A/N: Oh boy, so much material to work with here. This is only slightly AU, all things considered. It is hard to know just how drunk all of the kids were, but I figure that if Quinn was yelling at Puck, whom she hasn't shared an on-screen moment with since Season 1, she had to be pretty smashed. And I love the idea of Brittney falling asleep on the floor...missing certain items of clothing.
Chapter Four
Finn watched in a little bit of amazement as that gay kid that Kurt really obviously had a crush on locked lips with Rachel – and then a little more, and a little more, and Jesus, what the hell is going on here?
He supposed that if there was going to be a place for truly surreal experiences, it would have to be a wild party at the house of Rachel Berry. But this was still going directions he hadn't expected.
Neither, from the looks of it, had Kurt. The look on his brother's face and the panicked tone of his voice might have been funny if he didn't look so heartbroken.
As Rachel and her newfound beau stumbled onto the stage and began slurring in harmony, Finn tried to fight back a wave of confused feelings. Some of him was okay with seeing Rachel kiss another guy – even if he felt sorry for Kurt. Some of him was really not cool with it.
"Don't you want me, baby? Don't you want me, oh-oh oh-oh"
"Fabray, back off my man!" came a shout from behind him, as a particularly angry Lauren Zizes took a swipe at Quinn, nearly losing her balance as Puck caught her, then strained to haul her back to her feet. The blonde hissed in anger and stomped off into a corner.
Yup, angry girl drunk, Finn thought.
He didn't quite know why he was doing it, but he moved over towards her. She saw him, and waved her hands, as if to warn him off. "No way…g-g-go away F-f-finn, I don't – I'm not talking to you!" she almost shouted. Fortunately Rachel and Blaine had hit the final chorus, and the only person that seemed to notice them was Puck, who shrugged and went back to downing shots, an arm around his new girlfriend. He really liked that Lauren chick. Good for him, Finn supposed.
As moved closer, he realized that Quinn's slurring wasn't entirely due to the alcohol – she was crying. "Hey, Quinn," he said softly.
She shook her head violently. "No. Nonono. Not you too."
Finn frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Quinn gave him a glare that failed to quite meet her normal standards. "I lost Sam. And I lost Puck. And before aaaaalll of that, I lost you." She hiccupped loudly, her voice hoarse and rough from tears. "I lost you."
Finn shrugged. "Yeah, you did, but that was a while ago. Don't you remember what I told you a couple weeks ago?"
Quinn scoffed. "In the nurse's office? That? You're an idiot, Finn. A complete, total moron who doesn't – who can't know what's good for him!" She stumbled as the last words came out, and Finn rushed forward to grab her as she fell. He guided her unresistingly to the floor, and sat down beside her.
What Quinn had said just now had hurt. A lot. But she was drunk, and she was upset. "Why am I an idiot, Quinn? At least, for that reason?"
"Because you can't go back," she spat. "And because I'm a lying bitch and you should hate me and I don't deserve you!" She started sobbing now, her flailing arms striking her legs in frustration.
"Hey, stop it!" Finn said firmly, grabbing hold of her arms and squeezing gently. "You're embarrassing yourself, Quinn!"
"Oh of course I am," she retorted. She struggled a bit. "Let me go."
"Promise you'll calm down."
"Promise." Finn released his grip, and Quinn suddenly fell forward into him. He blinked and when he opened his eyes, her face was inches from hers, her hot booze breath on the front of his neck, her lips right there, ready for the taking, her green eyes pleading, but for what he couldn't be sure. Shit, she's beautiful.
He stopped. No. No, it would not be like this. He took a deep breath and gently pushed her away. She stared curiously at him. "Wha-?"
"Forget it," he said quickly. "Just, forget it." He moved Quinn into a seated position, and began to back away.
"Don't go!" she cried softly. "I'm sorry, Finn. I'm so so so sorry."
"It's okay," he said, all too aware that Quinn was not in her right mind at the moment. Still, it meant something to hear it again, after so long. So much had happened since he'd awkwardly sat on her on the hospital bed, trying to find some closure. "It's alright, really. I –"
He paused. No. No he didn't forgive her. Not yet. He would have to, though. Someday.
