Author's Note: I can't believe how often I used the word plan in this, but…oh well. It is a chapter about planning. By the way, I'm a control freak who has to have a plan for absolutely everything. It drives people around me nuts. But I also talk way too much (someone once told me that they think I'll only stop talking when I die – and probably not even then). And when you put obsessive planning and incessant talking together, you have a problem, because I believe that the one thing you cannot plan is what people say.

But you probably don't care about my totally disjointed author's note, so just forget you've ever read it. I just felt like telling you.

This really is a filler chapter, but it needed to be done. I listened to Drumming Song, Cosmic Love and Hurricane Drunk by Florence and the Machine and Dreaming Of You by The Coral on repeat while writing this. Four hours later, I've got the words the stars, the moon, they have all been blown out stuck in my head, and you have a new chapter. Go figure.

Count To Ten

Chapter 6

Day 3…still…

A plan. He who fails to plan, plans to fail.

Plans and all its synonyms.

Tactics. Tactics mean doing what you can with what you have.

Preparations and strategies. When you're prepared, you're more confident; when you have a strategy, you're more comfortable.

Arrangements. Arranging things means having control.

A plan. Planning is bringing the future into the present so you can do something about now. A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.


"One week! You knew it was bad advice and you still followed it for a whole week! What's wrong with you? We're going to fix this! Right now!", Santana shouted, dragging Rachel into a storage closet. Was this dragging thing becoming a habit? "I have a plan, and you're going to do exactly as I say."

"Oh, because that worked so well the last time?" The diva couldn't keep the anger out of her voice even if she wanted to. Santana's plans were a hazard, and she'd been caught right in the middle of it.

"Yes, well, this time Quinn knows about the plan. I'm just meddling with it."


„Kurt", Quinn said, her voice sweet. „Just the person I was looking for." She took a predatory step closer to him, effectively cutting him off from the door. She didn't think he'd run, but she wasn't about to take any chances. This was too important. "I assume Rachel has told you about everything that happened. And now we have to fix this. I have a plan. But I need your help with it."

Kurt shot her a skeptical look. "Is Santana involved? Because her planning seriously sucks. She lacks the finesse it takes to execute ideas. And, quite frankly, also the sensitivity required for matters of the heart. As proven by her last plan."

"Yes, well, this time Santana and I agree about the plan. And the finesse…that's where you come in."


"You and I both fucked up", the Latina admitted. "I gave you bad advice and insisted on you following through with it, and you did, even when you should've known you shouldn't."

"I didn't…", Rachel started to defend herself, slightly shocked that Santana had admitted to being at fault, if only partly.

"A whole week, Berry?" A raised eyebrow emphasized her point.

"It was three days", Rachel huffed.

"You don't usually need that long to realize something is a bad idea."

Well, that was true.

"You were convincing."

Santana sighed. "That's because I was sure it'd work."


"Before you tell me about my part in what certainly is going to be an educational display of conniving planning", Kurt said, his voice carrying more boredom than excitement, "answer me this: did you truly not suspect for one moment that Santana had her own agenda when she so willingly spent time with Rachel these last few days?"

"I thought she was just supporting me", Quinn replied.

He couldn't quite believe that. "By hanging out with Rachel?"

"By showing me she could be friends with her, too. By showing me having Rachel as part of our group could work. By showing me she was okay with this", Quinn explained, sounding absolutely sure of her words. Her assumptions had been wrong, she knew that now, but that didn't mean they were wrong in general. Santana was capable of being a good sport, regardless of her ulterior motives in this particular situation, and Quinn whole-heartedly believed even those ulterior motives were meant to help her. They were frenemies most of the time, but they were friends before that, and that had to count for something.

But Kurt didn't, couldn't, understand their friendship, and his trust in the Latina went about as far as he could throw her. "Are we talking about the same Santana Lopez?"

"You have to understand, Santana is a hands-on person. You know that saying After all is said and done, a hell of a lot more is said than done? Santana doesn't like talking, she likes action."

"She doesn't like talking? For years, she's been throwing insults at Rachel every chance she gets. So have you, for that matter."

Quinn sighed heavily. He wasn't wrong about that. "If Santana really disliked Rachel as much as she says, she would've done something about it. She's mostly bark on no bite unless someone really pisses her off. As for me…I've been confused about what I want for a long time. I'm not anymore. I plan to fix things."

"Right. So what is it that you have planned?"


"And this new plan – you're convinced about that one, too?", Rachel asked sarcastically. She wasn't usually very good at sarcasm, didn't really like to use it, but she supposed this situation screamed for it. Did anyone even know what was going on anymore? With all these plans and manipulations, people doing things for reasons only they knew about…she was so confused about it all that her usual straight-forwardness had been replaced by sarcastic words.

"Give a girl a break, will you?" Santana crossed her arms in front of her chest. "It's really a good plan. It'll work out much better than the last one."

