A/N: Hi all! So let me guess… you all hate me right? I would not be surprised... I hate me too for not updating as quickly, but as I said school is certainly catching up to me this quarter. It's been dreadful. As you can see though, I have not forgotten about how amazing you readers are and how important this story is, not only to me, but to all of you. You are all just freakin' fantastic! Almost 400 reviews? Seriously… I can't even begin…

I have so many thanks to all of you. You've given me so much support to continue on and I will. I just ask for your patience. I've got to forewarn everyone about this chapter… it may feel slow. It's definitely a bridge leading into much more troubling waters. I wanted to keep everything together, but it ended up just too cramped and the flow didn't feel right, so I split it. So I apologize for the wait and for giving you one of my rather mediocre chapters I must say, but it's definitely an important one.

I need to give a shout out to all who have commented. Long comments or short comments, I really don't care, it's fabulous to know that you're all enjoying and reading (or just pestering me to post! I know I'm horrible!). But I really have to give a special shout out to kempokarate12 who just left the most astounding review I've ever received with fanfiction. I am seriously in awe of you and your attention to detail. Thank you so much!

All of you are fantastic! I'll do my best to update quicker! And those waiting for liar/saint… you may have to keep waiting a while longer for that one (sorry!). Also, fossil_10, always love ya babe :)

Questions at the end and enjoy!

Disclaimer: This fic is RPF! I do not own anything, this is a complete work of fiction. I DO NOT know either of these women nor am I affiliated with Glee or its creators. I also do not own the song "Taylor, The Latte Boy," by Kristin Chenoweth which this fic is loosely based on. These two are not a couple… unfortunately.

The Latte Girl
Chapter 9

Heather fell to the ground. She felt nothing as her mind drifted away with her body. It felt amazing to finally let go of everything with every pulsing beat and melodic note that hung thick in the perspiration filled air. She whipped herself back up effortlessly, defying gravity and breaking away from all the shadows holding her back. Leaping across the dance floor in perfect timing to the music, she felt unbreakable. The song rolled through her body like a wave, cascading hard and exploding out and around her. She wasn't thinking… her mind was blank, except for one thought: how much she's missed this. As she landed and made her final pirouette she smiled contentedly. She released a deep breath and threw her arms around herself. She hugged herself, thankful for her body, her life, and what God has given her the talent to do. Dance.

Her breath came out in slightly uneven puffs, a little winded from the somewhat complex choreography the instructor gave to them. Oh how she had missed this… Since that day she started up dancing again, she couldn't believe how much she had lost when she had quit a year ago. She couldn't even really believe how she let herself quit. She owed everything to Naya. Heather's large smile pulled into smaller shy one as she thought of last night. She felt, indescribable. There was a mixture of so many emotions coursing through her that she couldn't fathom how her little brain could take it. She really was one of the luckiest people on the planet right now as she continued to replay how Naya's lips brushed so carefully against hers. She didn't think anyone could make her feel this way so quickly until she met this amazing actress... no, this amazing person.

Without her, she would have never had the impulse to call up her old friend and teacher Brian. He engulfed her into a sweaty hug as she started to stretch out her legs again. For the past few classes he would pull Heather aside for some advice on a certain move or piece of choreography. He knew Heather well. The Heather he remembered best was the lanky little Arizona native who had just turned seven, had no front teeth, and had the brightest head of golden locks he'd ever seen. Even with her gangly limbs, he saw a great sense of coordination, balance, and most of all talent. She quickly began dancing circles around all the girls in her age groups. When his star pupil called that she wanted back on the floor after her long absence, he definitely took advantage of her experience. She happily helped whenever she could with some of the bigger projects he had in store. In compensation, Heather would ask for a little time after class to have the studio to herself. It was the perfect bargain. She always loved an empty floor to simply lose herself on. All she needed was some music and the mirror, and she was content.

