For the longest moment, silence reigned supreme over the small corner table of the café that housed Quinn and Shelby…and then reality came crashing back with a vengeance. Wincing internally at the look of shock mixed with disgust that swam through the older woman's dark eyes, Quinn scrabbled for a tissue, a napkin, hell; even the tablecloth would do at a push…anything to wipe off the very prominent drip of tea that was currently making its way down the agent's nose. Swallowing down what little of the liquid that was left in her mouth, Quinn pushed the potentially devastating faux pas to the back of her mind. Something that was easier to do than she'd thought, especially in light of Shelby's revelation. Handing over a napkin with a shaking hand, the blonde waited until the agent had cleaned most of the tea from her face before leaning forward in her seat and finally letting loose the question that had been rolling around her head.
"Are you shitting me?! I mean…you're her mom, as in…the woman who gave birth to Rachel, the one she knows nothing about!?"
Trying desperately to hold onto what little dignity she had left after her Earl Grey shower, Shelby cleared her throat.
"Yes, I'm her mother, yes I gave birth to her and no I'm not shitting you, as you so eloquently put it! I hadn't exactly planned on telling you either, especially not like this, but…as your mind seemed to have multiplied two and two to make five I had to."
Snorting slightly, the pilot leaned back in her seat before shaking her head emphatically.
"No, no freaking way do you get to do this Shelby!"
The agent raised a surprised eyebrow at Quinn's outburst.
"Pardon me?"
Scowling mildly the pilot shook her head again before waving a hand between the two of them pointedly.
"This…blame me for this whole situation! I knew nothing about you being her mother, how the hell would I? So you can sit there and get pissy with me if you want, but how the hell do you expect me to react when you drop a bomb like that, however or why ever you told me you are not blaming me for this situation!"
Shelby stared at her for a long moment, her jaw twitching with all the things she obviously wanted to say, after a moment's pause however she closed her eyes and let out a slow breath.
"I…suppose you are right, about that at least. It was all I could think to say when you assumed I was interested in Rachel in a romantic way however."
Holding her hands out to the sides to emphasise her cluelessness, the pilot raised an eyebrow.
"No offence Shelby but what was I supposed to think? You question everything I do for her, every decision we make as a couple, and you take every chance you can to belittle me! In retrospect, it is of course typical mother in law behaviour, but when the person in question doesn't know that you're the mother in law then it comes across as someone competing, can you at least understand how I saw things?"
Blowing out a small breath, the agent flipped her hair over one shoulder with one hand before acquiescing with a slight nod.
"Very well, I will admit that given those operational parameters even I may have come to the same conclusion. However as we are now talking about how actions can appear to others, can you appreciate how some of the decisions the two of you have made have caused me to be concerned for Rachel's welfare?!"
Quinn opened her mouth to argue the point that anyone who knew how she felt for Rachel would never question her intentions towards the little diva…when it hit her. Shelby didn't know exactly how Quinn felt, let alone the less than straight forward way that she and Rachel had conceived the triplets; and that was without even mentioning the whole spirit ranger deal. Closing it again she looked down to her hands and wondered how to answer honestly without answering too honestly and scaring the woman away, eventually letting loose a huff of irritation, the pilot nodded once.
"Yeah, okay I get that now…and all I can tell you is that there is more to every story than what you see Shelby. You have to understand that as close as you are to Rachel as a friend, she doesn't know you as her mother so there are some things, some very important things that she hasn't told you."
Raising a severe eyebrow, Shelby's mouth tightened imperceptibly and she settled her empty tea cup back down in its saucer with a decisive thump.
"I am not stupid Quinn and am well aware of exactly what my place in Rachel's life is, however, even the most liberal minded of people would have difficulty finding a reasonable excuse for you getting drunk and beaten up in a seedy alleyway behind an even seedier bar when you have a pregnant fiancée!"
Groaning internally, the pilot silently cried out for Gabby to turn up and help her out with this one…predictably that didn't happen, presumably as it wasn't spirit related. Running both her hands down her face wearily, Quinn sighed and decided to tackle the real topic of conversation that Shelby was so carefully doing her best to steer her away from.
"I think my behaviour is the last thing we should be currently worrying about, don't you? I mean when are you going to tell Rachel, more importantly why the hell didn't you tell her in the first place!"
Trying not to look too satisfied at the extremely awkward look that flashed across the older woman's face; Quinn just sat back and waited for the answer. Eventually Shelby started to talk, haltingly and perhaps a little woodenly at first, but gaining speed and emotion as she went.
"I never…well, I don't suppose anyone ever intends for things to be like this really, but it's important that you know why I did what I did."
Frowning slightly at the confused emotions in the older woman's voice, Quinn just nodded and sat on her judgement as she busied herself pouring them both another drink; after a weak smile of thanks, Shelby carried on.
"It was never my intention to rent out my womb, or to give birth to any child that I wouldn't have a part in raising…but sometimes, sometimes things happen that we have little control over, or that we at least feel we have little control over. I used to be just like Rachel, eager for the stardom, never feeling more alive than I did when I was up on stage singing my heart out, performing was what I felt I was born to do and for a while I did…I was definitely heading for the top."
She paused, seeming to need a few mouthfuls of tea to clear her throat enough to go on, Quinn just waited patiently, and as much as she wanted to push she could tell this was difficult for the older woman.
"I had just been offered a part on Broadway, it wasn't a huge part but it was Broadway! I was to be an understudy for the part of Cosette. I was star struck and happy to take the role of an understudy because just the chance to finally be on Broadway was all I'd wanted. I had dedicated my life to the stage, as such I had little to no love life but I did live vicariously through my friend Brandon."
Shelby's face lit up in a soft way that Quinn had never seen before, whoever this Brandon was obviously meant an awful lot to her. Sensing the younger woman's eyes on her, the agent looked up.