"Yes, because this time, you're going to tell me all about it before we launch into anything."

"You're a control freak who can't stand people having secrets. But it was Quinn's place to tell you about the song, not mine. I told you enough. Need-to-know-basis ring any bells, Berry?"

Rachel shook her head and took a step back. This was not how this conversation was going to go, she decided. "We're not in the military, Santana. Call me by my first name and tell me everything."

"Or else?" It should have sounded threatening, but it wasn't lost on either of the girls that it sounded anything but.

Time to conjure up the poker face. "I'll tell Brittany you knowingly sabotaged Quinn's surprise for me just to hurt us both."

The Latina narrowed her eyes. "You wouldn't."

Of course not. "Try me."

"Brittany would never believe I'd hurt you just for fun." Her voice was even, but a slight shake of her hand gave her away.

"Are you sure about that? Are you one hundred percent certain she wouldn't at least doubt you intentions?"


"Wait", Kurt stopped Quinn's explanation. "There's another thing I need to know."

The blonde nodded at him continue, sensing what was about to come. He and Rachel had a rocky relationship, but he wanted to protect her, and she appreciated that. For all her bravado, even Rachel needed someone to protect her from time to time. Quinn wanted to be that person, but before that could happen, she needed to stop being the person Rachel needed protection from.

"What, exactly, are you intentions? You asked Rachel for forgiveness with that song, which, by the way, I applaud your courage for, but what comes after that? I mean, you have to know she's going to forgive you. Santana never even attempted to apologize, yet she and Rachel have been building a friendship over the course of a few days. What are you going to do when she sets you free of your guilt over your behavior?"

"I suppose we'll be friends." God, I hope we'll be friends. Being friends would be a good start…

"Friends who greet each other in the hallways and chat occasionally? Friends who sit next to each other during Glee and have private jokes? Friends who have sleep-overs and tell each other anything? Because there are many different types of friends, Quinn."

"I hope we're going to be good friends. Great friends. Hang out at each other's houses and maintain a strong bond even when we attend colleges far away from each other type of friends." Please god, give me at least that. I know it's more than I deserve, but please…

Kurt hesitated. "That's…nice."

His unconvinced answer didn't exactly help her anxiety. "You don't think it could work out?"

"Well", he said, watching her carefully. "It might be easier if you weren't in love with her."


"I'm sure", Santana stated. "She wouldn't doubt me. She knows I was really just trying to help you both. She knows my intentions were good." Her confidence grew with every word. Brittany knew her. Brittany would know.

"And why will she be so sure of that no matter what horrible story I'll tell her about you?" She willed the Latina to say it. To say what they both knew to be true, but had never been said out loud.

"Because…she…I…" A stuttering Santana Lopez? Apparently, miracles never ceased to happen.

"I want to hear it, Santana."

And then she gave in. "Because you're my friends and I like you, okay? Q is my best friend right after Brit, but nothing compares to her anyway, and you're…you've grown on me, kind of like cancer, a benign one. You're my friend now, too, and Brit knows I don't hurt my friends. I may be a bitch and I don't make things easy, but I don't hurt my friends. Not intentionally. Not if I can help it. Okay?"

It was much more than just okay. It was evidence of how far they had come. It was a silver lining in the chaos of the last few days. Despite the fact that things had gone wrong with Quinn, reaching an understanding with Santana gave her hope. It was one more step in the right direction. But she knew that she couldn't say any of that. Santana would probably have an aneurism from all the emotion.

"Okay. Thank you, Santana."

"Whatever."

"You've become a good friend to me, too, you know?"

"I don't care." There was a shrug, but also a hidden smile.

"I just thought you should know."

"I said I don't care."

"That's okay."

"Yeah. So…the plan?"

"Go ahead. I'm curious what you've come up with now."


"Aren't you going to deny it?", Kurt asked when Quinn didn't say anything. In fact, she didn't react at all, simply staring at him with the same expression on her face she'd had when she asked him if he didn't think it would work out. Maybe his words hadn't caught up with her yet.

"I…you…how…why would you think I…oh my god…I can't…"

Or she was going to pass out from shock.


"Before I tell you what my brilliant mind has come up with, I have a question."

"Yes?"

"You are going to forgive Quinn, right?"

"I already have forgiven her. Quinn is…I've always admired her. I've tried to be her friend many times, if you don't remember. I was just waiting for her to want it, too. It's just, I don't know, I feel this pull towards her. Knowing she's genuinely sorry about the way she's been treating me in the past makes me feel better about the fact that I've never been able to hate her."

Slowly, the Latina nodded. Then she raised an eyebrow. "So…you're in love with her?"

For a moment, Rachel's breath halted. But when she regarded the other girl, something in her stance was off. And there was something in the way she had asked…There was no surprise, no real curiosity, it hadn't even sounded like a real question. There was also no indignation or amusement. No anything, really. Finally, it clicked. "You're asking that as if you don't already know."

