Revenge is a dish best served as humble pie.
Glee
Pairing: Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray
Author: myIllusion
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters-no copyright infringement intended.
Chapter XXI. "Gone Baby Gone"
Jeremy
Jeremy Miller sauntered down the hall flanked by his right winger and left defenseman. They were wearing their Hockey Jersey's because today was a game day and that was the greatest feeling for him. His Jersey had the coveted C for Captain on the upper left shoulder signifying his importance to the whole school. The Hockey team had floated through this school year unplagued by pervasive stinks or savage colors, or even the threat of such things happening to them.
Sure, some of them got the nasty poetry warnings but most of the players were smart enough not to get caught while delivering bad news to losers. The dumpster toss was the hockey teams favorite form of dissing geeks and gleeks and, for some reason, the Skunker hadn't ever caught them in the act. The team performed these duties in lines, just like on the ice. They worked as a group, therefore none of them was singled out as a particularly bad individual. They were perceived as mischief makers. You know, the whole 'boys will be boys' cliche, which implied harmless pranking but nothing too serious. Jeremy was fine with that kind of rep until Azimo started whispering in his ear.
Azimo had dared him to up his game. And, if he was honest with himself he really wanted to see if he could get away with it. He knew that Azimo was really egging him on for his own personal satisfaction. The football player was acting like a junkie without his fix - his slushie tossing fix. So, he begged Jeremy to finish the task he left uncompleted on the day of his major meltdown.
"C'mon Jer... just one double shot for Berry and I'll leave you alone. You know I can't do it coz the Skanky Skunker will get me expelled. I promise Jer... anything you want if you do this for me. Pleeeasse?"
Jeremy thought he wouldn't mind. Berry hadn't had a slushie in a while. She was even starting to act a little cocky with Quinn Fabray and Santana Lopez hovering in her shadow. They were forced to be her body guards or else the Skunker was going to get them somehow. That's what Az had told him anyway.
He knew it was a risk going after Berry in direct opposition of Fabray and Lopez. But a part of him wanted in on all the drama. He wanted to be the center of attention for once. Show everyone in school that he could be the man. Rachel Berry was the key. Somehow, that smart mouthed little diva was the center of the maelstrom at this school.
She wasn't popular by any means, but she was known by all. In fact, she was pointedly ostracized in the cruelest most intentional campaign of denigration the Cheerios had ever embarked upon. Quinn Fabray had been the instigator and most avid participant, marking Rachel Berry as the single most untouchable amongst all others. Well, except for JewFro but he didn't even count.
And still, in spite of the entire student body joining in - tossing slushies and slinging insults, endless teasing and hurtful mockery; that little sprite, that tiny talented girl stood tall and towering above them all.
They couldn't touch her. And she knew it. Rachel Berry was a star. A mega star that fell from heaven and landed in bum fuck Lima. Her light burned big and bright, blinding the 'lackluster losers,' leaving them no choice but to dash that brightness out.
And boy did they try. This is what he told himself as he waltzed down the hall to give it a shot himself. Everybody did it. Everyone who was anyone took a shot at Rachel Berry. She bounced right back as though it didn't matter. As though they didn't matter. Well, Jeremy was going to take his turn.
He knew that Rachel cried in the bathroom after every walk of shame. He knew she didn't have any friends. He knew that when she sang his eyes welled up with tears and his heart filled up with joy. He knew she was an angel walking among the damned.
And because of all of those things, Jeremy knew that what he was about to do was horribly wrong. But the stage was already set, the play was in motion and he couldn't seem to gather up the courage to stop. He would be the center of the storm, the one who got noticed.
Everyone would laugh. They would pat him on the back while pointing their fingers and shouting out, "Manhands, Rupaul, Treasure Trail, Dwarf, Midget, Freak." God, that list was endless. This place was insane. These rotten kids were insane. He was insane.
Jeremy Miller, captain of the Hockey team slowed his swaggering stride as he reached the corner in the hallway that would lead him to his ultimate destination. His ill fated glory.
Mickey Everson was just ahead smiling and waving as the look-out. Yes, she was there. At her locker unattended. The Cheerios were called to Coach Sylvester's office. No Fabray or Lopez to get in his way. He had paid the ever impressionable Becky Jackson twenty bucks to make that happen.
