A/N - Seriously, I'm so sorry. I try to update faster but, it never works out. Hoping my readers LOVE this update. I need an opinion though. For readers that have read my other stories, you guys know that when music is involved with the chapter, I usually post it at the end, in the end author note. Artist, song, and the character in the story that preforms it. Only it's different with this story since I'm not using music in the way that I typically do with Glee Fics. I'm gonna' try something different and post the music before hand. Now, honestly tell me which is better, new and old readers, because I really wanna know how much of a difference it makes when it comes down to understanding the story. Please and thank you. Clothing does matter in this update, so those of you that like to know the outfits, you know the drill. Those of you don't know, add the "h" before the "ttp" and take out the spaces after the periods with the links below. I love all you guys, my readers, the reviews, and the feedback are part of my inspiration and fuel. Never forget that.
Britt & Jade-
ttp:/www. polyvore unplanned_dance_rehersal/set?id=88001546
Music -
"Love Your Life" By- Tom Day
"Gone Away" By- Madi Diaz
"Nobody Else Will" By- The Cliks
"Valley Girl" By- Frank Zappa
Jade Price Face Claim-
MyFace
ALSO, a very special thanks to ljam86. Without her, this chapter wouldn't make sense.
Quinn was walking as fast as she could. She might as well have been jogging. She was making her way to Santana's office. She didn't know anything about what had gone on the night before, and she hated it. She didn't like being confused when it came to anything, much less her girlfriend. She had been worried all night long.
"Hey there, Quinn", greeted a random employee, as she zipped by.
"Hi", she rushed out. There was no stopping to chat. Once she got the office door, she was about to knock, but the door opened, and out came Sugar. She looked annoyed.
"Oh Good", she said, rolling her eyes."The very reason I'm being ignored by the Boss Lady, is here."
"Sugar", snapped Santana from her desk."Like I just told you, there are much bigger things going on at the moment! Now, shut up, leave Quinn alone, and get the Hell out!"
"Yes, Miss Santana", said Sugar, with an attitude. She walked out the door, and Quinn wasted no time getting inside, and closing the door.
"God, sometimes I just wanna' beat her ass, stick her in a sack, and drop her in the Hudson", breathed the Latina."Come on, come sit, Rachel should be down any minute."
"Yeah, what the Hell", asked the blond, as she took a seat."I'm pissed."
"I don't blame you, I was too."
"Why wouldn't she answer me calls?"
"Oh...to be fair, when Bethany took her in, she had to be professional in some way, ya' know? So, it's normal. Rachel didn't have access to her phone, or anything like that. Plus, the battery died by the time she got it back."
"Well, why am I just hearing all of this now", asked Quinn, as if she was offended."I'm supposed to be in the loop. I work for you, remember?"
"Chill out", laughed Santana.
"This isn't funny. I randomly stop hearing from her last night, she won't answer my calls or my texts. I can't even believe I fell asleep, but I finally did. Then I wake up to voice mails, and texts saying she's been arrested, but I don't have to worry. How the Hell can I not worry?"
"Relax. I know I told you about Detective Hayes, and so did Kurt. You had nothing to worry about, everything was gonna' work out no matter what."
"Yeah, but again...didn't get any real details until this morning."
Santana laughed a little, and shook her head."Look, shit like this is gonna' happen sometimes. I thought you would have let that sink in by now, but I guess I was wrong."
"So, you wouldn't freak out if this happened with Brittany?"
"I would never let this happen with Brittany", she answered, a little too quickly.
Quinn stared at the Latina for moment, before sitting back in her chair."Wow...okay".
"I didn't mean anything by that", warned Santana. She wanted to take it back so bad."I just...think you're still too new to certain situations. True, you've picked up on things pretty quickly, and that's really good. But...obviously, you weren't ready for something like this to happen. I guess I could have prepared you a little better."
Quinn just sat there, not saying a word. By that time, she had set her things down, and let a few tears fall. She knew Santana was right, but at the same time wanted slap her across the face. She needed somebody to take her frustration out on. Santana was the only person in the room."I know you hate it, but I love her."
"I know you do", said Santana, calmly."I don't hate it."
"Yes you do."
'Bitch, do not sit in my office and proceed to tell me what I do and do not hate, or I will ends your life."
"Screw you, Santana! I know you hate it! You have since day one, and you've mentioned it more than once!"
"You know what, I don't fucking have time for this shit", snapped Santana."You're making a big deal out of nothing! Your girlfriend was arrested by a cop on my payroll, cleared, and safe! Why the fuck are you still so pissed off?"
"I have every reason to be pissed off! You claimed me as your number three! I should know what the Hell is going on with my girlfriend!"
"Yeah, and what did I tell you about that? Your work for this place, and whatever drama you have with Rachel...they stay separate!"
"You cannot be serious right now! This is different, this was a playground issue that happened to involve her! There is no possible way that I can keep that separate!"
Santana was about to say something back,but there was knock on the door, and she chose to keep her mouth shut. She pressed the button that she needed to press, and the door unlocked. In no time at all, Rachel came inside. The minute Quinn saw her, she was out of her seat, and holding the tiny woman in her arms."Jesus...what the fuck happened last night", she cried."I was so scared!"
"I know, baby. I know, I'm sorry", cried Rachel."I didn't mean to scare you. I would have called you, I swear to God, I would have, but I didn't have my phone for so long. Then by the time I got back, I was so warn out, I fell asleep. I was planning on calling you but I passed right out. I'm really sorry, it won't happen again, ever. I promise."
"I'm not mad at you, I'm not. I was just worried."
"God", said Santana, with a roll of her eyes."You guys are fucking gross."
Just a few minutes later, both Rachel and Quinn were seated, and Rachel was talking through what had happened. She wanted to keep her little meeting with Puck a secret, but she knew there was no way around it. The former bartender would be angry, but he'd have to deal with it. Santana wasn't happy. She was listening the best she could, but the fact that Rachel and Kurt had gone to see Puck wasn't sitting well. She couldn't believe they didn't tell her before hand.
"So...after we resolved things the best we could, we were headed out...that's when this crazy bitch walked up with her friends. She slapped him across the face, got rude with me, and I got pissed because he was telling me to shut up. As if I was the one causing the scene", the tiny woman explained."I was trying to stay calm, and explain things to her nicely, but she didn't even give me the chance. She was out of her freaking mind."
'Well, who was she", asked Quinn."Was she his girlfriend or something like that?"
"I have no idea, but I will be finding out. That's for damn sure."
"Let me get this straight", said the Latina, as she sat back in her chair."You guys made a deal with Puck, without telling me. Then you go to meet him, taking Kurt with you...without telling me?"