After she had thanked Brian for today's class and the rest of the dancers dissipated from the studio, she was left with only her mixed CD playing gently from the stereo. She restretched her loose muscles as her mind began to wander back to last night once she got home. Heather took in a deep breath and tried to dance off her thoughts again, but for some reason she couldn't get her damn roommate's words out of her head. It made her dance harder as they echoed louder:

"Oh no… you're home…" Ashley groaned as she half walked and half stumbled into their house. She may have been a little tipsy from going out with a few friends for some drinks.

"Yup," Heather chirped happily as she snacked on her huge carton of gold fish crackers sitting between her knees. The size was meant for a family or for a long camping trip, but leave it to Heather to finish one whole massive carton on her own. After she had finished cleaning up everything in the kitchen and set up all the pastries for tomorrow, Heather did as she promised to Naya and called a cab. When she got home she shuffled up to take a nice long shower, pulled on her jammies and her favorite socks, and plopped in front of the TV to catch whatever was left of that night's episode of Saturday Night Live.

"Why are you home?" Ashley lectured loudly as she dropped herself into the seat next to Heather on the couch. Heather noted she obviously didn't know how to control her volume, having to lean away from the other girl's yelling.

"Because… I live here?" Heather tried to joke, too happy to care about Ashley's rather drunken state. She normally wouldn't have laughed at Heather's try at being sarcastic, but the comment blew right over Ashley's intoxicated head.

"Duh, I realize that. But you know where you should be right now?" Ashley whispered like it was a big secret.

Heather rolled her eyes and ate another handful of smiling fishies. When she didn't say anything, Ashley didn't hesitate to answer her own question.

"You should be at Naya's place, naked, in her bed, and doing stuff with her that's not suitable for children…"

Heather cringed and threw a gold fish at her.

"God, stop it… I forget that your mind gets extra dirty when you're drunk…"

Ashley continued to snicker, but then stopped when Heather's expression didn't change. She tried her hardest to recollect herself and be serious for her friend. She cleared her throat and tried to sit up straighter. She mocked Heather by playing psychologist and folded her hands neatly across her lap.

"So I take it you didn't go to her party?" Ashley sighed in a disappointed fake British accent. Heather rolled her eyes.

"No…"

"And how do you feel about that?" Ashley continued with her little act, pretending to adjust an invisible pair of spectacles on her face. Heather scoffed at her. Instead of letting the blonde answer, Ashley continued.

"Well, I'll tell you how you should feel, dear hopeless hag," Heather leered at her. "You should feel like shit, because you didn't do as your good doctor advised," Ashley said, referring to herself.

"On the contrary creepy Carl Rogers… I actually had a pretty amazing time at work," Heather replied with a glint in her eyes as she thought of Naya.

Ashley raised her eyebrow in question. Heather reluctantly caved and regaled shyly to Ashley's drunken self of the events that had happened in the past few hours. Unfortunately she had to back track and elaborate on a few details, but once the story was told there was no taking it back; nor was there any way to wipe away that ridiculous smile from her lips. Ashley on the other hand did not look impressed. In fact the only thing she heard from the entire story was:

"So you didn't tell her?" Ashley clarified. Heather chewed on the corner of her mouth nervously.

"No…" and Ashley groaned. "Oh come on! If you were in my shoes you would have blanked out too... It's a little hard when she gets all close to you and smells so..." Heather's minds drifts momentarily causing Ashley's eyebrow to rise even higher, "…vanilla…"

Heather snapped out of her daze and side glanced to Ashley who was still brooding.

"I was about to tell her, but then she caught me off guard…"

"By seducing you?"

"She didn't seduce me… she just… kissed me," Heather retorted, that stupid smile creeping back. It was like she had some sort of tick how that smile kept coming back. She shook her head trying to get some sense into her vanilla filled brain.

"Wow… you're no better than a sex-crazed teenage boy," Ashley snorted.

"I must have also forgotten how Drunk Ashley is also heartless…" Heather mumbled. Ashley suddenly stood up and glared over at Heather who coward away from the obviously frustrated brunette.

