Hey! A HUGE thank you to everyone who's still reading and reviewing. ALL reviews are always appreciated so please keep them coming.
I also wanted to send some virtual hugs out to everyone in the Glee fandom whose suffering from Cory Monteith's death. I know it affected me far more than I expected it to so my support goes out to the Glee universe, and of course, all of his family and friends.
As for this chapter, I know Glee already covered one of the songs, using different characters (bastards) but I've had Rachel cast as Amy in Company for a while now, so you all know it was my idea first! So you'll just have to pretend Glee never did it.
Thanks for reading!
"How's she doing?" Quinn asked, wincing down the phone.
"I think she's okay." Santana replied warily, releasing a deep breath, "She hasn't been sick for a few hours now, and she's just napping. We're hoping it'll still be gone by this evening."
"Well, the rest of us are fine now." The blonde reasoned, "Hopefully she'll be okay."
"Yeah, hopefully. So how are you? Busy day?" Santana chatted as she sat herself at Rachel, Jess and Brittany's breakfast bar.
"Yeah, I'm good. Pretty busy." She chuckled, "I've already had two pick-ups and another due in…half an hour. A list of jobs as long as my arm and a queue out the door."
"Ugh, I'm so sorry." Santana tutted sympathetically, "I tried to get away to come help but Brittany's filming a music video today and Jess has an audition. I felt bad leaving Rachel."
"No, don't be silly! I understand." Quinn shook her head as she wandered around behind the counter of the recently-emptied cupcake shop, "Although, you are going to have to leave at some point so you can get ready." The blonde pointed out with a chuckle, and Santana nodded.
"Yes, yes, I know." She rolled her eyes, "Sam is finally coming over soon so he'll look after Rachel and make sure she gets to the theatre on time and everything so I can go home and get ready with you." She informed her with a grin, and Quinn found a bubble of excitement building in her stomach.
"It's about time Sam pulled his finger out. But that's awesome. I can't wait to see it, it feels like we've been waiting forever."
"Yeah, imagine how Rachel feels." Santana replied, hissing through her teeth, "I'm just hoping she isn't going to barf all over the audience, that's all."
"I'm sure she'll be fine! Don't be disgusting." Quinn chastised.
"Well, I'm gonna tell her to aim for seats twenty-two onwards if she does have to. I'm wearing a kick ass dress that cost me more than my monthly rent at the time; ain't no way I'm letting Berry ruin it with her dwarf vomit." Santana ranted flippantly.
"Um, you can act as kick-ass as you want, San, but we all remember that you undressed Rachel in her time of need yesterday." Quinn countered boldly, and Santana huffed.
"Ugh, please don't remind me." She scowled, but the blonde shushed her.
"Oh, I spoke to my Aunt Clara this morning, too. I'm going to go over there tomorrow and see her, is that okay?"
"Yeah, of course. I'll probably hang out with Rachel and Brittany or something, it's been a while since the three of us have just spent time together." She smiled at the prospect.
"Okay, someone's coming I have to go sweetie I love you so much bye-" She was cut off as she hung up the phone, and Santana took a deep breath, sighing heavily before pushing herself off the stool and wandering through to Rachel's bedroom. "Hey, Rach? How you feeling?"
She peeked through the slightly-ajar door and into the dark, stuffy bedroom. Frowning at the lack of reply, she tip-toed through the room to the window, pushing it open gently to let a breeze waft the curtains and cool the claustrophobic room. She felt Rachel's temperature with the back of her hand, nodding with satisfaction before turning and leaving the room, shutting the door behind her with a soft click. She paused in the hallway for a moment, wondering what to do next, before shrugging buoyantly and heading to the kitchen. If she had to look after Rachel, she might as well enjoy the perks of free food.
-ooOoo-
"Okay, Puck has organised a taxi to pick us up in ten minutes, are you ready?" Santana called from the bathroom as she checked her phone.
"Yup." Quinn nodded from the bedroom, "Just finishing off, you?"
"Teeth brushing. I need to spray deodorant and perfume then I'm done."