Rachel rolled her eyes, and looked at Quinn. She knew it was coming. It was only a matter of time.
"Oh my God, is that really all you can concentrate on right now? The fact that people do things in their everyday lives, and you don't get to know about it", snapped Quinn."Get over it!"
Santana sat up at her desk, and slammed her fist down."Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?"
"You!"
Santana was done. She wasn't sure what had gotten into Quinn, but she wasn't dealing with it."You know what, Quinn? Get the fuck out of my office, before beat the Hell out of you!"
"Jesus", spat Quinn, as she stood up."That is so typical!"
"Quinn...stop", warned Rachel."Just don't."
"Excuse you", asked Santana, as she stood up and rounded her desk."You wanna' elaborate before I lay the smack down on you?"
Quinn got right in Santana's face."The conversation isn't going your way, and you're hearing things that you don't like, so right away, you freak out and complain about not being in control! Did you ever stop to think that maybe the reason people keep things from you sometimes, is because you act like a crazy bitch on a power trip when they do tell them things?"
"Bitch... if you don't get out of my face...", she growled.
"What? If I don't get the fuck out of your face...what", was the blond's retort, not moving a muscle. She wasn't scared of Santana anymore. Sure, in the beginning she had been, only they were somewhat friends at that point. The Latina had let her guard down, and Quinn wasn't exactly threatened anymore.
Without even hesitating, Santana grabbed Quinn by the hair, and pulled as hard as she could. She held a tight grip, and gave a quick yank to make her point. Quinn let out a small shriek, and tried her hardest to push the Latina away, but it wasn't working. Rachel stood up, and went to help, but Santana stuck her other hand out."If you know what's good for you...you will sit the Hell back down", she snapped, without looking away from her victim.
"Santana, stop", yelled Rachel, as she moved towards the situation. Before she could do anything, Santana let go of Quinn's hair, slapped her across the face, and pushed her away.
"You're fucking crazy", snapped the blond, holding the spot on her head that Santana had grabbed. That being said, she grabbed her things, and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her. Rachel, who had started crying in the middle of the whole thing, just stood in front of the desk, and shook her head.
"That's what you're dating", growled Santana, as she casually walked back to her desk, and took her seat."Who the fuck does she think she is?"
"Santana...you didn't have to do that", cried Rachel."She's just upset, you didn't have to attack her like that!"
"No, she's been working my last nerve since she stepped into the building today! I'm done with it! She's not top bitch around here, I am! Obviously, she needs to be taken down a few pegs!"
"No, at this point, I think you're the one who needs to be taken down a few pegs", yelled Rachel, through her tears."When are you gonna' stop being so damn insensitive?"
"Rachel, you went behind my back, and she's defending it! I don't give a shit if she's your girlfriend or not! She works for me, this is my place! My business! Not hers!"
Rachel wiped some of the tears from her face, and shook her head at her Boss."You know, this is exactly why we lost him."
"What", asked Santana, confusion in her tone."What the Hell is that supposed to mean? Who?"
"Puck! You don't respect him! You don't respect any of us! He got fed up, and now more than ever, I see why!"
"You have got to be fucking kidding me right now, Rachel! Look at what he's doing! Because of his bullshit, he got shot and put this place in harms way! You're gonna' stand there and tell me that you don't see the destruction he's causing? Are you really taking that mother fucker's side? He left us because he's a selfish ass hole who clearly doesn't care about any of us around here! Can you honestly blame me for not giving a shit about what the fuck is going on in that ass hole's life right now?"
"Yeah, I was pissed at him for all the drug nonsense, but it's pretty clear that he's gonna' be dealing whether any of us like it or not! I'm gonna' learn to deal with it, and so should you! He's not stupid! He deserves to be respected, just like the rest of us do! The sooner you start to really think about that, the better! You still care about him, I know you do! Why else would you have Detective Hayes hovering over him like she is?"
Santana's eyes grew wide, and she stared at Rachel as if she had just uncovered the secret of all secrets.
"Yeah", nodded the little brunette."She told me that you're still looking out for him! You do still care, and if you would just admit that, talk to him, and work shit out with him, everything would be fine! Only, you can't do that because you're not getting your fucking way, and it's killing you! You can't always be right, and if you're not gonna' respect certain things about those of us who work under you, it will be a long, slow crawl to the gates of Hell for you, Santana! We're people, not animals! We're your friends, not just your fucking employees!"
"Jesus...what the fuck has gotten into everybody today", asked Santana, as she pinched the bridge of her nose."Like why the Hell does everybody think they just say what the fuck they want to me right now?"
"That's easy", cried Rachel."We all have opinions of our own! Just because you don't feel like hearing them, doesn't mean that they aren't there and that everybody will keep their mouths shut!"
"You know what? Just get the-"
"Yeah, I know", Rachel cut in."Just get the fuck out of your office before you beat my sorry little ass! Trust me, I saw that coming!" Rachel walked towards the door, and put her hand on the nob."I get that things are out of your control, and that you hate it, but if you would just learn to listen, and accept that we can help...I promise you...everything would run much more smoothly around here." Satisfied with her final words, she opened the door, and left the office. Leaving the Boss Lady pissed off, and wanting to kill somebody.
Rachel eventually caught up with Quinn in the bar, and had managed to calm her down. Santana didn't leave any permanent damage, but she had managed to piss Quinn off in a way Rachel hadn't seen. After the two of them napped together in Rachel's room, and had some time to relax, they headed to the blond's apartment. Puck was waiting for them outside when they got there. It wasn't until they were in the elevator that Rachel had spoken even one word to him.
"I'm sorry about last night, Rach", he said, having grown tired of the awkward silence."I didn't wanna' be a dick to you, but Jess is-"
"Oh, so the crazy bitch's name was Jess", the shorter woman cut in."How fucking cute. How is your girlfriend this afternoon?"
"It's not what you think", laughed Puck.
"Oh, isn't it? Is that why she was so clear about letting me know that you were hers, and not mine?"
"Look...I had to take her side. She's the daughter of one of one of my biggest clients", he explained."She isn't my girlfriend, but she likes to think that she is. She's fucking nuts, but I can't shake her. If I piss her off, I piss her Dad off, and I get fucked up."
"Wow", laughed Quinn."You've got a set on you, Puckerman. Sleeping with this guys daughter, knowing damn well he could destroy you? Maybe you should have kept it in your pants."
"Whatever, don't start with me. She's hooked on the snowy stuff. That mixed with how fucking crazy she is...on top of the mafia type family she comes from...yeah...not a great combo. She's hot though, so she's got that goin' for her."
