AN: Thanks again for all the follows and favs! Please share your comments and thoughts.
For anyone wondering about my previously posted "Show Timeline", Chapter One would take place after "Ballads" and before "Hairography". This created a bit of a bummer for me once I realized what I had written for Chapter One because I wanted to repurpose the interaction between Rachel and Jacob Israel. I might still figure out something but we will have to see.
Here's Chapter Two!
AN2: Crap! As I have mentioned before I'm writing this while re-watching Glee on DVD and low and behold... Continuity error between my story and the show! Thanks too season 2 "Born this way" when we learn about the "Lucy" side of Quinn. She transferred after her freshman year from what I gathered from the episode. It may not bug everyone but it bothers me, so for regards to my story she will have "transformed" into Quinn just before freshman year coming to a new school helping with this change. Also if I stumble or make mistakes about the grades/years of high school, it's because I'm Canadian and our high school system is slightly different. I'll try my best!
I don't own any Glee Characters or the songs referred to! I do not have a beta so any mistakes are my own.
Chapter Two
It had been a few days now for Rachel to try and figure out a way to talk to Quinn and convince her that she could offer her a safe place to stay while pregnant. Her mind had been a tumultuous sea of emotion and half formed plans the whole time. She had even given up the opportunity a few times to sing at the start of Glee because she really couldn't find the right song to put into words how she felt. The fact that Daddy Leroy had grown up with her supposed nemesis's mother and that they were both willing to offer that nemesis safe haven and care in Rachels home, has shaken Rachel to her very soul. Through all that confusion and uncertainty Rachel now felt she still had this nagging indescribable feeling pulling her into the gravity of Quinn Fabray's orbit. She would quietly watch her in class and in the hall and see that things must not be going well for her. She seemed to have her emotions bubbling close to the surface more often and it really looked like Quinn was struggling with a big decision. Thankfully Kurt had thrown Rachel a strange but welcome lifeline and distraction from everything weighing on her in the form of a make over.
While Rachel had been suspicious of his motives she did end up having fun while they shopped at Lima's only mall then went to Rachel's to share beautifying techniques and singing some show tunes together. She was pleasantly surprised with the scrunched curled hairstyle that Kurt had suggested.
With some pointed questions, Rachel was able to identify that it was Quinn that actually suggested the make over. She didn't quite know where that was coming from yet. Rachel was also able to figure out that Kurt had a big crush on Finn and seemed to be very jealous of Rachel in that regard. Thankfully she was able to convince him she no longer felt that way about Finn. Sure when they had first met there might have been something but getting to know him and seeing how he is acting about his "supposed" impeding fatherhood had really worn the shine off Finn Hudsons appeal. She still loved their stage chemistry and their vocal harmonies but that was as far as it would go. Rachel realized she needed someone that could keep up with her musically, socially and intellectually and thankfully Kurt seemed to understand this reasoning. Honestly he seemed a little too relived and Rachel was able to push him more into how he felt and they spend the rest of the evening watching a movie and bonding a bit. Rachel took the time to try and convince Kurt to protect his feelings about Finn because she was 100% that he would never swing that way and she didn't want to see her new friend hurt.
Irony of all Irony's, the next day Rachel walked into school sporting a tight dress Kurt has picked out for her and her new hairdo, and instantly she had the attention of a certain Quarterback (in addition to the rest of the male population that had seen her walk in).
"Hey Rach," he stuttered out. "Aren't you a little cold in that dress?" All the while his eyes raked over every inch.
"No I'm fine Finn thanks for asking." She said, rolling her eyes slightly at the mixed behaviour of creep and gentleman. Just passed Finns hulking arm Rachel did catch sight of the pleased smirk of one Quinn Fabray as she was watching them interact. Strange not to see the jealous rage eyes Rachel was accustomed to seeing when talking with Finn. She decided to let this play out and see what would happen.
"Well ok.. if you need my sweater or something .. you sure do look .. wow .. I mean different."
"Thank you, I think." Looking back up to his face and of corse catching his eyes flicking up to her eyes from somewhere that was not her eyes. "Did you need something Finn? I need to get to my locker before home room."
"Uh .. oh yeah .. I was wondering if we could get together on Friday and work on our Glee assignment? Just the two of us."
"I'm sorry Finn but I don't think your girlfriend will like that very much."
