A/N - This is a rewritten chapter, and therefore there may be some small inconsistensies with this and chapters 3-14. :)
For this chapter I've worked in weaving in thoughts and emotions but I have also added a scene, which I thought missed. I hope you like it. :)
Chapter 2 – Support
For another few minutes they sat silently on the cold airport floor, until Quinn remembered that she had luggage to collect. As she got up and carried Beth up with her, the little girl pouted and hummed in dismay. She pointed silently but in demand at Rachel who got up as well.
"What, you want to wait with Rachel while I pick up our luggage?" the older blonde asked receiving a firm nod from the younger blonde. With little effort Beth practically tossed her body towards the brunette and let herself be engulfed by her sister's strong but petit arms. The brunette chuckled.
"How about you get some coffee or something at Starbucks and I'll go get the luggage? I'll meet you there" Quinn asked, smilingly. Rachel nodded slightly, her motions limited by the arms gripping around her shoulder and the head buried in her neck.
"See you there" Rachel said and began walking towards the small café, Quinn watching them walk away. It was surprising how quickly Beth had accepted Rachel. From what she had heard from the social-workers who had talked to her pre-school teachers, Beth was a very shy kid who didn't let anyone in. Only a special few had been able to call themselves Beth's friends, but even they weren't very close with the blonde. It was a trait that somewhat reminded Quinn of herself, even now.
Beth clung to her sister like a baby monkey to her child, arms and legs locked around the brunette's torso. The café was strangely deserted; only a few people sat at the tables, leaving the barista to lazily sweep the floor behind the counter. He was humming a familiar tone that Rachel knew but couldn't identify. She let her hand stroke the blonde child's back to get her to loosen her grip.
"How about I order you a ham-Panini and you find us a place to sit. You like orange-juice?" she asked. The blonde peeled herself from the brunette, nodded and jumped down, looking around indecisively. There were three tables with two or three chairs by each. One table had been occupied and that left only a single table with three chairs, since the other only had two. She ran towards it and threw her beige and pink jacket on one chair and positioned the other two so she could sprawl herself across both, taking up all three seats. Rachel giggled and gave her a double-thumbs-up receiving a glittering smile in return.
"Miss?" the male barista with the broom asked. Rachel turned around.
"Oh sorry; um, a ham-Panini an espresso macchiato with soy milk, doppio – and peppermint mocha, grande with whipped cream please" Rachel said. She still knew Quinn's coffee-order by heart. The barista asked for her name when she had paid, and she walked over to sit down on the jacket-clad chair. Beth quickly sat up, snatched the jacket and placed on one of the chairs on which she had been lying, before sitting upright.
"Do you have a pen?" she asked unexpectedly, her eyes glistening and her tone eager.
"Um, sure" Rachel said, digging into her purse and retrieving a ball-pen from it, handing it gingerly to the blonde. The minute the pen was within arm-reach Beth grabbed it with much force and sprinted to the counter to take a napkin and sprinting back. Rachel watched curiously as Beth started to draw. It looked like a pigs-snout.
"You're almost six, right?" she asked. Beth merely nodded not looking up from her drawing. Rachel opened her mouth to ask again, but closed it silently content with just looking at the drawing as it was made.
It was odd how this girl was so content, so deep in her doings that she seemed to flee from the world. Maybe this, these drawings were her escape. Sure, they had both lost their mother, but Rachel barely knew her. The brunette wondered shortly what she would've felt like if her fathers had been taken from her at age six. It was a thought too horrible and too unthinkable to complete. Rachel wished not to take away the world where Beth could escape.
"Ms. Berry" the barista said from the counter. Rachel was ripped from her thoughts as she looked up at him. In front of him stood a plate with a Panini and next to that; two coffees, one with whipped cream and one without, but with brown foam. She rose and brought the Panini to the table first then walking back to take the coffees, hoping that Quinn would be back soon.
Beth finally looked up from her drawing which now was a picture of a something like a clown… with a snout and ears. A clown-pig?
"Where's my daddy?" Beth asked, holding the Panini in her tiny hands. She clamped her mouth around it and bit off a tiny bite. She even looked cute while chewing.
"He's..." Rachel started but was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and was met by another pair of hazel eyes. The older girls smiled sweetly at each other before Quinn sat down between her daughter and former, maybe still best friend.
