WARNING: severe fluff alert! This is mostly mush and a little bit of humour, partly because there may be some heavy angst on the horizon, I can't decide yet whether to include it or not…Also this chapter is dedicated to Nic my beta, whom the reporter in this chapter is named after and who came up with the questions put to our duo! Enjoy!
Yawning happily, Quinn stretched in the bed and after a moment's thought snuggled further into the ridiculously soft duvet. Inside the duvet she was warm, and despite the insistent dull throbbing in her injured ankle, remarkably comfortable. Most importantly it was safe, whereas outside the duvet she knew Rachel was waiting, waiting to subject her to all sorts of torturous procedures! Hence her reluctance to leave the safe haven of the bed, comforted by the combined scents of Rachel's vanilla shampoo and cedar wood perfume, and her own Prada cologne. As the silence outside the duvet continued, the hockey player smirked happily to herself, rolling back onto her stomach…only to have the duvet whipped unceremoniously off of her. Refusing to submit quite so easily, the blonde groaned and immediately burrowed her head under the pillows, not quite far enough however to drown out the amused giggling of her partner.
"Quinn Fabray, you cannot stay in bed all day! We agreed to this interview so you need to roll that delectable tush of yours out of there and into the bath."
One hazel eye peeped out to peer at the diva with a mix of suspicion, and something else Rachel couldn't quite place.
"But it's nice in here, come on…join me!"
A smirk joined the hazel eye, and rolling her own brown ones in amusement, the little diva placed her hands on her hips.
"As much as I admit that snuggling with you would be fun and then some, one of us has to be the tough guy in this scenario and apparently it's me!"
Rachel did her best not to grin triumphantly as Quinn abruptly sat up with an adorable pout.
"Hey, I'm the tough one princess, you're the eye candy remember?"
Forcing a nonchalant shrug (as opposed to ruffling the already tousled blonde hair in front of her like she wanted to) Rachel raised a speculative eyebrow.
"Well…working with the evidence currently presented to me I'd have to say the opposite was true!"
Walking in a slow circle round the bedroom, the little diva stated her case.
"It's ten to eleven in the morning, I've been up, out for a jog, had breakfast and planned out what to wear for our interview this morning while you've hidden away in bed! Ergo, I'm the one who manned up."
Narrowing her eyes playfully, Quinn flopped back down onto her back.
"Okay, well firstly…I had trouble getting to sleep because I was sharing a bed with a spider woman who kept stealing the duvet and crawling all over the mattress. Secondly I can't go running because I'm currently faulty…and thirdly…well, I don't need a thirdly because the first two were pretty awesome."
Trying to find fault with that logic and failing, as it was hard to prove or disprove what she did in her sleep, Rachel just sighed before flopping down next to the smug hockey player.
"You are infuriating sometimes Gretzky!"
Turning her head to look at Rachel lying next to her, Quinn grinned.
"And you love it! Admit it princess…"
Snorting slightly in denial the brunette looked across into the amused hazel eyes of the hockey player, she managed to keep her straight face until Quinn employed the power of the puss in boots eyes coupled with the pout. Laughing softly, Rachel shoved at Quinn's shoulders lightly.
"And you're lucky I do, not sure how many other people would endure peanut butter smeared on the pillows!"
Smirking, the blonde leant across and placed a kiss on Rachel's lips before letting out a sigh as she rested her forehead on the divas.
"Do we really have to get up and do this interview?"
Reaching across with one hand, Rachel caught hold of one of Quinn's calloused ones and squeezed gently.
"We don't have to do anything, but I promise you it won't be that bad, Daddy asked someone he went to college with, apparently she's really nice, plus she knows if we say we won't answer something we won't answer it. Plus I know you Gretzky, you aren't worried about the interview at all, you're more worried about the preparation phase, am I right?"
Narrowing her eyes at the playful waggling of the divas eyebrows, Quinn rolled her eyes and went to burrow under the pillows again.
"I hate being fussed over, what's wrong with jeans and a T-shirt?"
Chuckling softly, Rachel burrowed under the pillow as well so they were face to face again before answering.
"You can essentially wear what you want baby, we just have to make sure no one could take offence at a logo or saying on a T-shirt or something equally ridiculous."
Seeming to mull that over for a moment, Quinn frowned thoughtfully then grinned.
"So, I'm guessing the one that says 'Property of Arkham Asylum' is out then?"
Laughing loudly in spite of herself, the brunette shoved playfully at the hockey players shoulders again.
"Exactly…so, can we get up now?"
Seeing that Quinn still looked undecided she sweetened the deal.
"How about…if I promise you fresh cheese Danish and bacon sandwiches for breakfast when you get out of the tub?"
Hazel eyes suddenly lit up and before Rachel could even finish speaking; Quinn was up, out of bed and hopping towards the bathroom as she called over her shoulder.
"I'll be in the tub, you better not be lying about that cheese Danish princess!"
Smiling fondly, Rachel allowed herself a happy sigh before rolling out of bed, murmuring.
"Mental note to self: always keep fresh cheese Danish on hand for difficult situations."
By the time Quinn got herself out of the tub, Rachel had a huge mug of sugary tea and a plate containing a bacon sandwich and a fresh cheese Danish, waiting for her. Smiling happily the hockey player settled herself down to eat as Rachel set about re wrapping her ankle for her. Managing to keep the wincing down to a minimum this time, Quinn nonetheless happily accepted the painkillers she was offered.
"Remind me not to sprain anything else would you? I can't really pull off the damaged look."
Leaning forward Rachel placed a soft but incredibly thorough kiss on Quinn's lips before pulling back and licking the Danish crumbs off her lips…reaching out she then lightly cuffed the back of the blondes head. The hockey player exaggeratedly rubbed the 'sore spot' and raised a puzzled eyebrow.
"Okay, what was that for?!"
Half shaking her head Rachel moved over to open the half of the wardrobe Quinn kept her clothes in as she answered.
"Well, the kiss is because you're gorgeous and I can't help myself, plus the trip that caused the sprain wasn't technically your fault. The Gibb's slap was because you are not damaged…and again, because the trip wasn't your fault, even though I know you still partially blame yourself."
Blinking for a moment (if you asked her, she would deny it was to dispel the few tears that had formed at her partners perceptiveness) Quinn tilted her head to one side and wryly commented.
"You got all that from one off hand sentence?"
