CHAPTER 51: EMAILS, QUESTIONS AND VIDEOTAPES..

Rachel and Beth have been home for 20 minutes now. Beth is anxious and is practically vibrating in her seat. Rachel said she would tell her all about what her mom was like when she was in high school. So, she is beyond excited.

Rachel is smiling with just as much enthusiasum but was also weary. She hasn't gone through any of the photos on her computer in 6 years. Her laptop is the one thing she still has from childhood that she fortunately packed on the last night of her life in Lima. She uses it for some personal uses but hasn't really gone through it in years. Let alone the photos.

"Ok, Beth. So, just so you knpw. I haven't seen half of the pictures I've saved on here, mainly the ones from my senior year. So, it will be an experience for the both of us." Rachel said with a smile. Beth furrowed her brow in thought and confusion.

"How come?" Beth ask.

"Well.. Senior year was a very busy time for me. I was not only preparing for Glee club going to natiuonals but also for my final exams, college applications AND my Nyada audition. Which, in hindsight was kind of a waste because I couldn't attend college personally because I got the chance to originate a role right after high school. A lot of the pictures from my senior year were taken by my friends who sent them to me. Like when we all went to 6 flags for senior ditch day than we went to the skate park to hang out with Artie and spend the rest of senior ditch day with him and his friends. Mercedes took so many pictures that day and sent them to me but I just filed it under her name and told myself I would look at them later but never did." Rachel said. As she explained she slowly began to feel like an ungrateful friend. She pulled up her document files and her eyes widened at the number of photo files under each Gleeks name that had been sent to her from each member separately over the years. She had forgotten how many there actually were.

"Woah! How many are there?" Beth asked with excitement.

"I don't know.." Rachel said in awe and swallowed thickly. She knew this was going to be painful for her to see because her past was just a click away to reminisce. Her parents photos were there under the title 'PARENTS' but she was not opening that folder with Beth around. She might fall back into relapse and go on a drunken, drugged out binge. Her eyes misted at just the word parents. There is no doubt in her mind she would lose it if she saw their pictures. She cleared her throat.

"So, I filed all of them in chronological order from freshmen year to senior year. All the pictures Mercedes took that year would be under her name as well as videos. Understand?" Rachel ask.

"I think?" Beth replied.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Your going to see them all anyway." Rachel clicked on the first folder. She took a deep breath and open the file of freshmen year under the name "KURT" The screen opened up and Rachel felt her heart ache immediately. There in the picture was Kurt, Mercedes, Artie, Tina and herself. It was after there first rehearsal. Kurt had the camera in the air and the rest of them were behind him smiling.

"Whose that girl?" Beth ask curiosly.

"Which one?" Rachel ask after getting her emotions under control.

"That one." Beth ask as she pointed to Kurt and Rachel snorted in laughter followed by a fit of giggles.

"What?" Beth ask annoyed. "What's so funny?" She tried again.

"That's kurt." Rachel said through her giggles.

"That's a weird name to name a girl." Beth said causing Rachel to laugh again. "I don't get it." Beth continued and Rachel was tearing up and turning beet red.

"Rachel!"

L.A QUINN AND HAYDEN...

"It's nice to meet you." Quinn said with a welcoming smile. "I heard you were otherwise engaged or you would have been at the introductory meeting. I assure you, it's fine." Quinn let go of his hand and turned to walk back to her desk. Completely unaware of the blue eyes tracking the curve of her body and landing directly on her rear. Hayden straightened up as soon as she turned to face him as she sat in her seat. "Please, have a seat. We can still do an introductory, while I work on some files."

"If your sure. I don't want to impose." He said kindly.

"It's no imposition, at all. I have time. I'm very well equipped at multi-tasking. Please, I insist." Quinn said kindly.

"Alright. " Hayden took a seat. He was beyond nervous and hoped it didn't show. However; It wasn't a work related reason. It was because of Quinn's beauty and aura. She was so different from what he had imagined and he couldn't help but wonder of her character. She sounded well educated and her manners in the few short minutes he had been in the room proved to be very respectful and reserved. Like he himself.

