A/N: My longest chapter yet! Hopefully worth the wait. It was a lot of fun to write, but I'm still pretty slow getting it just right, so a chapter like this one can take a while. So if you're interested to know the status of my next chapter, I've been getting better about posting news on my tumblr (daemonrider).
By the way, in case anyone's interested, I finally picked and ending for this little story. There will be at least 8 more chapters after this one, possibly a few more depending on how I split things up. I'll give you all an update as I get closer, but I'm not planning on adding a lot of filler along the way. Lots still to tell though! Enjoy!
Chapter 14 – The Countdown
Monday, 11 Days until Quinn Visits Rachel in New York
Rachel could hear the door to her studio apartment jerk open and slam closed, followed by the tired grumblings of her roommate, completely disrupting the romantic thoughts she had been enjoying.
Plunk went Kurt's keys in the bowl by the door. She wiped her brow and continued working on her project while starting a countdown to herself. "5…4…3…" she muttered.
"OH MY GOD! RACHEL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
'Hmm. Kurt's a little early tonight,' Rachel mused.
"Hi Kurt. Why yes, I had a lovely day. How are you?"
"What. Are. You. Doing?!"
"Painting."
"Rachel, don't play blonde with me. Why have you rearranged the furniture, destroying my carefully crafted feng shui in the process, and proceeded to paint hearts and a…" Kurt cocked his head and squinted his eyes. "A calendar on our living room wall?!"
"It's a countdown calendar, Kurt."
"It's a what?"
"A countdown calendar! I'm painting a calendar on our wall that counts down to Quinn's visit. Then, when she arrives, she can literally see that I've been counting the days until she arrives."
"Oh sweet Tiffany…" Kurt sighed in exasperation. "Why couldn't you have at least confined your flourish of romance to your bedroom walls?"
"I didn't want her to think I was hiding our relationship in the bedroom. I have it all planned out, Kurt," said Rachel, setting her paintbrush on top of the small paint can. "First, when she arrives next Friday, I'm going to make dinner for her. She'll be tired from exams and the train ride here, so we'll just relax inside the first night. We'll have dinner over here on the floor, Japanese style." Rachel motioned to the cushions on the floor beside the coffee table. "And then we'll move to the couch for cuddling and talking about plans for the weekend," she continued, gesturing to the new, velvety slip cover on their couch. "Followed by a strawberries and cream dessert in the kitchen."
"A whirlwind tour of chez Berry, won't she be impressed," Kurt deadpanned.
Rachel held one hand to her mouth and stage-whispered, "And with any luck, the whipped cream will follow us into the bedroom."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Pepé Le Pew. I would stop at planning the bedroom activities, and especially not while I'm in the room."
"Oh, I know, I know. Well, except for the choice of sleepwear. I was thinking loose sweatshirt and lacey-"
"LA. LA. LA. LA," Kurt chanted while covering his ears.
"Oh, you're no fun."
"Share the sordid details with your girlfriends. I don't want to hear it," said Kurt as he held up his hand. He continued further into their apartment, heading towards his corner bedroom. "I assume you will repaint once she's gone?"
"Oh! That's the best part! Before she leaves, Quinn and I will paint over the wall together. Maybe a mural…something tasteful, of course. But even when new paint covers this wall," continued Rachel as she turned back towards the wall and picked up her paintbrush again, "These symbols of love and time will still be underneath, forever."
Kurt choked with his eye roll and smirked. "You're an obnoxious romantic, Rachel."
Tuesday, 10 Days until Quinn's Visit to New York
"Okay. There you go, Rachel."
Kurt stood from his laptop while Rachel excitedly clapped her hands at the sight of Quinn Fabray signed in and available on Skype.
"Yay! Thank you, thank you! I'll take my laptop over to the school tomorrow and have them look at it. It was working fine yesterday."
"Probably all the research," Kurt air-quoted, "on lesbian sex you've been watching."
"Kurt! That's…private, and none of your business!" admonished Rachel in her best crimson red blush. "Besides, I was on my bed, a-and I had headphones on, so I don't know how you…"
"I have eyes, Rachel - not that I didn't want to scratch them out after what I saw – and you have a privacy curtain. Next time, use it!"
"I just want to make sure I'm prepared in case things…advance next weekend."
"Uh-huh. Whatever. Just don't start getting the screen all wet making out with Quinn. Or if you do, clean it off and don't tell me about it," Kurt winced.
Rachel scoffed. "Kurt! Please, we're not in grade school anymore."
'Dammit…' thought Rachel, 'there goes that idea.'
"Mmm hmm," Kurt hummed. "I'll be back in a little while. I'm going to go check out that new pastry shop down the block. I hear they're open late."
"Oh! Bring me back something!"
Kurt sighed. "What do you want?"
"Anything! Surprise me."
"Fine. I'll see what they have. Tell Quinn I said 'hey'…and to watch her step!"
"You can tell her that yourself next week."
Kurt gave Rachel an exaggerated smile and left the apartment.
