A/N - So these chapters are sort of the in between story of Rachel and Quinn. This one is set in college for warning for those who hate Finn just skip the first part and those that like Jackson, just read the second part as well. Enjoy, I am off to see the Giants game.
Get It Right
Interlude 2
The whimper escapes even as she bites down on her fist, not wanting to cry out because it would make the situation seem all the more real. However, the faint blue smiley face peering back at her as she looked down at the stick is enough to make her understand that she can't hide from the truth as her tears leak out.
They had been so careful or at least she had tried to be, knowing what could happen and learning from Quinn's early mistake. But ninety seven percent protection still meant a three percent chance. It's not that Rachel doesn't love Finn. She had already given up so much to have this dream with him and she's not sure she can give up her independence as well.
"Rach?" Finn's voice starling her out of her thoughts such that she drops the stick and looks at the door, praying that he does not come in.
"You ok?" They were supposed to go for dinner and he's back from practice surprisingly early. Which either meant he didn't make varsity again or Coach Martinez grew a heart and let them off before the sun set. She wants to believe it's the latter even though she knows it's probably the former from the way his voice sounds even if he's asking after her.
"I'll …." She takes a deep breath as she swipes her eyes, realizing that she needs to be there for Finn right now. They were a couple and he needed her support so she couldn't let him down. "I'll be right out." She swallows down her fear as her hand reaches for the door knob, and she plasters a smile on her face. "Hey, you're back early."
She sees his face fall and knows that he didn't make Varsity again. "You know I love you, right?" The corner of his mouth quirks upwards at her words and he nods even as she opens her arms and hugs him.
"Hey, did you get the part?" His words are murmured as he kisses the top of her head. She's surprised that he remembered and is actually asking her about it. The tears come fast though as she realizes that she can't take the part any longer. It had been sheer luck that she found out about the casting. An open call for a new musical that would start touring in the summer around the mid west in hope of attracting funds to stage a full blown off Broadway show.
Her music professor had given her the schedule telling her that she was the only one in her class who could pull it off. She didn't want to leave Finn but he was so sure that he would be at Summer Training camp that he urged her to try out. Auditions had been grueling because she had lost the urgency she used to feel when it came to performing.
However, her voice had yet to peak and even without the daily scales and training, its raw power gave her an edge that no one else had. But the part called for a young ingénue and in four months when the tour began, she would be showing and young ingénues weren't supposed to be pregnant.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He sees the tears coursing down her face as she hugs him tighter, her face buried in his chest. "Rach, I don't care about Varsity, as long as I have you. I love you." His tone is soothing and filled with love and she can't get any words out as she starts to sob.
Finn's completely at a loss as to what's going on. Rachel had been a shoe in for the play. He had been at her auditions, having snuck in the back door and when he saw her on stage belting out that song, it made him remember when he used to be in awe of her, when her energy and spark made him feel like he needed to do more, be more.
"So I don't care about making first string and they're idiots for not giving you the part. But we have each other. We'll always have each other." His words wash over her, cocooning her and making the fear she feels recede. It cannot disappear and she knows that she'll need to tell him about it only not tonight because she wants one more normal day. She cannot remember when she accepted that holding back the truth from Finn was acceptable because in the end, she was protecting him but she's never lied to him before.
"Sorry, you're right…I …I really wanted the part." Rachel can't help feeling guilty even if it's only a lie of omission. She look up at his face, his eyes kind and his expression solemn and she stands on her toes to kiss him on the lips before turning to grab her coat. "Let's go and grab some dinner."
"Sure." He's a bit taken aback by her almost instantaneous change in demeanor but he does feel hungry, "Let me just.." He walks towards the bathroom as Rachel stands by the door, hands in the pocket of her red pea coat as she tries to remember the lyrics to Baby Mine. She knows that family is something that Finn's always wanted and as much as she doesn't want to have a baby, she can't take the choice away from him either. Only, she just can't bring herself tell him right now because she knows that she'll have to give up even more of herself.
"Rachel." It's the way he says her name that makes her not want to turn around. She's almost sure she had thrown the stick away but belatedly remembers that he had interrupted her. She hears the urgency in his tone as he calls her name again. "Rachel." She turns around but shuts her eyes and ducks her head, only to feel his finger on her chin, gently lifting it to meet his eyes.
When she opens hers, all she sees is the expression his face, shock mixed with happiness.
"Are you pregnant?" His voice is not harsh but hopeful as he holds up the pregnancy test.
Rachel wants to deny it but the way he's looking at her, like she's the only important thing, like he's in love with her even more now than when they finally got together in high school. All of it is too much and she can only nod.
Finn has a distinct memory of Quinn telling him she was pregnant. How time seemed to stop and all extraneous noise faded away such that all he could hear was his own heartbeat and Quinn's breaths as she tried her best not to descend into a panic attack. He hadn't been remotely ready then and he didn't even question the veracity of Quinn's statement, just accepting that his life was over.
But Rachel was different; she had chosen to be with him. He had been surprised at her change in high school and even more so when she didn't apply to Julliard but to OSU because he had been given a scholarship. But through it all, she had always chosen him and he knows that he has to step up now. "Come on." He grabs at her hand, leading her towards the door.
