AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Originally Posted: March 4th, 2011
There's so much I could say about this chapter (and the next) that if i started I'd end up doubling the length of it so I'm going to stick to two points.
1) Huge, massive, galaxy sized thank you to ApplesAreAwesome (link on my profile) for the Beta assist. It can not be said how much of what you are about to read was improved beyond because of that assist. Any muck ups, be they spelling, grammar, inconsistencies of plot and/or character that remain are entirely my own and should in no way reflect poorly upon ApplesAreAwesome (link still on profile. You really should go follow it if only to encourage more postage :D).
2) More than any other chapter yet, this one plays with the flow of time due largely to a number of "flashbacks". Hopefully, between the time/location stamps and the context itself you should still be able to make sense of it all but should that not be the case, please feel free to bawl me out for it (although, as always, reviews and comments of any type are not only welcomed, but highly prized).
Disclaimer Time, Disclaimer Time!
Glee, the characters of Glee along with associated events, locations and miscellaneous extras are not mine. They belong to the fine folks at Fox and I have no affiliation with Fox beyond being a fan (of some) of their programming. My use of the characters, locations, events and miscellaneous extras of Glee are in no way authorized by Fox and I make no income at all from these works. They are intended only as a sign of appreciation and are presented for public consumption only to spread the Gleek love.
Enjoy :D
Chapter 11
The Un-Frienemy Truth
October 4th, 2010 (Beth +118)
McKinley High, Glee Rehearsal, 3:16pm
"You slept with Quinn?" the words were barely above a whisper as they passed Rachel's lips, her wide, brown eyes fixed on Finn.
Fabray Home, Study, 6:47pm – Oct 1st, 2010
"So that's a no then?"
"What?" Finn's whole body tensed.
"On the redo?" Quinn clarified
"Oh. Uhh..."
"Did you offer your guest any refreshments dear?"
"Mom!"
Judy ignored her daughter's protest and continued into the room, a silver tray covered with a finely etched dome of the same precious metal held between her hands. "I do apologize for my daughter Finn. Sometimes even the best of us can forget our manners." the older woman said as she laid the tray down on top of a richly stained wooden side table. "I'm afraid it's not much," she repented as she lifted the lid to reveal an assortment of finger sandwiches arranged around a porcelain bowl of potato chips, "but my Quinnie didn't tell me she was expecting company in advance. How's your mother doing?"
"Uhh." Finn said by way of place filler as he tried to keep up with the abrupt change of topic. "She's good. She and Mister Hummel are actually out on a date tonight."
"Who?" Judy asked as she carefully adjusted the bowl by turning it a few degrees to the right.
"Kurt's Dad, I'm not sure you know him. You might have met at Regionals last year."
"Yes." Judy said though whether this was to confirm such a meeting had taken place or merely to acknowledge that the teen had answered her question was unclear. "Well I'm sure if your Mother approves of him, he's quite the catch. Some women know how to pick a man."
"And some don't" Quinn was unable to prevent herself from muttering under her breath.
Judy pressed on as if her daughter had been more successful in the attempt "Of course I hope Quinn finds a nice young man of her own some day, speaking of, she tells me you've got a young lady of your own now?"
"She did? I mean, uh, it's kinda, it's ah, it's complicated."
"Really? She told me the two of you were quite the item. 'Very much in love', wasn't that how you described it Quinn?"
Now it was the younger Fabray's turn to pretend the comments of the other hadn't happened. "Thank you for the snacks Mom. Finn and I really should get back to work now."
"Of course." Judy said, saccharine dripping from the exaggerated smile she gave Finn. "Always a pleasure to see you my dear boy and if you need anything, you just let me know."
"Thanks?"
"When you're done Quinn, bring the dishes back to the kitchen." the elder blonde instructed before closing the door behind her.
"I'm so sorry about that." Quinn said as she crossed over to check the door, pressing her ear against the wood to check if her Mother was doing the same on the other side.
"Nah, it's okay." Finn replied, snatching a chip from the bowl. "Don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure embarrassing their kids is part of the job description for parents."
"Yeah well it's still no excuse for-"
"You told her about Rachel and me?"
Quinn's brow wrinkled as she squeezed her eyes shut. "I... may have mentioned it."
"But not me coming over?"
"Finn," Quinn started, turning around to face the other teen as she spoke only to find him standing closer then she'd expected.
Very close.
McKinley High, Glee Rehearsal, 3:04pm
"You're sure that's what she said?" Artie asked.
Tina tightening her grip on her boyfriend's hand then answered with a, "Yeah."
"But I thought Finn and Rachel were getting back together." the wheelchair bound singer said.
"So did the whole school." Kurt replied. "Look, I know Rachel isn't everyone's favourite, god knows I have more then a few issues with her myself, but not even she deserves to be treated like that. I am so disappointed in Finn"
"I know..." Mike agreed, placing his other hand over Tina's as he looked around the huddled group. "So... do we tell her?"
"Tell who what?"
The foursome turned as one towards the speaker.
"Hello? Someone gonna answer me?"
"Mercedes," Kurt said after exchanging a glance with the others, "You look pretty today."
