A/N: Thanks for feedback as always. It's really nice to have people suggesting ideas too, so feel free to continue.
Anyway, on with the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee
Chapter 26 – Content warning – Rated M for mild sexual content - so if it offends you don't read it!
"Hello," the voice on the other end of the phone had a strange accent that Quinn couldn't quite place from just one word.
"Oh, hi. Can I speak to Helen Brown please?"
"Speaking," the voice replied.
Definitely English, Quinn thought or maybe Australian. "Hi, my name is Quinn. I emailed you a couple of days ago and you asked me to phone."
"Nice to speak to you in person. Thanks for getting in touch. How can I help?"
"I was wondering about joining your group if possible, I know it's probably a little late in the season, but I only just found out about it."
"We are already in rehearsal for our next show, but I am sure we can find something for you to be involved in, even if it's nothing major this time around. We rehearse on Saturdays at the moment. Are you free then?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Good. If you can make it around ten, that would be great. We start earlier but it will give me time to get everyone going and then we can chat. You have the details of where to go from the website I take it?"
"Yeah, thanks. Is it okay if I bring a friend? I'm not really familiar with that part of the city, not that I need a babysitter, but she'd love to come anyway."
"No problem," Helen replied.
The call ended shortly after.
Saturday morning came around. Quinn, accompanied by Rachel, travelled on the bus to a high school in the Bronx. They were both a little nervous, aware of the reputation, but found they were a little mistaken. The area seemed safe, even if it was clearly a working class one.
Quinn rolled up a shallow ramp at the entrance to what looked like a brand new school as she had been directed, while Rachel went up the steps alongside and into the building. There was an employee in the entrance who directed them to the auditorium, where voices could clearly be heard.
A little nervously, Quinn pushed open the door and was met by a large performance space opening out in front of her. She could see a few people on stage and some more down the front, a number of whom were in wheelchairs.
She rolled forwards and down the gentle slope to the bottom much faster than Rachel could walk. A few heads looked her way as her wheels made a slight whirring sound when they went quickly.
A woman in her forties peering over some notes turned to look in the direction of everyone else's attention and gave her a warm smile and a wave. "Hi, are you Quinn?"
Quinn nodded. "Yes, are you Helen" she rolled forwards and turned to face who she presumed was Helen. With a grin, she nervously held out her hand to shake. "Nice to meet you."
"Oh good, fresh blood!"
Quinn turned to see a guy in a power wheelchair up on the stage grinning at her. She blushed furiously and Rachel laughed at her embarrassment.
Helen turned and gave him a look that made his face fall and he quickly apologized. "Don't be offended, he's just joking." Helen placed a hand on Quinn's arm. "Forgive me a minute I just need to sort something out then I'm all yours."
She gave a series of instructions before turning back to Quinn and Rachel who was now stood beside her.
"This is Rachel, my girlfriend." Quinn introduced the brunette who immediately held out a hand to Helen.
"Nice to meet you both." She turned her attention to the blonde. "As you can see, plans for our next show are fairly advanced, but some of the group are playing more than one role, so we should be able to fit you in."
"I wouldn't want to disrupt anything. I could maybe just understudy if you like. I really don't mind."
"We can maybe work that in as well," Helen looked over to Rachel. "Are you here to cheer Quinn on or are you interested in joining us as well?"
Rachel looked a little surprised. "I just came in support really, but I would be happy to help out with anything."
"Rachel's at NYADA, she's a musical theater geek."
"I am not a geek," Rachel huffed slightly, "I am just enthusiastic."
Helen looked bemused at the couple's gentle teasing.
"Quinn is a rehabilitated former jockess, so she doesn't fully understand the artistic merits of the creative mind," Rachel decided to fight dirty.
"Former jockess?" It was the first time Quinn had heard herself referred to as that.
"Well cheerleading is an athletic pursuit is it not?" Rachel seemed insistent.
Quinn groaned slightly. "Just because I called you a geek, did you have to bring that up?"
Helen watched the two with a grin now. They probably didn't even realize how funny they were. "Well, that's quite an introduction. So Quinn, cheerleading?"
The blonde rolled her eyes. "It was back in high school, I haven't been a cheerleader in a little while," she glanced down at her chair without thinking.
Noticing the slight change, Helen raised her brow as if seeking an explanation without actually wanting to make her feel like she was being quizzed.
