A/N: To the guest that doesn't like the adjective "gay," I am not sure why that upset you. They are gay men. That is not in question. It is a descriptor and a shortened version of homosexual. It is used to distinguish. I am sorry that the word "gay" bothers you and I in no way meant it in a derogatory manner. I am a lesbian myself and I've heard plenty of slurs in my lifetime. Being gay is not something I see as an issue, nor do I take issue with anyone calling me "gay."

Chapter 4

Quinn looked at the clock in the bungalow. It was just nearing 9 pm. She looked at her watch. She knew that she should be tired, but instead she was wired. The flight had done nothing to calm her nerves. She was still upset that her friends and daughter had pushed her on this vacation without her knowledge, even if it was a good surprise.

She had to admit that she needed the break and what better place to be than Hawai'i. She stowed her laptop about two hours into the flight. She wanted to be rested when she landed and she took a nap. She was no paying for that, because her body was still on LA time. It might have been only two hours difference, but it was enough to cause her some weariness.

She grabbed her laptop with the intent to start a new novel. She stared at the blank screen for a few moments and nothing came. Frustrated she yelled out, "FUCK!" and stood up from the table that she was using as her desk. She paced the room, but still found no inspiration. Sighing she sat back down and resolved herself to write something.

Before she could, she found herself opening Google and searching for the web page that she'd been browsing earlier. When she landed back on the Hathor Pages, she let out a small smile. Maybe she could chat with someone and they would give her some inspiration. She knew that it was long shot, but it was late and she was willing to waste the time, hoping that it would help her wind down from her day.

She searched the chat rooms and eventually landed on one called LitLoversUnite. It sounded perfect. She logged in and joined the chat room. She was amazed at how many lesbians loved good literature. She was holding an easy conversation with a few people. She felt free and young. It reminded her of her days in college debating the merits of what a professor had said about a particular work and what she thought that the author was saying. She found the conversation in the chat room easy and exhilarating.

"Damn Santana for being right," she told the empty house.

She got up again and went into the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of wine, opened it and an empty wine glass. She went back to the table, poured herself a glass and sat down. If she was going to be up all night chatting with people, she was going to be comfortable and slightly buzzed while she did. And, hopefully, the urge to write would strike and she would start working on her next literary endeavor while chatting away about whatever. She smiled.

As she was chatting, she noticed one name. She didn't know why the name intrigued her so much. Then she realized it really wasn't the name that caught her attention. It was the way the person was speaking and what they were saying. Whoever it was, they were educated and she figured that they worked in entertainment, but more than that she couldn't tell.

She clicked on the screen name MariaBrice10038 and hoped to see the full profile. All she got when the profile came up was Maria Brice, 25, New York. For Quinn, it wasn't enough. Then she saw the little link at the bottom of the profile.

She realized her mistake immediately. She would have to make her own profile. She clicked the link and furiously began typing away. The thought to hide who she was never entered her mind. Besides, she would just use her married name. It wasn't lie, but it would make it slightly harder for anyone to find her should they decide to do so.

She knew that when Santana found out about it, she'd make Quinn take down her profile or make it a little more private. Santana was a bull dog and she protected her own. Quinn was grateful for that and she wondered what the Latina was going to do to her latest "non-date."

She let them all know that she was Quinn Puckerman, age twenty-six and from LA. She had a degree from Yale and her law degree from UCLA. She thought about putting up a picture for her profile, but decided that Santana really would kill her if she did. Instead, she put up a picture of the beach from her house. It was just non-descript enough.

Then she had to think of a screen name to use. She didn't want it to be QuinnPucker as the site suggested. She was only using the name Puckerman because she didn't want people showing up at the law firm trying to talk to her. She thought and thought, but nothing seemed right. Then, the thought of MalibuBarbie came up. She lived in Malibu and was blond, but it was so cliché that she scoffed the idea almost as soon as she had it. She finally decided on LawfulWriter. It described her enough, but left a lot to be desired. It was perfect.

She went back to the chat forum and clicked back into the LitLoversUnite chat room. She sighed when she realized how much of the discussions she'd missed while making her profile. She was further dismayed when she didn't immediately see the screen name MariaBrice10038 in the chat. Patience not being one her virtuous traits, she began to curse herself for her luck when Maria made a reappearance to weigh in about the merits of Alice in Wonderland and its many incarnations in film and on stage. Quinn's mouth dropped. That was her favorite book.

She looked around her screen. There had to be some sort of private chat or instant message on the site. She finally found the link and clicked it. A small window popped up and she quickly typed into the box for recipient: MariaBrice10038. A pop up window appeared telling her that she would have to wait until Maria agreed to the private message before they could chat privately. She nodded at her computer and waited.

