An authors note...I don't think I can ever express how much each and every review means to me. You guys are so amazing, thank you.
Disclaimer-Glee is the property of FOX, the creators and the writers.
Beauty and the Geek
The first thing Quinn Fabray noticed while admiring her reflection in the mirror was how well it it still fit.
Like a glove.
Okay, like a glove that had been recently washed and accidentally thrown into the dryer, but it fit none the less. She smoothed a hand over her neatly tucked hair and smiled to herself. Then after taking a quick steadying breath, she clasped her fingers around the handle of the locker room door, and pulled.
Still on cloud nine from spending the previous two days celebrating her seventeenth birthday, only to end the 'Quinn appreciation weekend' with a special dinner in her honor at her favorite restaurant with the Abrams, she walked confidently down the hall.
Her mind began to replay the day. Waking up that morning before her alarm went off. Getting showered and dressed without any interruptions. Eating a hearty and delicious breakfast that was already on the table when she got downstairs. Receiving more affection from her boyfriend than usual...if that was at all possible. And managing to get out the door without Caroline spitting up on her even once. And now this.
Her smile widened, but her good fortune, it seemed, ended there.
"You did this to me," Santana shouted after she'd roughly pushed Quinn into the wall of lockers, "You told Coach Sylvester about my summer surgery."
"You have a surgery when you get your appendix out," Quinn spat back, "you got a boob job." The slap Santana delivered stung, but she quickly recovered. "You can't hit me."
"Sure I can," the Latina countered, getting right up into her face, "unless you got yourself knocked up again, Slut."
Shoving ensued, Brittany could be heard in the background mumbling something, and all of a sudden, Quinn was on the ground. Lucky for Santana though, Mr. Schue arrived before Quinn could get to her.
"Hey, hey, hey...what is this?" Will demanded, throwing himself between the battling girls. "What happened to us being a family?" He finally broke them apart, but Quinn was struggling to get free. "Hey."
"Oh please, she has a family...she's a mother..." Santana taunted.
"Don't you dare bring my daughter into this," Quinn screamed back.
"Why not? It's all fair game now," Santana retorted as she jutted her chest out pointedly. "You think that uniform somehow protects you? No. Nothing will ever change the fact that you have Noah Puckerman's bastard child, and nothing will redeem your lost reputation...except maybe dumping that pathetic cripple you're dating."
Quinn lurched forward, ready to rip those extension right out of her former best friends head, but Will held onto her tight. "That's enough Santana," he warned, glaring at the abrasive brunette.
And it was. Enough to know her words hit a nerve and made Quinn Fabray squirm like that. With the satisfaction of a job well done, Santana flashed that arrogant smirk and turned on her heel.
"Walk away," Quinn screamed to Santana's retreating back, as she struggled against Will's grasp, "and tighten up your pony before you get to class."
Santana's right hand shot up, middle finger poised toward the ceiling, effectively getting in the last word...or words as it turned out to be.
Feeling Quinn tremble in his arms, Will gently turned her so she was facing him and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay?"
"What she said..." the blond gasped out, her eyes wide and staring down the hall, "about Caroline...and Artie..."
"Was completely out of line," he finished for her.
Quinn nodded in stunned agreement. She could feel the adrenaline wear off and tears suddenly sprang to her eyes. A shutter ripped through her and she stumbled a bit. "Do you need to see the nurse...or principle Figgins?" Will asked worriedly.
"No, I'm fine," Quinn replied with a shake of her head and a steeling breath. "I'll see you in rehearsal," she added, both quickly and dismissively, before turning straight into the girls restroom.
...
Quinn was forced to face her nemesis not long after the altercation in the hall that left her shaken and embarrassed. Walking into the choir room at the same time Santana was trying to squeeze through the door, it wasn't a surprise when all eyes settled on them. The death glare they shot each other in passing, only added to the gossipy whispers.
Catching a glimpse of Artie in his usual spot, hands poised on his rims, face twisted in concern, Quinn rushed over and fell into the seat next to him...immediately feeling better. "You okay? " he asked in a rush of breath.
