AN: Thank you all for your reviews, subscriptions and favs. I love this fic and I love that you guys care about Ray and Quinn.
The Grass Is Greener
Chapter 6 – Hopeless Place
A chorus of laughter and jeers filled the walls of the auditorium, projecting its cruelty on the empty seats in front of the stage. The sounds fell on deaf ears for Ray. He thought one slushie was bad enough but twelve of them? Shame fell like every dyed drip of water that rained on the stage floor.
He felt like Carrie from that traumatizing movie that Noah made him watch two years ago. It may have been highly insensitive on his part, with what Ray had been going through but it was his meathead way of saying that it could have been worse. Like, getting all wacked out, homicidal crazy bitch worse.
It was proving to be quite difficult to remember what could be worse than wearing ten slushys.
Ray's eyes clenched shut, keeping the chunks of ice out. 'Keeping your head high in the face of adversity' proved to be a more difficult creed to follow when undergoing a slushie wave.
"HEY, DOUCHEBAGS." Santana yelled out, her voice causing the collective crowd undergo a whiplash effect. She was second-in-command of the Cheerios and in some ways had a more direct control over the student population by way of overt fear. Some of the football players scrambled back, breaking the wall of terror allowing way for Santana and Brittany to go over to Ray's shivering form.
"You boys best be stepping off if you know what's best for you."
One of them, Ray recalled his name was David, stepped up and challenged the petite cheerleader, "Oh yeah? And why's that?"
"Karofsky… are you really going to question me?" Santana asked, tone turned fiery and dangerous like a time bomb starting it's countdown. Her voice was dangerous in all the ways that Quinn's was but in a starkly different manner.
David backed away, arms up in surrender, "Whatever, this was Finn's idea. He's just marking his territory and putting this loser in his proper place."
Shifting her glare in Finn's direction, she internally smirked when he noticeably shivered. Finn had one last slushie gripped in his mammoth sized hands. Her eyes shifted, noting Jacob Ben Israel's angle from off stage. Now there's an idea.
Wordlessly, she communicated with Brittany, staring at her then at Jacob Ben Israel. Brittany nodded and stepped back.
"So, the pea-brained wonder thinks that this kid is such a threat to him that he needs most of the football team to take care of it? Ten against on thatmakes you so tough. Taking advantage of the fact that Puck's totally stoned out of his mind, right?"
Finn began to protest but the nervous twitches of his teammates made it plainly obvious that Santana was right. Brittany moved off the stage, keeping JBI and his camera at the angle that Santana motioned.
Santana paced, moving towards Finn and Ray before finally stopping between them. "But what's another loser? You really want to be tough why don't you try picking on someone your own size?"
Ray squinted his eyes, trying to look at Santana. What was she trying to do?
The lumbering quarterback scratched his head, he was confused as well, "You? But Santana… you're like as small as Berry."
"It wasn't literal, Moron!"
"Dude, I don't even have English this semester."
Finally, Santana had enough. Refusing to acknowledge Finn's remark she grabbed his hands and jerked them forward, forcing the slushie to hit her in the face.
A round of gasps filled the auditorium. Finn took several steps back in pure terror, empty cup dropping to the floor along with droplets of melting dyed ice.
From the seats below, Brittany reached over and forced JBI to lower his camera.
"All done!" She told him lightly but there was a glint in her eye that made Jacob flinch and he turned the recording device off.
"Santana!" Ray exclaimed, racing over to her side as fast as could without slipping on the melting slush at his feet. "What in the world were you thinking?"
"Shit, that's fucking freezing. Why didn't anybody tell me that this was a fucking dyed blizzard bitch-slapping me in the face?" she reached out and grabbed Ray's shirt, wiping off the bits of ice in her eyes.
"What the hell, Lopez?" Azimio shouted.
"I would start running if I were you." She warned, smirking through her slushie facial. "When Coach Sylvester finds out that you guys slushied one of her top Cheerios… heads will roll. Both of them if the stains are permanent."
She had to admit that although the slushie was starting to seep uncomfortably under her bra, she enjoyed the almost simultaneous wave of bobbing Adam's apples as one by one, the football players evacuated the auditorium; tails between their legs.
Finally, it was just Finn Hudson left standing dumbfounded in disbelief, although his confused, constipated look was a nearly permanent fixture on his mug. He tensed upon realizing the consequences. "You can't do that! A-a-and I can't get in trouble for this. You made me throw that slushie!"
