LbN: How the episode SHOULD HAVE ended... (jk, I actually liked the ep. Just worried for Q! 5 more days!)
Rachel was hyperventilating. "Where is Quinn?" she asked.
"Don't worry, Rachel," Tina said, handing her a paper bag. "I'm sure she's on her way."
"She is," Santana said, checking her phone. "We've got an ETA of three minutes for Q."
By the time Quinn made it, Rachel had managed to calm down. Slightly.
The blonde immediately knew that there was going to be a disaster very soon. "Everyone out. Rachel, you have to calm down, okay?" she said as soon as everyone left.
"I'm having the opposite of a flashback," Rachel said.
"Uhh…seeing the future?"
Rachel nodded. "If I walk out there…We're going to stand up in front of everyone. The judge is going to go through his speech, and when he gets to the part about objections…All of you will share a glance, but you won't say anything. And you…" Rachel looked up at Quinn. "You'll bite your tongue, because you want me to be happy. But you've been honest with me from the start. This is a mistake. And I knew that, but…."
"Rachel," Quinn said gently.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Quinn?" Finn called. "Is Rachel in there with you? We have five minutes to get out there."
Rachel gave her such a terrified look that Quinn nearly melted on the spot.
"We'll be a minute, Finn," she called as cheerfully as possible. Turning back to Rachel, she kneeled in front of her. "Listen to me…. You know how I feel about this. You don't need me to tell you again. If you think it's a mistake, you have to tell him. Rachel, you have to look out for yourself. I know you don't want to hurt him, but this…this isn't cancelling a date on Friday night. This is forever."
Rachel looked up at her with watery eyes. "Will you clear everyone else out?"
"Didn't get my HBIC title for nothing," Quinn said with a smirk, and unable to stop herself, kissed Rachel on the forehead. "I'm going to get his mom. I'm sure she'll be the easiest to talk to."
"How do you figure that?" Rachel asked with a panicked look.
"She's supported you from the beginning, so you won't have to deal with some ridiculous display of relief. Sit tight." She walked back into the waiting room and flinched. Everyone was staring.
"Where's Rachel?" Finn asked urgently. "It's now or never."
"Um, Mrs. Hummel? I think Rachel could use a hand right now."
"Sure," Carole said. "Be right back, sweetie," she told Finn.
"What's going on?" he asked Quinn.
"She'll be out in a minute. Come on, guys, let's give them some privacy."
"Shhh," Carole said, holding Rachel. "It's okay. Don't cry."
"I'm so-sorry."
"Don't be. You're young. You have all the time in the world. I don't doubt for a second that you love my son, but we all felt this was a little sudden. Let's go. I'm sure he's guessed by now, but we need to tell him."
Rachel wiped her eyes and nodded. She followed Finn's mom out to the waiting area. Thankfully, Quinn had gotten rid of the rest of the glee club. "Finn…."
"We've missed our slot," he said. "But I'm sure they have time tomorrow."
"Finn, honey…." Carole said.
He stared at them both. "Just tell me," he said, looking at Rachel.
"I'm sorry, Finn," she started crying again when she saw him deflate slightly. "I can't do this yet."
He stormed out of the door.
Rachel tried to follow, but Leroy held her back. "Give him some time."
"Mr. Hummel," she said tremulously. "Please go make sure he doesn't take this out on Kurt and Quinn."
"Of course, honey. Take it easy, it'll be okay," Kurt's dad said.
Rachel had it right in one. Finn was definitely taking it out on Quinn.
"This is all your fault!" he yelled when he made it out to the sidewalk.
"Finn, calm down," Kurt said, gently.
"Don't tell me to calm down! I just got stood up at my own wedding!"
"Which you really shouldn't have been having in the first place," Kurt said through gritted teeth.
"Back off, Kurt," Finn snapped. "And you," he said, redirecting his attention to Quinn. "What did you tell her? That I'm a Lima Loser who's holding her back?"
"Believe me, Finn, you do not want to have this conversation with me right now," Quinn said calmly.
Finn laughed. "You're unbelievable. Stop being such a coward and—"
"Excuse me?" Quinn yelled.
The entire glee club took about seven steps back. No one wanted to be in Quinn's line of fire.
"A coward?" she started. "That's absolutely hilarious coming from you. You pushed Rachel into this, and you know it. You might tell yourself that it was because of your deep, unstoppable love for her, but absolutely everyone else knows better!"
"We should stop her," Burt said, walking up to the group.
"Uh uh uh," Kurt said. "Finn needs to hear this."
"You gave her a weekend—a fucking weekend!—to decide whether or not she wanted to marry you. You know her life plan lists that she makes? This whole thing was so quick she didn't even have time to change them!"
"Come on," Finn said. "No one takes those seriously!"
"Rachel does," Quinn said. "And I know how important her future is to her, which is why I was against this from the beginning. And you've got balls calling me a coward. You got turned down by one recruiter, and decided that you didn't have a future. Finn, you haven't even tried! How many colleges have you applied to?"
"That's got nothing—"
"How many?"
Finn was silent for a second. "One."
"New York?"
"Lima Community College."
Quinn stared at him. "To answer your question from before, I told her to trust herself. To look after herself. I didn't tell her you were a Lima Loser who was holding her back. I think that's what you think of yourself. And if you're not willing to put yourself out there—to at least attempt to get out of here—and if you're not willing to wait for her…then you're right."
Finn stood in shock.
By this time, Rachel and her dads had come out. She looked over the group at Finn.
He stared back for a minute. "I'm going home."
"I'm driving," Kurt said, stepping forward.
"Hi Mr. Berry," Quinn said, stepping into the house.
"Thank you for coming over, Quinn. She needs someone to talk to. Or at least, someone to sit with her. I think the guilt is starting to fester a bit."
"It's no problem. But can I ask you something, sir?"
"What's that?"
"Why did you call me? I'm sure you know about our…colorful history."
"I do. But I know that you've moved past that. You were the only one Rachel wanted earlier."
Quinn nodded. "Where is she?"
"Her room."
She walked up the stairs and knocked on Rachel's door.
"I don't want to talk, Daddy."
"It's me," Quinn said, pushing the door open. "And you don't have to talk if you don't want to."
Rachel looked up at her and smiled slightly. "They called in reinforcements."
"They did. What are we watching tonight?" Quinn asked, turning on the TV. "Because I'm staying with you, and I refuse to sit in the dark."
"Mary Poppins?" Rachel requested.
Quinn found the DVD and started the movie. Sliding into bed next to Rachel, she said, "I'm here if you want to talk. Not just tonight."
"I know," Rachel said, snuggling into her side. "Thank you, Quinn."
LbN: Still time to vote for Faberry! (Or Pezberry, or Faberrittana, or whatever you want). Poll will be active on my profile until Sunday. Thanks for reading! Send in requests if you have them.
