i apologize for any mistakes.
"Why did you invite her?" Santana hisses at Quinn as Brittany and Rachel fawn over buddy.
"I didn't think she would come." Quinn defends smiling slightly at the sight of Rachel letting buddy lick her face. Santana frowns at Quinn and huffs when she notices her best friend isn't really paying attention to her.
"Clearly you underestimated the midget." Quinn glares over at Santana. The girl in turn raises her hands in surrender. "Rachel. Whatever." She amends.
"Yes?" Rachel stands at the sound of her name.
"Nothing." Santana waves the girl off. Rachel frowns and wipes at her face.
"How did you know you would find him here?" Rachel asks. She looks even more confused when Brittany pulls out a leash from her backpack. They came prepared.
"How are you doing this?" The small brunette waits expectantly for an answer.
"Control your girl." Santana mutters to Quinn before passing Rachel and heading straight for Brittany and Buddy.
"Not my girl." Quinn growls back. She then turns her attention back to Rachel and smiles sweetly at the girl.
"I'm waiting." Rachel crosses her arms as if her firm stance will somehow convince Quinn to spill the beans. All she succeeds in doing is looking even more adorable.
"I plead the fifth." Quinn smiles, grabbing Rachel's hand to uncross the brunette arms. Rachel looks slightly alarmed at the almost intimate gesture. Quinn nods her head over to the cheerios to let Rachel know they are not yet done with their outing.
"This is not a court setting so pleading the fifth will not-" Quinn cuts Rachel off before she can go off on a long winded rant.
"How about we just-enjoy this beautiful day?" Quinn extends her arms and lifts her head to the sky. It's a bit on the colder side, but the sky has perfect cotton candy clouds in the air.
"I find it highly unlikely that I will be able to-"
"Don't they look happy?" Quinn interrupts the girl again, receiving an indignant huff.
Both of their gazes are fixed on the two cheerios a few paces ahead of them. They hold hands, no reservations with their displays of affection. They have no one to hide from right now. Rachel looks only a little surprised to see them this way. Mostly because she is not used to Santana being so open to displays of affection in front of her.
What Rachel doesn't know is that she and Quinn once walked in on Brittany and Santana in a very compromising position. This is nothing compared to that.
"I want to have that one day." Rachel sighs, a smile playing at her lips. She glances over at Quinn, her eyes lingering longer than necessary. Quinn revels in these moments.
"You deserve that kind of happiness." Quinn tells her. The back of their hands brush against each other as they walk.
"You think so?" Rachel laughs. "Even after I tried stealing Finn from you?"
Quinn laughs along, shaking her head.
"I'd like to think neither of us were in the right state of mind." Quinn jokes.
"I think I can agree with you there." Rachel hums. Smiling fondly at the sight of Brittany placing a kiss to Santana's cheek.
"You look cold." Quinn notes after watching Rachel hug her arms tightly around herself. She's already removing her Cheerios jacket.
"No I'm quite alright." Rachel protests, trying to wave off Quinn's offering.
Quinn glances up ahead, Santana glancing back at the same time. She doesn't want to be late.
"I insist." Quinn tells Rachel, draping the jacket over Rachel's shoulders. Rachel tries shrugging it off to hand it back to Quinn.
"I can't take away your jacket." Rachel shakes her head firmly.
"Then do me a favor and hold onto it for a second? Wouldn't want it to get dirty."
"Q!" Santana hollers back to her captain.
"Why would it-" Rachel's question is cut off by Quinn sprinting forward with Santana, both girls stopping just below a large tree.
Rachel sort of stands and stares at the Cheerios as if they've lost their minds. She falls into step next to Brittany who watches Santana proudly.
"What are they doing?" Rachel asks the girl.
"I don't know, but something cool is about to happen. Watch." Brittany tells Rachel.
And Brittany, like always, is right. A boy literally falls from the sky. Ok, not from the sky, but he falls out of the large tree and if Quinn and Santana had not been there to catch him, he could have fatally injured himself
"Shit!" Santana curses, rubbing at her wrist. The boy scampers off back to his house without so much as a thank you to either girls.
"A little gratitude wouldn't hurt kid!" Santana hollers after the kid, but he's already inside his house.
Santana glances over at her girlfriend and Rachel heading their way with Buddy. She smirks slightly at the sight of Rachel in red.
"Jesus way to stake your claim, Quinn." Santana teases her friend, bumping shoulders with her.
"I think she looks good in it." Quinn smiles. The Latina rolls her eyes at Quinn's dreamy voice.
"Anything is an improvement to her boarding school fetish." Santana nods, as if appreciating the sight of Rachel in the cheerios letterman.
