A/N: I do not own Glee
Quinn lets the water of the shower fall in cascades around her, the hot liquid beating down on her face and running through her hair. She has to relax and think of what the hell she is going to do next. She had another date with Henry at some point, but she still hasn't gotten a phone call from him to figure out when that would be. Abigail is upset with her for being around a friend, which is absolutely ridiculous considering the fact that Rachel Berry is straight and Quinn Fabray is no one's property. How has their relationship even progress to ownership anyway? And why is she trying so hard to make Abigail happy? Well, besides the fact that Quinn really likes this one. She's a great girl. Abigail has a heart of gold, even if she is rather possessive. But that possessiveness makes Quinn feel safe. She can't get into any trouble with Abby around to protect her. They work so well off of each other. They are always in sync, kind of absolutely perfect for each other.
Quinn groans when she hears a knock on the door. She could swear Mercedes has a bladder the size of a walnut sometimes.
"Quinn? Are you ok? Are you in the shower yet? Can I brush my teeth?"
Quinn smiles instantly due to the voice on the other side of the door but then grimaces as she begins to think about that issue too. Rachel Berry is another problem entirely. There are so many things that go with their relationship as well. But that shouldn't be an issue because Rachel is insanely and completely straight.
"I'm alright. Come on in."
Quinn hears the door open and blushes when she thinks about the state of undress she is currently in. She looks at the billowing white shower curtain to her side. Oh god, what if there is a silhouette of her? She should be doing showerly things. What do people do in the shower, again? Oh yes. They clean themselves. Quinn grabs her shampoo and starts doing just that.
There is a brushing noise heard faintly in the background and then a bang.
"Are you ok, Berry?"
"Uhm, yeah. I uhm. I hit the door with my head. It's nothing.
Quinn laughs. "How in the world did you accomplish that?"
"I uh. I don't know. It came out of nowhere."
"Do you still have a toothbrush in your mouth? It sounds like you do. Why are you even near the door?" Quinn tries to calm her laughter to hear Rachel's response. She is acting really odd. Is she normally this klutzy? Well only when she's—
There is a mumbling noise coming from somewhere around the bathroom, probably in response to her question.
"I'm sorry? Did you answer? I thought I heard mumbling."
"I was just a little distracted, Quinn. Why are you so adamant at finding out why I hit the door? Doors move. They come out of nowhere. Maybe your Demon knocked it open and hit me in the face! Did you ever think of that? It's not like I'm distracted by you being here or anything. Goodness Quinn! Why are you ganging up on me?"
"Uhm. Rachel. I never said any of that."
There is silence and Quinn hears a faint brushing noise in the background. Rachel has continued her brushing.
"Sorry Rach. I didn't mean to insinuate anything. I was just curious." Saying sorry tends to be a safe reaction in any situation.
Rachel just continues brushing only she goes faster. Quinn rolls her eyes as she continues to wash herself.
"Do I still get a question?"
Quinn inhales some of the water she is using to wash her face off and starts coughing. Of course Rachel would catch her off-guard at the most inopportune moment. She tries to cough out an answer but it just isn't coming out.
"Are you ok?" a concerned voice comes from behind the curtain. More coughs just keep coming. Seriously, how much water did I inhale?
It was then that hell ensued.
Rachel, presumably in her fear for Quinn's breathing, rushes to the curtain but trips over the mat by the shower. Hoping to save herself from getting hurt, her instincts cause her to grab at the curtain that Quinn is behind. The curtain then rips halfway through its hooks as it goes down with the tumbling Rachel.
Quinn stands in shock for a moment, her coughs becoming tamer as time progresses. Rachel, in her shock, stares straight into Quinn's eyes looking like she is about to urinate everywhere. Quinn can't help it. She laughs.
Sure, she should have been embarrassed. And she is. She is curling half of a shower curtain around her body for goodness sake. But really? Has anyone else ever seen Rachel Berry look like that before? The brunette's legs are making a starfish pattern as she sits on the floor mouth agape. The girl looks like a five year old gawking at some iconic person in front of her. Quinn just lost it.
"I, I, I" Rachel says as her mouth bobs up and down hoping to formulate some sort of words. This just makes Quinn laugh more, her voice getting hoarser. Realizing that it probably isn't the best thing to keep the shower on she turns the water off and goes to get her towel before surveying the water damage.
"Uhm, Rachel. I kinda need a towel and you're kind of in my way and stuff."