Taking the silent cue to keep the conversation light, Rachel threw Quinn's favourite worn out jeans at her and smirked.
"No you doofus, I got all that from loving you!"
Smirking widely, Quinn sat on the edge of the bed and lifted her arms in triumph as though she'd just slammed home the winning goal in the Stanley cup!
"See, you love me, we all heard it, there's no denying it now it's on record!"
Giggling at the blondes messing around, Rachel just shook her head.
"I've never denied that I love you, you gigantic dork, and in case you haven't noticed it we are the only ones here, so who the 'all' are that you just referred to, I have no idea!"
Leaning back on her elbows on the bed, the hockey player just smiled.
"Well, okay…maybe there are only two of us here but as far as you loving me and me loving you, we are the only ones that matter."
Sorting through the blondes T-shirts, Rachel couldn't help but fall a little more in love with her when she found a faded black one with a screen printed family photo on it. When she saw what the diva had found, Quinn groaned in embarrassment.
"Okay, well you can forget you found that one! I look like a total douche in that picture, stupid Santana…"
She trailed off, muttering as Rachel peered closely at the cracked image, it had obviously been taken at a family BBQ, Dave was grinning as he wielded a set of tongs, and Lily was stood with Sofia hugging her from behind. Santana had her usual wicked grin in place, one arm playfully wrapped around Quinn's neck while her other was busy administering a hair ruffle to the surprised hockey player. Quinn herself had obviously been taken unawares as she had a half genuine smile on her face which ruined the overall bad ass look she had seemingly been going for with her ripped jeans and Ramones T-shirt. Turning to the hockey player, Rachel smiled softly as she traced a finger lightly over the image of the teenaged Quinn. A Quinn who had been surprised into revealing just a little, of how amazing she really was under all her practiced bravado.
"When was this taken, and how exactly did it end up on a T-shirt if you hate it so much huh?"
Huffing out a breath, Quinn tugged nervously at the lapels of her robe as she spoke.
"It was my first birthday with my moms, they insisted on doing something even though I was saying all I wanted to do was forget it. So, despite my objections they organised a party, just a small one, it was only us there…but they made sure to get all the stuff they knew I liked, Dave grilled it all and we just sort of…hung out together. Santana knew how much ma wanted a new family photo that included all of us, so she set up the camera and came back over…I was just gonna be my sullen self of course, because back then it still felt too dangerous to smile. I know that sounds weird, but if you smile, it means you're happy and every time I'd been happy before…well, it didn't end so well you know?"
Walking over to where Quinn was reclined on the bed, Rachel nodded encouragingly and rested her chin on the hockey player's knee. Running a hand through the brunette's silky strands thoughtfully, Quinn grinned wryly and carried on.
"Anyway, even back then Santana knew me better than I knew myself and she knew I'd try to keep up my hard assed image. So one second before the picture was taken, she did that knowing it would make me smile…sneaky bitch. Needless to say both mom and ma loved it so when she got it developed San had a T-shirt made of it for ma, one she insisted on wearing even though it made me scowl."
Smiling, Rachel linked the fingers of her free hand through Quinn's own.
"So how did you end up with it then?"
Sighing slightly, the hockey player's smile turned melancholy.
"After mom got shot and she and ma…separated for a while, mom would fall asleep holding that shirt, I asked her once why she did that seeing as she had been the one to ask for space. Well, I say I asked, I more like yelled it at her one night when I came home drunk."
Rachel didn't even have to ask why the blonde had felt the need to yell at her mom. She knew without a doubt that when Sofia and Lily had split for that little while it would have caused Quinn all sorts of pain she had probably never spoken about. After a moment the hockey player carried on explaining.
"She knew I was just lashing out, she didn't yell back…she made me sit down and she explained to me that the reason she had asked for space was because the shooting hade made her all messed up. She felt weaker, not strong enough for herself, let alone for ma or us, she cried a little and I did too. It was then she admitted that she slept with that shirt because it smelt of ma, and because it reminded her of what she had waiting for her, to sort her head out for."
Lifting their joined hands and kissing the diva's knuckles lightly, Quinn half smiled.
"When I got the job here with you, I guess maybe they knew I'd be feeling a little homesick or something because they both gave me this…told me it was to remember what I had, that just because I wasn't there they wouldn't forget me. Guess that sounds sort of…silly huh?"
Raising a questioning eyebrow, Quinn wasn't altogether surprised when Rachel stood up and leaned down to kiss her, she was surprised at the depth of the kiss however and had to mentally slap herself when she felt the diva's tongue brush lightly over her lips, begging for entrance. Managing to smother the moan she both felt and heard Rachel give, by brushing her own tongue across the brunette's, Quinn tangled her hands in Rachel's shirt front urging her closer with a gentle tug. Eventually, and before things got too heated, they pulled away from each other breathless; Rachel's smile was as goofy as the hockey players as she finally answered the not quite question.
"Not silly Gretzky, sweet, like you are…even though you don't like people knowing that, if I could get away with it I'd make you wear this for the interview!"
Quinn arched the 'eyebrow of extreme stubbornness' as she drawled.
"But…?"
Smiling at the raised eyebrow, Rachel reached out and physically smoothed it back down.
"But I know better, so instead I shall merely 'borrow' it from you to sleep in tonight…if that's okay?"
She trailed off slightly questioningly and the hockey player smiled, it meant more to her than she could say that Rachel wanted to wear that particular shirt so she forced a nonchalant shrug that fooled neither of them.
"Yeah that's fine…just don't drool on it."
Huffing indignantly, Rachel headed back to the wardrobe with an added dramatic flourish in her steps.
"Now why would I do that when I can drool on your pillow?"
Pulling a face, Quinn settled back into her slouched position.
"Gross Berry, really gross!"
Smiling sweetly, the diva went back to her quest, rummaging through the seeming mass of T-shirts that the blonde owned, casting some readily aside while others went into the okay pile. By the time they had finished this task and chosen something Quinn felt comfortable in that was also deemed safe enough, it was almost time for the interview to take place. After much debate with Hiram and Leroy, they'd decided to have it take place in the main lounge. It wasn't as comfy as the den next to the kitchen where the skaters usually spent their time but it was formal enough that the photos wouldn't need much posing. Leroy nodded approvingly of Rachel's soft black jeans that she'd teamed with the hockey shirt from Quinn's new year's charity match…and outright laughed at the blondes own choice of shirt. Grinning, the hockey player looked down to the carton 'Tea Rex' with his bowler hat, monocle and cup and saucer.
