A/N: Hope you like this chapter. I took a cannon event and flipped it a bit. I am kind of proud of how it came out. Let me know what you think. Thank you as always to those of you who continue to review I truly appreciate it. Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of its characters. Glee belongs to its creators and FOX.
Ch. 35
Quinn managed to avoid Rachel for an entire week. Sure it was kind of mean but every time she saw the short brunette she felt her insides boil with anger and betrayal. Quinn had been nice to Rachel the best she could, she brought Rachel into her friendship with Santana and Brittany, the first real friends the girl had had in ages, and how did Rachel repay Quinn, by reading her most prized possession and reading it to Judy and the Berry men. No Quinn was in no way ready to accept whatever long winded apology Rachel had likely rehearsed in her mirror.
Quinn's luck however ran out on Friday. Hiram and Leroy were going away for a weekend alone in Chicago and were leaving Friday afternoon and Judy had a late settlement which meant Quinn would have to bring Rachel home from glee practice. After practice Quinn walked out with Santana and Brittany and after waving goodbye to her friends waited begrudgingly for Rachel to finish saying (read making out) goodbye to Finn. She didn't take as long as Quinn had expected. Quietly the two got into Quinn's car and started to leave, just as Quinn was about to turn left to turn Rachel spoke, "Can you take me somewhere else please?" Stopped at the stop sign Quinn glared at Rachel, "I know I have no right to ask anything of you, especially after I so grossly and inexplicably invaded your privacy but it is important, so please and you go to this place with me?" It was clear from the slight shine of tears glistening in the chocolate brown eyes that this request meant more than anything to Rachel and Quinn relented making a right instead of the left.
The twosome pulled into Carmel High School after an extremely uncomfortable tense and silent car ride. Quinn shrugged when Rachel asked her to follow, not really wanting to wait for however long in the car Quinn followed. They slipped into the auditorium, which amazingly and surprisingly had an upper terrace and sat. Down on the stage a group of kids were singing and dancing, a woman with long dark brown hair watched in the center of the seating halfway back. The group was really good, way better than the New Directions. After the song was finished the woman stood shaking her head. "No, no no. You need to make the audience feel it, make the heartache theirs not just make them fell yours." Then the woman began to sing and she was incredible. Quinn had never heard a voice like that; well no that wasn't completely true; Rachel was just as good as this woman.
"She's great." Quinn found herself whispering to Rachel.
"Yeah." There was something in the way Rachel's voice hitched when she spoke that caught Quinn's attention and she just happened to look at her as Rachel spoke again, "She's my mom."
Quinn's jaw dropped, she knew it. Her eyes darted from Rachel to the woman and back again, then she squinted to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. Now that she was really looking there was an undeniable resemblance between the two. The woman's face was more angular, whether that was due to mature and age Quinn wasn't sure but everything else from the voice to the mannerisms were Rachel. "How…How do you know?" Quinn had to double check that Rachel wasn't pulling her tail.
"Earlier this year Mr. Schue brought us here to watch Vocal Adrenaline. Shelby, that's her name, Shelby Corcoran, she always does a set before the group goes on when they do their concerts. When I got home I quickly told my dads all about her. When I mentioned her name, Daddy nearly chocked on his tea and Papa sent Judy this weird look. Needless to say I forced them to tell me who she was." Rachel sighed, "I had never really thought about my mother before, I never felt the need to, because of your mom. Judy was everything I ever needed. She treated me like I was her own and it felt amazing and I never felt like I was missing out on not having a mother."
Quinn's stomach churned and she bit her lip holding in the urge to yell that Judy was her mom not Rachel's. It was clear Rachel was not finished talking. "You're not the only one afraid of losing Judy." Rachel's voice was small and gentle and vulnerable. "Judy used to talk about you and Frannie all the time. I knew you existed but because I'd never met you it was like you were a figment of Judy's imagination, a dream almost. Then suddenly you were here and I realized perhaps for the first time in my life that Judy was not my mother and it broke my heart." Rachel had been looking at her hands the entire time she was speaking but now she looked at Quinn and it was like looking into the mirror, there was heartbreak and fear but an underlining of hope. "I'm so sorry Quinn." Rachel expressed, "I'm so sorry that I read your journal but I panicked. I could see you and Judy getting closer, she was coming over less often, when I went to go talk to her she was always either with you or doing something for you. I felt like I was losing the only mother I had ever known and I tried to hold on to her. I don't really know what I thought when I picked up your journal, I'd seen you take it everywhere so I knew it was special to you, I was mainly curious but I'll admit a part of me hoped that whatever was in there would put a wedge between you and Judy, that maybe it would be just enough for me to get my mom back."
