AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Originally Posted: June 17th, 2011
A few hours later then I would have liked but, hey, at least it's a Friday.
Another set up chapter, things should start to wrap up next chapter and it looks like chapter 23 will be the last. If not, chapter 24 definitely will be.
Thank you again for sticking with me this long and for those of you who have reviewed and I haven't replied yet. I'll try to get to it over this weekend. It's the very least I can do to thank you for taking the time out of your day to let me know what you think. Lastly, a huge shout out to everyone who has Alerted/Favourited myself and/or my storied. Next to reviews, seeing the little notice that someone likes my writing is my second favourite way to start a day.
Actually, no so lastly. Over the last few weeks I've inherited (sort of) a glee based rp on tumblr and we could use a few extra players so if anyone's interested, you can head over to youretheonegleerp dot tumblr dot com and drop a message in the old ask box. Thanks
Now we're done.
Disclaimer Time, Disclaimer Time!
Glee, the characters of Glee along with associated events, locations and miscellaneous extras are not mine. They belong to the fine folks at Fox and I have no affiliation with Fox beyond being a fan (of some) of their programming. My use of the characters, locations, events and miscellaneous extras of Glee are in no way authorized by Fox and I make no income at all from these works. They are intended only as a sign of appreciation and are presented for public consumption only to spread the Gleek love.
Enjoy :D
Chapter 21
Track 8 - Someday - Nickle Back
October 9th, 2010 (Beth +123)
Berry Car, Enroute (roads-various), 10:58am
"I apologize again for my absence today Madam Semenyaka and I thank you for your understanding... Yes, I should be in attendance for our next class... I will Madam Semenyaka... Thank you again... Do-briy dyen to you as well."
Rachel reflexively checked to see if she'd missed any messages while talking to her dance instructor after ending the call, despite the lack of audio alert during the conversation, then tucked her phone back into her coat pocket while continuing to hold onto the mobile.
"You didn't tell her why you were going to miss your class today."
Rachel adjust her seatbelt with her free hand. "True."
Leroy looked over at his daughter. "You didn't tell us either."
"Not true. I told you I was going to help a friend. Turn right here please."
The dark skinned man guided the car around the corner. "But you didn't tell us which friend."
"...True."
"Any chance you might?"
"Of course."
"Oh. Really?"
"But not right now."
"Ahh. Can I as-"
*We can dance if we want to*
*We can leave your friends behind*
*'Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance*
*Well they're no friends of mine*
"One moment Dad." Rachel said, pulling her cell from her pocket as she spoke.
From: Ms Brittany S Pierce (555-2748)
We r almost thr. U?
Lopez Car, Enroute (roads-various), 11:01am
*When you wish upon a star*
*Makes no difference who you are*
*Anything your heart desires*
*Will come to you*
From: Rachel (555-3482)
I'll be there shortly.
"Remind me again why I agreed to this?" Santana asked from the driver's seat, her head resting on her left hand, right holding the bottom edge of the steering wheel.
"Because you love me and my sweet lady kisses." Brittany replied, smiling briefly at her cellphone before dropping it onto her lap.
"So sexy blackmail then?"
"And you love Quinn too."
"But mostly the sexy blackmail."
The blonde turned a frown towards the other girl. "San."
"Fine. Fifty-fifty."
Brit leaned over the stick shift and kissed the other girl on the cheek. "Much better."
"Better would be you and me back in your bed and with a lot less clothes on."
"Later."
Santana's head snapped around. It hadn't been said, and she hadn't wanted to press the point, but she was under the impression that the lady love lockdown was still in effect. She sure as hell hadn't gotten any last night. "Seriously?"
"Ser- SAN!"
The dark haired teen turned back to the road with just enough time to spare to swerve back into her own lane. The angry blare of the on-coming drivers horn fading away behind them.
"Maybe we should talk about this later."
"Deal."
*When you wish upon a star*
*Makes no difference who you are*
*Anything your heart desires*
*Will come to you*
"Rachel says 'Keep your eyes on the road'." Brit read aloud
"What?" Santana looked into her rearview mirror. "That wasn't her was it?"
Brit half turned in her seat to look out the back window. "No."
"Then how the frick did sh-"
*When you wish upon a star*
*Makes no difference who you are*
*Anything your heart desires*
*Will come to you*
Brit turned back to her phone's screen again. "She says 'Because you're a terrible driver and as I've told you before, I have a sixth sense'."