"I'm a freshman at Columbia and I am going to major in theater. I recently got a big part in a play and I think it went well but I got some really helpful feedback from an acquaintance about my performance and I could use some help. Because I am the only one in the group in a chair, no one really knows how to help and I don't have a huge experience acting yet, or even being in the chair so I looked around to see if there were any local theater groups featuring disabled performers and I found you guys." Quinn shrugged.
"I see, so when you say you don't have much acting experience?"
"I was in Glee Club for three years in high school and not to brag but we were pretty good."
"National Champions actually," Rachel added.
"And as Rachel grassed me up I was a cheerleader as well."
"Let me guess," Helen said, "National Champions?"
Quinn ducked her head a little embarrassed and nodded. "I wish Rachel hadn't brought that up."
"What part did you just play?"
"Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing."
"Wow, pretty hardcore for a first big role," Helen looked impressed.
"She was amazing," Rachel said gazing at her lover.
"And you said you lacked experience with the chair as well?" Helen fished again for a little more info.
"I, or rather, we were in a car accident last February. We both got pretty banged up, but I guess I came of worst physically. I suffered a spinal cord injury which left me a paraplegic."
Helen didn't say anything immediately, she just nodded. Quinn didn't need her to say anything really, she looked as though she had been through something similar herself. "Look I could use something to drink, now these guys are on task, let's go and have a little chat in the kitchen." She nodded across the other side of the stage and the younger women followed behind.
Making their way through a door into the backstage area, Helen led them down a hallway with dressing rooms marked on one side and eventually at the end was a small kitchen.
Helen went to the coffee machine, where a large pot of coffee was already brewed. "Do you indulge?" Helen asked in her clipped English accent.
"Yeah, sure." Quinn and Rachel both nodded.
A few moments later Rachel pulled away a couple of chairs to leave room for Helen and Quinn to pull under the small café table. Helen didn't even need to move to shift the coffee pot from the machine to the table, she simply lifted it down and swung it across. They all helped themselves to the black nectar.
"Have you been running the group long?" Rachel asked.
"About eight or nine years I think. We just moved here though from a church up the road. I work at the school and I persuaded the principal to let us use it. We are just a community group and we run on a pretty tight budget so she was happy to help us out."
"So you're a teacher here?"
Helen nodded. "I teach drama mostly and a little English Lit."
"Cool," Quinn nodded. "We both have a lot of respect for teachers."
"Thanks." Helen returned to Quinn. "So tell me about your performance and how we can help."
"Well, Rachel's Mom had a friend who is an agent and she thought I did pretty well, but she said that when I move around on stage something happens to my voice. How did she put it Rach?"
"I think she said you lose connection with the audience a little because you move too quickly sometimes and your voice tends to drift as a result."
"That happens quite a lot," Helen agreed. "It's just a timing issue, not even that difficult to solve. You just need to remember when to deliver a line and adjust your movement accordingly."
"One of my friends said the same thing, he likened my performance to him saying his lines whilst sprinting across the stage." Quinn gave a wry smile. "I understand, but I thought that working with other people in chairs might help me learn to perform better next time. Plus, as Rachel pointed out a few weeks ago, I guess I only have one disabled friend back home in Ohio. I feel a little uneducated still about a community that I should belong to. So I suppose I would like to get to know other people who are in a similar position to me as well."
"It's part of why we formed the group in the first place. We don't exclude able-bodied people, but primarily we are here to give opportunities to those with a disability."
"Did you start the group because you have a disability yourself?"
"That was how I became involved, but I didn't actually start it. It was a community project initially and I was approached as a drama teacher who just happened to be in a chair as well. I started out acting, but took up teaching because it was a regular income. I thought I would go back to performing but actually I really enjoyed the job. I was already teaching for a few years before I was injured skiing."
"Sorry to hear that," Quinn said.
"Don't be, I'm not. I think I'm happier now than I was before. Not that it didn't mess me up for a while. It took me three or four years to get on top of life again. You seem to be coping remarkably well considering it's still relatively new. How long did you say?"
"Last February, so fourteen months."
"So you started university in September?" Quinn nodded. "Gosh, just a few months after. And how has it been?"
"Great to be honest. I was accepted at Yale, but I went to take a tour to check out how accessible it was, I found it really hard going. I switched to Columbia and it's been really easy to manage physically. I suppose I am still finding things out but it gets easier each day."