"So, Mr. Collins, Tell me about yourself." Quinn said.

"It's Hayden, Please. Mr. Collins is my father and I am not that old." Hayden joked and when the blonde chuckled in return he felt it hit him all over. His ears warmed at the sound. Her smile once again blew him away.

"Sorry, Hayden, Tell me about yourself." Quinn said correcting herself warmly.

"Well, I am the CFO. I studied at Princeton and have a masters in finance. After I granduated I worked for another company before I applied here. It was in London but I moved back here about a year ago and I heard starcorp was looking for a CFO. A collegue of mine is actually the one whom referred me to Ms. Berry's assistant. I must admit just getting an interview felt like a full body cavity search but I can definitely understand why precautions had to met. Anyway, I obviously got the job and I believe I'm doing it correctly as I am still here." Hayden finished with a smile. Quinn smiled in return.

"How do you like working here thus far?" Quinn ask.

"It's hands down the best job I've ever had. I also get time to have coffee, read a couple of chapters in the new book I've disc-"

"What book?" Quinn's eyes lit up at the sound of a new book. Maybe it was something she hadn't read.

"Wait... You've got that look in your eye." Hayden said with a playful smirk. He made a show of looking back and forth and whispered. "My god.." He whispered. "Quinn Fabray, are you a secret literary junkie, too?" Quinn flushed pink and smiled sheepishly.

"Guilty.." She whispered back and Hayden bellowed in laughter. A lot of women have told him he had such a charming laughter and it was attractive. He wondered if Quinn thought the same. He hoped so because listening to Quinn laugh was definitely addicting. He wonders if this is what women meant when they told him that.

"Whose your favorite author?" Quinn ask in excitement. Her eyes shined in interest and he melted at the sight. He knew then that he had to have her and he would do whatever it took to get her.

"Emerson."

"NO WAY! He's my favorite, too!" Quinn replied with utter happiness and awe that she finally found someone who understood the awesomeness that was Emerson. A sad thought briefly struck her. Emerson her horse.. God she missed him.

"It seems we are a match made in literary heaven then." Hayden said in a playful manner though his mind was anything but. Quinn Fabray would be his. She had to be because no other woman has ever evoked so much in him in under 15 minutes of being in there presence let alone the moment he laid eyes on them but Quinn Fabray stole his heart the moment he laid eyes on her and he didn't want it back.

Rachel and Beth..

Beth stared in wide eyed awe at her mother. Her mother was standing dead center with her hands in the air at the top of the pyramid in her cheerios uniform. It was taken by Mercedes during one of the many Mckinely high football games. She had a big smile on her face. Beth was enarmoued. She had never seen her mother look like that. She looked so cool. Beth wanted to be a cheerleader then and there though she would still be on Broadway in that moment she decided she would be a cheerleader in high school just like her mommy and still be in glee club like her mommy and Rachel and when she grew up she would still be on Broadway like her Rachel.

Rachel was not fairing any better. They had now gotten to the end of junior year. Though, she got emotional during the beginning it was getting easier to go through them. It was getting easier because by the time junior year rolled around Mercedes and Quinn had become such good friends that there were pictures upon pictures and videos of Quinn in that hot as hell uniform flaunting and dancing and the sexy and down right sinful sky splits that Rachel's eyes were glazed over and she was slightly drooling, literally. She forgot what that cheerios unform plus Quinn Fabray equaled for her in high school. She is now pissed that she hadn't looked through the pictures in high school because instead of imagining the image. Mercedes had technically given her, her own personal playboy of Quinn Fabray as perfect spank bank material. She's not afraid to admit that during high school all those hormones and arguements between her and Quinn would send her into over drive. So, she's a creeper but can you blame her. Quinn was-IS and FOREVER WILL BE her one wish.

'OH GOD! STOP IT! THINK OF THE MAIL, RACHEL! GOD DAMMIT THE FUCKING MAILLLLL!'

Quinn and Hayden..

