Hey gleeks!

This chapter is a bit of a shorty, but I figured you'd rather have it now than wait another week till I have time to make it longer…yes? Plus, I think you'll enjoy some surprising new alliances here! Have fun :)

-JW

Take Me As I Am

Chapter 38

By JewWitch

…

"No, no, no," Rachel groaned exasperatedly, hands on her hips as she surveyed the rest of the glee club rolling their eyes at her around the choir room. "This is simply unacceptable. I leave you alone for one little week, and suddenly you've all decided to embrace mediocrity? I'm as much a fan of My Chemical Romance as the next person, but that song just is not good enough to win Regionals!"

"You mean, because we didn't hang around here like a bunch of useless extras waiting for you to come back and sing the lead?" Mercedes huffed, rolling her eyes at Tina, who shrugged in uneasy agreement.

"Look, this isn't about me," Rachel shook her head, frowning as she looked around the room and saw the same dismissive expression on all their faces. "This is about all of us. That song just doesn't showcase what we can really do, and it simply isn't good enough to beat The Warblers or Vocal Adrenalin. Do you all want to lose this thing? We need something fresh, something they've never seen before, something that will blow the judges completely away…we need to perform our own original number."

"Thank you for your input, Rachel, but unfortunately this decision has already been made. I realize you're disappointed, but Mercedes is right—we couldn't just wait around for you, Regionals is only two weeks away." Mr. Schue leveled her with his standard, patronized toddler look as he handed her a pile of sheet music.

"I wasn't on vacation! I had mono," Rachel squeaked indignantly, glaring at Santana, who sighed grudgingly and crossed her arms. "And once again, I am trying to tell you that this really and truly is not about me. You don't want to give me a solo? Fine, give it to someone else. But we need a better song, guys. For all our sakes!"

When they all ignored her and took out their sheet music to practice their utterly mediocre song, Rachel sighed in defeat and sat down, scowling. She was not about to sit back and watch them lose Regionals, not after they'd gotten so close last year and then missed their chance to perform when Quinn went into labor practically on stage. Not that she was blaming her poor girlfriend for that, of course—but she couldn't stand the idea of them missing their chance again; not now. If they lost, it should be because someone else was actually better, not because they didn't go all-out.

Rachel alternated between sulking and scheming for the rest of rehearsal, so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice Santana approaching her as everyone else was filing out.

"What up, Shortcake," the Latina nudged her foot while she was busy cramming her sheet music into her bag. "Good to have you back in glee yelling at us again, it was really boring without you. Q feeling better?" Rachel looked up huffily, ready to give another curt reply; but softened when she saw the honest concern in the other girl's eyes.

"Yes, she's much better, though she's still got a bit of a fever. I think she should be back by the end of the week, with plenty of time to learn this atrocious song for Regionals." Rachel sighed, and Santana scowled.

"Look, you're not really gonna roll over and take it lying down, are you? Cause, you know, I actually think you're right this time." Rachel's jaw hung open for a second in stunned disbelief, before she jumped indignantly to her feet.

"Why didn't you say something, Santana? I could've used a little backup! In case you hadn't noticed, my opinion has been summarily rejected." Rachel huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, like me backing you up would really help you right now," Santana snorted, rolling her eyes and kicking absently at the floor with the toe of her sneaker. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm still persona non grata around here. I don't think my endorsement is gonna boost your ratings this week, y'know?" Rachel raised an eyebrow, giving the taller girl a slow, measured glance, her eyes softening a little.

"Brittany still isn't speaking to you?"

"No, she is…barely. It's like she's there, but she isn't. And I don't know what else to do, Rachel—I can't make her love me again. Usually when people don't do what I want, I just kick their ass. Take that off the table, and I don't really know what's left." Without really noticing, the two girls fell into step together, slinging their backpacks over their shoulders as they headed out to the student parking lot.

"Well, there is the obvious and mandatory apology."

"Yeah, thanks Dr. Ruth, I tried that already."

"Glad to hear it—I suppose you weren't raised in a cave by wolves, after all."

"Only part-time. The wolves have joint custody." Rachel giggled and glanced up at Santana, slightly unnerved by the sudden congenial rapport between them.

"You're not trying to lull me into a false sense of security for some horrific new prank, are you? Am I about to get slushied with Ebola?" She tried to say it jokingly, but Santana looked a little hurt as she crossed her arms huffily.

"Whatever, Berry. I may be desperate, but I don't have to talk to you—just trying out that whole, trusting people thing. I figure if Q can do it, I at least have a fighting chance…and I will punch you in the face if you tell anyone I said this, but…you seem like a pretty trustworthy person."

"Oh…well…thank you."

"No big," Santana shrugged. Then she gestured to her car, and asked gruffly, "So do you want a ride, or what?" Rachel just nodded, too stunned to speak.

