A/N: I will be the first to admit that I'm not a Quinn fan, but her character is still really interesting, and again I will be the first to admit that I hate Finn and Quinn together, I'm a Finn and Rachel fan for life. But that aside this is a little one shot that popped into my head, it's a Quinn character study but it also has doses of one sided Fuinn, background Finchel and a little Quick thrown in there.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, Glee belongs solely to Ryan Murphy and FOX
Glee!
i
The first time Quinn calls him, she can't bear to hear it ring, she hangs up as soon as the dial tone begins to make that awful ringing sound. She curses as she cowardly hits the end button, and the throws her phone angrily across her dorm room. It hits the wall with a forceful slam, falling to the floor in three pieces. Quinn's attention leaves her phone and focus's on her calender on the wall, the date today circled in red, 'May 13' this date was the reason for all of her problems. It was the exact date that her and him had first gotten together, but it was also the day they broke up.
"Why did I ever break you." She mutters, letting a tear slip over her lashes and splash delicately on her complexion. She knew that it was her fault that they weren't together anymore, but she couldn't help herself.
Finn Hudson would be her's again.
ii
The summer after her freshman year in college she goes home. Her mother is the only one she informs, who delightedly tells Quinn that she's welcome anytime. For the first couple weeks home, she doesn't leave the house, only talking to her mother. She had received a couple text messages from her roommate but other then that she was basically cut off from the world.
When the fourth of July rolled around her mother practically had to kick her out of the house in order to convince her to go to the fireworks. Quinn wasn't in the mood, knowing there was a great possibility of people from high school being there. That sparked an idea.
"Will Finn be there?" She asked casually, when her mother mentioned running into Carole at the grocery store.
"I don't know, she mentioned him being home, but I don't know if he will be attending the fireworks." Quinn frowned, this probably meant that he wouldn't be going.
That night Quinn went to the park, the typical spot to watch fireworks and noticed that the party was in full swing, someone had even brought a keg, this made her think of Puck. She meandered over the keg, casually taking a red up and filling it. She looked around, not recognizing anybody except for a couple people that had been below her in high school. Then she spotted a rather familiar haircut.
"Noah Puckerman." She said when she reached the guy with the mohawk. Puck turned and saw Quinn, a small playing on his lips.
"Quinn Fabray." He replied, bringing Quinn in for a hug. The two had become good friends over their senior year, putting everything with Beth behind them.
She ended up spending the entire night with Puck, they talked about their respective college experiences, their dating lives (they both happened to be single) and some of their old friends from high school. Turns out Kurt and Blaine were still together, Brittany and Santana had finally gotten together and Tina and Artie had reunited. After avoided the subject of all but two people, Quinn needed answers.
"Heard anything from Finn?" She asked casually, seeing a look cross Puck's face. Puck shook his head, saying something about Finn just coming home this past week. Apparently he had spent some time New York.
"What about Rachel." Puck said something about how him and Rachel were still good friends and talked to each other on the phone about once and month, she was having a great time in New York.
Quinn's face fell. Finn had just come back from New York, Rachel was living in New York. No Finn and Rachel had broken up over the summer, something about long distance. Finn was probably just seeing the city. Nothing to worry about.
Right?
iii
The second time she calls she lets it ring, preparing herself to hear the sound of his voice. The one voice that seemed to make her knees weak. She smiled slightly to herself, a tickle rising in her stomach, this would be the first time they would be speaking in almost two years. After three rings she hears someone answer the phone.
"Hello?" He asks, confused. She sighs, listening carefully to his voice, that sweet voice, she hears a rustling of papers in the background and she imagines him in his dorm room hunched over a desk, trying to accomplish his homework, this brings a smile to her lips.
"Finn? Finn Hudson?" She asks as though she has to confirm who she's talking to. She had told herself that she would act like she was calling to wish him a happy birthday. His birthday had occurred a couple days ago, on the eleventh.
"Yeah, who's this?" She can practically see his eyebrows stitch together in confusion. His questioning brings a frown to Quinn's face, this isn't how this conversation was supposed to go, he was supposed to recognize her voice. 'Finn who is it?' she hears a girl say in the background. This makes Quinn frown even more as she connects the voice to a picture in the background.
"Wrong number, sorry." She mutters hastily before hanging up the phone. Her worst nightmare was coming true, but she refused to let that upset her.
