8/20/12
A/N: And so Rachel finally lives up to her diva nickname, Quinn is still confused. Santana has a run in with an exorcist….and in walks the decoy! Thanks for reading !
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"Ms. Berry!"
"Rachel!"
"Over here!"
Rachel turned for the camera smiling and laughing it up. "Hey Man hands is it true that you finally got your revenge on the HBIC from your high school?" the voice was cruel and invoked goose bumps on Rachel's skin.
"What?" Rachael stopped moving, looking at the man holding the camera in her direction as he waived a newspaper in her direction. "Quinn Fabray right? Died last night in a massive pile up between your angered fans and paparazzi. How does revenge feel?" he demanded.
"No!"
Rachel shot out of the sofa next to Quinn's bed her body was broken out in sweat. The room was quiet other then Quinn's and her own heavy breathing. Her daddy came to stand at the door looking at her. "I'm ok just a bad dream."
"Second one tonight do you want to talk about it?" Leroy asked softly, as he walked to the sofa.
"Not really they are both pretty much the same. Did Santana get through to Shelby yet?"
"About 45 minutes ago. They can't come up until Friday, Shelby didn't want to pull Beth out of school."
"Quinn wouldn't want that either. School is very important to Quinn."
"Beth is pissed, she demanded that Shelby let her come or she would run away." Leroy laughed. "sounds a little familiar."
"Funny dad." Rachel worried her lower lip. "Maybe I can call her and talk to her."
"Shelby or Beth."
"Whoever will listen." Rachel countered worried.
"Rachel you haven't talked to Shelby in over 6 years and Beth doesn't even know you." Leroy scoffed. Rachel turned and smiled a guilty smile, trying to hide a blush.
"Rachel Barbra Berry! How in the hell does Beth know you?" Leroy demanded with his hands on his hips.
"I ran into her at the library in Lima, she recognized me. Should I lie to her?" Rachel shrugged her shoulders. "Shelby was there but not in the music section at the time, Beth looks just like Quinn how could I refuse her?"
"I wouldn't expect you to. What happened?" Leroy asked amused.
"Well at first it was how it always goes jumping up and down and crying, but this time I was also jumping up and down and crying. I was so happy to meet her and see how much she looks like Quinn, but she has Pucks smirk and devilness. We hid in the piano cubby they have and talked for 25 minutes until I heard Shelby's frantic scream. She asked me for my address and I'm ashamed I gave her the real one not the Po box. We write back and forth once a week." she shrugged her shoulders. "Shelby is going to be so angry when she finds out, maybe Quinn too. But I wasn't and I'm still not willing to give her up."
Leroy watched his daughter, how she narrowed her eyes at the thought of someone trying to separate her from the child. It would be a VERY cold day in hell before she let that happen. "I love you, do you know that. I never thought I would love you more then the day we brought you home and you slept on my chest after curling your fingers around your fathers pinky. But every day, every action, every thought, every decision you make. Show me that I am wrong because my love for you knows no bounds and gets deeper and deeper. I couldn't be more proud of the compassionate, honest, caring, loving and very talented person that stands before me. You are beautiful outside, but more importantly inside." Leroy pulled her into a deep hug.
"I love you daddy. Thank you for teaching me to live that way, and loving me even though I can be impossible."
"It's easy kid. You're easy to love, even when you're being a diva." Hiram came into the room and pulled them both into his arms. "You made us better people, having you in our lives …..well there was never a dull moment. You were our blessing, you made life worth while, princess. We're so very proud of you."
Quinn heard the Berry men talking to their daughter and fought the damn tears. She was so jealous that she never had a moment like this with her father. He had never held her , or told her that he loved her, or that he was proud of her. She felt robbed. Why did she have to have parents that should have been on the top 100 worst parents: providing a unconditional home list. She had always been jealous of Rachel of that, envious of their love and support in her life no matter what she chose or did. It was one of the main reason that Quinn had put a target on Rachel all those years ago. You tortured a person because they had something that you prayed for every night. You are such a monster Quinn Fabray.
"Ok we're going to let you rest. I was just coming in to tell you that everyone is down for the night. Your father and I will be returning to our suite. We ran out of rooms it appears. Where you planning on staying in here?"
"Yes this is like the hotel room RI. There is a second room that I will be staying in. I want to be here in case I have to run interference with Santana."