"You so would say something like that", said Quinn."Typical."
"That's all fine and good, Noah. However...you do owe me an apology", breathed Rachel."A real one."
"I know that, and I'm sorry."
"For...".
"For yelling at you, and not being on your side. I suck, and I deserve to be punched in the junk for treating you like that. I'm really really really sorry", he said, with a smirk on his face."Do you forgive me?"
"I do, but you're still an ass hole", she laughed.
"Yeah well...why deny what's true", he asked, with a smile on his face.
When they walked into Quinn's apartment, Judy and Laine were sitting on the couch in the living room. The TV was on, and Laine was cuddled underneath a blanket.
"Hey there, welcome home", smiled Judy from her seat.
"Gee, thanks Mom", giggled Quinn.
Laine looked over, and saw Noah walk in behind Rachel."Oh my God", she said, as she flew from the couch, and over to him. He smiled and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Hey you", he said.
"I missed you so much", said the teenager."Like you have no idea...".
"No, I think I have an idea."
Rachel and Quinn smiled at the sight.
"Ms. Collins...", said Laine, excitedly, as she broke the hug. She grabbed Noah's hand, and pulled him towards the older woman."This is Noah."
She stood, and set her tea cup down on the coffee table."Young man", she greeted, as she shook his hand."I've heard a lot about you."
"Nice to meet you", said Puck.
"Well, why don't we let you two catch up", said Quinn, as she walked towards her kitchen."Mom, I'm sure you'd like to refresh your tea."
"Actually, no. I've got plenty", she answered."I think I'll stay in here, and keep an eye on the situation." She glanced at Puck, and looked him up and down. He knew he was being judged in some way or another, and it it was making him just as uncomfortable as everybody in the room thought he might be.
"Judy...", warned Rachel."I think it would be a good thing for you to join us in the kitchen. She walked over, and linked arms with the older blond."She's in good hands."
"I beg to differ."
"Mom...enough. Let's go." Quinn knew why her mother was acting the way that she was, but she felt bad for Puck.
"Fine", she said, clearly annoyed."Laine sweetie, if you need anything...I'll be in the kitchen."
"Okay", she answered, with a nod of her head."Thank you."
The three women walked into the kitchen. Quinn and Rachel both set their purses down, and they all sat at the table."I would rather not be away from her...especially not while that man is here", scoffed Judy.
"Mom, stop", warned Quinn.
"Stop what? Caring?"
"No, Judy...we understand your concern, but trust me...he's a good guy. He just makes stupid choices sometimes. We all do that", said Rachel."He loves her to pieces."
"How much of a good guy can one be when they leave little girls alone with guns?"
"He knows how dumb that was. He actually got so upset about not knowing where she was, that he cried to me about it. Clearly, he knows how to get his way sometimes, but there is no way he's that good of an actor", said Quinn."I know you didn't want us to bring him here, Mom. I'm sorry, but we had to."
"Why is that", questioned Just, one eyebrow raised.
The couple exchanged looks of worry.
"We just did", said Quinn.
"No, Quinny, don't do that. Don't keep me in the dark. Not with this."
"Not with this?"
"That good guy, as you so forcefully put it, means a lot to Laine. I understand that, but she's just a baby. Sure, she sits here, ranting and raving about how much she loves him, and how he's the best big brother in the world...but I just can't believe that. He's out there doing God knows what, while she sits in his apartment scared out of her mind that the men who violated her will come back, and do it again. That is all his fault, and I cannot respect him because of that. I just can't."
"He doesn't know about that", defended Rachel."If he did, he would take care of it, no questions asked. You have to at least believe that...".
"Maybe he should know", said Judy.
"That's for her to decide", said Quinn."Seriously Mom...do not say a word to him about it unless she says it's alright."
"Don't worry, I won't. I should, but I promised her that I wouldn't say a word."
Rachel could tell that Judy was more upset than she was letting on. She had to of known something that nobody else knew. She wanted to let it go, but she couldn't bring herself to do so."Judy...did she...tell you what happened?"
"Yes."
"Like...the whole story", asked Quinn.
"Yes."
"So...what actually happened", asked Rachel.
Just took a deep breath."She had gone to the store, and was coming back...I guess something was wrong with the elevator, so she had to take the stairs. That's when she ran into three guys, they were smoking marijuana in the stairwell...and when she tried to move passed them, they stopped her. When she tried to ignore them, they got angry, and that's when they...did what they did." She was sick to her stomach. She had gotten a much more detailed story from Laine, but decided to keep the details light.
Quinn just shook her head.
"Did she tell you who they were", asked Rachel."I know she knows who it was...".
"No, she didn't tell me that. I asked...more than once, but she wasn't going to tell me, and I know that. So, I stopped asking."
"Well, that is just...unfair", breathed Quinn."She really should be talking more."
It was then, that Rachel looked at her girlfriend in disbelief."What is that supposed to mean?"
"Rach, you've gone through all the trouble of helping her, she could at least be a little more open about the situation. How else can we continue to help her, if she can't just be honest about things?"
"Oh, Quinny...", said Judy, shaking her head.
Rachel wasn't happy."It wasn't trouble for me, I wanted to help. True, she called me for help, but I'm the one who forced her away from Puck's. She went through something pretty damn traumatic, so for you to sit here and say that she's not talking enough, that's kinda' sucks, I'm not gonna' lie."
The younger blond was blown away by her girlfriend's words. She couldn't have predicted, in a million years, that she would react that way."Baby...I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound insensitive or anything...".
"Yeah, well you did", answered Rachel, as she stood from the table. She was heading back towards the living room.
"Rachel...wait", tried Quinn, but it was no use. Rachel just walked out of the room."Wow."
"Wow is right. You shouldn't say things like that", said Judy.
"I didn't mean that", she defended.
"Oh, you didn't? Then why did you say it?"
She knew she had meant what she said. Sure, it came out differently than how she wanted it to come out. She wasn't trying to come off as insensitive at all, but she did mean it. On the other hand, she wasn't expecting to feel so guilty about it."Mom, come on. You have to know where I'm coming from. She asked Rachel for help, she obviously wanted it."
"True, but that's no reason for you to assume things."
"I'm not assuming anything."
"Yes, you are. You assume that she's going out of her way to keep things from people for some ridiculous reason. That's not what this is, Quinn. The girl is scared. This is too much too fast for her,and she just isn't used to having people in her life that want to help her." Judy loved her daughter, and she knew her better than what Quinn would have liked to admit.