Rachel and Finn were together, in Finn's dorm room, was that even allowed?
iv.
Her roommate questions why she calls him, why she puts up with the torture of hearing her ex boyfriends voice, when he was halfway across the country. She shrugs slightly, not because she doesn't want to tell, or it's something private, it's because she herself doesn't know why she does it. She can't quite piece together what possess her to call her ex boyfriend once a year. Her roommate says she needs to get over him, but Quinn doesn't think that's possible.
"He's my first love, first loves are forever." Quinn states simply after days of interrogation. Her roommate babbles on about how he's moved on so she should too, and that sure she'll probably always love him but that doesn't mean their supposed to be together. Quinn ignores these warnings because she knows their soul mates.
Quinn's gotten Finn away from Rachel before, Finn loved her first and Quinn's not going to let him forget that. Who says she can't tear him away from Rachel again.
v
The third time she calls him, it's drizzling outside, this brings a small smile to her face. She's outside in the quad enjoying the peace and quiet of the slightly overcast day. She feels a joy build up inside her, this time she was going to let the phone ring and actually speak to Finn. She dials the familiar number, feeling a small spark each time her finger hits a number.
"Hello, Finn Hudson's phone." A rather chipper Rachel Berry answers. Quinn scowls, this was not how this was supposed to go. Finn was supposed to be upset that him and Rachel were over and Quinn was supposed to comfort her. Rachel was not supposed to be answering Finn's phone.
"Hello, may I speak to Finn?" Quinn asked, hoping that Rachel wouldn't question her identity. Quinn knew that the girl had every right to question a mysterious women calling her boyfriend but that didn't stop Quinn from hoping.
"Quinn!" Rachel squeals into the phone, causing Quinn to wince. Of course Rachel would be able to identify the former cheerio who had been with Rachel in glee club for nearly three years.
"Rachel is that you?" Quinn asked bitterly, though Rachel doesn't seem to notice.
"Yeah, listen, Finn's in the shower, but I'll be happy to leave him a message for you." Rachel says and Quinn grimaces, Rachel's there and Finn's in the shower. Unless they're not in a dorm room then Quinn's pretty sure what they're doing is against the rules.
"I just wanted to wish him a happy birthday." Quinn says simply, which is kind of true. She can practically feel Rachel beam through the phone.
"I'll make sure to let him know. Do you have a call back number?" Rachel asks, and Quinn call hear paper being rustled in the background. Quinn frowns, Finn doesn't have her number, it hasn't changed since high school. Quinn spits out her number coldly.
"Well, thank you so much for calling, I'll let Finn know." Rachel says, her sounding slightly farther away. Quinn can hear something else moving and imagines Finn standing there in nothing but a towel. Oh how Quinn would like to see that.
"Thanks." Quinn said, hanging up, cutting of Rachel's goodbye. Quinn feels like screaming, she couldn't believe that after all this time Finn hadn't ditched Rachel.
She waits for a couple minutes waiting for a call back from Finn but doesn't get one. An image of Finn and Rachel making out, Finn in nothing but a towel, flashes across her mind, and she feels vomit curling in her stomach. After nearly 15 minutes of waiting she gets a text.
Finn: Thanks Quinn (:
It was simple, but Finn was simple. Quinn smiled, but didn't text back, she figured that this would drive Finn crazy and he would call.
Too bad he never did.
vi.
The summer before Quinn's senior year was one to remember. She returned home once again, this time though she actually wanted to see all of her old friends, she wanted to see Kurt, Mercedes, Puck, she would even be happy if she ran into Santana. But the person she really wanted to see was Finn. They still hadn't officially spoken over the phone, and they had only exchanged texts a few times, but she could feel that this time would be different.
As soon as she arrived home and visited with her mom for a couple minutes she sent Finn a text, asking him if he wanted to meet for some coffee. He texted back almost right away, saying he would love to and he would meet her at the Lima Bean in a half an hour. She beamed, tossing herself onto her bed. Maybe this time him and the dwarf were actually over.
She arrived at the coffee place about 5 minutes early, taking a seat by the window, so she could see when he arrived. She refused to order anything until he arrived, so she just sat there, observing the atmosphere. She was upset that she never really visited the coffee shop during high school, it was so cozy. After about tem minutes, she saw a tall man walk towards the door and enter the coffee shop.
