A/N: I'm on Spring Break from work right now, so this is an extra long chapter for your enjoyment. Thanks for the reviews! I love hearing what you guys have to say!
Chapter 37
"I said I didn't want anything for my birthday, Quinn," said Rachel, looking down at the box in her lap.
"Good thing I'm not a very avid listener when you talk then," replied Quinn nonchalantly, laughing at the look of indignation on Rachel's face. "Oh, just open it."
Rachel's fingers found the corner of the paper that surrounded the box. There was no mistaking the package; it was most definitely jewelry. Jewelry from her very beautiful, too-good-to-be-true girlfriend.
The paper exposed a simple box and Rachel opened it to reveal a silver heart necklace with tiny diamonds set in it.
"Do you like it?" asked Quinn nervously from her spot on the bed.
"Quinn, I love it," said Rachel breathlessly, pulling the necklace from its box. Quinn took it from her hands and reached behind the brunette to fasten it. She leaned forward to kiss the blonde before leaping off the bed to check it out in the mirror. She fingered the smooth chain while she admired it. It had only been a few short months, but things with Quinn seemed to be getting better every day.
"Now if I recall, you have specific birthday Berry traditions like every other holiday?" said Quinn, getting up from the bed to wrap her arms around Rachel's waist.
"You know it's just dinner and movies with my dads, Quinn. You were here for it last year," responded Rachel, gazing up into the hazel eyes.
"Oh yeah, that's right. That means you're mine all day then," she said with a smile, pulling the brunette towards the bathroom. "First thing on the agenda is to get you cleaned up for a day of fun," said Quinn with a devilish smirk. Rachel felt the whimper escape her lips as she let Quinn lead her into the shower.
The air was cold and it felt like snow was on its way. Quinn wished they were back in New York where the magic of winter and the holidays was in full swing. Lima was subdued and instead of a romantic walk through Central Park or ice-skating in Rockefeller center, they were traipsing through the Lima Park. It was nice to be with Rachel and she knew that her girlfriend was having a great birthday, but the romantic side of her wished she could do more for the girl.
After an hour, they returned to the car, their cheeks red from the cold and their lips red from the heavy make out session that had entailed by the edge of the lake.
"I have one last surprise for you," said Quinn and Rachel squealed excitedly in her seat.
When Quinn pulled into the McKinley High School parking lot, Rachel looked at the blonde with confusion, but Quinn just kept her indifferent composure before opening the brunette's door and taking her hand as they walked into the school.
It was nostalgic to be back in these halls where they had spent the majority of their teenager years and Quinn glanced down the halls she used to own. Without thought, she led Rachel right into the choir room and was pleased to see that it was still empty. The students were still in class for another fifteen minutes and Glee club would meet after that.
"Why are we here, Quinn?" asked Rachel, sliding onto the piano bench and letting her fingers plunk the keys tenderly.
"I told Mr. Schue that you would come help with Glee today," said Quinn sitting down on the bench next to her.
"But, Quinn, I haven't prepared any lessons! These students need strong directive and a solid learning environment and I can't provide any of those things without preparation!" Rachel had sprung up and was pacing now.
"Sweetie, calm down. They just won Sectionals, but Mr. Schue said they barely got through. He just thought that maybe you had some helpful advice for them to prepare for Regionals and that they would really enjoy having a hometown celebrity come in and sing with them." Quinn pulled the pacing Rachel into her arms and felt the girl relax at her touch. "Just be your perfect self. That's all you need to do."
The bell rang and the students filed in noisily. Their old glee mates greeted them warmly, while the new members eyed them nervously. Everybody knew who Rachel Berry was and she was already a legend in the choir room. It was common knowledge that the enormous trophy that stood front and center in the trophy case from last year's Nationals win was there because of Rachel Berry.
They took their seats and Quinn fidgeted nervously, her eyes transfixed on her girlfriend. Rachel stood tall with her shoulders back. She was always a performer first, even under nerves.
"Sorry I'm late, guys!" said Will as he waltzed into the room with a handful of sheet music. He smiled brightly at Quinn and Rachel before wrapping them each in a hug. He turned back to his club and addressed them. "Have you guys all been introduced yet? These are two of our glee club alumni, Quinn Fabray and Rachel Berry. They agreed to come in and help us start preparing for Regionals," he said.
Harmony's hand immediately shot up in the air. Artie visibly rolled his eyes and Tina giggled.
"Yes, Harmony," responded Mr. Schue. The girl stood up before turning to face Rachel.
"I just wanted to say that it's an honor to be in your presence again. Your acceptance to NYADA is what caused me to transfer to McKinley because I want to make sure that I am equally prepared when my time comes to apply next year," said Harmony. Half of the club was holding whispered conversations in the risers rather than pay attention to a Harmony speech. Quinn had to choke down a giggle; this girl was basically a younger clone of Rachel.
