Chapter Three
Later on that day, Quinn managed to get both Rachel and herself safely to the mall without being hounded by the rest of the student body.
That isn't to say their classmates didn't try however, Quinn definitely needed to make use of her glare a little more than usual. Rachel too, did her part by pretending to open her mouth to speak which for some strange reason also helped to scare some students from daring to approach them as they walked to Quinn's car.
"I can't believe those people," the blonde huffed in annoyance as she steered Rachel into the nearest deemed 'acceptable' clothing store once they had gotten to the mall. "Even people who I thought I'd scared into oblivion dared to ask me to come to our wedding."
"At least you didn't have to deal with cheerios who used to hurl slushies at your unsuspecting sweaters asking if they could be bridesmaids" Rachel replied with a frown.
"I'm sorry about those," Quinn mumbled guiltily as she remembered the part she had to pay in those ridiculous high school hallway popularity games.
"I know! It's quite obvious that when it comes to bridesmaids, my first choices would of course come from the members of the glee club."
"You know that's not what I meant Rachel. I was talking about the... you know... the slushies."
"Yes well, let's let bygones be bygones, there's no use dwelling on the past when there's weddings to be planned."
"Rachel-," Quinn began.
"And Santanas... Santanae... I don't know the plural... to be beaten!," the brunette interrupted. "After all, we have her to thank for this opportunity to show the others what we both can handle right?"
"Right," Quinn replied with a sigh sensing that Rachel didn't really feel like talking about their less than smooth past.
"To be honest I'm kind of enjoying the way people are looking at me like I'm something more than a glee club freak right now," the brunette said offhandedly, though she still kept the smile on her face.
"You were never a freak," Quinn assured her.
"That's not what the whole world would have me believe I assure you Quinn. Though… I am thankful for your kind words."
Very close by, enjoying some caffeinated beverages with delicious pastries sat two of the mall's most loyal customers.
However, at that very moment, the trendy coffees were being ignored in favour of some stressed out frowny faces.
"There needs to be an intervention. We need to intervene!," Mercedes said as soon as she caught sight of the couple who appeared to be sharing comfortable conversation while perusing the a nearby store.
"Calm yourself Mercedes," her man loving partner in crime replied. "There's no need to have an asthma attack. I for one like the idea of them being together.
"You just like the idea of possibly having a shot with some unsuspecting footballer," Mercedes said while Kurt took a sip of his drink and nibbled on a pastry.
"You think I have a shot?," he asked hopefully.
"No I was talking about you having that idea," she replied with a smile.
"Well in any case I think it's going to be fine. When I was speaking to Quinn earlier…"
"Wait you spoke to Quinn about all this? And you're still alive?"
"Barely but yes. It was a bit touch and go for a moment there and she did mention smacking once or twice but she seems generally upbeat about the whole thing," Kurt said, though he was dedicatedly looking for any football player prey in their immediate vicinity.
"Wouldn't smacking you make Rachel jealous?," Mercedes asked honestly.
"That's what I said! Anyway I think we should let things lie as they are for now. And by that I mean, keep a close, stalker like watch on the situation and watch the great drama unfold before our very eyes."
"Ok," she replied simply as she continued watching the couple who were deciding what Rachel should try on.
"I thought we were intervening?"
Kurt raised his eyebrows at the girl's changed tone and craned his neck to get a better look at the shopping couple.
"I thought this would be weirder than it is but Quinn looks like she's helping de-sweater Rachel's wardrobe so that's kind of a bonus for everybody."
Kurt nodded as if he couldn't agree more.
"Maybe Quinn is staging her own kind of intervention right now," he said. "What could go wrong, right?"
"This is all going terribly wrong," Quinn said as she watched Rachel excitedly peruse the racks of clothing in front of her.
"What is? I'm having fun! Did you want to try one of these shirts on too?," the brunette replied as she grabbed yet another 'not-Quinn-approved' item of clothing.