"Can it Hummel, I always look good. Now stop stalling and cough up an answer. Tell who what?"
"What now?"
The quintette of singers turned towards the choir room entrance once more.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" Puck asked, dragging the back of his hands across his cheeks and mouth in the hope of clearing away whatever might be marring his rugged good looks.
Mercedes rolled her eyes as she turned back to the original quartette. "Someone better start talking soon, before the whole damn school shows up."
"B. C'mon. Talk to me."
"Too late." Quipped Artie as a tall blonde entered the room, apparently oblivious to both the audience watching her arrival and the distressed girlfriend trailing along behind her.
"What the frick are you looking at?" Santana cursed by way of acknowledging the other Gleeks in the room before moving to sit beside the dancer.
"Babe, please..."
Brittany, her head resolutely facing away from the girl by her side, shifted one seat over.
A heavy, dejected sigh swept past Santana's lightly glossed lips, her shoulders deflating along with her lungs.
"Trouble in paradise."
"Shut it Puckerman!" the bronzed cheerleader barked, her dispirited visage burnt away in a flash of white hot anger, the ash remains falling away as she launched from her seat only to pull up short before reaching the footballer. Her expression slowly shifted from murderous intent to somewhat confused hope as she looked back to find the source of her impediment.
"B?"
Brittany gave her captive girlfriend's hand a squeeze. "We'll talk later okay?"
"Bu-"
"I love you. Now sit." Brittany reached out with her free hand to pat the chair she had just vacated, a broad smile spread across both girls lips as Santana accepted the invite.
"I love you so mu-"
"I know." Brit replied, cutting the other teen off with a finger pressed to Santana's mouth. "Later."
Santana nodded, pursing her lips to kiss the blonde's finger before it got removed.
"That was... interesting."
All eyes swivelled back towards the choir room entrance.
"Rachel" the original quartette of early arrivals greeted the diminutive teen with an overabundance of enthusiasm.
"Rachel." Brit welcomed, her hand giving the latina's another soft squeeze.
"Berry" Santana growled softly.
Brit smiled.
"Santana." Rachel countered before turning her attention to the others. The others who were watching her in a most unsettling fashion.
"Do I have something on my face?" She asked, repeating Puck's earlier gesture by brushing cheeks and chin with the back of her good hand in search of the offending blemish.
"No, you look fine." Kurt offered.
"Pretty" Brit added, her palm flexing against Santana's once more.
The silent prompt triggered an internal struggle that showed on the cheerleaders face. "What she said." the black haired cheerio grudgingly forced out.
Alright, now Rachel was really worried. "What is it? Has there been some sort of trouble with our spot in sectionals?" That was all she needed, to have her musical hopes dashed along with everything else that happened over the last week.
"No."
"Nope."
"No."
"Nah."
"Why would you even ask that?"
"Well for starters, all of you are staring at me funny." Rachel replied, tilting her head to the side as she added, "Funnier than usual that is. And Santana's almost being nice to me for another. You also keep glancing at each other like you know something I don't and I doubt it has anything to do with Santana's display of non-aggressive emotions, as unusual and unexpected as that was so-"
"That's it." Santana snapped then turned towards Brit. "This is why we hate her, She can't keep her fat mouth shut. That's why Quinn hates her!"
"I what who now?" Quinn asked, no small amount of venom tainting her voice. "You trying to tell me how I feel again Lopez."
"Bite me Fabray."
"San, Q-bear, please?"
"Stop it! All of you!"
Rachel, free hand on hip, met the incoming glares and glances with a stare that brokered little room for dissension.
"Now I don't know what's going on between you two," the manicured tip of her pointer finger waggled between the two cheerio leaders, "and I've long since accepted that I'm not exactly a favourite of either of you so forgive me if your," the brunette fixed her eyes on her golden skinned tormentor, " sudden shift in behaviour caught me by surprise." Rachel returned her gaze to both warring girls "but whatever lays behind your little squabble has to stop. We're a team, we're supposed to be a team and I for one don't appreciate the irony that the very same week we're supposed to be working on songs about teamwork, you two appear to be at each other's throats."
"And as for you lot," she continued, turning her growing wrath on the rest of her team, "why are you all just standing there? Where you just going to stand by and watch them fight?"
"Well-" Puck began before falling silent under the hostile scowl of every woman in the room.
"Don't make me smack you."
"And you, stop hitting Noah. Yes, at times he deserves it but it's not your place to do it Mercedes."
Returning her focus to the room at large she pressed on before anyone objected. "How are we supposed to work together when we can't even stand to be in the same room as each other? How are we supposed to be a team when every other day we're fighting, or hitting or insulting each other?" Her gaze rested in turn on Quinn, Mercedes and Santana to help drive home her point.
"You want to answer that one... Finn-ocence?" Santana asked, a smug grin oozing across her lips as she watched Rachel turn to face the late arrival.
"Uhh..."
Fabray Home, Study, 6:58pm – Oct 1st, 2010
"You told her about Rachel and me?"
Quinn's brow wrinkled as she squeezed her eyes shut. "I... may have mentioned it."