Jeremy turned the corner and his heart lurched in his chest. He glanced at Gary and Jared beside him. They both grinned with anticipation, each of them carrying double shots of Grape which was Berry's favorite flavor. Azimo made a point to remind him that he should be considerate when choosing the flavor. Jeremy glanced at his trembling hands, which were failing to keep the frozen goo from overflowing the giant cups.
Why was he doing this exactly? He asked himself as he continued to sidle down the hall. He suddenly felt like his feet were full of lead. She's so small. And pretty. When she talks her voice is smooth like velvet and pleasant to listen to. Her eyes are so expressive. And warm.
She's gentle and kind. She's beautiful and sweet. She's talented and brave.
The hall has gone quiet. The tension in the air is thick as everyone stops to look his way. The first bell rings. Students shuffle their feet nervously. Everyone wants to scurry off to class but no one does. They want to watch the train wreck.
She turns around because she knows this familiar feeling. Right before she goes on stage there is a false calm.
Everyone holds their breath. Hearts stop beating, eyes stop blinking and then she sees you. Her shoulders brace, she narrows that brown eyed gaze and pierces your soul with a look that could only be called pity. She feels sorry for you.
Without even noticing how you got there you are standing right before her. She managed to put her books back in her locker because she knows how this will end. She's wearing her Butterfly sweater and a short brown skirt with the standard White knee highs. Her little feet are encased in Brown penny loafers to match the skirt. Why is he thinking this? Who cares what she's wearing? Except that he knows she likes her Brown penny loafers the best. She usually wears Mary Janes or the Black loafers and saves the Brown for special. He heard her telling this to Brittany Pierce last week. Why does he remember that?
"Jeremy, the first bell has already rung, could you please get on with it. I'll need to change and I'd rather not have to miss all of fifth period waiting for you to gather up your courage."
And that was all it took to snap him out of his stupor.
Jeremy nodded at Gary and Jared, he struggled with conflicting emotions - forcing his features into a painful grin. Painful because he had never struggled so hard in his life to form a simple smile. Smiling was easy for Jeremy Miller because he was a happy boy. A good boy. He really didn't like to hurt people. He went along with all the others because that's what he was supposed to do. And so it hurt. It hurt to wear this smile which wasn't even a grin but a grimace. The best he could do under the circumstances.
He very gently dumped the contents of the plastic cups he was carrying all over the tiny diva. Jared and Gary got a little carried away and tossed theirs rather violently into her face, causing her to gasp and flinch. Whoa. They weren't supposed to be so mean about it. He snarled at the two and shoved them back before turning to see if Rachel was okay. What? What the fuck was wrong with him? Of course she wasn't okay.
It didn't matter because she was already marching toward the bathroom with her slushie kit in hand. Her shoulders slumped and yes, people were pointing and laughing and patting him on the back. He lost his focus on Rachel as she disappeared behind a blurry film of tears. Tears that were streaming in streaks upon his cheeks. What the fuck was wrong with him? Why? Why did he do that? Fuck. He dropped the empty cups onto the floor and started to leave but not before stopping in front of a chortling Azimo Adams. He shoved the football player into the row of lockers behind them, slamming him hard - once, twice, thrice.
"Fuck off Az. I'm done with you!"
He glanced around the hall and shouted at the rest of the spineless hypocrites who stood around in the awkward silence wearing confused expressions. Some of them were still laughing but not so gleefully any more.
He hated them all. He hated himself.
"Fuck you all." Jeremy shouted, he slammed the football player one last time before stomping down the hall in a fit of rage.
...
Rachel, Brittany, Quinn, Santana
Brittany was the first to leave the locker room. She knew something bad was going to happen but didn't want to take the time to explain it to Santana and Quinn. She ran. That stupid meeting was a set-up, Coach wasn't even there and she was not going to sit around and wait.
After seeing the virtual lake of Grape slushie on the floor in front of Rachel's locker and the subsequent trail leading away, she knew where to search for her friend. Her heart ached as she opened the door to the girls bathroom knowing what she would find inside.
Rachel was slumped on the floor leaning against the far wall, her face was buried in her knees - she hugged them fiercely as she wept. Grape slushie was dripping off her hair, her clothes, it was pooling inside her shoes and puddled all around her.