Rachel just keeps gawking at her. Well this is interesting. Should she take the curtain all the way off its hooks? Or should she just flash across the bathroom to the counter to retrieve the towel?
Quinn looks at brunette again. Rachel's attention is trained on Quinn's eyes, trying to read her reaction. The blonde smiles.
"Really, Berry. I kind of need my towel so I can put this back up and continue my shower. I mean, I still have shampoo in my hair and everything."
Rachel's last name seems to trigger a weird response out of her. She closes off. She no longer sits like a little kid, but straightens herself up and stands. She grabs Quinn's towel and hands it to her.
"I apologize for everything. I should go."
This sentence quickly sobers Quinn's high from laughing. "Wait. Why?"
Rachel turns to look at her from the doorway with sad eyes. "I just. Well you sounded like you were choking and I got concerned and so I went to help you, not that I could do anything since you are in the shower, I should have thought of that, but you were choking and I was concerned and—"
Quinn takes her hand that isn't holding up her towel and cups Rachel's face in it. "You're fine. It's not like you saw anything or—"
Rachel looks away toward the wall to her right and blushes, which is saying something since it is normally hard to see a blush on tan skin.
"Oh. Well, we are both girls here. I change in front of girls all the time. It comes with being a cheerleader."
Rachel's ears begin to redden as dark as her face.
"What are you thinking, Rach?"
"I'm, I'm fine."
Quinn raises an eyebrow at her expecting a more honest response to come, but none ever came.
Well that's new.
"That's not what I asked. I asked what you're thinking." Quinn says as she moves away from Rachel to repair the shower curtain.
"You should probably finish your shower now."
"Help me?"
"uhm. I don't think you need my help with that. You are perfectly capable of doing that on your own."
Quinn laughs, "Are you serious? You're just going to leave me here in my towel trying to do this on my own?" Quinn is doing her best to hold up her towel and close the rings that had popped open from the curtain mishap.
"I don't like you like that Quinn. I'm straight. You know this."
Quinn stills her hands. What?
Quinn turns around to face Rachel who is looking down at the sink to her side.
"What?" Quinn's head clouds as it tries to comprehend what was happening.
"Thanks for letting me brush my teeth, but I'm going to go see Mercedes and Kurt. I haven't really seen them much all weekend and I originally came to see them and I should go see them." Rachel makes an abrupt turn and a hasty exit after closing the door behind her.
What just happened? Quinn, instead of trying to figure out that out, decides to ignore it and just finish her shower. Maybe Rachel will stop acting weird whenever she is finished.
It has been at least a couple hours since the big bathroom incident of '13. Rachel is seated on the couch between Mercedes and Kurt while they watch Quinn and Blaine compete in Mario Kart for N64. Rachel hasn't even tried to play yet, but instead opts to study the game. If she gets to know the enemy maybe she will prevail at the game. It is in the midst of her analyzing the old videogame that she hears someone's cell go off.
"We sign our cards and letters BFF
You've got a million ways to make me laugh
You're lookin' out for me, you've got my back
So good to have you around"
"GET OUT OF MY WAY, ANDERSON. UNLESS YOU WANT A HEAT SEEKING SHELL UP YOUR ASS. OH WAIT. TOO LATE!"
"You have GOT to be kidding me Quinn! You just hit me with one two seconds ago!"
"You know the secrets I could never tell
And when I'm quiet you break through my shell
Don't feel the need to do a rebel yell
'Cause you keep my feet on the ground"
"Q. Brittany is calling." Mercedes says nonchalantly.
"Get it plea—WHAT THE FU—"
"Language, Quinn." Kurt sighs.
"—DGE MUFFINS ARE YOU DOING? I WAS DISTRACTED."
Is that Hannah Montana coming from Quinn's phone?
"All is fair in love and war, blondie. And this is war!" Blaine then uses a blue looking spikey shell which hits Quinn's little dinosaur directly causing Rachel to wince.
"You're a true friend
You're here till the end
You pull me aside when something ain't right
Talk with me now and into the night
'Til it's alright again
You're a true friend"
"Will you answer your cell please? We really don't need another visit from the duo calling. S eats us out of house and home and gets grumpy from the car ride." Kurt says with exasperation.
"Just wait. Just wait. I need to lap him so that—" Quinn replies distractedly while turning her controller as if she is actually the dinosaur driving the cart.
"You don't get angry when I change the plans
Somehow you're never out of second chances
Won't say "I told you" when I'm wrong again
I'm so lucky that I've found"
"Quinn. Seriously. I can't take the honking coming from your phone."