"He was very much my version of Kurt, he's part of the reason I took them both on as clients despite their lack of experience on the stage. Brandon was very much a butch gay though; breaking women's hearts left right and centre! It made him an amazing male lead to act opposite. He was also an irrepressible flirt, I often said he made up for my lack of a sex life with all the lovers he had, don't get me wrong he wasn't a bastard to them or anything…he just loved men."
Nodding to show she was listening and to encourage the agent to continue her story, Quinn sipped her own tea.
"However, a lifestyle like that can have unfortunate consequences, no matter how careful you think you are being."
Feeling a sinking in the pit of her stomach, the pilot had an unfortunate idea of where this story was going, glancing up to Shelby's waterlogged eyes she knew she was right when the older woman nodded solemnly at the unasked question.
"He contracted HIV, at first he was good and stayed on his meds but back then the medications weren't as refined or as effective as they are now. Within the year he was diagnosed with full blown AIDS, his parents had disowned him since he came out to them in senior year of high school so they were of no support to him. Do you know; when I rang them to tell them they had the gall to say they were relieved? That one more freak would be gone from the earth?! Who says that about their own damn child?"
Realising she was getting angrier and louder, the older woman settled back in her chair and took several deep breaths to calm herself. For her part, and even though she had no idea who these people were, Quinn shared the anger Shelby held for this man's so called parents. Silently she handed over a clean tissue which the agent accepted with a silent nod of thanks, after a moment she carried on.
"Brandon only had me to look out for him, I was the only one available so I turned down the role on Broadway and I got a job in a café down the street to help him with medical bills. For a while, maybe six months or so it worked out fine. Brand had a fair few thousand saved up from his leading man days and I made enough to cover the household bills. But then he got sicker, a lot sicker and suddenly the bills were piling up and no matter how hard I worked I couldn't make enough and still have time to look after him; that was when I met Leroy and Hiram."
As the story started to come together in Quinn's mind she felt sick, not at what Shelby had done but why she felt she had, had to do it. She couldn't even imagine what she would do if it was Santana, Brittany, J.D or Rachel in a similar situation, she found herself gulping down her tea to stop from interrupting the woman. Shelby seemed to be in a place all of her own at that moment, dwelling in the past as she recounted how she came to give birth to Rachel.
"They were at the coffee shop I worked in, it catered primarily for the gay population so it wasn't unusual to see two guys holding hands or sat close together. But they were different, they looked so sad, and I couldn't help but ask why. It turns out they had been trying to adopt for over two years but had eventually been turned down for being 'unsuitable' despite the fact they earned more than enough, had a lovely home and steady jobs. It was the way things worked back then, it's always been much easier to use surrogates for same sex couples to become parents, still is to some extent. Anyway, it wasn't something either of them mentioned at the time, but they were regular customers and after that it became the main point of conversation between us whenever we saw each other."
Shelby finished her drink and then smiled faintly as she remembered the two men fondly.
"They knew about Brendan, and asked me every time they came in about how he was doing, for the most part I managed to keep a lid on how I was feeling, how bad things were getting…but one day I just couldn't. It had been a long shift at work and Brand's latest tests had come back from the hospital confirming that the medication was no longer having any effect on the virus, so I ended up collapsing onto Leroy in tears. I must have been a complete wreck, I think I cried for almost an entire afternoon, but they simply held me and let me get it out of my system, in between feeding me that is, because they asserted I was far too skinny for my own good."
Quinn chuckled fondly at that and nodded.
"That sounds like Hiram alright, he hasn't changed much."
Shelby smiled with a mix of relief and sadness before looking down to her fingers quietly, after a moment she carried on.
"Once I'd calmed down, they said they wanted to help me, just like that, 'let us help you' they said. I pointed out that they could hardly afford to take any time off work either…at which point they said that wasn't what they meant. They wanted to pay for a dedicated home help to look after Brand when I couldn't, I hadn't even known them that long but here they were offering to help out me, and a man they had never even met! My parents had always told me there were still good people out there, people who would do something just because it was the right thing to do, but until then I don't think I believed them."
Smiling internally, Quinn now knew for certain, if she hadn't before, that Rachel had definitely gotten her values from her fathers, and unknowingly it seemed, also her mother.
"I told them no of course, I mean we were talking of tens of thousands for proper care but they wouldn't let me refuse. Before I even knew what was happening there was a nurse by Brandon's side twenty four seven, and although both he and I knew he wouldn't recover…it made his last days peaceful, comfortable and filled with his friends and laughter, rather than stuck in a sterile hospital ward. It was all I could have wanted for him, he died happy despite the disease that was ravaging his body."
Despite having never met Brandon, the pilot found herself discreetly wiping away the tears that had gathered in the corner of her eyes. Shelby smiled weakly before gesturing for more tea, the two women sat in a not uncomfortable silence until the tea had been delivered and the waitress left. This time Shelby poured, and despite the fact the blonde wasn't really thirsty anymore she gratefully accepted the beverage, waiting for the agent to continue, eventually she did, in a softer but more level voice.
"I was a mess just after it happened, Hiram and Leroy stayed with me for nearly a month, making sure I ate, got up, washed and dressed…when I lost my job they helped to get me another one, a better paid one actually."
She smiled faintly as she wondered yet again how the men had managed to do it.
"Eventually I fell back into a routine, I even started to feel almost normal, and it was then I started paying more attention to what else had been going on around me. Leroy had finally found a surrogate but she had taken their money and then run off, they had just about given up hope on being able to give a child a home which is when it hit me. After everything these two men had done for me there was one thing, one seemingly simple thing I could do to pay them back."
Knowing Hiram and Leroy the way she did, Quinn doubted it had been that easy and raised a speculative eyebrow. Chuckling slightly, the agent nodded her head as she replied.
"As you've probably guessed, when I offered to surrogate for them they refused, they said it was one thing to ask someone who was used to being a surrogate but a whole other thing for a friend to do it. I pointed out all they had done for me but still they refused, saying they had done those things because I was a friend…when I pointed out that that was exactly why I was doing it they had to stop and think. It was far from easy to persuade them that I wanted to do it for the right reasons, and at the time I honestly thought I was, at the time it all seemed to make sense."
