Chibi-Kari: Well, look how wrong I was about people not wanting to read friendship fics. I've got most of the third chapter written already and it has some great Sue/Will interaction. I had to bring in Kurt because I like their developing friendship in the show so I couldn't cut him out. Remember Quinn's never been a real friend to anyone...at least not in the show. Also, please don't tell me that Rachel's parents wouldn't leave her and I'm not painting them as bad parents. I've spent Christmas alone since I was sixteenish because that was just how schedules worked out with me and my parents. So it happens. I don't own and I hope to get chapter 3 (if people are still interested after this chapter) before the holidays...as I'm not doing anything except working during them. Feedback gives me life!
Chapter 2
She didn't know what came over her. What made her stand on this doorstep. Maybe it was what Puck said to her about Rachel. Or maybe it was the image of her standing in front of that mirror looking like the world had fallen apart. And maybe it had.
Quinn crushed the plastic handles a little tighter as she took a deep breath and looked around. There weren't any cars in the driveway. That seemed a little strange when it was almost six at night. Maybe Rachel wouldn't be home and she could go home and think a little more about what she should do. But she was already uncomfortable with the entire situation. She didn't want to leave Rachel with those thoughts that Santana planted in her head. She had already been alone with those thoughts for six hours and those types of thoughts were self-destructive. She knew all too well how they would sink in and tear you apart. Quinn shook her head in disgust. All the names she had called Rachel just hoping to get to her. To try and hurt her just a little bit. Now she knew the smaller girl had heard every one and taken them all to heart. It was sick and she almost couldn't believe she did it. Only almost. She was head bitch in charge for a reason.
With a sigh and another glance at the empty driveway she reached up and rang the doorbell. She had already made the decision that she would give Rachel exactly one and a half minutes to open the door and if she didn't. Well…Quinn would just talk to her again tomorrow. She wasn't the comforting type anyway. She should have brought Puck, but that probably would have been a disaster. She could only imagine the number of times Puck would ask the two girls to make out for him.
She got to one minute and ten seconds when the door swung open. Rachel stood barefoot in a pair of jean shorts and a black tank top simply staring at the other girl. "What are you doing here, Quinn?"
"You skipped half your classes." The blonde shrugged slightly as she pushed her way into the house. It was too cold to be standing in the doorway like that.
She didn't know what exactly to do once she stepped in the foyer. The house was clean and almost looked unlived in. She could see the living room to her right and it looked like everything else was farther down the hall. She had never been here and had never imagined finding herself in Rachel Berry's house, but this wasn't what she was expecting. Maybe she thought there would be music playing. A piano set in the corner of a brightly lit family room. Pictures of a smiling Rachel hanging on every wall, but that wasn't what she found. The house was fitted with whites and creams, very simple. The furniture looked comfortable, but not really lived in. The pictures on the wall were sophisticated paintings not family pictures.
"So you thought you'd just come to my house and waltz in?" Rachel sneered slightly shutting the door before she stepped around Quinn and into her line of sight. "What do you want?"
Quinn shrugged lightly. She still wasn't sure what she was doing. Winging it wasn't exactly an appropriate answer. "I brought some ice cream. I thought I could be there for you this time."
Rachel looked momentarily shocked before pulling herself up in stance. "I'm vegan."
Quinn nodded slightly as she held up the bag. "I know. Tofu ice cream. I'm vegan, too. I bet you didn't know that." She tried to crack a slight smile, but Rachel seemed completely closed off.
Rachel blinked slightly. She wasn't sure what the blonde suddenly wanted with her, but she wasn't comfortable with this. It was like those lifetime teen movies. The naive girl lets the popular one into her life only to be humiliated in front of the entire school. The only difference was she wasn't naïve. "I think you should just go. I know you don't want to be here and I don't want you here. So whatever you're planning to make my life worse than it already is you can just forget about it. I'm not interested."
No one had ever turned down Quinn Fabray's extended friendship…or at least support. She wouldn't say she wanted to be friends with the smaller girl, but she would support her. She thought long and hard about what Rachel had accused them of and the first memory she had was when they sang Keep Holding On and Rachel squeezed her hand with a sad smile. Rachel had been there when Quinn needed her. And it was only proper for her to do the same no matter what Rachel wanted.
"Don't think that's how it works, Berry. Now point me to the kitchen before this melts and you better have cocoa powder and strawberries or I'll send you out in that weather to get them." Quinn watched as Rachel's mouth opened and closed slightly. This was the first time she had ever been able to render the other girl speechless. "Never mind, I'll find the kitchen myself."