"You've taken everything I've thrown into your arms and dropped it in favour of ridiculously coloured things. Did you get that top from the children's section? I'm sure I'm not the first one in your life to tell you that not every item of clothing needs a cute item emblazoned on the front of it."
Rachel gave the blonde a huff though she continued her hunt.
"If you didn't want me to shop for things that are my style you shouldn't have brought me to a place with a children's section! Things generally fit better from there!," she said as Quinn rubbed at her own temples.
"You're not that small Rachel," the blonde replied.
Rachel almost dropped all of her rainbow coloured prizes as she turned on the tired blonde.
"Quinn Fabray! Are you calling me fat? Here I am, shopping for clothes with you, at your request when you haven't even had the decency to take me to a jewelry store for our engagement ring!"
"Again, what on Earth are you talking about? Wait, spare me and don't even answer that. I'm done with this. Get your not fat ass into that changing room and try this this and this on," Quinn said as she picked out an outfit on instinct alone.
Rachel paused for a moment before giving her 'partner' a nod.
"So you think my ass is sexy?," she asked with a smirk as she made her way towards the changing rooms with the annoyed Quinn closely following behind her.
"Just get in there!," the blonde growled. "I swear that girl will be the death of me," she said as she leaned on the wall while Rachel changed.
"Let's hope so Captain Fabray," a sneering voice said suddenly.
Quinn, annoyed and yet almost expecting this annoying blow from the universe merely raised herself to full height in preparation to face the new threat.
"What are you things doing here? I feel like I've destroyed you once before. Oh I'm sorry, that might have just been your reputation," she said.
"Funny. But not quite, we are still as popular as always with all those nobody minions at our high school. So what are you doing here? Taking your dog out for a walk?"
"First of all, this is a shopping mall not a park. Second of all get lost or else," Quinn warned.
She of course knew why, they were cheer rivals from different schools, but the girls standing in front of her definitely rubbed her the wrong way.
"Or else what?," the girl sneered back. "I don't see that Rottweiler Lopez hanging around with that poodle of hers, what exactly do you think you have to threaten me with?"
"Believe me, for your own sakes as well as mine, just get the hell out of here before she finishes changing," Quinn replied, just a moment too late as Rachel had brushed the changing room curtains out of her way and had already began marching towards them.
"I don't mean to interrupt but I heard your rather annoying voice whilst changing into more appropriate attire that Quinn happens to approve of. Anyway, since we're going with the theme of dogs I would just like to say that I think I would make a very convincing angry Chihuahua who would gladly come to Quinn's aid if she should need it. After all that's what any good fiancée would do," Rachel said in one breath with no strain to her lungs at all.
Quinn merely shrugged though she enjoyed the gaping looks the other cheerleaders threw at her kind of fiancée.
"She can't bite but she will talk your ear right off, believe me. And good job Rachel, that outfit looks great on you."
"Thank you Quinn and may I compliment you on your previously angry yet unthreatened tone of voice? It was very dramatic, I could really sense your motivation."
"Could you people not date so openly? You're bringing down the mood in the mall."
"The mood was ruined when you showed up Miss nameless cheerleader from rival school," Rachel said while making shooing motions at the girl.
"We're not dating right now," Quinn added just before Rachel's agreeable nod.
"And yes, for your information we're not dating right now. Quinn is trying to purchase me a new wardrobe so we can date later. She's paying if that wasn't clear. She wouldn't let me pick out any of the things I liked."
"To be honest, I'm only doing this because I think you have horrendous taste in outfits and I am sick of seeing you walking around in them when clearly your good looks are being overshadowed by the fact!"
"Are you two sure you're together?"
"Well since we're sharing! Quinn Fabray I am sick and tired of staring into your beautiful eyes and gorgeous face when I wake up every single day for that fact to be coupled with your never calling me!,"
"Berry how did you manage to turn that into this?"
"I was merely insinuating the fact that I awaken to your face as my cell phone wall paper. Since we're a loving, engaged couple after all."