"Classy yet relaxed, don't ya think?"
Hiram shook his head; sighing the sigh of the long suffering as he watched his husband fist bump the blonde's choice. Rolling his eyes at Rachel who just shrugged good naturedly, Hiram then made sure the room was neat enough…not that there was much to mess up, pretty much just a few magazines on the table, one of which (the latest Empire) Quinn was flipping through, her bad foot propped up on the table with a cushion under it. Rachel flopped down next to her resting her head on the blondes shoulder as she read an article about the movie Pacific Rim.
"You're going to make me go and see that movie, aren't you?"
Trying her best to look innocent, the hockey player shrugged the shoulder Rachel wasn't resting on.
"Well, ya know, it just looks like something we might both enjoy…don't ya think?"
Looking pointedly at the double page spread which showed some huge robot wrestling with a demented looking lizard, Rachel tried not to laugh.
"Weeeeeeellllll, I can see that you would definitely enjoy it, there are dinosaur looking things, huge robot's and a fight which looks like it probably damages more of the city than the dinosaur thing would on its own."
Quinn was too astounded by the inaccuracies in that statement, and Rachel was too amused by Quinn's obvious astonishment, for either of them to hear the doorbell. They were so engrossed in their little debate that Hiram was able to show his friend in and the two of them were able to watch the skaters bickering good naturedly, undetected. Smiling slightly the reporter glanced at Hiram.
"Is this usual?"
Laughing softly he watched Quinn, arms wind milling wildly as she attempted to explain the finer points of something called 'Mechs' to his bemused daughter. Waiting for a pause in the conversation, he cleared his throat at which point they both looked up, Rachel smiled brightly with just a hint of red tinting the very top of her cheeks. Quinn did her usual fire engine red flush of embarrassment and half waved. Hiram headed towards the two and gestured to the woman standing next to him.
"Sorry to interrupt what sounds like an interesting…um…debate, but I'd like to introduce you to Nicole, she's an old friend so behave with her!"
Quinn held her hands up as if Hiram was holding her up and Rachel rolled her eyes at her father's dramatics. Her father's reporter friend was ridiculously tall next to him but was probably only five foot eight, Hiram, like Rachel, just had a tendency to make everyone look tall. She had long slightly curled red hair and was dressed in a white blouse with the sleeves rolled up, black pinstripe pants and black ankle boots; she smiled and nodded politely to the two skaters. They nodded back companionably before returning their attention to a squirming Hiram.
"Daddy, I'm sure we'll be fine! Don't worry about us…I mean, it's not like after the interviews over we're going to ask your old friend for blackmail stories about your time together in college is it?"
She blinked innocently and turned to Quinn, who smiled just as 'innocently' as her partner.
"Exactly, chill out Hiram…I'm sure you were such a good boy that even if she did want to tell us something there would be nothing to tell, isn't that right Nicole?"
The reporter laughed at her friends face and laid a hand on his arm, trying to look solemn.
"Don't worry Hiram…I'm sure I can handle this interview without blowing your cover as a serious parental figure."
Narrowing his eyes he swung a warning finger between his friend and his daughter(s) as he headed towards the study where Leroy was setting up for a conference call they both had. Once he'd gone (after one last pointed glare) the skaters broke into grins. Rachel collapsed back onto the sofa next to Quinn, their fingers automatically lacing together. Rachel then gestured to the chair that had been arranged opposite them.
"Okay, so…daddy explained a little bit about the format of the interview with you I guess?"
Nodding slightly, Nicole gratefully sank into the faux leather armchair and began to take the things she would need for the interview out of her bag, arranging them carefully on the table in front of her.
"Yes, and don't worry, if there's anything I stray towards that you'd rather I didn't then just say so. To be honest I'm happy enough to be getting this interview that I don't want to accidentally piss you off, let alone intentionally do so!"
Grinning slightly to cover her bewilderment, Quinn tugged on her ear with her free hand as she commented.
"Well, I'm happy to do this with a friend of Hiram's and I'll try and be open as I possibly can but yeah…there are things I may not want to delve into so much. Truth is I find this all kind of strange, I mean, Rach told me it would possibly be like this but the idea people are really that interested in my life is, well, odd. I keep expecting to hear the 'Twilight Zone' music, you know?"
Chuckling slightly Nicole nodded; watching as Rachel scratched the nape of Quinn's neck lightly, presumably to comfort her nerves.
"Yes, I can imagine that not being raised around the press, this has sort of hit you hard, which is why I will try and be as non-paparazzi like as I possibly can be! I'll do the photos myself if that's okay which cuts down on one of the extra people that would normally be here with me."
Rachel raised an impressed eyebrow.
"I didn't think that was normal, don't you have to set up loads of different lights and all that?"
Smile widening slightly, the reporter pulled a digital SLR out and set it next to the notebook, tripod and voice recorder on the desk.
"Well, if we were going for a full on fashion shoot then maybe, yeah, however I actually started out as a photographer on the crime beat so I'm pretty handy with a camera myself. I also figured that you'd prefer me and one camera to a photographer and a whole set up."
Quinn dashed off a sloppy salute of confirmation.
"You got that right! So long as you're happy to do things yourself then I reckon it's safe to say we're definitely okay with it?"
She glanced to Rachel for confirmation and the little diva nodded happily, with that sorted, Nicole set about mounting the camera on a tripod and focusing it on the couple, explaining she would let it take timed shots through the interview as well as occasionally taking one with the remote. Setting the auto focus, timer and syncing the remote, the reporter finally sat back down, while she'd been setting things up, the skaters had been pouring drinks and had then settled down to a serious game of thumb wars. Taking a few quick candid shots of the two women fooling around, Nicole sat down and gratefully sipped the coffee Rachel had poured for her, sighing happily when she realised Hiram must have already told the brunette how she liked it.
"Okay, while I'm sorry to break up what looks like some serious competition, the sooner we start this, the sooner you're free for the rest of the day!"
Immediately sitting up with her brightest smile, Rachel brushed her hair over her shoulder; Quinn rolled her eyes at her partner's show smile.
"Geez princess, no need to do the fake smile thing, it's just us remember…and admit it, you're just glad because I was so kicking your little ass at thumb wars!"