"This was the perfect opportunity you know? What happened to, 'I'm gonna fix it as soon as I get her in my perfect little environment?'"

"I didn't say it like that…" Heather bit back.

"Whatever! The more you drag this on the worse it's gonna get! It probably would have been easier tonight. You even had her all loose and easy by doing your weird version of flirting with food… but nooo… Someone had to think with their dick and not their brain!" Ashley slapped her crotch lewdly in emphasis. Heather cringed.

"Will you stop referring to me as some sort of horny college dude? I'm not a guy who wants to bang every hot girl he sees!" Heather tried.

"Might as well be…" Ashley mumbled to herself, unheard by Heather. The short brunette folded her arms tightly across her chest.

"Look I'm sorry… But there's only so much you can do when all you can see are Naya Rivera's fucking lips in your line of view…"

Heather momentarily let her mind wander to the memory touch of Naya's lips tickling hers when Ashley literally fumed. Not knowing what else to do, her frustrated and still very drunk friend snatched Heather's box of gold fish from limp hands. Heather nearly jumped in surprise. Ashley began to blubber unidentifiable words, her tongue slurring about messily in her mouth. She finally let out another frustrated squeal.

"No more gold fish for you!" she shouted, pointing a finger in Heather's face before stomping off to the kitchen.

Heather sat dumbfounded, eyes still wide in shock with her friend's sudden unintelligible outburst. She was left muddled in her own confused thoughts. Feelings of the exciting unknown and uncertain doubt filled every fiber in her body. She didn't leave from the couch the entire night. Heather was stuck again, with only the comfort of Kristen Wiig to gently lull her into sweet dreams of her mystifying brunette with mocha brown eyes.

Heather sprang out and landed a perfect no-handed kart-wheel. She continued to lash out on the wood paneled dance floor in search for solutions to countless questions she had stuffed in her brain. With her cluttered mind and busy feet she didn't notice the second party in the room closely observing her out-of-control, yet still graceful movements. A gentle smile played on the outsiders lips.

Heather was in the middle of her splits when she heard the sound of clapping echoing over her music. She turned her head to the door where the applause was coming from and her eyes immediately lit up at the unexpected guest. Her lips spread into the widest smile as she jumped up and ran over to her friend.

"Encore please!"

"Zach!" Heather exclaimed as she nearly threw herself into the awaiting arms of her old friend. His familiar chuckle rumbled into her shoulder.

"All my years in this business and I still can't find anyone who can do a handless cartwheel and land into the splits like you can…" he told her happily.

"Maybe you're losing your eyesight, old man. We're in Hollywood… there's thousands of starving, talented dancers hiding in quiet places," Heather joked as she pulled away from him.

"Nah, you're just one-of-a-kind, Hemo. There's no one else that I've met that is up to par with your acrobatics."

Heather looked down bashfully at Zach's compliments.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I heard a little whisper going around that a certain blonde, leggy dancer has come back to the L.A. dance scene and I thought perhaps it could be my blonde leggy dancer?" Zach explained as he tapped Heather's nose.

"Brian told you, didn't he?"

"Yeah, also turns out the dance scene in L.A. is a pretty small world," he said smiling coyly, "News travels fast."

Heather shakes her head with a smile. It was so typically Brian. He could never keep things to himself.

"So let me get a good look at you!" Zach exclaimed and Heather stood back, giving him a small pirouette.

"You look good, but thin…" Zach lectured fatherly. Heather rolled her eyes at him.

"You sound like my mother…"

"And you should listen to what your mother says! Mothers always know best, hon. And I need you to look your finest!"

Heather furrowed her eyebrows.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'll tell you after you explain your sudden disappearance over the last year."

Heather sighed, knowing explaining all this to Zach was inevitable. The two plopped back down on the floor so Heather could give her story about what she had been up to after her unfortunate outcome on the set of Glee. Zach helped her stretch out her legs while he listened intently. By the end of what she thought was a rather boring tale, Zach had propped his chin in his palm and looked up to Heather with a raised eyebrow.