"I think you're amazing," Rachel placed a hand over Quinn's.
"You're biased," Quinn smiled.
"Okay, well I hadn't counted on you being quite so young after our conversation on the phone, so I might have to re-think what I was going to suggest. How about we go out and I introduce you both. Then we'll see where we can fit you in."
"Sounds good."
"I must just warn you, both of you really. I know you said you hadn't spent much time with other disabled people. Just so you know, being politically correct isn't a strong point of most group members. This being a bit new to you, it might be a bit of a shock."
Quinn just grinned. "I don't mind. You should meet my friend Santana."
"Is she the one who is disabled?"
"No, she's just the rudest person ever. She calls me a crip, like actually to my face and everything."
"To be fair, you do actually use that term occasionally yourself, Quinn."
"Why do you have to be so honest all the time, even when I'm trying to impress people?"
They went backstage, where Helen called a cast meeting to introduce them to the other group members. There were around twenty altogether and from a variety of social backgrounds and ages. It was definitely an eclectic mix of people. There were about eight or nine in wheelchairs, but Quinn guessed the reasons for the wheelchair varied. There were some she suspected had a similar injury to her, but others who clearly had other causes.
"Okay guys, I just wanted to introduce two new group members. Say hi to Quinn and Rachel." There was a ripple of greetings from the assembled group before Helen continued. "Perhaps you would like to introduce yourselves?"
The teenagers looked at each other and Rachel indicated Quinn should go first.
"Hi, I'm Quinn. I'm nineteen and a freshman at Columbia majoring in theater. I'm a little new to all this so forgive me if I seem a bit naïve. I was injured in a car accident last year and I am still figuring things out for myself." She looked up at Rachel for her to start speaking.
"I'm Rachel and also nineteen and a freshman at NYADA. I am studying musical theater and dance. Quinn and I were at school together in Ohio and I was also in the accident that she got hurt in, but I was exceptionally fortunate and recovered from my injuries. I want to support Quinn and educate myself where possible, so that's why I came along."
"Thanks both of you. I am sure everyone will introduce themselves as they get a chance. Because a number of you are doubling up characters, it seems sensible to make life easier by giving some of the parts to Quinn and Rachel."
Quinn heard someone say "Thank God!" and looked up to see who it was. She smiled at a woman with bobbed fair hair who looked to be around thirty years old and was also in a wheelchair.
"Jennifer, I was thinking the same thing." Helen laughed. Turning to Quinn, she explained. "Jennifer has the lead but was doubling up a secondary character which required three difficult costume changes." Turning back to the other woman, she announced Quinn would take the minor role. "It makes sense to have her understudy you instead of me doing it as well, I have enough on my hands already and the two characters are never in the same scene so it works well." Helen turned to Rachel next. "I'd like you to play several roles which don't have much to say but are important and again, it avoids some of the more difficult costume changes, plus you can understudy the role of Dr Evans as I was also doing that."
"Sounds good to me," Rachel grinned.
"Alright, Act One, Scene Four is up first today. Everyone to their places. Quinn and Rachel you are in the scene after so I need you to do a quick read through together and then you can take over. Don't worry about remembering lines for today, you can use scripts."
Everyone started moving and those required for the scene got ready. Quinn rolled out to go backstage with Rachel following. They moved into the rehearsal room out back and received a few welcome introductions. They were met with genuine warmth from everyone, including the guy from earlier who had shouted out from the stage.
"Sorry about earlier," he grinned as he steered himself towards the blonde. "I'm Eric."
Quinn could see that he didn't have full use of his arms and hands. He offered a hand, but as he couldn't really shake hands, Quinn just raised hers and gave him a fist bump. "Nice to meet you," she replied. "I think."
He grinned again. "I couldn't resist. We don't have that many younger members and I already have to put up with my Mom at home so I can do without any more middle-aged people."
She laughed at him, realizing that he probably wasn't much older than her. Nodding, she conceded his comment had been well-timed for comedic value, if a little insensitive. "I guess we should get to work if we have to be in the next scene." She waved her script for emphasis.
"I'll let you get on," he turned his chair and zipped further away to work on his own part with another guy, this one able-bodied who was stood waiting slightly impatiently for him to return.
Quinn turned back to Rachel. "He's not as bad as I thought after earlier."