Quinn and Hayden have been talking for the last 2 hours non stop and found that they actually have so much in common it was kinda scary. If Quinn didn't know any better, he could be a male version of her easily. He loved everything she did. He also was a horse rider and had a horse too. He loves to read and spends his weekends going to art galleries and is apparently a master chef in the kitchen and has had no complaints about it. He was a jock in high school. The quarter back of the football team and graduated as she did as valedictorian. It was like they were twin souls. Quinn couldn't believe this man was real. He also got her sense of humour only Rachel really got that. He was hilarious. Like right now, she had tears in her eyes and though she knows it makes them nerds they apparently both found sense and hilarity with literary jokes. She even told him the joke about the New York Times that she had told Rachel and Beth about and he understood it immediately without having to really stop and think about it. It was nice to have a fellow lit nerd. It was weird too but she was not complaining.

"Oh my god! Where did you hear that? Or did you make it up yourself?" Quinn ask as she wiped her tears.

"A friend of mind told me about it. I've told that joke to so many people and they never understand it but than again you are quite beautifully intelligent so I shouldn't be surprised." Hayden said charmingly.

"Thank you, your not so bad yourself." Quinn replied with a smile. Quinn's office phone blared to life and she answered. The two were so engrossed with there lit nerdness they completely forgot about the meeting they were suppose to be at that second.

"Yes, we will be there shortly. I am sincerely sorry. Be there in 5" Quinn hung up the phone and got to her feet. "Shoot!"

"What's wrong?" Hayden stood as well.

"We have the Cartier meeting, right now. We're late!" Quinn rushed out as she walked briskly to the door.

"Well, that's ok I'll just blame you for kidnapping me and holding me hostage until I spilled all my nerdy little secrets." Hayden said in a teasing manner.

"Oh bull! If anything, you came to my office. So, technically it was your fault and I am the innocent new boss that was taken advantage of as you distracted me to get lazy time to talk about yourself." Quinn giggled when hayden gasp dramatically as if he were appalled.

"Why I never! I'll have you know, I am an upstanding worker of this office. Ish-"

"Says the guy who just sat in my office and admitted albeit unknowingly that he likes to use his bathroom breaks to read his EBOOKS on the toilet." Quinn whispered and he gasped again only this time looking around dramatically.

"I told you that in confidence!" He whispered back harshly and she bellowed in laughter. Hayden just smiled completely charmed by the wonder before him.

RACHEL AND BETH...

Beth and Rachel made it through the rest of junior year and most of senior year. With only four folders left but they were small in number so Rachel knew they'd be done soon. Rachel told Beth so many stories and funny silly things that had happened to there glee club. The brunette did her best to click on to the next picture as quickly as possible if Puck was in any. She did not want Beth to start questioning while Quinn wasn't there. The brunette scrolled down than stopped when Beth gasped and squealed.

"Oh my god! Rachel, you know Santa!" Beth asked in awe. Rachel furrowed her brown in confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"You know Santa!"

"Um... Beth, Honey, What are you talking about?" Rachel was beyond confused.

"Right here! It says Santa!" Beth bounced up and down as she pointed to a folder that wasn't put in with the rest. In fact, it was in the far lower left corner. Rachel looked and her eyes widened. It said 'SANTANA' Rachel was hit with a memory out of no where. She remembers recieving the email from Santana with the message 'Thought you'd might like to see all the fun you had last night.. gotta say, I guess manhands wasn't too far off, lol.

Rachel never opened it because she remembers waking up at Noah Puckermans party half naked with a massive hang over and only a pair of cheerio spanks and a pair of cheerio-red, mind you, lacy panties but was completely alone and exposed. She had lost her virginity that night and cried to herself the weeks leading up to graduation. She was always terrified because in the sea of students someone knew her secret. They could tell everyone. She could be attacked at any moment. So, she was always on high alert and could never fully relax but it was all for nothing because she supposes she was such a pariah that the person was probably too scared to even admit they had been with a freak like her. It would ruin them. She couldn't remember anything from the night before and was not friends with Santana. They only tolerated each other because of glee club. Outside of that all bests were off and she always assumed it would be a picture of her making a fool of herself and never looked at it but now she was curious.

"Beth, honey, that doesn't say Santa. It says Santana. Remember her from the pictures with your mom? She was your mothers best friend and so was Britney." Rachel said with a smile.