Feeling the urge to reach out, Quinn decided to just go with it and placed one hand gently over one of Shelby's. She wasn't sure how it would be received, but after a moments shock the agent turned her hand over and accepted the grip the younger woman was offering her. Blowing out a breath Shelby continued, eager to finish the story as the feelings of loss, shame and hurt swept over her again.
"So I got them to agree, I told them it would be the best thing I could do for them and eventually I wore them down, they insisted on a few therapists sessions first to make sure I wasn't doing it from guilt or a sense of duty, but I lied, I can admit that now. I was so desperate to show them how grateful I was for everything they had done for me that I lied and said I could do it. Technically I was right, from a physical point that is, there were no problems with the pregnancy and Rachel's birth was easy. But when I held her I knew it was the biggest mistake of my life."
Huffing out a breath, Shelby pushed her hair behind her ear with her free hand and spoke a little more quietly, a little more fractured.
"As soon as I held her I knew I didn't want to let her go…I couldn't, and yet at the same time, I had to. I'd made a promise to these men who had already given so much for me. So I handed her to them and said I couldn't be in her life, that it would be too hard, they cried, I cried, even Rachel cried! But at that point I just couldn't be around her, I know now it was selfish, I was young, stupid and I'd rushed into something without taking into account my heart. So I walked away, I left her with them and I haven't spoken to them since, years later I saw Rachel perform in the glee club nationals and…well, I knew who she was straight away. So…I followed her as she made her way through college, when she started out I contrived a way to 'bump' into her and offer her a spot with my agency…you know the rest."
Blowing out a long hard breath Quinn ran a hand through her hair sending the already mussed locks in another six dozen compass directions.
"Jesus Shelby, how the hell have you been walking around keeping all that to yourself for so long?"
Shrugging lightly the agent looked down at their joined hands for a moment before gently disengaging the grip.
"I told my family, they've always been supportive, they were there when I was helping with Brandon, they were just too far away to do anything more practical than send food parcels, something my mom and grams are more than good at. I lied to them however when it came to being a surrogate, they asked if I knew what I was doing and I lied to them just like I had Hiram and Leroy. When I realised they had all been right…I felt I couldn't ask them for their help or understanding."
"Well that's a load of bollocks!"
Shelby looked up in shock at the pilot's outburst, clearing her throat Quinn tried to think of a slightly subtler way of saying what she was thinking.
"I mean…you're family sound like they really love you, they wouldn't turn away from you but they probably would kick your ass for thinking you didn't deserve their help. Wow, I thought I was stubborn, but you take it to a whole other level! Look…the whole thing with you Hiram and Leroy I can't comment on. But I do know that if you went to Rachel and told her what you just told me, she'd welcome you with open arms…I'm not saying she wouldn't be a bit hurt that you knew her all this time and didn't tell her, but that woman has the biggest heart and most forgiving nature of anyone I have ever known!"
A distant part of the pilot was sat back in her mind, just observing what was going on and wondering when she had gone from team 'hit Shelby' to simple old 'team Shelby' not that it mattered. This was Rachel's mother, and she obviously loved and had always loved her daughter…she'd be a shitty fiancée if she didn't do her best to get them talking to each other as mother and daughter as opposed to agent and client. She was brought out of her musings when Shelby shook her head a little bemusedly.
"You make it sound so simple Quinn…"
Smiling lopsidedly, the pilot shrugged a shoulder and noticing her reflection in the window, belatedly tried to flatten her hair with one hand as she spoke.
"Well, see here's the thing…Rachel was the one who made me think like that. I had a…friend, a close friend that I thought I owed everything to, much like you did with Brandon, and to a different extent, I also made mistakes that I was pretty sure stopped me from having any real happiness. Until Rachel called me on my bullshit, and trust me when I say she can be stubborn to the extent that even a mule would give up arguing with her!"
At Shelby's slight smile, Quinn felt her own widen and she settled back in her chair, after all…it seemed pretty obvious to her what they all had to do.
"Look, I make it sound easy because in this instance it kinda is…go to her, tell her what you told me, just talk to her and I guarantee you that everything will work out. She'll just want to get to know her mom, and as that's what you wish for as well, I gotta say I'm not seeing the bad here?"
Raising a sculpted but amusing eyebrow, the agent drawled out humorously.
"Even if it means you get me as your mother in law?"
Rubbing the back of her neck lightly, the pilot pulled an uncertain face.
"Well, I'm hoping Rachel will help protect me from you…plus, to be fair, you did bring up a few genuine points and although it seems shitty from a distance, when you know the stories behind everything…well, I'm hoping we get to start over."
Finishing the last of the tea, Shelby regarded the pilot thoughtfully and eventually nodded with a small but genuine smile.
"I may live to regret this, but I think I would like that too."
Grinning happily, the pilot spread her hands.
"All the ladies eventually fall prey to my charms!"
A split second afterwards, Quinn didn't even need to see Shelby's raised eyebrow to know that wasn't exactly the right thing to say to a prospective mother in law, grimacing slightly her hands moved into the surrender position as she hastily added.
"And that is a prime example of the sort of thing you won't ever be hearing me say again…just so you know…"
After a moment's quiet scrutiny, the edges of the agent's mouth turned up in a faint smile, she still had reservations about Quinn, she wouldn't lie, but she also had to admit the blonde had her own brand of charm that was beginning to grow on her.
"Well that's good to know…and you really think I should just, go ahead and tell her?"
Rubbing the back of her neck, Quinn managed a half shrug, half nod.
"Well, let me put it this way, when it comes to Rachel I can't lie, it's just not in me to do it; so either you tell her in like…the next hour or so yourself, or you wait till I see her later this afternoon and end up blurting it out because I can't keep a secret for shit."
Nodding slightly, Shelby masked her concern in another needless adjustment of her hair and cleared her throat.
"Right, I shall go up and see her now then…oh and Quinn, thank you; for letting me explain myself."