"It's not my fault Brittany changed her ringtone without me knowing." Quinn huffs out in response. She then tosses the controller at Rachel. "If you kill my leading streak I will be rather upset with you, Berry. Good luck." And with that Quinn answers her phone and goes into her room to converse with her former cheerleader friends.
Blaine turns around and gives her a sickeningly sweet smile. "I'll go easy on you. No worries."
"I don't trust that face."
"What face?" Blaine smiles sweetly at her before turning back to the screen.
"How do I work this thing? Why don't you take this, Mercedes? Kurt?"
Mercedes and Kurt look at each other and laugh. "She handed it to you, babydoll. We are just here for the entertainment." Mercedes says placing the controller so that Rachel can hold it more effectively.
"Besides, I wouldn't want to incur Quinn's wrath by giving her a score of anything less than perfect. You're on your own there." Kurt says with a smile and a laugh. "Good luck with that."
Rachel feels her mouth suddenly go dry as Kurt and Mercedes explain the controls to her. They seem rather simple. Putting it into practice will probably not be that easy though.
"Are you ready?"
"I do not believe that I will ever be ready, Blaine, but considering the circumstances I suppose I am about as prepared as I could possi—DID YOU JUST START THE GAME WHILE I WAS TALKING TO YOU? SERIOUSLY?"
"I've got to make up for lost time, Rach. This is the best opportunity for me and I am taking full advantage of it." Blaine says with a smile as his monkey character races ahead.
"YOU'RE ON. YOU HAVE JUST AWOKEN THE TIGER WITHIN, ! I WILL KICK YOUR ASS YOU FILTHY MUGGLE!"
"I'M SHAKIN' IN MY STYLISH STILLETTOS SENORITA GRUMPY GILLS."
Rachel then begins to focus on the game, her little dinosaur soon swerving in between the slower vehicles around her. It is an adrenaline rush, almost as much as singing in front of an audience. After watching Quinn and Blaine race each other for about half an hour she has learned the basics. The only thing she doesn't understand was what some of those "power ups" are. Like the lightning bolt she has currently. Like really. Is it some Harry potter reference?
"Rachel, here is what you need to do. You see Blaine's Donkey Kong in front of you?" Kurt asks her.
"The monkey?"
"Yes. The monkey. I want you to use your power up when you think you can bump into him, ok? He is your only real contender on here anyway. The others have already been lapped by both Quinn and Blaine."
"WHY ARE YOU HELPING HER?"
"No reason to yell here. I'm just trying to save the poor girl's life. If she loses, Quinn will kill her. Honestly I don't know how the both of you have been sleeping together so harmoniously."
With that last sentence Rachel was so caught off guard that she swerved right into a crab causing her little dinosaur to squeak at her as it twirled on the screen.
"Uhm. I don't understand what you mean. Quinn's bed is much more comfortable than the couch and—"
"But that's just it, Rach. Her bed is a twin bed. You would have to practically sleep on top of each other in order for that to work. Trust me. We would know." Kurt says gesturing to him and the racing boy perched on the edge of a beanbag.
"Can we talk about this later? I mean, you are being extremely distracting and I am trying to beat Blaine for Quinn. I need to use all of my concentration for this one task. She will—"
"USE IT!" Mercedes yells. With a slight fidget of her hand, Rachel uses her power right as she careens into a, now tiny, monkey. Blaine's character turnes into a flat pancake and starts floating into the air.
"That was spectacular! Did you see that, Blaine? I told you I would dominate!" Rachel begins paying close attention to the game once again, sticking her tongue out in concentration.
"Did you seriously just pass me? Like seriously?"
"Your eyes do not deceive you! I told you! I told you! You should not have played so dirty!"
"Rachel?" Rachel jumps at the sound of her name and her car swervs for a moment, but she saves it from going into the water of Koopa Troopa Beach.
"Quinn? That was a quick conversation. Would you like your dinosaur back?" She asks as she pauses the game much to Blaine's dismay.
"Uhm. Actually, B wants to talk to you." Quinn says with a weary tone as she takes the controller out of Rachel's hands in exchange for Quinn's phone. The blonde then nonchalantly moves back to her own bean bag chair. "Did you want to play some Pokémon stadium after this? I need a change of pace" Quinn asks Blaine as Rachel answers the phone and walks into the bedroom that Quinn was previously in.
"Hello?"
"RACHEL!"