Rachel smiled. "You can't blame him for noticing you when enter a room. You've always been able to capture the crowd."
"Yeah, but I'm only interested in capturing you," Quinn grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "We better get going."
They turned their attention to the scene they needed to act out shortly.
As they finished up just after one that afternoon, Quinn and Rachel said their goodbye's and made for the exit. They passed Helen who was still looking through notes. "See you next week girls." She nodded, then thoughtfully called them back.
"Anything wrong?" Quinn asked. She thought they had done quite well considering they had gone in cold without even seeing the script.
"Not at all, you two are quick learners. I was wondering something and you might be able to help."
Rachel looked especially thrilled at the idea of being able to do more. "We would love to if we can."
"I was wondering if you had any classmates who might like to help us out for this show in particular. We lack able-bodied males in case you hadn't noticed." Helen shrugged. "I don't suppose you would know any who might be willing to turn up. They aren't major parts, but it would really help us out a lot."
"We know a few, but I can't promise they will come. Our friend Kurt might be able to join us. I'm not sure what type of role you want to fill, but I should warn you that he's the very opposite of butch."
Quinn shook her head at Rachel's description of Kurt.
"We'll be grateful for anything you can do to help on this."
"How many parts do you need filled?"
"Two, but the only able-bodied males we have are both in the same scene so they can't do it. It saves one of the ladies having to man up."
"We'll put the word out and see what we can come up with." Quinn was amused by Helen's phrase. "See you next week."
They left moments later and headed back to Quinn's dorm so she could collect some things to take to Rachel's for the remainder of the weekend. As they went out the door, Rachel followed Quinn down the ramp and when they got to the bottom, they saw Eric just getting into a large minivan via a ramp out the side door. They shouted goodbye to him and he gave them a wave.
Heading down the road for the bus stop, Rachel was thoughtful. She stuck out a hand for Quinn, who slid hers into the smaller one. Rachel didn't speak for a while, which was an uncommon experience, so the blonde knew something was going through her girlfriend's mind.
"Penny for them?"
Rachel looked down beside her and watched Quinn's other hand flick the wheel of her chair effortlessly. Her glance returned to the slightly quizzical expression she wore. "I'm just very grateful at the moment."
"What for?"
The brunette looked down briefly and then returned her gaze to the hazel eyes questioning her. "I was just thinking about Eric. It must be very hard to have so little use of his body and I was just thinking how lucky we were in comparison. That could have been us so easily, so at this moment, I'm very grateful."
Quinn's grip on Rachel's hand tightened a little in acknowledgement. "I thought that earlier as well. I know everyone was feeling bad for us after the accident, but seeing someone who's life is so much harder than mine always makes me think that I got off lightly in the end."
"I wouldn't say you got off lightly Quinn. That would be doing you an injustice after how hard you have worked. But you're right in that either one of us could have ended up being stuck in Lima, still living with our parents because we didn't have a choice about the future. I'm so glad you were able to start college straight away and I'm really proud of you for getting through the first year. I know we didn't really talk much about the anniversary because we were both pretty upset, but how do you feel about it now?"
"Like it's just something I had to get through. I feel more grown up I suppose. I was always in a bit of a rush to grow up but for all the wrong reasons and then suddenly I was forced to grow up. It was just a surreal experience and I look at how much my life has changed but with no regrets, Rach. If I learned anything from all of this, it's that I like who I am now, even if I can't walk or run or jump. I'd rather be the person I am now and be physically limited than who I was before and be able to walk. I don't know if it's some kind of karmic trade-off, but I am happier now than I have been for so many years. A lot of that has to do with you as well."
"Really?"
"Of course, I can't you tell how much more content I am with everything."
"I wasn't aware that I had much to do with that. I thought it was more to do with you having regained your independence and making a great start to your time here."
"None of it would have mattered if you hadn't forgiven me for the way I used to treat you. I would never have been happy with myself without that. You are a very forgiving person and I think I'm not sure how our lives crossed over, but I'm thrilled they did."
"Wow, that was quite some speech for you."
"Thanks."
"If it's karmic force you are looking for, Mr Schue is the one to thank."
"I guess. He was such a good Glee coach."
"No, I meant that he was responsible for both of us being in Glee. I was going to leave unless he found a male lead and so he heard Finn singing in the shower in the boys locker room and planted pot in his locker to bribe him into joining. If Finn hadn't been forced to join, you never would have either." Rachel shrugged.