Laughing at the outraged look on the diva's face, Quinn ducked the Gibb's slap aimed at the back of her head.
"Shut it Gretzky! For your information I was just gearing up for an epic comeback…though I do apologise for the show smile! Sort of happens automatically really, however, I am now determined to just be me…at least for this interview anyway."
Her show smile gave way to a truly amused grin as she allowed Quinn to pull her back into a hug, the hockey players arms wrapped around her waist. Nicole shook her head at the two of them and flipped through her notebook until she came across the few scribbled questions she had come up with along with her editor.
"Okay then guys, we'll start with the basic's I've got down here then play it by ear, I'll record the interview and give you a copy of the tape if you like, that way if there's anything that comes out in the article you dispute you can refer back to it."
Raising a blonde eyebrow, the hockey player quipped.
"It's just like being interviewed by the cops, though at least the coffee's better…"
Rachel rolled her eyes as Quinn smirked and placed a kiss to the diva's temple.
"You're such a wiseass, if you don't behave yourself for the next couple of hours I'll serve you police grade coffee…and stale Danish!"
Pulling the appropriate face of disgust, Quinn sank back into the cushions of the sofa, waiting for Rachel to get comfortable next to her. The diva lay with her back resting near the sofa's arm and her feet in the blondes lap. Figuring they were ready, and curious to discover if they were just best friends or indeed something much more, Nicole glanced at the first question on her list.
"Alright so first up, how did the two of you meet; is there any truth to the rumours that Quinn started out in hockey and not ice skating?"
Both skaters grinned and glanced at the hockey shirt with Quinn's number on it that Rachel was wearing; it was the hockey player that answered however.
"Well, yeah we definitely came from 'opposite sides of the tracks' I guess you could say, Rachel's coach, well our coach now, Will Schuster, was visiting a mutual friend of ours. He saw me playing hockey, street hockey this was, and I guess he must have liked what he saw because next thing I know he was sat in my living room and my mom was waking me from the hangover from hell to come talk to someone about a job. Truth is, until Will turned up at my door the thought of figure skating had never even crossed my mind. I'd played just about every other sport under the sun, basketball, soccer, softball, baseball, lacrosse, ice hockey, street hockey, handball and even track. I lettered in most of them at one point or another…but figure skating? That was strictly for wimps."
She trailed off with a laugh at Rachel's disbelieving glare and shrugged.
"Hey, that was before I knew better okay! Now I know that figure skating is about the toughest sport in the world, at least out of the ones I've played!"
Rachel lifted the hand that was interlaced with Quinn's and kissed the hockey players scarred knuckles lightly before she turned her attention to Nicole who was scribbling busily.
"That's her half of the story anyway, mine is a little more…colourful I'm afraid!"
It was Quinn's turn to soothe Rachel this time and she ran her thumb gently over the diva's knuckles, giving her an encouraging smile.
"I'm sure it's no secret that my reputation when it comes to skating partners is not the best, I think most people use the words 'bitch' or 'ice queen' and that's only if they're feeling generous. They weren't wrong either, as much as I wish they were; it was just that I always seemed to want or expect something from my partners that they didn't have…and that I never gave them the chance to develop. Will had literally been to all four corners of the earth and then some to try and find me a partner that was willing to skate with me and was strong enough to not only stand up for themselves but to challenge me. Needless to say when I first laid eyes on Quinn here, I was convinced that she wasn't going to be the one…besides the rage I initially felt that she was actually a she."
Raising an eyebrow the reporter jumped at the chance to ad lib a question.
"So, the same sex pairing wasn't a planned thing then?"
Both skaters laughed at that, Rachel shaking her head emphatically before expanding on the answer.
"Nope, I think Will knew that if he had even attempted to float the idea with me it would have led to hours and hours of arguments, sulking and dozens of slammed doors! Instead, he saw Quinn skate, realised she was more than capable of taking on the traditionally male role of a pairs skater and made the unilateral decision to offer her a try out. Needless to say I wasn't exactly eager to embrace the idea when I first learned of it; my name was already pretty tarnished in the skating world, something I was painfully aware of. To my mind this was only going to make it worse not better, however, once Will pointed out that I really had no other choice as no one else would skate with me…I couldn't really say no."
Quinn grinned crookedly at that and couldn't resist adding.
"And then of course she met me and recognised my brilliance!"
Rachel raised an amused eyebrow, the edges of her mouth curling up in a matching grin.
"That's not quite the way I remember it Gretzky."
Sensing a much more entertaining tale behind their exchange, Nicole leapt in with her next question.
"So the two of you came from very different skating backgrounds so to speak, what was it like when you first met and started skating together? Any clashes when it came to your personalities, or style?"
Both Quinn and Rachel smirked at the question and the diva shifted closer so she could rest her head on the hockey player's shoulder. Quinn tugged lightly on her ear before pursing her lips, thinking how best to word her reply.
"I think it's safe to say that, initially at least…we most definitely rubbed each other up the wrong way, as far as I was concerned she was everything the press said she was and then some."
Rachel nodded before adding.
"And to my eyes, she was a thug who was two misdemeanours away from a felony with about as much breeding as a mongrel. I'm ashamed to say that we treated each other appallingly when we first met, I wanted her to fail and made no secret of the fact, and she wanted to prove me wrong just to annoy me."
Quinn nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, that about covers it, it didn't help that as athletic and graceful as I was…I was a complete novice when it came to figure skating, and in particular the differences between figure skates and ice hockey skates."
Rachel groaned and tried to hide her face in the hockey player's neck, laughing the blonde glanced towards the bemused reporter.
"And now we come to one of Rachel's little secret's…her crappy sense of humour!"
Glaring slightly, the diva sat up straight and pointed out.
"Hey, I only did that after you deliberately dropped me on my ass from five foot in the air!"
Amused at the mock glaring going on between the two skaters in front of her, Nicole cleared her throat.
"I may regret asking this, but I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't…what exactly did you do Rachel, and why did you drop her on her ass Quinn?"
Mock glaring at the smirking blonde, Rachel turned to Nicole and let out a sigh.
"At this point we still didn't like each other very much; or maybe we did but we didn't recognise it yet, anyway…whichever one it was she had gotten me pretty frustrated! Mostly because as much as I wanted her to be incapable of keeping up or perhaps to be about as graceful as Bambi was on ice, she was neither. Except when it came to mastering the toe pick, it's a small part of the figure skate but if you don't master it you tend to face plant the ice…a lot!"