"Nah uh." Santana shook her head, "See, the whole white male, jock privilege thing you got going there isn't going to hold up against video proof."
Finn swivelled around to JBI, only to see Brittany now in possession of the camera, Jewish fro nowhere to be seen.
She smiled mischievously, signalling Santana, "Aaaaannnnd ACTION!"
Santana screamed dramatically shaking the slushie off her arms, "Finn! How could you?!"
"I-what?"
The stage was set and Santana knew her cue. Sliding her way closer to Ray with exaggerated movements, she stood out in front of him with dramatic flair.
"I wish I got here sooner, Ray! Oh goodness, look at you! You're freezing, poor lad." She moved to clean off some slush off her friend, leaving Ray feeling quite disconcerted at her actions. "Finn, I swear you will not get away with this… this discrimination! You bully! Picking on somebody just because they're new or smaller than you… or just annoyingly more talented than you could ever hoped to be."
"Hey!"
But Santana wasn't quite finished yet. She placed the back of her hand to her forehead, continuing her dramatized performance, "Thank goodness I got here on time to save even one slushie from hitting this pour soul's head. I'm just sorry that my uniform will never recover."
"Santana, come on. Let's just leave this… ruffian to repent and reflect." Ray prided himself on his ability to improvise and seeing that the slush was soaking into his underwear, he wanted to finish the scene quickly. "I'm freezing and I fear that I might catch a cold. That would be a fate worse "
"Oh, you poor thing," Santana soothed. "We need to get you a change of clothes." She led him out, stopping only to leave a final 'word' to Finn, "You should be ashamed."
Brittany cut the recording, giving Santana and Ray a thumbs up before yelling, "AND CUT!"
Once out of the hall, Santana let go of Ray and as soon as they were rejoined by Brittany they headed to the locker room.
Looking at Santana and himself, all covered in slushies, Ray couldn't help but laugh. They were strange and slightly (actually they were way more than slightly) scary but Santana and Brittany were definitely friends he would like to keep. They were amazingly frightening but mostly amazing.
And Finn?
He was left alone more confused than ever.
Cheerio's practice was over early for the first time since Quinn was named head cheerleader. Sue Sylvester railed on her for losing the Cheerios to some youBlog video and letting her two lieutenants run off before Coach dismissed them. The volatile cheerleading coach was so enraged that she forbade the youBlog watchers from the showers after making them run around the track a couple of times.
Quinn was spared the fate of her unfortunate team members and she was grateful for the chance to shower without the girlish gossip for once.
She rubbed her back, entering the girls' locker room. A nice hot shower was just what the doctor orde-
"Dancing through life. No need to tough it… When you can slough it off as I do!"
The familiarly silky yet powerful voice once again filled Quinn's ears. What was he doing here?
"Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. It's just life, so keep dancing through-
Remember that hypnotic effect that had the ability to draw Quinn in and make her forget everything except Ray Berry's beautiful voice? It happened again. Unfortunately, Quinn and Ray were no longer the only ones in the room.
"SANTANA LOPEZ! Please cease with your attempts to molest me!"
"Aw Sanny, you made him stop singing. I really like that song."
There was definitely more than one person there. Quinn's mind struggled to catch up, hindered by the hypnotic state Ray's voice induced.
"Oh come on, Berry! Don't be such a prude. Just let me see how you compare to Puckerman. I've seen your feet, Midget, I can do the math. You've got to be at least that much big-"
Santana?!
"Santana!"
The effect that spelled Quinn into housing a lull of butterflies in her stomach was broken and suddenly there was Ray clad only in a towel, trying to run away from a very naked Santana, running straight into her.
CRASH
Quinn was suddenly on the floor. Backache officially made worse. Looking up she saw a disoriented Ray looking into her own eyes.
Wow, they were brown, so brown… like Hershey Kisses (so sue her she loved those things). Kisses. Oh and look there's his lips where actual kisses could be found, discovered and-
"Quinn?"
Hold on a second. Why was she wet?
"Why are you wet?!" she screeched, looking down at his bare chest. Hints of brown curls lined up at abs' end. 'treasure trail' was what Santana always called it.
"Wanky."
"SANTANA!" They both screeched.
Ray scrambled to his feet, backing away swiftly from the head Cheerio. It was unfortunate that in his haste, he failed to see Santana's mischievous smirk and the quick grab she made at his towel.
"Wow, Ray-Ray."
"And here I thought you got no game, Berry."
Quinn's face turned a million shades of red and she squeaked before covering her eyes. "Eeeep!"