…

"All right," the tiny brunette sighed when they were on the road to her house. "You've tried apologizing, flowers, chocolates, and stuffed animals, and Britt still won't forgive you?"

"She said she did, but…I just don't feel like she really means it. She barely looks at me anymore, and…well…" The Latina shifted uncomfortably behind the wheel. Rachel glanced across the seat and raised an eyebrow.

"What? Just spit it out, Santana."

"I can't make her come, okay? And believe me when I say this is not a problem we've ever had before. It's like she's all locked up inside, and she just can't let herself go." Santana scowled at the road, and Rachel tried her best not to giggle at the despondent look on her…friend's?...face.

"Well, well, well…"

"Do not think I can't punch you out and drive at the same time, Shortcake."

"I'm quite sure you can, but if you can manage to restrain yourself, I think I might be able to assist you in your quest to win Brittany's forgiveness." Santana glanced across the seat, one eyebrow raised.

"I'm listening."

"You have to sing to her, silly. In front of the glee club. That will show her you're willing to risk your own comfort and security for hers…and, you know, it's quite romantic." Santana's dark skin paled in an instant, but she nodded bravely.

"I…could be down with that. If you'll help me with the arrangement."

"Not a problem. See how much better things are when you trust people?" Rachel beamed, and impulsively, leaned over and kissed Santana on the cheek. Instead of responding with violence, Santana grinned sheepishly and blushed bright red.

Rachel was still smiling when she arrived home, to find Quinn curled up on the couch in her pajamas, diligently doing her homework now that she was feeling better. Their parents had collectively decided it was in everyone's best interest for Quinn to stay with Rachel while they both had mono, as much because Rachel had a doctor for a father as because of Judy's harried work schedule, which wouldn't have allowed her to stay home with Quinn anyway. And it wasn't as if the two Mr. Berrys were arguing the point—they'd been thinking of Quinn as their second daughter for over a year already, and tended to become wildly protective of her whenever she was the slightest bit under the weather. Rachel never said anything about this to Quinn directly, but she definitely noticed the blonde girl soaking up the fatherly affection she had never really gotten from her own no-good drunk of a dad; and it made the little diva all warm and fuzzy inside to know that her girlfriend really was a part of their family, no matter what.

"There's my sweet sunshine girl," Rachel cooed, kicking off her shoes and curling up on the couch with her girlfriend, planting a few soft kisses all over her face. "Feeling any better, hmm baby?"

"Mm-hmm," Quinn nodded, closing her eyes to bask briefly in Rachel's affections. "No more headache, no more sore throat…I'm just kind of sleepy now. I think I might just need one more really good power-nap."

"Hmm, well, we'll see what Daddy thinks," Rachel frowned, smoothing a soft lock of blonde hair back from Quinn's face and kissing her forehead. "You still feel a little feverish to me…but I am glad you're feeling better."

"Me too," Quinn agreed with a yawn. "How was school? Anything terribly interesting happen without us?"

"You mean, besides glee club picking the most average, ordinary, run of the mill song available for Regionals, and defending it with Sue Sylvester-like religious zeal?" Rachel snorted, her fingers playing absently through Quinn's loose hair. "Not particularly."

"Aww, Rach…I'm sorry I wasn't there to back you up today. I would've used my HBIC death-ray stare to scare some sense into them. I really don't know what they're thinking, honestly."

"It's okay, angel," Rachel smiled softly, cuddling up a little closer to her girlfriend and putting her head down on the blonde girl's shoulder. "I more or less knew they'd be like this…and I did at least get one person on my side. The rest won't listen until I write the damn song and shove it down their throats."

"Oh yeah? Who?"

"Santana." Rachel's head fell off Quinn's shoulder with a thunk as the blonde girl sat bolt upright in shock, her hazel eyes wide and incredulous.

"I'm sorry, maybe I am still delirious…did you say Santana took your side?"

"Yes, dear," Rachel smirked, enjoying Quinn's utterly stunned expression. "Not only that, she's started giving me a new set of non-insulting nicknames that might even be construed as affectionate…and she gave me a ride home after practice, during which she asked my advice about her love life."

"No way," Quinn muttered, rubbing her eyes as if to clear the insane hallucination of a friendly, confiding Santana from her head.

"Way," Rachel confirmed, still grinning with obvious pleasure. "And I really, really hope you'll be back in school by Friday to see what she's going to do next."

"Oh, I'll be there," Quinn nodded, wide-eyed and smiling. "If I have to drink nothing but Emergen-C for the next three days, I am not gonna miss this."

"Good," Rachel grinned, taking Quinn's math notes from her lap and putting them aside on the coffee table. "Because I need you to help me write a hit song for Regionals, too."