"Oh.." Beth said sounding disappointed. "Well, can we open it now .." Beth ask kindly.

"Sure." Rachel said not thinking anything of it.

The brunette opened the file and it turns out, it was a video. She pressed play and Santana's face brightened the screen. Britney was behind her.

"San.. Come on. We don't ha-" Britney whispered. They appeared to be in a bathroom.

"Hold on, B. I just wants evidence for Fabray. This is too good to pass up." Santana replied in a whisper. Rachel felt extremely unnerved by that statement and was about to click off when Santana spoke.

"So, as I was about to say. Brit and I came upstairs to make amends. I'm happy to report that we are officially a couple and I am no longer afraid or going to hide who I am because I love her.." Rachel felt her heart swell for the two girls on the screen. She relaxed now that she realized this was about there relationship. "We are currently at Pucks graduation party and I gotta to say Fabray, I always knew you were weird but I didn't think you had a fetish for toddlers. Brit and I have been stuck in this bathroom for the last 20 minutes and I for one, am not happy so since I'm stuck in here I thought I'd get a little blackmail and since I know how trashed you are because you were just downstairs grinding your white ass on Berry which would never happen if you were sober. Not to mention, I have been secretly refilling the same cup you've been carrying around all night thinking you were drinking from your first drink. I know you won't remember this and don't worry you don't have to thank me for getting you so plastered you would never remember but because we're stuck in this bathroom. Allow me to enlighten you." Santana finished her whispered monologue and slowly crept to the bathroom door. You can hear the bass of the music in the background. The brunette slid her hand through the crack of the door and at first everything was blurry until she adjusted the camera. and moans began filling the room. Beths eyes widened and Rachel gasps as she screamed and slammed the laptop shut. The computer taking a moment to cut of the sounds of the loud moans. Rachel's eyes were wide and fearful and her heart was pounding erratically in her chest.

"Did you and mommy have to pretend to be married in high school, too?" Beth ask innocently. "Because mommy says only people who are in love and married can sleep in the same bed together." Beth finished and Rachel was frozen and her mind was racing. She didn't hear a word that had just left Beth's mouth. Before she knew what was happening a little bit of fog in her brain began to clear as she remembered a reocurring dream she frequently had that had one Quinn Fabray as the star but now that dream was no longer a dream and the snippets she can remember looked a hell of a lot like the video that was just playing on the screen.

QUINN..

Quinn just got to her hotel room from work and was extremely exhausted. She just wanted to take a nice hot bath and eat dinner. Than follow that up with a skype from her girls and her day would end perfectly. God, she missed her girls. It was only Tuesday, though it should feel like Friday. Quinn headed straight for the bath as she started to prepare it. She began thinking about her day and the rest of the week. To be honest, though L.A was beautiful, she didn't want to be there anymore. She wanted to be home with her girls.

The week was taking forever to end. The blonde removed her clothes and put her hair in a bun as to not get it wet. She removed her engagement ring and slid into the whirlpool tub than the inner booster hit her aching body and she moaned in sweet relief. Her neck was tense from leaning forward in front of a computer all day. Her feet ached from standing and walking in her heels during two to three hour standing as she showed graphs and presentations at the meetings. She was ready for bed but first she had to skype her girls. It's all she thought about all day. So, after her bath she went straight to her room to make herself as presentablre as possible because she knew Beth wouldn't care but she wanted to look good for Rachel.

The blonde finished and made sure to check her self in the mirror and fluffled her hair one last time before pressing the call button. She waited anxiously but not for long as the childish squeal of her daughter hit her ears as her eyes took in the bright smile before her.

"Mommy!"

"Hey, Honey!"

"Mommy, you never told me you were a cheerleader!" Beth said immediately getting straight to the point that she so desparately wanted to ask since seeing the photos. Rachel made her swear not to tell her mom about the video Santana sent because Rachel wanted to tell her mommyt herself and Beth agreed. Rachel said she could talk about eveything else but that.