Quinn remarked drily.
"And I did, frequently, much to her highnesses amusement I might add."
Rachel blushed slightly in embarrassment, though the effect was ruined somewhat by the small grin that accompanied it.
"Well you were being an insufferable ass at that point Quinn, I figured watching you get knocked down a peg or two couldn't hurt."
Nicole glanced to the hockey player with a wince of sympathy.
"Ooh Rachel's got claws, I can't believe she did that to you, but Quinn, I'm assuming that you were no pushover either!"
The hockey player barked a laugh at that and pulling Rachel closer to her again, kissed the diva's forehead before replying.
"Very true, I think Will seriously considered shooting the two of us with tranquilisers sometimes in the early days! And to clarify what she said earlier, I had dropped her on her ass purposely, however in my defence she was the one being an insufferable ass at that point in time."
Rachel nodded easily in agreement and the two skaters shared a nostalgic smile as they thought back to how they had started out, sensing the direction their thoughts were going, the reporter asked the obvious next question.
"Well then, I have to ask, how did you two get to where you are today, I mean clearly you work well together and are equally as protective of each other off the ice?"
Thinking back to her altercations with Jesse and the way it had brought out her protective side, Quinn flushed faintly and ducked her head, something Rachel found adorable and she smirked.
"Don't get shy on me now Gretzky I'm not fielding this one on my own!"
Despite the distinct fire engine red hue of her cheeks, the hockey player looked up, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah I'm here with you princess…and yes we are protective, I think it's safe to say that as we got to know each other, I mean…the real each other, the more we found we cared. I mean, everyone sees the way Rachel is on the ice and assumes she's just as poised, controlled and seemingly cold off of it as well, when in fact it couldn't be further from the truth. I mean I hate to demystify things here, but off the ice Rachel is just like everyone else, she has bad days, she has days where she wants to do nothing but snuggle and watch cartoons and she cries and laughs at the same things the rest of us do. She is however, more compassionate, understanding and loving than I can possibly hope to convey to you, and for that I guess I'm grateful that she called me out on being such an ass…so yeah, I'll do pretty much anything to protect her, to protect what we have now."
Blinking tears out of her eyes, Rachel squeezed the hand nestled in her own before speaking hoarsely.
"I…hate that you answered first because now I have to try and think of something that sounds half as good as that!"
Thumping the blondes shoulder lightly, the little diva blew out a breath before adding her own answer, speaking to Nicole but looking at Quinn as she did so.
"Quinn was an ass, but only on the surface, she was proud of that and worked hard to keep the image up, however, after her family came down to drop off the rest of her stuff when she got the job and agreed to stay…I saw a different side to her, one I guess most people don't get to see. She's very loving; she cares a hell of a lot about the people around her even if she thinks it's weak to show it. With her family around her though she's incapable of being anyone but her real self, or at least she couldn't help but offer glimpses of who she really was, and when she did I was hooked. Because that Quinn was…well, everything I never knew I wanted."
She ended with a shrug, and as much as Quinn fought to supress the blush, she felt her cheeks heat up again, leaving her to be the one to try and hide in the diva's neck this time. Nicole shook her head at the two skaters who seemed to be having their own private conversation conducted merely through their joined hands and the occasional glance, she almost felt bad for interrupting it to continue the interview…but only almost.
"Speaking of being protective of each other...Quinn, you were seen protecting Rachel from Jesse at a competition, in fact your rivalry with Jesse is already being compared to Harding and Kerrigan already, any comments on that?"
Wincing slightly at the mention of the St James douche bag and her own incredibly territorial behaviour, the hockey player rubbed the back of her neck.
"Aw geez, um…well, it was never my intention to get into that type of rivalry with anyone, let alone one of Rachel's ex skating partners. Everyone knows that psychological warfare can be just as, if not more damaging, than actually trading blows, and Jesse is a pro at psyching people out, well he thinks he is. And he insists on using that weapon against Rachel, making her think that we're a joke, nothing more than a side show act."
Pausing, Quinn glanced at Rachel who winked reassuringly, giving her the confidence to go on, despite how personal the topic was bound to get.
"I guess he also knew I'd react to that and played me a bit, but even knowing that's what he's aiming to do there's no way I would stand by and listen to him belittle Rachel, myself or how hard we work. Plus…the family I have now, there is no way in this or any other galaxy that I'm going to let him bad mouth them, he may technically be right when he refers back to me being a thug and having a shitty past, but my mom's now, they had nothing to do with that. The only thing they have done is treat me like a parent should treat a child they love, and for him to say what he does about them…well, he's lucky they taught me a little restraint."
Nicole could sense the unease that rested just below the surface of the seemingly relaxed blonde in front of her and smiled kindly in a bid to reassure her she wouldn't make her talk about anything she really felt she couldn't. Rachel watched the exchange and mouthed her thanks to the reporter as she moved her hand to Quinn's neck, lightly rubbing and scratching at the nape to help ease the tension trying to settle into the hockey player's shoulders. Busying herself for a moment Nicole topped up their drinks and handed Quinn hers with a soft smile before phrasing the next question carefully.
"So, he brought up your past huh? Quinn, would you like to tell us more about your past? After all I for one would like to know the truth about your past, not your past as told to us by Russell Fabray, a man you haven't even spoken to since you were a child."
Letting loose a small sigh, Quinn sank back into the sofa with Rachel, who kept one hand on the nape of her neck, the other running soothingly up and down the blondes arm, her support obvious. After smiling reassuringly at the obviously concerned diva she cleared her throat.
"I'll tell you some of it, not all…partly because I hate recounting it at all, and partly because it's not exactly pleasant to have to hear. My dearest father was right about a few of the things he said happened, he just neglected to point out the very limited choice I had in what I did back then."
After a sip of her coffee, Quinn let her eyes meet those of the reporter as she began to recount what exactly her childhood was like. It was an edited version of course, mentioning the explosive relationship between her mother and father before her mom's abrupt disappearing act. She went on to say that yes she had been part of her father's backroom card games, but not through choice, mostly because she wanted to avoid a beating and eat for a change. She told of her father's duplicity being discovered by one of the men responsible for organising the games (she was careful to not mention any names for her and the reporter's safety) and her subsequent 'sale' to said man. She glossed over what exactly happened when she was in this man's ownership, Nicole took the hint and didn't ask for any more than Quinn was willing to give, quite frankly she was amazed the woman was as…together as she was given all of that, so she decided to tell her as much.