"See that, right there, that's why we don't like her."
"You did almost drive into that other car."
"That's not the point. Girl's got some weird ass freaky shit going on and she's, like, obsessed with Fab-."
"San." Brittany said, interrupting her girlfriend's rant as gently as she could.
"Yeah?"
"You just drove past it."
"Frick!" The squeal of tires provided back-up for the curse.
North Jackson Street, Lima Ohio, 11:04am
"So this is the 'friend' you're helping? You know you could have just told us it was him Cupcake." Leroy turned away from the home Rachel's piecemeal directions had let them to.
Rachel said nothing as she leaned forward in her seat to look across the street through the window on her Father's side of the car.
"Cupcake?"
"I'm sorry Dad. I know I can tell you both anything and it's not that I'm trying to keep anything from you, I just don't know what to tell you yet."
"What do you mean? If you're in some kind of trouble-?"
Rachel sat back in her seat. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course. But-"
The teen placed her smaller hand over his and squeezed "Then trust me just a little longer Dad. I promise I'll tell you everything when I get home tonight. One way or another, I'll know what there is to tell you by then."
Leroy silently held his daughters gaze for several seconds before nodding. "Okay."
"Thank you Dad." Rachel pressed a quick kiss against his cheek "And here's one for you to give Daddy." She said, before adding a second kiss just to the left of the first.
"You'll call when you're ready to get picked up."
"If I have to, yes. I'll have a ride home should things go to plan." Rachel replied as she unbuckled her belt.
Leroy resisted the urge to ask Rachel to provide a little more detail about this plan. "Love you." He said instead as he watched his little girl climb out of the car.
"Love you too." Rachel said, her head ducking back into view to blow him an extra kiss before she closed the door behind her.
To: Ms Brittany S Pierce (555-2748)
I'm here.
Rachel clicked send then turned her eyes towards her destination as she tucked the phone back into her pocket. This was it. Everything and everyone was in place. All she had to do now was cross the road. She pulled her gaze off the house opposite and checked to make sure the road was clear.
C'mon feet. You know how to do this. She thought, giving both ends of the street another safety check as she urged her body into taking the first step.
If Santana finds out you brought her into this only to back out yourself at the last minute...
That did it. One step followed the other and soon Rachel found herself standing by the front door to her objective.
Now knock.
Puckerman Home, Front Hallway, 11:05am
"Well hello Ladies"
"Aint gonna happen Puckerman." Santana shot down the boy's ever ready fantasies before they got off the ground and rolled her eyes as she pushed past him with Brittany in tow."
"Rachel sent us." The blonde explained over her shoulder as Santana lead her down the hallway."
"What?" Noah asked and started to follow the two cheerleaders only to turn around after a few steps to close the front door. "Since when did you start taking orders from Berry?"
"It's not like that." Santana bristled at Puck as he walked into the living room. She tossed him the cd case in her hand. "Aretha Franklin Puck?"
"What? I can't like the classics?"
"We're here for Quinn." Brit said, giving the Latina's hand a squeeze as she tried to get the conversation back on track.
"She's not here."
"We know that idiot."
"Look Lopez-"
"Guys."
Both teens turned towards Brit.
"Quinn's still mad about what Finn did last night-"
"Thanks to you." Santana injected, her narrowed eyed, accusatory glare aimed squarely at the football player.
"And because she had a fight with Rachel," Brit continued on, ignoring the interruption, "so we're here to help Quinn get un-mad."
"When did Quinn have a fight with Rachel." Puck asked, in no way attempting to divert attention away from his own role in the previous night's events.
"Doesn't matter." said Santana. "All that matters is that we help the midget so we can all go back to our regularly scheduled lives."
"And I'm supposed to...?"
"Help." Brit said, getting up from her spot on the couch.
"By?"
"Not being a giant dick. If you can manage that." Santana answered, leading Brit back out of the room.
"Sorry, can't do anything about that. It's all genetics baby." Puck fired back, a smirk on his face as he followed the pair towards the front door.
His coat hit him in the face.
Santana returned his glare with a smirk of her own. "Put it on big boy."
*Knock Knock Knock*
Hudson Home, Front Door, 11:08am
*Knock Knock Knock*
Silence. Rachel started to plan how to explain her failure to her co-conspirators when the muffled sounds of approaching feet followed by a call of "One sec." filtered through the painted hardwood.