Now alone and logged in to Skype, Rachel quick-walked the laptop over to her bed and initiated her call to Quinn. She propped herself up on her elbows while lying on her stomach, her legs casually kicking the air behind her.
"Hi, Quinn!" Rachel roared excitedly when Quinn answered and she could see the gorgeous blonde against a familiar backdrop, sitting at her desk.
"Hey, Rach. You finally got your laptop working!"
"No, I'm borrowing Kurt's. Sorry it took me so long."
Quinn laughed lightly. "That's okay. Perfect timing, actually. I needed a few more minutes to finish some writing, but now I'm done for the night."
"Oh! That's great!" Rachel watched as Quinn got up from her desk and moved over to her bed. "I finished all my homework a little while ago, too. So how was your day?"
"Oh, it was…interesting."
Rachel could tell by the raised eyebrow and side glance that there was a story behind those hazel eyes. "Oh? What, another freshman hitting on you?" Rachel chuckled.
"Not exactly," replied Quinn.
"Upper classman?" questioned Rachel.
"Professor," sighed Quinn.
"No! Really?"
"I stopped by my psych professor's office to talk to him about some comments he had made on my last essay. I thought we were having a very deep conversation about human psychology, until he casually put his hand on my knee."
"Oh my god, what did you do?"
"I was stunned for a moment. I froze. I mean, there was that one other professor I told you about, but that was just an awkward pick-up line. This…this was physical contact. It was so…gross, and out of place."
"Eww. Oh, Quinn. I'm so sorry."
"Yeah. Well, it didn't take me long to snap out of it when he took my moment's hesitation as an invitation, and started sliding his hand under the hem of my dress."
Rachel gasped, angry and horrified at the same time.
"I quickly stood up and asked him what the fuck he was doing, and he just brushed it off like I was overreacting, saying his hand slipped and I shouldn't be so 'accusational'."
"Oh, that's horrible. What else did you say?"
"I said I'd report him, but he laughed it off, saying it was just going to be my word against his. I stormed out after that. I just wanted to get away."
"Are you going to report it?"
"I'll talk to the ombudsman and see where it goes. Right now I just want to transfer out of the class and never think about it again, but…we'll see."
"I'm so sorry, Quinn. At least you stopped it before it got any more serious."
"Yeah. Anyway, sorry to be a mood killer. I…I appreciate you listening to me rant."
"Of course, Quinn! You can talk to me anytime, and tell me anything. I hope you know that."
"I do, Rach. You've always been the one that's been there for me, for as long as I can remember."
"And I always will be."
Quinn silently nodded. "Thanks, Rach. Best girlfriend ever," Quinn chuckled and sniffed.
Wednesday, 9 Days until New York
Rachel had just reached the steps of her apartment building when she heard the familiar and always so welcome "I Feel Pretty" playing from the phone in her backpack. Out of breath from the fast walk she had been on to get back to her apartment in time for her planned call with Quinn, she put down her bag and paused for a moment to catch her breath before pulling out her phone and answering.
"Hi, Quinn!" she said between heavy breaths.
"Hey, there's my Skype date. What happened to you? You sound like you've been running a marathon."
"After today, I feel like it…Cassie July kept me after class...apparently my jetés need work," Rachel panted as she tried to get a hold of her breathing.
Quinn chuckled. "Well, I actually think it's a good sign that she's paying extra attention to you. I think she must see something in you. And she's not the only one, I might add."
Rachel smiled into a light blush as she got her breathing under control. "Really?" Rachel asked playfully. "You think someone else has noticed me? Is she cute?"
"Hmm. Good choice of pronouns there. And yes, I believe people have said this admirer is ravishingly beautiful," Quinn emphasized.
"Oh! Humble too, I see. Well, I do hope I get to meet her," replied Rachel, picking up her bag and walking into her building.
"You will. Very soon."
Rachel closed her eyes and smiled tight as she silently bounced in place for a moment, unable to contain her enthusiasm to herself.
"I can't wait, Quinn! I'm counting the days," said Rachel as she started up the steps to her studio. "Nine more, if I'm correct. You're still arriving Friday afternoon?"
"I am," replied Quinn. "And I got my mom to change my flight to leave out of LaGuardia instead of New Haven for October break the following week."
"Yay!" clapped Rachel. "Then I can take you to the airport! Did you happen to change the day, too?"
"Not by much," sighed Quinn. "Mom already made plans for me to attend a cocktail party and dance with her on Sunday night. So the best I could do is to change the flight out to late morning on Sunday."
Rachel stopped mid-flight up the stairs. "A dance?"
"I know, Rach. Apparently I had agreed to it in a moment of weakness a few weeks ago when I was emotional and she mistook it for homesickness. Besides, what could I say?"
Rachel frowned at the reality of their semi-secret relationship. She knew this would be a thing for them, at least for a while, but it still always hurt when she was yanked back to reality by something like this.
"I know. It's okay, Quinn. Really, I understand," replied Rachel as she made her way up the last set of stairs and down her hall.