Touché.

"I was just leading up to what I really wanted to ask."

"Which would be?"

Santana snapped her fingers. "When are you going to tell her?"


As soon as she had her breath back, she shouted: "You can't tell anyone!" And then she hyperventilated again.

"But you should tell her", Kurt stressed. He'd only figured it out about five minutes ago, but that much was clear to even him.

"No way! Have you been here the last three years? Did you listen to anything I told in the past thirty minutes? I can't tell her! For weeks now, I've been trying to gather enough courage to apologize to her for treating her so badly! I was afraid to even ask friendship of her! What makes you think I can just walk up to her and tell her I have feelings for her?"

Good question. But they were talking about Rachel Berry after all. "You already have a grand plan for winning her affections. Make it about love instead of friendship."


"Why would I tell her?", the diva asked, her tone conveying nothing but curiosity. "She just realized she wants to be friends with me. Can you imagine what would happen if I told her I wanted more?"

But Santana wouldn't have any of it. "I already have this genius plan for you to fix the misunderstanding about the song. Right now she's with Kurt planning her own thing. Another song for you. But she's not really the one who needs to apologize this time, is she? I can give you the song, you'll learn it, and when she sings it to you, you'll surprise her by joining in. It'll be great. You'll both be emotional. You can tell her then. Make it about love instead of friendship."


"But Santana is with Rachel right now, telling her about her part of the plan. I can't just change course of action like that! I can't just lay this on her! I can't risk this!" If she kept shouting like that, she'd lose her breath again.

"You're telling me Santana is telling Rachel about your plan?"

Well, breathing was overrated anyway. "Yes! That was the plan! Keep up, Hummel!"

"Okay…what?"

"I was supposed to tell you everything and make you help me with the arrangements. I have a song, but I need you for the setting and the decorations. Santana is supposed to tell Rachel I want to do another song for her. Rachel will be against it, as I already sang to her, and, honestly, right now she is the one who has something to fix. Santana will give her the song and tell her to sing it to me as a surprise instead of the other way around. We'd meet up in the auditorium, I'd start to sing, she'd sing along, we'd both have what we wanted, and we'd make up."

He was as close to speechless as was possible for him. "That's…one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard."


Rachel felt a headache coming on. "I don't agree with that idea. Quinn and I are not on the same page right now. And I can't just bulldozer her. And your plan is not going to change the fact that Quinn and I need to have a serious talk. I love grand gestures, but a relationship, of whatever nature it might be, cannot survive alone on that."

Santana rolled her eyes. "So what's your plan?"


"Then what do you suggest I do?", Quinn asked defeated.

He didn't need to think about that. "Don't plan."


"I don't have a plan", Rachel shrugged.


Kurt knew Quinn was confused and scared, but he needed to get through to her. He needed her to listen and understand. "This is not some kind of teenage drama movie", he began.


"…and you're not a producer or director who can manipulate people or situations to their own will", Rachel said, looking Santana straight in the eyes. "This is real life…"


"…where people need to talk to each other and decide things together. In real life, you can't just tell people half of the truth…"


"…and expect them to react accordingly. Or pull strings behind people's backs and assume everything's going to work out great. If you think that…"


"…then you're going to be sorely disappointed. You slushied her,…"


"…I tried to steal her boyfriend,…"


"…you ridiculed her…


"…I antagonized her…"


"…you abused her trust…"


"…she insulted me again and again and again…"


"…she ignored your feelings…"


"…and we both made countless mistakes."


"That's not just going to go away. Those issues are not going to be resolved by singing to each other."


"How do you know this plan is going to work? How do you know any plan is going to work?"


"You can't know what someone thinks or feels unless they've told you face to face. Friendship…"


"…and love cannot be planned. They just happen. And when they do…"


"…you need to be honest about them, and clear, and straightforward. Plans are great when you want to go on vacation or apply to colleges…"


"…or manage your money. But when you tell someone you like them? When you ask them for forgiveness? When you want to build a relationship? You need to lay it all out. Show all your cards and hope for the best."


"So don't plan this", Kurt finished.


"So I'm not going to plan this", Rachel finished.


A plan.

It pays to plan ahead – it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

To be prepared is half the victory.

But all the scheming and plotting in the world won't result in something lasting, transcendent. Anything that's authentic, that's real, comes in the form of a gift. The gift of two people speaking honest words to one another, without the veil of a planned outcome.


When the door to the band room opened, it showed a tired, blonde cheerleader and a fashionable young man on one side; a softly smiling short brunette and an expectant looking Latina on the other.

"Rachel", the blonde breathed.

"Quinn", the brunette nodded.

And when they both opened their mouths again at the same time, the young man and the Latina had to suppress their smiles.

"I think we need to talk."