Title: All the Lights are Coming On Now...
Author: an_an0maly
Summary: I don't feel like going home now, I wish that I could stay...
Pairing: Rachel/Quinn
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3,108 words
Author's Note: This was written for ... for the Geekret Santa. I'm really late, and I apologise because I really wanted to write two. I might get around to a second, but we'll see. Fic prompt was A Very Berry Christmas, Quinn keeps the baby.
"Do we really need to do this? We're going to be here for hours." Quinn whined as she rolled the stroller back and forth, lulling her daughter to sleep. Years of Christmases spent with two inebriated parents and hours of exchanging fake, drunk pleasantries had left Quinn despising the holiday season. She'd hoped her less than enthusiastic attitude would change now that she had a child to share it with. This was proven unlikely when she realised that her daughter had not yet grasped the concept of Christmas and probably wouldn't for at least another year.
Rachel glared at Quinn briefly. "Of course this is necessary. Every small child should have a photo taken with Santa each year," she said brushing a few strands of hair away from her face. "Although I'm Jewish, I had a photo taken every year until I was twelve," she paused to take a breath and look past the parent trying to restrain their squirming child in front of them. "Of course... almost all of them only feature me."
"Naturally," Quinn replied with a small grin as she watched Rachel start to remove her gloves, scarf and hat.
Rachel paused in her undressing to turn toward Quinn, eyeing her with confusion. "Why would I take a photo with Santa? Like I said, I'm Jewish. Technically, it was practice for when I eventually become famous." Rachel leaned down and reached into the stroller and stroked Charlie's soft brown hair. "And won't she just look absolutely adorable in her reindeer outfit up there on Santa's fat knee?" Rachel cooed in a high-pitched voice people tend to adopt when talking to small children.
Quinn giggled before pulling Rachel forward to place a soft kiss on her lips. "Oh!" Rachel exclaimed, her hands flying up as she pulled away from the kiss. "I almost forgot. I brought provisions." And with that, she opened up her handbag and dug out small containers of food, a sparkly pink iPod, a book of Sudoku and the latest edition of 'US Weekly' Magazine.
Quinn raised an eyebrow at the magazine. "US Weekly?" She questioned in a disbelieving tone.
"Research," was Rachel's automatic reply.
Three hours later, Rachel and Quinn shuffled through the door pushing the stroller in front of them. The fireplace had been lit and the house was warm and inviting - a drastic change from the snow and ice they'd experienced outside.
Rachel's father, Abe, rushed down the hallway toward them in excitement. "Did you get it? Did you get it?" He questioned, bouncing from foot to foot, his hands wringing a blue and white chequered tea towel. Quinn's eyes widened in slight fear before turning to check if Rachel was experiencing the same reaction to her father's over enthusiasm.
Rachel practically squealed, causing Quinn to take a slight step back away from father and daughter. "Oh Daddy, she looks adorable! I did try to convince them to allow for the customary eight poses and three costume changes that we'd discussed, but they said it wasn't fair to make the other children jealous, so we were only able to take three shots in the reindeer outfit."
"Oh, poo." Her dad replied with a frown, his hands dropping to his sides, almost all the excitement leaving his body.
"Wow," Quinn whispered, before warily unwrapping her scarf from around her neck. She watched as Rachel pulled out a portfolio from inside her handbag and couldn't help but wonder if Rachel had tracked down and stolen Mary Poppins' handbag.
Quinn allowed herself to be distracted by her daughter who was stretching her arms up out of the stroller and whimpering. Quinn knelt down and unstrapped Charlie before lifting her out of the stroller and setting her on her unsteady feet. She held onto her daughter's hips to help steady her before unzipping the little pink jacket and pulling off the excess layers to hang them up on the many hooks that adorned the entrance hall.
Quinn ignored the cooing and exclamations of adorableness from Rachel and her dad and led her daughter down the hall and into the kitchen where Rachel's other father was cooking up a storm in preparation of tomorrow's festivities.