Whomever did this is going to die! Brittany's silent thoughts were foreign in a way she couldn't even recognize but didn't really care. They had gone too far and they would pay.
No. No, no, no, no, no. Brittany chanted to herself as she knelt down beside her friend, pulling her into her arms. No, no, no, no, no.
"I've got you Rachel. I've got you." She sat down on the floor and pulled Rachel into her lap, encircling that tiny body within her strong arms and holding tight. She whispered words of warmth and comfort and love. Together they were bathed in the dripping Purple goo, mingling with their overflowing tears as they allowed themselves to dwell in simple sadness.
A moment later the door burst open.
Enter: Santana and Quinn.
Quinn stopped in the center of that well lit bathroom. She just stopped. Stopped breathing, stopped thinking, stopped feeling. Her heart stopped beating. She was stuck in time. Like a giant clock that ticked and tocked but suddenly all at once the hand stopped - and a bell chimed, ringing in the sounds of silence that would echo through these halls for all eternity. Quinn lost a moment, an hour, a day, a week, a year, a decade, eons - a lifetime in that span of timeless time which left her frozen solid.
Then, suddenly, sensations were spilling forth on overload; she could hear the quiet heartbreaking sobs, the loud, very loud, Spanish curses and feel the trail of hot, hot teardrops steaming down her cheeks in rivulets.
She would think of murder later, but for now Rachel needed her. She was on the floor in a flash wrapping herself around the ball of human sorrow that was Brittany and Rachel. Tears are good. She knew this. Let them cry. She was crying too. Her heart quaked and shuddered, beating frantically in her chest, it seemed to roar inside her ears keeping an angry and uneven tempo.
"Que chingados! Hijo de puta madre... when I find out who did this they will pudrete en el infierno!"
Santana was pacing back and forth in front of the bathroom door keeping guard so no one would interrupt her friends. She was shouting really loud and though she didn't know it, her job was well done. Several girls had made their way to the restroom but were quickly running in the opposite direction - fleeing the Spanish curses.
Some little time later they made their way to the Cheerio locker room to clean up. The showers were clear and so was the lounge. All the Cheerios had access daily and most of them spent their free periods studying and hanging out in this domain. She didn't know how but the place was blessedly empty.
Rachel, Quinn and Brittany showered while Santana, once again, guarded the door. Rachel wouldn't allow Santana to hug her or hold her.
"No Santana, no need for you or your uniform to get covered in this mess too. I don't want you getting into any more trouble with Coach Sylvester. You can hug me after my shower."
Santana's eyes were running again. She couldn't believe it happened. Why would Miller suddenly target Rachel so viciously? One slushie she could understand. A pathetic attempt at grabbing some hype. Their hockey season was just starting off, she could see how that might psych him up for his game. It was a twisted concept but not uncommon. But six slushies? That was unheard of and completely overkill.
After it was all over Rachel was more concerned about her camera eyes than any other aspect of what happened. They had never been subjected to that much slushie before but Peter assured her they were waterproof. She plucked them off the drowning Butterfly and planted them on The Polar Bear - who would take over the duty of recording Rachel's every move. She changed into a pair of well worn jeans and donned the white sweater with a sense of weary relief that was tinged with an overwhelming sadness.
Things had been going so well lately that she had let her guard down. For some reason this attack hurt more than all the others. Mostly because she could tell that Jeremy didn't want to follow through with his actions - of course she had to open her big mouth and encourage him to move it along.
They were all calmed down to some extent. Rachel was comfortably ensconced in Quinn's lap, snuggling close, resting her head on her girlfriends shoulder on the sofa in the lounge. The Cheerio was being extra gentle and protective. She kept stroking Rachel's back in soothing circles and kissing her head as the tiny diva curled into a ball upon her body.
Brittany and Santana were sharing a comfy chair in much the same position as their friends. Santana was wrapped in Brittany's arms with tears still streaming down her face. She wiped them away fiercely as they fell.
Sniffle.
"I'm cancelling tonight's Op. " Rachel announced to the group.
They all nodded in understanding if not agreement.