Quinn was speechless. "Really? I would never have thought Mr Schue was even capable of that level of deceit; I wouldn't have put it past Sue Sylvester, but Mr Schue?"
"I know. Finn told me after graduation."
"So we owe him an even bigger debt than I thought."
"I guess we do," Rachel nodded and leaned in for a kiss.
"The bus is here," Quinn nodded towards the approaching vehicle as Rachel released her lips.
They rode the bus back to Morningside Heights and went into Quinn's room. She emptied out some things from her backpack from the night before and re-packed some clean clothes. "I really need to do some laundry," Quinn noted the overflowing basket. "Do you mind staying a while until this lot goes through the machines?"
"Of course not. We can stay here tonight if you want, so long as we are at mine first thing tomorrow to see Shelby and Beth."
"I'd rather go to yours if that's okay. I'll just go and get these in the machine and I'll be back. Do you want to make some tea?"
Rachel nodded and made her way to the kitchen, while Quinn carried the basket on her knees down to the laundry room. She found Julia stood ironing in there.
"Hey Quinn."
"Hi. How are you?"
"Good, you?"
"Great thanks. Rach and I just got back from the Bronx. We joined a community theater group."
"Sounds right up your street, but the Bronx?"
"Yeah it was good, not even slightly scary."
"Is this the group you were talking about before, the one for disabled people?"
"It's a mixture of able-bodied and disabled people actually, so it's good because they made Rachel feel welcome as well."
"I guess it would be nice for you to spend time with other people who get what it's like. I mean, we all love you and stuff, but we know we don't really understand what it's like."
"I guess. Does it sound a little crazy to say that I am not as comfortable around other disabled people as I probably should be?"
Julia shrugged. "A bit," she looked at Quinn who was actually wrestling with a sheet to get it in the machine, which was a top loader and just a little high for Quinn to reach comfortably. "Do you need a hand?"
"Your legs might prove more useful, but yes please," she chuckled. "I should have sent Rach down and she could do this while I get the tea."
Julia tipped the basket of clothes into the machine and Quinn tossed in the detergent capsule after and set it running.
"Let me know if you need a hand to take it out later, I'll be in all evening."
"Not going out tonight?"
"No I'm trying to keep a lid on my spending and I was out last night."
"We're just going to head back to Rach's after my laundry is done. Her Mom is coming over tomorrow so it saves me having to use the bus on a Sunday."
"So will you get to see your daughter as well?"
"Yeah. I can't wait to spend some more time with her."
"We haven't really had a chance to talk to you much about it since you told us. I can't imagine how hard it must have been, especially when your folks kicked you out. I thought you got on well with your Mom though."
"I do now, she kicked my Dad out for having an affair, which is ironic because he kicked me out for being immoral. Go figure."
"Do you ever see him?"
"Nope, not since the day he threw me out."
"So does he even know about your accident?"
"Yeah, Mom told him. He never even came to visit me when I was in the ICU. But it's fine. He's a jerk and I don't care about him anymore."
"What sort of man does that to his child. I can't even begin to imagine."
"I don't care if I never see him again. If he ever comes near me, Santana has threatened to hurt him and to be honest I wouldn't mind seeing her have a go."
"She's so cool and a great friend I bet."
"The best kind, not that she'll admit to caring much."
"She's very funny. She says things to you that we would never dare say."
"I know, but that's why I love her. Talking of Santana, I always get the feeling and forgive me if I'm making completely the wrong assumption, because truthfully my gaydar is nowhere near as good as hers, that you might be interested?" Quinn screwed up her face as if to protect herself in case she had misread the situation.
Julia actually blushed. "I didn't ever really dare say anything. I mean, I thought that she might be, you know, but I wasn't a hundred percent sure because she doesn't say much about herself that way. I haven't even really come out or anything either, I am a bit unsure I guess, but she definitely catches my attention whenever I have seen her around."
"I wasn't sure about you either. I sort of got a vibe, but I didn't really want to make you feel awkward in front of anyone else."
"You and Rachel are the only girls I know who are openly in a relationship and I sort of wanted to talk to you about it, but I hardly ever see you on your own."