"We don't know yet Beth. But we're going to find him, I promise." Quinn said, poiting shortly at the pepermint mocha, asking if it was hers silently. Rachel nodded shortly and took her own coffee. Quinn smiled in appreciation.
"So what are we doing here?" Beth asked.
"Yeah, what are you doing here? Don't get me wrong I'm really happy to see you and all, but why New York? It's not like there are many pools here." Rachel said, her voice calm but it expressed her confusion.
"I don't know. I just panicked and when I got to the airport the first flight was New York and I just… took it" Quinn's voice was almost a whisper.
"How about we finish our coffee and then go back to the apartment. Kurt should know something." Rachel said reassuringly, edging her hand closer until she daringly laid her hand on top of Quinn's and gave it a small squeeze. The blonde's eyes met the brown ones.
"Who is Kurt? I heard you talking about him before, but I don't know who he is" Beth asked, explaining herself to seem less curious than she was.
"Well Kurt and Blaine are some very good friends of mine. They went to school with your father, Quinn and I. I live with them here in New York. They're some of my best friends, along with your… with Quinn" she said smiling nervously.
They spent a good half hour in the café until finally Beth gave up eating the last quarter of her Panini. She looked up at Quinn apologetically. "I can't eat any more…" she said in a whiny but pleading voice.
"It's okay, you ate more than enough, sweetie" the older blonde said and proceeded to throw out the last part of the sandwich before handing back the cups to the barista, who had now been sweeping the front of the café. He looked up thankfully, placed the broom by a chair and grabbed the cups.
"Have a nice day ladies" he said with a wink at Quinn. She smiled at him in a way that stated you're nice but… no way. It made Rachel giggle slightly, reminded of the way she used to look at almost every boy at McKinley.
"So, you excited to see Blaine and Kurt again? They haven't changed much, just saying" Rachel noted with a smile. Quinn nodded and took Beth's hand to keep her safe. The smaller girl clung to the hand, biting her lip nervously. It wasn't like she hadn't ever been places she didn't know, but she barely knew Rachel and Quinn and much less these guys they were talking about. It was somehow all very frightening, though also very exciting.
They walked to the taxi-holding-spaces where an old lady was just exiting, the middle-aged cap-driver helping her with her luggage. The three girls walked to the cap and threw their own luggage into the trunk of the car before getting in. Rachel sat to the far left, behind the driver and Quinn to the far right, Beth between them.
"I just can't believe that they're still together, you know? They seemed like such high-school sweethearts and those almost never last." Quinn said, breaking the silence that had filled the room when Rachel had finished stating the wanted destination.
"They have their fights, but they're pretty stable. It's so cute to watch though, as if I'm live-watching the world's fluffiest movie ever. You remember the stuffed puppy that Finn won me, but which Kurt stole? It's still on its place on the mantelpiece." Rachel said with a warm smile. It was comforting, knowing that there could be a certain amount of stability in a relationship. Lord knows there wasn't any in her old one.
"Who is like, the man in the relationship?" Quinn asked with a snicker. As far as he had remembered Blaine had had the somewhat unwanted control.
"Definitely Blaine. I mean, Kurt gets to dress him, which in itself is very ¨wifeyesque but Kurt also insists on waiting on Kurt hand and foot. That's mostly the cause of their arguments, Kurt's inability to see that Blaine very well can fend for himself, I mean"
"Yeah, that sounds like Kurt. He adores Blaine. It reminds me of how Santana is with Brittany. They're still together too you know. Very happy, I bet you any day they're gonna call me up because Brittany finally proposed, but Santana had a ring too. They're such cowards when it comes to taking things further in their relationship. It took them almost two years to become official, you know" Quinn said. She knew for a fact that nobody but herself and their parents, and maybe Puck, had any idea how long those two had been unofficially together, and how hard their struggle had been.
"Oh wow, but Brittany was with Artie only like, seven months before the whole commercial business…" Rachel said wonderingly.
"I know, but they were together then too, and also when Santana and Puck had a thing. It's like they're one person trapped in two bodies, and that being apart for long was impossible. I think they're what made me believe in love." Quinn said. Rachel felt her chest tighten slightly at the confession. It was nice to know that Quinn still had some faith in love after all that it had thrown her way.