"I just...don't understand why she can't be more open. It seems like she thinks we're out to hurt her or something."
"She may think that, and there isn't any reason for her not to think that. She's been hurt a lot, so she has issues with trusting people. The fact that she let Rachel take her away from the situation in the first place is a miracle within itself. That means she trusts her in some way or another, and that's a good thing. The fact that she came out and told me most of what happened, that means something as well."
Quinn just sighed, and nodded her head a little.
"I need you to embrace this girl, Quinny...I need you to be able to be patient with her."
"Why", she asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Well, because I...I want to keep her", said Judy, nervously yet, sternly.
"Keep her?"
"Yes. I want her to stay with me, at my place. Give her some sort of education, and set her on the right path", she said, sincerely."So, you really should get used to seeing this girl. I'm not letting her out of my sight, not right now."
"Mom...you don't know her background, her family history, or who maybe looking for her. You don't know anything. She's a runaway."
"Yes, she is. However, she's got me in her life for right now, and I'm going to make sure that she knows, I'm somebody that she doesn't need to run away from."
Quinn's doubts were slipping away. Slowly, but they were slipping, nonetheless. She admired Judy for more so many reasons. Only, at the moment, she admired her more than she thought she ever had.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Rachel was talking with Puck and Laine.
"He gets it, Rach", Laine was saying."Noah understands, he's not mad." She was so happy, and Rachel loved it.
"I knew he would, sweetie. I told you that he wouldn't be mad at you."
"No, I'm not mad at you", he said, looking at the younger girl."I just wish you would have told me that you were freaked out. I could have done something to make you feel better."
"What could you have done though, Puck", asked Rachel."I'm not trying to be bitchy or anything, it's just...you did all you could have done. You couldn't always be around, so you left her...protected in a way. The only way you could think of at the time."
"Yeah...true...but I mean...I would have thought of something different if I knew how scared she was. I didn't know that the gun wasn't enough."
"It was enough", said Laine."Me being so scared...it wasn't your fault. I'm sorry that I just left like that." She felt ashamed, and it was so obvious to the other two."Do you want me to come back?"
Puck opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. He glanced over at Rachel, who was already giving him a look. One that indicated that she knew exactly what he was thinking. He took a deep breath, and look back at Laine."You know what? The truth is...things will be different for a while without you living with me, and that's gonna' suck. But...you're better off away from all that for a while. I want you safe."
"So...that means you don't want me around anymore? I can't see you?"
"No, no...don't think that, come on. You know me better than that, you're my stealthy L", he smiled."I'll always want you around, it's just...for now...we're gonna' try something else. Alright?"
Laine smiled a little. She loved it when he called her by her nickname."I can still see you though, right?"
"Yeah, I'll come visit whenever you want, we can hang out."
"Do you promise", she asked.
"Yeah, I promise."
"Okay, cool", she said.
A few minutes later, Rachel was being called back into the kitchen. She didn't really feel any desire to be around her girlfriend at the moment. However, she sucked it up, and left Puck and Laine alone, once again. She walked back to the table, and sat down.
"Is everything alright in there", asked Judy.
"Everything is fine, they're having a nice conversation. Seems like she really needed it."
"Well", breathed Quinn."My Mother has decided that she wants to keep Laine around for a little while ,and try to help her out. So, I should probably let my secretary know that she can stop finding out who I need to call."
"Wait, that sounds like a really great idea", exclaimed the small woman."Why are you saying it as if it's the worst idea ever?"
"She doesn't think it's a good idea", said Judy.
"Why not?"
"It's not that I don't think it's a good idea, but...this whole thing just makes me very nervous. What if somebody comes looking for her, and you end up getting in trouble for kidnapping or something like that", asked the younger of the two blonds."You don't need that, Mom."
"From what we've talked about in the last couple of days, I can pretty much promise you that nobody is looking for her. Aside from that, she'll be eighteen soon enough, and once that happens, she'll be able to make her own choices as to what she wants to do. I just can't in good conscious let her go back to that apartment, or send her off into the streets."
"Judy, I admire the Hell out of that, good for you", said Rachel, sincerely.
"Thank you, dear."
"What about foster care", questioned Quinn.
"Are you serious right now", spat Rachel."What did she ever do to you?"
"Nothing, she's a sweet girl, I just don't understand why my Mom feels like she has to-"
"Because, she's being nice, and trying to help! You're making it seem like she's doing some horrible thing!"
"Okay, I give up", snapped Quinn."What in the Hell has gotten into you today? I mean my God, you were sane this morning!"
"Was I? I'm sorry, you must have a problem telling sane, and coping apart from one another."
Quinn just stared at Rachel wide, mouth open. She was in one of the worst moods Quinn had ever had the displeasure of seeing her in. She had no idea how to handle it, at least not in front of Judy.
Judy had no idea what to think, so chose not to say a word. She was just as surprised as her daughter was, and didn't want to get in the middle.
Eventually, Rachel stood up, grabbed her purse, and stormed out of the kitchen once again. She found herself back in the seat that she had been occupying just minutes before.
"Are things okay in there", asked Puck."What was the yelling?"
"Everything is just peachy, thanks for asking", she deadpanned.
After getting into with Judy about being able to see Laine, Judy finally giving up, and agreeing to letting them communicate, Puck was furious. He hugged Laine goodbye, thanked Quinn and Rachel, and was out of the apartment, waiting for the elevator. As he stood there, Rachel jogged up to him.
"Hey", she said, slightly out of breath."Wait...".
"Wait nothing, I'm fucking outta' here. Who the fuck does that lady think she is", he spat angrily.
"I know, I get it. I'm sorry she was acting like that...but you have to understand why she has her doubts", she defended.
"Of course I do, but I explained shit too her, more than I really needed to, but she was still talking to me like I'm the biggest piece of shit in the world!"
"Look, that's just Judy. She has her opinions just like the rest of us. Don't let it get to you, she just cares about Laine."
"She's known her for like five seconds!"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that she can't care about her...like you do, and like...I do. Plus she knows that you deal drugs." Puck shot her a dirty look."No, that's not me judging you, I'm just giving you the facts."
"Whatever."
"Yeah, whatever is right. You got your way, you'll get to spend time with her, and talk to her. At least there's that, right?"
"True...but fuck...she was mean as Hell."
Rachel wasn't surprised that her friend was as angry as he was. He had every right to be, but at the same time she wished he knew the whole reason why Judy was acting the way she was. There were things he was in the dark about. Things he might have always been in the dark about. There was just no telling."Maybe someday, you'll understand better, Puck. For right now, just...be happy that she's not out of your life completely."