"Yeah, I need to pull all the crap out of my bag." Quinn snorted, swiping a last coat of mascara over her lashes, batting them a few times before turning to leave the bedroom with her handbag. She emptied the contents of her bag onto the coffee table before plucking out the things she would want that evening and throwing random extra items into the bag, "Oh, hey! This is the bag I took on our first date!" She shouted brightly to Santana, who stuck her head round the bathroom door frame, her eyebrows raised and mouth full of toothpaste foam.
"Learly?" She asked in a muffled gurgle.
"Yeah, I can tell. It smells like spilled mustard and there's a ticket stub in it from that awful foreign movie we saw." She held it up for the brunette with a chuckle, and Santana shook her head, retreating to the bathroom to spit out her mouthful before reappearing.
"I still can't believe that was our first date." She replied with a disbelieving head shake, "No offence, Q. But that was possibly the worst date I've ever been on." She trailed into laughter as she finished, ducking back into the bathroom to finish brushing her teeth while Quinn looked offended.
"How dare you!" She shouted after her, "I think you'll find you asked me on that date! Anything that went wrong was solely your fault."
Santana appeared from the bathroom again, spraying various bottles over her body, "I'll agree to share blame equally." She challenged, and Quinn paused thoughtfully before nodding.
"Deal." She zipped up her bag triumphantly, but suddenly turned to Santana, her eyes narrowed, "Hold on."
"What?"
"I'm just checking here. Do you happen to be wearing your so-called 'lucky underwear'?" She raised an eyebrow, but Santana rolled her eyes.
"Of course I am! I don't want Rachel barfing everywhere, it's her big night!"
"Go take them off." Quinn ordered sternly, and Santana's jaw dropped.
"No way! They're lucky!" She insisted, checking through the contents of her bag.
"No. Santana, no they're not." She shook her head firmly, "They really aren't. That was the worst date I have ever been on. Frankly, I think we're both lucky to actually still be together after such a terrible start."
"See? That's the underwear." Santana's countered proudly, giving the blonde a cheeky wink.
Quinn rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath, "No. No it isn't. Your skanky cursed pants are not jinxing Rachel! Go take them off."
"Ugh! Fine." Santana pushed herself off the sofa, rolling her eyes, and strode off towards the bedroom.
Quinn stood, wandering across to the mirror and checking her reflection, before her phone buzzed in her bag. Pulling it out, she scanned the text from Jess.
We're outside. Puck, Sam n Summer in other taxi. Hurry :D J xx
"Jess just text me!" She called down the hallway, "They're in the taxi outside; are you ready?"
"Yes." Santana smiled politely as she exited the bedroom, tugging at her dress until she was comfortable.
"And you put on some more appropriate underwear?" Quinn quirked an eyebrow as the brunette grabbed her bag from the sofa and walked straight past her.
The blonde followed behind as Santana reached the door, pulling it open for her with a shake of her head, "Nope."
"What?" Quinn stopped in the doorway, unimpressed, "You left the un-lucky underwear on?"
Santana gave her a sweet smile before leaving the apartment and beginning to wander down the hall to the stairs, "Nope." The blonde's jaw dropped, and she stood awe-struck for a moment before Santana reappeared on the stairs, "Are you coming?" She raised her eyebrows and Quinn nodded dumbly.
"Um, yeah." She gave her head a small shake before grabbing her keys and following after the brunette.
-ooOoo-
"Oh my God. I am so excited!" Brittany was practically bouncing as they loitered in the foyer.
"I know, right?" Santana grinned, "I can't believe Rachel is going to be on Broadway. In a Sondheim!" She clapped her hands together, bouncing up and down on her toes, and Quinn's nose wrinkled with endearment as she watched the girl's excitement.
"So who is she playing?" Puck asked, frowning down at the program he'd bought, "In fact, what is this whole thing even about?"
"Okay," Santana held her hands out, palm-down, and took a deep breath, "It's about this guy called Bobby, he's a commitment-phobe who can't hold down a relationship, but it's his thirty-fifth birthday and all his friends are married and stuff. He has three girlfriends who he can't commit to."
"Is Rachel one of the girlfriends?" Sam asked, peering over Puck's shoulder at Rachel's headshot.
"No." Jess shook her head, "She's Amy, this neurotic friend who's getting married."