"Quinn, before we go any further with this interview, I would just like to say that I for one think you are one very strong lady, to go through all that and still be where and who you are now…well, frankly it's amazing."
Quinn would have ducked her head at that but Rachel didn't let her, she made sure to catch the blonde's eye, infusing her smile with as much love and pride as she was capable of. Comforted as she always was, by the honesty and depth of emotion in the diva's brown eyes, Quinn instead cleared her throat and acknowledged the compliment.
"I…well thanks…like I said, I wasn't always the nicest person as a teenager or indeed an adult, but my family, and Rachel and her dads have been here for me, helping me to be a better person…well, giving me the confidence to be the person I always was inside I guess."
Nodding politely, the reporter decided that Quinn had had enough of the spotlight for a while and turned to Rachel to address her next question.
"Rachel, I'm assuming all of this is not news to you, how did you feel about Quinn having such a...colourful past, for lack of a better word?"
The hockey player hadn't realised she had held her breath at that question until the brunette answered with an easy smile.
"Everyone has a past Nic, but that's exactly what it is, the past. It doesn't have to be held onto to define who you want to be, and it can be learnt from. Quinn is the harshest critic I know when it comes to doubting her self-worth, but she's not her father, she never could be. More importantly than that, she is much more than just the sum of her past mistakes, both bad and good."
She shifted in her seat, moving one hand from the back of the blonde's neck to prop her head up as she directed the second half of her answer to Quinn rather than to Nicole. This was the time, she decided, the time to let the world and the hockey player herself know that what they had was real, and wasn't going away.
"When I look at Quinn I don't see a foster child, I don't see a criminal, I don't see a thug and I don't see a womaniser. What I DO see is a fiercely dedicated skater, a strong family woman with wonderful parents and siblings to back her up. I see someone who keeps an eye out for snails on the ground when we go running after it's rained just so she doesn't step on them. I see the woman who always remembers to pack my lucky earrings when I forget, and makes sure we never end up late for anything because she knows how it makes me a little crazy. In short, I see the wonderful person that Quinn Fabray is, the person that I love with all my heart and intend to spend the rest of my life with…and if no one else can see that, or chooses not to then it's their loss."
Quinn leaned forward closer to Rachel, partly to cover the fact the damn woman had caused tears to gather in her eyes, and partly so she could whisper low enough for the diva alone to hear her as she gently brushed the tip of her nose over Rachel's (and completely missed Nicole taking a photo of the moment).
"I'm not going anywhere after a speech like that…though I'm looking forward to you trying to top it when it comes to writing our wedding vows!"
Nose crinkling in amusement at the blondes quip, Rachel replied smartly.
"Just you wait and see Gretzky, just you wait and see!"
Closing the last few centimetres between them, Quinn figured as Rachel had pretty much just blown wide open the fact that, as rumour suggested, they were in fact a couple, there was no harm in giving her a proper kiss. Closed mouth of course as they were still in an interview after all! The reporter cleared her throat delicately until she had the duo's attention once more; settling back into each other's arms, Quinn pointed her finger like a gun.
"Fire away with the next one LL!"
Rachel raised a questioning eyebrow.
"LL?"
The blonde's eyes widened as she explained.
"You know…Lois Lane! LL; like, the most famous fictional reporter in the world, the one you dressed up for our last free skate routine?"
When the brunette continued to look blank, Quinn groaned before face palming.
"We are so giving you an education when it comes to super hero films princess!"
Shaking her head in fond exasperation, the diva turned her attention back to the amused reporter; Nicole gave way to her amusement, chuckling slightly as she spoke.
"That is adorable, you two are adorable! And perhaps, dare I say it, the new fairy tale on ice, Torville and who? So, what do your families think of your relationship being more than professional?"
Rachel grinned widely as she thought of her two amazing dad's and Quinn's moms, not to mention Dave and Santana.
"Oh they're all for it, they were worried at first, but not because of whom we are, more because they were concerned about how the press would present us, um…no offence intended of course!"
Smirking crookedly, the blonde let loose a chuckle.
"Way to go princess, alienating the press, while talking to the press!"
Rachel aimed a good natured swipe at the hockey player's leg which she avoided, and another at her side which she didn't.
"Oh hush you! She knows I didn't mean anything by it, and they have been supportive you certainly can't deny that!"
Laughing, Quinn nodded her acquiescence to that point.
"True, in fact in the case of Santana she's been a little too supportive, I swear she's as invested in us as we are!"
Nicole made a note in her pad before asking.
"And Santana would be?"
Rachel opened her mouth to reply but Quinn beat her to it.
"My pain in the ass sister, unless you put this sentence in print, in which case what I actually said was 'my amazing wonderful sister' okay?"
The little diva shook her head before commenting.
"Oh please, you two love each other to bits and you know it, plus she has been pretty great, even if it does gall you to admit it!"
Quinn merely grunted her reply but the smile never left her face, nor did the twinkle in her eye as Rachel went on to give examples of how great the two families had been about their relationship and making them each feel part of the others family. She included Quinn's inviting her to her family home for thanksgiving, and of course the shared Christmas which she still counted as her best Christmas ever…even topping the one where she got her first set of skates and fell in love with figure skating. The reporter couldn't help but be warmed by the news that not only had the two women found each other, as well as something seemingly very special, but had gained wonderful extended families from it.
"That's fantastic, the fact that you both have such accepting families, especially since that is not considered 'the norm'. The world would definitely be a better more tolerant place if more families were open like yours. Alright, as much as I've enjoyed this segue; it's back to a couple more skating questions before we wrap up this interview!"
Quinn gave an exaggerated groan and flopped around on the sofa doing her best impression of a surly teenager.
"Oh God, do we have to!"
Rachel patted her on the head indulgently before winking at Nicole.
"Ignore her; she gets cranky if she goes without peanut butter for more than a couple of hours!"
Charmed by the honest and amusing interaction between the two skaters, Nicole found herself sneaking another quick photo of Quinn as she pulled her best indignant expression while Rachel looked on, laughing. Looking back down to her notes, the reporter skipped over a couple of the more personal questions she had decided to drop and went for the next logical one.