"That is not what everyone else thinks you insinuated," Quinn told her in a warningly.
"What would they think? Are you insinuating that you think that I'm not good at insinuating? I am!," Rachel replied, rather outraged at Quinn's tone.
"What reason would I have had to call you? All I would get is… all of this," Quinn said as she motioned to all of the brunette.
"You can't even think of one reason?," Rachel asked her, her outrage turning into full blown scandalized. "The reason is all of this!"
The cheerleaders in front of them shared looks with each other as their leader frowned at the scene.
"Even I would have called," she said. "You're apparently marrying the girl, and that's big news believe me, I mean it even reached our grapevine… even if she sucks at insinuating."
"Stay out of this! I demand Quinn answer for her own insensitivity when the only reason I exist here is because of her need to marry me!"
"She lives for you Fabray."
"What she's saying, in her own ridiculous way is that we're only here because she sucks at dressing herself in the morning!"
"So what, you help after giving her a good night?"
"I hate the world!"
"Why don't you two just kiss and make-up, with luck maybe you'll catch some crazy from her and finally be out of my hair come Nationals," her rival said with a laugh as she gave an obnoxious wave at the couple.
"What did you just do?," Quinn asked as she returned all of her attention on Rachel.
"I'm not talking to you until you give me an apology," Rachel replied with her arms crossed in front of her in a manner reminiscent of the HBIC herself.
"And what exactly should I apologise for?"
"I don't have to tell you, you just should. And you will if you want this marriage to work."
"As I've said a million, billion times before, there is no marriage!," Quinn roared until she caught a glimpse of Rachel's unmoving facial expression and decided to give in for the sake of her sanity. "Fine Rachel, I'm sorry."
"You should be. I have excellent taste in clothing."
"Just tell me what the heck you were thinking saying all of that stuff! I'm sure you don't know who they are but those people are our biggest cheerleading rivals. Of course it's not like they can hold a candle to me but it's probably best you don't get on their bad side alright?"
"Well I had to do something they were trying to suggest that you and I weren't actually together and I for one take that as an insult to my acting skills."
"Let's just get this shopping trip done and over with alright? I'm really tired and we still have a lot to deal with tonight."
"Alright! But remember… you're definitely paying."
"Fine, fine," Quinn replied as she scoured the store for anything she thought would suit Rachel before ushering them both towards the cashier.
Once the brunette was fully laden with enough outfits for seemingly a year's worth of dates, she raised her eyebrows at the uncomfortable looking blonde in front of her.
"I don't know," Quinn began. "Am I not supposed to… drive you home or something?"
"Of course not Quinn," Rachel replied as she readjusted the bags in her hands. "We have our official first date coming up tonight, we need at least a few hours apart to miss each other before then don't you think?"
"I'm trying to think as little as possible in light of recent happenings," Quinn replied.
"What was that Captain Fabray?"
"I mean, yes. Right. Whatever you say Rachel."
"Really? So are you saying that you'll miss me?"
"No! Why would I miss you?"
"There's the Quinn we all know and love! See you later sweetheart!"
"Whatever Berry. Look I'll pick you up at 8 from your place alright?"
"And where will we be headed?"
"Uh, I don't know yet. Maybe the movies? I guess we should keep it a surprise."
"How romantic! 8 it is then. See you later!"
Quinn went straight home after that, if only to bathe in the normality of her own room, or so she planned.
In reality she spent hours looking through her own wardrobe for something fitting to wear to the date. Rachel was the good girl type so she was fully prepared to be greeted by the girl's parents as soon as she walked up to their front door. It wasn't like she was expecting to get the full interrogation of course, after all it was only the first date.
She should have remembered it was Rachel Berry's parents she was dealing with.
"Well come on in!," Rachel's dad said as he answered the door for the blonde standing awkwardly in front of their house.
Quinn followed him in and was met by another friendly looking individual who motioned for her to make herself at home in their living room.
"Don't look so nervous! We don't bite," he said to with a smile.