"Yeah", he mumbled."Alright." The elevator doors opened, and he stepped inside."I'll text you later on...thanks for this."
"You're welcome. I love you, Puckerman...".
"Yeah, yeah...love you too", he grumbled, as the doors closed.
Later that evening, Rachel was back at the Playground. Her and Quinn were still fighting, and had decided to just be away from each other for the time being. The blond would most likely show up at the Playground eventually, but until then, they weren't going to communicate. Quinn went to her office, confused as all Hell as to why Rachel was so nuts. Rachel knew that she wasn't exactly being fair, but she was letting her stress take over, which was causing her to lash out on people who didn't deserve it. Quinn being the main target at the time.
Once Rachel was in her bedroom, she put her things down, threw herself onto her bed, and breathed. She just wanted to breathe for a few minutes, and release the stress of the day. It was about fifteen minutes before she sat up, and grabbed her laptop. She was hoping her favorite blog had been updated, but was disappointed. She'd usually gotten email updates on her phone if any of her favorite bloggers had updated, but she was hoping there was a glitch in the system, or that she had just missed an email. However, she hadn't. She did a few other things on her computer, before closing it, and standing from her bed. She stretched, and undressed herself, as she headed for the bathroom. After showering, and getting her hair and make up taken care of, she got dressed. She had four clients that night, as wasn't exactly excited, knowing that Cassandra was the first of those clients. She would take the longest, and be the most dominate, as per usual. Not that she wasn't used to it, she just wasn't really in the mood to deal with it. However, she'd have to be a big girl, suck it up, and do her job. That's what Santana would have told her, and it was also the reason why her reputation as The Star existed.
She was about to exit her room, and head down to the bar, when her phone went off. She looked at it, and smiled. Sure enough, it was an email. Once that said her favorite blog had been updated. She hurried back to her bed, sat down and grabbed her laptop. The timing couldn't have been more perfect. Not even if it had been planned. Once she was on the site, she was surprised. The entry was somewhat shorter than she expected, but that didn't matter. She was thankful that it was updated at all.
"Go to a rooftop, or somewhere with a view. If you can, bring one of your favorite songs with you. A song that makes you smile. It doesn't have to have words. Hell, it doesn't even have to have music. As long as it's a song, and it's one that you love, bring it with you. It can be on your iPod, or in your head. It doesn't matter, just bring that song with you. Look at something beautiful, and concentrate on it the best you can. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's beautiful to you, that's all that matters. Think of something that makes you sad. Something that's recently made you're heart hurt. Bring it to the service, even if it makes you cry. Listen to that song you love, and breathe slow. Hear every note, let the sound move through you, like it's your blood. Match your heartbeat with it. Close your eyes, and hold that heart breaking little thought. After just a minute of thinking about that one sad thing, let it sit. Now bring in one thing in your life that makes you happy. Something or somebody in your life right now, that makes you smile every single day. Breathe, and let the happy thought take over. Let those two thoughts fight it out inside of your head, but don't let the sad thought win. Try as hard as you can to let the happy thought win the battle. Don't forget to listen to every single note of that song, that magic, that sound. Open your eyes, and look back to that beautiful thing. Take a deep breath, and just...feel."
Rachel loved it. She connected with the idea right away. She was going to respond and leave a comment, but she chose not to. She wanted to experience the words because she made any comments. It only felt right. She looked at her phone, to check the time. She realized she did have some time before she absolutely needed to be downstairs. Without very much hesitation, she grabbed her ear buds from her night stand, and left her room. Making sure that nobody was watching her, she disappeared towards the door that lead to outside to the roof of the building, and headed up towards the rooftop. Once she was up there, she felt a breeze hit her face, and couldn't help but feel tingles all over. The air was cold, and smelled like all the best parts of the city. She slowly walked towards the edge of the rooftop, and looked out amongst the busy streets below. The sun was setting, and the sky was a beautiful pink, and purple, fading into a night time blue. She looked at her iPhone, and went into her music. She found the song that she was looking for. As the song 'Gone Away' by Madi Diaz filled her ears, she closed her eyes. She breathed slow, and let the music take over. Oddly enough, she swore she felt her heart beat mellow. As if it was going with the beat of the song. She thought about her saddest thing. The fact that months before, she had gone through what Laine went through.
She had been raped, and chose to keep it a secret. She had been violated in one of the worst ways possible, and had only let one person know. Brittany knew. Had Rachel not run into the blond dancer after it had happened, she never would have told her. Only, she had, and she'd sworn the woman to secrecy.
She breathed more. She couldn't stop the tears from falling, but she kept her eyes tightly closed. She thought about that night, and all the pain she had felt. She thought about all the control that she didn't have, and the fact that she wished she would have fought harder. As the song went on, she let her mind wander to her happy thought.
Quinn.
The Photographer was a miracle in her life, and she knew it. She thought about what Emma had pointed out. That she was subconsciously trying to sabotage the love she felt, because of how unfamiliar it was. That she was mentally pushing Quinn away, because she hadn't planned on having somebody like her in her life. That she was set in her ways, and wasn't sure how to handle somebody coming along to stir the pot. She hated that it was true, but loved it, because Quinn was making her feel something new. She opened her eyes, and as the song finished, she took a deep breath, and stared at the sunset. Concentrated on the beautiful colors. That was when she knew. She had to tell Quinn what had happened to her. It was the only way to stop snapping at her, and flying off the handle. It was the only way Quinn would be able to understand her recent behavior, and how stressed out she was. It was the only solution to relieving some of the stress that she had been feeling.
When she was finished crying, and had come to somewhat of a decision, she headed back down into the Playground. Knowing exactly what she needed to do. It was just a matter of talking with somebody first. She made a quick stop to her room, and grabbed her laptop once more. She clicked around, and started typing.
"What are you? Some kind of Guru? A life coach? Or, maybe you're just a genius. It doesn't matter, whatever or whoever you are...you help me so much. I'm really sure what it is about your words, but they've always just meant so much to me. You've managed to take my amazement a step further tonight. I did what you said. I took my music, I went to the rooftop, and breathed. It was beautiful, and it cleared my head in way that I never thought possible. Thank you for that. I mean it. Thank you so much for what you've written tonight."
Once she sent clicked send, she realized something. She hadn't left a comment on the post, she'd sent a private message. At first, she felt awkward about it, but after a moment, she didn't care. All that mattered is that the person saw it. She sighed deeply, and closed her laptop.