"But listen, you have me all Friday night and Saturday, okay?" Quinn said cheerfully.
Rachel winced as she hissed in a breath. "Well, most of Friday night."
"Oh, no...what else is going on?" Quinn inquired.
"I have a mandatory meeting at school with my stage group on our upcoming production. It's only for a couple hours though. Then I promise I'm all yours."
"Okay…I guess I can let go of you for that long," Quinn conceded.
Rachel entered her apartment and let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, home at last."
"Is your laptop working yet?" asked Quinn.
"No, but Kurt left his for me to use again tonight while he's out. He even wrote down instructions for me this time."
Quinn snickered. "Okay, well hurry up and login. I've been dying to see those beautiful eyes all day."
"Oh, can I call you back in five?" requested Rachel. "I'm all sweaty from class. I didn't even change out of my dance clothes, I just ran home as fast as I could."
"Oh yeah? Wait. What do you wear to your dance class?" asked Quinn.
Rachel laughed out loud. "Why do you want to know?"
"Because if it's anything like I imagine, maybe I want to see you all sweaty in your dance clothes," replied Quinn.
"Quinn! You saucy minx!"
"Sexually frustrated minx. Now hurry up and login!"
"Okay, okay," said Rachel as she dropped her bag on the floor and grabbed the laptop. "Perv."
Rachel signed in and immediately got a call from Quinn.
"Hello again," said Rachel as she answered and walked the laptop towards her bedroom, making sure to hide the finished Countdown Calendar project from Quinn's view so that it would be a surprise when she arrived.
"Hey, baby," replied Quinn. "It's good to see you."
"It's good to see you too."
"Now, put the laptop down…" Quinn husked slowly.
"Okay…" Rachel drew out, smirking as she did as she was instructed.
"And step back so I can see all of you…from head to toe."
Rachel giggled as she slowly stepped back. "As you wish."
"Mmm, love it," purred Quinn as she bit her lower lip and looked Rachel up and down, taking in the black dance dress and silky pantyhose Rachel was wearing. "God, what I would do to be your dance partner…"
Rachel gave her a graceful pirouette and then returned to the bed, blushing profusely. "You're crazy, but thank you," she said once she got comfortable on her bed. "So, besides ogling me in my dance outfit, how was your day today?" asked Rachel, still rosy in her cheeks.
"It was better today, thanks. Though I did get more calls and texts from Finn that I neglected to answer."
"Oh? What did he want?" wondered Rachel.
"So…I don't think I finished telling you what he said to me on the phone last Saturday. After excitedly describing his version of your dinner date…" Quinn mocked with one eyebrow raised.
Rachel rolled her eyes. "It wasn't a date."
"He wanted me to have a 'girl-to-girl' with you and find out if you were truly thinking of getting back together with him."
Rachel sighed. "Oh dear."
"I just don't know what to say to him. He's going to make me out to be the villain no matter what I tell him."
"Well, don't worry about it. I should probably be the one to talk to him," said Rachel as she thought about the myriad of ways that conversation might go. "What are you comfortable with me telling him?"
Quinn didn't reply right way, but instead looked away for the first time in the entire conversation. Rachel still didn't understand the inner thoughts going on in Quinn's mind when it came to topics like this – not nearly as much as she wanted to – but she gave Quinn as much time as she needed to ponder the question.
"I'm comfortable with whatever you want to tell him, Rach."
Quinn looked up but Rachel couldn't quite read the expression on Quinn's face. It looked like she was still mulling it over in her head.
"Are you sure?" Rachel asked with concern. "I mean, I could just say that it's over between him and me and I'm only interested in being friends, and leave it at that."
"Do you really want him to find out through the Glee grapevine instead?" asked Quinn.
Rachel knew Quinn was right. It was only a matter of time, if it hadn't happened already, before Santana or Kurt started gossiping and rumors would be spreading like wildfire.
Rachel gave Quinn a quick smile in acknowledgement. "You're right. I'll talk to him."
"I can only imagine how he's going to take that, his two ex-girlfriends dating each other," smirked Quinn before she paused. Her eyes then widened and a look of horror spread across her face. "Oh god…Puck…"
Rachel shuddered at the very different, crude expression she imagined will come from Puck's face when he hears about her and Quinn.
"How about…we cross that bridge when we get to it," offered Rachel.
"Yeah. Good idea," Quinn nodded.
"So…Quinn?" Rachel asked tentatively, knowing there was another hot topic on her mind.
"Yeah?"
"I…never got to hear about your conversation with Hayley."
Rachel studied Quinn for a moment. She noticed Quinn stiffen at the mention of Hayley, but she decided to continue. "You mentioned that you two talked after I left."
"I did."
"How'd that go? Does she still insist you should be out roaming free, instead of caged up with someone like me?" asked Rachel, laughing lightly.
"Rachel…"
"Her words, not mine, Quinn," bristled Rachel.