"Do you need any help?" Quinn asked as she led her daughter toward one of the corners of the kitchen where a play area was set up. A box of toys and a play mat sat with a small desk and chair pushed up against the wall.
"No, no. You spend some time with the little munchkin." Robert replied with a smile while waving a zucchini in her direction. Quinn grinned before sitting down next to her daughter. She reached for the box of toys, one of many strategically placed around the house, and pulled out a few cars, some soft toys and books for them to play with.
"How did the photo go?" Robert asked as he poked his head around the corner where he could still hear and see Rachel and Abe gushing over the photos.
Quinn rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you can guess. Rachel had three different outfits to put her in. My child is going to be traumatized, I'm sure." She turned back to her daughter who was pointing at the pictures in her Spot Goes to School book and naming the animals.
"Unky. Gagator," she exclaimed with every new character. Quinn ran her hand over her daughter's head, her fingers threading through the milk chocolate tresses.
"And to think, I managed to talk her down from six costume changes." Robert replied with a grin as he grated the zucchini.
Quinn had a quick glimpse into her future. With wide eyes she turned to Robert. "She's going to be like this with all our kids, isn't she?"
"Only if you hold onto her for long enough," he said with a wink.
Quinn blushed and looked away as her heart skipped a beat. She'd been living with Rachel for over a year now. It had happened by accident though. After Rachel had revealed Charlie's true paternity, Mrs. Hudson had been equal parts relieved and disappointed. She'd allowed Quinn to continue living with them, but Finn couldn't handle the betrayal and after just two months, Quinn was homeless again. Quinn packed her belongings and vacated the premises with Mrs Hudson's protests ringing in her ears.
She spent two weeks at Brittany's place while she tried to work out what to do next. Her salvation came in the form of Robert Berry while standing in the frozen foods section of Ray's Market trying to decide which the healthier option was; Curly Fries or Tater Tots.
"Buy them both." Robert had whispered from over her shoulder with a secretive grin.
Quinn whipped her head around so fast she almost gave herself whiplash. "Excuse me?" She asked, her right hand moving to cover her rapidly expanding belly.
Robert cocked his head to the side, "In my experience, cravings generally need to be fed, so buy them both."
Quinn blushed and averted her gaze to the trolley she'd been pushing which only contained a few items. "I, uh, I only need one of them," she replied with embarrassment over the fact she could barely afford enough food for her and the baby. Her parents had completely cut her off and refused to help her out even with bare essentials. The Tater Tots or Curly Fries were to be her treat for the week.
Robert Berry reached into the freezer and pulled out three bags of Tater Tots and three bags of Curly Fries. He placed them in his own trolley and shut the freezer door. "Now what am I going to do with all this potato goodness?" He asked with a grin.
Quinn rolled her eyes. "I don't need charity, thank you." And with that she turned on her heel and began to walk away.
"Oh no, honey. Quinn Fabray is no charity case." Robert said with a frown and a shake of his head.
Quinn stopped and turned to look at this stranger. She took a few seconds to look him over. He looked vaguely familiar but she just couldn't quite place him. "You know who I am?"
Robert grinned before looking her up and down in a speculative way. "Baby doll dress with cardigan, gold cross around your neck, blonde curls no shorter than your shoulders... You've hardly changed since you were five and pushing Rachel over in the sand box."
Quinn flushed with embarrassment and averted her gaze to the linoleum floor. She knew exactly who this strange man was. "Hi, Mr Berry. I'm sorry I didn't recognise you. It's been a long time." Years of proper etiquette shoved down her throat seemed to be the only thing she was grateful to her parents for giving her.
"It's Robert, and I think we have lots of catching up to do." And before Quinn knew what was happening, Robert had taken the meagre items from her cart and placed them in his and they were walking away from the freezers and into the dairy aisle, his arm looped through hers.