"So explain to me how serving coffee is better pay than being a dancer?"

Heather shrugged.

"I dunno, but it seemed to satisfy my mom. She hasn't complained since. Besides it isn't all that bad… I actually love it. There are a lot of awesome things about just serving coffee…"

Zach snorted.

"Like?"

"Well…" Heather began to explain thoughtfully. "I love working with people for one, and the job is really all about working with customers. You get to meet some very interesting characters in the shop every now and again…"

Heather smiled to herself as she thought of Naya.

"Yeah… definitely some interesting people…" she said quietly.

Zach looked curiously to Heather's dreamy state. Realizing she stopped talking she blinked out of her daze and cleared her throat.

"And I get to take home some pretty delicious blends, not to mention I love my coworkers… there's a lot of pluses. Making people smile by doing something as simple as making a cup of coffee makes it all worthwhile. I don't know… I guess it's all from a subjective point of view. But, enough about me… What's going on with you? What brings you here?"

"Well…" Zach began excitedly as he sat up straighter, "As you very well know, Glee turned out to be much more of a hit than we anticipated.

"I know! Congratulations!" Heather told him happily with a wide smile. Sure she'll always be a little sad that she didn't make the show, but she was truly happy for her friend's success. It would give him great exposure. Besides, not making the show didn't really matter… she got her girl anyways. Heather smiled wider at this thought.

"Oh no, honey…" Zach shook his head and Heather frowned in confusion. "This show is kicking my ass. Of course I love it… but I swear these kids have been my biggest endeavor as a choreographer yet."

Heather quietly nodded understandingly.

"I mean, I'm working with a giant that isn't aware of his own height, chatter mouths, kids with short attention spans, and a wheel chair. Not to mention they're all actors… if you know what I'm getting at," Heather scrunches her mouth knowingly. "Ryan definitely had my work cut out for me… and I just think sometimes how nice it would be to have someone in the cast with a little more experience."

Zach had this glint in his eyes that led Heather to believe he had something hidden up his sleeve, but was waiting for the opportune moment to tell her. It was one of those weird games Zach liked to play to build up suspense and overdramatize things he was really excited about. Heather just went along with it. Just like old times…

"Well, you've got that girl who plays Valerie. She can do backflips for days," Heather noted as she thought about the cute, but silent redhead who was commonly known as "Santana's friend" or better yet, "Santana's minion." Ashley favored the latter of the two.

"True. Lexi is extremely talented… but she's pretty introverted. She likes to hide in the background as we've all come to realize how she's not a big fan of the spotlight. So it's a little tough when I need help explaining something and try to rely on her to help the others. Unfortunately, I could tell her passions lie elsewhere."

Heather cocked her head to the side curiously at Zach's analysis of the mute side character and also apparently washed out actress.

"That's none of my business though," Zach waved off and then said concernedly, "I know it may be tough seeing her on screen time to time…"

Heather lowered her gaze as that old topic was brought up again. She knew she should have expected it to be. She always did her best not to think about it, but it's sort of difficult when Glee is such a big thing right now… It also is her favorite show; that aspect doesn't help either.

"It's not a big deal, Zach. Honestly… it's hard to be sad about something that I never had in the first place. It's in the past now and I'm ready to move on to a different part of my life," she said firmly.

"You've grown up so much…" Zach said in admiration and Heather smiled to him. "I guess that makes my next question a little awkward then."

Heather scrunched her eyebrows together.

"Zach, what's going on?"

Zach was seriously bubbling with excitement comparable to a child on Christmas morning. Heather stared at him wide-eyed at his rather uncharacteristic expressions.

"Okay! I just can't hold it in anymore!" he said enthusiastically and Heather laughed at his giddiness. "I have a very exciting proposition for you!"

This made Heather raise an eyebrow.

"I want you to come back to Glee."