Not expecting the gratitude, the pilot was stunned enough that the best she could manage was a sort of half wave, half salute gesture and an odd meeping sound. Luckily Shelby didn't call her on it and just walked away after a brief small smile, blowing out a breath, Quinn sat back in her seat muttering.
"I think that's got to be the most awkward and unexpected question I've had since…"
Pausing to consider which of life's recent events she could compare this to, she found herself letting out yet another strangled squawk of surprise when her erstwhile absent spectral friend piped up.
"The one you had with Rachel about knocking her up?"
Opening her mouth to fire off something that was most likely to be bleeped out in normal society, Quinn found herself swallowing the words down abruptly and replacing them with a weak smile as the waitress came up to ask (not without a certain degree of cautious concern) if everything was okay. After reassuring the young woman she was in fact fine and then swiftly paying the bill, Quinn headed out to the street, gesturing with a sharp jerk of her chin for the grinning Gabby to follow her. Once they were relatively alone, the blonde placed a Bluetooth headset on her ear and at the spectres questioning gaze, clarified.
"It makes it look less like I'm talking to myself! Now would you mind explaining to me why the hell you couldn't give me just a tiny hint that Shelby was Rachel's mom?"
Gabby bit the inside of her cheek to quell the amusement she felt, not at Quinn's predicament with Shelby however, more because although the Bluetooth headset had slightly toned down the crazy, the wild waving of arms sort of dialled it right back up again. Clearing her throat, the red head managed a one shoulder shrug before saying the one sentence she knew Quinn hated.
"It's one of the things I'm not allowed to do…you know how this works, some stuff I know and some I don't, and of the stuff I do know I can only tell you about half of it. It sucks I know but I'm assured it has to be this way and everything will work out…I mean it seemed to go okay, apart from your table manners."
Rolling her eyes irritably, the pilot crossed her arms.
"Yeah, great way for me to make a good impression huh? Spitting tea all over a Gucci jacket!"
Remembering the agent's slight correction of Quinn's assumption, Gaby automatically corrected her.
"Chanel, the shoes…"
Scowling mildly, Quinn finished the sentence with her.
"Are Gucci, yeah I remember now! Either way I don't think the tea stain will do much to enhance its value."
Shaking her head in amusement Gaby slung an arm around the pouting pilot's shoulders.
"Cheer up Sherlock, if not for that little, um…ice breaker, you might not have found out, and now is the right time. If it wasn't then it wouldn't have happened…trust me, I'm beginning to get the hang of this destiny versus free choice shiz."
Snorting a reluctant laugh, Quinn half smiled and leaned into her friends embrace.
"Well do you mind sharing the secret with me then?"
Scrunching her nose up in feigned consideration of the request, the ghost eventually shook her head.
"Nah, it's funnier watching you try to work it out on your own, plus I'm not allowed. As a character in one of your dorky sci fi show's always says 'spoiler's sweetie, spoilers!'"
Raising an eyebrow Quinn just shook her head warningly.
"Tell me you did not just refer to Dr Who as dorky, let alone River Song!"
Punching her friends shoulder lightly, Gabby rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, you know it's dorky! Besides, that River chick was much better as the lawyer in SVU and you know it!"
Unable to not react to the obvious needling of her friend, Quinn found herself having a nerd attack as she corrected Gaby.
"The actress is Alex Kingston Gaby, you know that cos I've told you before, and the 'lawyer' she played was a defence attorney named Miranda Pond; Which is highly ironic considering she ends up playing River Song, who was technically named Melody Pond. Miranda Pond was an awesome character though, I mean, you're meant to hate the defence attorney's cos generally they work for the bad guys. But in season ten, episode twenty she teamed up with Benson to bring down a corrupt judge, one of my favourite non Casey episodes."
It was at that point she realised Gaby's shoulders were shaking with repressed mirth at her nerd out, rolling her eyes good naturedly, the pilot thumped her friends shoulder.
"Oh shut up, what can I say…I love the accent!"
Groaning faintly, Gaby draped herself over Quinn's shoulders in a melodramatic fashion as she griped.
"Believe me I remember, all those bloody BBC costume dramas you made me watch just because she was in them! Even you had no idea what was going on in some of them, admit it!"
Rubbing the back of her neck, the pilot laughed softly.
"Okay, admittedly I got a bit lost with a couple of them but we were like thirteen at the time!"
For a comfortable moment they stayed there, leant against the wall behind them giggling at shared memories, eventually Quinn wiped the tears of amusement from her eyes and let out a breath before asking quietly.
"I know there's a lot you can't tell me…and although it grates on me to admit it I'll trust those in charge because you do, but…I mean, things are gonna be okay aren't they, with Rachel and Shel…I mean, her mom?"
Eyes twinkling, Gaby exercised her judgement and decided that a little stretching of the rules wouldn't hurt; technically stretching wasn't breaking after all.
"They're going to be more than fine Sherlock…you did well, except the tea! You really need to get those table manners under control before the wedding! Last thing we need is you spewing sparkling water all over the bridal party during the speeches."
Poking her tongue out, Quinn fiddled with her Bluetooth headset idly before addressing the nature of her friend's sudden visit.
"So…is this a social call or was there something in particular I am needed for?"
Wobbling her free hand from side to side, Gaby shrugged.
"A bit of both, I mean technically you aren't back 'on duty' until a week or so after your cast comes off, as luck would have it however, there's one kinda odd little job you could complete this weekend if you're up to it?"
Grinning happily and suddenly realising exactly how much she had missed working on these odd little tasks, Quinn nodded eagerly.
"With the amount of emotion that's likely to be flying around because of Shelby and Rachel, I'll take any chance to exercise my little grey cells."
Gaby flicked the top of Quinn's ear lightly, grinning when the apparently 'rough and tough' pilot yelped.
"You're such a coward Fabray! Besides, don't you think she might want you around?"
Rolling her eyes, the pilot explained patiently.
"Of course she will and of course I will be there, however with the meeting she has most of tomorrow and the amount of talking she and Shelby will want to do, a task will be a welcome distraction…so come on, hit me with it, what do I need to do, kidnap Goofy?"
