Specter~Chapter 18

Walking along in the sunshine and humming, nearly skipping, she smiled.

"Did you hear that back there, Samuel? A hurricane is coming in! Hurricane Bea is the name...remember my baby sister Beatrice?" Quinn said out loud, hoping Sam was nearby. He was, floating alongside her. He had heard the news of the storm; he had been watching it build for some time now, bashing the eastern seaboard. He remembered her little sister, too. She had become good friends with his little sister later in life; they married brothers and moved away from Battenfield.

Wait…she's speaking like she's Lucinda now…he thought. He looked up and down the main road. Quinn had just left town…no traffic coming from either direction…everyone was home preparing for the storm. He floated into her path and planted his lips on hers.

His kiss surprised her, right there on the street. He began to materialize before her eyes.

He spoke before she could. "Quinn…you can't do what you're thinking. Too many people love you and would miss you. Please…for me…I'm asking you…nay, I'm begging you…not to do what you're considering."

Her green-hazel eyes were blazing; they met his blue-green eyes. She still smiled.

"Did you listen to me when I asked you the same thing?" She paused. "No."

She broke their kiss and continued walking to the drive for the estate. She glanced up at the pure blue sky, not a cloud in sight. It had not escaped either one of them that he had stopped her on the road where they had had their fateful conversation in 1852.

She continued on toward the estate.

xxxxx

She actually whistled along with the birds as she walked down the lane. The day was beautiful…the calm before the storm, she thought…and she was going to enjoy it. She had her plan in motion and she felt at peace with that.

She felt his presence near her.

"You know, Sam, not too many people would miss me, actually," she said to the open air. "I've never even met my father…and my mother…ha…she probably forgets where I'm at. I have one good friend who'll miss me, yes, but she'll understand…I'm not going to wait another lifetime without you."

He floated behind her, listening to her words. How could she think that of herself? Then again, Lucinda had been the same way…she kept very much to herself, sharing her love only with him. She had spent the rest of her life alone, keeping a relatively distant relationship with Rachel at the estate, but seemed to be quite content to be alone. Or alone with her memories of him.

What if her idea is a good idea? he thought suddenly and then wanted to kick himself for being so selfish. She'd be with me forever…forever… He floated in place considering this, then shook his head, again hating himself for thinking such a thing. Besides, there's no way I could watch her…watch her…He couldn't even finish that thought. He glanced up ahead and saw her crossing the stone bridge, curving toward the estate.

I need to stop her somehow…he thought, floating to catch up with her.

xxxxx

She was moving down the lane at a pretty good clip, writing letters in her mind to those who deserved a letter from her. She would write one to her mother, to Santana, and Emma…she had to let Emma know. Maybe a short one to Noah…

She looked at the estate and her thoughts shattered into a million pieces.

The car in the drive was familiar. The two people hanging around the side of the estate were familiar.

No! No! No! NO! she screamed in her mind.

The two saw her and started toward her. She picked up her pace toward them.

"Quinn! Quinn! Thank god you're here! I made Noah bring me…I was so worried about you!" Santana cried, throwing her arms around Quinn.

"Yeah, where you been? You're never here when I roll up," Noah said, looking around the grounds somewhat nervously.

"You guys can't be here…not now…" Quinn said hurriedly, her eyes skittering about. "The storm! The hurricane! You need to leave now to get back to Portland!"

"Quinn, honey, we're not leaving without you," Santana said, shifting her weight. "Come, let's get your things…we're going."

"No! NO! I-I have to stay…yes, through the storm…I have to stay here through the storm to ensure nothing happens to the property…I'm sorry, San, but I-I have to," Quinn said, stumbling over her words.

"You mean I drove all the long-ass way up here just to be told no?" Noah said, a shitty tone to his voice. Quinn and Santana both glared at him.

Quinn grabbed Santana's arms, almost in a frenzy. "You must get back to Portland! It's safer there! I'll meet you there after this storm passes through, okay? How's that? I'll have Emma drop me wherever you're staying, okay?"

Santana stared at Quinn for the briefest of moments. "Are you okay, Quinn? You seem…jumpy."

"I'm fine, San! The storm has me a bit nervous, but I'll be fine…I always am…Seriously, though, you two need to get back on the road before they start traffic restrictions," Quinn said to them, trying to calm her voice.

"Babe, you gotta anything to drink in there? Maybe a little somethin'-somethin' for lunch? This boy here is starvin'!" Noah asked, seemingly unaware of Quinn's odd behavior.

"Uh, yeah, sure. C'mon in…I'll show ya around, Santana, you'll love it," Quinn said, ushering them inside after she unarmed the security system. She thought if maybe she hurried them up inside she could get them to leave easier.

Sam, of course, watched this with interest. The Noah guy was definitely a jerk. Her friend seemed genuinely concerned about her, though.

"Wow, Quinn, this place is gorgeous!" Santana said as Quinn rushed them into the side foyer.

"You think so? I think it's creepy as hell," Noah added.

Quinn led them into the kitchen. "There's stuff in the fridge; I'm just gonna run my backpack upstairs, then I'll give you a tour before you leave."

She rushed off, seemingly distracted.

"What the fuck is up with her?" Noah said, then snapped. "The ghosts finally got to her!"

"Would you stop Noah! There are no ghosts!" Santana said, rolling her eyes.

Sam watched their interaction with interest.

Noah strode over to the refrigerator and began digging around inside it.

"Oh thank Buddha...booze!" he said, pulling out the pitcher of mojitos.

"Listen, what're we gonna do? She won't go with us...she wants to stay here for some ungodly reason. Should we tell her now?" Santana said, lowering her voice and walking over to join Noah at the fridge. She placed her hand at the small of his back.