She poured herself another glass of wine and waited. When the reply wasn't immediate, Quinn jumped out of her chair and paced the room. She knew that if Santana or Brittney were there, they would have been looking at her strangely. Deciding that she was being foolish, she sat back down, downed the glass of wine and poured another.

Her heart almost leaped out of her chest when her computer dinged at her. Maria had decided to talk to her. The smaller chat window was open and it had one phrase in it.

MB: What do you do?

Quinn stared at the screen. There were so many ways to answer that. She fought the snarky head cheerleader that she had been growing up. Being the HBIC of the Rancho Carne Toros was easy and she had Brittney and Santana as her seconds. They ruled the school, but this wasn't high school. This was real life and she didn't need to be that person on the site.

She sighed. She was nervous about her answer and she didn't know why. She caught herself biting her lip as she typed.

LW: I do many things. What exactly do you want to know? My job? My hobbies? What?

Quinn could have smacked herself. She couldn't believe that she had just typed that. Was she flirting with this girl. She didn't even know. She couldn't help the amount of natural snarkiness that would bleed through in her typing, because this wasn't book dialogue, this was her normal speech just typed out.

MB: I guess I'll have to be more literal with you, won't I?

LW: I do have a way with words.

MB: I see that. But, your job, what exactly do you do? Your profile just states law. That could be anything. Can you be more specific?

LW: I could, yes.

Would her sass never end? Quinn sighed. This was no going how she'd like. She decided that she would have to take it down a notch or two if she wanted Maria to continue to talk to her.

MB: Will you?

LW: Sure.

MB: So?

LW: I am in entertainment law.

MB: Really? That must be interesting. I'm sure that you have your fair share of running into divas.

LW: Yes, I do. The biggest one I know is my partner at the firm. But, she is a good lawyer. The studios don't know what to do with her. They'd rather deal with me, but I am a more behind the scenes kind of girl. In our case for the most part, she's the face and I'm the brains. Don't get me wrong. She's smart, wicked smart, but she isn't very couth all the time.

MB: I am sure she isn't that bad.

LW: Oh, no, she is. Definitely, trust me on that. She is very much an acquired taste. But, she has been my best friend since grade school. I'd be fool to anger her now. She has too much dirt on me. But, then again I have just as much on her.

Santana would kill her. She knew that, but she couldn't help it. She was trying to be real with this woman. She didn't know why but Maria was easy to talk to. She didn't have that vapid nature surrounding her. She seemed to be more down to earth and someone that Quinn could see being a friend. If it went beyond that later, then great. If not, that would be okay, too.

MB: I understand that. I have that with my gay best friend. But, I would have to say that it is his never ending loyalty that has kept me around so long with him. He is extremely smart and has excellent fashion sense. He is the only one that I let dress me and he designs clothes for me as well. Being his friend has its perks.

LW: Sounds like it.

MB: Well, he does make me look good for all the award shows.

LW: Award shows?

MB: Oops...maybe I shouldn't have said that.

LW: Why not?

MB: I am actress in hiding?

LW: No why don't I believe that?

MB: But, I am.

LW: What could you be hiding from?

MB: The world.

LW: But I am sure that the world loves you on stage.

MB: How would you know? Are you trying to flatter me? I am just one of many actresses that lives in New York. The world doesn't know me. So, how can it love me?

Quinn was taken aback. She wasn't sure to say to Maria. She was just as witty as she was.

LW: And, you say that I have a way with words.

MB: Sorry. I tend to get loquacious sometimes. It's a flaw.

LW: There is nothing wrong with having a decent lexicon. And, being an actress, I would hope that you have developed a massive one. There is nothing that I can't stand more than someone that cannot speak with sense. Elocution and annunciation are just as importation as the definition. See, this is why I don't go to court. I tend to get wordy even in normal conversation. I would bore the jury.

MB: You're not boing me.

Quinn's heart stopped. Was she flirting with her or just being nice? Why wasn't there a font for that? This is why she hated texting and chats like this. You can't read inflection or sarcasm. It just wasn't possible. She would have to try to figure out the more they talked.

LW: I'm not. Well, I guess that's a first. But, I promise I won't tell anyone that you are here talking to me. Wouldn't want the press to find out that you are hiding here and all.

MB: I am not hiding here, per se…

LW: I get it. You're not out. Hollywood can be…well, tense. I am sure that New York is no better. It still isn't easy being out and being in entertainment unless you've already made a name for yourself and everyone loves you.

MB: I have made a name for myself.

LW: And, what would that be?

MB: Smooth…very smooth, but I'm not going to tell you my name.