As Quinn listened to Rachel and watched tears roll down her cheeks Quinn didn't know what to think or what she was feeling. Part of her sympathized with Rachel, she feared losing Judy just as much and had only known her a few months, but at the same time she was disgusted with the other girl, how could anyone wish to separate a mother and daughter. "When I read it though, God Quinn I am so sorry. What you went through, I can't even imagine. That little hope I had that I could use the journal against you, it flew out of my mind and all I knew was that I had to tell Judy because I knew that you needed help, that this secret your were carrying around was likely eating at you. I just wanted to help Quinn, you have to believe that. I didn't mean to betray you when I read the journal to Judy, I didn't mean to make you distrust her. I really am so so sorry."
Quinn sighed and leaned back. As much as Rachel claimed to be the next Barbra Striesand the girl was a horrible liar so Quinn knew she only spoke the truth, that once she'd read the words Frannie had written all she wanted to do was help Quinn. It didn't really fix anything but it was nice to know what Rachel's motivations were.
Down on the stage Shelby was demonstrating a dance move, she as quite the dancer too. "Have you talked to her? Do you want to?" Quinn pointed down at Shelby. It was Rachel's turn to sigh and for the first time ever Quinn saw Rachel slump under the weight of life. Quinn was saddened.
"I don't know. I hadn't at first, I had Judy and I didn't need a mother, she was mine, but now…" Rachel turned and placed her hand on Quinn's and squeezed, " I know that she is not my mom and she never was. She is yours and Quinn she is an amazing mom. Your scared to let her in and I get that, but Quinn it is so worth it."
The two fell quiet and watched the remainder of practice. As Shelby left Quinn watched Rachel's eye's follow the woman. Biting her lip gently in thought Quinn decided to do something she never thought she would ever do, but perhaps Rachel was right about letting Judy in and trusting her, and not just Judy but all the amazing people who'd come into her life since she knocked on the Berry's door all those months ago, even Rachel because despite her massive intrusion into Quinn's privacy the little brunette had been a very good friend. So Quinn reached over and squeezed Rachel's hand, "I've lost my mother once and I never want anyone to feel that way, especially not you Rachel. Am I hurt by what you did yes, but I'm willing to forgive you, to start again. Judy she loves you, I know that I've always known it, she loves you so much that it scared me, was the root of some of my fears and unwillingness to trust Judy, but your right she has been amazing to me. She's is a great mother and there is no reason why we have to make her choose between us, we can both have her." Rachel seemed to perk up at this and she smiled brightly. "As for Shelby, that is your call Rachel, I don't know the circumstances of your adoption, but if one day you want to meet her, talk to her, I will be right by your side." This caused Rachel to launch into Quinn's arm giving her a slightly inappropriately long hug. When Rachel let go Quinn stood, "Come on lets go home, I'm thinking it's about time we had a Berry/Fabray only sleep over."
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To say Judy was surprised to see Quinn and Rachel lounging on the sofa together watching Chicago would be the understatement of the year. Yet there the two were a bowl of popcorn between the two, cookies on a plate on the coffee table, water and Sprite in cups. "Having a nice evening girls?" The two turned and smiled at her. "Yes. How was your day Judy?" Rachel asked kindly.
"Busy and exhausting." Judy admitted as she through her coat on the back of the wingback chair. Quinn seemed to look Rachel, her eyes squinted in thought her teeth worrying her lip, and then she seemed to come to a decision and turned her attention to Judy, "Well then why don't you join us Mom?"
Judy's heart jumped at hearing 'mom' in Quinn's slightly nasal gentle voice. She knew she was beaming as made her way around the couch and sat between the two girls because her cheeks hurt with the smile placed there. Then Quinn was leaning against her squirming to get closer so Judy lifted her arm and pulled Quinn closer. Quinn restarted the movie and began watching, Judy turned to Rachel who was grinning widely at Judy and Quinn. Judy raised an eyebrow in questions but Rachel just shook her head before leaning it against Judy's shoulder and watching the movie.
Judy didn't know what had happened between the two girls but it didn't matter. Somehow Judy knew that the girls had worked out whatever differences or issues they had. Judy was relieved the feeling of being torn between her daughter and the girl she loved as one seeped away. Relaxing for the first time in ages Judy kissed the top of Quinn's head then turned her attention to the conniving Roxy Hart.
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