"Look I'll be honest. Neither Rach or I really know much about being gay either. We weren't sure about ourselves in the beginning and I am a little hesitant still to call myself that. I guess we are, and we're open about it, but I don't necessarily think of that as being part of my identity the way some people do. Kurt is definitely GAY, but he's always known and accepted it about himself. I guess Rach and I are just in love with each other and the fact that we are of the same gender is almost irrelevant."
"I don't ever look at a guy and think of him as sexy, I see girls that way instead. I think that definitely means I am gay, but I don't really know what to do about it."
"Maybe you should talk to Santana about it, she's a little more educated about it I guess. Plus she had a hard time accepting it too, so maybe she can help you."
"I'd like that, if you think she wouldn't mind."
"Cool. I'll talk to her tonight. Actually, why don't you just come over to Rach's. You can always sleep on the pull out bed in the living room and then you can stay for lunch tomorrow with us."
"Don't worry about me, I wouldn't want to intrude on your family time."
"It's not an intrusion, honestly. We all just help out with making lunch and getting things ready. It's no big deal to include one extra. Come on, you'll enjoy it and all it will cost you is the bus fare."
"Don't you want to check it's alright first?"
"Will that make you feel better about accepting?"
Julia nodded, her light brown ponytail bobbing up and down.
Quinn took out her phone and dialed Santana. "Hey, Satan what's up?"
Julia watched as Quinn's face broke into a smile at something her friend said.
"I am with Julia and she was going to spend the evening ironing, so I invited her to come back with me and Rachel and stay over for lunch tomorrow, but she's being difficult and insisting I obtain permission first. She's worried about being a nuisance!" Quinn paused briefly and then chuckled before handing her phone to Julia. "She wants to talk to you."
"Err, hi Santana," Julia heard Quinn's Latin friend reply.
The Latina's voice came through. "So Q seems to think you would be turning down her offer on the grounds that we'll consider you a pain in caboose," Santana commented.
"I wouldn't want to be in the way," Julia was being polite.
"Joolz, seriously. Tonight we will probably have takeaway pizza and watch a movie and tomorrow I am going to chase around the apartment after the rug rat, so it's nothing special that you'd be interfering with. You're a friend and friends are always welcome here, especially if you have any culinary talents, because to be honest, Quinn can barely fit in the kitchen with more than one other person in here and Rachel's cooking, well let's just say it's limited."
"I can help with roast dinners if that's any use?"
Quinn smiled having heard Santana's comments before that.
"Then you're hired. Get your butt over here with Q tonight, we have Domino's on speed dial."
Julia agreed and handed the phone back to Quinn who spoke to her friend again. "Thanks San, see you later."
Quinn left Julia finishing up in the laundry and made her way back to her room where Rachel was waiting with tea. She told her all about Julia and Rachel agreed it was a great idea.
"You know with a houseful of people tomorrow we aren't going to get a lot of time to ourselves this weekend?" Rachel had a sneaky grin on her face.
"Rachel Berry, are you suggesting that our extra-curricular activities may have to be curtailed because of a house guest?"
"Well you wouldn't want anyone to overhear would you?"
Quinn raised a brow. "You're the screamer."
Rachel looked at her with mock outrage and threw a pillow at the blonde.
Quinn's eyes widened. "Just remember later on, you started this." Quinn rolled towards the brunette sat on her bed and firmly pushed her shoulders back, knocking Rachel down onto the mattress. The blonde slipped from her chair to the bed and lay beside her girlfriend, rolling onto her side and leaning into Rachel's arms. The petite diva pulled Quinn further into her until she was pretty much pinned to the bed. They started kissing, tongues and saliva gradually merging as the pair couldn't get enough of each other. Half an hour later, they were both naked, panting with gasps as they played with each other's erogenous parts. Rachel was subjecting Quinn's breasts and ribs to constant feather-light strokes which drove the blonde crazy. Quinn's left hand was buried in Rachel's silken hair at the nape of her neck whilst the other was buried in her slit. They were sat facing each other, Quinn's legs draped over the top of Rachel's which were wrapped around the blonde's hips. Leaving Quinn's breasts alone for a moment, Rachel could feel herself beginning to near the edge. She reached around Quinn's back to pull her closer. Her fingers found themselves brushing over the ten inch scar running down the small of her lover's back. A hiss escaped from Quinn's lips at the touch. She couldn't actually feel some of it, because Rachel's hand was teasing the hypersensitive area, as well as above and below the line where sensation ended. It drove her nuts, but she loved that Rachel didn't mind the imperfection, in fact she always took time to caress it, just so Quinn knew this.