Rachel knew she was letting herself get riled up at the mere thought of Hayley. She supposed it had a lot to do with how she last talked to Hayley herself. There was something about how smug the girl had come across at first that still bothered her.
"Don't worry. She knows how much you mean to me and how badly I want this relationship with you."
"Knowing and honoring can be two different things though," Rachel asserted.
"I told her that we're dating now and she said she would respect that. She'll back off. I'm going to hold her to her word. We're just friends, and that's all."
Rachel nodded quietly as she listened to Quinn, and tried to convince herself that it was enough to satisfy her concerns. "Okay, Quinn."
She tried not to think about how it also felt like Quinn was telling her everything she wanted to hear.
"Hey. I love you, baby," implored Quinn as she leaned forward to catch Rachel's eyes. "I won't let her or anyone else come between us."
"I know," said Rachel, smiling furtively to disguise her remaining uneasiness with Hayley, and with Quinn remaining friends with her. She knew that pressing Quinn on the matter any further over a Skype call was not the best use of their time, nor would it likely get them anywhere, so she dropped it.
"I know you won't," Rachel repeated. "I love you too."
"Now, tell me all about this upcoming stage production!" said Quinn brightly, changing the subject. "What's the name of the musical?"
Friday, 7 Days until New York
Rachel rolled the sliding door open to her studio apartment and let out an exhausted sigh before entering her little oasis of a home. It wasn't much – it was just one large brick-walled studio, partitioned off into two bedrooms, a kitchen area, and a living space – but it had become the perfect little escape from the madness outside, and she'd been looking forward to this moment all day. The past week of classes had been punishing to both mind and body, and with little sleep from all the late night discussions she'd been having with Kurt, she was ready to collapse.
She rolled the door closed and leaned back against it, smiling as she surveyed the place. She had it all to herself for the next few hours, on account of Kurt having an evening class tonight, and she was going to savor being alone. It's not that she didn't enjoy talking to Kurt, she just needed some 'me' time, away from all the prodding and scrutiny. She dropped her keys in the bowl on the side table, tossed her bag on her bed, and pulled out her phone. She knew exactly what she wanted to do first, and second. After one more instinctive, precautionary look around the room, she smiled to herself and began to strip off all her clothes, tossing them in the basket beside her bed. She grabbed her fluffy, white robe from her wardrobe closet and the phone from her bed and headed into the bathroom.
Twenty minutes later, the bubbles were beginning to disappear and the water was starting to feel a little chilly. Rachel opened her eyes and let out a long, satisfied sigh before letting some water out and refilling the tub again with fresh, hot water. She dried her hands and reached over for the phone, checking the time. Quinn should be back from dinner by now, so she tapped Quinn's number and reclined back in the tub.
"Hello?" Quinn answered.
"Hi baby," Rachel cooed into the phone.
"Hey sweetie. Hang on a sec, Kyra and Hayley are just heading out the door," replied Quinn.
Rachel listened to the goodbyes on the other hand as she reached up with one foot and turned off the water, proud of herself for her toe dexterity.
"Okay, I'm back," said Quinn. "How was your day?"
Rachel could hear shuffling and the faint creak of bed springs, and smiled at the mental image of Quinn climbing onto her bed, where she'd sat and slept herself, just a few short days ago.
"It was exhausting," Rachel sighed, puffing up a breath of air to blow the hair out of her eyes. "I swear Crazy July is trying to break me. Physically or emotionally, she's going to do whatever it takes. Do you know what she said to me today?"
Rachel could hear Quinn giggling, "No, what?"
"She told me I would be great in a Broadway revival of Snow White."
"Well…that actually sounds kinda nice, R-"
"As one of the seven dwarfs!"
"Uh!" Quinn scoffed. "Rude!"
"I mean, I can take the name-calling. God knows, after the last four years at McKinley High, insults on my looks or my physical stature roll off me now," Rachel gestured into the air with a flick of her wrist followed by a splash as she dropped her hand back in the water. "It's just, I thought college professors would be more supportive of my ambitions, not try to tear them down. You know?"
"I do know, Rach. I'm sorry you have to put up with more abuse. That's very cruel," Quinn replied. "Um, where are you by the way? It sounded like water splashing."
"Oh. Yes, you heard correctly. I'm taking a bath."
Rachel heard nothing on the other end of the line until another creak of bed springs broke the silence.
Finally, Quinn cleared her throat. "Really…" Quinn replied heavily. "A bath? So…you're in the bathtub, naked…"
Rachel chuckled at the sound of a very flustered girlfriend. "Why yes, Quinn, that is how one usually takes a bath."
"Oh," was all she heard in reply.
Rachel smirked and decided to draw out the fun. She kicked at the water gently, just loud enough to make sure Quinn could hear the sound. "Mmm. A nice, hot bubble bath was just what my tired, achy muscles needed after a day like today."
She could hear a tight little laugh from Quinn but nothing else, so she continued to play coy. "Though I have been in the water awhile, so, the bubbles really aren't hiding much of anything."