As she spoke, a bell rang out and a theatre steward opened the double doors nearest to them. Sam stepped up, offering the man the strip of tickets, and the steward checked them before nodding, passing them to another steward who led them to their seats.
"Wow. Rachel did a good job, huh?" Jess smirked, her eyebrows raised incredulously as they took their seats in the centre of the third row.
"This is my baby girl's big night, ain't no way I'm watching it from the Gods." Santana muttered to Quinn, who chuckled, her eyebrows creasing as she resisted the urge to say 'aawh'.
"Yeah, awesome view." Puck nodded.
"Hey," Brittany leaned forward to look round Sam to Puck, "Why didn't you bring Summer?" She frowned, but the boy shrugged.
"We've had these tickets for too long, Britts. It's opening night, I couldn't get an extra seat the week before." He chuckled disbelievingly as she girl nodded slowly, "Nah, I'm gonna bring her another night."
"Ooh, romantic." Jess teased, "Look at Puck getting himself a cultured, sensitive side." She winked cheekily, and they continued their chatter while the audience filed in behind them.
Quinn sat staring up at the architecture of the theatre, gazing at the private boxes and the huge ceiling rose and all the lights and equipment. Santana's knees were bouncing up and down rapidly, and eventually the blonde reached out to place a hand on Santana's knee to still the movement.
"Sorry." The brunette stilled, looking chastised.
"It's okay. Are you nervous for her?" The blonde asked in a low, knowing tone.
"A little." Santana gave a small nod, "Just imagine how she's feeling." Quinn gave her an adoring smile, but Santana's eyes were darting around the stage, "It's just, this is Rachel's dream, and it has been for as long as I've known her and a long time before that!" The blonde opened her mouth to reply, but Santana's tirade continued, "And I know she's going to be so awesome, but I also know that right now she will be sat in her dressing room crapping her pants. She's just wanted this for so long, you know? What if it does go wrong? What if she chokes? She will be so humiliated and devastated and-"
"Santana, she's not going to choke." Quinn cut her off firmly, and the brunette finally turned to look at her, chewing her lip, "I promise you, she will be incredible. Just relax, and enjoy the show."
As if on cue, the final bell rang out through the theatre, and a few minutes later the house lights were dimming. The cast filed on stage and Santana reached out to grip Quinn's forearm as Rachel took her place on stage. The blonde winced, taking Santana's hand and prying her finger-ends out of her flesh, but her wince of pain turned into a frown of confusion as the lights came up. She was watching one character in particular, her eyes narrowed.
She reached out to take Jess' programme off her lap, glancing between her lap and the stage as she attempted to follow the storyline whilst gazing down at the cast lists and headshots. Suddenly, she gasped quietly, staring intently at the stage before tapping Santana's arm insistently.
"What? Do you understand what's going on?" The brunette whispered, her eyes fixed on the stage.
"Yes, but I just realised something. That's that woman!" She pointed to the stage, and Santana frowned.
"You mean Joanne? She's what woman?"
"She's the woman that told me you're pretty and gave me a hundred dollars!" Quinn revealed excitedly, and Santana finally looked away from the stage, her jaw dropping slightly.
"No way!"
"Yes way! I recognised her in the program." The blonde replied, placing said program back on Jess' lap.
"Are you kidding me? That's Ginny O'Cloud! She's a Broadway legend!" Santana hissed excitedly, and Quinn nodded slowly.
"Oh. Okay. I didn't know." The blonde shrugged, giving the stage her full attention again.
"Yeah, we'll ask Rachel about it later." Santana nodded absent-mindedly, her eyes glued to the stage once more.
-ooOoo-
"Ooh! This is it!" Santana whispered in Quinn's ear as Rachel took to the stage with the dark-haired man playing Bobby and a light-haired male playing Paul.
"Her solo?" Quinn asked, watching the stage and slipping her hand into Santana's as the brunette nodded excitedly. She gave Santana's hand a quick squeeze, excitement building in her stomach.
"Oh my God, this is it." Santana breathed, her wide eyes glued to Rachel in the darkness as the lights rose on another woman in the centre of the stage.
"Bless this day, pinnacle of life. Husband joined to wife. The heart leaps up to behold this golden day."