She had wanted to talk to Brittany at some point that night. So bad. However, between her time with her clients, and Brittany's time on the stage, and managing things, she had never gotten the chance. On top of all of that, Quinn had never shown up at any point that night. At least not to the tiny woman's knowledge. By the time she had made it to her bed, and looked at her phone, she wasn't sure how to feel. She hadn't gotten a text or a call from her girlfriend. Nor had she gotten a response from her blogger. She was still really wanting to talk to Brittany, but she knew the dancer was fast asleep by then, and couldn't bring herself to wake her up. She set her phone back on her nightstand, and with a deep sigh, she buried her face into her pillow. She cried and cried, until she didn't have any tears left, and eventually, sleep took over. She fell asleep with one thought in the back of her mind. She needed to speak with Brittany first thing in the morning.
It was a normal day for Brittany. She had woken up in bed, next to Santana. The Latina was still sleeping. She couldn't help but smile. Santana always looked beautiful to her, sleeping, or awake. She loved her, so seeing her in any state was always something that made her smile. She had kissed her sleeping girlfriend on the cheek, before getting out of bed and getting ready for the day. She made herself a nice healthy breakfast, and watched cartoons that she had recorded on the DVR while she ate. After doing her stretches, and going for a run, she retreated back home. She'd showered, and gotten her make up done. She'd gone to the mall, shopping for random skimpy outfits that she knew members would love seeing her in. Afterward, she'd planned to go home. However, on her way home, she'd passed by Smashed. Until she had met Jade Price, she hadn't noticed just how many times she had passed by that particular spot. Now that she knew where it was, and that she knew somebody that worked there, she paid much more attention to it. Instead of heading back to the Playground, like she normally would have, she decided to park, and visit with her new friend. It didn't look like it was open, but Jade was the manager so Brittany knew that she could be around.
Once her car was parked, she grabbed her things, and got out. She smiled at random people passing by her in the area as she made her way towards the building. She was happy since the meter she had parked in front of was broken, and she hadn't needed to put any money into it. Before she made it inside, her phone went off, and she looked at it.
Where R U? - R
The blond smiled, and answered Rachel's text.
Just got done shopping...stopping to see somebody...be back soon. Y? - B
As she approached the door, her phone went back into her hoodie pocket, and she peeked inside. Sure enough, there was her new friend, sitting on the stage. The blond smiled, and pulled the door open. Not even paying attention to the fact that it was unlocked during hours that the place was closed. She quietly walked inside, and peeked around a corner. It looked like Jade was messing around on her laptop, and she had an electric keyboard sitting in front of her. It seemed like she had just finished uploading something. Brittany was about to turn the corner, and speak up, only Jade had quickly pressed a button on her computer, and got to her feet as fast she could. Slow and peaceful piano music started to play over the sound system. Before Brittany could even blink, Jade had started to dance.
It looked like ballet. It completely caught the blond by surprise. Not only did Jade not look anything like a dancer, she was actually pretty good at it. Before she knew it, the piano music was being backed up by a rather quickly paced drum beat, and Jade's dance routine sped up a little. It seemed she had gone from ballet to jazz in seconds flat. She was jumping, twirling, and doing a lot of moves that Brittany recognized from dance classes past. She went on enjoying the intricacies of the dance with delight, until a few seconds later when Jade lost her balance during a jump, and fell to the ground. She cried out a little, as she hit the ground pretty hard.
"Oh no...", said Brittany, as she ran over, and reached down to help the girl up." Jade, are you alright?"
"I'm fine", she breathed, as she was pulled to her feet. "When did you get here?" She was clearly very confused.
"Just a few minutes ago. I wasn't spying on you or anything, I just didn't wanna' interrupt your dancing. I'm sorry", she rushed out.
"No, no you don't have to be sorry, it's alright. I'm happy to see you", Jade smiled. "You were watching me dance?" She seemed embarrassed.
"Yeah, I was. I liked it, you're really super good."
"I'm not, though", she said, sadly. She walked over to her computer, and stopped the music.
"I think you are. That music, is it your music?"
"Yeah. Well, not really. I mean, the piano part in that recording, that's me playing it. But, it's not mine. I just know how to play it. I used the background beat from the original song."
"Wow, Jade", giggled the blond." You're super talented, I like that."
"No, it's just a hobby really. I'm only a bartender."
Brittany frowned a little. "Do you think that because you fell?"
"It's not the first time I've fallen. I've been at this for an hour. I haven't tried that routine in a long time. I just got done mopping the floor, so all the tables and chairs were already pushed back, and I knew I'd have room to do some dancing. I just wanted to see if I could still do the routine", she defended, not making much eye contact."I guess...I can't."
"Was that ballet?"
"The routine is a mixture of Ballet, and Jazz."
"Mhm, I thought so", smiled Brittany, as she took her hoodie off, and tossed it aside. "Take your sneakers off, silly."
"What", asked Jade, looking down at her black Vans.
"That's why you messed up that jump. Come on, off", she clapped. She was being so sweet, and Jade couldn't help but smile. It didn't stop her from protested however.
"You don't have to, Britt", she laughed. "It's not that important, don't worry about it."
"You just said you've been at it for an hour."
"So...".
"So, you wouldn't have been if it wasn't important" to you," she smiled. "Come on, take your shoes off, start the music, and bring your adorable face over here."
Jade hesitated a few more moments, but she couldn't resist Brittany's bubbly attitude. She untied her sneakers, and kicked them off. "Yay", exclaimed Brittany, as she clapped her hands. Jade started the track over on her computer, and hurried over to the blond. She was surprised when Brittany grabbed her hands, lifted them up. "Just move with me, okay? I think I can remember everything up until the jump. Sometimes I'll lead you through it but it will be on you for all the stuff you have nailed down."
Jade just smiled nervously, and nodded a little.
"Okay...five, six...five six seven eight..."
It started out with the pair each standing on one leg with the other extending straight back. Right arms reached out slightly bent at the elbows before they were slowly raised above their heads with the left arms slowly sweeping their way across to their chests. Brittany eyed Jade as to encourage her to go into the next step. Jade bashfully followed the silent instruction and glided her left foot in a circular motion in front of her before turning it outward. Brittany had somewhat given over the reins for this part. It was what Jade had down, but she followed along just the same.
There were such beautifully executed movements within the ballet sections. Brittany was in awe as she watched Jade going into a perfect Pirouette, and at some point managed to turn it into a Plié. She needed a little help with pointing her feet but she still preformed quite well.
Now came the difficult part where the Jazz began to set in. As soon as Brittany saw the fan kick she knew it was time for her to go into teaching mode. The fan kick turned into a quick left and pivot before swiftly bringing the leg back to rest on the floor behind the right, both legs straightened. Things were going well though as the jump neared, the blond allowed Jade to dance on her own so she could talk her through it.