"Santana!"
"Jeez, you keep screaming out my name like that people might start thinking we're getting wanky in here."
She threw him back his towel and after getting it back, Ray rushed to the other side of the lockers to change without Santana perving on him.
"What is HE even doing here, Lopez!" Quinn inquired, rage and embarrassment bubbling up with every word. "This is the GIRLS locker room."
"It's not her fault, Q." Brittany explained, she strategically placed herself between the two hot-headed cheerleaders as she did. Violence wasn't going to do anything. "The boys were mean and locked him out of the boys locker room and Ray-Ray was still all covered in slushie. I told him he could shower in here. Sorry."
That wasn't fair, Quinn thought to herself. Nobody could blame Brittany for anything with that sad face.
Ray came back over, argyle sweater and all, making Brittany boo in disappointment.
"Fine, it's fine." She assured the taller blonde. Turning to Ray, her eyes softened (though her cheeks were still tinged with red), "Are you okay, Ray?"
Ray tried telling his rapidly beating heart that it was the chilly locker room that caused the chills, but his heart insisted it was the way Quinn said his name that did the trick.
"I suppose I'm alright considering what just happened. Not to worry, no lasting psychological damage done. It was all thanks to Santana." Adoring brown-eyes shifted from Quinn to Santana. "She's certainly not a force to be reckoned with."
"Damn straight."
Quinn looked between Ray and her lieutenant, anger bubbling ferociously within her. "That's great, Ray." She seethed.
Noticing the fury-red shade that the Captain was taking, Santana snickered. Oh yes. This was going to be so much fun.
She draped her arms over Ray's neck from behind. "Berry was a trooper. Such a gentleman too. He didn't want to take a shower in here until I took mine first and wouldn't even go in the room until I was 'appropriately dressed.' Isn't he sweet."
"Great." Quinn gritted. Why was Santana telling her all this and did she really need to hang all over Ray while she was doing it?
"Of course that didn't stop me and Britt's from checking out that fine behind of his."
"Great."
Santana smirked as she deliciously took in the sight of Quinn's eyebrow arching to new heights followed by a severe twitching problem. "Britts and I were going to let him take us to Breadstix."
"Great." She intoned again.
"Great." Santana repeated mockingly, tightening her strangle on Ray and dragging him back. She really loved competing with Quinn. It was the best part of their frenemy relationship.
"Bye, Q!" Brittany bounced out with the others… ensuring Ray wasn't really strangled by Santana's firm grasp around his neck.
The locker room was empty now, save for the echoing droplets falling to the tile floor in the shower area.
"Great." Quinn echoed once more. She slid to the floor leaning against the locker room. Moments alone were the worst. Self-reflection wasn't the greatest activity when you hated what was staring back at you.
She regretted ever telling Finn to slushy Ray.
She regretted telling Ray they couldn't be friends.
She regretted letting Santana and Brittany go off to save Ray when she should have stopped Finn and his merry band of idiots herself.
"I'm an idiot." She admitted out loud.
"Should I be concerned that you're talking to yourself, Quinn?"
"AHHH!"
Quinn shot up, bumping her head on a lock that fastened the locker she was leaning on.
"Oh my goodness, are you okay?"
"GOD, Berry. What is your problem?"
"I apologize, I didn't mean to frighten you." Ray replied sincerely. She rubbed the back of her head in pain, making him surge forward in concern. "Here let me look at your head.
Quinn swatted away his hands and replaced them with her own, wincing when she felt the beginnings of bad bump form. "Look, Santana's gone now and so are your rights to come on here."
She sat back down against the lockers and was dismayed to see him join her.
"I forgot my sheet music. I need it to practice for my glee audition tomorrow."
"You haven't auditioned yet?" Quinn knew from Sue's many rants that Mr. Schuester had started the process already. "I thought you'd be the first gleek in line."
"Gleek?" he repeated confusedly. "Oh, glee and geek? That's a fun portmanteau."
Quinn rolled her eyes but graced him with an affectionate smile, "You're so weird."
"I know." Ray sighed with a theatrical flare that made the normally icy girl giggle.
"Are you really okay?" Quinn asked, taking in his tired appearance. "I'm sorry for Finn. He's an idiot."
"I suppose the clichéd term 'dumb jock' had to have some inkling of truth." Ray intoned lightly, elbowing Quinn in jest. "By the way, there's something I need to ask you. About Finn."
The serious look on his face caught Quinn off guard and for a moment fear gripped her heart. Did he suspect? "W-what is it?"
