would fool anyone with the complexion to make any teenager envious. Rachel stared at the hand that was held out for them to take as Quinn just stared at her.
"Oh, my." Her jaw became slack, realizing just who she was in front of. Sitting in her seat, not believing who were in her office right now Quinn blinked twice still not over it. "Finn, Rachel this is a surprise."
"We didn't know." Finn swore
"Me either." The blonde chuckled under breathe getting the folder open and ready to get the show on the road. Crossing her legs, Quinn sat back in her seat. "Well let's get started shall we?"
Rachel never heard more perfect than that. "So what I'm seeing here from your file, you're looking for a house to spend vacations on as well as holidays."
"Yes." Rachel nodded pulling out her own folder with housing information she felt was also needed for this meeting, handing them to Quinn. "Finn and I feel that a one story house would be perfect. We're used living so closely together but a little more space would be perfect for what we're looking for here."
"Just somewhere near our parents house, open layout and a big yard." Finn caught Rachel's smile turning his mouth into one to match hers. "Definitely a big yard."
Quinn glanced to Rachel's protruding stomach before closing the folder. "Right, of course well Charlene picked out a few homes and I know of a couple that I can show you. So if today is good, you can follow behind me while I start showing you some houses."
Grabbing the car keys and folder, Quinn excused herself as she watched Finn help Rachel up from the chair wrapping an arm around her waist following behind her. Getting into their own cars, Finn followed behind Quinn as they drove the short and silent ride to a cute little one story house a couple streets down from their parents houses. Getting out of the car, they followed Quinn up the sidewalk to the brick house as she swiped her card to get in.
"As you can tell, you aren't exactly right next to either of your parents houses but it's just a short walk or car ride." Opening the door they were met with a strong odor of some sorts, making Rachel's stomach churn.
"No, no way." Backing out, Rachel shook her head. "This isn't our house, I'm not even stepping foot in there."
"It's seems like death." Finn cursed walking right out as well "Uh, must of been mice or something."
"Well... if you'd follow me I'll show you the next house." The whole days seemed to go the same way, each house finding something wrong with it mainly from Rachel. Whether it be the house too open, the house too dark, the house too something that wasn't perfect for the expecting families vacation home in Lima.
"Baby, the bathroom is fine." Finn ran a hand slowly rubbing over the arch of her back. "It's not too small, it's perfect."
Sighing she leaned into her touch, the days worth of walking starting to get to her whole body. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I mean it's like perfect. This house is one of the nicer one's we've seen all day, plus it's one block away from our parents which is so much better distance than all the other one's we've been looking at all day."
"This one does have a front and back porch which is something we've always talked about having." Finn smiled remembering their check list they started back in their freshman year of college.
"You can always take a night, think about things and process what you've seen today and get back to me tomorrow. I'll be in my office all day, if you need tonight to think things through than you should sleep on it and call me when you're ready with your decision."
"What do you say Finn, you think we should sleep on it?" Walking out into the living room, taking a look around Rachel bit her lip. "I think we should."
"One of us will call you tomorrow." Finn nodded "It's best if we think it through to be sure."
"Okay than, you know the office number and I'll be waiting for your call." Saying their awkward good bye's Finn and Rachel went back to his mom's and Burt's house, her fathers away on a business trip until Wednesday.
"Hey!" Carole greeted them as they came in taking off their shoes at the door. "How did the house hunting go?"
"Quinn Fabray is what happened." Rachel rolled her eyes
"Quinn, where did you two run into her?"
"She's our realtor." Finn grumbled grabbing some things out of the fridge to make for him and Rachel, one of his sandwich's he's been making since his teen years in which up until a few months ago, Rachel found disgusting. "The woman we had originally had a family emergency so Quinn is now ours."
"If she gives you any trouble you let me know." Burt watched Finn slab mayonnaise and mustard onto the piling bread.
"I don't think we'll have any trouble from her, she seems to be keeping things strictly professional." Rachel scooted herself onto the stool watching with a watering mouth at the sandwich being made for her. "I'm kind of interested though, to see what happened to her from high school until now."
"She's our realtor." Finn stated as if it was obvious
"Yeah but Finn you saw the picture on the desk of a picture that clearly looked like Beth, who wasn't Beth." Racking her brain the only obvious explanation would be if she had a baby with Puck again, but he was in Texas how would that be?
"Who knows, who cares." Finn shrugged squeezing the two pieces of bread between the enormous amounts of meat, tomatoes and other things that went into the delicious meal she was about to eat. Kissing her temple as he placed the plate in front of her he took a seat next to her. "I pretty much don't want to talk to her ever after this."
Carole agreed along with Burt but Rachel still wanted to know more, it was just her nature.