"Finn!" Quinn shrieked, jumping from her seat and running towards him at full force, luckily he spotted her quickly enough to catch her so she didn't tumble to the ground. She beamed up and him and he smiled that crooked half smile that made her weak in the knees. She lead him to the table she had been occupying and they both ordered their coffee.
"So how have you been?" Quinn asked, unable to wipe the huge smile from her face. Finn looked different, but a good different, he had a little bit of scruff and his hair was a little longer but he looked as cute as ever.
"Good, and what about you Ms. Fabray?" Finn questioned a smirk creeping up on his face. Quinn giggled and bit her lip nervously. 'Keep it together Quinn' she told herself.
"I've been good, I missed everyone though, especially you." She said and he smiled, obviously happy with her answer. The waitress returned with their drinks and Finn grinned in appreciation, the waitress giggled slightly, causing Finn to blush.
'Back off sister!' Quinn said in her head, but he wasn't actually with her so she had no reason to be jealous, yet that is.
"Yeah, I've missed everyone too, even you." He said, she knew that he was just kidding so she grinned slightly. She missed this, them talking, hanging out, the way he made her feel, and hopefully he missed all those things about her as well.
"So, you seeing anyone?" She questions, nonchalantly, she's really hoping that he'll sadly shake his head, and say something about how it could never work with other girls, because he wasn't over her. Expect he doesn't.
"Yeah, I'm still with Rachel, actually we just got engaged." He said, the biggest smile she's ever seen stretching across his face. She feels like screaming, or crying, they're engaged! This wasn't supposed to be how the story played out, he was supposed to be depressed and she was supposed to comfort him.
"Oh." Was the only response she could say without bursting out into tears. Luckily before either could say anymore, Quinn's cell phone beeped, signaling a incoming text message. She smiled a sad smile when she saw the name.
Kurt: Quinnie! We must go shopping to celebrate, actually 'Cedes and I are at the mall right now, wanna meet?
Quinn lets out a small giggle, immediately responding, 'I would love to, I'll see you in 10'. She looks at Finn, who looks confused. She gives him a sad smile muttered a small apology before storming out of the café, tears threatening to spill over.
Why was this happening? Finn was supposed to be with her, she knew that, Finn should know that, and Quinn had made sure that Rachel knew that. So why wasn't that what was happening?
Why couldn't she see that Finn had moved on.
vii
Spring was in the air when Quinn called Finn for the fourth time. She was packing up the last of her boxes, preparing for that weekends graduation ceremony. Quinn was salutatorian of her class, and was being honored at the ceremony. She sat on her now stripped bed, the only thing sitting on it was the invitation she had received in the mail the day before.
'You have been cordially invited to the wedding of Rachel Barbra Berry and Finn Christopher Hudson' was the bright blue headline on the thick piece of paper. Underneath was a picture of Finn and Rachel, that Quinn noticed was actually from Nationals their senior year, and all the wedding information. The date was set for exactly two months from now.
"Hey Quinn." Finn said simply when he answered the phone. "Listen now's not really a good time, can you call back later?" Quinn could hear Puck and Kurt arguing about something in the background, Finn was most likely at a fitting for a tuxedo.
"No, this is important, I got the invitation in the mail, and I don't think I'll be able to make it, I'm sorry Finn, please tell Rachel that I'm sorry." Quinn said quickly wiping away the tears that were lightly trailing down her cheek.
"Oh, well that's too bad Quinn, Rachel really wanted you to come, she was hoping it would be like a 'glee club reunion', I hope everything's ok?" Finn said, worry creeping up in his voice.
"Everything's fine, and I really am sorry I just can't go, because I can't see you get married to someone else." Quinn sobbed, hanging up the phone before Finn could come up with a response. Her phone rang a couple times, while Quinn sat on her bed, just crying.
Finn stopped trying after about 3 tries and Quinn breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn't believe that she had said that, sure that was how she felt but she couldn't let him know that she was still in love with him.
Quinn grabbed the invitation off her bed, ripped it in half and tossed it angrily in the trash can, screaming as she did. When one of the pieces missed the can, Quinn cursed, getting down on all fours in order to pick up the offensive piece of paper. When she was down there, a shiny piece of paper caught her eye. A picture.