Ray gazed into Quinn's eyes before cracking a smile, "Did Finn fail sophomore year for the last ten years? He looks like he's almost thirty. I'm actually quite concerned that your relationship might be illegal. I mean, do I have to contact somebody about this?"
Quinn gaped and then punched Ray in the shoulder, "You're such a jerk! Of course, Finn's our age! I can't believe I took you seriously."
"It's a fair concern, Quinn! Finn Hudson is a veritable great Oak compared to us non-tree like individuals. It sort of looks like he's balding."
"You've been around Santana and Puck for too long."
Ray smiled and nudged her shoulder, "Maybe you can be a better influence then."
"I doubt it." Quinn said sadly, suddenly remembering why Ray was in the locker room in the first place.
"Well, I think you're a much better influence." Ray said quietly and when Quinn's head whipped around to stare at him incredulously, he winked. "But don't tell them I said that. Santana would castrate me with her razorblades."
Sounds of hushed laughter echoed around the locker room. Quinn felt comfortable around him. She tried to deny it but the evidence spoke for itself. She was huddled on the ground of dank locker room and laughing so much she would probably-
*snort*
Quinn stopped immediately, horrified at the sound that just bubbled up out of her control. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Ray stop too; he was looking at her in confusion. There was a pause in that moment before Ray threw his head back and started bellowing in laughter.
It was a strange string of sounds that erupted from Ray. A sharp cacophony similar to someone choking or a dog barking but he made it work. It was an adorable sound, Quinn thought. It hit her then that this display was used to make her feel better.
"Okay, okay enough before Coach Sylvester comes in to find out why a dog is dying here."
Ray stopped immediately on command and quirked up his lips in a smile that she returned. The silly moment was broken when he turned and reached out to the bench to grab the sheet music beside them.
The white papers with notes peppered all over attracted Quinn's attention. She marvelled at the pencil scribbles that decorated every page. There was hardly any space to pick out the lyrics.
"What song did you want to do?" Quinn asked.
The boy's eyes brightened, sparkling at the question and he flipped through the pages excitedly, "I was caught between an arrangement that displayed an array of vocal range such as 'One Song Glory' from Jonathan Larson's timeless new age musical, RENT. Or I could do something more classically tragic like 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables' from Les Miserables."
She nodded, barely knowing the references. Santana made her watch RENT the year before and she thought the movie was horrible. But then her eyes caught sight of an interesting song title. "What musical is that song from?"
Peering at the page, Ray chuckled fondly, "Not from a musical but it was written by a musical composer. It's actually one of my favourite songs."
The wistful tone drew Quinn's curiosity. "Sing it for me?"
Never one to deny a chance to sing in front of an audience, Ray cleared his throat.
"She'd tell me about Captain Hook and all of his men who followed Peter with a hook replaced as his hand."
Eyelids fell. Curtains over her hazel irises. Unlike her last few experiences with Ray's captivating voice, this was a soft lullaby.
"In those tales, bad guys seldom did win, so the captain was eaten and Wendy had twins," Ray glanced down quickly at Quinn, noticing the way she swayed, unconsciously humming along. She looked and sounded every bit the angel he thought she was when he first saw her.
"That's the story as I recall, I may have made up the end, I don't remember much at three feet tall…. except for when I'd say:"
She leant her head down atop his shoulder, waiting with baited breath for the chorus. Ray felt like flying himself.
"Mom… Let me go to never, Neverland let me fly for one day and throw that fairy dust in my hair so I could pretend I'm flying away… I'm flying away."
The last note ended off wistfully and Quinn didn't say a word. Neither did Ray. Sitting together with more peace than they've felt since the year started.
"BERRY! Get your midget ass out here. We'z be going ta BREADSTIX!"
Apparently, Santana Lopez did not get the memo about the moment of blissful silence.
"I guess you should go." She said quietly, her head had already vacated its spot on Ray's shoulder.
Sighing, Ray got up and collected his sheet music. A tug on the back of his sweater kept him rooted. "Quinn, wha-?"
"It's a beautiful song. You should go with that one."
Ray rubbed the back of his neck in an uncharacteristic display of modesty. Quinn Fabray had the power to unnerve him so. "Really?"
"Yeah. Peter Pan was always my favourite story." She always loved the idea of escaping.
"Mine too."
And then he was gone.
"Dancing Through Life" is from Wicked
"Never Neverland (Fly Away)" is a song composed by Scott Alan