Quinn had been ignoring her Mother's calls all week. She threw her phone down on the bed as it rang for at least the fifth time that day. Judy was most likely just checking that Quinn wouldn't embarrass her by not attending. She wished she wasn't, but she had promised Connor.
She checked her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing an emerald green floor length organza dress with a V-neck. She had curled her hair and pined it up to give the illusion of a shorter haircut.
Connor was picking her up and they were meeting Jay and Leah at the event. Quinn had laid into him that he had made her promise to go and was then going to ditch her for a date without telling her.
She had also teased him relentlessly about going with Leah. All he had done since she arrived at Chicago med was complain about her. She had suspected that a lot of their arguments were just down to sexual tension.
"Are you ready?" Connor asked her as they pulled up outside the hotel that was hosting the event.
"To listen you your Dad, drone on for hours?" She asked raising an eyebrow "Never"
"Open bar" Connor shrugged.
"Thank god" She laughed as the driver opened the door and helped her out of the car.
She smoothed down her dress and looked up to find Jay staring at her. She smiled at him. He had opted for a black suit and a black shirt, no tie. It was very Jay.
"You look amazing" He told her offering her his arm.
"So, do you" She told him linking her arm through his "Ready to enter the gates of hell"
"Isn't that a little dramatic?" Leah asked her.
"Nope" Connor said shaking his head "You've never met our parents"
"My Mom has been calling me all week" Quinn groaned.
"What did she want?" Connor asked as they walked into the hotel lobby and followed the signs for the ballroom.
"How would I know?" She asked, "I didn't answer"
Connor checked the seating plan and led them all to their table. Will, Natalie, Ethan and April were all sat with them at least. Quinn was sure Connor had at least taking control of the seating arrangements with his father or had refused to come.
"How's your case going?" She asked Jay as a waiter brought round champagne.
"It went well" He told her wrinkling his nose at the champagne.
"We should go to the bar" She giggled taking the champagne flute and putting it down on the table.
"Good plan" He said with a smile "How was your week, I'm sorry I couldn't see you sooner?"
"Hey, it's the life of a resident as well" She told him "I completely get it, I worked a crazy week, I'm sad that my night off is being spent here here, but I've got tomorrow off"
"Me too" He replied, "We'll have to make the most of it"
There was something in the way that he said it that made Quinn blush. She knew that he noticed by the smirk on his face. She ordered a bourbon and a glass of wine before he could comment. She handed him his drink while taking a sip of her wine scanning the room. She tried to turn back around as she locked eyes with her Mother but it was too late.
"Quinn" Judy said walking up and air kissing her "I'm so glad you're here"
"Hi Mom" She said simply.
"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Judy asked.
Quinn saw the way she looked Jay over. She had that perfect Stepford wife smile on her face but she knew she was judging him.
"This is Jay Halstead, he's a detective" She replied matching her mother's forced smile. "Jay this is my Mother Judy Rhodes"
"It's nice to meet you" Jay told her politely.
"Would you mind if I had a moment alone with my Daughter?" Judy asked.
"We're a little busy right now" She said before Jay could answer "We can talk later"
"Well that was awkward" Jay said quietly as Quinn dragged him back to the table taking a seat.
Connor looked at Quinn with a concerned look on his face. Quinn smiled at him trying to put him at ease. He always understood what it was like for her with her Mom. It was almost the same as he felt about his Dad. Not quite to the same extreme for Quinn. But they had an understanding.
She decided it would be best to change the subject so she returned her attention to Jay.
"So, what did you have in mind for tomorrow?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"I was hoping my plans would start tonight" He replied with a mischievous smirk.
"That's my sister" Connor warned him but he was smiling.
Quinn rolled her eyes at him.
"I don't comment on you women of the week" She retorted.
Connor looked like he was about to say something but Cornelius was up on stage ready to make his speech. Quinn did her best to keep a completely neutral face the entire time. Jay could see through it because he took her hand under the table squeezing it. She smiled at him gratefully.
"Not only have we been able to open the Elizabeth Rhodes psychiatric wing" Cornelius continued "But with such amazing support, not only from my family but also others, we are now opening a new state of the art paediatric unit. I would like to welcome and thank Biff McIntosh for his outstanding contribution that made this possible"
Quinn wasn't aware that she had tightened her grip on Jay's hand.
"Are you ok?" He asked her, placing a hand on her arm to get her attention.
"Fine" She said automatically but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the stage.
Jay looked quizzically up at the stage. He noticed the looks that Will and Connor were both giving Quinn. Quinn looked over at her Mother who looked incredibly awkward.
She realised why her Mother had been so incessant with her calls. She wished she had picked one up. She never would have come. Quinn wasn't sure she took in a single word of what Biff had said. As soon as everyone was stood applauding, she excused herself.
Jay stood to follow her. Quinn heard Connor ask him to give her a minute. She had changed herself so much to be with Biff. All he had ever done was make her feel small and worthless. On top of that he had been cheating on her the whole time he had been telling her just how worthless she was. She couldn't look at him.
The fresh air hitting her really helped. She took a few minutes to compose herself. She went from feeling confused and hurt to murderous. She couldn't wrap her head about what would possess him to come here. Or why her Mother would let him.