"Hey!" Quinn argues, elbowing her friend.
"Seriously Q, it's like you've marked your territory with that move. Can you be any more obvious?"
"That boy needs to be taught manners!" Rachel announces, sounding irritated. "He could have at least thanked you."
"That's all I'm saying." Santana agrees. "88 times and not one thank you."
Rachel's eyes widen slightly at Santana's words. Her mouth opens and closes a couple of times. Santana looks like she has realized her mistake, but then shrugs and takes Brittany's hand and Buddy's leash and leads them back to where they left Quinn's car.
"Whatever, you figure it out Quinn." Quinn makes sure that her friend knows that she is very unhappy with the arrangement.
"What did she mean- how did she- are you?" Rachel has so many questions firing off at once she can't seem to finish any of them.
"You look cute in my jacket." Quinn interjects before Rachel can find the words she is looking for.
"Distracting me with fake compliments will not work. I want answers Quinn." Rachel declares shrilly.
"You're right." Quinn allows stepping in front of Rachel and proceeding to walk backwards as they continue their way to the car. This way she can get a better read on Rachel's face.
"That was a lie." She remarks, earning a slightly disappointed frown from Rachel. The Diva looks down at her feet as they walk.
"You always look cute." Quinn elaborates, Rachel's eyes lock onto Quinn's in surprise. Her cheeks flush at the compliment.
"Thank you." Rachel murmurs, unable to meet Quinn's eyes when responding. "I'm still not dropping it though."
Quinn laughs heartily in response.
"Didn't think you would." Quinn concedes.
"But if I tell you. You would think 1 of 3 things." Quinn holds out her fingers to make a point.
"1. That I'm crazy." Quinn drops one finger. "Which is entirely possible I might add. Lately I've been feeling anything but sane."
"2. That I'm playing some sort of elaborate prank." Quinn drops another finger. "And I wouldn't blame you for coming to that conclusion. I haven't given you any reason to believe otherwise."
Quinn frowns at the last thought. Why had she been such a bitch to Rachel before? Ok, so she knows why. She just wishes she had realized earlier that she had feelings for the girl. She would have done things differently. At least she hopes she would have.
"And 3?" Rachel questions, hugging the letterman jacket tighter around herself.
"You'll think I'm lying to you and hate me for it. And I really can't stand the idea of you hating me." Quinn lets her know with a sigh. They have reached Quinn's car. Brittany and Santana are having a little bit of trouble getting Buddy into the car.
"You forgot the fourth option." Rachel tells Quinn, taking the blondes hand and giving it a squeeze.
"What's that?" Quinn asks, staring into Rachel's honest and hopeful eyes.
"That I believe every word."
Quinn told Rachel to give it another hour before she revealed her big secret. Rachel huffed and pouted, but agreed, rather reluctantly. They had made a quick stop at Brittany's to drop off Buddy.
"Hold me close." Quinn sings as they drive back to McKinley to get back in time for fourth period. "And hold me fast."
Quinn loves singing this song now. She has come to think of this song as one of her favorites because it reminds her of Rachel. In fact this song had come up so many times during interactions between the two girls, she had dubbed it their song.
"This magic spell you cast. This is la vie en rose." Rachel turns her full attention to Quinn. Her eyes sparkle with wonder.
"Why does this feel so familiar?" Rachel asks Quinn. The blonde smiles at her warmly. Especially because Rachel rests her hand right on top of Quinn's.
"Ugh!" Santana groans from the front seat, looking at the girls through the rear view mirror. '"Not this again."
"Not anymore." Rachel grumbles, glancing over at Santana.
"I think it's nice." Brittany smiles.
"Yeah, Santana tends to ruin moments." Quinn agrees in a hushed voice. She scoots closer to Rachel.
"Bitch. I heard that." Santana tells her best friend, glancing at her through her mirror.
"Wasn't supposed to be a secret." Quinn replies in a bored tone.
"That song though." Rachel gets back to business. "And you." Rachel looks at Quinn with such an intense gaze, the girl almost looks away. "It felt like dejá vu."
"God you're not going to start talking about your psychic thing, are you?" Santana complains from the front seat. Brittany pinches her girlfriend, earning a yelp of surprise.
"Stop being mean." Brittany chastises. "Apologize."
"Sorry." Santana mumbles. The diva looks at the pair, amused.
"Actually Santana, I like to think of it as being clairvoyant." Rachel replies easily.
"My Rubber duck is clairvoyant." Brittany announces proudly.
Both Quinn and Rachel turn slowly to look at Santana for some sort of translation from Brittany's wonderful world, but even the Latina looks lost.