"Relax," the blue eyed beauty insisted. "I know you have to be on point but remember this is something you enjoy and love. It might be a little scary, but you're not being forced. You can do it. The dance police won't get you here," she giggled.
Jade tried not to giggle, as she swayed her hips and swirled her body in the other direction. It was time for the hitch kick and Jade went about kicking her right leg into the air once it was midair she jumped off the other eventually joining her feet at the landing. She wobbled a bit but didn't fall as she went into the next steps. Brittany simply watched the rest of the dance, as she was great at memorizing steps but hadn't actually viewed anything after the fall had taken place. They danced side by side doing two more run-throughs of the routine, which included one fall, before they decided to take a break and just hang out for a while. However, by the second run-through, though it lacked precision, Jade had pretty much stuck the landing. Brittany was proud.
"What if we had a soundtrack to our lives," Brittany said as she and her friend sat on the edge of the stage talking about random things.
"That would be awesome sauce," was the happy reply. "Mine would be pretty crazy sauce."
"Mine too," giggled Brittany. "What if it was just a soundtrack for our day so far?"
"Hmmm," Jade thought for a moment. "It would still be crazy. What about you?"
"Well I think maybe it would start with 'Halo' by Beyonce because I woke up next to San and even though she tries really hard to hide it from other people, She can totally rock her secret angel halo when it's just us." Jade could understand that. She kind of thought the same thing about the Latina. Her and Britt, because anyone that knew the blond had to feel similar. "Let's see," Britt went on. "Maybe...'Eye of the Tiger' for my run because, duh, it's like the go to song for exercising montages."
"It so is," Jade said with a laugh and Britt laughed as well.
"And well, have you ever heard that song by Frank Zappa? Um…," Britt looked a little embarrassed at what she was about to say.
"Come on," Jade encouraged. "No musical judgment here, beautiful."
"Okay well there is this song he did back in the eighties with his daughter Moon Zappa. It's called, 'Valley Girl'. For some reason it like, plays on loop in my head whenever I go to the mall." Britt covered her face with her hands in an attempted to cover the blush she knew she had. This was saying a lot because Britt was pretty unapologetic about the things she liked. It was something Jade loved about her.
"Britt," Jade said sweetly.
"Yeah," the tall dancer asked as she peaked through her middle and ring fingers. The bartender reached up and pulled her hand down.
"I bet you bought some bitchin clothes," she smiled wide and hugged her friend briefly, enjoying the softness of her teal hoodie in the process.
"I did get the leather teddy," Britt confirmed. "That song gives some good advice here and there."
"Like tubular to the max," Jade joked. Brittany couldn't help but smile, since it was so obvious that Jade knew the song, as well as the lyrics. "So is that where your soundtrack ends?"
"No. The song we were dancing to would be the end of that."
"It's called "Love Your Life". It's by this guy named Tom Day. I found the music on accident when I was on YouTube this one day. I've been in love with it ever since, and that one...it's one of my favorites."
"His stuff is pretty awesome," Brittany smiled.
"I know, right," Jade said with a huge smile."It's so crazy because...it could go in so many different directions. That's why I knew that routine would work with it. The song is a piano, drum mash up, and so is the dance, so I just...had a feeling that...it would work."
"All right, pretty lady. How about you?"
Jade looked down at her and Brittany's feet dangling off of the stage. She glanced at how her friend's white TOMS occasionally brushed the sides of her Vans as she thought about what songs would capture the emotions she felt during the day. "Um," she finally spoke, shifting her body a little bit. How could she tell Britt that her morning had been full of frustration until she had decided to dance? How could she admit that the song she blasted after waking up from a nightmare was "Last Resort" because she was hurting that much? She wouldn't, simple as that. She'd dial it down a little. She looked back up at Britt and put on a less than genuine smile. "Maybe 'Somewhere I Belong'...it's a Linkin Park song. One of my favorite bands. I um, had a bit of a frustrating morning," she admitted at her taller friend's look of concern. When Britt's face still hadn't changed she said, "...but it got better. I was all about rock for a couple of hours and then a little Martina McBride. Weird transition...I know. But...I'm all about music, so I don't discriminate against any genre."
"What song are you thinking about now," the other woman asked, bubbly once more.
Without really thinking before she blurted it out this time, Jade said, "Nobody Else Will."
"I don't think I know that. Who's it by?"
"The Clicks, a Canadian band."
"Oh, well I'll have to look it up," Britt smiled, noticing that Jade had seemingly found special interest in the rubber bracelets on her wrists.
"You don't have to do that," Jade said with a lightly purple blush.
"But I want to," was the quick reply.
"Can you help me with my stance when it comes to the hitch kick. I'm getting better but it still needs to be cleaner," the bartender said, scrambling to change the subject as guilt began to set in.
"Sure," the paler woman smiled brightly. "You know the drill," she laughed. "Off with the shoes." She herself took off the hoodie and tossed it to the side, revealing her black tank top and giving a full view of her jean shorts. She looked down at her tank top and then back up at Jade's. "Add a skull and we'd matching tops," she laughed. "I'd be jealous of the pink beanie but I think you look cuter than I ever could in it."
"You'd look cute in anything," Jade answered.
"San says the same thing," was the happy reply. Brittany didn't know it but that made Jade feel a little off.
"She's right. She'd look good in anything too."
"I think so too. Now get on this dance floor, you," the blond playfully ordered. Jade quickly sprung up and into position with a smile on her face. "Okay, you are really getting it down but it's super important that before you make the jump, your legs have to be straight. The blond bent down and lightly took hold of the other woman's right leg and straightening it in the correct stance. Jade did her best to ignore the shiver that ran up her spine. "Okay," Britt went on, "...now for the left. This one has to stay put until it's time to leave the ground or it will throw you off balance." Brittany soon stood back up, getting into the same position as her friend. "Okay, you ready to try it again?"
"Yeah." She smiled wide because she really was excited to do it. It was odd how Brittany's presence had turned a frustrating experience into a fun one.
"Alright. One, two, three and go…" Even though it looked as if Britt was going to do the jump too, she held back in order to keep Jade's movements in her sights. "There you go, sweetie," she beamed after Jade's feet had met just right on the stage floor. She quickly sped over to get another hug, this one lasting for a bit longer than the one earlier. Jade really loved it, but part of her felt terrible because she felt like she was somehow hurting Santana. It was almost as if, whenever she spent time with one of them, she always had moments when she felt like she was hurting the other. She had a vague idea why, but it wasn't something she was ready to deal with.