"How did yo-"

"Rachel showed me pictures of you in high school. Mommy, you were sooo cooolll! I want to be just like you when I go to High school and I want to be a cheerio. I'm gonna jump real high like you and every time I jump, I'm gonna blew kisses at you and Rachel like this!" Beth demonstrated not giving Quinn a chance to get a word in but causing her mother to melt at the words of wanting to be just like her. Quinn had secretly felt this sad pathetic feeling of never being a role model for her daughter to want to be like. Hearing her say such a thing made her eyes mist with tears.

"That was such a good sky split, sweetheart! Your a natural!." Quinn gushed.

"I know! I learned it from you in the video." Beth replied with matter-of-fact tone. Quinn chuckled. The blonde wanted to kiss Rachel for showing her daughter the photos and video because now Quinn was filled with a feeling of actually being good enough for her daughter. She always wanted to hear those words but all her accolades and trophy's were collecting dust in a storage unit she had been struggling to pay for years until recently. Maybe now she could bring them home for Beth to see. Maybe they could set up some next to Rachel's awards though they would most likely pale in comparison to Rachel's actual awards but who cares, Rachel said that was all their home now. Maybe.. Maybe they or more she could start treating it like it was.

"How may I ask did you see these pictures?" Quinn inquired.

"On Rachel's laptop. Rachel says she's had it since she was a fisherman." Beth replied.

"You mean a freshman?"Quinn questioned with an adoring smile and slight confusion.

"Yes, that." Beth replied with a nod.

"How many did you see?"

"A lot. All the way until you finished school but there was no more after that. She told me about your friends Santana and Britney and said you guys were called the unholy tricity." Beth said with a smile.

"Unholy Trinity, sweetie."

"Mommy?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Why are you unholy?"

Quinn burst into laughter at the innocent blonde. She loved these conversations. She loved hearing her daughter explore and think out loud. God she missed it.

"Well.. As far as I know. Santana's the one that's unholy. Britney and I just made up the rest of the trinity." Quinn replied with a laugh. God she missed Santana and Britney. For a moment her mind wandered to how they were doing. Were they still together? Did Santana become a doctor? Is Britney a struggle or professional dancer. She knew she could go on social media to possible find them but what if they didn't want her to. She did leave without a word. What if her family made her out to be a loose canon and just took off for no reason. She sighed to herself and focused on her daughter. It would do her no good thinking about that stuff. She and Beth continued to talk as Beth asked question after question. Quinn noticed Rachel still was not present.

"Hey, honey?"

"Hmm?"

"Where's Rachel?"

"Rachel says she has a telephone meeting so she can't talk today and that she's sorry." Beth said. Quinn felt that statement square in the chest. She had craved to hear that melodious voice. She wanted to see those gorgous deep chocolate eyes star back at her with warmth. She just wanted to see Rachel but she understood work is work. At least she got to have a talk with Beth and wasn't left completely hanging.

"Oh, Ok." Quinn replied.

"I think she's sad mommy.." Beth whispered.

"Why do say that, sweetie?" Quinn lowered her tone and already felt her chest tighten with worry.

"I don't know but she saw a video today and after that she kinda looked scared but she tried to pretend she was ok. You know, like when you use to cry in the bathroom at night.." Beth said so casually not understanding the real severity of her mother's tears or whatever it was that had Rachel so upset. Quinn decided to wait until later to call Rachel.

"Ok, well let Rachel have some space tonight, ok?" Quinn ask and Beth nodded.

"Ok, did you eat?"

"'Yes."

"Did you wash up?"

"Yes, Rachel gave me a bath when we got home."

"Ok, so I want to go get to bed. You have school tomorrow. Take me with you and set the laptop on the computer and I'll tell you a story." Quinn instructed her and Beth did as she was told down to the T. When Beth fell asleep during the middle of the story, Quinn sighed sadly and whispered a 'Goodnight, Bethy. I love you.. Good night, Rae. I love you, too...' Quinn waited a few minutes to see if she could hear Rachel but she didn't so she hung up. She called the brunettes phone but got nothing except the voicemail.