A week later and Quinn was moving in, baby bump and bags in tow.
"Oh, my goodness. Dad! You have to see Charlie's Santa photos. They're amazing. We might have another star in the family. We've got a spare frame, right? We'll put it right up on the mantle, for everyone to see." Rachel's rambling interrupted Quinn's thoughts. She watched her girlfriend's face light up with excitement and pride and Quinn couldn't ignore the way her heart literally ached at the beautiful sight.
"Momma..." A little voice called from her right. Quinn turned her head to find little Charlie standing in front of her with a toy car between her small, delicate hands. "Huggle?" The little girl asked.
Quinn grinned before quickly wrapping her arms around her daughter, pulling her close and kissing her neck. She made fake chomping noises which made Charlie giggle.
"Leave some Charlie Chicken for the rest of us!" Rachel called out from the kitchen counter where she was now helping her Dad chop and grate vegetables.
"No! She's all mine!" Quinn called back before she pulled her daughter to the ground and began tickling her.
Childish laughter filled the kitchen and Robert couldn't help but catch his husband's teary gaze at the doorway.
Christmas Day arrived in a flurry of activity. From the second they'd woken up, Abe had put them all to work. The dining room needed to be oragnised, the table set, the turkey needed a place in the oven and all before 10 o'clock. Quinn managed to get out of the madness for half an hour while she bathed and dressed Charlie, but once Charlie was settled down in front of the television watching Funny Girl, she was thrust back in.
Now, not three hours later, Quinn looked around the decorated dining room watching all of Rachel's relatives talking and laughing and wearing obligatory paper Christmas hats with pride. Charlie was being entertained by two of Rachel's younger cousins down by the Christmas tree topped with a small plastic Menorah instead of a star. She felt Rachel step up behind her, followed by a warm, comforting hand pressing into her lower back.
"You ok?" Rachel asked softly, her head turned toward Quinn. She let her thumb gently caress the soft material of Quinn's red Christmas dress.
Quinn nodded her head. She bit her lip trying to hold back her emotions. Although she'd been living here for over a year, this was her first Christmas/Hanukkah with the Berry's. Last year, her parents had requested her presence for the family holiday. She and Charlie had spent over 24 hours from Christmas Eve to the end of Christmas Day with her parents. Nothing had been different from Christmases past. There had been alcohol a plenty and insults disguised as compliments. A regular Fabray Christmas. At the end of their stay, Quinn had kindly informed her parents she and Charlie would not be attending any other 'family' gatherings.
This year, Abe and Robert had been over the moon to hear the Fabray girls were to be present for the annual festivities. Quinn hadn't been sure she could handle all of Rachel's family in one sitting, but looking around at the love and acceptance that filled the room caused a tear to slide down her cheek. This is what Christmas was supposed to feel like.
"Hey... It's ok. They don't bite. Well, my cousin Jacob does, but he's five." Rachel said wrapping her arm around Quinn and pulling her close.
Quinn grinned and quickly wiped away the tear slowly sliding down her cheek. "They're happy tears, I promise."
"Good, because Bubbe wants to talk to you." Rachel said gently, cocking her head to the side in an invitation for Quinn to follow her. Rachel grabbed hold of Quinn's wrist and began to pull her toward a small, little, old lady sitting at the head of the table overlooking her family.
Quinn dug her feet into the carpet and pulled back on her arm. "What?! I can't go over there. She's going to kill me." Quinn whispered trying to break away and out of Rachel's tight grip.
Rachel rolled her eyes and practically yanked on Quinn's arm, dragging the blonde behind her. "She just wants to meet you properly. She's not going to kill you."
"It's not you that deflowered her granddaughter!" Quinn whispered as she tried to yank her wrist back. Rachel's small hands held tighter.
"And I'm supposed to be the drama queen." Rachel replied with a second roll of her eyes. Rachel moved herself behind Quinn and began pushing her forward.