Heather opened her mouth, but simply choked on air. She wasn't quite sure what she was expecting Zach to say, but it certainly wasn't this…

"Really?" she let out in confusion.

Zach began to control himself a little more from Heather's response. He told her gently, "I understand that it still may be a little of a sore spot for you, and if it reopens any old wounds I'm sorry… but I believe that this is an opportunity of a lifetime for you, Hemo."

Heather chewed on her lower lip nervously, not knowing how or what to feel. Should she be excited for the opportunity? Should she feel offended to be asked to come back when already being rejected once? Or should she be terrified of the actress there whom she could potentially hurt if she said yes?

"What… what exactly does the job entail?" Heather asked trying to put her thoughts together into understandable reasoning.

"I was wondering if you could come back as my little muse for just one more time," Zach explained. "I want you to help me on a new piece that I believe is right up your alley. It's a huge number and I have to organize a lot of people… I need as much help as I can get with this one and I know for a fact that I can trust you with something of this scale."

Heather sighed, feeling more torn than ever before. It didn't help at all how tempting Zach was making this sound…

"I don't know if this is such a good idea Zach… they rejected me once before. They didn't think my dancing was enough to make the cut. What makes you think all those producers and bald headed creators have changed their minds?"

Zach waved his hand again at Heather's weariness.

"This is under my terms, Hemo. I get to employ whoever I see fit for the job at hand and I choose to hire you. Believe me when I say this: you're it. This isn't an audition or an interview, Heather. I basically already have your resume memorized by now and I know you're qualified. This is a job position being handed right to you and you fit it like a glove."

"Zach—" Heather tried to protest. She didn't like people feeling obliged to give her work when they thought she was having a hard time, but Zach seemed to have read her mind.

"You're not my charity project to resemble my reach out to all struggling dancers… Yes, I may still feel a little bad from our last instance together, but it doesn't reflect my decision to come to you if I didn't think you could do it. And I know you can," Zach spoke firmly. Heather swore he had more confidence in her than she did. Of course she wanted the job… this was something she often dreamed of absentmindedly every Tuesday night after she watched the newest episode of Glee. And it wasn't the fact that she wasn't capable of doing it… she was sure she could get by. First off, there was Naya to worry about and secondly she wasn't anywhere near here dance capabilities of last year. She wished she had a little more time. She had after all, just made her return to the floor. She was still a little shaky on her toes.

"I can't dance like I used to… I'm used up goods."

"Heather… you can't be serious? The dancing I just saw you do minutes ago is the best I've ever seen you dance before. In fact it's some of the best dancing I've seen from any professional around here in a while."

Heather blushed again from the compliment, but Zach could tell she still wasn't swayed. Something was holding her back and he couldn't figure out what. The Heather he knew a year back would have answered 'yes' in an instance. He could see much has changed…

"Why don't you think about it this way then?" Zach proposed, regaining Heather's attention. "You won't be dancing like some chorus cutie in the background like you used to do for me or anything like that, unless that's what you want to do. In fact, you'll barely be dancing in that sort of way at all."

Heather furrowed her eyebrows at him, not entirely sure where he was going.

He continued softly, "You'll be the one in control now. You're going to be teaching and choreographing these dances with just as much of a say as me."

Heather remained silent for a moment, slightly stunned of what Zach was asking of her. A small, excited smile tugged at the corners of her lips and Zach saw that familiar glint in those blue eyes again.

"A choreographer?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, Heather. A choreographer…" Zach chuckles. "Of course, we won't say that to Ryan. But think of us as partners now."

Heather beamed, her heart beginning to soar upwards in excitement. A co-choreographer? On a hit show like Glee? It was like she couldn't ask for more. But then she thought about Naya and her smile slipped slightly. How could she just show up on set and face her as herself, Heather Morris? She knew it would only end up messy… She couldn't bear to see the look of disappointment on Naya's face if things didn't go accordingly when the moment arose and Heather finally told her of her true identity.

"That… that sounds fantastic," Heather finally uttered with a slight ache of sadness in her voice. She was unable to really say much else.