"Finn." Her voice is so soft, tentative. "I.." he turns to see her standing there, worrying her lower lip and he realizes that she's afraid. And he feels a pressure build up within him, like he needs to make everything right for her at this very moment. He knows what he wants to do but he needs her to understand that she doesn't have to be afraid.
All she can focus on is his warm hand holding hers and her eyes widen as he steps towards her, going down on one knee, his right hand pulling at his ring finger as he finally hold it out to her. "Marry me." His voice so sincere as she looks down to see him reach out for her hand again, his time placing the ring on her finger even before she can say anything.
The ring is too big for her finger but his laugh is so endearing that she smiles for the first time tonight. He looks at her unafraid and she feels like she can just let go and trust that he knows what to do for the both of them. It's not that she's lost her direction but that she's tied herself to Finn and she does not know what else she can do except say yes.
#$#$#$#$
Jackson's seen her around campus and had even asked a few of his frat buddies if they knew anything more about her. He's never been shy with women but he's also always known that a number of them were with him more for his trust fund than his wit. So he's unsurprised when she approaches him in the Quad, a satchel slung on her shoulder, sunglasses on her head and wearing a pale green sundress.
"You're Jackson Gellar." Her voice is low as he turns to look at her, her height already putting them more or less at eye level. He sees her hand shoot out and automatically takes it, noting that it fits so well in his.
"I'm Quinn Fabray and I need your help." It's her smile that completely decimates any of his defenses as he nods not even trusting himself to speak.
"So I'm not going to assume you just said yes to what I want but that you just want to know more about why I need your help?" her playful smile and the fact that she looks down at their linked hands finally spurring him to act less moronic and hopefully more suave.
He let's go of her hand reluctantly, "So in what possible capacity can I assist you today, Ms Fabray." He sees her wince slightly at the use of her surname and wonders if there's a story behind it and whether he'll ever get her to tell him about it. He sees her take a breath and waits for the inevitable story about wanting to know him better or noticing that they had a spark and asking him out. Stories that would normally make him sigh and decline the offer straight away but for Quinn Fabray, he's almost sure he'd still say yes.
Her words come out in a rush like she's afraid that she would not go through with her request if she takes a breath between them. "I'm directing a documentary film about Oppenheimer 's time in Berkeley and how Communism played a part in his work. I was wondering if you would be interested in funding it. I have all the numbers and projections. I know it may be a risk and you probably won't get a return on it but I think or at least I know you do have an interest in supporting the arts" He sees her clear hazel eyes meet his as she looks almost embarrassed.
"I know you have a trust fund and that a lot of people probably come up to you and ask for money and I.." She wants to say that she's different, that her project is better but she's learnt that there are always so many facets to any story and the best she can do is to tell the truth.
"Listen, I know it's not the sexiest topic but we have a great script and access to his papers that have just been declassified." He actually wants to stop her right there and correct her false assumption because the passion in her voice and her presence is probably enough sexy to last a lifetime.
"You have a budget right? I will need to evaluate your budget plan and see if it fits into my tax benefits deductions. " He's at least happy that his voice is sure and he's made a sound case for needing to review the numbers even if all he wants to do is to say yes to anything she asks of him.
"Yes, I do" the smile on her face contagious as she pulls a manila folder from her satchel and gives it to him. "I have a grant from the Berkeley Film Foundation and I'm applying for more from the Pacific Pioneer Fund."
The only reason he recognizes the names was because he's on their donor list and he knows that their criteria for funding is tough which meant that Quinn Fabray, beautiful, amazing Quinn Fabray was actually as talented as she was pretty which definitely put her out of his league regardless of the size of his trust fund. "I'll need some time to review it and I should call.."
He sees her reach in to her bag again and take out a pen before reaching for his arm and writing her number on his palm. "Call me, day or night." She blushes as she says the words, ducking her head down because she can imagine them being misconstrued. "I mean, about the funding. If you need any more information, please call me."
Quinn can't get over a sense of familiarity as she makes eye contact with Jackson again. He was cute, no doubt but it was more the way his brown eyes would look at her and she sees intensity and openness directed at her. It's been so long since she's been flustered with meeting someone. It's not that she's embarrassed to ask for money since her dad had cut her off and only paid for tuition and nothing else.
She's been funding most of her student films through pure guile and working two jobs so soliciting for funds never flustered her. She just didn't expect to feel a connection to Jackson Gellar, an amorphous link that she can explain but that made her give him her phone number instead of just telling him that she would get in touch with him instead like she's done with all the other people she's pitched to.
"I'll call you." He says it so solemnly that she knows that he will and to be honest, she feels a small frisson of anticipation because she really does want him to call and she doesn't mind even if he says no to her movie.
Her smile bubbling into laughter when he bows slightly, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. "I'm definitely going to call you Quinn Fabray." His mom had told him that the first time she saw his dad, she finally understood what it meant to fall in love. And he had laughed because he had thought she was making it up.
But right now, he wishes that he had the foresight to ask her if it felt like having his breath stolen only to breathe Quinn in because of her proximity and realizing he wants her around forever.
"Ok." She feels something within her shift, a long dormant memory of needing to forge a connection but being so afraid of actually doing it. Only this time, she does not feel fear, only a small kernel of hope and an expectation for change.
The End
The next Interlude should be Santana and Quinn.