"Nice girl that Santana." Leroy muttered sarcastically.
"Santana has issues, repressed issues from long ago that she hasn't taken the time to work out yet. She is Quinn's best friend and very loyal and protective. She and I have a history but a hurt Quinn brings out the worst in her."
"If you say so. Good night princess love you."
"Good night baby."
"Good night dad and daddy see you in the morning."
"If you lost touch with Santana over the years how do you know all that?" Quinn demanded sitting up in the seat.
"I didn't know you were awake." Rachel laughed startled. "I knew that is high school. Just like anyone would , if they paid attention." Rachel smiled and walked over to the bed sitting on the side. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit in the head and lost four days of memories. But I'll live." Quinn smiled ruefully. "So tell me did I have fun the last four days? What did we do?"
"I can't tell you that it might hinder your memory process." Rachel lied looking down at her hands.
"Fine, what bull crap but fine. Would you like to talk about the construction?" Quinn changed the subject.
"Not really, I don't want you to think too much, so why don't we talk about something else. Anything else."
Quinn shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "I like to think. Why don't you tell me about what shows your planning to do when the theater opens."
Rachel shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."
"Rachel Barbara Berry doesn't want to talk about theater? That is two shoot downs in less then 10 minutes. What is going on?"
"Nothing I just don't want to talk about the theater or my career. Why don't you tell me about something about your life for once. Not everything is about me, Quinn." Rachel muttered angry.
"There isn't much to tell Rachel which you are aware of." Quinn defended aghast at Rachel's reluctance to talk about the theater. "Is there something going on that you don't want to tell me about?"
"Fine Quinn I had to shut down the theater for a few weeks. I know you're going to be angry with me. I have to go on tour and I didn't want you to be mad at me. To be honest I was hoping to distract you with Santana and Brittany being here, so you wouldn't be too angry. I know that you love this project, but I had to shut it down."
"Oh Rachel!" Quinn laughed. "Here you go again. I understand that your career has demands and that you need to take care of. I can move a few things around so that I can focus on them. So the theater is still on pause but what about your apartment?"
"I think it can wait. I can live here for a few weeks if it comes to that. It is mostly completed anyway. So all I need to do is buy the furniture and the fixtures in the bathroom. And Violet already agreed to help me with the decor."
"Rachel I am getting the feeling there is something that you aren't telling me." Quinn leaned over and pinched Rachel chuckling when Rachel pouted.
"Ok …ok! Santana called Shelby! Ok? That bitch is coming up here with Beth on Friday and I can't be here." Rachel threw up her hands in anger her face flush and pushing tears away from her face. "I can't be in the same room without hurting Beth. Because I find it hard not to tell her, Shelby, how I feel." Rachel lowered her shoulders in dejection. "I didn't want to tell you Quinn and I'm sorry, and because I am a control freak I didn't want you working on the apartment without me there." she looked down at her hands in embarrassment.
"That is all you had to tell me." Quinn chuckled but tried to hide it behind her fingers. "OK I will stay off the site. No internal changes will be made but the construction itself will continue."
"Ok." Rachel nodded and looked at the clock. "It's late I have a lot to do before I leave on Thursday." Rachel stood. Rachel leaned in an kissed Quinn on the top of her head. "Get some rest. San and Britt will be here in full force."
"Night Rachel." Quinn watched Rachel leave. She couldn't help the empty feeling she felt as the diva headed out of the room. Rachel turned back one last time looking at Quinn over her shoulder, her eyes where shinny, she smiled sadly and was gone with a click of the door.
**Wednesday **
Rachel woke up for the second time that week with puffy red eyes from crying all night. This is hell on my image she tried to joke but only wanted to cry all over again. She wasn't sleeping much to begin with, between the nightmares and the crying. But she was only falling to pieces when no one was watching. Xiomara had headed back off to her shoot in Nice according to the press but Rachel wasn't taking any chances.
Picking up the telephone she dialed blindly. "I need more cucumber and lemons sent up please."
"Yes, Ms. Berry." the kind voice said with compassion.
"Thank you Sara." she hung up the phone, padded to the bathroom to begin another day, starting with a shower.
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"Rachel. Can we please talk about this?" Yarin was sitting on her freshly made bed waiting for her, when she came out of the bathroom.
"There is nothing to talk about Yarin. The decision is final."
"So I am suppose to sit here and let my best friend be miserable? I am to watch her ruin her life?"
