Title: Heaven
Pairings: Faberrittana.
Summary: When they were still children, it used to be Q, R, S and B. But now that they are in high school, they are known as The Unholy Trinity and Rachel Berry. Rachel, feeling abandoned by her best friends, tried to move on with a positive outlook. The Unholy Trinity, fed up with the guilt and the ache of missing Rachel, finally decided to mend their broken friendship with the girl. Separated by their differences, will they be able to get back how they used to be? What if the Unholy Trinity wanted more than just friendship from Rachel?
A.N. #1: Well, just so you know, this is my first Glee fic. This is probably going to be a challenge for me to write since I haven't written a fic revolving a polyamory relationship. It'll be difficult for me to focus on four characters, but I will do my best to not disappoint you. Also, I haven't written in a while so I might be a little rusty. Comments and criticisms are well-appreciated.
A.N. #2: Title is really not related to this fic. But after spending a lot of time thinking of an appropriate title – and fail, I just thought, what the hell? I simply wrote it under the title of the song I was currently listening to. Oh well.
A.N. #3: English is not my first language so please excuse any grammatical errors. It has always been a problem of mine. No betas as of the moment.
Disclaimer: Glee is not mine. If it is, I will make sure Faberrittana or at least Faberry happens at some point. ^.^
Chapter 1
Rachel walked the halls of McKinley with her head high, a wide smile on her lips. It was the first day of her Junior year and she has a good feeling that this year would be interesting. She still didn't have many friends but at least some of the Glee kids had warmed up to her. And that's good enough for her. She reached her locker and fumbled on the code. She looked inside, sighing as she stared at the pictures plastered on her locker. There was a faraway look in her eyes as she reminisced with every image.
There were pictures of her and her dads, her idols in Broadway and members of the glee club. Her eyes darted at one particular picture that would always make her question why she was still keeping it in her locker. It was a photo of two blondes and a brunette, The Unholy Trinity. The top three in Sue Sylvester's nationally ranked cheering squad, the Cheerios. They were the most popular, most beautiful girls in all McKinley High. The only girls that had managed to climb on top of the pyramid, both figuratively and literally, as early as middle of freshman year in history of McKinley. And for that, they were feared, respected and worshipped.
And they made every day of her high school life a living hell. Did she mention every.single.day? For two years.
Yet, here she was staring at one picture, and then another, and then another. She practically filled half of her locker with then. She pursed her lips, seeing herself ripping the pictures apart and throwing it in the nearest garbage can. But then she also probably should stop staying a little late after school, hiding behind the bleachers to watch the girls practice, while pretending to read a book.
Or ogle them as they grace the halls of McKinley with their presence.
Even the stolen glances whenever they shared a class together. She would purposely sit at the back just to have a good view of them.
Yeah. She should put all of those to a halt. Really. It was getting ridiculous.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the crowd around her went silent and they removed themselves from the center of the hallway, almost pressing themselves on the walls as the group of Cheerios made their appearance, led by the Unholy Trinity.
And once again, she found herself staring at the three girls in the middle.
Quinn, now the captain of the Cheerios, walked in the middle of the group. Her best friends, Santana and Brittany, on either side of her. Quinn was wearing her infamous HBIC look that would make even the jocks scamper away with just a glance. Santana had her usual scowl on her face, while Brittany looked as cheerful as always.
"What are you looking at, RuPaul?"
She flinched. Okay. So maybe she's not really that good at being subtle.
Quinn sneered at her as they passed by. Santana simply ignored her. Brittany, however, was now frowning at their captain but turned to give Rachel a small smile.
Rachel simply nodded her understanding and smiled back. Brittany was never really mean to her. She couldn't hurt anyone. She may not be able to stand up for her against the fiery Latina, or the Ice Queen, but she always made sure to give Rachel a smile. No matter how quick or small it was. All she had to do was look at the blonde's eyes and that's it. No words were needed for Rachel to get the message.
She knew the blonde that well.