Quinn sighed. She was worried about Rachel. She decided to call it a night. She would try it again in the morning. Unknowingly to Quinn, Rachel was standing out in the hall and had heard Quinn tell the story. The brunette was too scared to speak at the moment. She knew if Quinn saw her right now she would know something was wrong and she didn't want to worry her. Rachel has been waiting for Beth to go to sleep before she watched the video again. The brunette wheeled herself to her and got herself and laptop situated. She pulled up the accurate window and took a deep calming breath before clicking on the video to continue where it left off. There on the bed was Quinn. Her face was clear as day. The only light coming from the window and the crack of the bathroom door but you could see her clearly. You could also see Rachel clearly. She was balls deep but still extremely gentle and passionately making love to the blonde below her. They were kissing thoroughly and Quinn's hands were scratching down her back. The scene only played for one full minute before it was quietly pulled back into the bathroom with a snickering half drunk Santana.

"See, Q. Now, I have the ultimate blackmail. After tomorrows graduation. I'm going to play this for you and your going to puke your guts out and the best part is. It's recorded forever." Santana cackled loudly before the screen cut out. Next a string of pictures of Rachel spooning Quinn flickered in a slide show. Rachel's mouth was unhinged. She couldn't believe what she just saw. Quinn was the one she lost her virginity to. All these years she thought her precious virginity was taken sleaziliy by some faceless girl that was probably scrubbing her body with a brillo pad to get the disgusting feel of Rachel man-hands Berry off of her. Now, she finally feels something other than disgust. She knows it wasn't the way she wanted to lose her virginity but at least she lost it to someone she genuinely loves. That one fact made her feel happy and sad all at the same time because maybe Quinn did exactly what Rachel thought. Scrubbed her body down with a brillo pad considering Quinn left without a word and didn't acknowledge her at anytime leading up to graduation, because high school Quinn never liked Rachel, in fact she hated her. Now that she thinks about it maybe that's why she woke up alone, Quinn was just desparate to get away. Maybe Quinn remembers what happened but never brought it up because she practically ditched her. Maybe the memory of it isn't worth mentioning because maybe that time isn't worth anything to Quinn or maybe Quinn didn't want to rehash such a disgusting memory. Rachel was still curious though her thoughts were causing her heart to break and her eyes misted with tears. She needed to speak to Santana but she can't find the business card Santana gave her. It might be at her office at StarCorp. Hopefully she didn't lose it. She planned on stopping over there tomorrow after dropping Beth off at school. Rachel's mind is running rampant with what if's and how's and when's. It seems the only two that can answer it are Santana and Britney.

WEDNESDAY MORNING...

"Fuck! NO!" Quinn scrambled forward to catch it but it was too late. Last night, after her bath, Quinn rushed to get ready for her skype session and completely forgot to put her engagement ring back on. In her sleep deprived brain. She blindly reached for her toothbrush and toothpaste and accidently swiped the ring into the sink but was too late to stop it. Now she was freaking the fuck out because the ring was worth more than her father's sports car-hell! Probably more than Rachel's land.

"Quinn! I stopped by the that coffee shoppe you like. I got you fa-" Alison cut off when she heard a growl and loud 'FUCK! NO!' come from the bathroom. She went to investigate and there standing over the sink bowel looking every bit like an angel even in her pajamas and messy bun was an angry and desparate Quinn.

"NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNO! Please, God No!" Quinn chanted.

"What's.. Going on?" Alison ask confused and slightly worried.

"Alison! My ring! My Engagement ring! It-It went down the drain! Oh God, Rachel's going to kill me!" Quinn said in horrified fear.

"Ok. Ok. Calm down. We can fix this. I'm sure." Alison reassured the blonde.

"Ar-Are you sure?! Because I-I-I don't think so!" Quinn said in a panic and even though her hand could not fit through the drain she still grappled with it as if it would somehow open wider and give her back her ring.

"I'll speak to the hotel but you have 3 meetings this morning and you can't be late. It would look bad and you'd lose respect of your clients and employees. Now let's go." ALison said.

"You promise?" Quinn said looking back at the drain as she rubbed her naked finger. Alison shook her head fondly.

"Yes, I promise. Now, get your butt ready." Alison said with a chuckle and Quinn hesitated but eventually went to do as she was told.