"No you don't have to do that. Which is exactly why I am not going to let you come along with me to LA. You're to stay here."
"Excuse me?!" he threw up his hands in anger. "Now you're firing me?"
Rachel laughed, well she tired it was more like a flat tone-deaf note. "No Yarin I am not firing you. I cant live without you. But I am asking you to stay here and watch over things. I will be doing so much while I am gone I need to know that everything here is going ok." Rachel walked into the room and laid on the bed waiting for the cucumbers to arrive.
"Rachel you can't do this on your own. Your father's just told me you are sending them on a cruise to Tuscany. You're forcing me to stay here. Kurt and Blain are in Nice."
"I will not be on my own I am taking Mary with me. I'll be in good hands, and I will know that Quinn is in good hands here. Take the girls to one of Nathen's games. They will all love it."
"Carting your girlfriend and her friends around is your job." Yarin announced in irritation.
"You know damn well she isn't my girlfriend! And I am asking you to help me Yarin. I can't do this. I can't be here when Shelby gets here it hurts to much, and Beth will blow the whistle on me and with everything else I can't do it."
"I have seen all your plays and read lines with you I know your tells Sarah Bernhardt. Tell your lies to someone else."
Rachel looked over at him an astounded look betraying her. "I don't know whether to be insulted or flattered."
"You are as good as Bernhardt, maybe better I wasn't around to do a side by side comparison and all. But that also doesn't change the fact you are both liars as well."
"So I am OLD and a LIAR." Rachel diva screeched in outrage crossing her arms, muttering in French under her breath.
""Your not going to get me with that either." he laughed. "You might be worried about seeing Beth and her telling Shelby. But you could care less at this point about Shelby, even if deep down it does bother you a little bit. The main reason you don't want to be here is because you have to cover tracks and what better way then when Quinn is fully delighted and distracted?"
"Shut up and get out!" Rachel screeched and tossed a pillow at him. He went to say something else but thought better of it when he saw the look in her eyes, he had seen that look only once that person was now unemployed, and living out of the country. "If you value your life, limb and your job you will get out of here. Send Mary in when she decides to get out of bed. Arrange a meeting with my realtor, and the building manager. I don't want to see you again until I say so!"
Yarin froze, eyes large as he watched for any sudden moments, nodded and quit the room.
"What happened?" Leroy whispered from the corner where he was hiding behind a large fern.
"I believe I managed to call her old, a liar and a bad actress within 10 minutes." Yarin said shocked now that he had left the room alive.
"And your still breathing?" Leroy muttered in disbelief.
"I think any other time I would have been killed. She currently needs me, and she is a little overwhelmed. I think it was my one and only get out of jail free card." Yarin sat heavily onto the sofa, a hand raised to his now racing heart now that reality set it.
"Why are you hiding?" Quinn asked coming out of her room looking at a dejected Yarin and a hiding Leroy.
"The diva." they whispered in unison, pointing to Rachel's door.
"Is she ok? Was that her yelling?" Quinn asked incredulously looking at them for confirmation.
"Oh that's her." Hiram announced from the other side of the room, while not hiding like his husband he wasn't in the direct eye sight of the bedroom.
"It can't be that bad!" Santana laughed coming behind Quinn and heading to Rachel's room. No one was able to stop her in time, she opened the door without knocking and slipped inside shutting it behind her.
They heard rapid Spanish and French being shot out like rapid gun fire. Followed by two loud crashes. The door was thrown open and Santana quickly shut the door behind her leaning against it, something thumped the back of the door shaking it on the frame. Santana's wide frightened eyes met Quinn's concerned ones. "It can be that bad. We should go, yes we should go now. Let's go to my room Britt should be awake by now." Santana grabbed Quinn's hand and all but ran from the room.
No sooner had they left then did Rachel throw open the door. "Anyone else want to chat this morning! Where are my fucking cucumbers!" then she slammed the door shut again…twice…because it wasn't aligned correctly anymore.
"Even a pregnant woman isn't safe." Leroy muttered dramatically.
"I HEARD THAT!" all the men scattered like cockroaches out the door of the suite.
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"What do you mean she threw something at you?" Brittany was in the middle of finishing her breakfast of fruit loops when Quinn and Santana crashed back into the room.
"I mean we are talking about the exorcist like diva meltdown." Santana muttered still shaking.