"I... I'm still going to get the hockey team but not now. Not tonight. I don't want vengeance and this will feel too much like that. We can wait until Wednesday's game when this incident isn't quite so fresh in everyone's mind. "
Quinn hugged her tighter for a moment and kissed her on the cheek, she spoke softly but loud enough for everyone to hear. "It's okay baby you don't have to explain your reasons to us. This is your show sweetheart, we're just lucky enough to be a par-... " But Quinn was interrupted by the door to the lounge being shoved open and an angry ranting Puck striding through.
"We are so going after Miller and his fucking hacks!" The boy was running his hand over the length of his mohawk and stomping about the room.
" I can't even find that fucking coward he skipped his fifth hour Algebra class. When I do he's dead meat. I'm sorry Rachel. I'm so sorry. "
Rachel sat up straight in Quinn's lap, she pushed her still damp hair off her face before responding to Pucks ire.
"No Noah. Leave Jeremy alone. I know you'll find this hard to believe but I think Jeremy is hurting more than I am right now. He really didn't want to throw those slushies. The look on his face was haunted. I have every intention of playing out the Scene with the hockey team... just not tonight Puck. It wouldn't feel right. "
"You've gotta be kidding Rach. No way that asswipe is getting away with what he did. On principal alone he has to be shown he can't mess with my Jewbro, or the glee club. I get it if you want to hold off on the Play tonight Rach. But me and the gleeks are going to the game. We are going to heckle the hell of out those losers. Everyone at the game will know what they did Rach."
Rachel was shaking her head no but she could tell by the gleam in Pucks eyes that whatever she said wouldn't change his mind. He was determined and a part of her thought it might not be a bad idea if the whole glee club went along with him. They could make a solid showing in front of the rest of the school. It would also help to distract suspicion from her real Scene on Wednesday night. If the glee club made a big enough show of it tonight, no one would suspect them when the real shenanigans went down on Wednesday.
"Okay Noah. If that's what you want to do but make sure you do bring the rest of the glee club with you. And don't do anything illegal you're still on probation. Quinn, Santana and Britt have to be there with the Cheerios anyway. "
"You aren't coming to the game Rach?" Quinn asked, knowing it was probably better for her not to come. But she didn't want Rachel to be home alone after what happened today. Maybe she could talk to Coach Sylvester and get out of going to the game. Rachel's Daddy's had their date night on Friday so they wouldn't be home with her tonight. Darn.
Rachel turned to kiss Quinn on the cheek and smile into her girlfriends lovely hazel eyes.
"No baby. I'll be fine. I promise. I just want to go home and take a hot bath and cuddle up with a movie until you come over."
"I could go home with you Rach." Brittany offered. "Coach won't mind me missing as much as she would San and Quinn. They're her Captain and Second. I'm just the Third so it won't matter much. I don't like you being alone tonight Rach."
"Me neither Tiny." Santana piped in and silently scolded herself for letting that diminutive nickname slip out. Rachel smiled at the two and chuckled as Santana's face turned Red. She could tell the girl was self flagellating.
"I love you too Santana." She winked at her fiery friend. "And, no Britt I don't want you getting on Coach Sylvester's list any more than Quinn or Santana. Besides, I really do need some time alone to think. I'll be okay."
"I think we should all just finish this day as normally as we possibly can. Let's have a good time in glee and maybe you could all come over after the game? For a little while anyway, but then I want my time with Quinn." She placed a lingering open mouth kiss on her girlfriends neck to emphasize what she had in mind.
Quinn flushed bright Red.
"Ew... gross."
"Giggle."
"Yeah baby!"
...
Stephanie
Holy Christ! God, that Miller was an idiot. Fuck. He better not have ruined her plans because she would gut him if he did. He was supposed to slushie Berry, not bury her in the stuff. Boys were so fucking dumb.
She thought she manipulated Azimo quite nicely. She knew he would put Miller up to the job once she had him convinced the Skunker would never know about his encouragement. None of those clips on the video had sound, so however the creep was recording them he wasn't getting their conversations. No proof. No foul. Azimo had been easy to convince. Ever since that day he had his spastic fit, he was was completely obsessed with dousing Rachel Berry with a double shot of Grape slushie.
Well, he got her but good. Too good to the point of traumatizing her. The point of having Berry slushied was to get the focus off of Stephanie. Lopez was just a little too concerned on Berry's behalf that Stephanie wanted her directing her anger elsewhere this evening. The hockey team was the perfect scapegoat. Lopez and Fabray would be so pissed at Miller and his goons they wouldn't even pay attention to what Stephanie might get up to.