"What .. Quinn no ..don't worry about her .. she knows she can trust me."
What did I ever see in this boy Rachel though to herself, "Well I have also made some plans Friday that might help you but also keep Quinn happier. Kurt, Mercedes, Arty, Tina and I were going to go check out the new pizza place that opened 2 weeks ago, they do karaoke on the weekends, You could join us, just as friends?" Kurt had thankfully just texted her about this idea this morning. They really did have a good time hanging out together.
"That sounds pretty good actually." He smiled at her.
"Well then its a plan," then the warning bell sounded. "If you'll excuse me ill send you the details." She sided stepped him and quickly hurried to her locker, feeling his eyes (and everyone else's, including Quinn's) follow her till she ducked into class.
Thankfully karaoke was hit. Most of the Glee club heard about it and showed up. Lots of laughter was had and songs were sung. Everyone seemed to be thankful for a new outlet for their creativity. Rachel noticed Noah and Quinn were missing and Santana seemed to be glued to her phone, but Brittney was able to get her up on stage with most of the other girls for a shockingly enjoyable Spice Girls medley! Rachel was dead set on sharing that one with Mr Schue next week to try and convince him more that they did not need the mediocre show styling of "Hairography" employed by the Jane Adams Academy girls. Rachel also took time to heap on the compliments and a sizeable tip for the restaurants Chef because their vegan friendly vegetarian pizza was the best she had ever had barring the one slice she had eaten with her dads on a visit to New York. Rachel and Kurt talked a lot at karaoke and over the weekend and they both made the realization that lots of the club were open to better friendship with Rachel if she toned down her obsessive star driven personality quirks, she committed to herself to work on improving in the future. Plus everyone was highly complimentary of Rachel's new style she tried for the evening, this time going for a unique "punk rock" as Kurt called it, sporting some ripped jeans, a Wicked tank top with a plaid button up overtop. All in all the night was a smashing success and plans were made over the weekend to make it a semi regular event.
The following Monday finally gave Rachel her chance to talk to Quinn. Rachel was watching her in the hall again at the end of the day. She saw Santana march up to Quinn very aggressively and the 2 of them have a heated discussion, unfortunately she couldn't hear any of it because they were just too far away. Quinn promptly stormed over past Rachel, looking shocked and slightly hurt, her sights fixed on Puck. Rachel heard most of that blow up as Puck's locker was across the hall. Apparently Puck and Santana had been sexting the whole time Puck had been babysitting and Santana was at karaoke. The fight ends with a hurt Quinn storming away and Puck shrugging and walking away with his arm around another slutty cheerleader. Rachel knew it was now or never, she grabbed her bag and tore after Quinn. Rachel just caught a quick glimpse of her ducking into the main door to auditorium. Thinking it will be easer to try and talk to her without making her jump, Rachel continued to the backstage door and slipped in quietly. The stillness of the empty auditorium was broken was by the soft sounds of sobs and random keys being played on the piano. She peeked out from the wing curtains to see Quinn sitting at the keys, her shoulders shook as her emotions got the best of her. Rachel wondered for a moment if she should go out there and try and comfort her but as she watched Quinn took a deep ragged breath slammed her hands on the keys then started to play and sing.
Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window
Dreamin' of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray
Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I pray
I could breakaway
Rachel was once again reminded of a year and a half ago the last time that her and Quinn found themselves at a piano. She felt all the raw emotion pouring out of Quinn again as she powered her way though this song.
I'll spread my wings, and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Want to feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean
Get on board a fast train
Travel on a jet plane
Faraway
And breakaway
Suddenly before the second chorus, Quinn faltered as she succumbed to the sobs that wracked her body again. Rachel took the opportunity to come out of the curtains and picked up the song where Quinn had faltered. Surprisingly Quinn did not jump at the sudden appearance of the brunette.
I'll spread my wings, and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
I won't forget all the ones that I love
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
Rachel walked around the piano while singing to give Quinn some time to recompose herself. When she started to play again, Rachel sat beside her on the bench putting her hand gently on Quinns back and rubbing it softly as they resumed the rest of the song together.
Buildings with a hundred floors
Swinging 'round revolvin' doors
Maybe I don't know where they take me
But gotta keep movin' on
Movin' on
Fly away
Breakaway
I'll spread my wings, and I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
Breakaway
Breakaway
The last notes of the piano mix with the harmonies of the girls voices and ring out clear in the auditorium. Then the quite stillness is all that remains. Quinn turns to Rachel and regards her with questions clear on her tear streaked face.
