Childhood Revisited pt. 2

The girls sat on Quinn's bed doing homework as the rain pounded the windows. Quinn closed her book suddenly and stretched. "It's Friday. We should be having fun, not doing homework."

"What do you suggest?" Rachel said, still working.

"I'm going to make a list…."

"Umm…okay?"

"A list of all the kid things you didn't do as a kid."

"Oh goodness…."

"Number one, did you ever play hide and seek?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever play Capture the Flag?"

"At camp," Rachel said, nodding.

"Freeze tag?"

"What's that?"

"Okay, freeze tag's on the list. To answer, freeze tag is like regular tag only when you get tagged, you freeze. Until someone else comes along and unfreezes you."

"Sounds weird."

"So we have mud sliding and freeze tag. Ever been to an arcade?"

"Sure I have. There's one in the mall."

"Ever been to Chuck E. Cheese?"

"I hardly think that place is nutritional. And there have been numerous reports about how unsanitary the playscape can be."

"So no?"

"No."

"Well, Ray Bear, this weekend we're reclaiming your lost childhood." Her phone buzzed. "Starting now," she said, reading the message and smiling. "Puckerman says mudsliding's a go at Finn and Kurt's place."

"But Quiiiin…" Rachel whined.

"Nope! It's happening. Get your bathing suit on."

Thirty minutes later, they were standing in Kurt's backyard with the rest of the Glee club, watching Puck and Finn demonstrate the correct mudsliding technique. This consisted of: Run. Jump. Fling yourself as far as possible.

It had stopped raining by this point, but Burt had graciously agreed to the destruction of a strip of grass, and kept the hose running.

"Mostly it's to get video footage of Kurt getting muddy," he told them.

"I'm on it, Mr. Hummel," Artie said, brandishing his video camera.

"Who's next?" Finn yelled from across the yard.

"Me!" Tina squealed.

The Gleeks took to rating each others' sliding techniques. The only one who got a ten was Sam. Until Rachel's turn….

"This is insane!" she yelled, bouncing from foot to foot.

"Come on, Rach!" Brittany yelled.

"Let's go, Hobbit!" Santana yelled.

Rachel grinned at Quinn, who gave her a thumbs up. With a short running start, she jumped into the mud, and slid all the way to the end of the line. "EW! THAT WAS AWESOME!" she yelled, as Santana helped her up.

"Told you!" Quinn, Puck and Tina yelled.

"Listen up!" Quinn said. "Today was the start of Rachel's Kiddie Weekend…."

"That sounds slightly wrong," Kurt muttered to Artie.

"Tomorrow, we're playing an epic game of freeze tag in the park, and then we're having dinner at Chuck E. Cheese."

"Wait, you've never been to Chuck E. Cheese?" Mike asked.

"Nope. And Quinn's hell bent on recapturing my childhood, so I suggest you all do as she says," Rachel said, laughing.

"Time out a second," Puck said. "Is this regular freeze tag, or super freeze tag?"

"What's super freeze tag?" Mercedes asked.

"It's where everyone's armed with a super soaker. The person who's 'It' doesn't get to use theirs while they're 'It'. If you get tagged, you have to wait for someone to shoot you—thereby unfreezing you."

"Did he just say 'thereby'?" Finn asked.

"Yep," Blaine said. "Hey, is it cool if I invite the Warblers?"

"All Warblers not named Sebastian are welcome," Quinn said. "Does everyone have a super soaker?"

"I have six extra, if not," Puck said.

"I'll need one," Rachel said.

"Me too," Mike agreed. "My parents didn't allow any type of gun toys in the house when I was little."

"I'll bring them all," Puck said.

"Alright, three o'clock in the park," Quinn said. "See you all tomorrow!"

After thanking the Hummels profusely, and hosing off as best as they could, the Gleeks went their separate ways for the evening.

"Whoa!" Leroy yelped. "What happened to you?"

"Mud sliding. It was fantastic. Disgusting, but oddly satisfying."