The Cheerio's had a mandatory meeting directly after to school to organize their cheer rotation for the game tonight.
Stephanie was going to skip. She had some place better to be.
Rachel and Quinn.
Everyone trickled out of the choir room after glee, leaving Quinn and Rachel alone in front row seats. The events of the day had taken their toll on them emotionally and they wanted a few quiet moments together before Rachel went home and Quinn left for her Cheerio meeting.
Quinn had spent the last two hours of the day reining in her rage. A rage so white hot she felt herself melting from within. Her anger wouldn't help Rachel. Not now anyway. She didn't want to let it loose in Rachel's presence - have it ill affect the reassuring calm and gentle love her girlfriend needed in this moment.
She could wait until the game tonight to let her demons loose. Jeremy Miller was a walking statistic that the halls of McKinley High would whisper about for generations to come. Rachel didn't need to know what Quinn and Santana intended. Even Britt was agreeing to help them, which spoke volumes as to how offensive Miller's act had been.
Quinn was actually relieved that Rach was going home after school, so she wouldn't be around to hear them scheme. Rachel wouldn't approve and Quinn did not enjoy her girlfriends disapproval. Smirk.
"What are you thinking? And why are you smirking like that Quinn?"
Oops, I forgot how perceptive the little sneak can be. Get it together Quinn. Hug her, kiss her and send her home happy, so you can deliver a message to the school. Rachel Berry is mine and if anyone ever touches her again they will be a walking mud splat for the rest of their high school careers.
" I wasn't smirking. I was smiling because I was thinking about you. And how enormously lucky I am to be with you."
"Uh huh? Seriously? You want me to believe that?"
"Yes."
Sigh.
"Quinn, I know you. I know how you think. I also know that you and Santana are probably going to do something horrible to Jeremy tonight. Please, I know you think he needs to be taught some kind of lesson... but I saw his face Quinn. I don't know why he followed through with the slushie attack but I know he's hurting too. I'm not happy about what happened, in fact, I'm very disappointed because I feel like everything just got sent back a giant step. All the progress swept away in a pointless act of male juvenile chest thumping."
"Rachel No! No it didn't. Don't ever think that. Any fight for real change always has some setbacks. People don't just roll over because someone tells them to Rachel. Which is why Puck was right earlier today. Jeremy needs to be the example unfortunately. I'm betting someone egged him on, or dared him to do it - but the end result was still the same. He chose his actions and he needs to be punished. We need to be consistent Rachel and let the whole school know that bullying will not be tolerated any more. This is a teaching opportunity Rachel."
"But you're going to hurt him aren't you Quinn?"
"Not physically, no. Embarrass him yes. And the team, but hurt him? No."
Sniff.
"I'm glad I'm not going to the game then."
"Everything will be okay Rachel. I promise. "
Quinn stood up and reached out to clasp Rachel's hand. She gave it a tug, pulling the girl out of her chair and into an all encompassing hug. A hug that spoke her feelings better than any words could. She leaned back to gaze into that dark expressive brown, losing herself as she always did in the penetrating warmth and brilliant sparkle that caused her heart to flutter erratically.
Quinn channeled her feelings together into a swirling ribbon of light, she visualized it pouring out of her heart, sweeping through her body and enveloping Rachel in a bright protective armor. Slowly, ever so slowly she leaned down to sample the fullness of that sensual mouth.
She did with the kiss what she had done with the hug. Focused every speck of of anything good and caring that dwelt within her being, all of her passion and love and strength; she twined it tightly together before spilling it forth, spreading it warmly onto that heavenly supple mouth.
The kiss was sweet and gentle and soft and tender. It wasn't urgent or needy. Not lustful or greedy. It was simple and deep. I'm here now, and will be here later, and forevermore. I'm yours.
Rachel felt like she was drowning in love. Her whole body hummed from within and without. A warmth so sweet she could almost taste, it seeped into every cell. Quinn was kissing her full of love and life and light and she'd never felt anything so vibrant and intense and whole.