Tilting her head to one side Gaby looked shifty.
"Weeeeellllllllllllll…"
Hazel eyes almost bugged out of their socket's at that.
"Tell me you're kidding! Because as much as I love this whole helping spirits thing there is no way even I could get away with kidnapping one of the world's best loved cartoon characters!"
To her relief Gaby burst into peals of laughter.
"Sorry but that was just too good to resist, the fact you just about wet your boxers made it all the sweeter!"
Flushing a faint pink at being taken in, even if only for a second, Quinn scowled and jabbed a finger lightly at Gaby's ticklish side.
"Ha, ha, very funny smart ass! Can you blame me for leaping to that conclusion, ya know given that my first job had me breaking into a small museum and dismantling a wall, this aint exactly a regular nine to five job!"
Holding her hands up in surrender, the still giggling red head edged away from her friends tickling digits.
"Okay, true enough…but no, you don't have to kidnap anyone. It's kind of an odd one actually but someone just passed away who got every single autograph from both Disney parks with the exception of Belle here in good old L.A."
Suspicious of the fact the task seemed so simple, Quinn folded her arms and raised a disbelieving eyebrow.
"That's all I have to do, get this autograph and send it to…whoever this person left behind?"
Smiling serenely, Gaby nodded, then tilted her head to one side and scrunched her nose in thought again before admitting.
"Well, I mean technically several people dress up as Belle and they sign it as which number they are like Belle 1, or Belle 2 and so on."
Exhaling heavily, the pilot shook her head with a resigned smile.
"Just tell me which number and I'll make sure I get it okay?"
Grinning widely, Gaby leapt to her feet with a little hand clap.
"That's my girl! Plus it will keep you from fretting too much about how Rachel is handling all this, because I know you Fabray and I know that's what you'll do. In fact…text her now to let her know you love her and are thinking of her then set your phone to alert you in two hours to go back and check on things!"
Her hands automatically started obeying her best friend even as her mouth retorted.
"So what, you're my PA now as well as a guardian angel?
Flipping the bird whilst smiling sweetly, Gaby gave a small shrug.
"No I just know you, now go and get that done while Rachel has some bonding time with Shelby, then enjoy the rest of your weekend, I'll talk to you when you get back home okay?"
Quinn nodded slightly, heading towards the gate into the park before suddenly backpedalling to ask.
"So, um I know she's gonna be fine and everything and I already rang her once when we got to L.A and then again when we got to the hotel, but could you check in on J.D…if you get the time?"
Trying her hardest not to smirk at Quinn's overly protective maternal streak, Gaby assumed a serious face as she nodded.
"You got it…mama bear!"
Narrowing her eyes Quinn pointed a finger sharply at her friend even as she started to walk away.
"That's the one and only time you get to use that expression Armaro!"
Placing her hand on her heart and blinking innocently, the spectre nodded.
"Whatever you say…"
Turning on her heel, Quinn smiled and headed towards the entrance gates, but not fast enough to miss the addendum her friend called out.
"Mama bear!"
Quinn hoped that the people nearby put her amused laughter down to the non-existent conversation she was having over the headset!
By the time she made her way back to her and Rachel's hotel room two hours later, Quinn was tired, aching and ready for nothing more than a hot bath and room service, until of course she remembered what was most likely going on in her room. Blowing out a breath and hoping she wasn't going to have to play peace maker or protective fiancée, she pushed the door open…to silence. That was until she was fully in the room and spotted Shelby and Rachel sat close together on the plush sofa, heads bent over the agents mobile phone, as she hadn't been noticed just yet, the blonde placed her room key on the side and wandered over to get a closer look at whatever it was that had so completely captured the other women's attention. As she neared them, Rachel looked up and all of Quinn's fears and chaotic thoughts she had been pressing down since sending Shelby to talk to Rachel were suddenly gone. Her Rachel looked, happy, a little confused if you knew what you were looking for but mostly happy. Grinning in relief Quinn leaned over far enough to place a gentle kiss on the diva's lips before whispering.
"You okay Cheerio?"
Smiling tearfully the little brunette nodded and reaching up with one hand lightly scratched the nape of Quinn's neck.
"Never better Froot Loop, never better. I was just being photographically introduced to the rest of Shelby…um, well my family as well I guess?"
She glanced at the agent, who for once didn't have her usual air of calm composure, but instead wore an almost bemused but delirious grin as she nodded emphatically.
"Yes Rachel, your family…one day, I mean not too soon what with everything else going on and the babies, but…one day soon I'd love to introduce you to all of them?"
The statement was framed as more of a question and even Quinn felt like hugging Shelby when she saw Rachel's expressive brown eyes light up. Reaching out the diva took both Shelby's hands in hers and squeezed them gently as she replied.
"I would love that, just like I know my fathers would love to talk to you again, it sounds like the three of you were very close. I always wondered why they always sounded a little sad when they told me about my birth mom, I know now and I also know how much they would like it if you were around again. So how about I agree to meet my family on your side and you agree to re meet mine?"
Swallowing down the lump in her throat, Shelby nodded her agreement and squeezed Rachel's hands lightly.
"That sounds like something I would very much like to do."
Catching sight of the pilot's not very cleverly concealed yawn over the little diva's shoulder, Shelby stood up.
"Now however, I need to go and get my notes together for tomorrow morning's meeting, make sure I get you every last red cent you deserve! And it looks like Quinn is kind of exhausted."
Frowning slightly the pilot tried to detect any hidden message within those words…but found nothing but an honest and vaguely thoughtful observation. Rubbing the back of her neck Quinn half smiled and managed a small nod in agreement.
"Well, while it hurts my pride to admit it, perhaps I don't have quite as much energy as the rest of the sugared up infants around here."
Going over to Quinn, Rachel wrapped her arms around the pilot, resting her head on one shoulder as she replied.
"Perhaps that's because as young as you think you are, your body isn't quite in agreement when it comes to traipsing around a theme park?"