"Are you two at all worried that your relationship off the ice may affect your performance on the ice?"
Rachel pursed her lips in thought for a moment at that question while Quinn frowned, trying to think if it had been much of a problem so far, it was the brunette that answered first.
"I don't think so; I mean there's been nothing major so far, occasionally we'll disagree about whether or not we've perfected certain moves, whether or not a move or lift is smooth enough to take into competition, but nothing that's caused us any major disagreements?"
She looked to the hockey player for confirmation and Quinn just nodded in agreement before adding.
"I think the nearest we got to an argument affecting us off as well as on the ice was when I wanted to try a move that is a little dangerous and in fact borders on being illegal in competition…but even that had little to do with skating, just us being a bit thick headed about something and it came out the wrong way. Even then our families are there to help point things out, plus the whole relationship thing is new to both of us really. But no, I think in general we're pretty good at keeping the two things separate and if there ever is a crossover then we have Will and two sets of parents to point it out."
Rachel couldn't help but add to that.
"Plus, when we hit the ice in a competition the only thing on both our minds is the routine and nailing it perfectly."
Quinn nodded in agreement, pointing to the little diva.
"Word!"
Two sets of eyebrows rose at that and Rachel only just managed to suppress her snort of amusement, Nicole wasn't quite as successful as the brunette sputtered.
"Did you really just say that?"
Shrugging nonchalantly, the hockey player waved a hand.
"Yeah, all the cool kids are saying it you're just not down with the youth of today Rach!"
Choosing for the moment to ignore the grinning blonde beside her, Rachel turned imploring eyes towards the highly amused reporter.
"You soooooo cannot put that in the article!"
Nicole just smirked and lowered her eyes to her notepad again.
"We'll see…now, where were we, ah yes! Quinn, I know that Rachel is the one with the ice skating background and as such, most would assume she'd take the lead in making decisions for your partnership. What I want to know is if she ever lets you make decisions about your performances and routine?"
Rachel immediately nodded while Quinn wobbled a hand side to side before breaking down in a grin at the diva's aggrieved expression.
"Actually, it's always been a joint thing…right from the start in fact, we tend to throw ideas out there and see what the other thinks. Sometimes it's not at all viable but other times we can see a way to make something work, sometimes it's an idea that doesn't seem like an obvious choice at first. I mean, I have always loved the Superman movies and that theme tune gets me every time, I hear the opening bars and the goose pimples are there! I floated the idea, jokingly at first, but as you saw in the last competition we made it work on the ice. We both have input with our make-up and costume design, and the guys who do it, Jason and Isaac are amazing…most times we can sketch out a rough idea of what we think might look good and they'll take it and find a way to make it work."
Rachel jumped in.
"I have to admit that sometimes it takes me a while to see what Quinn can see when she hears a particular piece of music or song to me, but once she shows me the way it is in her head I tend to agree…not all the time, just mostly. She's certainly had more interest and input than any other partner I've had, not just with me but like she just said, with Will, Jason and Isaac as well."
Smirking widely, the hockey player poked Rachel playfully in the side as she commented.
"Now all I have to do is convince you the Batman idea is a good one!"
Sighing dramatically, the diva rolled her eyes at the long standing joke.
"That will never happen, purely for the reason that last time we even played around with the idea you spent a week calling both my fathers Alfred and whispering 'I'm Batman' at every conceivable opportunity! After that, everyone except you begged me to never let it happen again."
Mock scowling, the blonde sank lower into her seat but didn't protest when Rachel ruffled her hair playfully. Realising she only had a couple of questions left to ask, Nicole was surprised to find she was disappointed, this truly had been one of her most pleasant interviews and she was loath for it to end, she suspected however that the two skaters felt quite the opposite! Smiling internally she asked the next question.
"Rachel, how has Quinn becoming your partner changed you, as a skater or personally? And Quinn, the same question goes for you, how has Rachel becoming your ice skating partner changed you?"
Tugging on her ear, the hockey player looked lost in thought as she tried to find a way to condense everything the diva had done for her into a few sentences…and found it to be an impossible task.
"Wow, tough question, not because I don't have an answer but because I'm trying to find one that say's everything without ending up as long as the bill of rights! Okay, well um…I guess the simplest way to put it is that Rachel changed everything without changing anything. I know that makes no sense but bear with me here and I'll try and explain it, Rachel was a pain in my ass to begin with, she pushed every button I had and then some. But, and this is an important but, she also made me feel, for the first time in ages I started to really connect not just with how I felt but also what was causing it. With that rush of feelings I also rediscovered my belief, my belief in myself, in my family, in people in general and…well, that good things don't always have to come with an attached tragedy, ya know? It was all stuff I already knew but something had blocked me from the knowledge, she just showed it to me again. As for skating, it would take me way too long to explain everything, but believe me when I say being on the ice has gone from something I enjoyed to something I live for and that is due, in part, to the fact I have an amazing partner whose willing to be patient with me…except for anything concerning toe picks that is!"
Brown eyes which had been shining with joy, narrowed playfully as the diva pointed a finger at the giggling (yes, giggling) hockey player.
"And you were so close to me revealing the whereabouts of the last packet of peanut butter cups! Oh well I'm sure daddy will enjoy them!"
Ignoring the sputtered apology from the blonde sat next to her, it was Rachel's turn to smirk as she answered the question.
"I think it's safe to say that if you asked any of my previous skating partners they would tell you I was a nightmare, far too controlled, and far too obsessed with perfection. Quinn reminded me that it's okay to live a little, that sometimes perfection isn't all it's cracked up to be. I mean, on the ice we still strive for perfection but it's a different type of perfection, I actually feel the music again, I'm in touch with my body, the rhythm and the routine which gives me a type of perfect that even the best technical skater can't achieve. I think that was what was missing before; why I never got as far as Olympic selection despite being paired with excellent technical skaters…I couldn't feel what I was doing, because I didn't believe in it. My dad says he can see the difference when I skate now because I enjoy it like I used to, and he's right, I do. As for off the ice, well that's the same really, I no longer see life as a challenge to be mastered but as a gift to be treasured. I mean, you heard some of what Quinn has been through and if she can still see the good stuff in the world and stop every now and again to just check out the scenery; then there sure as hell is no good reason that I shouldn't be doing the same."