"More of Quinn's attempts to reclaim your childhood?" Hiram asked from the living room.

"Definitely."

Leroy laughed. "Dinner's almost ready. Go shower."

Super freeze tag turned into full on tag warfare. This was partially because Rachel didn't understand the rules and just kept tagging everyone whether she was "It" or not, and partially because Artie rigged his chair with rotating motorized water cannons. The "war" (which was really everyone just running around jostling and shouting at each other) lasted for about an hour. They were ready to call it a day, when Blaine shouted.

"Reinforcements are here!"

Ten Warblers came running into the park wearing Warbler-themed swim trunks and carrying water guns. They were divided up onto the different teams, and the chaos began again.

"Whose birthday is closest? We've got to get them to sing the birthday song," Finn said.

"Santana's is next week, right?" Kurt asked.

"Damn straight," Santana said. "And I wants my free slice of cake, so let's get going."

The group walked into the restaurant, which was thankfully rather quiet that day, and paid for their meals and tokens. Rachel was happy to find a good selection of things she could eat at the salad bar, and the rest of them stuffed their faces with pizza.

"Normally, I'd complain about the amount of grease on this pizza," Kurt said, squeezing out his slice onto his plate. "But I can't bring myself to care this time."

"We're children again this weekend," Finn said, chuckling. "Childhood means crappy yet awesome pizza."

"There's no such thing as crappy pizza," Brittany said.

"Bow down to Pierce Wisdom," Puck agreed.

"I have to say, if it weren't for my moral convictions and dedication to veganism, I'd be all over the greasy pizza," Rachel said.

"So how are you liking your weekend, Rachel?" Tina asked.

"I'll admit, I was a bit reluctant at first. All of the planned activities have always struck me as a bit juvenile. But I'm having a great time. Thanks to Quinn's scheming."

"Always looking out for you, babe," Quinn said. "Who's ready for some games?"

They all rushed off in different directions, Quinn following Rachel around to play games with her.

After three rounds of Skee-ball, a turn at Smash-A-Munch, whooping Puck's ass at a basketball game, and losing soundly to Kurt at Balloon Pop, one of the employees came over and told Quinn they were ready for the birthday song.

"Awesome!" Quinn said. "Santana, Brittany! God, are they making out in the ball pit?"

"Brittany said it was a fantasy of hers," Sam told her.

"Someone pull Rachel away from Spyder Stomp. It's time for cake."

They finished up their games and ran back to the Glee table (they'd actually put up a sign that said that). Brittany, Mike and Santana ran up to dance with Chuck E. as the music started.

Haaaaappy Birthday!

Come on, let's celebrate!

Yeah, let's bring out that birthday cake!

Now clap your hands!

Get on your feet!

We're going to share a special treat!
We say happy, you say birthday
Happy...birthday! Happy...birthday!
Clap your hands...now stomp your feet!
You're a Birthday Star at Chuck E. Cheese
You're our special guest, we all aim to please!
You're big time, big stuff, going far!
Here's to you our Birthday Star

We say happy, you say birthday
Happy...birthday! Happy birthday !
Clap your hands...now stomp your feet !
All right everybody, let's sing Happy Birthday...one, two, three!

Happy Birthday to you (Yay!), Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday from Chuck E., Happy Birthday to you!
The mouse followed the three to the table. "Hey, there's birthday cake...get ready to blow out the candles...close those eyes real tight...make a wish with all your heart...take a deep breath...and blow out those candles!"

"Ow! Rachel!" Quinn muttered as Santana blew the candles out. Her girlfriend had a death grip on her arm. "What is it?"

"Mouse…." Rachel said, staring up at Chuck E., terrified.

"Calm down," Quinn said. "It's just Jacob Ben Israel in a costume."

"That does not make me feel better."

"On a scale of one to ten, how awesome was this weekend?" Quinn asked as she and Rachel drove back from the party.

"I'll give it a solid nine."

"A nine?"

"You lost a point for the giant, horrific mouse-man."

Quinn just laughed. "I love you, Rachel."