"But not me coming over?"
"Finn," Quinn started, turning around to face the other teen as she spoke only to find him standing closer then she'd expected.
Very close.
"Sorry." Finn apologized, as he took a step back.
"For what?" Quinn asked, furthering the distance between them as she crossed over to examine the gustatory offerings her Mother had interrupted their conversation to deliver.
"... You know, I don't know."
"Than why are you apologizing?"
"I don't know. It's not like I've done anything wrong."
"Unlike me." Quinn snarked.
"Well... yeah."
"You know what Finn, maybe you should just go home." Quinn smouldered, her back still to her ex.
"Maybe I should." Finn agreed.
"Good." Quinn fumed, turning to face him. "Because I thought you were over all this b-"
"So did I." the quarterback vented, taking a step closer
"But you're not are you?" Quinn asked rhetorically, closing the gap between them further still with a step of her own.
"Apparently not!" the brown haired boy seethed, and shrunk the distance by another stride.
McKinley High, Glee Rehearsal, 3:14pm
"You want to answer that one... Finn-ocence?" Santana asked, a smug grin oozing across her lips as she watched Rachel turn to face the late arrival.
"Uhh..." Finn's eyes locked onto Rachel's, giving his most recent ex a look reminiscent of small wildlife caught in the beams of an oncoming semi.
"Finn." Rachel fought the temptation to grab her former beau and run. They'd never managed to find the time to continue their earlier chat and to be perfectly honest, if she'd been offered the chance to avoid doing so now in exchange for her future stardom, she'd have actually taken the time to consider it.
Until the option was offere, Rachel stalled. "I... was just asking the others for their thoughts on how to work better together as a team."
"Bullshit." Santana coughed
"And she's the one that can't keep her mouth shut?" Quinn replied with a snide smile.
"Heard that bit did you Fabray?"
"Umm..." Finn hummed, his gaze finally leaving Rachel's face only to flicker back and forth between brunette and blonde.
"Oh for god sakes. I can't take it anymore. Finn slept with Quinn." Tina shouted before burying her face in her hands as she collapsed into her seat.
Every other set of eyes but one were locked on the diminutive Diva.
"You slept with Quinn?" the words were barely above a whisper as they passed Rachel's lips.
Fabray Home, Study, 7:00pm – Oct 1st, 2010
"Apparently not!" the brown haired boy seethed, shrinking the distance by another stride.
"Then say it Finn. Just say it already. It's not like I don't deser-"
Quinn's hazel eyes shot open as Finn cut her off by pressing his mouth to hers. The rest of her body reacted on instinct to the familiar sensation, her hands seeking out his waist, her back arching slightly as she pressed against him, her rose pink lips parting in undisguised invitation.
McKinley High, Glee Rehearsal, 3:16pm
"You slept with Quinn?"
"What?" Finn asked, his voice drowned out by Quinn's cry of "Hell No." before the blonde turned to her former friend. "What the Frick Lopez? You finally decide to get back at me for taking back captain by spreading this shit?"
"Back off Farbray. I didn't say Frick to anybody about you bumping uglies with the boy wonder-less over there."
"But..." Artie began before cringing as the trio of cheerleaders all turned in his direction.
"But. What. Wheels." Santana demanded, biting off each word with an audible clack of her perfect, white teeth.
"Uhh."
"Speak. Now!" Quinn stepped in, both figuratively and physically as she moved to stand beside the other cheerio.
"T-t-tina overheard you talking in the b-bathroom this morning... she heard y- S-santana say you had..." Artie stammered out before Puck moved to block the wheelchair bound singer from the eye line of both girls.
Fabray Home, Study, 7:02pm – Oct 1st, 2010
"Finn." she moaned, her forehead pressed to his, the warmth of their combined panted breaths playing over tingling lips and sensitive flesh. "We can't"
"I know. We need to stop."
"So much." Quinn concurred, tangling the fingers of her right hand with the short cropped hair at the back of Finn's head.
"So much." the boy repeated as his hand cupped the blonde's cheek.
McKinley High, Glee Rehearsal, 3:16pm
"You told me you only kissed her." Puck said, fixing his friend with a glare of his own.
"I-"
"You knew?" Rachel cut off Finn's protest as she whipped around to face Noah. "You knew and you didn't tell me?"
"There's nothing to tell Berry." Quinn challenged. "We didn't have sex, I don't care what this bitch says."
"Quinn-"
"Don't bother B." Santana told her girlfriend, "Besides," she smirked, "it takes one to know one."
"You kissed him though didn't you?" Rachel pressed her inquiry as she turned away from a guilty Puck to face Quinn."
"... So?" she said, her icy armour frosting into place as her arms crossed over her chest. She stared down the brunette. "What business is it of your's who I kiss."
"When it's my boyfri-"
"Ex boyfriend." Quinn interrupted.
"Can I-" Finn tried to speak before an angry duet of "No!" cut him off.
"What's the matter Berry? Finally have to face the fact that you were always his second choice?"
"Enough!" Puck roared.
"I was just about to say the same thing." said Mr Schue.