"Hi. Again," Quinn said, laughing. "It's good to hear your voice. How have you been?"

"Oh, my god. It's great to hear your voice too. Um, I've been doing well, thank you. Just finished up a year on stage, which was quite wonderful, but I'm at the point now where I'm feeling ready to do something new, a little different."

Rachel paused, taking a breath. She closed her eyes, picturing the bemused smile she knew was on Quinn's face. How was it that talking to Quinn still made her feel just a tiny bit nervous, just a little flustered, after all these years?

"I've missed you, Quinn. I know that people get busy in their lives and it's difficult sometimes to find time for everything and everyone, but really, that's no excuse for two longtime friends like us to fall out of touch, even for a short time. I didn't even recognize your number when it came up on my phone – when did you change it?"

Quinn drew in a short breath of her own. Still the same Rachel, she thought. Thank goodness.

"Well, apparently I had a stalker, believe it or not. I think he was a guy I met at a convention. Somehow he got hold of my number and proceeded to call me, like, a thousand times a day. Now I know how you felt when JBI was always after you. It got to the point where Tina was grabbing the phone out of my hand and screaming into it before we even knew who was calling! That made for some awkward moments with Sam and Mike," she laughed, although Rachel could hear the pain beneath the laughter. She could always hear the pain.

"That's more than a little frightening," Rachel responded. "Did you have to file a restraining order or anything?"

Quinn sighed. "Happily, no. Changing the number did the trick. It was a really, really weird thing. I never thought that anyone in my line of work could attract that kind of bizarre attention. It always seemed to be something more likely to happen to you and Santana, or even Brittany. Not me. Not the girl in the wheelchair."

"Now you listen to me, Quinn Fabray," Rachel bristled. She didn't like it when Quinn started to sound like she was getting down on herself. "Chair or no chair, you're still the prettiest girl I've ever met. I've seen both guys and girls fall at your feet for years now. I suppose it was inevitable that an unwanted suitor was going to go a little too far one day. Still, I'm so glad it never went beyond the phone calls."

"Me too. Tina was losing her mind over it. All is well now, though." Rachel heard a small cough, followed by the sound of someone else's laughter. "Um, I'm going to put you on speaker now. Someone wants to say hello."

Rachel squealed. She knew what that meant. There came an answering squeal at the other end, and Rachel could not contain the grin that spread across her face.

"Tina! Or should I say, Doctor Cohen-Chang? How are you?"

"Hi, Rachel! We're doing great! How's New York treating you?"

Giggling as though they were all back in high school, basking in the warmth and affection in Tina's voice, Rachel replied, "New York is treating me very well, thanks. I trust LA is treating you well too?"

"It sure is! We miss everyone, though. I understand that there's something of a reunion in the works, though."

Quinn cut in. "Well, if everything goes the way we hope it will..."

"Are you talking about the movie?" The words were out of her mouth before Rachel could catch them. She hadn't intended to bring it up so soon, but the cat was out of the bag now.

"So Holly sent you the script, then." Rachel listened to the pause that followed, knew it was because Quinn was biting her lip and running her hand through her hair nervously, like she always did, even though she had no reason to worry. "Did...did you like it?"

"Oh, Quinn. I loved it! And the comic books, too." Rachel gushed. "I had no idea you could draw like that! Or that you and Sam were such a great storytelling team! It was a thrilling story – I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading."

"See, baby?" Tina cooed. "I knew she'd love it."

She could practically hear Quinn blush. "I know it's not serious theater or anything, but I was really hoping you'd like it anyway. Sam was, too." Quinn took a deep breath. "Have you told Holly what you think?"

"Not yet, but...the answer to the question I know you're dying to ask, but are too nervous to let out, is yes. I could never let anyone else play the role of Rena Cherry, a.k.a. Diva. It will be an honor and a privilege for me to bring her to life on the big screen, Quinn. I only hope to be able to do such a wonderful character justice."

Silence.

The seconds stretched out to what seemed like minutes before Quinn spoke. Rachel hardly heard her breathe.

"Really?"

"Really, Quinn." Tina cheered in the background, but Quinn was quiet.