"Thank you, Harmony. I appreciate your compliments. However, you all have a far way to go to win another National championship. I've been informed that you have taken Sectionals, but that it was a tough competition. It doesn't get any easier. I know that most of you think that days after a Sectionals win is too early to start preparing for Regionals, but that's where you are wrong. No matter the assignment, you need to be putting your full effort in every week leading up to Regionals if you want to be able to compete with the likes of the Warblers."
Quinn actually had to turn away. Harmony's head was nodding vigorously in agreement throughout Rachel's little speech. She seemed ready to leap out of her seat to prove that she was already preparing for Regionals.
"With that being said, Glee club is supposed to be fun. Enjoy it while you're here, because as much as I love NYADA and working towards my future, singing for a grade is nothing like the fun I had singing in their room every week for three years."
Quinn took in her girlfriend. She knew Rachel was doing well at NYADA and that she was working so hard to achieve her dreams, but it was obvious that Rachel missed the simplicity of singing and dancing around the choir room for fun as much as she missed competing.
"So let's have some fun today. Brad, can you kick us off with this?" Rachel pulled a set of music out of her bag and handed it to the pianist. He nodded and waited for her cue.
It was an old Selena Gomez hit and most of the Glee kids were on their feet before the first verse. They let Rachel begin, but joined in within the first few lines, dancing around the choir room with her. Mr. Schue smiled from his place by the piano as he watched his students let loose. Quinn let Blaine pull her into the thick of things and she found Rachel's hand as they danced and sung.
By the time Mr. Schuester dismissed them from the day, Rachel was beaming. It had been a really fun afternoon and the kids asked her for advice about the future and performed for them, letting her join in the fun as much as possible. The girls were in the car heading back to the Berrys' for dinner.
"I really needed that. Thank you for the perfect birthday, Quinn," said Rachel earnestly. Quinn turned to look at her.
"You're welcome, baby. I'm glad you enjoyed your surprise."
"I didn't realize how much I missed being a careless teenager. I know it's hard to imagine that I was ever careless, but there was something about the choir room that let me loosen up and just really enjoy performing just because I loved it. It is just so different than being on a stage in front of a crowd or worrying about every technicality in a performance at NYADA. Somehow, I think you knew all of that and that's how we ended up back in that room today." Quinn smiled sheepishly. She had a feeling that glee club was exactly what Rachel needed to remind her how much she really loves it.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~
"Quinnie, it's going to be fine." Rachel was lying on her bed flipping through a pile of sheet music. Quinn was pacing nervously. Puck would be picking her up in ten minutes to go babysit Beth.
"Rachel, she doesn't know me. What if she cries and Shelby won't leave her with us? What if she does like me and Shelby decides I can't be in her life? I just don't want to get my hopes up like I have in the past." Rachel looked up at her beautiful girlfriend. Her face was contorted with worry and she was still pacing frantically. She hopped up from the bed and walked into Quinn's path, forcing the blonde to walk directly into her arms. Quinn resisted for a moment before letting herself melt into Rachel's embrace.
"Just be yourself, Quinn. Everything else will work out as long as you just you are just yourself." Quinn looked down into the deep chocolate eyes and was instantly reassured by the warmth she found there. Her phone went off in her pocket and she pulled it out to read the message, keeping her other arm wrapped around Rachel's shoulders.
"It's Puck. He's outside," Quinn said quietly. Rachel tilted her face up and let Quinn kiss her goodbye. The blond held her tight for a minute longer, finally forcing herself to let go. She pulled on her jacket and kissed Rachel's cheek before heading down to meet Puck.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~
They were standing at Shelby's door in silence. They had been this way for almost five minutes despite the frigid wind, but they both seemed to be frozen with the weight of what awaited them behind the door.
"We have to do it, Quinn," said Puck softly, his hands still buried firmly in the pockets of his jacket. Quinn could hear the pattering of little footsteps inside the door that she knew must belong to her daughter. She lifted her gloved hand to the door and knocked firmly, her heart beating out of her chest. It wasn't the first time she had been to Shelby's house, but she hadn't been there since her delusional stage when she wanted to get Beth back and found out Puck was sleeping with Shelby.
"Hi, guys!" said Shelby enthusiastically when she opened the door. She beckoned them inside and they stripped their winter layers. As Quinn was handing Shelby her coat a little blonde girl came running into the foyer, a big smile on her face and a princess crown nestled into her wavy hair.
"Beth, sweetie, come here," said Shelby softly and the little girl ran into her mom's protective arms as she eyed the strangers. Shelby picked her up so that she was eye level with them. "This is Quinn and this is Noah," she said, gesturing to each of them in turn. "They are going to play with you for a little while so Mommy can go out, okay?"
The little girl looked nervously at the strangers but gave a small nod.
"Are you a princess, Beth?" asked Quinn, looking at her daughter's adorable pink dress and plastic tiara. She nodded again and reached a small hand up to her crown. "Can I play princesses with you?"
"Okay," said the small girl, squirming until her mom put her back down on the floor. She reached out for Quinn's hand and led the way to her playroom, Puck and Shelby following behind them.