She brushed past the other girl and into the hallway leading to the back of the house. To her left some stairs appeared so she passed those assuming they went to the bedrooms upstairs. Directly next to them was what she assumed were stairs to the basement. Finally to her right was a large kitchen. There was a small wooden table in the breakfast nook and bar stools around a floating counter that was so white that Quinn almost felt like shielding her eyes. None of the stainless steal appliances had fingerprints on them and all of the condiment jars were clearly labeled and pushed into their rightful positions. Even the fruit bowl in the middle of the floating counter seemed perfect. It was more than unnerving. Rachel had told them her fathers loved organization, but this was extreme. Suddenly, Rachel's OCD seemed small in comparison to this. She never would want to live with such rigid standards. And to think she had thought her house rules had been excessive.
She decided to dive right in throwing the bag of ice cream on the counter and started to search the cabinets and drawers for utensils. Finally after what felt like the fifth drawer she found the spoons.
"We don't have cocoa powder, but I think there are some strawberries somewhere." Rachel said as she moved to the refrigerator. "Bowls are in the upper cabinet to your right."
Quinn pulled the bowls down before taking out her phone and pressing a few keys. She picked up the bag of ice cream and pushed past Rachel who had just found the strawberries. "I'm putting this in the freezer until we can get the cocoa. It just won't be good without it."
Rachel crossed her arms with a huff. "I am not leaving you alone in my house to go and get cocoa powder that I'll only use this once. So either take that ice cream back out or go home. Better yet go home with your ice cream."
Quinn simply raised an eyebrow before walking to one of the barstools and sitting herself down. "How about offering your guest a beverage?"
For a minute Quinn wasn't sure that Rachel wouldn't storm across the kitchen and slap her. Instead the smaller girl narrowed her eyes. "Didn't you hear me? And you aren't a guest."
Quinn couldn't help but smile a little. She could deal with this Rachel. It was very similar to the girl she met the first day of school. The girl that infuriated her to no end with her bossy realism. Oh yes, Quinn could deal with her the same way she did before: showing her who was really in charge. This time without the name calling. "You opened your door to me. That automatically makes me a guest. And I'm not requiring you to take a trip anywhere. I already sent someone for us to get the cocoa powder."
Rachel's eyes widened. She knew this was a setup. They were probably going to slushie her in her own home. Or pour dairy filled chocolate sauce all over her. Suddenly a different possibility popped into her mind. Maybe, just maybe, Quinn had called Puck or Sam. Granted, Sam didn't really like her, but he wasn't open about it. And Puck would do anything for Quinn if the other girl asked. "Who?"
Quinn watched Rachel for a moment before answering. At first she hadn't planned on calling anyone, but she felt that she was in over her head when they had been standing alone in the kitchen. She knew he had been over to Rachel's house more than once and somehow the two had developed a small friendship in the last few months. Plus, he could relate to the bullying aspect. "Kurt's coming over."
Rachel's eyebrows rose into her bangs and Quinn couldn't help but laugh at the look of absolute surprise. "Kurt?"
"Yeah. You know the boy that acts more like a girl most of the time. Speaking of which, I'm sure he'll wonder where you got those jean shorts. I don't think I've seen you in anything normal. I'm impressed that you even own something that doesn't come with an animal on it or you can wear with knee high socks. Now how about you get me a coke." Quinn casually flipped her hair over her shoulder with a shrug.
"I don't have any pop. My daddies think it's unhealthy. I can get you water or tea." Rachel seemed to slip into hostess mode as she turned towards the cabinet to get a glass.
"Woah. What are you the stepford family? No way. A good dose of caffeine sugar is good for anyone. Even coach never outlawed it!" Quinn floundered for a second before pulling out her phone. "Kurt's just going to have to pick up a case of diet coke." Quinn glanced around for a moment. "Where are your dads anyway?"
Rachel shrugged slightly as she filled a cup with water. "Vacation. I think Puerto Rico or maybe it was Mexico." She paused for a minute glancing at the ceiling. "No Puerto Rico. Daddy was in Mexico for business last week when Dad was visiting Grandma in Chicago."
Quinn blinked. Her parents would have never left her home alone for any extended period of time. Especially not one trip after another. "Wow they travel a lot."
Rachel shrugged again. "They like to take a vacation after their business trips. You know mini-honeymoons. And Gran's been sick lately so Dad went out last month to stay with her."
"So you went to Chicago over Christmas?" It was the obvious conclusion. If her dad was staying with her grandma of course she would spend the holiday with them.
Rachel tensed slightly before turning to refill her glass of water. She wasn't sure what Quinn wanted with this small talk, but she actually couldn't wait for Kurt to just get there. Their conversations had been easy lately. They had been talking a lot about show tunes and Blaine. Kurt never asked her any deep questions and now that they weren't competition they could be friends.
The doorbell rang before Rachel heard the door swing open. "I've got the cocoa powder and some diet coke. I used the key under the doormat, Rachel. Are you in the kitchen?"
Quinn jumped slightly as Rachel called out an affirmative. She hadn't realized just how close Kurt and Rachel had grown if he was already letting himself in the house."
Rachel reached up to pull down a third bowl and busied herself by getting the strawberries out of the refrigerator. Kurt flounced into the room handing Quinn a bottle of diet coke before dropping the cocoa in front of Rachel with a "Ice cream in the freezer?"