She walked back inside. Biff was stood outside the ballroom talking to someone on the hospital board. He smiled when he saw her and walked over.
"Quinn" He said moving in to hug her "You look beautiful"
"What are you doing here" She hissed stepping out of reach.
"Really sweetheart?" He almost laughed "Don't you think you're being a little dramatic"
"No" She said a bit more forcefully "I don't want to see you again means exactly that, it's not an invitation to turn up here"
"You were unreasonable when you left" He told her "I thought you would have used this time a bit more wisely and come to your senses"
"Is everything ok?" Jay asked coming over and putting an arm around her shoulders.
"This is something between my fiancé and I" Biff said looking Jay over "If you could give us a moment"
Jay looked at her quizzically.
"Ex fiancé" She corrected "And we're done here"
"Don't let her innocent snow-white act fool you" Biff told Jay with a look of annoyance on his face.
Biff was not used to Quinn talking back or standing up to him. He was used to getting his own way. He'd never met a problem he couldn't talk or buy his way out of. She wasn't surprised that Cornelius and her Mother had been so ready to welcome him.
"Back off man" Jay sighed "She doesn't want to talk to you"
"Does he know how much you lie?" Biff asked her "about your baby?"
"Jay knows everything" She said holding her head high.
She had spent long enough feeling bad about herself with Biff.
"So, he doesn't mind that you're just a dirty little slut" Biff laughed.
Quinn couldn't believe her ears. Biff was always so careful about the things that he said in public. But she had never talked back to him before. His true colours were coming out.
Quinn saw Jay's hand ball up into a fist. She put her hand on his to stop him from swinging at Biff.
"Nice to see you met someone on your level" Biff scoffed.
Quinn couldn't help herself she punched Biff square in the nose. He bent over holding his face. Connor had just come out to check on her. The look of shock on his face mirrored exactly how she felt.
"Oh god" Judy cried running over to Biff "What did you do?"
"She broke my nose" Biff groaned "crazy bitch"
"I think you should leave" Judy told him with an icy tone entering her voice.
"Judy" Biff said surprised.
"Nobody talks about my daughter that way" Judy said glaring at him "She's too good for you"
One of the doctors offered to talk a look at Biff's nose to ensure nothing was broken.
"Thank you, Mom," She said hugging her mother for the first time in years.
"Well Quinnie, a gentleman just doesn't talk like that" Judy told her hugging her back "I should really go and make sure no one saw that scene though"
"I'll talk to you later" She said squeezing her Mom's hand "I think I should go"
Judy smiled gratefully. Quinn was over the moon that her Mother had taken her side for once, but she knew how her Mother felt about causing a scene. Quinn had more than enough for one night anyway.
Jay went back to the table to collect Quinn's bag. He gave her his jacket and took her hand.
"Come on, I'll take you home" He told her.
Quinn waved goodbye to Connor who was talking down Biff who was apparently threating to press charges. She knew she was lucky it had happened in the hallway and not the ballroom or she might be in trouble at work as well.
Jay hailed a cab once they were outside. Quinn felt a shiver. It wasn't a cold night. She thought all the emotion she had held in was taking over.
"It's ok" He said sitting in the backseat beside her.
Quinn rested her head on his shoulder remaining silent for the journey back to her apartment.
"Do you want to come up?" She asked as they pulled up outside of her building.
"Are you sure?" He asked her.
Quinn nodded and took Jay's hand as he followed her out after paying the driver.
"I'm just going to put on something more comfortable" She told him once they were inside "Help yourself to a beer"
Quinn let her hair down and threw on her sweatpants and tank top. She was no longer concerned about impressing Jay. She just wanted his company and to forget what an awful night it had been.
Jay was leaning against the kitchen counter looking down at his phone. She went to walk past him to get to the fridge. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him putting his arms around her.
"Are you ok?" He asked her his head resting on top of hers.
"I'm fine" She sighed relaxing into the hug "I can't believe he would show up here"
"I don't think he'd repeat that mistake" He said with a smirk "I knew you had an aggressive side but wow"
"I've never punched someone before" She laughed
"Antonio would have been impressed" He said with a smile "someone from my unit"
Quinn grabbed a beer from the fridge and went to sit on the couch. Jay joined her putting an arm around her and pulling her to him.
"So, you were engaged?" He asked.
"For a while" She sighed "He blew up about Beth before we got engaged but when he apologised I just let it go, I shouldn't have. Things were never the same after that"
"Did he hurt you?" He asked.
Quinn could feel Jay tense up at the question.
"Not physically" She replied shaking her head "He just put me down all the time, made me feel worthless and he was cheating on me"
"You've always been amazing" He told her putting down his beer on the coffee table and making her look at him.
"Even with the nose ring and the crazy pink hair?" She teased.
"Especially then" He nodded with a smirk.
She laughed hitting him playfully. He caught her arm and pulled her towards him. He kissed her before she could register what was going on. She grabbed his shirt pulling him closer. He slid one hand down to her waist, the other cupping her face.
"Will you stay?" She breathed between kisses.
Jay pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him. He picked her up and carried her through to the bedroom. Quinn pushed the door closed behind them.