"Are you...are you sure?"

"I have never been so sure of anything in my life. I told you before, I just spent a year on the stage and now I'm ready to do something completely different. Truthfully, I had always wondered if a movie role would ever come my way, but this...this is better than anything I ever dreamed. It's an amazing script, an amazing character, and to top it off, I get to work with you and Sam too! I honestly can't wait to get started."

"That's...that's amazing. Really," Quinn said softly. "I...I can't believe this is happening. I saw you living your dream, and Santana living hers, and Britt, and Mercedes too, and I – well, I just never thought it would happen for me. Not like this. Sam and I, we were happy with the success of the comic, you know, for what it was, but then...then it just blew up, and now, to see it becoming a movie, and not just a movie, but with Artie directing it, too -"

"Wait." Rachel blinked. "Did you say...Artie is directing the movie? Our Artie?"

She couldn't have heard that correctly. Yes, Artie had directed several well-received independent films in the last several years, and was regarded as a talented up and coming director, sure – but those films had been small, intimate character studies, low-key dramas, far removed from the big budget wizardry and epic scale of your typical superhero blockbuster.

"Holly didn't tell you? Well, she does love her surprises," Quinn murmured, shocked that Rachel had been unaware of Artie's involvement in the project.

"More like she loves that I hate surprises – but in this case, I will most gladly make an exception," Rachel laughed. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she told me Santana has signed on too, although it makes more sense now that I've seen her character in the comic book. You drew her really well, by the way. You drew everyone very well, actually."

"About that, Rachel – she's not playing that character. She's playing the villain, Wild Child. Clearly, Holly didn't divulge that little bit of information either."

Rachel thought back to their early days in high school, when Quinn and Santana had both been among Rachel's bullies and tormentors, before they had all joined the Glee Club and found their way to becoming friends. She counted Santana as one of her dearest, closest friends now, in fact – so why did this news make her feel so strange? It was nonsense, of course; those days were long behind them. Forgiveness had been sought from Rachel by both former cheerleaders, and been granted to them, ages ago.

She shook her head to clear it of the memories, and said brightly, "Holly and her surprises. I'll have to have a talk with her about that one of these days. But before I do that, I will definitely have to speak with Santana to congratulate her on the role. She never mentioned being interested in any movie projects when we last spoke, but then she's been so busy with her TV show and trying to keep up with everything that Brittany's doing..."

"So you're okay with Santana playing a character who wants to rip your head off?" Quinn asked, amused. "Talk about art imitating life."

Rachel chuckled in spite of herself. "That was a long time ago, Quinn. Things have gotten better for all of us since then. A lot better. Speaking of better things, are there any other former classmates about whose involvement I should know before I have to threaten Holly with being fired to get her to spill?"

Tina spoke up. "Mercedes is recording the theme song for the movie with Finn and Puck's band, Ghosts in the Park, and they're doing all the rest of the music as well. They're really good, definitely in a classic hard rock vein. I think they'd like you to record a version of the theme song too, if you'd be willing. Brittany's taking some time off to be with Santana throughout the filming. Oh, and Mike is doing the fight choreography. Will, Emma and even Sue have been invited to visit the set, and I think Kitty and Sugar will be around too. They work for the producer, who just happens to be Sugar's dad, if you can believe that."

"Wow! It really is going to be like a Glee reunion. Well, a working reunion, anyway," Rachel mused. "This is so exciting! I haven't seen Mercedes since last year, and it's been even longer since the last time I saw Puck and Finn and Artie. I can't wait to see everyone!"

"We're in touch with Puck, and we see him fairly often since he and Finn are based out here. Shelby brings Beth out to visit on a regular basis – but you know that, since you see her all the time – and we get together as a family." Rachel heard the smile in Quinn's voice; she couldn't help but smile along with it. It had been a long road for all of them to get to where they were now, and she couldn't be more proud of the way everyone had grown and made their peace with all their past experiences, good and bad.

"Beth is so lucky. She has two of the best moms a girl could possibly ask for, and a great, if slightly immature – still! - dad, too."