She examined the picture and noticed that it was from their last day together sophomore year, it was a picture of the glee club. Tina and Artie were holding hands, Rachel had her head leaning on Finn's shoulder, Mercedes and Kurt were hugging in the background, Mike and Matt were high fiving off the side, Brittany and Santana were holding each other's pinkies, talking and then Quinn found herself, she was standing next to Kurt, a smile on her face, and Puck was next to her, his arm around her shoulders.
She remembered that day so perfectly, it was one of the rare days where they actually all felt like a family, she remembered Mr. Shue announcing that glee club had another year, she also remembers when Puck had slipped his arm around her.
"Listen blondie what are we doing, I have feelings for you, I told you that I loved you, and you shot me down, I know you have feelings for me too, so stop hiding."
She had scoffed, but allowed him to keep his arm around her. She really had liked Puck, a lot, and that had continued throughout high school, but the timing was never right for them to be together. She remembered what he had told her on graduation.
"Quinn, I know things never worked out between up in high school, but we'll make it work."
Maybe that's what she should do. Things were over between her and Finn, in fact they had been for a long time now, she just refused to accept it.
Now she had to make it work.
viii
She doesn't go to wedding. She instead goes to Chicago that weekend with some of her old friends from college. She get's countless texts from all of her friends, many from Kurt, a few from Mercedes, and a number of ones from Puck.
Instead of texting them back, she sends a congratulatory text to Rachel and Finn. She feels relief as she presses send, she felt like she was finally over Finn Hudson, he was in love with Rachel, and Rachel was in love with him. This is exactly what Quinn needs, she needs a push to finally move on, and get her life back.
She comes back to Lima for a few days when she knows Rachel and Finn are on their honeymoon. She may have finally been moving on, but that didn't mean that she wanted to see them holding hands and being all cutesy everywhere she looked. She stayed locked in her room for almost a whole day before Kurt comes over and forces her to come shopping with him and Mercedes.
She was optimistic about the shopping trip, even though Mercedes and Kurt babbled on and on about Finn and Rachel's wedding, Kurt had been a groomsmen and Mercedes the maid of honor, and both had said that it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever seen. It was only after she had cleared her throat loudly that they remembered her standing there.
Things turned awkward after that.
ix
She calls them as soon as they get back, even though it's not the thirteenth. They don't answer, but their answering machine has already been modified to solidify their new status.
Hi you've reached Finn and Rachel Hudson please leave a message after the beep.
Rachel's voice is bubble gum sugary and Finn says his name with such pride that causes Quinn to gag slightly. They were so disgustingly happy that it made Quinn slightly jealous. She wanted someone like that.
"Hi Rachel and Finn, I wanted to again apologize for not being able to attend your wedding, I had already promised to spend time with one of my other friends. I really am sorry. Anyway congratulations guys, you deserve to be happy. I hope someday I'm as happy as you are. And Rachel if you ever want a shopping partner, don't hesitate to give me a call. Bye."
She smiles at her message, this is exactly what she needs to end her run with Finn Hudson. This is closure, this is something that she needed to do. She really does hope that someday she can be as happy as they are. She just needs someone to make her happy.
Maybe that person to make her happy, as been there, right under her nose.
x
May thirteenth rolls around and Quinn refuses to be sad. It's been exactly three years sense she made the first phone call. She's sitting in her new apartment just outside of Lima, she finally made enough money to rent her own apartment and finally move out of her mother's house.
She eyes her cell phone, which is perched on the coffee table, mockingly almost. She thinks about who she would typically call on this day. She had gotten a call from Rachel a few days previous, her and Quinn had actually become friends almost. Apparently her and Finn were living in New York and Rachel was pregnant.
No matter how much she would hate to admit it, she was really happy for the couple. They had gotten everything they had hoped for.
She finds herself starting menacingly at her phone, before finally shutting up her sub-conscious and picking it up and dialing a almost unfamiliar number.
"Hello?" A gruff voice says from the other end.
"Puck, it's me, Quinn." She says a smile creeping on her face. "I think we should try and make it work."
Quinn Fabray was making it work.
Glee!
That was a lot longer then I intended it to be, but I'm really happy with the end result. I hope you all enjoyed it!
Review! (:
xoxo monteith. hudson. 23ox