"Who are you talking about?" Beth asked impatiently as if she had waited to ask the question but had been interrupted every time
"Brittany and Santana, they're some other friends of ours, my best friends, other than your sister. They live in LA." the older blonde told the younger "It's still amazing that they're almost done at UCLA, even Brittany's managed to keep up a good grade point average. Santana praises her to the clouds whenever we talk about school. They really do bring out the best in each other." Quinn said heartily, directed at Rachel.
The comfort of having Quinn back, and having met her sister again made her almost forget the pain she was supposed to feel. It caused a giant wave of guilt to sour through her body. Less than a week ago her own mother had died, and yet the sorrow wasn't even close. Was she supposed to feel extreme depressing sorrow for the death of a mother she had hardly known? Rachel though briefly of her Lady Gaga outfit and how Shelby had helped her sew a new costume that wasn't made of stuffed animals. She thought of the water-mug with the star she had gotten from him before her departure in sophomore year. Even though she hadn't known Shelby very well, her mother had still done things to change her life forever. The most amazing thing wasn't that they both had the 'stars are kind of my thing', or that they were both so theatrical. It was their voices that had really made them connect. The duet that had had back in the auditorium after she had received the mug, had been their moment.
Rachel lost herself in thought and didn't even notice that they had arrived at her apartment in NoMad until the driver asked for his money.
"Oh, sorry!" Rachel squeaked and fumbled with her purse. She withdrew the payment and shoved them into the drivers waiting hand, looking confused and slightly panicky, though Quinn couldn't see any reason for that.
Quinn got out, retrieving the luggage while Rachel, whose door was by the curb, helped Beth out to avoid having her walk on the road. Quinn tried with much effort to carry both huge bags up the stairs to the third floor, but unsuccessfully. She only managed to get half-way up the first staircase before Rachel had snatched the larger of the two bags, the one with all of Beth's stuff, and carried it up, Beth in front of her.
"Thank you…" Quinn said, slightly out of breath. She felt like a wimp, unable to carry just two damn bags up the stairs.
"No problem, share the load, right?" Rachel said with a toothy grin back at her best friend.
"Yup" Quinn noted and smiled.
"I don't know if Blaine and Kurt are going to be home, but you'll give them a heart-attack no matter what when they see you, and also what you brought. I bet Kurt especially is going to love Beth." Rachel said with a giggle, as she opened the door.
The Berry-Hummel-Anderson apartment was a three bedroom single-floor apartment, recently refurnished and very modern. The front door opened to a hallway, from where there was a straight view to the living room couch. It surprised Rachel slightly to see both boys home. Blaine was sitting casually on the couch reading a script for his upcoming role in a reproduction of The Boy From Oz. Both Kurt and Blaine had managed to get big roles in that, Kurt naturally landing the lead. Nothing beat watching Kurt doing his thing on stage, wearing sparkling gold-pants. Kurt was sitting on the floor leaning his head on Blaine's knee, writing something on his notepad.
"They guys!" Rachel called as she set down the bag she had been carrying and gestured for Quinn to do the same. Blaine waved without looking up and hummed in response, but Kurt looked up, and his jaw fell to the floor when he saw that Rachel wasn't alone. His eyes locking with Quinn's, he prodded Blaine's leg, making Blaine look at him. Kurt pointed at out into the hall, his mouth still comically ajar and his eyes wide. It was very clear that he did not expect to see Quinn. What had he thought, that would only meet in the airport and then part ways?
Blaine turned to look out into the hallway, and now both boys sported the same comical expression. Quinn giggled. Beth was being unusually quiet hiding behind the older blonde, peeking out from behind her.
"Hi guys" Quinn said bashfully, slowly stepping forwards, automatically forcing Beth, who clung to her left leg, with her. The sound of her seemed to return the boys to a state where they didn't look like paralyzed goofs. Within a few seconds Kurt was up and ran out into the hallway. He pulled Quinn forwards into a tight embrace, making her giggle as she returned the embrace. He hummed happily and swayed them from side to side. Blaine came walking insecurely out in the hallway. He tapped Quinn's shoulder and waited for Kurt to release her. the minute he did, she locked her arms around Blaine smiling widely. It wasn't until she was with them that she realized how much she had missed them. Blaine released the older blonde and now noticed the younger one. He crouched down and took her hand.
"Well hello there my lady." he said and kissed her hand, making her knees buckle and her cheeks tint red.
She giggled girlishly and whispered "Hi…" bashfully.
"What's your name my dear?" he asked, though having a strong hunch already.