"Why don't you sit down and tell us a little about yourself?"
"Or a lot, we don't mind! After all, it's been rather a long time since Rachel brought home anyone she was so excited to be going out with."
"She's excited to be going out with me?"
"Why of course! And don't think that we think that's only because you're a girl too. Rachel's always been very open to the thought."
"She has?"
"Oh please honey, let's take a little look around and see what she's grown up with!," he said with a teasing wink.
"You two aren't making Quinn nervous are you?," Rachel chastised as she finally came into the room wearing Quinn's favorite outfit out of all the items they'd bought that day.
"Of course not honey! Your father and I were just trying to get to know your gorgeous date a little better."
"She is gorgeous though isn't she?," he asked as he smiled at Quinn once again. "And so nervous! That's so cute."
"Well of course she's gorgeous," Rachel agreed easily. "She's Quinn Fabray after all."
"So spill the details already Rachel! How did you two meet? Who asked who out?"
"I don't want to bore you two but due to some unforeseen circumstances Quinn and I are engaged to be married."
"You really don't pull punches do you Rach? Not for sanity, not for freaking anything huh?," Quinn asked even as Rachel's fathers smiles quickly turned into rather intimidating glowers.
"You didn't get her pregnant did you? Not when I was about to make a very humorous joke, if I do say so myself, about how at least you can't get her her pregnant!"
"Of course not!," Quinn replied indignantly, trying to regain some sort of control on the situation even though her head felt like it had fallen down some stairs.
"Qunn didn't get me pregnant daddy, it's alright," Rachel said as she stood between the two men and the suddenly green again blonde.
"Are you trying to tell me you let someone else get her pregnant?," her dad asked while Rachel placed a reassuring arm on Quinn's arm.
Of course the move merely fanned the flames as her fathers saw it as an 'it's alright' motion towards the very evil person who had defiled their precious daughter.
"My baby girl!" her dad said. "She's so young and so beautiful! Not that I'm saying you would be sharing non-beautiful genes but… oh my baby girl!"
"Someone needs to breathe some normal into this conversation before I pass out," Quinn groaned out, so distressed that she was actually leaning into Rachel's strangely comforting figure.
"No one is pregnant. Everybody just calm down," the brunette said as she continued rubbing Quinn's arm. "In fact, tonight happens to be our first date, should you discount the earlier events of Quinn defending my honour against much less attractive cheerleaders."
"To be fair Rachel, I think that was mostly you defending me."
"Don't have a moment in front of us!," the two men yelled together in perfect unison.
At least there was something to be said about their unyielding, loving relationship. Quinn would have preferred otherwise however as the two men immediately began shooting gapless questions at both her and Rachel.
"You two haven't even been dating?"
"So, is this some kind of arranged marriage?"
"Who arranged it? You do know marriage is forever do you not?"
" Are you two in love?"
"We have very strong feelings for each other sir, that much I can assure you," Quinn interrupted at the first sign of a question she could at least try to answer.
Silence suddenly filled the room as Rachel's fathers looked her up and down.
"Well I suppose such things develop when you're in such close proximity to each other all the time."
"And you are excessively good looking and you say you hold strong feelings for our Rachel," dad said.
"While she seems to care quite a bit about you too," daddy added as he watched Rachel continue to comfort the blonde.
"Indeed they do," Quinn agreed, very naturally. "In fact to be honest I'm feeling some rather strong feelings towards Rachel right now."
"That's kind of sweet, you like her so much you don't even mind saying that in front of her fathers."
A.N: Thank you once again to the people who left reviews.
It really has been a very long time since I've written anything but I've had some time and a little bit of inspiration.
This couple is fun to write and play with and that's exactly what I was looking for!
Let's hope I can give them a fun ride too, at the very least.
It's pretty much going to stay funnily fluffy the whole way through with a bit of stress for drama's sake.
We're only talking speed bumps, I'm in no mood to throw anyone off a cliff ;D
Thanks again guys.
See you next time!