Doing her best to look affronted rather than amused, the blonde lifted a hand and laid her forefinger on the diva's smirking lips.
"Hush your mouth woman! I am in the prime of my life…I just didn't get any sleep on the plane, unlike some!"
Shelby shook her head at the two women and after bidding them both goodbye headed to her own room. Once she had left, Quinn placed a very gentle kiss onto the crown of Rachel's' head, muttering softly.
"You really okay baby?"
Letting out a long breath the little diva pulled back to stare thoughtfully into Quinn's concerned hazel gaze. The blonde was on the verge of asking the question again when Rachel finally spoke.
"How do you do it, I mean I know you have this superpower thing going on when it comes to the dead, but…there has to be another reason that you being in my life keeps bringing me so much good."
Flushing awkwardly the pilot instinctively went to run a hand through her hair before remembering she was holding Rachel, instead she rolled her eyes and did the next best thing, cracked a joke.
"I guess the powers that be had to build in some compensation for the fact I eat peanut butter right of the jar and leave my socks all over the house."
Rolling her eyes good naturedly, the brunette reached up and lightly cuffed the back of Quinn's head.
"Oh no you don't Fabray, don't go trying to make self-deprecating jokes to play down a compliment. You are…the most amazing, thoughtful, loving woman I have ever met! Not only are you helping people no one else can help, you are putting together a family that will mean our babies are going to grow up surrounded by so much love and protection even the devil him-self couldn't reach them. You are, quite frankly, my superhero…cape or no cape."
Resisting the urge to make yet another joke (because although she'd changed a lot she was still Quinn Fabray after all) the pilot smiled and rested her forehead on her fiancées.
"Well, that's a good thing because you're mine as well; you may not do weird ass things like talk to the dead or grow a Wang every month. But you do, do something that no other person on heaven or earth can do, and that's save me."
At the diva's slight frown, Quinn freed one hand to place it over Rachel's mouth gently as she carried on her explanation.
"This gift of mine comes with some strings, we both know that now but I made some dumb ass mistakes thinking I was totally on my own at first. The beating I got was bad, but I could have lived with that and not regretted it too much…but getting drunk to get the job done? Even now I still question myself, still wonder why I chose that route, if it was truly because I thought it was the best way or because I just wanted a drink."
Seeing the understanding and forgiveness in Rachel's eyes gave Quinn the courage to continue.
"I know we never talked about that part, not really, and you have every right to ask. Despite what I wanted to get done, how important it was to stop people like those assholes, the bit I feel bad about was the drinking. I never…spoke to you, Santana, anyone really about how hard it was after getting out of hospital. I couldn't…because I felt like I deserved it for having picked up a bottle in the first place. One night I was so close, so close to sneaking out to a bar…and you stopped me."
Smiling softly Quinn curved a hand around Rachel's cheek and answered the silent question in understanding brown eyes.
"You didn't even wake up, I swear to this day you were fast asleep when you did it, but you reached out, put your arm round me and pulled me in tight. You kissed my temple and just said 'no, baby' that was all…even asleep you reached out and pulled me in when I needed it. So…I figure if I can find the odd missing birth mother here and there, it sort of makes us even, ya know?"
Smiling her trademark crooked grin, the pilot leaned in to steal a quick kiss, sensing that she wanted to move away from this particular conversation, Rachel smiled back easily. It wasn't often Quinn opened herself up about the really heavy stuff in her life like she just had, so the diva was more than happy to move on to the topic of her newfound family.
"Yeah, about that…how on earth did you happen to come across that little nugget of information; Shelby was kind of vague about that part?"
Keeping a loose hold of one of the brunette's hand, Quinn stifled a yawn and dragged her gently towards the bathroom and the sunken tub she had made sure to specify.
"Let's take a nice hot soak in the tub and I'll tell you a little story about how a superhero with no cape, armed with nothing but a mouthful of earl grey tea, unveiled the secrets of one Shelby Corcoran!"
Giggling, Rachel was happy to let Quinn take the lead. The next day came all too quickly and while Rachel was up and about early, she left Quinn snoring softly as she got ready for her meeting with the studio executives. They'd worked out late last night that they wouldn't have time to go around the park together this visit, something they were both secretly relieved about as a proper visit would be so much better when the babies were born and could come with them. Quinn's only mission for the rest of that day was to locate Belle number 5 and get her signature, on the surface it sounded pretty easy, of course that was just on the surface. By the time early evening rolled around and the blonde realised it was time to meet up with Rachel and Shelby at the restaurant, she was fed up.
Not only had she so far been unsuccessful in locating Belle number 5, she had run past some idiot waving his hot dog around and gotten splattered with a mix of mustard and ketchup, just before managing to trip over a kid who'd wandered out in front of her. That little 'trip' had cost her two churros, a Mickey Mouse headband and one ice cream…as well as a bruised and swollen knee that had left her with a limp. That on its own would have been bad enough, the cotton candy that some woman had dropped in her hair and the fact she'd managed to fall into one of the many decorative fountains littered around the magic kingdom, had however put the mouldy cherry on top of the crap cupcake that was her day. Checking her watch, the pilot cursed as she realised she was already ten minutes late to dinner, so much for having time to change. Stopping in a gift shop she quickly purchased a T-shirt with Stitch the alien on it and dumped the ruined tank top in a waste basket, a quick clean up in the washroom and she looked…well, passable, but that would have to do! Spotting her fiancée at a table not far from the window, the grimace she'd been sporting for the last few hours transformed into a smile and she made her way over. Leaning down she placed a soft kiss on the diva's cheek just as she looked up with a smile.
"Hey baby, wow, nice top?"
Rolling her eyes, Quinn rubbed the back of her neck before shrugging.
"Yeah, I had a run in with a clumsy guy and his mustard drenched hot dog, as I was running late I improvised, besides, Stitch is like a little rebel, he's easily the coolest of the Disney characters."
Rachel raised an eyebrow and waited for Quinn to settle into her seat before challenging that assumption.