"What are you doing here Rachel?"
Rachel pulls a pack of Kleenex out from her bag and handed them to Quinn. "I wanted to make sure you were ok."
Quinn laughs sarcastically at the shear hopelessness of that statement. "Oh yeah I'm just swell. Pregnant at 16, kicked out on the curb by my own parents, sleeping on a couch because the Hudsons don't have a spare room for me and listening to Finn argue at night with his mom about how much money me staying with them is costing. So yeah Rachel I'd say I'm doing just SUPER." She levelled Rachel with one of her excellent HBIC glares. Rachel couldn't hold the eye contact so she looked down at the keys of the piano before responding.
"Add that to the fact that your lying to everyone about who the father of the baby really is and you just figured out this weekend Puck is the egotistical horn dog he always has clammed to be and isn't really any better of a father figure than Finn is acting ether. Pretty much sums up to rock bottom." Rachel glanced up to Quinn's face and saw the glare was gone, replaced by a look like Rachel had just slapped her. Her face was a mix of shock, confusion, and pain and their were fresh tears in her eyes again. Quinn was trying to form some sort of response but nothing was make it passed the new lump of emotion in her throat. Rachel took the opportunity to continue. "All this considered would be why I thought you might want a lifeline." And she reached into her bag again and pulled out the letter from Quinns mom and handed it to her.
Quinn looked over the letter and all the anger and shock she was feeling from Rachel figuring out all her secrets was gone, replaced by surprise and confusion. "What the hell is this Berry?! It's my mothers hand writing!"
"Apparently my dad and your mom have kept a big secret from the 2 of us. They were best friends in school and all they way into college up till the point your mom met your Dad. She seems to have remembered that and got this letter to my dad after your dad kicked you out. The 3 of us have discussed it a lot since it came and we would like to offer you safe haven at our house? You would have your own room and Dads would help you with your medical bills so you can just focus on taking care of yourself and having a healthy baby."
Quinns hazel green eyes were the size of saucers at this overload of information and unexpected generosity. "What the bloody hell?" This slipped out in a whisper as she processed and tried to come up with a plan, panic and anxiety took over her mind though. "Why the hell would you do this Rachel? Ive made the past year and a bit hell for you. What on earth would you get out of this? We both know if the situation was reversed I would make your life hell. All you would need to do would be to go find Finn and tell him what you know and he would be all yours and my life would be all over. Rock bottom like you said." All this fell out of Quinns mouth in a bit of a manic ramble (very like the tiny diva sitting across from her).
"Stop Quinn, just take a breath." Rachel said softly. "I swear to you I'm offering this help to you with no expectations of getting anything in return. No matter what you have done to me I know you haven't wanted to do it and im sure there is a knot if regret and guilt buried deep under all the social expectations of this school and the familial demands you have faced at home up to a month ago. Honestly Quinn, I still look up to you, The way you have had the school under your control from day one, your confidence, beauty and your drive to stay committed to your goals. Sure you have made some mistakes and I think you could pick some higher goals to reach for but I still feel that way. If you really think I want something out of offering to help you than sure, I'll be honest with you, I want friendship out of this. I have wanted to be your friend since that first day we met at orientation. Just imagine what we could do united instead of wasting such effort battling each other? What kind of change we could start to create at this school?" Rachel watched Quinn's face closely as she opened up to her. The shock of everything seemed to be stuck permanently on her face but Rachel did see the slight uptick of a smile in the corner of the blonds lips when she mentioned imagining what they could achieve together. "As for the Finn situation, that ship is sunk and gone, I promise. I'm really sorry I pursued him while you were together but as I've got to know him, I've realized he is not the guy for me. I will keep the chemistry strictly to this stage."
Quinn did not know what to do. Here was a very sincere Rachel Berry offering her a very serious lifeline to pull her out of the ocean that she had been almost drowning in from the point that stupid little stick showed positive. She really felt that Rachel was being open and honest with her, and she had also thought about stopping the bullying and reaching back out to the brunette since that first day at school, but time and time again her fathers voice or the imaginary ridicule that she would get from the rest of the school would inevitably cause her to lash out at Rachel again, usually with a slushy cup or derogatory comment. It all seemed too good to be true, from her so called mothers letter, to the safe haven of the Berry's house and the open hand of friendship Rachel was offering again (God she had bitten at that hand so many times, how was it still being held out?!).