"Bilingual too." Quinn chuckled, she couldn't recall a time when she had seen Santana quaking.
"Little Sweet Rachel Berry?" Britt demanded with a laugh.
"Listen you have no idea. She said things to me in Spanish that even I wouldn't repeat. I have no idea what she was saying to me in French. I think it was a mistake to take the time to tell her that." she said as an after thought.
Quinn just nodded and rolled her eyes at Britt who was losing the battle of not laughing. "She sounded scary." Quinn agreed
"She looked even scarier I promise you. She is quick too. She was tossing that lamp at me faster then I could blink, that shit didn't look lite either."
"They aren't they are tiffany heirloom circa 1906 from the Cobweb line they are about 32 pounds." Quinn said smiling the way Santana cringed. "She wouldn't have hit you with it. Rachel loves children. You must have really upset her though, what did you tell her Santana?"
"Nothing." Santana denied not looking in Quinn's eyes. "How much do you think one of those lamps costs?"
"A couple hundred." Quinn shrugged her shoulder, knowing damn well that it was more then a couple thousand dollars. Rachel would have though about the consequences of throwing the lamp, if she wasn't bothered why should she?
"Well you are staying away from Rachel. So what would you like to do today?" Britt laughed when Santana tuck her tongue out at her. "We could do a little shopping."
Quinn and Santana groaned until Brittany pouted then they bit the inside of their cheeks and smiled while nodding.
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"I'm coming in. I am bearing your special blended tea, and there isn't a man in sight." Mary came in with a smile. Rachel unable to hide her grin moved one of the cucumbers from her eye and watched the woman walk towards her.
"Can't act my ass!" Rachel laughed, slightly disgruntled and vindicated at the same time.
"Hey Honeybee you had me convinced from down the hall." Mary sat on the bed next to the slight form bundled in the oversized robe.
"Had to get him back he called me old and a liar." Rachel shrugged blowing on the still steaming tea.
"Well you are lying. So it must be the old comment that upset you." Mary looked sternly at her, knowing her too well.
"No it's the lying. I hate that I have to lie to everyone. But as much as I hate it I will do it if it means keeping her safe."
"It isn't my place and I don't want to get myself yelled at in multiple languages. But shouldn't you be honest with Quinn? If you love her…." Rachel shot her a narrow evil eyed look. "I mean if you care about her as much as you seem to. Don't you think it is possible that she cares that much about you? What if doing this ruins what could be between you."
"Mary, I appreciate that you care enough and that you are such a good friend that you would chance my wrath to be honest with me. But the reality is I can't be with Quinn and have this career, and if left the career today to be with her the backlash would be even worse, I see that now. If she where to involve herself romantically my fans and the public would rip her life open. I can't do that to her or to Beth. Judy, her mother would get involved and publicly denounce Quinn. The way we were in high school would be leaked. She would have to relive all of that again. I can't do it. She doesn't remember how wonderful, how perfect, or how easy it was to be together. She doesn't know what she will be missing."
"But you do. You'll have to live with that, knowing that it's only a few feet from your grasp."
"Oh Mary, " Rachel sighed. "I have had years of practice with that. She has always been within reaching distance, but so far away." Rachel smiled sadly as the woman and sipped her tea. "So who are we interviewing today?"
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"Mary I can't do this too much longer I am exhausted. How many are left?" Rachel whined
"Just a handful left." Mary promised . Rachel was hitting panic mode she was running gout of people and more importantly out of time.
"This is Maggie Grace she was in that move Taken." Mary smiled as the tall girl came in. While she looked like a little like Quinn she was way too tall. "Hello Maggie."
"Rachel Berry." Maggie smiled and came to stand at the table, shaking Rachel's offered hand.
"Pleasure to meet you, please sit down." Too Tallllllllllllll her head screamed at her.
Once Maggie left Rachel rolled her eyes. "Mary."
"Her publicist told me she was 5'6!" Mary laughed at Rachel's face. "I can't help it that so many people want to meet you that they lie about it." Mary muttered.
"Ok the next girl is short like you, but she was at least honest about it." she said reading the paper.
"Mary Quinn is clearly 5'5 how are you planning to work around that."
"No one got a good look at how tall she was in any of the photos. She will wear heels." Mary shrugged her shoulders.
"Ok up next is Emily Browning. Also big fan."