"Cooler than Thomas 'O'Malley, the alley cat?"
The pilot nodded decisively.
"Yup!"
Shelby smiled slightly before weighing in on the debate.
"Cooler than Mittens the kitten from Bolt?"
Quinn pretended to think about it then nodded again as she looked over the menu hungrily.
"Yep, I'm telling you, the little blue guy is icy chill!"
Rachel shook her head fondly and looked up with a polite smile as the waiter set down three drinks, lemonade for her, Water for Shelby and a bright blue concoction for Quinn who raised a pleased but puzzled eyebrow.
"I ordered you Stitch's Blue bomb fruit cocktail, call it a hunch!"
Laughing in slight disbelief the pilot took a deep sip of the cocktail and grinned.
"This is awesome, so…any ideas what you guys are going to order? I still have to take it a little easy because of my jaw but that cheeseburger is looking like it has my name on it!"
Once they'd ordered their meals, Quinn looked from one carefully guarded expression to the other and back again, eventually she couldn't take it anymore and literally bounced in her seat with her need to know.
"Come on already, tell me how the meeting went?!"
The hint of a smile flitted around Shelby's lips but Rachel was having a much harder time keeping a lid on her extremely good news. Eventually she burst out excitedly.
"It went amazingly well, they asked me to sing one of the songs from the new film and then to read through a few scenes with them…I really like the film, it's a little different to most of the recent ones they've released but I think it's going to prove really popular!"
Rolling her eyes slightly, Quinn reached out to still both of the brunette diva's wildly gesticulating hands.
"Yeah that's all great but what about YOU, what did they think, did they say if you have to come back for another reading or…?"
Rachel's grin threatened to split her face in two and Quinn knew even before the diva managed to tell her.
"I don't have to come back…because they gave me the role there and then! Shelby is thrashing out the details of it as we speak, well, to be accurate her assistant is but you know what I mean!"
Unable to keep the volume of her exultant cry below the level of 'ecstatic' the pilot attracted quite a few stares, and in the case of Rachel and Shelby, giggles as they reached out to settle her down. When she had her breath back the blonde leaned forward in her seat and grinned happily.
"So does that mean I'm marrying a bona fide Disney Princess?!"
Rachel smiled happily but wobbled her hand from side to side slightly.
"Well I don't want to give too much away right now because it's sort of top secret hush, hush. But I'll explain it all to you later and I think you'll agree that it's even better than a Disney Princess!"
Understanding of the secrecy big film companies sometimes surrounded their projects in, Quinn raised an eyebrow and steepling her fingers used her best Mr Burns impersonation to comment.
"I am intrigued!"
Rolling her eyes at the blonde's goofing around Rachel and Shelby started to explain exactly how much work would be involved and when the project was slated to start. Quinn listened attentively for once, knowing that although the project was due to kick off in full a good couple of months after the babies were due, it would affect childcare and her own work schedule. There didn't appear to be anything that they wouldn't be able to work around however, especially with J.D, two sets of grandparents and maybe even Shelby to call on. The meal went well and both Quinn and Shelby got to see a different side to each other, it would be a while before they would be close but they were definitely not enemies anymore. It was as they were curled up together in bed that night, after Quinn had massaged Rachel's feet, and the brunette had in turn washed and kissed the blondes swollen knee better, that Quinn got to explain what she had been doing all day.
"So…you're stalking a Disney Princess?"
At her fiancée's snort of amusement, even Quinn managed a grin.
"Not really, I mean I just want her signature! It's looking more and more unlikely however, unless I get up really early and like…lurk around the dressing rooms they come out of?"
Rachel chuckled at that and ran her hand gently underneath the tank top the pilot was wearing for bed.
"Hmm, I think that definitely qualifies as stalking baby."
Drawing her fingers softly back and forth over the pilots abs in the hopes of distracting her with more interesting things they could be doing, the diva grinned when she heard a faint but still audible swallow next to her. Quinn was relatively pleased that her voice when she spoke sounded only a little bit husky.
"W…well, okay maybe not lurk then, perhaps if I ask the guy who hands out the assignments he can point me in the right direction."
Humming in agreement, the little diva allowed her fingers to duck just underneath the waistband of Quinn's sleeping shorts. She grinned as she heard the sharp intake of breath when fingertips brushed lightly over the very edge of trimmed curls. This time the pilot's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Miss Berry, are you trying to seduce me?"
Allowing her hand to dip slightly lower; low enough that the tip of her forefinger ran lightly down then back up the slippery warmth between Quinn's already shaking thighs, Rachel husked.
"And if I were?"
Quinn abruptly sat up to hurl her tank top off over her head hurriedly, there was a dull crash as something broke, the blonde growled out as she pulled insistently at the hem of Rachel's own sleep shirt.
"Fuck it, whatever that was I'll buy a new one!"
Giggling, the diva followed suit with her own top before wriggling out of her sleep shorts and helping Quinn out of hers. The pilot pulled Rachel closer and into a passionate kiss that was more a clash of teeth and tongues than an expression of love. It wasn't often Quinn got commanding in the bedroom (as Rachel had bemoaned to Santana) so now it was happening she wasn't going to pass it up.
"God Rachel, you're so fucking sexy do you know that? You drive me frigging nuts just with a look from across the room!"
As she spoke she kissed, licked and nipped her way across the actresses mouth and down her jawline, Rachel moaned appreciatively and arched as close as the baby bump would allow her to, craving more of the blonde's touch. When Quinn latched onto her collarbone and began to bite a little harder, Rachel's grip on the pilot's side's tightened, nails digging in almost painfully as she urged her to move faster, feeling her hormones driving her almost insane with desire.
"More, baby more…please!"
Aware that Rachel had started rocking against her almost as soon as they'd started kissing; Quinn smirked against the diva's collarbone before pulling away from the now livid hickey with an audible popping sound. Looking into eyes that were almost as blackened with passion as her own, the pilot freed one hand to trail it torturously slowly down Rachel's chest until she ran the tip of one finger over a straining nipple.