So when Finn said he couldn't go to meet with Quinn the next day due to a phone conference he had with one of his bosses, Rachel didn't really mind though. Waving off his many apologies as she got ready for her meeting with Quinn having decided to meet at Breadstix to have some lunch and talk about the house and paperwork that needed to be done.
"This really sucks, I'm sorry babe." Finn apologized again as she had him put her shoes as she sat on the bed.
"It's not a big deal Finn, everything will be fine. Quinn will help me sign the papers and all that jazz." Kneeling on his knees in front of her he places his hand on the side of her waist staring at her as she puckered her lips waiting for a kiss. Granting her wishes, Rachel looped her arms around his neck. "I'm really excited about this Finn, about everything."
"Two more months." Placing a kiss on her stomach, Rachel nuzzled her nose into his neck. Tilting his head to meet hers he placed a deeper kiss onto her mouth. "I hate to cut this short but I have to be ready for everything in a half hour."
"I should get going too, I'm supposed to meet Quinn in fifteen minutes."
"Are you going to be okay driving?" Finn asked helping her up onto her feet.
"I'll be fine, I'll see you when I get back." Helping her go down the stairs and into the car he watched her leave before going to his own conference call.
Driving the familiar road to the restaurant in which she spent many of her teenage dates. Pulling into an empty parking space, déjà vu set over her as she set out of the car into the building. The hostess welcomed her, Rachel saying she was looking for Quinn Fabray only to find her already in a booth with papers surrounding her.
Thanking the woman, Rachel walked over there setting her purse onto the table before sliding in.
"The tables are a little smaller than I remember." She joked about the size of her stomach settling into the seat comfortably.
"We can move to a table if you'd like." Quinn stated collecting the papers, prepared to move for her.
"I'm fine, seriously Quinn I'm okay I was just teasing." The waitress welcomed them offering them drinks in which they ordered along with their lunch so they weren't there too lunch. Leaning into the seat, easing her back ache a tad Rachel looked at Quinn's keys on the table noticing a photo key chain consisting of the same picture she saw yesterday in her office. Noticing her glance, Quinn quickly covers her keys with some papers.
"So where's Finn?" Quinn asked looking around for him
"He had a last minute phone conference from the boss." Rachel sighed "He works at the New York Times a couple days a week usually going back and forth with a few other sports writers."
"He's a sports writer?"
"Don't act so surprised." Rachel lifted an eyebrow
"No I just figured he would have done teaching or something like that."
"Well he had wanted to become a gym teacher until he started looking through the college catalogue and decided by himself that sport journalism was what he wanted to do. The good thing is that he only does it a couple days a week and gets good pay and vacation time." Their drinks came, Rachel taking a sip of her lemon water as well as Quinn.
It was silent for a little until Quinn spoke again.
"What about you, what have you been up to?"
"Well I graduated from NYADA with Kurt of course, majoring in theater I resided with Finn with Kurt and Blaine moving out onto their own. Things were tight with Finn starting out into the journalism business and I auditioning. But luck struck our way when I landed a role on an off-Broadway show, lead of course. I've been working on that show for about two years now. I'm not the lead of course with my pregnancy but I work backstage with the cast and screw, they're my second family. I graduated in college with them, so I kind of have to be right?"
"Right." Quinn smiled nodding
"How rude of me how about you, how have you been?" Glancing to the keys once more, Quinn looked at her hands.
"Well I went to Ohio State only to move back here. Seems like being a realtor was something that I could do well, so that's what I did." Her life story vague as she looked to Rachel shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know what you want me to tell you Rachel. I mean obviously my life isn't as glamorous as yours is."
"Excuse me?" Her head cocked interested in her explanation "My life isn't' necessarily glamorous, I mean sure I pretty much have everything i wanted but I worked towards all the Quinn. I certainly wasn't handed my life, nor was it easy to establish as you would know."
A cold glare it Rachel like a ton of bricks. "That was years ago Rachel."
"I wasn't the one who said I had a glamorous life all set up for me, I was just nearly stating some of the set backs I experienced."
"I think we should get back to the paperwork on the house, which by the way did you decide which one you want?" Her whole face down looking at the papers on the table.
"The second one, Finn and I chose the fenced in house with the play set in the back and the porch." Her mood changed within a few seconds
Nodding, Quinn stayed quiet going through the papers figuring out some things on her own. Their food was delivered, Rachel automatically digging into her pasta and Quinn stayed quiet nibbling a few bites while filling out some things. Rachel watched her, she still looked the same still had the same facial expressions, just about everything about the woman was the same except for the fact that she was grown up. They were all grown up, living their own little lives.
"Quinn, may I ask you something?" Rachel leaned forward watching the blonde look up with her hazel eyes. When she didn't say anything, Rachel took it as an encouragement to continue. "Why did you do it?"
There wasn't any other need for elaboration, Quinn knew just exactly what she was talking about. The day in which she said too much at the wrong time. The day where there was swearing, promises, and hate. The day where Quinn Fabray was forgotten by the two people she had the most history with in high school.
"You know why I did it Rachel." Her voice dull
"I want to hear you say it."
"I don't want to Rachel."
"You owe me that much." The two were quiet, staring at one another waiting for something to come out of her mouth.
"You were eighteen Rachel, I was only trying to help you. You had your whole life ahead of you." Quinn stated simply
"So what, my life isn't your life and you had no right to do what you did."
"I did what I had to do to prove that what I was trying to tell you was the right thing. You and Finn were not ready for marriage..."
"Finn and I told you that if you didn't approve than to not come to the wedding." Rachel hissed pounding her fist onto the table. "That didn't mean for you to come in and tell the judge that we weren't ready for marriage. You embarrassed me in front of not only our friends but our families. You ruined our wedding day Quinn!"
"If what you're looking for is an apology..."
"Yes." Rachel interrupted but Quinn kept talking
"I refuse to, there is no way that I will apologize for speaking my mind out for something I stand for."
"Oh please the only thing you stood for was messing with everyone elses lives but your own. You were so focused on everyone besides yourself to even notice the void in your heart from Beth. Or even to the fact that the man you once thought loved you didn't want to be with you and the other man who you thought loved you was happy and marrying someone else. Someone you couldn't stand." Rachel's voice hard as she spoke to her. "You made me believe we were friends, you made me think we could actually get along. But you are a piece of work Quinn, you made me fall into that trap of yours."
"It was to protect you and Finn, you were too young to get married! Finn was going nowhere with his life, he was only going to hold you down. He belonged in Lima with people who understood who he was."
"Who are you to tell someone how to love someone? Or to tell someone they can't be something great?" Her eyes sad. "I feel bad for you Quinn, I really do. I hope that in the past six years you've come to realize what it's like to feel so much for one person, to feel love."
"Don't..." Quinn warned her "Don't you pull that love card on me Rachel."
"You may have thought you loved Finn or loved Puck but honestly were they really yours in the first place?" Rachel sighed as Quinn wiped a tear from falling onto her face. "I'm not saying Puck didn't love you, it's just that I don't think he loved you the way you wanted him to. I don't even know your relationship status with him right now. And Finn, he was just there for you when you needed that comforting feeling. I get it, I do."
"Shut up."
"I just want to know what you thought you were achieving when you stopped the wedding? Did you think you were going to get either of them back? Did you think Finn would suddenly run into your arms or Puck realize that ,that could be you two up there? I don't get it Quinn."
"Finn left me for you." Quinn cried "He left me, the head cheerleader for some theater nerd. He wanted to marry you, Rachel. That's not how things go, and Puck you got him too. He worships you Rachel, I don't get anything."
"Puckerman never liked me the way it was healthy, it wasn't real like Finn and I are. Puck liked the thought of me." Rachel shook her head.
"Look, why are you bringing this up? Obviously you got what you wanted, you and Finn got married that day anyway why are you doing this to me?"
"Because I want you to see that there are obstacles in every body's life, you just got to trust your feelings and do the things that are right for you. Even if that means ridding people who are the least supportive of you. Let's just hope that you don't pull anymore stunts like you did all those years ago. I may not know the Quinn Fabray that you are now, but I know who you were." Collecting her purse, Rachel stood. "I think we're done here, if you need any information you may e-mail me."
Turning to the table she looked down at Quinn. "I know you have another baby with Puckerman and if it means anything I think you could be something extraordinary. You and Puck have a bond that is rare, you might not think so or he might not see it right now but work on it Quinn. Life takes work, it's not easy nor is it handed to you."
Offering a tissue to Quinn, she took it. "Maybe when we come back this summer we can talk some more. I'd like to be a supporter Quinn, you deserve to be happy too. Don't sell yourself short."
Rubbing a hand on her shoulder Rachel placed a twenty on the table, before away. That was until she heard a soft Rachel come from behind her. Turning around, Quinn was seated facing her.
"For what it's worth, I'm really happy you didn't listen to me. You deserve everything you have and more with Finn."
"I know." Nodding, Rachel placed a hand on her baby growing inside of her. "Good luck Quinn, I hope you find yourself and become that someone you always wished of being. What we all wish you could see."
With that she turned around leaving Quinn's life just as quickly as she left it. A feeling of accomplishment and how everything seemed to be just fine now, settled. Maybe, Quinn would finally become something she'd always wished for but was too damn scared to take the chance. But Rachel had trust that she could do it, if anyone could do it, it was her.
Reviews would be sweeter than Valentines Day chocolates.