"Amy, I can't find my shoes!" Came a shout from off-stage, and the stage was illuminated to show Rachel sat holding up the shoes as the light-haired boy entered the stage and began to sing, "Today is for Amy. Amy, I give you the rest of my life. To cherish and to keep you, to honor you forever. Today is for Amy, my happily soon-to-be wife." He knelt beside Rachel, who was smiling unnaturally, "Amy, we're really getting married!" He enthused, and Rachel nodded consistently.
As the man left the stage, her nod became a violent head-shake, and the audience chuckled as she stood up, crossing to the centre of the stage. "Pardon me, is everybody here? Because if everybody's here, I want to thank you all for coming to the wedding, I'd appreciate your going even more, I mean you must have lots of better things to do, and not a word of this to Paul, remember Paul, you know,
the man I'm gonna marry, but I'm not, because I wouldn't ruin anyone as wonderful as he is-Thank you all for the gifts and the flowers. Thank you all, now it's back to the showers. Don't tell Paul, but I'm not getting married today."
Her singing trailed off and she raised her hands to give the audience an unconvincing double thumbs-up. Santana felt her anxiety lift as the audience laughed again, and she glanced around the people sat near her, feeling comforted by their content expressions.
The first woman began singing again, and Rachel's face dropped. She turned to the woman, attempting to shush her and making neck-slitting motions. When the woman continued singing, she turned back to the audience, glancing around awkwardly and brushing imaginary lint off her dress.
"Amy! Paul can't find his good cufflinks." Bobby appeared back on stage, looking harassed, and Rachel beamed brightly.
"On the dresser." She grinned, but her expression hardened as he exited, and she turned back to the audience with a grimace "Next to my suicide note.
"Listen, everybody, look, I don't know what you're waiting for, a wedding, what's a wedding?" Rachel shrugged desperately, "It's a prehistoric ritual where everybody promises fidelity forever, which is maybe the most horrifying word I ever heard." She shook her head with a horrified comical grimace, "Which is followed by a honeymoon, where suddenly he'll realize he's saddled with a nut, and wanna kill me, which he should."
She smiled politely, "Thanks a bunch, but I'm not getting married. Go have lunch, 'cause I'm not getting married. You've been grand, but I'm not getting married." She shrugged, her casual demeanor slipping into desperation again, "Don't just stand there, I'm not getting married-And don't tell Paul, but I'm not getting married today!"
She grinned before swallowing hard and sighing impatiently, "Go, can't you go, why is nobody listening? Goodbye, go and cry at another person's wake." She spat, "If you're quick, for a kick, you could pick up a Christening," she clasped her hands together, slowly lowering herself down to kneel on the stage, "but please, on my knees, there's a human life at stake!
Suddenly, she was insistent, her expression serious as she crouched on the floor, slowly getting lower and lower as she sang, until she was laid despondently on the stage. "Listen everybody, I'm afraid you didn't hear, or do you want to see a crazy lady fall apart in front of you?" She raised her arms before dropping them at her sides again, "It isn't only Paul who may be ruining his life, you know we'll both of us be losing our identities! I telephoned my analyst about it and he said to see him Monday, but by Monday I'll be floating in the Hudson with the other garbage!"
She grimaced as if she wanted to cry, climbing back to her feet, and the audience laughed as her next line came out sounding strangled, "I'm not well so I'm not getting married. You've been swell, but I'm not getting married. Clear the hall, 'cause I'm not getting married. Thank you all, but I'm not getting married. And don't tell Paul, but I'm not getting married today."
She held up her hands with an air of finality and made to exit the stage, but the woman behind her began singing again. Rachel paused, sighing impatiently and turning to look at the choirgirl. She stepped back slowly until she was sitting on the prop sofa, her hands clutching at her veiled head as she rocked backwards and forwards. Eventually, she stood once again, crossing to the on-stage conductor and tapping him on the shoulder exaggeratedly. As the choirgirl continued, she took the baton from the conductor and headed back to the front of the stage, snapping the baton over her knee with an expression filled with desperate rage.
