like always i can't leave you guys hanging like that. this chapter absolutely drained me, emotionally. but i loved writing every single word of it. and i hope you love reading every single word of it:) so holler at me and let me know.
What the hell just happened Quinn thinks and shakes her head trying to wrap her mind around it. Santana though thoroughly unpredictable, unstable, purposefully mean to whomever whenever was completely out of line and had no cause. She knew for a fact that something strange is up but can't quite put her finger on it. That has to be it. But Santana and Brittany were fine this morning, so that isn't it. Before she could allow her mind around her friend's reason she hears the sound of buzzing from the table. She grabs for her phone but then remembers she had it on the ringer so she reaches over towards where Santana had been sitting lifts the napkin only to find the Latina's phone going off. Quinn presses the button and reads that it is a text message from Shelby.
Starbucks at 12 sounds perfect. Tell Rachel I will be there. -Shelby
Quinn sighs in relief happy that this woman is not texting Santana to cancel. She wouldn't know how to handle telling her girlfriend that she was going to be let down by Shelby Corcoran once again. Peeved and still a bit rattled by Santana's brash statements and uncalled for outburst Quinn heads over to wait for Rachel and Brittany on a bench outside of the building. She opts to text a reply to let her know that Rachel will most definitely be there and signs it off with a gracious thank you. Hopefully Santana had been nice to her and this offer of thanks is not confusing.
She spends the next fifteen minutes going over her and Santana's argument and can only come to the conclusion that she must be on her period. The subject matter did not hit any sensitive spots for the Latina so it couldn't have been anything personal that she is sure of. Quinn decides that since there is no Santana by her side she is going to have to explain to Brittany what had happened and then maybe Brittany can shed some light on the Cheerio's stormy mood.
The doors open and the lone Cheerio is greeted by two very happy people. Rachel's smile is contagious and her previous worries completely fade away to the back of her mind and she opens her arms. Rachel's audition was 'flawless' as the diva explains and Brittany has a bag filled with swag that the Performance Arts department hands out to prospective students. After a brief embrace between the Cheerio's Brittany's smile slips a little and looks around for a certain dark haired girl that is missing from the equation.
"Where's San?" The blue eyed blonde asks her friend tilting her head to the side in confusion. Quinn looks to Brittany and then to the ground and sighs.
"After yelling at me profusely she stormed out of the restaurant." Quinn tells her finally looking up to meet a concerned look on her friends face.
"Why did she yell at you?" Rachel knits her eyebrows together her voice rises slightly and Brittany reaches into her pocket to retrieve her phone and goes to call Santana's phone.
"I really have no idea. We were talking about you going to meet with Shelby, she told me that the baby was going to be there and was worried how you would take it, so I told her I was going with you and then she completely flipped out." Quinn explains to her girlfriend but then turns to Brittany who lifts her phone to her ear. Quinn feels Santana's phone vibrate in her hand and then gives it to Brittany who sighs upset that Santana hadn't taken her phone with her, wherever it is that she went.
"That sounds completely uncalled for." Rachel states factually and places her hand firmly on her hip. Brittany ends the call and puts both phones into her pocket and looks to Quinn. "Even for Santana."
"I know. She totally got, like, freaked out or something when I told her I was going with you. She caused a scene." Quinn elaborates, her eyes flickering to the blonde beside her who is beginning to get a little fidgety.
"She said that I try and make everything about me." The blonde sighs and raises her hands as if giving up on trying to figure her friend out.
"Well she is clearly wrong there." Rachel says. "Everything is about me."
"Is something going on with her B?" Quinn finally turns to the blonde who has been extra quiet the entire conversation. Brittany looks around and shrugs her shoulders. "I mean she's always a loose cannon, but only about things that affect her and this doesn't."
"And we all know she doesn't care about me." Rachel adds and Brittany whips her head in the starlet's direction and shakes her head.
"That's not true." Brittany finally speaks. "She likes you but she doesn't want anyone to know."
"Whatever." Quinn rolls her eyes not surprised that the Latina harbors secret friendly feelings towards Rachel Berry. "I guess sex all night long doesn't make her a nice person. She's still the meanest person on the planet regardless." Quinn shakes her head at the thought of how utterly selfish Santana really is.
"She's not." Brittany defends but both of her friends completely ignore her attempts. "You'd be surprised at how absolutely unselfish she is Quinn, especially when it comes to you." Brittany informs her in her very vague Brittany way and Quinn shoots her a look of bewilderment.
"Like how?" Quinn challenges and Brittany shuts her mouth quickly to make sure she doesn't expose the super top secret secret that Santana had shared with her. Brittany knew that Santana had been keeping this puppy-baby mama drama from Quinn to protect her and had actually intended on having her meet the little baby she had given up. Santana was pretty tore up about everything Brittany had never seen her get that upset about someone's feelings before. "Exactly." Quinn huffs out.
"It's not Brittany's fault that her girlfriend is an emotional train wreck who is an obsessive compulsive verbal abuser." Rachel steps in because there really is no reason to get snippy with the blonde because her girlfriend had a bout of word vomit. "Besides no one is ever really going to know Santana and her reasons for why she breathes fire and spits venom except for Brittany and she doesn't seem to be cracking anytime soon." She points out and Quinn nods in defeat and apologizes for being short with the blonde who half smiles and hugs Quinn.
"Okay so we have about 15 minutes to make it to Starbucks on Broadway." Quinn tells the girls and points in the direction they need to head. Rachel looks to her girlfriend questioningly. "That's where you are meeting."
"You're still coming in with me right?" Rachel asks locking their arms, Quinn smiles warmly.
"Of course." They start to walk and get a few feet before they realize that Brittany isn't following them. "B you coming?" Brittany was looking around for any sight of Santana and she turns to her friends with a frown and hesitantly goes to catch up with them.
Brittany knew what was going to happen and it made her feel all sorts of antsy. She wishes Santana hadn't walked away and off to an unknown location because now she had to witness the meeting. It takes everything she has to not breakdown and cry and tell Quinn and Rachel everything that Santana had confided in her about. She doesn't of course because she wouldn't even know how to begin that conversation. So she walks in silence with her hands in her jacket pocket and follows the couple on their journey to the unknown that she knew.
When they reach the glass doors of the Starbucks Quinn stands in front of Rachel to try and find Shelby. She squints her eyes trying to sift through the sea of people standing on line, standing around and sitting at tables. She spots a dark haired woman sitting with a stroller by her side, hands wrapped around a cup of coffee and nervously looking around and checking her watch. Brittany stands behind the both of them trying to stay occupied with other thoughts and the sights of the city, that and trying to look for Santana.
"Okay, she's in there." Quinn tells the brunette turning around with a smile of relief that the woman hadn't flaked out. "Are you ready?" Rachel puts on an apprehensive smile and nods.
"As ready as I'll ever be I guess." She shrugs her shoulders and Quinn gives her a warm smile and takes her hand.
"I'm going to wait out here." Brittany says from behind them pointing to the sidewalk where she will wait.
"Oh." Quinn's face falls. She doesn't want to leave Brittany out on the city streets by herself when her girlfriend is MIA. "I could wait out here with you." Quinn looks between Rachel and Brittany not knowing what to do. Brittany shakes her head adamantly and waves to the door.
"No you have to go." She tells the blonde girl who arches an eyebrow but nods slowly.
"Okay." Quinn draws out. "Don't go anywhere." She points to the blonde who grins and nods.
When the door closes behind them Brittany moves up to the window and follows her friends move through the store. She nervously bites her lower lip taking in slow deep breathes and her heart races as she watches.
Rachel slowly makes her way to the table with Quinn right behind her holding her hand securely. Within a decent closeness Shelby looks up from her coffee and a bright smile comes to her face. She goes to stand up and greet the smaller brunette when her smile falters.
"Shelby I hope you don't mind but I brought my girlfriend with me for moral support." Rachel explains the extra guest. "Shelby, Quinn and Quinn this is Shelby." She introduces them and they smile politely at one another.
"Nice to meet you." Quinn's voice is so soft and Shelby can't help but wonder if that is what her daughter is going to sound like when she gets older.
"You too." The older woman returns and then motions to the chairs for them to have a seat and properly join her. "Thank you for meeting with me." She turns her head to look to Rachel though her eyes flicker to Quinn every now and again.
"I wasn't sure if I actually wanted to seeing how our previous reunion had gone but I believe that everyone is entitled to a second chance." Rachel explains to her and she nods at the girl's ability to make it sound like a business meeting.
"Well thank you for that." Shelby tilts her head and smiling at the younger version of herself. "So Santana tells me that you are going to Julliard." She announces eagerly. Rachel blushes a little dipping her head.
"I auditioned nothing is certain yet." Rachel modestly replies and Quinn rubs her back softly.
"You are totally getting in. You are amazing." Quinn tells her.
"Hopefully the department agrees with you." Rachel smiles to her blonde.
"Santana seems to agree. She couldn't stop telling me how talented you are." Shelby chimes in causing both girls to jerk their heads to the ex Glee director. "Both of you actually you have a good friend there. She really cares about the both of you dearly." Once again her eyes quickly dart to the blonde Cheerio sitting across from her.
Rachel shuts her mouth that had fallen open in complete shock. She smiles to herself she knew that deep inside Santana is a kind person, very, very deep down, but still it is in there. Quinn catches Shelby gawking at her and uncomfortably averts her eyes to the stroller wondering if this woman is ever going to introduce Rachel to her child or at least acknowledge the extremely over sized baby pusher.
Brittany has moved from chewing her lips to gnawing at her fingers keeping her eyes on Quinn's movements. Unfortunately the blonde's back is to her so she can't read her facial expressions. If only Santana had bought her that cool spy gear they had seen at the toy store then she would be able to hear what the three of them are talking about. She sighs at that disappointment and shifts her weight to her right foot and crosses one arm over her stomach with her fingers still firmly in her mouth.
"So do you live here?" Rachel inquires and Shelby returns her gaze to the brunette and nods.
"Yes. We," She places her hand on the stroller. "Moved here about a year ago." Rachel's eyes shoot to the stroller wondering if she is going to meet this baby.
"I hear New York is a fabulous place to raise a child." Rachel informs her. "When did you have her?" Shelby looks up from her baby and to Rachel uncertain at how to broach the topic of Beth.
"Rachel?" Shelby begins leaning onto the table with her forearms. When she knows she has the girl's attention she proceeds. "When I met you back in my Vocal Adrenaline days, I was, completely caught off guard. Truth is you didn't find me, I found you. I wanted to make sure that you were well and that you had been taken care of the way that I was unable to." Rachel's face falls but not from sadness or being hurt it's more out of understanding. "And then I found out how incredible you were… you are. You are an amazing singer and performer." She sits back a little not wanting to get over emotional about the topic. "And a great person who surrounds herself with people who care about her so much." She looks between the couple and smiles thoughtfully. "It was then that you made me realize that I had finally grown into the person I wish I was when I had you. I was finally ready to not be selfish and immature. I was finally ready for a family. And that's why I had chosen adoption." Her eyes stare into Rachel's eyes as she processes the information.
"You adopted?" Rachel questions and Shelby smiles glancing to the stroller.
"Yes." Her answer is so full of love that Rachel is positive her heart explodes at the obvious gesture. "So that I can give this little girl things that her parents couldn't give her and make sure that no matter where she came from she will always be loved and nurtured. Just like your parents did for you, for me." She looks to the starlet who looks as though she may cry and Shelby shakes her head. "I have to be honest, since I already have been thus far. When your friend, Santana, approached me it wasn't to meet with you." She admits guiltily.
Brittany watches the couple look between them confused and she darts her stare to Shelby who looks to Quinn, she thinks anyway.
"I'm sorry?" Rachel sighs out. "Then why text her about meeting with me?"
"Yeah I mean I know Santana is intimidating but she wouldn't force a reunion between you and Rachel." Quinn adds looking equally confused as her girlfriend.
"Two years ago next week I adopted a baby girl from a hospital in Lima, Ohio." Shelby begins her eyes falling to her coffee cup which she is turning in place on the table. "She had been given up for adoption by her teenage mother." Quinn swallows and holds her breath at her ability to relate to this story. "And somewhere in between then and now your friend Santana seemed extremely interested in where that little baby girl ended up." Rachel slowly turns her head to Quinn who has a blank expression on her face very similar to the one that is normally worn by a different blonde Cheerio. Shelby finally looks up to Quinn making full eye contact with her.
"You were at the hospital." Quinn breathes out her voice raspy and barely there and she blinks back invisible tears. "I remember." Shelby nods her smile not quite there yet.
"Yes I was." She responds slowly.
"But why did Santana…?" Rachel interjects not quite understanding Santana's involvement.
"She told me that she wanted to be able to ensure her friend peace of mind about the baby she had given up." Shelby smiles warmly to the blonde who is still vacant of expression. "She really cares about you and worries." She informs Quinn. "She couldn't stop telling me how beautiful, smart and kind you are and how lucky I was to get a part of that in her." Shelby motions to the stroller.
The blonde sits there adding two and two together in her head. Her eyes fluttering back and forth over the table in front of her and then she turns to Rachel her eyebrows furrowed. She sits back into her chair and looks to the side in thought before she fully turns in her seat and looks to the door. Her eyes scan the window stopping once they fall upon a blonde headed girl staring back at her. Realization hits her right then and there and now knows Santana's motives. A soft smile dances on her lips and she nods to Brittany who smiles back at her in recognition. She turns her head slowly back to the women at her table and then she looks to the stroller.
"Do you want to meet her?" Shelby hesitates a little motioning to the baby who is still out of sight. From under the table Rachel places her hand on Quinn's thigh and gives it a light squeeze. Quinn looks to her girlfriend and smiles with uncertainty, Rachel nods.
"Okay." The blonde whispers and sits up straighter in her chair as she watches the older woman reach into the stroller.
Her eyes widen at the sight of the blonde headed baby girl being lifted into sight and she can feel the tears collecting at the brim waiting to fall the moment she blinks. Shelby looks from her daughter and to Quinn with a bright smile on her face as she turns her daughter to face the blonde high school girl. And it's at that moment in time that Quinn feels her heart explode like it did when had first laid eyes on that tiny person. She is just as beautiful as she remembers.
"Ladies meet Beth." Shelby announces the way a mother would introduce her child, so very proud of her just for the simple reason that she is her daughter. Quinn's breathe catches in her throat and her watery eyes look to Shelby whose smile softens and she nods. "Beth Jennifer Quinn Corcoran." Quinn's hand reaches to her chest and her mouth is dry from being open for an undisclosed amount of time. "Would you like to hold her?" Quinn closes her mouth and sniffles wiping stray tears with the back of her hand nodding fervently spreading her arms out instantly.
Certain that neither Quinn nor Rachel were at any point in the near future plotting to kill Santana Brittany decides that she will just head back to the hotel in hopes of her girlfriend being there. She sends a quick text to Rachel telling her where she is going and makes her way down the city streets, hopefully in the right direction.
It had taken her a lot longer than she remembered, but she eventually got to the hotel. When she got to the room she sighs from exhaustion and disappointment in not seeing Santana waiting there for her. She sits at the end of the bed wondering where it is that she could be. It didn't take her that long to finally think of where she had scampered off to. At first she wanted to run out the door and race to tell Santana how wonderful, or seemingly wonderful things had gone at the coffee shop. But, she didn't want to. She knew Santana felt bad about how she treated Quinn earlier there was no doubt in her mind about that. Sometimes when Santana had to do things she really didn't want to do it put her in a type of funk and it usually took a while for it to dwindle down and fade away. This was definitely one of those things to put her in that funk.
Shelby and Rachel continued to discuss Julliard comfortably as Quinn sat there staring at Beth and talking to her. Shelby watched closely wishing she had been able to see Rachel sooner than as late as they did. All of those years wondering how she had turned out, and to be able to put Quinn at an ease that she had to wait 15 years to get gave her some peace of mind.
After a couple of hours Beth starts to get a bit fussy so Quinn hands her over. The meeting unfortunately comes to an end with Shelby having to put her daughter down for a nap. She gathers her things flinging her purse on one side and the diaper bag on the other and takes hold of the handle of the stroller.
"It was really great catching up with you Rachel." Shelby says full of sincerity. "I'd like to do it again." She tells her with certainty in her voice.
"Me too." Rachel answers without hesitation. Shelby pushes the stroller to face the door and stops to glance at Quinn who had an amazed look strewn over her face.
"It was an unbelievable pleasure to meet you Quinn." Shelby extends her hand to the blonde who slowly brings her hand up to shake.
"Thank you." The blonde's voice is so soft and still raspy as before still unable to get control of all of the emotions streaming through her.
"Well, goodbye and have a safe trip." The older woman waves and the two watch her, stroller in front of her, stride out the door.
Quinn turns to the table and looks down picking something up and smiling at it like it was treasure.
"She looks like you." Rachel points to the picture.
"You think?" Quinn breathes out staring at the picture Shelby had given her of Beth. Rachel nods and looks to her girl.
"Yes, she's beautiful."
There is a knock on the door and Brittany pushes herself up from the bed assuming that Santana in her fake fit of rage forgot her key along with her phone.
"Sany where have you…" Brittany cuts herself off upon seeing a different Cheerio standing before her. "Quinn." Brittany says and then leans over the threshold glancing down the hallway before pulling back to look at the blonde. "Hi." Brittany pouts when she doesn't find Santana in front of her. Quinn opens her mouth to ask the question Brittany is already prepared for.
"No she's sitting on a bench in Central Park." Brittany tells her and Quinn looks perplexed. "I just know." Brittany explains in perfect monotone. "She's waiting for you." Brittany says softly and Quinn turns on her heels and sprints down to the stairwell not wanting to wait for the elevator. Brittany turns her head from where Quinn had run and finds Rachel staring at her. "See Santana cares about you." Brittany smiles and leans against the door frame.
"To say I'm shocked would be the understatement of the century." Rachel states still extremely caught off guard and Brittany shoots her a quizzical gaze. "Did you know the whole time too?" Brittany nods guiltily. "I am thoroughly impressed. Santana is teaching you to keep secrets. Now if we can only teach about the proper etiquette of discussing your sexual activities in public." She smirks and Brittany giggles and motions for the diva to come in her room and they order a Disney movie on the television.
Santana sits on a bench in the middle of Central Park going over everything in her mind. She wondered if Brittany had cracked and told Quinn the truth about Shelby. She shakes her head knowing that Brittany knew that information was too serious to let spill. Her thoughts are muddled by heavy breathing behind her and the crunching of random leaves scattered on the grass. She flickers her eyes to the side even though the person is behind her.
"Brittany told you where I was." Santana states, but she doesn't get an answer. "Q I'm so… what I said at breakfast I didn't mean any of it." She tells her looking at her shoes digging into the ground.
There is no answer again but she does hear movement. Next thing she knows her friend takes a seat next to her, their shoulders touching. Quinn looks ahead, shoving her hands into the pockets of her Cheerio's jacket and fidgets on the bench to get comfortable. The blonde turns to look at her friend and it's as though she is seeing her for the first time in years and her eyes trace all the curves and marks on Santana's face.
Quinn wants to smile and she thinks she does, but she is not sure. Here she's been all along. The little dark haired girl she met on the playground in Pre School who took her by the hand with that little blonde on her hip telling her the three of them were best friends forever. She is the same little girl that always brought an extra snack pack for her, because her mom gave her veggies, so she wouldn't feel left out as she and Brittany pigged out. This is the same Santana Lopez that in 8th grade stole a box of tampons from the drug store for Quinn when they were both too embarrassed to buy them.
Under this thought out and perfectly played rough exterior her best friend forever still lingers. She may not show it, but she hasn't erased it.
Quinn sighs and then shuffles her body a little lower against the back rest of the bench and leans her head onto Santana's shoulder. The Latina maneuvers her arm around her friend's shoulders and pulls her closer and leans her head on the blonde's. Quinn grabs Santana's other hand and holds it in between both of hers squeezing tightly and brings their hands to rest between them.
"Thank you." Quinn whispers. Santana nods, her cheek rubbing against the top of her friends head at the motion. "I love you too you know."
The couples left later that evening in order to avoid traffic. And as they drove onto the highway that would take them home they each brought something back with them that they hadn't thought they needed.
Rachel drove them back and as her eyes glanced to the rear view mirror she could see the city lights fade away into the distance. But she knew that she was going to be back whether it was for Julliard or just to meet up with Shelby and talk show tunes and see a play together. She never really thought she would be able to have any kind of relationship with the woman who had given her up. But here she was thinking about how their next encounter was going to be and if Shelby would stick by her word and e-mail her. As they grew nearer to the interstate and the city lights had long ago left them Rachel sits up to look to the passengers in the back seat and smiles fondly.
In the backseat of Quinn's sedan sat three very passed out Cheerio's. Brittany sat to the right of the back seat holding on to her bag with her head phones firmly placed in her ears. Her head was resting on Quinn's shoulder who was seated in the middle. Quinn's head was placed on Brittany's as she sleep wrapped up tightly in her Cheerio's jacket. To her left was Santana who had her head snuggled into her friend's neck.
Rachel chances a quick look to the girl's behind her and takes it in. Her girlfriend looks content. A peaceful that she has never seen in her before. Her sleeping face holds no worries or sadness and Rachel can't help but thank the two girl's sitting beside her each holding on to one of Quinn's hands as they sleep. Rachel chuckles to herself at something that Santana had once said to her a long time ago and only now did she believe it to be true. 'When Santana Lopez makes a promise or uses words like 'forever' she means it'. Quinn, Santana and Brittany… best friends forever.
whew! okay, holy mush factor. so as i read it over i was like wow that feels like an ending ending... but it is not. there are still so many loose ends to tie up! i brought in the baby thing because i actually want it to be brought up in the show. like hello, homegirl had a baby and now she's fine... don't believe it. anyway, enough of my ranting. i hope you enjoyed this chapter.