Pausing to wink at the brunette who was red faced after such an emotional outpouring, Quinn turned to Nicole and commented wryly.
"So…the short answer is we changed each other a lot but not really, maybe just woke each other up to things we'd forgotten."
In a unique role reversal, the normally verbose diva was the one to hike a thumb in the hockey player's direction and say succinctly.
"What she just said."
Both Nicole (who was well aware of the brunette's tendency towards long winded answers) and Quinn laughed at that. Draining the last of her coffee the reporter looked to her pad before flipping it closed, smiling challengingly and asking the last question on her list.
"And Quinn, one last question, you have to choose: hockey or ice skating?"
Wincing dramatically, the blonde tugged thoughtfully on her ear, eyes darting between Rachel and the reporter.
"Hmm, oh wow, end with a toughie huh? Well, I do like being on the ice slamming a puck into the back of the net with a load of other meatheads, gives you one hell of a rush you know? But…that would of course mean being on the ice without the princess here, and somehow, and by the way I can't believe I'm saying anything quite this mushy, but being on the ice without her doesn't feel right anymore. Figure skating and Rachel would be my choice…every time."
Rachel's eyes lit up at the answer, not that she'd ever doubted it, and leaning forward she rewarded Quinn with a soft kiss.
"Well in that case, I guess you get those peanut butter cups after all."
Grinning happily the hockey player did a little sit down victory shimmy, arms raised triumphantly.
"Yay for Fabray fuel!"
The little diva's eyes twinkled lasciviously as she echoed the sentiment.
"Yay indeed."
Half regretful of having to interrupt the tender moment the reporter cleared her throat and upon regaining the couple's attention smiled politely.
"Okay, well that's the awkward questioning part done and I managed to get plenty of candid shots while we were talking, however, if it would be okay with you guys I figured we could get a few shots of you in action, maybe just out and about…do you have a favourite spot?"
Both skaters mind immediately flew to the wooded grove by the lake where they routinely watched the sunrise on their morning runs. After a quick talk and Quinn reluctantly agreeing to use the crutches to get around; to avoid further ankle damage, they chose a few spots that they agreed would make for good photos. it took a couple of hours, because as usual on their day off the two women were apt to goofing around, something the reporter secretly loved as it gave her dozens more candid shots. Eventually though she had a handful of pictures, some taken by the lake with Quinn attempting, once again, to teach Rachel how to skip stones. Some more of them on, or around the rink, and lastly a cute one of them cuddled on their sofa in the den next to the kitchen.
It was early evening by the time Hiram was handing his friend her coat again, hugging tightly before saying their goodbye's, Nicole promising to e-mail them an advance copy of the article and copies of the photos she'd taken. After bidding the redhead goodbye, Quinn and Rachel headed upstairs to cuddle up on the huge comfy bed and lose themselves in a few episodes of Perception. The credits were rolling on the third consecutive episode when the little diva piped up sleepily, apropos of nothing.
"You know if you ever wanted to play hockey again I would learn and play with you."
Unsure if she'd actually heard the words or if her sleepy brain had imagined them, Quinn turned a raised eyebrow the brunette's direction.
"Um…say what?"
Smiling slightly Rachel reiterated, turning to lie on her side, propping her head in one hand.
"I just meant…if you ever decided that hockey is where your true sporting heart lay then you wouldn't lose me, I'd just need to learn a different skill set is all, and, um how to use hockey skates of course."
The hockey player giggled.
"I'm happy with figure skating princess; besides you're kind of weeny to be out on the ice with a bunch of bruisers don't you think?"
Trying to beef up her height and muscle as much as she could whilst laying down, the diva smirked before reminding Quinn.
"I'm pretty nippy, and if I remember correctly, I have quite a mean slap shot!"
Touching the bump in the bridge of her nose, the blonde smiled ruefully.
"Don't remind me! But seriously Rae, I love figure skating, sure I love hockey but in a different way, it gives you a different kind of buzz."
Frowning thoughtfully, Rachel inadvertently surprised Quinn a second time that night.
"Would you teach me anyway, to play ice hockey I mean?"
Blinking hazel eyes in shock, it took the hockey player a moment to find her voice.
"I, ah…I mean if you want then yeah, I'd love to, why now though?"
Shrugging, the brunette shifted to lay her head on Quinn's chest, smiling sleepily as her hand shifted across to lay gently on the delineated abdominal muscles under the blondes T-shirt.
"Because you love it and I want to know more about it, maybe see if I can see what you see, it's definitely fun to watch…just don't tell Santana or shell blackmail my fathers into taking pictures of me learning."
Chuckling in silent agreement of the diva's assessment of her sister, Quinn placed a gentle kiss on the top of Rachel's head, her own hand sliding under the brunette's hockey shirt to rest on her hip.
"You got it princess, it'll be our secret…now let's snuggle down okay so I can forget I have three hours of painful physio in the morning."
Smirking slightly, Rachel moved so she was straddling the prostate hockey player and turning off the TV, threw the remote carelessly to one side.
"Well in that case, I have much better ways of distracting you Gretzky…"
Raising a challenging eyebrow, the blonde watched as her partner slowly lowered her lips towards her own, ducking to the side at the last minute and catching the sensitive of her collarbone lightly between her teeth.
"Oh…I see what you…good god that is distracting!"
Those were the last words spoken for a good hour or so as Quinn decided to give herself over completely to the brunette's extremely pleasant distraction techniques.
I know it's so late half of you have probably jumped ship and for that I apologise, however on the plus side all my medical exams came back negative and I'm looking to returning to work in the next few weeks so things are most definitely 'on the up' as we say here in the good old U.K! For those of you still reading you have my thanks, love and apologies and a promise that the next chapter will indeed feature Rachel's first hockey lesson. I do however have the temerity to ask you guys for a favour…well, two actually but they're sort of linked, kinda, if you squint maybe?! Firstly although I never outright ask, it would be good if you reviewed this just so I get an idea of how many people are still reading. Secondly I am also in the process of setting up a webpage where my stories are going to be available to download as free E-Books, as such I REALLY need some cover art, so if any of you are artistic or know someone who is pleeeassseeeee let me know or send me some artwork and you could be on the cover (digitally but it still counts) my e-mail is bxmrphy aol. com. obviously without the spaces! Look forward to hearing from you on either topic! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO B