A/N: This is my first so please be nice. But constructive criticisms are always appreciated!
Sadly I do not own Glee or its characters. The stuff in bold and italics are direct from the show quotes and also not mine.
This is kind of a set up chapter with a lot of filler. They're on their way to Nationals in NYC and it's a few weeks after the Funeral break up. The Fuinn past is a lil different than the show but I'll explain when it comes up again. Not sure how long this is or really where its headed yet but I have already started next chapter and will probably be sharing the point-of-view between both Finn and Quinn.
A light mist hung in the air as Quinn Fabray pulled her brand new black Fusion into the parking lot of William McKinley High School and stepped out of the car, popping open the trunk. It had been a gift from her father to try and make up for all the drama that had unfolded the year before and Quinn hadn't wanted to take it but her mother had insisted reminding her that her current car was on the verge of dying and they'd have to replace it soon anyways. Much to Quinn's dismay her mother was slowly letting her father back into their lives and Quinn knew it was only a matter of time before Judy Fabray crumbled and did something drastic like call off the divorce, or ask him to move back in with them. She'd always been a weak person and had never done well on her own and Quinn could tell she missed having him around although for the life her she couldn't understand why. Pushing those thoughts aside she moved to her trunk and glanced around the nearly empty parking lot.
A few cars down she could see most of the Glee Club standing in a group next to a large white passenger van, a pile of luggage on the ground waiting to be loaded. She saw Mr. Schuester talking on his cell phone, as he tossed his jacket onto the driver's seat he and gave her a small wave. Noticing her arrival Sam, Mike, Santana, and Tina broke away from the group and began to make their way towards her. Behind them Quinn could see they weren't the only ones who had noticed she was there. A little off to the left of the group Rachel stood talking with Blaine, Kurt, Mercedes, and of course Finn, who was watching as the two couples made their way towards her. Wearing a McKinley High football hoodie and jeans, his hair still mused from sleeping and the tell-tale "I just woke up" look in his eyes, Quinn felt her heart contract painfully. He'd been hers just two short weeks ago. She had woken up to his sleepy brown eyed gaze and had run her fingers through his soft brown hair. And felt as though her life couldn't have been more perfect than it was at that moment. How wrong she had been.
They'd gotten up and Finn had gone home to get ready for the funeral. He picked her up and held her hand on the drive to the church. It was a sunny day and there was a light breeze floating around as people made their way into the church. They'd sat in the front row together with the rest of the Glee club and listened as Sue started to give her speech but broke down unable to continue, they sang Jean's favorite song and then Finn had brushed a hand against her cheek and said he would meet her in the truck. During the funeral clouds had rolled in covering up the sun's warm golden glow and the light breeze had turned chilly she noticed as she made her way across the parking lot. Climbing into the car she apologized for being late and placed her hand over Finn's, "You did such a great job with the funeral. I'm so proud of you." He had given her a half hearted smile and she had noticed the tear stains on his cheeks. "Why are you crying," she had asked afraid to hear the answer.
"Because I'm breaking up with you," he had whispered trying to keep his voice steady and failing.
"Because of Rachel? Because you still love her?" Quinn asked slowly pulling her hand away from his not really wanting to know the answer but unable to stop herself from asking all the same.
"I shouldn't have done this with you. I thought I could fix everything from last year but I- I can't, I just can't and that feeling that Sue was talking about in there, that being tethered to someone, I- I just don't feel that way about you."
"But you do with her?" she'd asked again, still waiting for an answer. But he just sat there his eyes fixed anywhere but on her. Struggling to keep herself together she'd pressed on in the wake of his silence. "No. We're not breaking up. I can handle your confusion about Rachel until you get over it. We're gonna stay together and next year we're gonna be Prom King and Queen and-"
"Just stop it, ok? I don't want that life," He'd cut across her sharply finally turning to face her. "Don't you feel anything anymore? This is real. This is happening."
Unable to stop it her eyes had welled with tears and as one slid down her cheek she slowly looked over at him completely broken and had replied, "Are you happy now? Is this me feeling enough for you?" She could see his harsh look slowly fading realizing how much he was hurting her and he had begun to reach out for her already beginning to apologize, "Quinn. I'm sorry. I still love-" But she'd had enough. She couldn't sit there any longer and let him lie that he still loved her. She was ready to completely collapse and she couldn't let him see. She'd backed away and yelled out, "Just don't touch me!" Before she'd bolted for the car and ran through the parking lot. It had started like just another day but at the end she'd lost the one thing she couldn't stand to lose, her heart.
Brushing the unwelcome memories aside and quickly turning away and avoiding eye contact she pulled her suitcase and carry-on out of the trunk and pushed it closed just as the couples reached her.
"Morning, Lady," Tina smiled giving her a hug as Mike waved and Sam offered her a smile before taking her bag and heading back towards the van to add it to the pile that Puck, Lauren, and Mr. Schue were now working on loading.
"Morning," Quinn smiled in return as she looped her arms through an arm of each girl and began walking towards the rest of the group.
"You ready for this, Fabray," Santana asked looking over at her as they walked.
Quinn knew she was referring to the competition but as she neared the group she couldn't help but glance in Finn's direction before taking a deep breath and answering trying to keep her tone breezy as though she didn't actually care, "For everything except the flight."
Since Terri had gotten the group upgraded first class tickets to make up for almost sabotaging the whole trip and that meant only two people to a row, Mr. Schue decided to have the kids sit alphabetically to avoid any arguments about where people were sitting and who they would be seated with. And for most members of the club it worked out perfectly. Kurt and Mercedes were together, as were Santana and Brittany, and Puck and Lauren. And of course as chaperone Mr. Schue was in one of last two first class seats but unfortunately for Quinn alphabetical seating meant she would be spending the entire flight seated next to Finn. The same Finn who had dumped her just two weeks ago after a funeral because he was pretty sure he was still in love with, or at least still had feelings for, someone else. And that someone else, one Rachel Berry, would be seated in the seat directly in front of her. When she had found out about this arrangement Quinn had seriously debated asking her mother to get her a seat on another flight. But that wasn't her style. She was Quinn Fabray after all she didn't run and hide although at the moment she couldn't help but wish she were that kind of person. Santana and Tina each squeezed her arms bracingly before letting go and joining the rest of the club in the now fully loaded up van.
The check-in line for their airline had been fairly short and even though there were fifteen people with fifteen bags to get checked it took a surprisingly short amount of time. As the group made their way to the security check point line Quinn had made sure to keep as many people between her and Finn as possible. Santana was in front of her helping Brittany get her stuff ready to go through the scanner, explaining what she needed to remove from her bag and where to put her jacket and shoes as Brittany had never flown before. In front of them were Artie and Sam, who had volunteered to help Artie through security. Behind her Blaine and Kurt were chatting animatedly about everything they were going to do once they arrived and behind them were Tina, Mike and Mr. Schue. The rest of the Glee Club was in front of the three former Cheerios with Rachel in the lead followed closely by Mercedes, Finn, Puck, and Lauren.
Stepping up to the table and grabbing the nearest bin Quinn removed her iPad from its case in her purse and placed it inside along with her bag of liquids and bent down to remove her boots. "He keeps glancing back at you," Santana murmured next to her as she too began slipping off her shoes. Straightening up and placing her boots in a new bin Quinn carefully turned her head as little as possible in his direction and saw that Santana was right.
Standing just beyond the security scanner grabbing his belongings from the conveyor belt she could see Finn with his head turned her direction, watching her. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second before he quickly turned away as Rachel came up to him smiling brightly. Turning back to Santana and undoing her belt at her waist she made sure to keep her expression neutral before shrugging her shoulders as if to say 'who cares'. She then tossed her belt in the bin along with her boots and pushed them all onto the conveyor belt before moving to step through the scanners. Watching her go the Latina merely raised an eyebrow but knew better than to push the issue.
Once the whole club had made it through security and regrouped at the gate Mr. Schue reminded them all that boarding would begin in a little less than two hours and then watched as his Glee Club headed off in small groups in every direction to get coffee, gum, magazines, and breakfast. He settled himself into a seat by the windows with quite a few of the students' bags scattered on the floor around him and pulled out the day's paper.
Santana, Sam, Artie, and Brittany headed towards the Coney Island they'd seen a little ways down for breakfast beckoning Quinn to join them but she waved them off and pointed towards the Starbucks halfway down the terminal in the opposite direction. She knew the couples wanted a little time together before the flight and she hadn't been the greatest company the last couple of weeks anyways so she let them go without her. She watched as they joined Lauren and Puck at a table before heading down the terminal. She waved at Mercedes, Blaine and Kurt as they stood at a display table of a Borders Express scrutinizing the latest bestsellers and as she passed and could hear Kurt and Mercedes arguing about Harry Potter and Twilight again. Smiling to herself she continued down the bright galley-style terminal and glanced into the next gift shop she passed, inwardly wondering who bought souvenirs from a boring place like Ohio. She noticed Mike, Tina and Rachel were perusing a magazine rack near the front of the shop and before she really even thought about it she had stopped and started looking around the small cluttered shop for Finn. Hard to miss as always, standing a head taller than most the people around him she saw Finn walking aimlessly around the shop as he waited, picking up items at random before quickly replacing them and continuing to mosey around. She could practically feel the boredom coming off him in waves and almost smiled before she realized what she was doing. Mentally shaking herself she continued walking.
Reaching the Starbucks she got in line and glanced at the menu unnecessarily. She always ordered the same thing, a grande Hazelnut latte with soy because she hated milk. She felt someone get in line behind her but paid them no attention until a voice spoke from behind her, a familiar voice that said one word, "Hey."
Jumping slightly at the sound she briefly pressed her eyes closed and willed herself to remain calm, neutral, and indifferent. "Hey," she responded nonchalantly.
"How long are you going to keep avoiding me, Quinn," he asked quietly as the line moved forward and she could practically see him shifting his weight from one foot to the other like he always did when he was nervous. She rolled her shoulders slightly but gave no response, she couldn't. She didn't trust herself to talk to him. She prided herself on being unreadable, on keeping her emotions to herself so she couldn't get hurt but with him, especially after everything they'd been through it was getting harder and harder to hide how she was feeling, how much she was hurting. "I miss you," he added even quieter after a few more moments of silence. So quiet, she might not have heard him if her whole body hadn't been completely attuned to everything he did when he was so close.
As those three words washed over her she could feel her resolve cracking. It would be so easy just to turn and fly into his arms and pretend nothing had changed. But it had. Everything had. He had left her for Rachel again and she was left broken hearted and picking up the pieces. She wasn't going to let that happen another time. She knew he just felt guilty to see her alone. Finn hated feeling like the bad guy. But he wanted Rachel now, not her and as much as it hurt she had to let him go. So steeling herself she turned around sharply to face the one person she had been trying all morning to avoid, Finn Hudson.