Rachel can't help but smile. Even if they weren't really that close in high school, she has always felt that this particular cheerleader doesn't mind her as much as the rest. Brittany is always so genuine. You know exactly what she is thinking and it is refreshing.
"Yes. Yes it is." Rachel giggles a little. "So what do you need? Are you ok?"
"I'm fine. I just don't like keeping secrets. But other than that I am doing ok. I was wondering if I could have your number."
"Uhh. Sure? I'll give you my number and you can just text me so I have yours, I guess."
"Great!" Brittany seems ecstatic as Rachel recites her number to her over the phone.
"Is there anything else?"
"Well… I. I kinda. Hold on. SAAAAANNNNNNN!" Brittany starts screaming into her ear at the end. This can't be good.
"SAN! SAN! CAN I TELL RACHEL ABOUT EVERYTHING?" There is a faint "no" heard in the background and some shuffling. This really can't be good.
"What in the world are you shoving this in my face for, B?" An angry Latina says into Rachel's ear.
"You are the one with the problem with you know who." Brittany says presumably to Santana, whispering "you know who" at the end.
"Can someone just please tell me what is going on here?"
"Be patient, Berry."
"But San! Really. If you are so worried you should get someone on your side."
"What's going on?" Rachel asks again becoming more confused with every moment.
"You should be the one that is on my side here, B, not Berry. Well actually, everyone should be on my side. I'm always right."
"I don't even know her yet. How can I pick sides? Q likes her. I trust Q. That's enough for me until I meet her. You're just a little paranoid."
"Will someone tell me something, please? Or should I hang up...?" Rachel hears a sigh before the Latina speaks.
"Are you planning on sticking around?" Santana says abruptly.
"I'm not quite sure what you mean."
"Santana wants to know if you will leave Quinn or if you will stay with her forever like us."
"Well, as far as I know we will stay friends, but—"
"No buts. If you want to know what is going on I need you to be able to be my eyes and ears. Q is still closeted as much as she thinks she isn't. Mercedes, Kurt, Blaine, even Trevor don't know about her."
"And normally she tells Trevor as much as she tells us!" Brittany pipes up.
"So we need to know if you are in this for the long haul. She doesn't need another person to leave her. To reject her. And I need someone on the inside that knows."
"Knows about what?"
"That she is a raging bi-sexual! Probably even more gay than she realizes. Come on Rachel, how can you not be following my train of thought here?"
"Did you just call me—"
"no."
"She did! She did! Actually, Rachel, San had a huge cru—"
"BRITTANY SUSAN PIERCE" Santana screams in the middle of the blonde's sentence.
"— you in high school! Why are you saying my name?"
Rachel's head is spinning. This conversation is just getting weird. It seems as if conversation with these two will always turn out with more questions than answers.
"Because—"
"Brittany. Santana. Please. Just tell me what you want from me." Rachel says before they go on a tangent.
There is a pause.
"Well go on." Brittany encourages the other girl.
"I. I. There is something wrong with that chick Q keeps blabbering about." The dark haired girl stammers out.
"Who?"
"I don't know. Anna? Adrianne? Applebees?" Santana's searching for the name is half-hearted.
"Abby." Brittany supplies for her.
"Abigail. Right. Yeah, well any way. I know you've met her. Q said as much to Brit whenever she called."
"I only met her for like ten minutes though." Rachel replies hoping to drop the subject.
"That's enough to get some form of judgment on her though."
"I. I don't have one."
"Yeah you do, Berry. You have judgments on people all the time. Or you used to anyway. So spill."
"But I don't know her yet." Rachel says quietly.
"See S? Not everyone gets bad feelings from people like you. You have to trust that Q knows what she's doing."
"Oh, and let her sleep with some chick like she did with Puck when drunk? Yeah. That girl is wonderful at making healthy decisions. Besides, Rachel here knows more than she is letting on. She has already formed an opinion. I know it."
The phone goes silent waiting for some kind of reaction from Rachel. What does she think of Abigail? The girl seems to care about Quinn enough, maybe a little too much. She also seems demanding but Rachel can't judge that particular quality too hard since it is one she has herself. That quality is just a little different in Abigail though, more on the possessive side. Rachel relays her thoughts to Santana and the phone stays silent.
"Well? Is that all you needed? Did you hang up on me?" Rachel looks at the screen of Quinn's phone noticing that she is not cut off at least.
"I just. I don't know about her, Rachel. She seems too much like her father. Too demanding of her. Too forceful. And why hasn't Q even brought her over there to interact with the rest of you gleeks? It's all just too shady for my taste."