"Also not gay, and that is publicly known! " Rachel countered. Even if she did find Max Irons hot as hell, so did Yarin and Kurt. Beard! she thought to herself laughing when Emily walked in.
"Babs!" Emily came running in and leaping over the table to lay a kiss on Rachel tilting the chair back until they fell.
"Aunt Em!" Rachel laughed and hugged her back.
"Great you know one another." Mary muttered as they laid on the floor.
"Oh way back." Emily laughed pulling Rachel to her feet. "So what the hell is this all about?"
"I am covering something up and I need a distraction." Rachel sat back on the chair and tugged Emily into her lap. "You wanta help?"
"Am I gonna have to kiss you again?" Emily said with a pout and a twinkle in her eyes.
Rachel laughed for the first time for real in the last 48 hours. "Actually your pretty much on target." Rachel looked at the girl in front of her. "Your going to have to die your hair blonde again and wear some heels, but lets do this."
"I loved being a blonde!" she laughed and linked her arm through Rachel's leaving the room, with Mary shaking her head.
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"So Babs where am I staying?" Emily sat back leafing through the contract that was thicker then her arm.
"well I was going to have my realtor set up in an apartment close by. But we can room together, it would help with the story too."
"I'm good with that. " Emily smiled over at Rachel, who was fidgeting with her copy of the contract. "Unless that will cause you issues?"
"No it shouldn't. I'm staying here for about another night or so . Then we are heading to LA."
"great I can get my stuff from Max's."
"why did you guys break up?" Rachel asked watching the woman in front of her carefully.
"I think he isn't being honest about something and he won't come clean about it so I told him we're on a break until he does." Emily shrugged her shoulders.
"This won't upset him right?"
"Shouldn't , but I don't care and serves him right for keeping secrets." she signed the document and slid it across the table. There was a meek knock on the door and Yarin leaned in his head.
"I have Lorne on line 2 and Mercedes Jones on line 1. Also Kenneth is waiting for you." Yarin avoided Emily all together refusing to acknowledge her.
"Thank you Yarin. This is Emily Browning she has agreed to work with us. Em this is Yarin McNight, my right hand."
"It's a pleasure to meet you mate." she said in her thick Australian accent. When he shook her hand , and only graced her with a cold frosty look she laughed. "Mate you thinks me a bludger right? Guess I do looks a bit grinning like a shot fox." she admitted.
"Rachel?" Yarin looked at her in bafflement.
"Yarin stop getting you bows up. Em is good people we are friends from way back when I did my first show. Be nice."
"I'll be the judge of that." Yarin made the 'I'm watching you ' finger eyeball motion between Emily and himself as he left the room.
"I like him, Babs. He's a keeper." Emily laughed and finished off the last of the fruit and started to play on her cell phone as Rachel took the calls waiting for her.
"Lorne! Hi I have to keep it quick I have this pop diva on the line waiting." Rachel laughed at whatever was said. "I wanted to touch base with you over the apartment for Xiomara." Rachel paused scribbling notes as he spoke, nodding her head. "Sounds great fax it over and I will sign it. Thanks so much!" another pause which had her grinning like crazy. "well that is wonderful. I will see you when you get back we can go out to dinner can't wait. Kiss, kiss enjoy your trip." Rachel hung up the phone and tossed a paper clip at Em who was making kiss faces at her as she mocked her.
"Ms. Jones what can I do for you?" Rachel laughed again nodding at nothing. "Well damn you heard quick yes I am heading that way tomorrow, or course we can have dinner. Sure what time….oh that is great…I can't wait for that I would love to be an aunt and in order for that to happen…you are terrible…Mercedes Jones do you kiss your momma with that mouth? I love you too can't wait to meet Danny. Ok I have someone waiting to meet with me, kiss, kiss see you tomorrow."
Rachel stood up and glanced at Em. "You ready to start the show? This will be a trail run."
"I'm game if you are." Emily laughed and moved to a seat next to Rachel. "Lights camera ….."
" Curtains!"
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A/N: so my decoy isn't a dead ringer for Quinn, that is on purpose and part of the plot. Please bare with me. While most of you have only seen Emily with dark hair you should Google her Sucker Punch character and see how similar they can be. I had been leaning towards Grace…but she was just to tall and not what I wanted the character to be. A bubbly Australian is just what Rachel needs, and what Quinn needs to get the story rolling.
As always thank you for reading
Please Review
Taylor
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