"I'm going to kill you." Quinn muttered as she planted a smile on her face eyeing Rachel's grandmother who was waving at her to move closer.
"Scaredy-cat." Rachel whispered with a grin before giving her girlfriend a small push toward her grandmother. She glanced back at Quinn as she made her way to stand with her Daddy. "Bubbe isn't going to kill her, is she?" She asked with a pinch of doubt in her voice.
Abe shook his head. "No... not in front of the little ones," he replied with a wink before moving toward the kitchen to bring out a few more platters of food.
"Oh God." Rachel whispered as she watched Bubbe motion for Quinn to take the seat to her right.
"Do you love her?" Rachel's grandmother asked before taking a sip of water. She eyed the young blonde to her right for a few seconds. As the matriarch for the family, it was her job to ensure all her children and grandchildren were happy.
"I... I do love her." Quinn answered, her hands wringing together in her lap. Her knuckles were white and her palms were clammy.
Esther knew the effect she was having on this young girl, and she knew it cruel to test her, but she needed to know if this was someone that would make her shining star sparkle. "And what makes you think you're good enough for her?" Esther asked, head cocked to the side.
Quinn's brow furrowed and her nervousness washed away. Quinn didn't know who this woman thought she was but she wasn't going to sit idly by while this woman judged her. "And what makes you think you can judge my character from one conversation?"Quinn asked, her arms now crossed over her chest and her steely gaze focused on the old lady in front of her.
Esther sniffed and looked Quinn over. "Interesting," she murmured.
"Excuse me?" Quinn asked, her back ramrod straight. She'd had just about enough of this very short and intrusive conversation. Rachel's grandmother could go screw herself, for all she cared.
Esther let a small smile grow on her face. "You have a fire about you. I find it interesting." Esther moved her gaze to the three small children on the floor near the base of the Christmas tree. "I hear that's your daughter."
Quinn's gaze narrowed on the old lady. If this woman thought she could intimidate her by discussing her daughter, she had picked the wrong person. Growing up a Fabray taught her many things; one of which was how to verbally spar with someone who thought they were better than you. "Got something to say about her, too?"
Esther let out a short laugh, "Oh dear... I see I've stepped on your toes." She waved a hand between them as if trying to wave away the conversation. "She's gorgeous. Jewish father?" she commented, watching Charlie very carefully.
Quinn let confusion settle over her face for a few seconds. What the heck was going on, here? "...Yes, he's Jewish." Quinn slowly replied bristling slightly in her seat. Her hands were still clenched but she didn't want to let on how tense she was.
Esther winked at her before turning back to watch the children. "I can always tell these things."
Quinn and Esther sat in silence for a few seconds just watching the children play. Jacob and Delilah had started teaching Charlie a few Yiddish words and Quinn couldn't help but let a small smile cross her face as her daughter stumbled over the new language. Quinn heard Rachel call for Charlie who was quickly up on her feet and toddling as fast as she could toward Rachel's open arms.
"I think you're very brave to make this choice." Esther commented suddenly. Her voice was soft and laced with a sorrow Quinn thought she might understand. "I love my granddaughter very much. She's going to be famous one day. I know it with every fibre of my being. She needs someone beside her who is going to keep her grounded, but challenge her. She can't be contained or controlled." There was a break in her speech as she watched her granddaughter play with Charlie. "Do you think you could be that person?"
Quinn followed Esther's gaze and her heart swelled as she watched Rachel twirl her daughter around in circles, the pair giggling loudly. She didn't know what the future would bring, but she knew she wanted Rachel to be a part of it. "I... if she wants me to be."
Esther let out a belly laugh. "Oh my dear, she definitely wants that."
Quinn shot her a look, asking her how she could have that kind of knowledge.
"A grandmother always knows these things." Esther watched as a shy smile lit up Quinn's face. Placing a hand on Quinn's forearm, she met the girl's gaze head on. "Welcome to the family."