Rachel knew she would probably go first, it was so much easier for her. It always took a little more time for Quinn's body to respond, but she loved it when it happened. Seeing Quinn orgasm was about the best feeling Rachel ever had in her life. Knowing that the former cheerleader didn't have sensation in half her body had made her so sad the first time they tried to make love. Rachel had so much desire that she came quickly, but Quinn hadn't and it took some time to get her there. She had patiently talked Rachel through everything that made her feel good and although it had made the experience feel a little bit like a lesson, eventually the brunette had seen how Quinn's body responded to her touch. All the places that normally resulted in the hitch of a breath and a cry of pleasure had moved north because of her injury, and although it didn't feel like it had before, the pleasure center of her brain had fired and the warmth that spread from her breasts out to the rest of her body was electric. Rachel knew all the little tricks now, tweaking Quinn's nipples, stroking her breasts, sprinkling light tickles down her sides and across her ribs and most of all, teasing the inch of skin joining the area she could still feel and that which was now numb.
Rachel didn't hold back from touching the parts of Quinn's body that no longer had any sensation though as well and it was easy to see why. She loved to trail kisses from the blonde's feet right up the inside of her thigh, the closer she got to Quinn's abdomen where sensation began again, the noisier her breath became, anticipating when she would finally feel what was happening was part of the pleasure. Rachel always used her fingers inside Quinn's folds, she didn't care that Quinn couldn't feel it, she knew her lover could see it and that made her all kinds of happy. The blonde had explained how being able to see what was happening helped her brain to sense it and remember what it used to feel like and soon enough Quinn held her breath and cried out as the ivory skin across her chest and neck flushed red.
They held each other for a while after allowing the heat to gently dissipate. Both had a sheen of sweat across their brow from the exertion. Quinn glanced across at her clock and realized they had lost over an hour of time. "Rach, honey?"
"Hmm," the brunette's dreamy reply drifted up from where she was curled happily on Quinn's chest.
"I can't move until you do and I need to take a shower now you've disheveled me."
"What? It's not my fault you're too horny."
"It's all your fault, I told you that earlier."
Rachel pouted and rolled away, allowing Quinn to raise her body back into a sitting position. Once she had her balance, Quinn reached over and took Rachel's arm. "Thank you. I love you so much."
Rachel's pout melted and was replaced by a huge smile. "I love you too."
"Shower time," Quinn muttered, shoving her legs off the side of the bed. Pulling the cushion from her chair, she dropped it on the bed and slipped across into the seat.
Rachel saw the naked form adjust herself in the chair and turn slowly towards the bathroom. "Wait a minute," she called.
Quinn's upper body turned so she could look at Rachel with a questioning glance.
"I want to take a shower with you," the brunette looked hopeful but then saw Quinn's face drop slightly. "I just thought, you know that it's what people do and we've never tired it and I would really like it if we did, but if you don't feel comfortable doing that I don't mind. I wouldn't want to make you unhappy."
Quinn sighed. She could sense Rachel's disappointment and realized it was her facial expression that had caused it. "I wouldn't be unhappy, it's just, I don't know. Showering for me is a bit awkward, physically I mean. It's not going to be like you think, all romantic and stuff."
Rachel stood and walked around the bed. "I just want to be near you a little longer. I know what you have to do, but you've never let me see. Being with you means doing things a little differently, but that's fine. I don't care if you have to shower sitting down. You don't have to protect me from the things which are different."
"I'm not protecting you, I just don't think it's going to be what you expect showering together to be."
"But you are trying to persuade me now that I wouldn't want to be part of that experience."
Quinn sighed. Rachel was always so persistent and to be honest she didn't have much resistance where her girlfriend was concerned. "Don't say I didn't warn you." Quinn rolled into the bathroom and went to the shower area. The room was essentially a large wet room with a shower fitted to one wall. There was a bench seat which folded down under the shower head for Quinn, but which Rachel normally folded back up so she could stand under the running water. Quinn followed her normal routine, shifting to the bench and then pushing her chair back as far as she could. She draped a towel over the seat of her wheelchair to prevent the back getting wet once she was done. She then pulled across the curtain, though now Rachel was beside her. The screened off area was plenty big enough for the both of them because it was designed so that someone could assist if necessary, even though in Quinn's case it wasn't.