Quinn wobbled, looking like she was about to pass out, and after a long moment, she did just that. Once more, she was nestled in his arms. He shifted her weight so that he could carry her over to a couch, passing a scantily-clad Brittany and very flustered-looking Artie. Mercedes and Tina were laughing hysterically at something only they seemed to understand. Blaine was lying in Rachel's arms as both were sprawled in a corner, looking extremely dazed. Puck was making out with Lauren, Sam with a still sobbing Santana. Kurt had vanished.
With no one seeing, he gently laid down his first love. Impulsively, he pressed a quick kiss to her hair, glancing around guiltily to see if anyone had noticed. Then he walked over toward Mike, who was desperately trying to understand what his girlfriend was talking about, and failing, by the looks of it. Some about fish – and pandas – and other stuff. Mercedes seemed to think it was hilarious.
~o~
She came drowsily back to awareness, and snapped her eyes shut an instant after she had opened them, moaning.
Oh God! Kill me now. Please, have some mercy on me and just end it!
Quinn rolled over, shoving her head back into the arm of the couch she'd somehow ended up on. She heard what was probably soft voices, even whispers, but they sounded like a cacophonous racket in her head, and the footfalls of her fellow Glee club members pounded through her ears.
What did I do to myself this time? she wondered. She tried to remember everything. God, she'd yelled at Puck. After not speaking to him for months.
And then…Finn, oh crap, not Finn again.
She'd said things. Yelled at him. Called herself a bitch, wow. And said sorry.
"Hey sweetie, drink up," a familiar voice groaned at her. She looked up to see Mercedes offering her a glass of water, looking miserable and a bit wobbly on her feet, but otherwise conscious. "Really, my brother tells me you've got to re-hydrate yourself after a night like this."
She nodded in thanks and drank deeply. It didn't make her headache go away, but at least her throat wasn't so dry. She looked around the basement. Puck and Lauren had passed out just a few feet from her, on the other end of the couch. Well, sort of – Lauren had made it onto the couch, while Puck was sitting groggily on the floor. Brittany, who had passed out on the floor, was – not wearing a shirt, or more importantly, a bra, and did not appear initially to be conscious of this fact, sitting up and baring her chest for all the room to see. That woke Puck up, before Rachel squawked and Artie hurriedly retrieved her clothing. Tina and Mike were slowly stumbling down the stairs, clothing rumpled and hair askew.
"You guys need to get out of here!" Rachel cried, a bit panicked. She was still rocking her Mexican grandmother look from the previous evening.
Owww…
Berry's shrill voice went through her head like a power drill, and she felt nauseated. Last night she had just let go, drinking far and away more than she ever had before, and look where it had gotten her?
At least all of my clothes are still on this time.
She looked vainly for Sam and Finn. At that point she saw that Santana was also gone, as was Blaine. Artie appeared to have fallen asleep in his wheelchair, and looked like he was regretting that as he tried to work out the kinks in his neck.
"Finn left to bring Sam and Santana home, and Kurt left with Blaine, if you'll believe it," Mercedes supplied helpfully.
"I never thought Finn would be the sober one at a party," Quinn said, propping herself up on her elbows.
"I don't know, I think he was looking to avoid making any messes." Mercedes groaned. "And girl, I'm kinda wishing I'd had the same idea right about now."
"Yeah," Quinn breathed. Okay, time to sit up.
"I saw you two talking – everything okay?"
"I don't know," Quinn replied honestly. "I think I probably said some things."
"Happens to the best of us, Quinnie," Mercedes replied, smiling before her own hangover ruined her expression.
"Come on, I need to clean up this place! Oh God, my dads are going to kill me!" Rachel's voice was all the more insistent now. Mercedes held up her hands.
"Rachel, I thought you said your dads wouldn't be back until later in the week?"
Berry paused mid-hysterics. "Oh. Right. I knew that."
"Thank the Lord for you, Mercedes," Quinn said.
"Don't be thanking me just yet, Quinnie. You get to drive me home, remember?"
A/N: I do swear that I'll write something resembling fluff at some point, but right now the angst is just so much fun! :P