"I'm just going to finish some Christmas shopping and then I'm having lunch with a friend, so I should be back in around three hours. There are leftovers in the fridge that she can have for lunch and you two feel free to have whatever you like. You have my cell number, right?" Puck nodded. "Okay, well then I'll see you later. Beth, sweetie, you be a good girl for Quinn and Noah." The little girl walked over and hugged Shelby goodbye before immediately turning back to Quinn and her princess dress up clothes.
They heard the front door open and close a few minutes later and they were left alone with Beth. Quinn was sporting a plastic tiara as well and Beth had given her a hot pink feather boa to put around her neck. Puck was laughing at the sight and snapped a picture on his cell phone of Quinn with Beth in their get up.
Beth, being a typical two year-old, quickly lost interest and walked to her toy box and started pulling everything out to show Quinn and Puck. Puck got excited by all of the matchbox cars and soon the two of them were pushing cars around on the rug making vroom noises and crashing into onto another, causing Beth to collapse into giggles.
An hour later, the little girl was going strong, but Quinn figured it was time for lunch. She went into the kitchen while Puck amused her and went about heating up Beth's food and setting up her spot at the table.
"Beth, babe, it's time for lunch," she said, standing in the doorway to the playroom. The little girl nodded and followed her to the kitchen, before climbing up the chair into her booster seat. Quinn was amazed at how easily the two year-old could climb. She tied the bib around Beth's neck and placed her food in front of her with the tiny fork and spoon she had found in the drawer.
"Juice?" asked the little girl and Puck hopped up to fill a sippy cup with some juice and handing it to Beth. "Danks," she said happily, sucking it down.
The three sat at the table while she ate, chatting animatedly. Quinn couldn't understand everything the little girl said, but she was so amused by her either way. She saw the devilish gleam in her eyes that she had seen in Puck's so many times when the little girl picked up some string beans and tried to drop them under the table so she wouldn't have to eat them. She could see specks of Puck shining out of Beth, but there was no doubt that the little girl was a Fabray. Quinn was stunned that she had created something so beautiful, so pure.
When the little girl had finished her lunch, Puck offered to clean up so that Quinn could play with her for a while. The girls headed back to the playroom and pulled out her dolls. They took turns dressing it and Quinn watched as Beth buckled the doll into its stroller and took it on a walk around the room, cooing to it the whole time. Quinn couldn't deny it; she was completely smitten with the small girl.
Beth was exhausted and Quinn was about to carry her to her bedroom for a nap when the front door opened. The little girl was cuddled in Quinn's lap when Shelby entered the room and the older brunette smiled down on them.
"Sorry I'm a little late. Are you sleepy, Beth bear?" The little girl's eyes were fighting to stay open.
"I'll put her down, if you don't mind," said Quinn shyly. Shelby nodded and Quinn stood up, cradling her daughter close to her. She kissed Beth's forehead gently and lowered her into her crib.
"Bye bye, Beth baby," she said quietly.
"Bye bye, Qin," answered the little girl as she rolled over and fell asleep. Quinn watched her contently for a minute before exiting the room and shutting the door softly behind her.
"She's fast asleep," said Quinn when she returned to the room.
"Thanks so much, guys," said Shelby, holding out money to Quinn.
"We're not taking your money, Shelby. Thanks for letting us spend time with her."
"Can we sit and talk for a little while?" asked Shelby. The two teenagers nodded and followed her into the living room.
Once they all had drinks, Shelby settled in with them, taking in the two teenagers. They had already grown up so much since they have first given up their daughter.
"I know I said this when I came back to Lima when you were seniors, but I really want you to have the chance to be part of her life. You've already grown up so much since then, I can see it in both of you. I want Beth to grow up knowing that her biological parents love her and did what was best for her at the time. I want her to have everything I failed to give Rachel."
Quinn studied the older woman for a few minutes. Shelby had hurt Rachel so badly. Rachel had wanted to know her mother and when she thought she finally had the chance, Shelby disappeared again with a new baby to fill the void of losing Rachel. Quinn never wanted Beth to feel the way that Rachel had.
"I want to know her, Shelby," Quinn said seriously. "She's really the only reason for me to keep returning to Lima. But it gets a little more complicated. I'm dating Rachel now and I think it's only fair you understand that if I'm in her life long-term, Rachel will be too."
"You're dating my daughter?" asked Shelby in surprise. Quinn nodded seriously.
"I love her, Shelby, and I love Beth. I know this situation is so twisted with all of the crossover, but I love them so much. I've hardly talked to Rachel about everything because I know how hurt she still is about you. But I just wanted you to know that at some point, I want Rachel to get to know Beth too."
"I'll never stop regretting everything that happened with Rachel," said Shelby quietly. "Maybe you reconnecting with Beth will help all of us work through our old issues. I want to be in Rachel's life, even if it is just as a friendly acquaintance."