"Rach…please!" moaned Quinn. "I'm about to start touching myself here. God, you are such a tease."
"Well, like you said, Quinn. It's all about the teasing, and not about the-"
"Rachel! So help me God, if you finish that sentence…"
Rachel laughed out loud at her sexually frustrated girlfriend. "Don't worry, baby. I wasn't planning on withholding the pleasing from you next weekend."
Saturday, 6 Days until New York
"Quinn…please!" begged Hayley. "Are you sure you won't go with me and Kyra to the party tonight? Just for an hour?"
Quinn chuckled. "You two managed to have fun last night without me. I'm sure you can find a way again tonight."
"But Tim's going to be there, so I'm not going to have a wingman."
"A wingman?" Quinn inquired.
"Yeah. Oh! I didn't tell you. It's my new plan for finding a hottie to dance with. I got it from 'How I Met Your Mother'."
"Oh, lord," Quinn smirked and shook her head at what was sure to be another one of Hayley's harebrained schemes to pick up girls.
"I needed something new to do at parties, since someone took herself off the market," challenged Hayley.
"Mmmhmm. And how well did this work for you last night?" asked Quinn.
"Not very well," Kyra interjected from her chair while finishing her makeup.
"Because you didn't do it right!" chided Hayley. "You were pointing out hot guys to me at the same time, totally ruining the play."
"The play…" said Quinn, already feeling glad she was not a part of whatever game this was tonight.
"Yeah, like in football. It works like this: say you and me are dancing close or just hanging out, pretending to flirt. This gets the attention of other girls on our team nearby, drawing out our targets."
"Targets? Nice objectification there, Hayles."
"It's just the lingo, go with it. So anyway, we then choose our next play. If the girl's hanging out at the bar, we might go with the short yardage play, a classic 'end-around'."
Quinn blinked her eyes a couple times at Hayley. "The classic what?"
"It's a bait-and-switch. You'd go up and pretend you're about to buy a drink. Right? Only you'd ask her what she's drinking first. If she's at all nice and seems fun, you could say, 'Hey, that's my friend's favorite drink too.' Then you start telling her what an amazing dancer I am, yada yada, and suggest she buy me a drink. That's when you'd call me over and say, 'Hey, have you met my friend Hayley?' When I pop over, you excuse yourself to the bathroom. We swap positions, and…bam! Classic end-around!"
Quinn stared at her friend and shook her head. "You're insane."
"Or! If the girl's a little farther away, we could go with the 'long bombshell'," Hayley chuckled.
"Don't you mean blonde bombshell?" asked Quinn.
"Nah, I'm not picky. Anyway, for that one, you'd head towards the bathroom, but on the way, you catch her eye and then casually lean over to her, pointing back to me, and say, 'My friend over there thinks you're really cute. You should buy her a drink.'
Either way, if it works, I get a free drink, she and I hit up the dance floor, and then we see what happens from there. And if it bombs, we huddle up and try another play!"
"Gotta love football season," said Quinn sarcastically. "Why don't you just go up to the girl and ask her to dance in the first place?" wondered Quinn.
Hayley scoffed. "Because it's more fun this way. Plus, free drinks! And dancing! Come on, Quinn. It'll be fun. You'd be a great wingman," pleaded Hayley. "We can make up more plays, and I wouldn't even have to worry about an interception."
"An interception…"
"Yeah, you getting your hands on one of the pretty little targets first," winked Hayley as she nudged Quinn with her elbow.
Quinn scoffed and rolled her eyes yet again at her highly sexually-charged friend. "As amusing as it sounds to watch you in action, I'm just tired tonight from this week, and I owe Santana a call."
"Ha! You think Santana's going to be available on a Saturday night?" questioned Hayley. "Not from what I've heardabout her she won't."
"Yeah, we'll see, still I'm going to sit this one out. You go have fun. Maybe think about trying some old fashioned pickup techniques instead."
"Whatever," Hayley scoffed. "But you're missing out on the fun…"
Hayley smirked and turned to Kyra. "Ready, short stuff?"
"Ready, slut!" replied Kyra, bouncing up from her desk that had become her makeshift makeup counter.
Quinn snorted while Hayley squawked and playfully smacked Kyra's shoulder. A minute later they were out the door, leaving Quinn in peace.
'Hayley's probably right about Santana being out, but something tells me she'll take my call anyway,' Quinn smiled to herself as she got comfortable on her bed.
It didn't take more than two rings to find out.
"This had better be Quinn because I do not wish to talk to the midget again," Santana threatened.
"Hey, Santana," chuckled Quinn. "It's me."
"Quinn Fab-gay! There you are. It's only been, what, a whole week since you last called me? Wait, no… that was your gaymate who I last talked to on your phone…that is, until the little garden gnome hung up on me."
"You had it coming."
"So tell me, Tubbers, what's going on? Let's see…it's Saturday, so you must be fat and pregnant by now."