Tears were trickling down her cheeks when she stepped back to look at Quinn. Her mutable green gold eyes shimmered with the wet of unshed tears, her smile was so very bright and beautiful and healing. Rachel felt full and well and loved and nothing could take that away. Not one slushie or six or ten or a hundred. Quinn had done that for her just now. Quinn had made her see as well as feel. It was so overwhelming Rachel almost didn't know how to deal with it. That awful feeling from earlier. The hurt. That shame. It was gone, all gone because of Quinn.
Hand in hand they left the choir room. Quinn walked Rachel to the door, leaned in to kiss her softly, and whisper.
"I love you Rachel... I'll see you later sweetheart. Call or text when you get home okay?"
"I love you too. Okay... I'll probably just text because I know you'll be in your meeting."
"Kay... bye babe." Quinn waved and trotted down the hall as Rachel pushed the doors open, bracing herself against the chill of a late November afternoon.
...
Stephanie and Rachel
Rachel eased her way through the icy parking lot staring at her feet. She forgot to wear her beanie today and the wind was gusting harshly, blowing snow in flurries at her face. She should button up her pea coat and not be so stubborn all the time. But the whole point of the animal sweaters and the camera eyes was to record everything. She had gotten in the habit of dressing in layers for the winter. A long sleeve tee shirt or turtleneck was worn underneath her animal sweaters and that was usually enough to keep her warm.
She never buttoned her coat because she didn't want to miss events on school grounds that would be worthy of including in her documentary films. So, even on the freezing windy days, she suffered the chill until she reached her car. Only then would she button up. Just a few more feet and she would be warm and snug inside her Mini Coop. She couldn't wait to get home and make some hot cocoa.
"Hi Rachel."
Rachel turned at the sound of her name and noticed Stephanie Hanson was standing near an SUV, just a few spaces away. Shiver. UGH. I'm not supposed to talk to Stephanie. I promised Brittany I wouldn't. I guess saying hello doesn't qualify as a conversation does it?
"Hello Stephanie." No don't do it. If you ask her a question that will be a conversation.
Rachel nodded at the girl, smiled slightly and turned back to her own car, only to discover that this day was decidedly wicked.
Damn. Her front tire was flat. Very flat. Fuck! She punched the hood of her car then dug around in her pocket for her phone. She was just about to text Quinn...-
"Something wrong Rachel?" Stephanie wandered over to where Rachel was still muttering under her breath, just in time to interrupt the text she was about to send.
"Ah...yes Stephanie. My front tire is incontrovertibly flat. I was about to call for a ride."
"I can give you a lift Rachel. I live just a couple blocks from you."
No. No. Say no Rachel. I'm not supposed to talk to her. She seems perfectly harmless right now. She's smiling kind of shyly at me. Her hands are in her pockets and her shoulders are slack. She isn't all tense or anything.
"I thought you had a Cheerio meeting?"
Stephanie shrugged and smiled again. Her pale gray eyes were kind of strange to meet head on, but she could hardly help it if her eyes were a weird color.
"I do but I'm going to be late. I have to run home for my other uniform and Coach is going to kill me already so... anyway. Like I said Rach. I'd be happy to drop you off. It's on the way for me."
Rach? She called me Rach? No one calls me Rach except for Quinn and Britt and San! Don't. Don't go with her Rachel. What could she possibly do to me? I'll just jump out of her car if she gets weird or anything. Besides, my Polar Bear is watching so Peter will see.
"Okay... um.. Stephanie. If its no trouble. I would really appreciate a ride. That way I won't have to inconvenience Qui.. ah my Daddy."
"No problem Rach." Stephanie walked over to the passenger side of her Toyota Forerunner and unlocked it for the tiny diva. She opened the door and gestured for Rachel. "Hop in Rach, I'll have you home in no time."
"Thank you Stephanie, this is very kind of you."
For someone who is known for being incredibly mean Stephanie is capable of civil behavior, Rachel thought to herself as she climbed into the vehicle and settled herself in by fastening her seat belt. No. No,no,no,no. Rachel you promised Brittany. You promised Brittany you wouldn't let her talk to you.
Stephanie walked quickly back to the drivers side and turned her face away from Rachel's purview.
And then she smiled. She smiled like a snake.
To Be Continued.
Don't throw stuff. I promise to update by Wednesday if you let me know what's on your mind. Rachel will really appreciate it! :)
Thanks so much for continuing to read, review and alert this story.