The older brunette sounded so sincere. Quinn knew she wouldn't force Rachel to be around Shelby, but she desperately wanted Rachel to meet her daughter.
"Let's just take it slow and see how things work out for now. Quinn, when do you head back to Yale?"
"Not until the middle of January."
"Would you guys like to watch her for an afternoon next week after the holidays?" asked Shelby. Puck started nodding at once, having been left out of the previous conversation. Quinn also nodded her agreement. "Great, I'll give you a call after the holidays and we'll set something up," she said with a smile.
Shelby showed them out and thanked them again for watching Beth. Soon they were sitting in Puck's truck as it warmed up.
"Do you want me to drop you back at Rachel's?" he asked as he put the truck into reverse.
"Actually, can you take me to my house?" Puck just nodded and headed towards the Fabrays'.
Before long, he was pulling into the driveway and tossed the truck into park.
"Are you okay, Q?" he asked softly, averting his eyes from the blonde. He knew all too well that Quinn was terrible at dealing with her emotions and he didn't want to start a fight with the head bitch today.
"I'm fine. I just never stop thinking about her, Puck. I know we did the right thing. We couldn't have handled raising a baby. I wouldn't have Yale or Rachel or a really bright future if we hadn't given her up. But I just miss her so much." Puck stayed quiet. This was so unlike the Quinn he knew from high school.
"Is she really the only reason you feel the need to come back to Lima?" he asked.
"She's definitely the main reason," Quinn responded without hesitation.
"Beth is why I didn't leave Lima like everybody else," Puck said, looking down at his hands. "I couldn't bear to leave where she was, even if I couldn't see her."
"Oh, Puck," Quinn said, reaching over and taking the boy's hand in her own. "You can't put your own future on hold. We're going to be in her life, we'll always be her parents, even if we're not in Lima full-time with her. Beth will never doubt how much we love her, Noah."
Puck swiped at the tear that threatened to leak from his eye and Quinn gripped his hand firmly.
"What are your dreams?" Quinn asked softly.
"I want to go into business, I think. Something small, nothing fancy. I like working for Burt a lot so maybe I'll do something like that," he said. "I had planned on going to Ohio State, but I ended up not even applying."
"You should go, Puck. It's still close to home and you'll get to see her on breaks and stuff." Puck nodded slightly.
"Maybe next fall," he said. Quinn turned towards him and he let his eyes meet hers. "I love you, Q," he said, taking her chin in his hands.
"Love you too, Noah." He kissed her cheek and she smiled at him before climbing out of the truck and heading into her house.
Quinn was greeted with the smell of cookies baking and the sound of her mother singing along loudly to her favorite oldies station. It was weird to see her mom so incredibly happy, especially after how she had been at Thanksgiving. She hadn't seen a drop of alcohol in the house since she had lost her temper with her mom last time she was home. Ted was probably to thank for all of this. Quinn knew it wasn't because of her. She had made little time to call often at school and when she did get around to calling, she would find an excuse to get off the phone as soon as they ran out of their typical small talk topics. Since she had been home for winter break, Quinn had hardly seen her mom having spent the majority of the time at the Berry house.
"Hey, Mom," she said, walking into the kitchen to see her mom in an apron and her hair swept up into a messy, yet elegant bun.
"Hi, sweetie," said Judy as she pulled a tray of golden brown sugar cookies from the oven. "I wasn't expecting you home this evening."
"I thought we could spend some time catching up," said Quinn shyly. She hadn't planned on being home either, but seeing Beth made her want to see her own mom. She texted Rachel to say that she was home and was going to spend some time with Judy before pulling an apron out of the drawer and tying it on.
"How are things with Rachel going?" asked Judy as she handed Quinn a measuring cup and the bag of sugar.
"Amazing. She's really perfect, Mom." Quinn knew she sounded like a lovesick puppy, but she just couldn't help it when it came to Rachel. "Ted seems nice."
"Ted is great. He makes me feel alive again," Judy added dreamily as she cut up the stick of butter in front of her.
"I saw Beth today," Quinn said. She hadn't told her mom that Shelby was giving her and Puck another chance.
"Oh, Quinnie," Judy said, dropping her knife and turning to face her younger daughter. "Are you okay?" Her hands were resting on Quinn's forearms, stroking them gently.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Shelby said that Noah and I have grown up a lot in the last year and that she really thinks it's best for all of us if we have the chance to get to know Beth. She let Noah and I watch her for a few hours this afternoon and we're going back next week."
"You did the right thing for her, Quinn," Judy said softly. There had been a time when Quinn went into labor that Judy had imagined her, Quinn, and the baby taking on the world together as strong Fabray women. But Quinn was stronger than Judy had ever imagined when she decided to let Beth go to somebody that could give her everything she needed.
"It's taken a long time, but I don't regret giving her away. She's so happy, Mom. She's going to grow up knowing whom Noah and I are, but she'll always have a stable, loving home. It's more than I would have been able to give her." Quinn's voice was calm and even. It had been a long three years of angst over Beth, but Quinn was slowly coming to terms. Today felt like the first step towards a bright future.