The silence in the auditorium was deafening again. "Please say something Quinn. What do you think?" Rachel probed gently.
"Honestly Berry, I'm thinking this all seems too good to be true. I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop." Quinn looked at Rachel at this point and caught the uncomfortable shift in her body language and that her eyes hit the floor fast. "Aha! I knew it!" She threw herself away from Rachel and stated pacing angrily on the stage. "Let me guess, your dads want the baby or something so you can finally have a younger sibling or some shit! I knew this was a bunch of bull shit!" She raged and swore at Rachel.
"God! No Quinn! Stop! Nothing like that! Never!" Rachel frantically started pleading and tried to placate Quinn. "That baby is all yours to chose what you want to do what you want. I swear to you. Please.." Quinn could hear the raw emotion in the words Rachel almost sobbed to get out and knew you couldn't fake that feeling. She walked back over to the bench so she could look Rachel in the eyes again. "Tell me what you thought about then and tell me quick or I'm out of here and to hell with what you know."
Rachel couldn't look up at Quinn, so she just continued to stare at the bench. "I truly think it's time for full honesty for everyone Quinn. That way it will be a true fresh start for you at my place and you don't need to go around every day with the massive weight you have been carrying around your shoulders any longer. I really think you need to be the strongest version of yourself you can be, call Finn and his mom to have a meeting with Ms P today and talk it out with them. Then after a full nights sleep in a proper bed you can tell the club tomorrow. That all who need to know and I know everyone will still stick up for you."
Quinn felt like she just had the wind knocked out of her. She clutched the edge of the piano and gasped for a few breaths as panic took over the anger she had felt moments ago. Once she calmed down a bit she found her voice again. "And if I cant do that?! You'll out me yourself or what?!"
"Calm down and breath again Quinn," Rachel reached out a carful hand and placed it over Quinn's, surprised when Quinn didn't instantly flinch hers away. "I said I promise to not tell anyone, I'll keep to that. But I'm really trying to look big picture here. First if you went to Finns and said you were moving out to my place when we "supposedly" hate each other, he would pester you to no end because that would not make sense without some explanation. Secondly, if you decide to keep things the way they are, we have already discussed the fact that the weight of this secret is dragging you down more each day and the stress is eating you from the inside. Eventually you wont be able to take it any longer or someone else will start making the same connections I did, probably Santana if I had to guess."
Quinn dropped emotionally drained back onto the stool, banged her arms onto the keys and dropped her forehead on to her arms. Rachel was right, about everything, it would most likely be Santana that would connect the dots. She was far to close to all the characters involved and she was always looking for any sign of weakness. The difference would be she would not hesitate one second to use it against Quinn to get higher on the social pyramid. With a heaving sigh Quinn realized there was no real choice to make, she needed help and she was having that strange feeling again that Rachel was the key to getting through all this. Without looking at the other girl she reached below her into her purse, grabbed out her phone, hit the speed dial and put it up to her ear. She felt a soft hand get placed on her back and start to rub gently, she drew on the strange strength coming from Rachels actions for one of the hardest phone conversations of her life.
"Hey... Yeah I'm ok.. could you do me a favour? ... could you get your mom and meet me at Ms P's office today? There is something I need to talk to you both about ... No not here over the phone Finn, its important ... please ... thanks, see you soon." And she hung up and started to cry softly.
"You can do this Quinn." Rachel whispered soothingly to her. "I just want to have the chance to be there to help you."
As the girls wrapped up their conversation, Quinn heading off to Mrs Pillsbury's office, Rachel heading home to make sure everything was ready for her arrival, neither girl noticed a shadowy figure quietly slip from one of the farthest theatre seats and out the back door...
Song Used:
Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson
AN: If anyone knows of easier ways to find decent songs to use than Googling top 100 for 2001-2009 then playing them on YouTube to see if the fit... I'm all ears! Everyone else I read seems to have less issues with song selections then I do...
AN: Finally finished with Chapter 2! It took a little extra time because I had to go through about 2.5 re-writes because things were not going in the direction I needed. Please read and review, I need to know how everyone's feeling about the direction I'm going.