Zach clapped his hands together happily.

"So it's a yes!"

"No," Heather replied immediately. Zach slumped and furrowed his brow.

"No? What's wrong?"

"I can't," she said plainly.

"You… can't?"

Heather chewed her lip painfully as she continued to think about Naya. She searched her mind for a valid excuse, not wanting to tell Zach of her bizarre reunion with the actress.

"I-I can't quit the Black Horse Café… they need me there now more than ever and they've given me so much. It would be unfair to just leave them like that…" Heather finally stated. It wasn't a complete lie… it actually wasn't a lie at all.

"Heather…" Zach sighed.

"I'm sorry, Zach," Heather shrugged again. Feeling the matter had become concrete, she got up to pack her things to leave. "But I'm not the dancer I used to be. I'm all grown up now."

Heather stopped her music which was still playing gently in the background and clicked it back into the clear cover.

"Hey, don't think I'm done giving up on my sales pitch just yet, Morris," Zach pointed at her as she turned around back to him. "Look. I have no idea what happened this past year. Sure, I get that life is tough. We all go through so much shit in a day that we question why we even put up with all of it in the first place. I knew coming here today, that I shouldn't expect anything. But the last thing I thought I would come across is a version of Heather Morris I was confident I would never see: one that has given up on her dreams. I'm still hoping I'm wrong about that because the Heather Morris that I respected was too determined to give up so easily with only a year's worth of discouragement."

Heather looked down, slightly ashamed of herself. She fiddled with the ridged edges of her plastic CD case.

"You can do this, Heather," Zach said, searching her eyes out. "The Heather I know cannot resist something as big as this."

"Don't people always say, 'those who can't do, teach?' It's kinda like a step down isn't it?" Heather pointed out sadly.

"Hey, I do it and you're calling me demoted?" Zach said jokingly.

"I didn't mean it like that…"

"Well, it isn't like that. It's not like you're teaching a ballet class of 8-year-old girls, even though they might as well be…" he muttered the last part and Heather cracked a smile. "You're creating something with your skills and background as a dancer. Teaching just happens to come with the territory and I know you're an excellent teacher. This job can turn your life back onto the path I've always known you've wanted. It may not have been the exact way you would have pictured it happening, but appreciate that it actually could happen at all."

Heather remained silent, unsure of what to say yet again. She knew she shouldn't let her over-concerned self get in the way of what she's always wanted. But after everything she had felt last night… she wasn't so sure anymore. Heather breathed in deeply. She would just take it all one step at a time; it was never wise to get ahead of herself. Besides, Naya would probably kick my ass if I said no… Heather thought with a small smile.

"Say yes, Heather. Come back to your one true love. It misses you… and I think you miss it just as much."

Heather nodded to herself, coming to a solution.

"Okay… I'll do it."

Zach embraced her in a gentle hug and Heather squeezed him back.

"You won't regret this. I promise."

Thanks again for everyone's amazing questions! Here are your answers! (Hope I got all of them )

Jac Lag: You asked about if I ever explained why Naya disliked liars so much… I actually did not and I am still debating whether or not I will cover that. That is simply a detail about her that displays her defensiveness and that she's had history with being hurt and betrayed before. As a reader I give you the freedom to fill in the rest!

Myriadz: Yes, there will be angst and soon. However, it is very mild and I'll make it temporary. It's nothing to the extent of my other fic where you seriously want to slit your wrists or cry in a corner because it's so depressing. I'm keeping this as light-hearted and humorous as possible!

Brunagardel: I can't say just yet! But it's going to be revealed very soon! (As in next chapter soon!)

The mrs: You asked when liar/saint will be updated… uh…. Lol. I hope soon to be honest, but I unfortunately don't have an answer for that as I'm struggling to keep up with school AND getting this story updated. Don't worry, liar/saint isn't abandoned though, just on a temporary hiatus. Hang tight! I know I left them off on a horrible note!