They worked on the dance for another hour before Brittany had to go and Jade had to get to work. It wasn't too long after Brittany had left smashed, when Jade received a text from her.
I looked up the song and OMG, it reminds me of a HUG. :-) - B
Shade giggled to herself, and texted back,
Whoa...I thought the same thing when I heard it the first time...- J
Then it's good we got to hug if that is what U were feeling when we were hanging out - B
Jade felt a little bit of a relief at Britt's response and replied.
Yeah...good thing...- J
Once Brittany was back at the Playground, and getting ready to start her duties for the evening, she felt at peace. It was such a good day for her, and she couldn't help but feel, at peace in a way. She had spent time with a great new friend, danced, and had a wonderful conversation. She'd gone back home, told Santana all about her day, and spent some quality time in the bedroom with her. Once she had showered for a second time, gotten her hair and make up done, and dressed for the night, she was exiting the elevator with a smile on her face. She was headed towards the Rainbow lounge to check on some things, when she noticed Rachel coming at her. She noticed that her friend looked upset, and she didn't like it.
"Rachel...what's wrong", she asked, as she approached.
"Can...we...please talk", asked the tiny woman, desperately.
"Yeah...of course we can talk. Are you okay?"
"I'm trying to be", was the response."I can't...do this. I can't do this...I can't."
"Can't do what", asked the blond, as she grabbed Rachel's hands, and held them."What's going on?"
"Can we...go to my room and talk, Britt? Please."
A few minutes later, the two women were in Rachel's room. They were seated on the bed, and Rachel was being held by the blond. She was crying her eyes out into her shoulder.
"Talk to me...please...", begged Brittany. Rachel's tears were breaking her heart.
"I have to tell her", cried Rachel."I have to tell Quinn what happened...but...I just...I don't really know how...".
"You mean...when that guy-"
"Yes", said Rachel, cutting Brittany off. She just couldn't care to hear her say it out loud. She lifted her head, and looked right at the soft blue eyes looking back at her."It's killing me...".
"I know", she answered."I can tell."
"I'm not trying to be this person", sobbed the brunette."I swear I'm not...but...it's like...I can't help it anymore. People I love, people that don't really understand...they're all suffering and having to deal with all this crazy, stupid behavior from me...and...it's all for no reason. It's nobody's fault, you know? I shouldn't be taking this shit out on everybody else...".
"It's not your fault either, Rach. You didn't ask to be hurt like that...and I'm actually really happy that you want to tell Quinn."
"You are?"
"Yeah...I mean...it's been really hard for me to keep that secret."
Rachel suddenly felt very guilty."I'm sorry...I shouldn't have-"
"No", the dancer cut in, with a shake of her head."It's alright that you told me, I'm not mad at you for that. I never would have told your secret, as much as I wanted to. I knew you were okay for a little while. At least okay as you could be, I mean...I wouldn't be as strong as you...not with this situation. Only...since this whole thing with Laine...I could tell that it reminded of you of what happened. That made me really, super sad, because you didn't deserve what happened to you...and...I just want you to be better. You deserve to be better."
Rachel smiled a little, and wiped some of her tears away."So...you think it's a good idea that I...tell Quinn?"
"I really do, and if you want me to be there when you do tell her...I'm so there."
"Thank you, Britt. I think I do need you there. I don't think I can do this alone...".
"You don't have to do it alone."
"So that's it then, right?"
"Yeah, that's it. You have to tell Quinn that...you what happened to you...".
Meanwhile, Quinn was in her office. She didn't want to be there, but she knew that she had to be. At least for the time being. She wanted to be with Rachel. As annoyed as she was with her girlfriend, she still wanted to be with her. She wanted to be talking to her, and fixing things.
She was at her desk, lost in some editing work, when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in", she hollered. The door opened, and in walked her blond, wide eyed, eager little secretary."Kitty, hey. What's up?"
"Hey yourself", she said, as she closed the door and made her way over to the desk."I just thought I'd let you know, that the two people you'd picked for the internship are probably out of the question. They're both very sick, and I've been informed that they'll be out of commission for some time."
"Of course", breathed Quinn."Well that's just perfect."
Kitty took a seat in one of the chairs that sat in front of Quinn's desk."I'm sorry to have such bad news. Would you like me to call one of the people that was on your alternate list?"
"Yes...well...actually no. Shit...", breathed Quinn, as she leaned back in her chair."I don't fucking know."
Kitty tilted her hear, and wondered, out loud."What's got you so down, Boss? Man trouble?"
"Woman trouble", she answered, too quickly. It only took her a few moments to realize what she had said."Wait...I didn't mean that-"
"Are you gay", asked Kitty.
"No", said Quinn.
"Are you sure...because I've overheard you talking to somebody named Rachel a lot lately."
"Well...I...I'm not like...oh my God", she breathed. She was so annoyed with herself for not being more careful.
"It's alright, Ms. Fabray", comforted Kitty."If you are, I would never think any less of you."
Quinn studied the girl for a moment. Something told her that she was being sincere, so she decided to trust her. It was her secretary after all. There were things she was always going to overhear."Do not say a word to anybody."
Kitty smiled."You're secret is safe with me. It's not like your sexual preference defines you as a person. You're still a great person in my eyes. Somebody to admire. I've always believed that about you, and I always will."
Quinn smiled. She hadn't had full faith in the girl until that very moment. At least she was open minded."Tell you what, Kitty. I know how badly you want the internship, and you were right about what you said. You are basically a second level assistant. So, why don't I just bump you up to full on assistant...and I'll hire a new secretary."
"Oh my God, are you serious", she asked in shock.
"I am, but it will be a trial basis. You're salary will be higher, but more will be expected of you, and you will be in charge of finding me a new secretary. Is that understood?"
"Totally! Thank you so much, Ms. Fabray! You have no idea what this means to me!"
"You're welcome...and you may call me, Quinn."
Kitty smiled wide. She looked like she was about to cry tears of pure joy. She as about to say something when Quinn's cellphone started to ring.
"Oh...I should take this...".
"No problem, Quinn. I'll get out of your hair", said Kitty, as she stood up and headed for the door."You'll have a new secretary by morning."
"Thank you, Kitty."
Once her new assistant was gone, and the door was closed, Quinn answered her phone."Hi, baby."
"Hey...", said Rachel on the other line."Listen...I really need you to come in tonight. There's something I need to tell you."
Thanks for hanging in with here, readers. You are all AMAZING. *High Fives* Reviews and Feedback are always welcome as long as you guys are polite about it. Love you ALL.