Quinn laughed heartily at that. "Puck will probably never grow up entirely. He'll always be a big goof, but honestly, would we really want him any other way? He loves Beth with all his heart, though. He'd do anything for her. She's got him wrapped around her little finger, and he's just fine with that."

"That's wonderful, Quinn. I always knew everything would work out fine between all of us. I'm a little bit psychic, you know."

"And yet Holly manages to keep stuff from you. Might want to check with Santana and her mysterious third eye about fine tuning that sort of thing."

"Duly noted. I have to talk to her about the movie anyway."

"Rachel, listen. You and I both know that Santana's different now. She's been different for a long time. You have nothing to worry about, as far as working with her is concerned."

Rachel sighed. "I know that. Even if we weren't all friends, Santana would still behave herself because she's a professional, and she knows that the project can't succeed if everyone's not on the same page. Besides, you said that Brittany is coming with her, right? She'll keep Santana in line if there's ever a moment when she can't control herself."

"Exactly. So don't worry about it, okay? This is going to be fun! Probably the most fun we've had since we were all in Glee together. But yes, you should talk to Santana, just because. She gets irritated if people don't keep in touch. You know that."

Rachel rolled her eyes at this, but she knew Quinn was right. "I'll text her right after I talk to you. Actually, maybe I should just send out some kind of group message, since it seems like everyone we know is involved in this thing anyway, right?"

"Except Matt Rutherford. Whatever happened to him, anyway?"

"He moved away somewhere, I don't remember where. I think I heard he's a popular club DJ now."

"Huh. Imagine that. I suppose stranger things have happened."

"Like Mr. Schue's first marriage."

"And Sue's pregnancy."

"Not to mention her becoming principal. I mean, how in the world did that happen?"

Both women laughed long and loud now. Rachel heard Tina in the background saying in a playful tone of mock exasperation, "What the hell are you two going on about now?"

"And on that note, perhaps we should say goodnight," Quinn said around a loud, lip-smacking kiss from her wife. "Mmm. Tina's starting to feel lonely and ignored, and we just can't have that."

"No, we most certainly cannot! Tina is a dear and cherished friend, and we must never let her feel otherwise. I myself must send out that group message, and then get to sleep. Proper rest is a must for peak performance, as you know."

"I'm so glad I called. Let's talk again soon, okay?" Quinn sounded tired, but genuinely happy at the same time.

"Absolutely. Please hug your beautiful wife for me. I love you, Lucy."

"I love you too, short stack."

"Goodnight."

"Next call's on you. Goodnight."

Rachel ended the call. Then she dropped her phone to the bed, put her face in her hands, and finally let the tears come. Tears of joy, tears of sadness. Quinn always made her feel so much of both.

Suddenly, she realized she was just too tired to even write that group text, overwhelmed and exhausted, so she turned off her phone, turned out the lights, and went to bed.


Rachel was always known for texting and e-mailing exactly as she spoke, so no one was really surprised at how long and verbose it was when they received this message the next morning.

Hello my dear former Glee Clubbers! I trust that this message finds you all well and happy this evening. It is most exciting to know that soon we will all be seeing and working with each other again. I have missed you all greatly, and could not be more proud of your achievements. Each and every one of you has become exactly the kind of success I always knew you could be. It just goes to show how valuable and important participation in the arts is to young people, how it can set them on the path to making their dreams come true if they never, as the song says, stop believing. Please reply to this message at your soonest convenience to relate your thoughts and feelings on this most momentous of occasions. Sincerely, RBB. :^)

It had taken her an hour and at least fifteen re-writes before she'd settled on the final text, and then only because Marley had come over to save Rachel from spending the entire day crafting the perfect message and proceeded to threaten to take Rachel's phone and throw it out the window if she didn't stop obsessing over every word and punctuation mark.

"You wouldn't dare!" Rachel shouted as she barely managed to thwart Marley's attempt at snatching the iPhone from her hand.

"I would too. The first message you wrote was perfectly fine, and so were the dozen after that!" Marley responded calmly, ignoring Rachel's annoyed pout. "These are your friends, Rachel. You know you don't have to impress them anymore, don't you?"