LW: Not even a hint.

MB: Nope.

LW: A mystery woman from New York that likes theatre and Broadway who is either known for being very straight or you are just very closeted, keeping your private life private, which is commendable and hard to do in this business, and you seem to be self-depreciating…I like challenges, Maria. I will figure you out…if you let me.

MB: I don't know if I should.

LW: We could just talk. I won't hound you. I understand what it is like to be held to certain qualities. I also know what that does to your sanity. I can be an outlet, a sounding board if you will. I won't push you because I hate it when people push me. Ask my partner. She literally threw me out of the office today and on a mandatory vacation.

Quinn found herself wanting to protect her. She didn't know why, maybe it was because of everything that she saw in Hollywood. Times were tough and people were harsh. If Maria was still trying to find herself and was in the closet, then Quinn wouldn't be the one to out her. She could respect that. She understood her stance on so many levels it wasn't funny.

MB: Must be nice.

LW: Well, I can't complain. She's is sending to her house in paradise for a week. I'll be all alone with my laptop in a bungalow on the beach.

MB: Sounds perfect.

LW: I hope so. I really need to work on my book. My publisher has been hounding me for months for a new draft and I've got nothing. Literally, nothing, no pages, no sentences, not even any words. I love words, but I've got nothing that I can turn into a story. It sucks.

MB: Eloquently said.

LW: Bite me.

Well that was a knee jerk reaction. Quinn shook her head. She couldn't believe how childish her response was. But she wasn't prepared for the sass she got back because of it. She actually coughed when she read the response.

MB: Well, I would if I was with you.

LW: I believe that we would have to go to dinner first before I allowed that to happen.

She wondered if Maria was actually flirting with her or if she was just giving her sass because she was giving Maria sass. But, she realized quickly that she wasn't the only one that was surprised by Maria's answer. She smiled as she read the next reply from her and actually laughed out loud. She decided that she wasn't going to tease her about it.

MB: I am mortified right now. I am so sorry. I don't know what's come over me. I'm not usually like this. I apologize for my bluntness and my forward speech.

LW: You're fine. But, what would your parents say if they heard you speaking like this? Would they be appalled?

MB: Can we please leave me fathers out of this.

LW: Fathers?

MB: I have two dads.

LW: Interesting.

MB: Why?

LW: Why what?

MB: Why is that interesting?

LW: You didn't mention a mother.

Quinn felt like she might have overstepped. She didn't want Maria to stop talking to her, but she knew that she was afraid. She was giving her personal information which might make it easier for someone like her to find out who Maria really was. She knew that she needed to assuage her fear and let Maria know that she wouldn't do anything untoward.

LW: It's alright. I am not going to stalk you. I have no intention on figuring out who you are. I am sure that you when you feel open enough, you'll tell me. Until then, I'll call you Maria. And, Maria, you may call me, Quinn. That is my real name. I won't give you my last name because then you might find me. My name is strange enough as it is. I don't need any New York Actresses deciding to show up on my door step without any warning.

She tried to convince her that she wasn't going to do anything. She knew that it must be hard for Maria to trust anyone. Show business was harsh. They would eat you up and spit you out once they were done getting what they wanted from you. She'd seen it too many times. And, if you pissed off the wrong people, you were blackballed and it could take forever for someone to consider you seriously again, if they ever did.

MB: I can't tell if you are serious or teasing me.

LW: A little bit of both.

MB: I am not sure that I should talk to you.

LW: Because it is too easy to tell me things.

MB: Yes.

LW: I won't betray your trust.

MB: Why not?

LW: Because that isn't who I am, and I know what it's like. Besides, I am lawyer. We tend to have that client privilege thing.

MB: But, I'm not your client.

LW: We could always pretend that you were.

MB: Thank you.

LW: No problem, Maria.

MB: I need to go to bed. It's very late and I need to read lines in the morning. I'm sorry.

LW: Life continues to move forward, my dear Maria. Sweet dreams. I hope to see you on sometime tomorrow or later in the day for you, so that we can continue to chat some more.

Quinn watched as the chat window told her that Maria logged out. She wasn't sure if she would go back to her profile page or not. She did want to know more about the woman, but she wasn't sure if that wouldn't be betraying her trust. She liked how they ended things. They would talk later. She would find out more later. She could question her some more later.

Later. That was something that made her smile. She had a possible "chat date" with Maria later. It was something. It wasn't much, but it was something for Quinn to hold on to at the moment and that was something that she needed.

Before she realized what she was doing, she had a word document open and she was typing. She kept drinking her wine, but she was writing. She smiled at her laptop. What was it about Maria that made things seem so…easy again.