Santana chuckled, and Brittany leaned forward to grin proudly at the brunette, who beamed back at her. The light-haired man appeared on stage again, singing his verse as Rachel continued, "Go, can't you go? Look, you know I adore you all, but why watch me die like Eliza on the ice? Look, perhaps
I'll collapse in the apse right before you all. So take back the cake, burn the shoes and boil the rice." She spat out, but she was suddenly serious again, raising a hand to her chest and looking sickly, "Look, I didn't wanna have to tell you, but I may be coming down with Hepatitis, and I think I'm gonna faint. So if you wanna see me faint, I'll do it happily, but wouldn't it be funnier to go and watch a funeral?" She began counting on her fingers, her expression panicked, "So thank you for the
twenty-seven dinner plates, thirty-seven butter knives, forty-seven paperweights, fifty-seven candleholders-"
The song was brought to a climax as Rachel's voice intertwined with the light-haired man's and the sound of the on-stage choir, and the tiny brunette belted out her last line with vigour "Let us pray that we're not getting married today!"
As the music ended, Rachel collapsed dramatically onto the floor, and the applause began. The audience applauded louder than they had for any other number, and a grin split Santana's face in two as relief washed over her. She leaned forward to look down the line at her friends, and saw the pride in all of their faces. She clapped her hands together until they were red and felt raw, but her heart felt like it was soaring as Rachel sat back down and the scene continued. She sat back to watch, feeling much less stressed as she had before. Now that Rachel's big solo number was over she could relax, and the bubble of pride in her chest refused to dissipate for the rest of the night.
-ooOoo-
As the curtains closed at the end of the first act, Quinn gestured to Jess and the girl handed over her program once again, and the blonde immediately began flicking through to find the bio of Joanne. "Oh my God, San. You're totally right; Ginny O'Cloud." She nodded as Santana smirked, self-satisfied. "Wow! Yeah you're right, she has so many acting credits!"
"Who does?" Jess asked, looking over Quinn's shoulder. Brittany and Puck had gone to use the bathroom whilst Sam was picking up the drinks they had pre-ordered.
"The woman playing Joanne is called Ginny O'Cloud." Santana filled her in, "She's a Broadway legend. To be honest, I can't believe Rachel never told us." She frowned, but Jess shook her head.
"No, she told us. But I don't really know who this Ginny woman is so…" She trailed off with an awkward shrug, and Santana rolled her eyes.
"Ugh, you people are cultural amoebas." She replied, and Quinn snorted.
"Well, either way, being a Broadway legend is clearly going well for her seeing as she gave me more than a ninety dollar tip." The blonde replied, wide-eyed, and Jess' jaw dropped.
"Oh my God, why?"
"Because I'm pretty." Santana interjected proudly as Puck and Brittany returned from the bathroom and took up their seats once again.
Jess frowned at Quinn, who was rolling her eyes, before raising an eyebrow, "Because she's pretty?"
"As irritating as it is," The blonde admitted reluctantly, "She's telling the truth. This…Ginny woman gave me a hundred dollars to treat my 'pretty lady'."
"Wow." Jess deadpanned, "You know, I was just thinking, if only somebody Santana looks up to and respects would pay her a compliment and make her even more over-confident and big-headed. Awesome."
"Are you sure it's her?" Santana asked with a frown, ignoring Jess' insult.
"Yes. I'm positive. I recognise her smile." Quinn nodded firmly.
"Didn't you say she was like eighty or something?" Santana asked doubtfully, but the blonde shrugged.
"So I might have been exaggerating. And she wasn't wearing any make-up." She frowned, "I mean, I think it was her. I'll ask Rachel later." She added with a shrug as Sam returned and handed out drinks.
"So how good was Rach, huh?" He announced with a huge grin.
"She was amazing!" Jess gushed, "So funny."
"Yeah, I didn't realise the Hobbit had personality." Santana sarked, but Brittany rolled her eyes.
"Oh give it up, San. Everyone saw you light up." She raised an eyebrow challengingly, and Santana paused thoughtfully before sighing.
"She was amazing!" The brunette admitted, grinning. She bounced her legs up and down happily, clapping her hands together, "Ugh, she was so funny and talented. And did you hear the audience? She got the most applause yet, I'm sure."
"Yeah she did!" Puck nodded enthusiastically, "Of course she did."
"That's our girl." Jess winked, "But you're right, she was way funnier than I thought she'd be…although," she frowned, "that could be because I had no idea what Company was about."