Quinn reached up and took down the shower head and turned on the water. It was freezing cold initially so she aimed it at the tiled floor. The water sprayed Quinn's feet but of course she didn't know just how cold it was, whereas when the water hit Rachel's lower body, she screamed a little. Quinn just laughed and squirted the water even higher which made Rachel literally jump back out of the way.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh." A shiver broke out across Rachel's body and Quinn saw the goose bumps spread over Rachel's legs. "That's freezing, you monster!"
Quinn put her hand under the water and checked the dial. "Silly me, I forgot to turn the temperature up enough."
Rachel rolled her eyes. "You did that deliberately," she moaned.
"I swear, I had no idea," Quinn quickly upped the dial to warm the water. "Sorry, but it was pretty funny. You should have seen your face." The water was warm now and Quinn reached up to put the shower head back in the cradle. "Put it up higher so you can get under and warm up." With Quinn seated, she couldn't reach high enough, even though Rachel wasn't very tall. "I must remember to get you to move it back when we're done or I'll never be able to reach it." Quinn chuckled as Rachel moved closer and the warm water cascaded down from her head and shoulders.
Rachel let the water run and soak through her hair. Quinn reached for the shower gel and held it out to Rachel and squirted some in her hand. It smelled like strawberries. Rachel sniffed at her palm. "It smells like you," she grinned, dropping down onto her haunches. Rachel rubbed her hands together creating pink lather and then began to massage it into one of Quinn's legs. She gently ran her hands all over the slender calf and then lifted her thigh to continue further up.
Quinn watched on, gripping the bench as Rachel lifted her leg to maintain balance. Once she had finished the first leg, Rachel started with the other, holding her hand out again for more gel. It was pretty arousing to see Rachel's small hands massage, knead and caress her lifeless legs.
Rachel knew exactly what she was doing. She was making herself horny as hell and giving the blonde a clear indication that showering sitting down was every bit as erotic as showering standing up. Rachel had finished and knew where she wanted to go next but instead she found Quinn scooting back a little further and getting some gel lathered in her own hands. This time it was the brunette's legs in for some caressing as Quinn indicated for Rachel to place her foot on the bench between Quinn's knees. The seated girl started to rub the suds into the lightly tanned skin. Quinn adored Rachel's legs ever since she had seen them in knee high socks and a plaid mini skirt in sophomore year at McKinley. When she had finished with Rachel's legs, she made the short girl sit with her back to Quinn on the bench and the blonde washed her back, before mercilessly attacking her boobs from behind. Rachel eventually turned the tables on her lover and peeled away from her. Rachel then made Quinn sit forwards so she could slip in behind her and wash her back, followed by shampooing her hair. Quinn was a little worried she didn't have much room to sit on, but Rachel curled her legs around Quinn's to keep her from slipping forwards. At one point, Quinn could smell the shampoo and felt Rachel's fingers run through her scalp. She tipped her head back onto the brunette's shoulder and closed her eyes.
"I'm really sorry neither of us thought about doing this before."
"I thought about it a few times actually."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Quinn tried to turn but as she did, she felt Rachel catch hold of her.
"Careful, you almost twisted out from under me." Rachel allowed Quinn to adjust her hips a bit. "I didn't say anything before because I didn't know if you would let me in." She saw the blonde head nod. "I know that some things are hard for you to let people see, even me and I didn't want you to think I was trying to intrude or embarrass you."
"I would never think that about you. I know you are naturally inquisitive, Rach. But I do trust you with the private stuff, well most of it."
Rachel made sure Quinn wasn't going to fall before climbing back out from behind her and then she sat on the floor between Quinn's legs which dangled from the bench. The blonde understood. She shampooed Rachel's hair next and took her time massaging the long dark hair. When she was done, Rachel stood and took the shower head down so they could rinse off completely. She ran the water over Quinn's short cropped hair and in turn over her own. When they were done, she adjusted shower back to Quinn's height and turned off the water.
The curtain was pulled back and Rachel stepped out to pick up a towel from the rack before handing it to Quinn. They both dried off and then Quinn pulled her chair back and slid into the seat. She glanced back at Rachel who was wrapping a smaller towel around her hair in a turban. "I love you for things like this, you get that right?"
Rachel nodded and a broad grin stretched across her face.