Nobody would probably believe her. The trio may even deny it. But long time ago, they used to be good friends. Best of friends. The closest she'll ever have. They shared a bond that nobody could understand. They were close, even closer than their own family. It was like their hearts were tied together by an invisible string. The absence of one affects all of them. They made a promise that they would always be together no matter what. Nothing could ever come between them. Not even those kids who bullied them for their imperfections. They were inseparable. Or so Rachel thought until high school came.
Popularity. Reputation. Being on top.
All of those had greatly affected their friendship. While Rachel preferred to have the average high school life, Quinn, Santana and even Brittany would have none of that. As soon as they hit puberty, the three had changed gradually. They became conscious of their physical appearance. They became obsessed with it. The imperfections that had caused them to be bullied while they were children were now gone. There was no room for flaws anymore. And Rachel had witnessed their transformation.
Rachel tried to ignore it at first. After all, they were growing up. It was practically normal for them to be conscious. But as high school drew nearer, she noticed the changes in the girls' behavior as well.
Brittany, though still looked sweet and innocent, had somehow developed a mischievous and yet almost playful glint in her eyes. It was actually scary because you can never tell what's going on in her mind. Santana had been more vicious than her usual self and maybe a little violent than necessary. She never had problems with the Latina's attitude though. The tall brunette had always been protective of her friends. While Quinn, well, she was the one who changed the most. From the chubby, insecure and warm-hearted Lucy, she was now transformed to sexy, confident and Ice Quinn.
What the three had in common?
They craved for power. They were, after all, daughters of the powerful and known families in Lima. They were born to lead. Intimidating and brining down people was what they do best. And Rachel? Well, she was where she belonged. She was living her dream. To be able to sing her heart out with people who shared the same passion for music. And she found it in Glee club.
"Glee club? Are you kidding me?" Santana scoffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
The four of them gathered in Quinn's room. Santana and Brittany were comfortably lying on Quinn's bed while Quinn was sitting on a sofa, a frown on her face. Rachel was awkwardly standing in the middle of the room as she defended her newly found club.
The first week of high school had gone by uneventful. Quinn, Santana and Brittany made it to the school's cheering squad. Rachel was so proud of them. She had no doubt they would make it.
"What's wrong with Glee?" Rachel defended, stomping her foot.
"It's social suicide, Rae." Brittany stated as matter of fact.
Rachel rolled her eyes. "I do not understand why it has to be about that. Glee is a place filled with people who are very talented, though not as talented as I am, and simply wanted to express themselves through music with hopes that they will someday inspire other peo-"
"Save it, Rach. We know what Glee club is. It's already painful hearing its name. We're not really looking forward to hear you rant about it." Santana interrupted with a playful smirk. She knew how much the small brunette hated being interrupted. Her face softened though. She had always known how much Rachel loved singing and the stage.
Again, Rachel rolled her eyes, crossing her arms with a huff.
"Why don't you just join the Cheerios instead? We could all be together!" Brittany said in excitement.
Rachel frowned. "Brittany, you are joking, right?"
Brittany only gave her a blank expression. Santana looked thoughtful. Quinn hadn't said anything of the matter yet.
"Actually, I think it's a good idea." Santana agreed as she smiled at the tall blonde and looked at Rachel expectantly. "You get a chance to see naked cheerleaders while we shower."
"Santana! That is highly inappropriate!" Rachel exclaimed as she stared at her friend wide-eyed. Just a few months ago, she had come to terms that she was in fact, gay. Having two gay dads had somehow opened her eyes early regarding her sexuality. Included in her coming out, was the realization that she also garner attraction to her three best friends. But they didn't need to know that. She has no intentions of freaking them out. She was just lucky that they've been very understanding and accepting of her chosen lifestyle.
"Though I am flattered that you consider the thought that I may be qualified to join the squad, I will have to dismiss that idea." Rachel continued. "I know I am a great dancer but I believe that it is of a greater advantage to me if I focus more on my strength, not that dancing isn't one of them, but singing and being on stage and performing is who I am. And being in Glee club will, in no doubt, help me hone my skills which will be beneficial once I apply for college in the near future, as well as preparation on my way to stardom."
Once Rachel finished rambling, Santana was fighting back a grin while Brittany giggled, earning a glare from the brunette. Quinn had her eyebrow raised, a small smile on her lips.
They've always found it amusing when the small girl rambles to simply make a point. Although they were against Glee, they were happy for Rachel. At least she had found a place where she truly belongs.
"We won't settle to mediocrity, Rachel. We are worth more than that. You do understand, right?"
Those were Quinn's last words to her before things fell apart between the four of them. Actually, the trio's friendship remained intact. While Rachel...well...she slipped away. Although if people would look closer, it was her who was left behind.
Their friendship had somehow ended when the first slushie hit her face during the beginning of freshman year.
Laughter echoed throughout the hallway as she looked up to see her closest friends, each holding en empty cup of Gulp. While she stood there in utter shock, her friends wore different expressions. Quinn's was blank, but she could see her green eyes betrayed her. There was remorse in them. Santana couldn't look at her in the eyes so she just walked away as fast as she could. Brittany dropped her empty cup, her hands still shaking. Rachel could see the blonde's eyes shining with unshed tears. They were now wearing the red, black and white uniform that everybody respected. They were now part of the Cheerios. They had begun their way towards the top and nothing can stop them. Even if it meant losing a dear friend.
"A message from Stacey, freak." Quinn spoke the last word with coldness that could freeze the whole room. With that, she dragged the still shaking Brittany and walked off towards the direction Santana went.
Rachel was left, shivering. She wasn't sure if it was because of the cold beverage that was nor covering her body, or the coldness from Quinn's words. Maybe both.
Rachel never took it against them. She knew it was coming since that day in Quinn's room when she told them she was joining Glee. She couldn't find it in her heart to hate them though. She understood. Ever since they were little, she knew she was different from them. While the girls would attend dancing classes together in a prestigious studio, she would be spending her afternoon in an average dance class. The trio would have their own personal vocal coaches each, while Rachel would be attending group lessons.
Rachel saw the kindness in them. She saw the real them before popularity changed them. She always believed that no matter what they did to her, they were still that same people who had treated her fairly without judgment and accepted her for who she was. Rachel would look into their eyes, and she knew, they were still her best friends...just…hiding somewhere.
For every insulting words, for every slushie and bullying that she tormented every day, she would end her day with forgiveness even if they didn't ask for it. They had that kind of effect on her. They had a hold on her that they were probably not aware of, and they will forever be her weakness. She just couldn't let go of all the years that they had shared together.
Still, she's just a normal human being. Sometimes she couldn't help what she feels. Though she never despised the girls, there was a slight bitterness in her and the feeling of hurt because they had somehow abandoned her. They broke their promise and it crushed her heart.
But Rachel never stopped believing in them. She never stopped believing that someday, the trio would realize how much they had changed and their old selves would come out of their hiding place. And she really didn't want to stop believing.
She would mask her pain with a wide smile. She would wait to be alone before breaking down in tears. She would not show how much they were hurting her. Because right now that's all she could do. She would stay strong. For them.
Rachel watched as the trio stopped by their lockers, which was just beside each other. She was so lost in her thought that she didn't notice Karofsky and Azimio walking towards her, each holding a slushie.
"Stop your ogling, dyke!" Karofsky said as he threw his slushie, followed by Azimio.
Damn. She really needed to work on her subtleness.
Rachel gasped as she felt the ice cold corn syrup made contact on her face. She unconsciously licked her lips, cherry and grape. She took a deep breath as she wiped the cold beverage from her eyes. She could hear the laughter around her. But being in that situation for two years, she was more of annoyed than humiliated.
Neanderthals. When will they stop this childishness and grow up? She knew it would be easy for her to beat them up. However, she did promised her dad that she will stay out of trouble. And she had no intentions of stooping down to their level by devising pranks of her own. She was, after all, known to be mature for her age.
Besides, that's what the fight club was for. That's where she releases all her pent up frustrations and anger. She would simply imagine that she was beating up one of her bullies and it never failed to make her feel better despite of the bruises she afflicted from it. It was always worth the pain. The pain simply it kept her going, fueling the fire that had always been inside of her, just waiting to get released. And that's what she does every Friday night.
It was way better than talking to a therapist.
With a huff, she turned back to her locker. She spent a split second to gaze at the pictures once again. Looks like those pictures would be staying in her locker after all. She couldn't find herself to rip it out despite feeling the colored ice dripping down her face—a reminder of how the trio broke her. All of her.
She just couldn't.
Shaking her head, she took her Slushie kit and closed her locker with a loud bang. This was getting really tiresome. Why does it have to be red and purple? Their stains were the most difficult to remove.
As Rachel ran towards the girl's locker room, three pairs of eyes watched her until she disappeared around the corner.
Q/R/S/B/Q/R/S/B/Q/R/S/B/Q/R/S/B/Q/R/S/B/Q/R/S/B
"Q, I thought we talked about this. Since it's too suspicious to suddenly call off the taunting and slushie facials from the other popular kids, the least we can do is to stop insulting her," Brittany said, frowning at her friend's behavior. They had discussed over the summer how they could salvage their former friend from the torments of high school, in which, as much as it pained them to admit it; they also participated in more than one occasion.
"I know that!" Quinn snapped as she slammed her locker shut.
"Oh no. You did not just use that tone on Britt!"
"San, it's alright. Quinn is just having a bad day."
Quinn took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt a hand on her arm and she relaxed. She slowly opened her eyes to see Brittany holding her. Santana was still frowning but not as much. "I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean to take it out on you. It's just that….it's Finn."
Santana's frown deepened at the mention of the girl's boyfriend. Other than being the quarterback of the football team, she couldn't really find any other reason why Quinn was still with him. But then again, this was high school. Quinn and Finn were like a match made in heaven-quarterback and Head Cheerio-much to her dismay. "What did he do this time?" Santana asked with an irritated tone.
"Just the usual. Being an ass."
Before their conversation progressed, they heard a shriek from behind them. They looked at the source and the three of them wore the same pained expression once they saw Rachel Berry covered in slushie. They also didn't miss the derogatory term that Karofsky called her. Who wouldn't miss that anyway? He practically screamed it louder than their coach with a megaphone.
What an asshole.
They watched as the petite brunette ran off towards the locker room. Before they could stop her, Brittany was already on her way towards the same direction as Rachel.
"You know, I'm not graduating in this school without seeing Karofsky in misery."
Santana only nodded in agreement, already contemplating on how they were going to torture the jock.
Q/R/S/B/Q/R/S/B/Q/R/S/B/Q/R/S/B/Q/R/S/B/Q/R/S/B
Rachel stared at her reflection. Red and purple sticky fluid was all over her hair, face and sweater. She sighed as she began to undress and made her way towards the shower. Thank God for the showers in McKinley. At least, even if slushie facials are legal, the school still provided some kind of compensation for the lack of disciplinary action. Well, it's still wasn't as impressive as the Cheerio's locker (she remembered Brittany talking about it when they were newly recruited for the squad), but it was decent enough. If only they could get a heater for the showers. It was freezing!
Once she was done, she wrapped herself with a towel and stepped out of the shower. She made a beeline to her Slushie kit, took out her clean clothes and replaced them with the dirty ones. She stared at her slushie covered clothes and frown. A week after her first slushie, she had come to a realization that the attacks would not come to an end any time soon. That was why she never bothered to wear her more fashionable clothing anymore. It would just be a waste. She knew that the bullying wasn't just because of her bad taste in clothes, nor her being Glee captain. Kurt was a fashion guru and yet he still receives his daily dose of slushie facial.
It was all because she was gay. And proud of it, dare she say it. She never really needed to officially 'come out' in public. She has two fathers after all. And being in a place full of narrow-minded people, they simply assumed that she was gay too. It made things simpler for her but difficult at the same time.
Being gay and proud in Lima, Ohio was like walking in a field full of mines. With just one wrong step, it would blow and destroy her life with no point of recovery. She may be able to defend herself from physical harm, but she wasn't sure if she could do the same when it comes to her emotions. Other than her dads, there were only three people that she was comfortable showing her vulnerability with. And right now, they are kind of MIA.
Making sure that she was still alone, she dropped the towel around her body and stepped in to her underwear, followed by her bra. She was just zipping her skirt when she heard the door opened.
Appearing from around the corner of the lockers, Rachel was met with a pair of piercing blue eyes and her breath was literally taken away.
"Brittany," Rachel simply stated as a form of greeting once she got over her initial surprise. She had to admit that Brittany's mere presence was making her heart beat faster than normal. It's been a while since she'd been this close to the tall blonde.
"Hi Rachel," Brittany replied, smiling at the brunette as she stepped closer to the other girl. She placed her clasped hands behind her as she rocked on her heels, back and forth. She tilted her head to the side as she observed the petite girl in front of her.
Rachel felt her cheeks burn as Brittany blatantly scrutinize her from head to toe. She realized that she was still shirtless and she consciously crossed her arms in a defensive manner. She'd like to think that the blonde was there to use the facility, but considering that the Cheerios had their own locker room, it was safe to assume that the she actually followed her there. It was kind of baffling for her. Before the brunette could say anything, the blue eyed girl beat her to it.
"I'm sorry about Quinn. You know how she gets when she's having a bad day."
Rachel's jaw slightly dropped but she recovered quickly. For the second time within the past five minutes, Brittany surprised her. Surely, she wasn't there to simply apologize for Quinn's shortcomings. Quinn had been that way for the past two years, and this was the first time Brittany came to talk to her about it.
As if sensing Rachel's thoughts, the blonde spoke, "I also came here to check on you. I saw what happened at the hallway earlier. I would've been here sooner but I got held up by Sam," Brittany explained as she took another step closer to Rachel.
Alright. If earlier she was surprised, now she was utterly shocked. That, and combined with an unexplainable tightness in her stomach with the mention of the blonde's boyfriend.
"I'm fine, Brittany. Thank you for asking," Rachel replied as calmly as she could. She tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace with all the emotional turmoil that's going on with her. Being clad only with a bra and a skirt didn't help her situation at all, as well as the fact that Brittany had somehow managed to stand too close to her without her realizing it. The tall blonde was almost on her personal space now. The closeness surprised her, causing her to step back and she felt her back hit the cold metal of the lockers.
That's it. She was trapped.
"Are you sure? Your cheeks are all red," Brittany asked softly, taking another step towards the brunette. She cupped Rachel's cheek with one hand, feeling the warmth from the other girl's face, "And you're really hot."
Rachel felt her heart stopped beating all together. She wasn't sure if it was because of that small physical contact, or the fact that Brittany told her she was hot. The blonde could have meant that she was hot as in warm to touch, or hot hot. But seeing the smirk on the tall girl's face, she probably meant both.
Rachel's knees grew weak, eyes wide, as she leaned firmly on the locker for support.
"I-I...well...uhh..."
Oh my God! Rachel Berry? Stuttering? No way!
All of Rachel's coherent thoughts flew out the window as she stared at the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. She tried to rummage through her brain for words that she knew she had stored somewhere. There was supposed to be a lot of them! And yet, here she was, wide-eyed and speechless, and probably looking like a complete moron.
No wonder she never got herself a girlfriend. She had no game.
Rachel's thoughts were sent back to reality when she heard a soft giggle coming from the tall girl in front of her. Their faces were just a few inches apart now and all she could do was stare.
"You really are adorable when you have that thinking face."
Rachel opened and closed her mouth like a fish, thinking of how to respond at Brittany's statement.
Was she flirting with her?
Brittany Pierce? A Cheerio? One of the most popular girls in school? Girlfriend of school's running back?
Nah. Not a chance.
"You're doing it again."
Rachel scrunched her nose in confusion. "I have a thinking face?"
Brittany chuckled, a playful smile on her lips.
Of course. This was Brittany we're talking about. She had always been the playful one among their group. The playful kind that had no malice. Sometimes.
Rachel felt her cheeks getting warmer and stared back at Brittany. "I apologize, Britt," she started, unconsciously using the childhood nickname she had for the blonde as she relaxed a little. "I was just a little surprised to see you here. It's been a while and I wasn't really expecting this confrontation as I have gotten used to being alone...to fend for myself."
Rachel watched as the playful smile at the blonde's lips faltered and was replaced with a frown. Before the cheerleader could say anything, Rachel reached for the hand that was still on her cheek and hold on to it while gently leaning on the touch. She sighed as she felt the warmth from the blonde's palm.
"It's alright, Britt. You don't have to feel bad about it."
"But-" Brittany was cut off when the door burst open, revealing a brunette and another blonde.
Rachel jumped in surprise, releasing her hold on Brittany. She would've stepped back if only she wasn't trapped between the blonde and the lockers.
"Quinn, Santana." Rachel acknowledged the presence of the other two Cheerios, her voice sounding more of a squeak as the beating of her heart fastened once again. She wasn't sure if it was because of the presence of theUnholy Trinity in front of her-while shirtless-or because she was caught having a somewhat intimate moment with Brittany. It was nothing new to them...but it had been two years since the last time she got this close to any of them. It almost felt like foreign to her...but familiar at the same time.
The newly arrived Cheerios simply stared at the scene in front of them. The sight of Rachel only clad in a bra caught them off guard, not to mention that Brittany somehow was able to trap the small girl against the lockers. Rachel's hair was still dripping wet from the shower and they watched as her chest rise and fall in a rather fast rhythm.
It was just, well, hot.
And they tried not to stare at Rachel's half naked body. They really did. They heard Rachel cleared her throat, somehow breaking their Rachel's-naked-body-induced trance.
"Hey midget." Santana greeted, finally breaking the silence.
Rachel snapped her head towards the taller brunette. The absence of the usual viciousness on Santana's voice didn't go unnoticed by her. It sounded so casual. It was as if the girl who said it was Santana from two years ago, one of her best friends and not the Cheerio Santana who was feared by the whole student body. Her face seemed to be relaxed though Rachel could tell that the Latina's eyes were a little darker than the usual chocolate orbs as it stared at her up and down. It was almost as if Santana was checking her out.
Wait…what?
"What's with the thinking face?" Quinn asked, with her eyebrow raised.
Rachel furrowed her brows and scrunched her nose. Thinking face? "Why is everyone saying that?" She huffed as she crossed her arms.
Once again, the Cheerios were distracted as Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, her breasts pressing together as a result of her action. Brittany unconsciously licked her lips, Santana simply ogled without blinking and Quinn bit her bottom lip.
Silence.
You know that awkward moment when the three most beautiful girls in school that you had admired ever since childhood were simply staring at you while you were half naked and you could practically feel the heat burning your ears from embarrassment and you know, awkwardness?
Yeah. This was it. And she prayed that the ground would simply swallow her whole and to never spit her out. Ever.
Brittany was wearing that playful smile again. Santana was looking at her with amusement in her eyes. Quinn still had her eyebrow raised, a smile threatening to form on her lips.
"So..." Rachel said, a poor attempt at filling up the very awkward silence. Could she just emphasize that? Because, really, she couldn't find any another term to describe the situation right now. She found the tiles on the ground interesting all of a sudden, oblivious at the gawking girls. She rubbed the back of her neck, a nervous habit she couldn't seem to get away from.
Rachel's voice broke the spell that the Cheerios were currently under. A spell that she herself created without her knowing about it.
"Sure. You ready to go Britt?" Santana said nonchalantly, as if she didn't spend the last few minutes staring at someone's chest.
Rachel was startled when she realized how close Brittany was to her. For some reason, the blonde didn't even bother to step away from her when the two remaining members of the Unholy Trinity busted through the door. It was as if Brittany was expecting them to come in anytime.
"Sure." Brittany shrugged, moving away from the small brunette and towards her co-Cheerios.
Before the trio went out, Rachel was surprised when the Head Cheerio looked back at her and their eyes met.
"We'll see you later, Rae."
With that, Rachel was left alone to ponder on the warmth feeling that spread through her body when she heard her childhood nickname slipped the blonde's lips.
"I knew it. This year was going to be interesting."
Oh, I almost forgot. I only watched Season 1 of Glee and didn't really pay much attention to it. ;)
The continuation of this story will depend on the feedbacks I will receive. *hint* ^_^