"Guess news travels fast around here," she quipped dryly, then pulled that genuine smile she only used for him. "I am now."
"You're not hurt or anything, are you?" he implored, his fingers lightly brushing her arm on their way to grasp her hand.
"Just my pride," Quinn retorted, eagerly returning his gesture with a firm squeeze.
Artie studied her for a moment to make sure, before asking, "What happened?"
Apprehensively, Quinn lifted her eyes to meet his, and let out a small sigh of relief. It seemed he'd been mercifully spared from finding out what hurtful things spewed from Santana's mouth. "She's just a spiteful bitch who's can't stand being knocked off her high horse..."
"So then, the rumors are obviously true," Artie cut in, eying the familiar uniform that she honestly forgot she was even wearing.
Quinn was taken aback by his soft tone of his voice, in complete contrast to the disappointment and surprise evident in his eyes. "Artie, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," she whispered apologetically, "it all happened so fast, I've hardly had time to process myself. Her heart began to sink when his twisted frown intensified. "I wasn't even going to try out..."
"What about Caroline?" Artie stopped short of adding his own name to that question, even though he really wanted to. Besides, his Goddaughter's well being was far more important than anything else.
"That's exactly who I'm doing this for," Quinn assured him, lips spreading into a wide smile at just the thought of her baby girl. "I need to start preparing for our future...especially now that I had to drop most of my AP classes for regular ones." There was a pause as she mulled over that difficult decision once again. "My less than perfect grades are only going to get me so far Artie. I really need that athletic scholarship if I want to get into OSU."
Just the idea that Quinn wanted to apply to the same colleges as he had, made him grin like an idiot, and the notion that she actually wanted to go there because of him, sent him over the moon. But if that meant everything was going to change...
"I seem to remember you once telling me how you always dreamed of dating a cheerleader," Quinn giggled playfully into his ear, while rehearsal began around them. He managed to force a smile at that. "Looks like you finally got your wish," she added, pulling a satisfied grin without noticing how his faltered,"...and I got mine."
...
"Hey Sweetie," Alicia chirped by way of greeting.
"Hi Mom," came the soft reply.
She took a moment to study her sullen looking son. "Is everything alright Artie?"
His head shot up not because he was surprised by the question, but by the way she worded it. It was a rarity for Alicia Abrams to use any of her childrens names when speaking directly to them. Usually she would just slip a term of endearment in place of it, as was the case at the beginning of their conversation.
Out of the three, four if you count Quinn...Andy's given name could be heard most frequently, but that was usually because he was getting reprimanded for something. So for her to use Artie's at that moment, she must have been worried.
"Yeah," was all that came out, and not very convincingly.
"Where's Quinn?" Alicia tried another approach.
"Cheerios practice." And that when she saw it, that flicker of disappointment behind his eyes. Alicia nodded to convey she was well aware of Quinn's new status.
"Then why are you home?" she inquired, knowing he was her ride.
"She said it was ridiculous for me to wait around since her and Andy could just get a ride home from Harry's mom," Artie replied, trying his best to remain casual and indifferent, but unfortunately that didn't last past his next thought. "You can have the van back."
"Then what are you supposed to drive?" Alicia countered pointedly as she watched him toss the keys onto the kitchen counter. "It's the only vehicle equipped..."
"I know that Mom," Artie shot back, a little harsher than he'd intended, and quickly flashed his mother an apologetic grimace. She responded with a curiously raised brow and an equally concerned expression. "But it's stupid for me to take the van every day, just to have it sit in the schools parking lot, while your trying to cram Abbey and Caroline into the backseat of Quinn's little car. Since it's just the two of us again now that Andy's taking the bus, it makes sense for Quinn to drive again..." At his pause, Alicia could tell that the possible shift in driving arrangements was bothering him, though she wasn't completely convinced it was the only thing. "I have jazz band rehearsal on Tuesday and Thursday anyway...and I could just hang out in the library at school on the other days to finish any homework..."