"Funny…I miss you too, S. And no, I'm happily dating someone who is not going to get me pregnant…not unless we specifically arrange for that to happen."
Santana said something silently in Spanish that Quinn couldn't hear before continuing. "I can't believe you are finally squeezing the Berry juice. Oh wait, is that why you said your boobs were sticky last week? No, on second thought, don't answer that."
"That was a whole margarita mishap that I'm sure Rachel would love to tell you about someday," replied Quinn.
"It's so weird to hear you call her by her natural born name. Does she really know to answer to that?"
"Yes, Santana, and you'd better start using it around her, too."
"Dios me ayude. How the fuck did I not see this coming?"
"I come from an uptight Christian family. I hide it well."
"Britt was so right about you two."
"So you've told Brittany?" asked Quinn.
"Are you kidding? That was the highlight of my weekend calling her up and telling her she was right. She is so excited to give you both hugs next time she sees you, by the way."
Quinn chuckled lightly and then sighed. "Well…I suppose all of Glee club knows by now."
"Nah, I got you covered. I told Britts you were probably still sniveling in the gay closet, with the door only half open, so we should keep it tight until we heard from you."
Quinn smiled to herself at how her friend always seemed to have her back, even now.
"Thanks, Santana. Rachel wants to break it to Finn first before he hears it from anyone else, so yeah it would be nice if you'd wait a bit before cranking the rumor mill. And then there's my parents…that's another story entirely. Not ready to go there yet."
"I know, I figured. So holy shit, Quinn, when did you realize you wanted to press lips with…" Santana made a gagging sound. "Ugh, there's my dinner again…with the hobbit?"
"It's Rachel. R-A-C-H-E-L. I know you can learn how to spell it because I taught you every cheer you knew at McKinley."
"Whatever."
"And…yeah, she's been on my mind for a long time."
"Like, since junior prom? Or wait, since we joined Glee Sophomore year?! Holy shit, you were getting off on those pornographic pictures of Rachel in the bathroom, weren't you?!"
"No, not exactly. I went through an angry denial phase for a while, but…yeah, it's been a few years. Totally repressed it."
"Did you ever have the hots for any other girl? Me, for example?"
"I've not had 'the hots' for you, Santana. Nor would I admit it if I did."
"Maybe that's why you wanted to be on top of the pyramid so bad. You just wanted to grab my ass! Wanky!"
Quinn chuckled and put her free hand up to her head in exasperation. "You're so full of yourself."
Talking to Santana was both exhilarating and exhausting sometimes. "I miss you. When am I going to see you again?"
"I don't know. I was thinking of going back home for break in a week," replied Santana.
"You have an October break too? I fly in on Sunday from New York."
"From New York?" asked Santana, puzzled.
"Yeah, I'm taking the train on Friday to see Rachel, and then flying out on Sunday morning."
Santana barked out a laugh. "Whipped already."
Quinn scoffed. "Like you wouldn't do the same thing."
"Yeah, I would." Santana chuckled. "Especially if I knew I was going to get some tailwhile I was there."
Quinn's cheeks flushed and for the first time she was so happy Santana couldn't see her right now.
"We're not talking about that, Santana."
"My girl going to get some Berry boo-tay," sang Santana while Quinn reddened even further.
"I hate you," chuckled Quinn.
"You love me. So, things going pretty well then, huh?"
"Yeah, they really are. Mostly."
"Mostly! Uh-oh. What, you got another girl on the side you need to get rid of?" laughed Santana.
Quinn paused for a moment too long to avoid the complicated situation she was thinking about from last weekend.
"Jesus, Quinn, I was kidding. What the hell is going on there?"
"I don't have another girl, S. It was just…complicated for a while. But it's all resolved, just a little raw still."
"Does this have anything to do with the Hayley chick you mentioned when you were bawling your ass off on the phone last Saturday?"
Quinn sighed. Too late to avoid the topic now. "Yes."
"Quinn, don't make it complicated. If this thing with the hob…Rachel…is serious, you can't be having a girl in every port like Auntie Tana here."
"I know. It's just, I let things go a little too far with Hayley when I was depressed about getting so close to Rachel and thinking I had no chance with her. I mean, all I've ever heard from her is Finn, Finn, Finn. And then Hayley was there, so sweet and empathetic, and…fuck, I made everything so complicated."
"How's Rachel handling it, knowing her competition is just down the hall?"
"She…um."
"Jesus, Q, she doesn't even know, does she?"
That thought alone was enough to ignite the fear Quinn had been holding back all week, and it felt like the dam had just burst. "No-o," whimpered Quinn into her phone as her hands began to shake. "I mean, she knows Hayley likes me because, well, Hayley's been pretty obvious. And they had a fight just before Rachel went back to New York on Sunday," said Quinn, barely finishing the sentence without her voice breaking from the flood of emotions coursing through her.
"Hobbit put the smackdown on her?" Santana asked, incredulously.