"Beth Barbra Corcoran" she said proudly, shooting him a charming toothy grin. Once again Kurt's mouth went ajar. He mouthed her name several times, but didn't seem to fathom who she was.
"Yes Kurt. It's the Beth, my biological daughter" Quinn said with pride.
"She's so cute!" Kurt said excitedly.
Beth turned to look up at Kurt, frowning slightly. "You sound like a girl." she said flatly.
"Beth; your manners!" Quinn reprimanded with a look, but Beth merely shrugged. "He does"
"So? It's not nice to point out"
"Pish-posh, it's not a big deal" Kurt said, waving his hand. Quinn shook her head and gave up trying to reprimand her. She was only five, Quinn reminded herself.
"So, you live with my sister?" Beth asked, trying to break the silence.
Blaine frowned. "Um…" he started trying to figure out who she was talking about. As far as he knew Quinn was Beth's mother, not her sister. Had they told her otherwise? He hoped not.
"Yup they do, they live with me" Rachel said with a sweet smile at the small girl.
"Sister?" Blaine asked. He looked utterly confused as his gaze traveled from Beth to Rachel and back again. "I don't think I'm following, I mean-" Kurt cut him off.
"Blaine, let's explain. Wait, Rachel, I thought you told him?" Kurt turned to look at Rachel.
"I assumed that you had done that" Rachel shrugged.
Kurt led his boyfriend back to the living-room couch and placed him gently onto it, sitting himself beside him. The girls followed him slowly, Rachel sitting down on the floor, leaning her front to the coffee-table and let Quinn take the chair. Beth stood indecisively for a few seconds before walking over to Quinn's chair, crawling onto her lap.
"So, you know Shelby Corcoran right? Beth's mom" Quinn started, holding Beth tightly, slowly swaying them back and forth, humming sweet nothings in the girl's ear. Beth giggled at every sweet comment and sighed in content.
"Um, she's the old Troubletones coach, right?" Blaine asked, staring at the sweet scene playing before him. It was odd to see Quinn so motherly. In high-school she had seemed so unstable, though they rarely spoke, but it seemed like she had gotten her things together after all. It certainly looked that way judging by the scene that it was the case. Maybe she had just pulled herself together for her daughter, but even if that was the case, it was comforting.
"Yes; well, at age sixteen, she got pregnant with Rachel and gave her up" Quinn said. Blaine looked flabbergasted and stared at the brunette girl with wide eyes.
"So you're Shelby's daughter? Why didn't I know that? I've known you for… almost six years and you never mentioned it…" He tried to remain neutral but there was a hint of accusation in his voice. It hurt more than expected that she didn't know that detail about one of his best friends.
"I thought Kurt had told you when Shelby showed up again. I'm so sorry Blaine!" Rachel said looking embarrassed. She ought to have told him, and she knew it.
Quinn sensed the tension in the air and quickly spoke to break the creeping in of an awkward silence. "Anyways! She died a week ago, and she … she gave me custody, she had written in her will that I was to have her if anything ever happened to her" Quinn sniffled now, clearly touched by the gesture. Beth on the other hand was crying. She shook silently and sniffled as tears trickled freely down her cheeks. She was clearly overcome with renewed sorrow. Quinn took up her stream of sweet tones whispered into her daughter's ear, as she tried to calm her down.
"I know that Finn," Rachel said with a flinch, "Is our best shot at finding Puck but I was thinking maybe you knew another way around that? You know how mine and Finn's relationship was, and is. Noah deserves to know what happened, and to play a part in Beth's life, so we need to find him." Rachel explained.
"I'll do anything to help you, all of you." Kurt said and grabbed a Kleenex to hand to Beth. Quinn took it and handed it to Beth who wiped her tears away with it. She sniffled again and let a few more tears fall.
"I think I may know another way. It'd surprise me if Santana isn't in contact with him and I don't know how well you've kept contact, Quinn, but I talk to Britt every now and then. I could give them a call?"
"I talk to them sometimes, yeah. But please, call them. It'd be nice" Quinn said, wiping a single tear from her own eye. Beth curled her arms around the older blonde and whispered "Don't cry Quinny" into her neck.
"I'm not, baby. I'm just so happy that they want to help you" Quinn whispered audibly. Beth smiled tiredly and nuzzled into her mother's neck.
"I'll call her right away" Kurt exclaimed quietly but excitedly.