"It floats." Brittany explains.
Santana smiles fondly at Brittany while Rachel and Quinn return to their conversation.
"Maybe I'm crazy, but something about that song..." Rachel lets her words trail off.
"Believe me Rachel, you're not crazy." Quinn tells her honestly.
"That's so frustrating you know." Rachel pouts at Quinn.
"What is?" Quinn asks, tilting her head curiously at the girl.
"You keep saying these things that I know I should understand, but I don't. It's like I'm looking at a picture out of focus. It's all there. I see it, but not clearly enough."
You're an alien sent from a planet full of omnipotent beings to spy on the human race.
Quinn has to literally bite back her laughter upon reading the note passed to her by Rachel. Quinn quite likes this side of Rachel. The playful, not so uptight side. She had gotten glimpses of it before, but never like this. It seems the Diva was not going to drop it. She even took it upon herself to pass the note first. Something Quinn had never witnessed.
Spock sends his regards.
Quinn grins when Rachel huffs down at the note. Rachel scribbles down furiously on the note.
Be serious.
Yeah, because guessing that Quinn was somehow an acquaintance of E.T. was serious.
You were sent from the future to save the world.
Actually yeah. My Delorean broke down. All I need is a bit of plutonium. Unless... do you guys have a clock tower?
Rachel scowls down at the note then turns to look up at Quinn.
"Will you two stop flirting? I can feel the sexual tension from here, and frankly, it's making me uncomfortable." Santana whispers from the desk behind them.
"Only if Quinn tells me." Rachel hisses back, upset.
"So you admit you're flirting?" Santana asks looking smug.
"That's besides the point!" Rachel turns around in her chair to look at Santana. Quinn can't help the grin that splits her face. Rachel just admitted, out loud, that she was flirting with Quinn.
"Were you sent from the future?" Rachel asks hysterically. Santana scoffs and glares at everyone who is now looking at the three girls towards the back of the room.
"Oh yeah!" Santana enthuses. "And Professor McGonagall gave us a time turner too!"
"Ladies!" Rachel actually rolls her eyes at their teachers outburst.
"This isn't over." Rachel growls at both girls then she turns to face the front of the room with a sickeningly sweet smile. "I'm sorry, my pencil broke." Rachel straightens herself and stares ahead with rapt attention.
I wasn't done flirting.
Rachel is so focused on paying attention to the lesson it takes a good five minutes later for her to see the note. Actually, if it weren't for Rachel's eye's glancing down and the slight smile that graces her features, Quinn would have thought that Rachel didn't see it.
Neither Quinn nor Santana forget what happens during lunch, but Rachel puts a slight delay on their schedule when she stops right at the door and turns to face the girls.
She crosses her arms and stands defiantly before them.
"Your time is up Quinn." Santana actually stands back, looking amused at Rachel's demands.
"Yeah Q." Santana grins. Then coughs uncomfortably under Rachel's glare.
"I promise I'll tell you Rachel. I just- I need to-" Quinn peers around Rachel, trying to get a look down the hallway.
"No- you're going to go out there and avoid me and I won't stand for it." Rachel stomps her foot for good measure. Quinn looks over at Santana, nodding over at the hallway.
"Oh shit." Santana curses. "Look Rachel, we really have to go."
"No. I will-" Rachel, however, does not get to finish her sentence. She hears the splash and winces slightly. It seems Rachel is so familiar with the sound, she knows exactly what has just happened. Quinn curses at herself because she is the reason Rachel is so familiar with the sound of the slushie.
Rachel may not know it, but it has been months since she has received her last slushie.
The Divas eyes widen in realization. Quinn and Santana knew it was going to happen. Only, instead of bombarding the girls with questions, she turns on her heel and heads in the direction of the sound.
Quinn comes face to face with the aftermath. Blue slush on the ground and everyone laughing as if it was the worlds funniest joke. Rachel nearly slips, but luckily Quinn is there to catch her elbow.
"What is this?" Rick clicks his tongue, shaking his head at the sight of Quinn holding onto Rachel. The blonde steps in front of the brunette, willing to take the icy beverage for the girl.
"Am I seeing things?" Rick asks, looking around at his audience, amused. "Is Quinn Fabray standing up for this freak?"
"Don't call her that!" Quinn spits at the boy. He raises his eyebrows at her in surprise.
"Did that club finally convert-"
Several things happen at once. The first, and most terrifying, is Quinn's heart pumping in fear of being outed. She knows that this day may very well start over, but it is no more frightful. Second is a loud thud. Quinn cranes her neck to see her best friend has dropped her back pack on the ground, she looks ready to pounce.