Quinn choked on a sob at Santana's reply. "You know Rachel…ploughs through anyone and anything in her way…"
"Quinn, sweetie. You have to stop crying every time we talk about Rachel or that's all I'm going to remember you two for," joked Santana in a way that only she could get away with around Quinn.
Quinn laughed into her sobs for a little while until she could get her emotions in check.
"I've managed to dig myself a fresh hole again," she sighed. "I had so many chances to just explain to Rachel what she should know about Hayley and me, and I just bailed every time. I even led her to believe that I was never interested in Hayley, justifying it by telling myself that technically, what I told Rachel wasn't a lie. I mean, all I said was I wasn't interested in her at that moment, when we were talking about it."
"That's fucked up, Q."
"All I could think about was protecting Rachel from anything that could possibly hurt her or our relationship."
"And in the process you managed to hide the one thing that will hurt her when she does find out. And you know she will, sooner or later," insisted Santana.
"I know. I don't deserve her. I've never deserved her. I'm such an idiot."
"Yeah, you are. You and me both. Been there, done that too."
"What do I do, Santana?"
Santana sighed long and hard into the phone. "There's only one option, Q. You rip that Band-Aid off. Pull it hard and quick. It's going to hurt like hell now because you left it on too long like the dumbass that you are. But you gotta do it, and you best do it soon."
Quinn nodded to herself. "I know."
"Look, I'm sorry. I gots to run. My cheerleaders just showed up and we're heading out on the town. I'll see you soon though, okay? Focus on your girl now. Do the right thing and you two will be okay. You got me?"
"Yeah," sniffed Quinn. "I will. Thanks…I'll see you soon."
Sunday, 5 Days until New York
Rachel stopped her pacing and looked up at the Citizen wall clock in the living room. It was fifteen minutes past the time she texted Finn that she'd call, and the conversation wasn't sounding any easier in her head the more she ran through it.
"This is ridiculous," she said out aloud. "This is my life, and I can choose who I want to date. That's all there is to it."
She nodded, pretending to believe it would be that straightforward, and picked up her phone, dialing Finn before she could talk herself out of it again.
"Hello?" came the sound of her ex from the…the…what was she holding? Her mind had gone blank.
'Oh God, not ready!' a voice screamed inside her head. She pressed 'End Call' and threw the device on the couch as if it were on fire.
It started making a ringing noise again.
She blinked a few times and took a deep breath before reaching out to grab the…thing…the phone, and accepted the call.
"Hey," she said, her heart pounding out of her chest. "Sorry. I dropped the phone."
"That's okay. I figured something like that. How are ya?!" asked Finn.
"I'm okay…really good, actually."
"Yeah? Good! You know…I've been thinking about you a lot since our dinner last Friday night. It was really nice…seeing you, I mean."
"Yes, it was nice seeing you too. I enjoyed catching up with you again." Rachel chewed on her lip trying to remember how this was all supposed to come out.
"In fact, I'm going to be in New York again soon, and then I'm heading back to Lima."
"You are?"
"Yeah, I've had enough of the backpacking and, well I kinda ran out of money. So, Burt said I could work at his garage. And then maybe by next summer, I could have enough saved up to move to New York…and then we could be together, you know?"
"Oh, Finn. I think you got the wrong impression last week."
"Oh. No, I understand. I mean, we don't have to rush into anything. I just know that you like planning for the future. And…I kinda always saw my future with you. I miss you, Rach."
"Finn, no," Rachel shook her head emphatically. "No. That future between us…it's changed. We can't go back to that."
"Why? I thought we had a really good time, and you seemed all excited and everything. You even had that sparkle in your eye that I remember seeing when we were dating," Finn insisted. "Unless…"
"I'm dating someone now."
"You're…oh."
"I'm sorry, Finn. You'll always be special to me. I just don't have the same feelings for you anymore."
"When did this happen? You…were you dating this guy last Friday? I don't remember you mentioning anyone."
"That's because we only started dating last Sunday. And actually, if you'll remember, I mentioned her a lot."
"Mentioned who? Wait, what do you mean her? I…I don't understand. You're not gay."
"I never said I was straight, either."
"Rach, you're not making any sense. Who are you dating?"
Rachel sighed to herself. This conversation was already way off track. She hadn't counted on Finn being so persistent about rekindling their relationship, not when she was about to hit him with the truth that she was in an entirely new one – one that she knew he wouldn't understand.
"I'm dating Quinn."
"Wha…? That's not even funny. Look, just…please just be straight with me and tell me what's going on."
Rachel sniggered at the double entendre that was going right over his head. "I'm serious, Finn. Quinn and I, as of Sunday, are dating. Kurt and Santana already know, and…well, I'm telling you now because I wanted you to hear it from me. I didn't want you to hear it from anyone else – partly because I knew you wouldn't believe it – but also because you deserve to know the whole truth, firsthand."
"This is bullshit. Quinn?! You can't be dating Quinn! You were never even friends with her. She…she was horrible to you. And since when is Quinn gay? Rachel! This is all some kinda sick joke they're playing on you."