"You're growing into an amazing woman, Quinn Fabray," said Judy adoringly. "Now tell me about this summer internship." And with that, Quinn launched passionately into explanation, not noticing the tears of happiness that were escaping from her mother's eyes.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~
It was one in the morning and Quinn had just arrived. She had used the hidden key to let herself in and crept up to her girlfriend's room, feeling like a high school boy. Rachel was snoring gently when she opened the door and Quinn beamed at her before shedding her tennis shoes and sliding into the bed next to her.
"I'm sorry it's so late," mumbled Quinn, kissing the dark brown hair as Rachel stirred by the addition of another body to her bed.
"I missed you," said Rachel groggily, rolling over to cuddle into Quinn. Quinn was exhausted and she knew they would have plenty of time to talk about tomorrow. She brushed her lips against Rachel's forehead tenderly before letting sleep take over.
Quinn awoke to an empty bed the next morning. The digital clock next to Rachel's bed told her that it was just after ten. She dragged herself out of the warm bed to search for her missing girlfriend.
The kitchen was disappointingly empty, but once on the main floor, Quinn could hear music playing below her. The floor muffled Rachel's voice, but there was no mistaking that the brunette was singing her heart out. Quinn crept down the stairs so as to not disturb her and she was greeted with Rachel dancing around on her small stage with a pink bedazzled microphone singing an old Katy Perry song.
Rachel just looked at home on a stage, whether it was in front of hundreds of people or in the privacy of her own basement. It was the most natural habitat for the diva and Quinn had to admit that she missed seeing Rachel perform.
When the song ended, Quinn clapped from across the room and Rachel turned to face her, her face flushed with exertion from dancing around. Quinn walked towards her and pulled Rachel into a slightly sweaty hug, kissing her hair softly.
"Good morning, Quinn! I just thought I would practice while you slept so that I wouldn't disturb you as I know you had a late night," said Rachel in her typical bubbly tone.
"Morning, baby. But it will only be a good morning once I've had some coffee," she added and Rachel got the hint as they headed back upstairs. Once in the kitchen, Quinn started on the coffee, knowing her way around the Berrys' kitchen just as well as her own at this point and Rachel sat down at the counter with an apple in her hand.
Quinn pulled a bowl down and filled it to the brim with Cheerios before slicing a banana and tossing it on top and then covering it all with a healthy layer of milk. When the coffee was brewed she poured out two mugs and placed them on the counter before sliding into the seat next to Rachel.
"Your night with your mom went well I expect?" asked Rachel, sipping her coffee slowly.
"It was really nice. We actually talked for once and I told her about seeing Beth and the internship in New York and she told me about Ted."
"That's wonderful, Quinn. I'm glad you're both making the effort to reconcile the past. How was seeing Beth?" she asked curiously.
"She's amazing, Rachel. We played all afternoon and she is just such a sweetie. She has Puck's devilish side, but there's no doubt that she's a Fabray." Quinn pulled her phone from her pocket and showed Rachel the picture that Puck had taken of her and Beth in their princess outfits.
"Oh my gosh, she's precious, Quinn. She looks just like you!" Rachel exclaimed, taking in the tiny blonde in Quinn's arms.
"It's amazing that I created something so perfect," said Quinn quietly. "I talked to Shelby about the future as well."
"Oh?" responded Rachel, still staring at the picture.
"She wants Puck and I to have a chance to really be in her life. I told her that we're dating and that if I'm in Beth's life, eventually you will be too." Rachel looked up the phone and into the hazel eyes that were gazing at her.
"What did Shelby say to that?" asked Rachel, her heart sinking.
"Well, at first she seemed surprised at this development. I don't think she was expecting to find out that her biological daughter is now romantically involved with her adoptive daughter's mother. But she wants me to be in Beth's life and she talked a lot about regretting how things ended up with you and that maybe this would be a good thing for all of us down the line. She knows she'll never be the mother figure you deserved, but I think she is optimistic about having your paths cross in the future." Quinn's eyes never wavered from the brunette's. She knew that Shelby was an extremely sensitive topic to Rachel, but she wanted her to know the entirety of Quinn's conversation with Shelby.
Rachel stared back at the blonde for a few long moments, trying to process the news. Quinn stayed calm and didn't move to embrace the brunette, waiting for her to make the next move.
"I wish she had been a mom to me. Beth deserves to have you in her life, to really know about how she got there and to know how much love she is surrounded by. I see forever with you, Quinn, and with that come Beth and inevitably Shelby as well. I'm willing to deal with all of that for you to have the relationship with your daughter that you both need and deserve." Rachel could feel the tears stinging her eyes and Quinn reached out to take her hand.
"You know I'd never ask you to put yourself in a situation you're uncomfortable with for me, Rach. I would love for you to get to know Beth someday, but I understand how hard it is with her being tied to Shelby and all of the hurt that surrounds that whole situation." Quinn reached up to tuck Rachel's hair behind her ear and let her fingers rest along Rachel's cheek.
"I know, baby, and I love you for that. But Beth is the most important thing in your life and I'm willing to put my own issues aside to get to share that with you."
"I love you, Rachel Berry," said Quinn softly, gazing into the watery brown eyes. "So much."
~!~!~!~!~!~!~
"So remind me how today works again," said Quinn as she sketched Rachel lying beside her on the bed.
"Well it's unique this year since the last night of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve fall on the same day. But the last night of Hanukkah typically entails the three of us cooking all of our favorite dishes and listening to music by Jewish artists. Christmas Eve is more of a social holiday where we invite some friends over and it's a big dinner with lots of singing, dancing, and games typically."
"What do we do this year since it's a mash up?"
"Excellent question, Quinn. My dads and I have decided that we will still have the big dinner as you are aware of, but some of the offered dishes will be our personal favorites. Since you have earned a proper place in the tradition, Daddy promised that there will be a plate of bacon for you. Afterwards will follow Christmas Eve tradition. We're going to do our final Hanukkah presents before everybody gets here and then we'll do Christmas presents tomorrow morning."
Rachel looked over from her sheet music to watch Quinn's hands move across the paper. It was a drawing of her, which seemed to be Quinn's favorite object to draw. This one was a side profile of her; her face was bent down reading and her mouth was slightly open. Some of her hair was falling into her face, blocking it.
"You're really great at that, Quinn," said Rachel. Quinn looked up and smiled sweetly before returning to her drawing. "You know I could pose for you some time rather than you just sketching me when I'm not looking."
"I like you when you're not posed, Rach. I have no doubt that you'll be amazing for the paparazzi and photo shoots when you're famous because you know exactly how to look amazing on camera. But the Rachel I love the most is the quiet girl that can spend hours without talking when she's wrapped up in her favorite movie, the one whose eyes light up when a song she loves comes onto the radio, the one who can pierce me with just one gaze."
"If you had told me in high school that under all of the bitch was the most romantic girl, I would have laughed in your face," said Rachel seriously. Quinn slapped her arm good-naturedly.
"As long as you don't expose me for what I really am. I can't afford to taint my perfect badass reputation," Quinn replied with a playful smirk.
"Well, while I'm flattered by your endearing description of me, I was more thinking about you sketching me like Jack sketched Rose in Titanic," said Rachel with a sober face. Quinn dropped her sketchpad onto the nightstand and turned to look directly at Rachel.
"You want me to draw you nude wearing only an old necklace?" Quinn asked incredulously.
"It doesn't have to be an exact replica of the scene, but I think that's so romantic," Rachel said breathlessly.
Quinn's parents had never paid for her to take formal art classes because they thought art was a soft subject. In school they did portraits of one another, but typically only focusing on facial features. Quinn had never sketched a random nude model, but now her girlfriend wanted to be sprawled across an antique couch with no clothes and expected Quinn to somehow translate that into a beautiful drawing.
"I'll think about it, okay?" replied Quinn, hoping that would pacify Rachel on the subject for the time being. Rachel nodded and went back to her sheet music.
The Berry men decided they should do Hanukkah early in the afternoon before the major party prep began, so an hour later, the girls found themselves sitting the living room with their final day of packages.
Rachel handed Quinn a thin package and watched as the blonde carefully unwrapped it. Inside was a simple composition notebook. Quinn thumbed through the pages and saw that every single one had Rachel's handwriting on them.
"It's similar to a journal, but it's all about you. When I missed you at school, I would write about you. Some of them are just song lyrics that remind me of you; others are originals. I just thought you'd enjoy it," Rachel said sheepishly.
"I love it, Rach," said Quinn earnestly. "I can't wait to sit down and read it all." Rachel beamed at her and Quinn thrust her own gift into Rachel's hands.
The brunette tore at the paper to reveal a framed drawing. Quinn bit her lip nervously. Rachel had seen some of her sketches before, but nothing that Quinn considered a final piece. It was the drawing of Rachel on stage.
"Quinn.." the brunette said quietly. Quinn stared at her nervously. "This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen. You're incredibly talented." The Berry men took interest and Rachel passed them the frame so they could examine Quinn's drawing.
Rachel got up and sat on Quinn's lap, kissing her deeply despite her fathers sitting feet away.
"This was the best Hanukkah ever," Rachel said with conviction.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Watching Rachel come down the stairs was like watching a movie star make their grand entrance. Now Quinn understood why she insisted that they get ready for the party at their own houses that night.
The brunette was wearing a floor-length silver dress that hugged her petite frame perfectly. Her hair was in a glamorous up do that Quinn knew had taken Kurt and Brittany the better part of the afternoon. The makeup was subtle, but Quinn felt her eyes drawn to the chocolate ones.