Overlooking the fact that Santana seems to be using her first name a decent amount in this odd conversation, Rachel notices the normally harsh voice grow gentler as time goes on. It is softer and warmer than she has ever heard it. Santana is actually concerned, and she is actually hoping Rachel can settle her fears.
"You know, she can't be too horrible. I mean, Quinn doesn't really have a low self esteem does she? Not low enough to date someone she doesn't—"
"Did you seriously just say that?" The Latina growls.
Oh poop.
"Wha, What did I—"
This time Brittany chimes in. "I thought she said she was opening up to you! Did she lie to us? San? Did Q lie?"
"No. No. She is opening up! We just haven't had a lot of time to get to know one another. I mean, it has only been a couple of days. Give her time."
"You're defending Quinn." The simple quiet statement is said by Santana like she is trying to piece information together.
"Well. She didn't do anything wrong." Rachel says. There is more silence.
"I have a favor to ask of you, little bird." Santana says quietly seeming to still be lost in thought.
"Did you just call me—"
"Shut up and let me finish."
Rachel clamps down on her mouth but not before she politely asks Santana to continue her train of thought.
"I need you to watch over Q. Aretha doesn't know about Abby. She probably won't know about her until Q feels that it is safe for them to meet. The same goes for porcelain and eyebrows. Honestly, the only reason you met her was by chance. So. I need you to be my eyes and ears. If anything fishy happens you let me know. I'll have B text you my number. Just. I need Q to be safe. It's weird not being able to look out for her. She may not need a house to run to whenever her dad throws his fits any more, but it seems like she might have found a replacement terror. I just need some peace of mind, you listening, Stubbles?"
"What happened to little bird?" Rachel asks with a smirk. Is she really instigating Santana right now?
Santana chuckles on the line. "You grew some balls when you left. Interesting." Rachel beams in pride at the compliment. Well it is a compliment coming from Santana anyway. Normally she would not enjoy the comparison of her to a man with large testicles.
"Well I'm out. See you eventually. Just take care of each other or whatever."
"Bye Santana."
"So Rach?" Brit asks hesitantly.
"Yes, Brit?"
"Can we all be friends? Santana likes you."
Rachel chuckles. "We aren't friends already?" She asks.
"OH! Well I was hoping we were but I didn't know! SAN! WE WERE ALREADY FRIENDS WITH RACHEL! DID YOU KNOW THAT? Does that mean we can call you all the time too?"
"Uhm, If you want. I mean, I wouldn't be opposed to talking to either of you."
"Whenever we go over there we can all hang out ok? We can have dates together!"
"What do you mean?"
"Me, San, you, and Q. Duh Rachel! You do love Q too, don't you?"
"Well, I—"
"So it's settled. We will talk later, ok songbird? Bye I love you! Tell Q and the rest that we send our love."
"And by 'we' she means herself." Rachel hears Santana shouting faintly in the background as Brittany hangs up. Rachel can't help but smile. It seems as if the former head cheerios pact of "us" against "them" has officially broken down. Santana is in actuality a softie, and Brittany, well Brittany didn't seem to change much.
Walking back into the living room she can't get the stupid grin off her face. New York is everything she hoped it would be. And now she has more friends to share it with.
Sitting down on the couch, Rachel smooshes herself in-between her two first friends. "Do you want your cell back, Quinn?"
"HOW IN THE WORLD DID YOUR MAGIKARP WIN AGAINST MY BULBASAUR? I MEAN REALLY? DID YOU RIG THIS?" Blaine screams at the t.v screen as he tries to decide the next Pokémon to send out.
"Skill. And no, unless you don't want to hold onto it?" Quinn is now lying down on her belly with her legs crossed up in the air behind her. Bunbun is gently resting on her lower back.
"It's fine." Rachel says smiling.
"What did B want from you anyway?" Quinn asks as she exchanges her animal for a beautiful dog with what looks like nine tails.
"Just my num—"
"The lights are out and I barely know you.
We're going up and the place is slowing down.
I knew you'd come around."
Rachel stops mid-sentence and looks down at Quinn's phone.
"You captivate me, something about you has got me.
I was lonely now you make me feel alive.
Will you be mine tonight?"
"Do you want it Quinn?"
"Nah. It's just Abs. Answer it and tell her I'll talk after I fry Blaine's Vileplume."
"Take me on the floor (dadada da dadadada)
I can't take it any more (dadada da dadadada)
I want you, I want you, I want you to show me love—"
"Hello?"