"Except for Wednesdays..."
Their words carried over one another, with hers resonating loud in Artie's ears. "Because I have physio...I know," he finished with a heavy sigh.
Stepping up behind him, Alicia placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned down so her face was next to his, "Artie honey, what's really bothering you?"
She felt him shrug underneath her hand, then watched as he twisted his head up to look at her. "I don't understand why she didn't tell me Mom." Alicia's heart ached for him, like it had so many times before, and she sat down next to him. "She usually tells me everything and this is a pretty big deal. I found out just like everyone else..."
"She probably didn't have a chance Sweetie," Alicia cut in reassuringly . Artie was thankful for that, and figured it best not to mention Quinn's involvement in that hallway brawl with Santana Lopez...or the fact that he found out all of his information through McKinley High's biggest gossip, Jacob Ben Israel.
"She could have called or at least texted."
"While you were in class?" Alicia countered skeptically, in response to his retort.
Artie gave a sheepish shrug to which Alicia couldn't help but smile at. "Sweetie, when she called at lunchtime to ask if it would be okay...you know, with me and Caroline and everything...she honestly seemed like all of this was just sprung on her."
He began nodding in agreement, then...hold up, did she just say lunchtime? Quinn told him in glee practice that tryouts had been held during her gym class. She had gym after lunch and they had lunch together. So if she'd called his mom before lunch, that would explain why she was running a few minutes late, but then she must have already known...
Alicia could see Artie's expression slowly cloud over.
"Great, you're home," an excited Abbey squealed from the entry as she took off for her brother. "I'm trying to teach Caroline how to..."
Artie put out his hand to stop her. "Not now Abbey."
"But I was just going to give you a hug," she muttered, backing away, confused.
Too distracted to comply to her soft plea, Artie tugged at the wheels of his chair. "I'm gonna go to my room."
Dejectedly, Abbey followed her brother with her eyes until he disappeared from view. "What's wrong with Artie?" she asked, looking up at her mother.
"He's dealing with some things that happened at school today," Alicia explained casually and in a way that would appease an eight year old.
"Is he gonna be okay?" Abbey countered with deep concern.
Alicia couldn't help but smile down at her little girl. "I'm sure he will Sweetie."
...
It didn't help that Quinn and Andy came home bantering and laughing like they'd been best friends forever. His brother, the moody, obstinate, cocky kid with an attitude the size of Mount Rushmore, was joking around with his girlfriend...who seemed to be enjoying it.
And it really didn't help when halfway through dinner, his little sister declared she now wanted to be a cheerleader..."Just like Quinn."
But later that evening, Alicia smiled as she watched the sweet exchange take place from her spot on the couch...and was only mildly surprised when Artie headed toward the family room instead of retreating to his bedroom to get ready for the night. "Everything okay between you two now?" she asked, her smile turning into a pointed smirk.
"It was a misunderstanding, she explained everything," Artie nodded sheepishly and grinned, but Alicia noticed how it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"But?"
Artie lowered his gaze to his lap and shrugged. "I don't know Mom, it's just..." his words trailed off in his struggle to find the right way to explain what he was feeling. A warm hand encased his and he let out the breath he was holding. "It's just now she's head cheerleader again, the most popular girl in the school and I'm...well I'm still just...me."
Alicia gave a small squeeze. "The boy Quinn likes," she stated softly, but with no less conviction. Artie lifted his eyes to meet hers and found her beaming at him. "The boy Quinn's dating...the boy Quinn chose."
Sometimes all it takes is that little reassurance from you mother, and while that twisty feeling in the pit of his stomach was still there, Artie smiled back.
...
ANx2...Borrowed(and tweaked) some of the fight scene from Audition, because well, I loved it, and, it fits so nicely into this story arc. Look for other references from the current season coming up in future chapters. Also, I must apologize for the delay in updates, there really is no excuse for it...so I'll just blame it all on Megan:{