"Wow, Quinn, you have found quite the lady," said Ted from beside the blonde. He was holding her mother's hand as they stood inside the Berrys' house, Hiram having just relieved them of their jackets.
The brunette wasted no time in walking over to Quinn and kissing her softly on the cheek.
"Rachel, you look gorgeous," breathed Quinn, taking in Rachel's outfit up close now.
"You look beautiful, Rachel," said Judy, interrupting the moment. Rachel smiled widely at the older blonde and thanked her graciously, air kissing her cheek in greeting. She did the same to Ted and let the older couple move into the room to socialize, leaving the teenage girls.
"You look amazing yourself," said Rachel to Quinn, taking the blonde's hand and making her spin so she could see the whole dress. Quinn was wearing a tea length dark green halter dress and pair of high heels that Santana insisted were necessary but were already hurting her feet. Her short hair was wavy and simple next to Rachel's elaborate styling.
"Thanks, baby," she said, bending down to kiss Rachel on the lips. She felt the brunette smile against her before pulling away and leading her in to meet the other guests.
The dinner guests were friends of Rachel's dads and Quinn's mom and Ted. Most of the glee club would be there later after their own family gatherings, so Quinn and Rachel spent most of dinner wrapped up in themselves, laughing and talking. Leroy made a big spectacle of placing a giant plate of bacon directly in front of Quinn, causing the guests to laugh and making Rachel wrinkle her nose in disapproval.
By the time the glee kids started showing, most of the older crowd had filtered out. Quinn's mom and Ted were upstairs having coffee with the Berry men and the kids took over the Oscar room in the basement. Quinn's heels had been shed long ago, but Rachel insisted that she keep the dress on until the guests left.
They were lounging casually, sipping from the mugs of hot chocolate that Hiram had delivered with a big plate of cookies. Rachel put her iPod into the dock and turned on the playlist that contained most of their old glee club performances. They spent the night laughing and taking turns reenacting their favorite ones on the Berrys' stage.
"Quinn, play guitar for everybody," squealed Rachel happily, bounding back to the couch after performing a Wicked medley with Kurt that they had perfected over the past few months of living together.
"Rach…" said Quinn pleadingly. Playing alone in the dorm with Derek or just for Rachel was one thing, but in a room of musically minded people, Quinn didn't feel like testing out her new hobby.
"Please, baby?" asked Rachel with a pout. Quinn knew she had lost this one. There's nothing she wouldn't do for that face. Rachel saw her victory in Quinn's eyes and lit up again, racing to get Puck's guitar out of the corner and handing it to her.
"Will you at least sing it with me?" asked Quinn, and Rachel nodded vigorously, pulling two stools onto the stage while Quinn tuned the guitar. Finally she strummed a couple of chords in warm up and settled into her stool, adjusting the microphone.
Quinn began the guitar part and Rachel came in on the vocals.
You were in college working part time waiting tables
Left a small town, never looked back
I was a flight risk with a fear of falling
Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts
I say can you believe it?
As we're lying on the couch
The moment I could see it
Yes, yes, I can see it now
Quinn joined her for the chorus.
Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?
You put your arm around me for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
Rachel let Quinn take the next verse on her own.
Flash forward and we're taking on the world together
And there's a drawer of my things at your place
You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes
But we got bills to pay
We got nothing figured out
When it was hard to take
Yes, yes, this is what I thought about
Quinn's eyes had been focused on Rachel the whole time, but Rachel was working the room. As they headed into the chorus again, their friends joined in, some of them even dancing around them.
Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?
You put your arm around me for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
Do you remember all the city lights on the water?
You saw me start to believe for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
Rachel took the next part by herself again.
And I remember that fight, two-thirty a.m.
As everything was slipping right out of our hands
I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street
Braced myself for the goodbye
'Cause that's all I've ever known
Then you took me by surprise
You said I'll never leave you alone
You said I remember how we felt sitting by the water
And every time I look at you, it's like the first time
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter
She is the best thing that's ever been mine
Quinn finished the song out.
Hold on, make it last
Hold on, never turn back
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
Do you believe it?
We're gonna make it now
I can see it
I can see it now…
Rachel was beaming from her own stool as Quinn awkwardly cradled the guitar in her lap. Their friends were clapping and cheering and Quinn smiled shyly before vacating her stool and handing the guitar to Puck so he could kick off the next song.
Quinn settled back down onto the loveseat, pulling Rachel into her lap. The brunette snuggled in and joined in for the chorus of the Billy Joel song Puck was playing. The blonde had never felt so content in her entire life. She was surrounded by love everywhere she turned.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~
"Quinn, get up!" said Rachel, jumping on the bed and causing Quinn to spring up.
"What's wrong?" she said, her eyes wide.
"Nothing, silly! It's Christmas morning!" she said in her typical enthusiastic tone.
Quinn grabbed her glasses from the nightstand and squinted at the clock. It was seven a.m. and she hadn't gone to bed until almost two.