Rachel hummed in response and continued to cut the strawberries carefully. "Grab some spoons too, please."
Kurt nodded as he got to work. When he left everything in front of Rachel he came back around the counter and took a seat next to Quinn looking at her curiously. "So what have you two girls been talking about?"
Quinn knew by the arch in his eyebrow he meant a lot more than that. He wanted to know why she was there. He wanted to know why she called him. Quinn shrugged slightly. She didn't want to just jump straight into everything that happened with Santana. "We were talking about Rachel's trip to Chicago over Christmas."
Quinn didn't expect Kurt's eyes to widen. He looked back in between the two of them. "Rachel didn't go to Chicago over Christmas. We went shopping Christmas Eve."
"Huh?" Quinn was flabbergasted. "I thought you said that your Dad was with your Grandma in Chicago."
Rachel pushed a bowl in front of the blonde. "He was. I never said I was in Chicago."
"But your other Dad was in Puerto Rico or Mexico or whatever." Quinn tried to grasp the situation. She didn't like the picture that was being painted in her mind.
"Mexico and he was." Rachel said simply as she stuck a spoon in her own ice cream.
Kurt blinked slightly. "Your dads weren't home? You should have come over to my place. You know my dad adores you!"
Rachel shrugged slightly. "We're Jewish. It's not like we celebrate Christmas anyway. And really. I wouldn't want to make things any more awkward than they already are with Finn. It doesn't matter."
"It does." Quinn's voice was firm. "And they aren't even here now. They're off together on vacation."
Rachel's eyes narrowed. "I have school it's not like I can just go with them."
"They shouldn't have gone! They left you alone over the holidays! They could have come back and had one of those staycation things. They should be with you." Quinn wasn't sure why she felt so upset about the situation. Maybe it was because she had felt abandoned when her parents used to jetset off into the sunset together leaving her with her sister. Ever since her mom divorced her dad that had changed. Now, Quinn knew exactly how they should have been treating her before. And Rachel's parents didn't even leave her with someone else. She was all alone here.
"What the hell? You don't know me! You don't know my family! Why don't you just go back home to your little life and get the hell out of mine. I told you that earlier, didn't I! I don't want you here." Rachel threw her spoon back into the ice cream and headed out into the hallway and up the stairs.
Kurt flinched as a door upstairs slammed closed. The two sat in silence for a moment before Kurt turned to Quinn. "What's going on?" His voice was quiet and he lacked the usual flare that Quinn had grown used to hearing while she was living with Mercedes and the three would gossip in the living room.
She sighed slightly before dragging her hand through her hair. "I'm worried about her."
Kurt's eyes narrowed. "Why now?"
Quinn closed her eyes tightly. "Santana said something." She wasn't sure she wanted to even tell Kurt after everything that had gone down at school earlier that year.
"Yes?" Kurt prompted.
"You know Santana's been after Finn. Rachel sang a song to Finn during Glee and Santana got a little meaner than normal. She started going on about how none of us wanted her there and that she was being pathetic."
Kurt sucked in a slight breath. "What did Finn say?"
Quinn couldn't help the slight sardonic laugh that escaped her. "Finn? What does he normally say? Nothing. He didn't say anything. Mr. Schue didn't even try to stop it." Not really anyway. "And Santana just kept going."
"I'll talk to her. She'll bounce back. She's probably just a little upset. It's not like that's something she hasn't heard from the club before." Kurt said quietly.
"That wasn't all, Kurt." Quinn closed her eyes as she remembered Santana's words and how easily someone could say that to her own daughter.
"What?" Kurt didn't feel comfortable. Things were going too far with Santana and Rachel. They had been getting worse even before he left, but for it to upset even Quinn. Well, if it was as bad as he thought then he wasn't sure there was anything he could say. He also mentally noted to have a talk with Mr. Schue. The teacher made an effort with all of his students except Rachel and to let something go down in the middle of Glee…well that was just past wrong. Glee Club was a place to feel safe. He flinched slightly as he remembered Finn relaying the story of Mr. Schue blowing up at the small girl right before Sectionals.
"She said that even Shelby didn't want Rachel." Quinn watched as Kurt's face went completely blank. "No one knew what to say and Rachel just walked out of the room. It wasn't even a storm out, Kurt."
"Go." Kurt's voice was low and firm.
"No. I want to-" Quinn started. He had to understand that she wanted to be there for Rachel right now. Maybe it was to make it up to the small diva or maybe it was for her daughter.
"I said get out!" Kurt's voice boomed through the room and Quinn flinched slightly.
She had never heard him like this before and she wasn't going to stop and question it. For once she didn't feel the confidence that kept her on top of situations like this. She quickly grabbed her purse and made her way out the front door. Kurt would take care of Rachel right now. It wasn't like she was making the situation better right now, but she still had to do something.