"Yeah, me neither." Quinn agreed, "I'd never seen it, but you know what? It is pretty good. And I'm very proud of Rachel."
"I can't wait to see her after the show." Brittany grinned, "I will crush her." The group frowned, and Sam raised an eyebrow, so the blonde hurried to correct them, "A hug. In a hug, I mean."
"Oh, okay." Sam nodded, "Yeah, me too. I can't wait to congratulate her." He grinned proudly as the lights went down again to signal the start of the second act.
-ooOoo-
Quinn actually found herself surprisingly attached to the characters as the show went on. By the finale of the show, her heartstrings were tugging for Bobby. The dark, curly-haired actor was on the stage, surrounded by the other cast members and singing his life-affirming solo whilst the others spurred him on. Her heart swelled as he sang.
"Someone to crowd you with love. Someone to force you to care. Someone to make you come through, who'll always be there, as frightened as you. Of being alive. Being alive. Being alive. Being alive." She slipped her hand into Santana's, squeezing gently as a small lump formed in her throat.
The brunette turned to smile at her, and she grinned back. Santana leaned over to her, "Are you ok?" She whispered in her ear, and Quinn nodded.
"I love you." She whispered back. Santana looked a little shocked, but pleased, and she grinned as she replied.
"I love you, too. Have you enjoyed it?"
Quinn nodded enthusiastically, and they turned back to the stage.
"Somebody, crowd me with love. Somebody, force me to care. Somebody, make me come through,
I'll always be there." The dark-haired boy had tears in his eyes as he sang, "As frightened as you.
To help us survive being alive. Being alive. Being alive!"
The music came to a climax, and the audience erupted in a standing ovation as he finished the song. They sat through the finale and the bows, all of them rising to their feet to whoop and cheer when Rachel took her bow. The tiny brunette had tears in her eyes as she gazed out into the huge auditorium, her chest contracting as a huge lump formed in her throat. Her gaze found her friends and she scanned their faces in turn, grinning down at them as she swallowed back the tears. Rachel's was one of the loudest rounds of applause, aside from the curly-haired boy playing Bobby and the infamous Ginny O'Cloud.
As the curtains were drawn closed, they stood and made their way to the foyer to wait for Rachel. They watched the rest of the audience file out through the various exits, heading up to the bar to get drinks and wait. After what felt like an hour, Rachel finally emerged from the backstage door.
"Hey, guys!" She greeted with a huge grin. Within seconds they were all out of their seats and hurrying towards her, Santana in the lead. She grabbed the tiny girl, wrapping her arms around Rachel's waist and lifting her high off the ground. Placing her back down as the others crowded round, they were crushed in a huge group hug as everyone congratulated her.
Eventually, the group stepped back and Rachel was left beaming in front of them.
"You," Sam wrapped an arm around her neck and placed a quick kiss on her cheek, "Were absolutely incredible."
"You were so funny, Rach." Brittany gushed, "I loved it."
"I have never seen Company before, and you definitely gave me a good first impression." Quinn grinned.
"Oh my God, thanks you guys." She shook her head disbelievingly, "Part of me can't even believe that I've just done that whole thing. Mostly I can't believe that rehearsals are over!" She chuckled.
"Well, all your hard work paid off." Jess nodded, "And now I can officially say that one of my best friends is a Broadway star!"
"Working alongside some incredible people, by the way." Santana added, "Why didn't you tell us that Ginny O'Cloud was playing Joanne? Jesus!"
"Talking of which," Quinn interjected before Rachel could reply, "Did you ever tell her about my bakery or anything?" She asked with a small frown. Rachel looked confused, but nodded.
"Um, yeah." She looked over to Santana, "I didn't tell you because I wanted it to be an awesome surprise. And by the way, she is so lovely and wise. She gave me some great advice before the show, I was so nervous." Quinn resisted the urge to sigh as Rachel babbled, "And yes I did tell her about your shop, why?" The girl eventually turned to the blonde, who nodded.
"I see. I was just wondering because she came in that's all, and it was a little odd." She shrugged contentedly, but Rachel frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"She just, she left a really big tip that's all." Quinn shrugged it off and Rachel nodded thoughtfully as Santana leaned in with a beaming grin.