"Why are we up so early? It's not like we're worried about whether or not Santa came."
"You are so grumpy before your coffee, Quinn Fabray. Meet me in the kitchen in 5 minutes with your happy Christmas face on." With that, Rachel climbed off the bed and headed out of the room, leaving Quinn to get up and freshen up before heading down to meet the Berrys for breakfast.
The kitchen was filled with the aroma of vegan pancakes and fresh brewed coffee. Rachel had already set Quinn's usual spot with her coffee and Quinn took a big swig from the mug before walking over and giving Rachel a proper greeting.
"I'm glad you can be a pleasant person when presented with caffeine," said Rachel as she tilted her head up to meet Quinn's kiss.
The four of them settled in at the table for breakfast. It was a morning so different from Quinn's typical Christmas. Rachel was as giddy as a child and Quinn found her enthusiasm infectious. Christmas in her house had always been subdued, even when she and Frannie were children. Mostly it was about family appearances. Quinn's memories fixated on the fancy party dresses and uncomfortable shoes that she was forced into for church and Christmas dinner with their extended family.
As soon as the last plate had been cleared away, Rachel dragged them into the living room. Hiram turned on the stereo and let the Christmas music flow through the room and Quinn smiled at the sound of Rachel humming softly as she organized the presents beneath the artificial tree in the corner.
The Berry men sat patiently as Rachel organized the gifts by person before starting to pass them out. Quinn could see the large pile from the Berry men besides Rachel and the excitement on the small brunette's face.
They tore through the presents; well, Rachel did at least. She had made Quinn wait to open their gifts to one another for last. When Rachel had finally stopped squealing over the Blu-Ray copy of Funny Girl her dads had gotten her, Quinn handed Rachel her last box.
For once, Rachel opened it slowly, savoring the moment. She opened it to see an envelope surrounded by a selection of random objects that were designed to make the box heavy and to keep Rachel guessing as to what it could be with all of the shaking it endured the week leading up to Christmas.
After laughing at Quinn's efforts to deter her from figuring out her gift, she tore open the envelope to reveal a card with a letter tucked inside. She unfolded the paper and read it silently to herself, her eyes tearing as she did so.
"Quinn, this is too much," she said quietly, looking up at Quinn as she finished. The Berry men sat quietly, waiting to be filled in. "Wicked on Broadway, a 5-star dinner, and a limousine? It's too much."
"Did it mention a whole weekend of me in New York too?" asked Quinn with a grin.
"I don't deserve you," said Rachel, walking over and falling into Quinn's arms.
"That's where you're wrong. You deserve to be treated like a queen," said Quinn quietly into her ear, brushing it with her lips.
"Well I guess I should give you your gift now," she said, dragging herself from Quinn's lap and pulling out the last package from beneath the tree. She dropped it into Quinn's hands before settling at her feet, watching intently.
Quinn took her time as usual, ripping the paper as gently as humanly possible and driving Rachel crazy at the same time. It revealed a box for an expensive SLR camera.
"I talked to a bunch of people that are into photography to find one for you because I obviously know nothing about cameras, but I didn't want to ask your specific preferences to avoid ruining the surprise. We can pick out a different one if you don't like it." Rachel was rambling from nerves.
"Rach," said Quinn, taking the brunette's hands in hers. "Stop. It's absolutely perfect; I love it." Rachel's grin crept across her face and Quinn once again found herself smothered by the small diva.
That afternoon found Quinn sitting in the living room with her mom. Rachel had been over for presents earlier, but they had agreed to spend some time alone with their parents for the evening.
Quinn's new guitar was propped in her lap. She had just strung it with the help of a very useful YouTube video and was in the process of tuning it.
"What made you take up guitar?" asked Judy, sipping her apple cider and watching her daughter work on the strings.
"I needed a break from the girl drama in my dorm one night so I was hanging out with my friend Derek and he plays so he taught me a couple of chords and since then I've been practicing with him. You know I love music, it just kind of fit."
"I'm sure it helps that Rachel loves that you can play," said Judy with a knowing smile. Quinn blushed at the memory of Rachel jumping her as soon as she played for her the first time.
Instead of responding to her mom, she picked up the package of new picks and pulled one out, running it down the strings and letting the sound take over instead. She let her fingers find the frets and strummed out a couple of random chords as she got used to the new guitar before beginning the song. She sang softly along with the guitar and had forgotten Judy was even in the room until she finished and heard the applause.
"You're a talented girl, my Quinnie," Judy said with conviction. Quinn still wasn't used to being complimented by her mother after so many years of being made to feel like she was a failure. "Don't ever let anybody tell you otherwise."
She had grown a tough exterior to protect her from all of the times that people had pulled her down and told her she wasn't good enough. Most of the time, it came from inside her home directly. But as she thought, Quinn realized that Rachel was the one person in her life that had never torn her down, had never told her that she wasn't good enough. She knew she loved Rachel, but every day she was discovering more reasons as to why she knew that she would love that girl forever.