"Hell- oh. Rachel... Hi."
"Finn."
"I wa- Is that your Dad?"
Rachel looked over her shoulder to see her Father wave sheepishly from the still parked car.
"Yes." She replied, turning back to Finn. "He drove me here. It was part of our agreement."
"Agreement? What-"
"While the answer to the question I'm sure you are about to ask is partially related to why I am here, it is not important enough to delay our discussion. May I come in?"
"Uhh..." Finn brushed his fingers through his hair. "Yeah. Sure. Of course."
"Thank you." Rachel stepped inside, turning her body to get past his. "Is your Mother home?"
"No, work thing. She went in about an hour ago."
"Please let her know I say hello." She asked, coming to a stop a few feet down the hall. "She was always very nice to me when we were dating."
"She likes you."
"I like her." Rachel returned Finn's cautious smile. "I guess you're wondering why I'm here?"
"It's about my text last night right?"
"Yes."
"You know you could have just sent me one back, you didn't have to come here in person. Not that I don't want you here or anything I just-"
"Finn."
"Shut up?"
"Something like that. Have you talked to Quinn yet? I assume you sent her a text as well."
"No and I did." Finn replied after a moments hesitation to make sure he had his answers in the right order. "About ten actually."
"And she hasn't replied to any of them?" Rachel asked, brushing at the sleeve of her coat.
"No."
"I wouldn't be too concerned. Brittany sent her several as well and she hasn't heard back yet either."
"Rachel?"
The singer lifted her eyes to meet Finn's "Yes?"
"Why are you here?"
Serenity Valley Day & Beauty Spa, 11:12am
The mood in the car as it pulled into the Spa's half full parking lot was considerably better then it had been pulling out of the driveway an hour earlier but both Fabray women were taking extra care to keep it that way as they climbed out of the car.
"We're a little early." Judy noted after looking at her watch. "Would you like to stop by the gift shop first?"
"Sure. Sounds good." Quinn replied, tucking her hands into her coat pockets against the cold. A puzzled expression crossed her face when her fingers encountered unexpected resistance as she followed her Mother inside.
Gloves. Quinn looked down at the insulated cloth in her hands and the corners of her lips curled upwards.
"Oomph!"
"Ooph!"
Quinn stumbled back, her eyes snapping up to meet her Mother's. "Sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going."
"Are you okay Quinn?"
"I'm fine Mom. Just got a little distracted is all." Quinn stuffed the gloves back into her pocket
"Hello Ladies, Anything I can help you with today?"
Both Quinn and her Mother turned to the twenty-something auburn haired spa worker.
"We have an appointment for eleven forty-five."
"Alright, can I get you a complementary glass of spa water?"
"I'm good thanks." Quinn replied. Cucumber flavoured water wasn't her idea of something worth a complement.
"Same here." Judy replied.
"Okay then. If there's anything we here at Serenity Valley can do to make your stay more enjoyable, please let myself or one of the other relaxation specialists know."
It took considerable willpower on Quinn's part not to roll her eyes.
"Thank you, we will." Judy said, linking her arm with her daughters as she spoke then turned to continue on to the gift shop.
"Relaxation specialists?" The older woman whispered in a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Do you think that's a two year or a four year course?"
Quinn burst into laughter.
Hudson Home, Front Door, 11:17am
"And you think that will get Quinn to forgive me?" Finn asked doubtfully.
Rachel nodded slowly "I do."
"And you want Quinn to forgive me because...?"
"Does it matter?"
"It might."
Rachel could hear the harmonics of hope in his reply. "Finn, you're my friend. As your friend, I want to help you. That's all this is about."
Finn slumped into the overstuffed chair he sat in. "I'm sorry."
"I know. Now we just need to make Quinn see that."
"No." He shook his head, "Not about Quinn, well yeah that too, I meant about everything. About the kiss, about not telling you, all of it. I'm sorry to you Rachel."
"No you're not."
Finn leaned forward in his seat. "Wh-"
"I don't find you sorry Finn. I think you're wonderful. Not perfect, but wonderful none-the-less. If I didn't, I never would have been with you in the first place."
"Did... Did you love me?"
"...Yes."
"Do you still?"
"Yes." Rachel stood up from the couch. "As a friend. You should get your coat on, they'll be here any minute."