"Well, of course I know that, Marley. And it's not about trying to impress them, anyway – I just hate the way so-called text-speak has dumbed down the way people communicate with each other nowadays. Is it really so hard to type a 'y' and an 'o' before a 'u' when addressing the person with whom you're messaging? I mean, honestly."

Marley couldn't help but think that Rachel looked really cute when she got all passionate about something – which was just about everything, actually, now that she thought about it - which meant that she looked really cute just about all the time.

When had she realized that?

The phone buzzed with the first reply to Rachel's message before Marley could say anything more. She was glad for the distraction, because she knew she was blushing at these sudden thoughts about Rachel's cuteness.

"It's Santana!"

I would have responded sooner, but Britt and I were getting our sweet lady kisses on and I kinda didn't notice the phone going off. Not sorry about that. Yeah, I guess it'll be nice to see all you losers again and let you bask in my HBO-approved awesomeness. Britt's actually taking some time out of her own super-busy schedule to join us on the set, so you all better be extra nice to her, or you know I'll have to let Snixx out and go all Lima Heights on your asses.

Rachel laughed, shaking her head. "That girl never changes. I hope she never does. After all, we need someone who always, as she says, keeps it real."

The iPhone buzzed again. It was Brittany. Of course.

Sorry about that, you guys. I made San promise to keep Snixx under lock and key, but I know that's not really necessary because she actually loves all of you just as much as I do. I just can't wait to see everybody! This is going to be so much fun! xoxo Britt-Britt

Rachel giggled as her heart clenched with affection for the blonde, blue-eyed dancer who had tamed Santana so many years ago. Brittany was such a bright ray of sunshine in all their lives, and Rachel felt her body warm with happiness at the girl's words.

The replies started to pour in, coming fast and furious, and Rachel's heart was so full she felt as though it might burst at any second.

Mercedes: Hey y'all! You know this movie's gonna be off the hook. Glee club is going to turn Hollywood upside down and inside out!

Noah: Puckzilla checkin in here. Me n Finn have been havin a blast rockin out all over the US of A, but u know home is where the Gleeks r. Get ready for some serious partyin dudes.

Finn: Yeah, what Puck said. It's gunna b rly cool 2 b 2gether w/every1 again.

Sugar: Whatever. You're all bringing me presents, right? Sorry, Asperger's.

Tina: I'm so excited about this, I'm over the moon. There's nothing better than sharing happy times with my singing & dancing brothers & sisters. Counting the days until we're all belting out a tune once again!

Matt: Rachel, how did you get my number? Good to see all your names on the screen. Nice to know I haven't been forgotten after all. Thanks for the message!

Santana: I may have had something to do with that, Matty. HBO plus law enforcement connections equals even more scary-ass me. Not that anyone should worry...

Blaine: OMG! Memory overload here. Do you really think Hollywood can withstand a full-on Glee invasion? I guess we're about to find out! Love and miss you all so much. Looking forward.

Emma: Words cannot express the joy I feel at seeing you all so fulfilled in your lives. All your dreams are coming true right before our eyes! Will and I are very much looking forward to seeing you all. Please forgive me if I cry a lot. :)

Kurt: You think you'll be crying, Ms. P-S? I don't know how I'm going to get through it without being a complete mess. All those salty tears won't be good for my skin at all!

Quinn: I don't tell you this enough, but I love you guys. I'm not kidding when I say I would never have gotten through high school without you. Thanks for being the family I never had, and for taking time out of your lives to celebrate all this with me and Sam.

Sam: Beyond grateful for everyone's love, support and encouragement. You're all amazing friends. Honestly, I still don't know how all this happened to a goofy kid from Lima – but I'm sure glad it did!

Sue: All this over a stupid comic book which will no doubt be an even stupider movie and an appalling misuse of celluloid? Clearly all my efforts were wasted on you, Q. You think making a movie is hard? Try single-handedly rescuing hostages from an underground bunker in Iraq on your lunch hour – THAT'S HARD!

Artie: I guess you don't want that cameo role in the film then Coach?

Will: Don't listen to Sue, guys. You're going to conquer the movie business just like you've conquered everything else in your lives – with the same passion, determination and talent that brought you that win at Nationals.

Mike: When we work together, nothing can stop us. It was true in high school, and it's just as true now. Hollywood's never going to be the same after we get done with it!

Kitty: I'm bringing the Junior Varsity in to say hello too, because they just wouldn't stop begging me until I finally gave in. Well, now they can't say I never did anything for them!

There was an interval of a few moments as Rachel silently took in all the words, trying to get her feelings under control as wave after wave of emotion crashed into and over her. She felt like the luckiest person on Earth to know these people and call them her friends.

While Rachel had been silently reading the messages that kept popping up on her screen, Marley had surreptitiously taken out her own phone and typed out her own reply. She held her breath as she waited for the familiar alert sound to break the silence that had enveloped the room.

Rachel looked down at the screen.

Marley: I'm so happy for all of you, and especially for Rachel, who works harder and has more talent than anybody I've ever seen. You're lucky to have known her as long as you have. I've only known her for a short time, relatively speaking, but I can honestly say that it's an honor and a privilege for me to be her assistant and to see her do what she does every single day. She's truly an inspiration.

Rachel's head snapped up as if she'd suddenly been awakened from a deep sleep, and she fixed a look of wonder on the younger woman's face. She saw the girl looking back at her with an expression of such complete warmth and honesty that it actually made her a little dizzy. It was almost as though they were seeing each other for the first time, but seeing in a new way, a different way, a deeper way, a way they'd never seen anyone before.

The younger woman fought the urge to duck her head and hide behind the curtain of her long hair. She refused to look away. Not now. Not this time.

The phone beeped again, and the spell was broken as Rachel broke eye contact to look down at her phone to read the new message.

Santana: Jeez, could you all be any more mushy? *gag* Let's do dinner this week, Berry. Bring your starry-eyed assistant along too. I want to meet her.

Rachel sighed and shook her head, a smile composed of equal parts amusement and exasperation playing across her face. "It appears that we have a dinner date, Marley...with Santana."


Three hours, a bunch of Glee Club videos on YouTube and four episodes of Santana's HBO police drama The Line on DVD later, Marley looked up from the laptop screen and turned to Rachel. In a small, nervous voice, she said, "Um...she's...wow. Intense. Really, really intense. Like, scary intense. And yet you've been...friends with her? For years?"

Laughing, Rachel replied, "Well, we weren't always, but we worked out our differences well before the end of high school. She actually lived with me and Kurt for quite some time back when we were in school at NYADA." She paused, remembering. "It took her a while to find herself, find a career path and figure out exactly what she wanted to do with her life - but as you saw, when she found it, she got into it in a big way. Funny...she always had so much trouble getting in touch with her emotions, expressing them, when we were kids, but acting comes so naturally for her, like singing does for me."

Marley grinned. "So she majored in drama both in high school and college, huh?"

"Oh, you could say that. I did tell you all about the long, turbulent history of Santana and Brittany's relationship, after all," Rachel giggled.

A soft light came into her eyes then, and her tone became quiet and thoughtful. "They're still together, though. Through everything. That's the kind of relationship I want. Strong. Enduring. No matter what life's thrown in their way, they've fought past it and overcome it all. That's love. That's real love."

Marley wanted to say how beautiful she thought Rachel was then, in that moment, with her eyes shining and her voice so quiet, yet so powerful, as she laid her emotions bare. She wanted to tell Rachel how moved she was by the way she spoke so honestly, how she made herself so open and vulnerable, but the words escaped her. It was as though there simply weren't adequate words – in any language - to describe what she felt.

So she didn't say it.

Instead, all she could say was, "Me too."

Rachel sighed. Then she brightened, smiling her patented megawatt show smile, banishing the darkness from her face, and from the room itself. "Well, until we find it, then...why don't you stay over and we'll have an old fashioned ice cream – if you don't mind vegan ice cream, that is - and movies girls' night in?"

Marley released the breath she'd been holding – why she'd been holding it, she had no idea – and returned the smile with a chuckle and a grin of her own. Rachel was just too much.

"Sure," she laughed. "That sounds great."