"Think twice about what you want to do." Santana seethes, standing between Rick and Quinn. He has his slushie cup angled slightly, as if to throw it in Quinn's face for coming to Rachel's aid. Sam had not been saved this time around.
"What are you going to do a-" Rick is unable to finish what could have only been a very colorful sentence. Santana thrusts her hand up on the large cup in his hand. Splashing the contents all over Rick's front.
"You bitch!" He growls, slush dripping from his chin. He lifts his hand, ready to strike. As if raising his hand at Santana isn't enough to get Quinn fuming, what happens next makes her blood boil.
Before anyone can really react, it's the smallest girl in the hallway to step up. Rachel Berry takes full force of the blow. She staggers backwards right into Santana's arms.
By the look of alarm on Rick's face, he knows he has made a mistake. Santana wraps her arms around Rachel, shock is the only thing registering on her face. Then she looks over at Quinn. And she knows what's going to happen. But she can't just let Rachel drop to the ground, so there is no stopping Quinn.
The blonde launches forward, an almost feral scream ripping through the air. Rick staggers backwards a few feet, Quinn thrashing her arms, none to gently, at his face.
All hell breaks loose in the halls of McKinley.
Santana wraps her arms around Rachel, pulling her to safety and depositing her into the arms of Brittany who looks around horrified, yelling.
"Stop the violence!"
Puck, having witnessed the end of the altercation has jumped in, throwing a punch at every and any Hockey player in his way.
Finn and Mike had witnessed the whole thing, but their concern is Quinn who has just received a fist to the mouth. Rick, attempting to get the blonde off of him.
Even Sam, blue slush and all, joins in, tackling hockey players to the ground who have come to Rick's defense.
Santana jumps onto Ricks back as Quinn attacks his face.
Tina, watching the sight next to Artie, in complete awe, looks around like she has never witnessed something so amazing.
"Artie hold on." Tina instructs the boy. He looks over at Tina with mild alarm.
"Tina what are you doing? Tina? Tina?" But Tina is already leading Artie right into the mess of it all, charging him into the crowd with a battle cry,
"Oh what the hell." Artie shrugs after Tina rams him into Azimio. "CHARGE!"
"These white kids have lost their damn minds." Mercedes mutters watching the mess.
Eventually it's Sam who pulls Santana off of Rick. Though he does wait a few seconds and simply watchees Rick get beat up by two girls.
Quinn may be small, but Finn and Mike are struggling to pull her off of Rick (Who is sporting a black eye on the left side of his face and claw marks on the right).
"What is going on here?" Mr. Schuester hollers, trying to intervene. Some other faculty members join in, but by this time the only ones really fighting are Puck (Now being held back by Will). And Quinn who thrashes wildly in Finn and Mikes arms.
"Don't you ever lay a hand on her again!" Quinn screeches wildly, along with other obscenities.
"Quinn." It's Rachel who finally gets through to Quinn. The girl goes from livid to concerned so fast, it's nearly comical. She tries to shove off Finn and Mike who are still holding her back.
"I'm done. I give." Quinn squirms out of their arms and heads straight for Rachel.
"Will someone please explain what is going on?" Schuester asks, but Quinn pays no mind to him. She stands before Rachel taking the girls face gently into her hands, wincing at the bruise already appearing on her cheek.
"Are you ok?" Quinn asks the girl in a whisper. To say all of McKinley high is confused is an understatement. Even the faculty gawks at them.
"I'm fine." Rachel lets her know. The diva looks disappointed. "I don't endorse violence, Quinn."
"I know. I'm sorry." Quinn ignores everyone else in the hallway, having eyes only for Rachel.
"But I just- I saw red." Quinn admits quietly, avoiding Rachel's disappointed gaze.
"Maybe it was the slushie." Rachel jokes, finally smiling. Quinn locks eyes with Rachel and smiles along. She takes a hold of Rachel's hand.
"Wanna get out of here?" Quinn waits for Rachel to nod. And when the girl agrees, Quinn tugs Rachel through the accumulated crowd of students.
Neither of them looks back when they push through the exit doors.
I'm overwhelmed by all of the good thoughts sent my way. Thank you all so much. I have not heard back yet, but I probably wont hear anything for a couple more weeks, either way, thank you all.
So, I had a lot of fun with this chapter, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Not that I particularly enjoy fighting, especially not a big beefy hockey player hitting Rachel (or anyone hitting Rachel). So I thought I would make the scene comedic.
I'm not sure what happened, but it looks like I'm going to have to extend this fic a chapter or two for me to really reach the resolution. So expect more.
Thank you all for your kind words!
What did you think?- A