"No, it isn't. She loves me, and I love her."
"NO YOU DON'T, RACHEL! Have you lost your mind?"
"Please don't yell at me, Finn."
"This is Quinn we're talking about. How can you say you love someone who tortured you day after day?"
"She's not like that anymore!"
"She lies and manipulates people for her own gain and…and she's nothing but a moody, manipulative bitch! She doesn't love you! She's never loved anyone but herself!"
"Finn, calm down, all right? That's simply not true."
"I can't believe you would fall for someone like her. You're going to get yourself hurt."
"If you can't accept that she is much more than we ever gave her credit for, that she can be warm and gentle and loving, then I…"
"Then you what?! This is insane…I'm so done. Good luck, Rachel. Call me when you've realized what a big mistake you've just made."
The phone went silent. Rachel's mouth was still open, ready to dispute everything Finn had said about her girlfriend, but it was over. It felt like every emotion was hitting her at once. Echoes of Finn's angry words were still ringing in her ears, battering and bruising her heart. How could she be so naïve as to think that this could possibly have gone amiably?
She wanted so desperately to run into Quinn's arms and bury her head in Quinn's hair. She wanted to be hugged tightly and told that everything would be okay, by the one person who could always brighten her day.
Rachel ran into her bedroom as her lower lip began to quiver and dialed Quinn's number.
"Quinn?!" she cried when Quinn answered.
"Hey baby, what's wrong?" replied Quinn.
"I just got off the phone with Finn," sobbed Rachel.
"I take it that didn't go so well."
"No…" cried Rachel, her voice cracking. "I wish you were here right now."
"Me too, sweetheart. Me too."
Thursday, the Eve of Quinn's Visit to New York
Quinn carefully placed one last outfit in her roller suitcase before laying her gift for Rachel on top.
"Well, I think that's everything for a week," said Quinn.
"You pack pretty light for a weeklong break," Hayley remarked, hovering over Quinn's suitcase and scrutinizing the decidedly un-stuffed bag.
"I'm going to take advantage of my partially filled closet at home and wear some of the clothes I left behind," responded Quinn. "So I really only need the essentials, plus some outfits for New York."
"Got something sexy picked out for your lady?" asked Hayley with a waggle of her eyebrows. "I saw some nice heels going in there when I walked in a minute ago."
Quinn chuckled at where her hormonal friend's mind always seemed to be. "I've…got a couple choices. It was hard though. I don't want to be presumptuous, but I want to be prepared, you know?"
"Well, if you need any help deciding, I'd be happy to tell you how hot they'd look on you on a scale of 10 to mouth-watering," quipped Hayley.
"Down, girl," scolded Quinn.
"Teasing!" laughed Hayley. "I can still comment on my hot friend."
"Just not when-"
"Rachel's here," finished Hayley. "I know! So how's she doing? She's going to be so excited to see you tomorrow."
Quinn smiled at the effort Hayley was making to 'play nice' and at least fake an interest in Rachel. Admittedly, it was getting much less awkward every day around her. "I talked to her about an hour ago, and I can tell she's getting stressed. Whenever she's freaked out, she talks about twice as fast and twice as long. It's adorable."
"Aww. Well, you two are going to have fun, even if it's only a couple days."
"Yeah. I hope so," frowned Quinn.
"What do you mean?" asked Hayley, sitting down on Quinn's bed while Quinn set the bag on the floor.
Quinn let out a heavy sigh and sat down beside her. "I'm thinking of telling her about our little fling."
Hayley's eyes grew comically wide. "Why would you do that?!"
"Because she probably deserves to know the truth," replied Quinn in a lower, shaky voice. "But it's not something I'm going to blurt out over the phone."
"You don't sound convinced that you want to tell her."
"Full disclosure is not exactly one of my natural tendencies in a relationship," said Quinn, smiling meekly. "I tend to withhold information to keep people from getting hurt."
"Who are you protecting? Them or you?"
"Hey! I'm not telling you this in exchange for a therapy session," said Quinn as she stood from the bed again.
"Okay. Okay. I'm just trying to understand," replied Hayley in a calming voice. "I'm not opposed to your sudden openness. I'm just wondering why tell her this? Why now?"
"Partly it's something that Santana said. Rachel's going to find out sooner or later. She's very perceptive. And while I was only trying to save her from having to worry – because it was just a one-time fling between us – if she gets the wrong impression and thinks that the reason I haven't told her is because I'm trying to hide it from her…it's just going to blow up out of proportion."
"I suppose that's a good point. So when are you going to tell her?"
"I don't know. I haven't figured that out yet. I'll think about it on the train ride down there," sighed Quinn, looking at the clock on the wall.
Hayley stood from the bed and picked up her sweater hanging from the chair. "Well, do what you think is right, Quinn. I'll support you however I can. Just…call me if you need anything, okay?"
"Okay. Thanks," replied Quinn softly.
"I'll stop by and see you off tomorrow morning before I head out, okay?"
"Okay, bye Hayley."