"More what Rachel, what do you want, exactly?"
Rachel was so far gone already, thanks to her damned hormone's, that she was finding it difficult to talk, in lieu of words she spread her legs a little wider, desperately trying to encourage more contact from Quinn. The pilot smirked and pinched the nipple in front of her lightly, experience taught her that while most of Rachel preferred more force, her nipples preferred a gentler touch at the moment. As gentle as the touch was it was still more than enough to have Rachel bucking into her again.
"Baby please, fuck me?"
Smirk growing wider, Quinn reached down with her spare hand and ran the first two fingers up through the copious moisture between Rachel's spread legs, making sure to only just brush past her already straining clit.
"With my hands?"
Not pausing to wait for an answer, Quinn ducked her head and catching one nipple between her teeth lightly held it, repeatedly flicking the tip of her tongue over the sensitive bud. The hand that had previously been teasing the other nipple was now massaging the breast her mouth wasn't busy worshipping. Eventually the pilot kissed her way back up the arch of Rachel's neck, pausing to leave another lighter hickey just behind her ear, before husking out.
"Or my mouth?"
Rachel licked her suddenly dry lips, trying desperately to formulate a response, a situation not helped by Quinn's hands, which were massaging her chest, or her mouth which was nipping lightly at the skin of the diva's jawline. All the while making sure not to touch or brush against where Rachel desperately wanted, needed, her to touch. With a herculean effort Rachel managed to focus on something other than the sensations Quinn was eliciting in her, and the way her own nails were flexing tightly into the pilot's sides. Tight enough she knew there would be marks tomorrow, but also knowing the small hurts drove Quinn crazy. Swallowing on her dry throat Rachel managed to moan out a response.
"Fingers, use your fingers, I want to see you!"
Moving back up her neck to nip and gently pull at Rachel's ear lobe, Quinn growled in agreement. Pulling a pillow from her side of the bed, the pilot slid it just under the brunette's hips before pushing her down until she was lying in a way they'd found worked. Crawling on her hands and knees until she was resting over the trembling brunette, Quinn ducked her head down for a surprisingly gentle kiss, pausing long enough to make sure Rachel was comfortable, it was touching really, how even shaking with suppressed sexual energy, the blonde paused to check everything was okay. The sentimental thought disappeared almost as soon as it had entered the diva's mind, as with the next much more forceful kiss she felt Quinn enter her swiftly with two fingers.
Arching into the touch with a pleased cry, Rachel's hips began to move in tandem with Quinn's questing, energetic fingers. Every so often the pilot would curl her fingers slightly as she pulled them out, making sure to brush over the ridged flesh that drove Rachel wild. Sliding one hand under the diva's shoulders to hold her closer, Quinn spread her own legs. Knowing her intention, Rachel pulled one leg up slightly, echoing Quinn's grunt of pleasure as she felt the blonde's wet heat against her skin. Setting up her own rhythm against the taut muscles of Rachel's leg, Quinn began to move in and out of her fiancée faster, holding her thumb upright to make contact with the brunette's clit on each inward thrust. Rachel's hand gripped Quinn's shoulders desperately, leaving deep scratches whenever her grip slipped. Feeling her orgasm approaching, the diva tried to hold off so Quinn could come with her, between moans and cries of pleasure she managed to pant out.
"Gonna…come…soon! Kiss me…please!"
Lifting her head up from where she had been eagerly and happily attending to the diva's breasts, Quinn licked her lips and feeling Rachel's walls starting to flutter around her fingers, swiftly added a third before latching onto Rachel's mouth and kissing her with every last ounce of passion she was feeling. Using her leg for extra leverage with the last few thrusts, Quinn felt Rachel's orgasm rip through her, squeezing the fingers the blonde was reluctant to remove, tightly inside of her. Arching and thrusting the leg that Quinn had been riding up hard, Rachel ensured the blonde did indeed follow her into climax. The feel of Rachel's nails marking her from the small of her back up to her shoulders drew out the last of the tremors, leaving her breathless and aching in all the right places. Reluctantly sliding her fingers from Rachel's warmth, Quinn placed a soft kiss on the brunette's temple at the expected whimper of loss. When she had stopped shaking for long enough to roll onto her back, the blonde blew out a happy breath and turned to regard the brown eyes peering back at her lovingly.
"Wow…that was…"
Chuckling slightly, Rachel carefully extracted the pillow from under her hips and let it fall to the floor before replying.
"It certainly was, I think I like this new take charge Quinn, she's kinda hot!"
Smirking, the pilot pulled Rachel closer to her and stole another kiss before trying to stifle a yawn.
"Well then, maybe she'll come out to play more often, even more so when this cast comes off."
She idly waved the casted hand and Rachel half sat up with a guilty look.
"Oh my god I completely forgot about that, does it hurt, should I get you a painkiller, did you even bring any with you, maybe I can contact reception and…"
Rolling her eyes, Quinn reached up and lightly pulled the diva back down until she was resting in her arms again.
"I'm fine, tired but fine…now go to sleep and stop worrying, kay?"
Peering closely for a long moment as she looked for any signs of pain, the brunette eventually settled against Quinn comfortably.
"Okay, I'll believe you, it has been sort of a long day…but what a way to end it!"
Smirking tiredly, Quinn muttered a 'you're welcome' before settling down, Rachel was almost asleep when she heard the pilot giggle slightly to herself. Wondering what was causing it Rachel murmured.
"What's so funny?"
Huffing out a tired laugh, the pilot confessed.
"I was just wondering if it was appropriate to change my Facebook status to 'Quinn has just deflowered her very own Disney Princess in the Magic Kingdom'."
Smiling despite herself, Rachel just shook her head before replying.
"Only if you want the next one to read 'Quinn is sleeping on the balcony tonight'!"
There was a moments silence before the pilot nodded faintly.
"On second thoughts maybe the world doesn't need to know all the details of our little holiday."
Rachel managed one more chuckle before succumbing to sleep, followed mere moments later by a still grinning Quinn.