"It was coz I'm pretty." She winked as the door behind Rachel opened again.
"Hey!" The curly-haired man playing Bobby appeared behind them and pulled Rachel into a hug. Sam's brow furrowed but Rachel stepped back, her arm still around the boy, to introduce him.
"Guys, this is Blaine. As you know, he was playing Bobby."
"Hi, it's nice to meet you." He grinned, "Did you enjoy the show?"
"Yeah, it was awesome." Sam replied tightly, and Rachel sent him an odd glance.
"You were really good," Jess nodded, "You're a great singer."
"Awh, thank you. Well I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves. Hopefully I'll see you again." He grinned at them all once again before turning to Rachel, "Are you coming to the after-party?"
"Yes, we'll all be there later. I think we're going to have a drink here first though. But I'll catch up with you later." She nodded before giving him another hug, and he waved his goodbyes before leaving the theatre.
"So who's that guy?" Sam asked, his jaw tensed.
Rachel frowned, "Um, I just told you. He's Blaine. He played Bobby. In the show you've spent the last two hours watching?"
"Yeah." Sam nodded, scowling, "So what's his deal?"
"I don't want to interrupt," Brittany grimaced apologetically, turning to Sam, "But I'm pretty sure he's gay."
"He is." Rachel added, rolling her eyes, "So calm yourself down." She chuckled, leaning up to give Sam a comforting kiss, but the boy still looked disgruntled.
Puck nudged him, giving the blonde boy a warning scowl, and Sam took a deep breath, his expression clearing as the girl's catted.
"So where's the after party?" Quinn asked, her eyebrow raised.
"Oh, it's at this super-trendy champagne bar a few streets over." Rachel told them with a grin, "We can have a drink here first or go straight there?"
"I'm easy." Santana shrugged, and Quinn snorted.
"Whatever you want." Jess shook her head, "We can go straight there if you want to go hang out with all your cool actor friends." She teased, and Rachel chuckled.
"Okay, shall we go straight there then?"
"Sounds good to me." Puck nodded, "However, do they sell beer in champagne bars?"
Quinn nodded with a chuckle, and they filed out of the theatre in the direction of the after-party.
As they wandered the streets, Santana found herself walking beside Rachel as the others chatted around them.
"So…" she announced her presence, her arms crossed, and Rachel turned her head to grin at her.
"What?" She raised her eyebrows expectantly, "Is now where you tell me all of the ways I could have been less 'shrill and annoying'"
Santana gave a soft chuckle, watching the ground as they walked and shaking her head, "No. Not at all."
"Okay…" Rachel said cautiously, a small smile playing around her lips, "So what do you want?"
Santana took a deep breath, "I just wanted to tell you that you were incredible. We met a long time ago, and I know you've dreamed of tonight since a long time before that." She gave the girl a genuine smile, "And I know this was one of the biggest nights of your life. So I feel like you should know that not only were you incredible, but you were also far better than you have ever been before. You've outdone yourself, and I'm glad I've got to follow your dream with you." She grinned suddenly, "Okay, I've said my piece now. Let's never mention it again."
"No problem." Rachel nodded with a wry smile, "But thank you. You've been an endless ocean of support, and I couldn't have done it without you. It's nice to be believed in, and I'm glad I did you – and myself – proud." She wound her arm between Santana's to link at the elbow as they walked, "It was amazing to have all you guys there tonight. Especially you and Brittany; you've both just been the best friends I ever could have asked for." She paused to sniff, and Santana gave a small sigh.
"Oh, God! Don't be tearing up down there!" She nudged the girl with her elbow, "This is a night of happiness and celebration! No crying."
"They're happy tears!" Rachel defended, blinking them away with a small chuckle, "Sorry. It's just that, I'm really thankful for everything you guys have done for me. To get me where I am now. So thanks."
"No problem, I'm awesome." Santana shrugged casually, and Rachel giggled, pulling her arm away in mock-offence as they reached the doorway of the after party venue. Santana gave Rachel's shoulders a squeeze before breaking off to wait for Quinn, taking her girlfriend's hand with a squeeze as they entered the champagne bar.