Noah looked at Santana, his eyes half closed, munching on a leftover bratwurst and swigging mojito straight from the pitcher. "That's what we came here to do, right?"

"Could you at least swallow your food before speaking to me?"

"Could you at least stop being a bitch for 2 minutes?"

Sam was definitely interested in this interaction.

"You'll think stop being a bitch when I ride you hard later," she purred, sliding up against him.

"You know you love it," he said, still chewing.

"When you stop eating, I do love it," she said, nibbling at his neck.

"We oughtta do it here somewhere...in this haunted castle..." Noah mumbled, finishing off the brat, then grabbing her ass.

And this girl was supposedly Quinn's friend? Sam thought.

"I don't think there's time...Quinn really seems to want us to go..." Santana said quietly, looking up at him, tousling her fingers in his overgrown Mohawk.

"I really don't want you to go...I'm not supposed to have guests," Quinn said from the doorway of the kitchen. Noah and Santana sprung apart quickly. "Is there something maybe you two would like to share with me?"

The room was silent until Noah gulped another bite of bratwurst down. Santana approached Quinn.

"Um, yeah, there is something we wanted to tell you. I didn't feel right telling you over the phone or in a stupid email...I wanted to come see you. And so did Noah," Santana started, glancing back at Noah who rolled his eyes ever so slightly. "This summer, Noah came to visit me in New York...then again...and then again...and something just...ignited...between us. He said it was over between you two and you had told me that too. I honestly didn't want to hurt you, Quinn. Noah's what I've been looking for, though."

Again, the room sat in awkward silence until Quinn broke out into a huge smile and hugged Santana tightly.

"I'm so, so glad you came to see me, San...you just don't know. And I'm happy for you two. Noah needs someone like you in his life," Quinn said, smiling at them both genuinely. "I'm not hurt or angry...just happy. C'mon, let me show you around real quick..."

Quinn disappeared into the butler pantry while Santana and Noah shared a quick confused glance. They were prepared for anger, possible hysterics, not smiles and happiness from Quinn.

She showed them the dining room and the balcony breakfast nook that she had enjoyed a few times during her stay. Then, she took them to the grand foyer where Santana was in awe of the design and colors. Noah just looked bored since he had already seen this area during his last visit. Standing in the foyer, gushing over the chandelier and front entryway, the French doors to the dining room slid closed with a soft thud. Quinn, Santana, and Noah stopped talking, looked at the doors, then Santana and Noah looked at Quinn. Quinn shrugged.

"Sometimes that happens," she said cheerfully. "Onto the front salon!"

Sam slid open the dining room French doors and followed the trio into the salon. Noah promptly took a seat on the antique settee, dust billowing up around him. He began sneezing and hopped up.

"This place really just does not like me," he mumbled.

Quinn then took them to the back salon and again Santana remarked over the room and the patio.

"It's so nice to eat out there of an evening," Quinn said, thinking of her meals with Will and Emma. She felt a chill on the back of her neck and giggled, knowing Sam was touching her there. Santana looked at her funny.

"Are you okay, chica?" she asked Quinn.

"Mhmm…" Quinn replied. "I need to show you the rooms upstairs that we worked on."

She grabbed Santana's hand and pulled her from the back salon and out to the staircase.

"C'mon, you too, Noah!" Quinn called, noticing he was lagging.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" he mumbled under his breath.

"So, Quinny, you've been here alone, at night, all through the summer? And that never freaked you out? Even with the things moving on their own?" Santana asked her.

"It took some getting used to, I'll leave it at that," Quinn said, smiling. "This is Rachel's room…"

She showed them Rachel's, then Blaine's, and then Kurt's room, saving Lucinda's for last.

"And, this…this is Lucinda's room," Quinn said, opening the door with a flourish.

Santana and Noah took it in, listening to Quinn as she pointed out pictures and books and the clothing. They didn't appear any more interested than they were about the other rooms.

"Well, you've done your job well, Quinn. Why don't you go ahead and finish packing and come with us? Aren't you tired of being here all alone?" Santana asked her, incurring a look of wrath from Noah.

"San, I might be alone but I'm not lonely," Quinn said, smiling. "Really, I'm okay and I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow. I have a few loose ends to tie up, and, like I said, I need to stay here through the storm moving in."

"Dude, this house is not going anywhere," Noah snorted. Santana rolled her eyes at him again.

"He's right, Quinn. Come with us…you don't need to be here alone through a freakin' hurricane," Santana tried again.

Quinn led them out of Lucinda's room and quietly shut the door behind her. She led them to the staircase.

"I have to stay…no ifs, ands, or buts about it, guys…sorry," she said, looking back at them sadly.

They walked to the kitchen and stood there awkwardly.

"I really wish you'd just come with us, Quinn. I don't feel right leaving here without you," Santana said to her. "I've missed you all summer."

Quinn teared up a bit. "I've missed you, too." She hugged her friend goodbye. "I'll be fine and I'll see you soon, okay?"

Santana brushed a stray tear from her cheek and sniffed. "Fine…have it your way."

"Noah…take good care of her, will ya?" Quinn said to him, taking his hand in hers. He pulled her into a giant hug.

"I will, Quinn," he whispered into her hair. For probably the only time in their relationship, she felt true emotion from him.

"You two need to get your butts down to Portland, okay? I need to, well, batten down the hatches here!" Quinn said, laughing with them.

She followed them to Noah's car, hugging Santana one last time, then waved them off down the drive.

She had things to take care of now that they were gone. She returned to the house.

In the kitchen, she leaned up against the counter, cleaning up Noah's bratwurst and mojito mess.

"Finally Sam! We're all alone!" she whispered into the silence.

He leaned up against the counter next to her. He tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, watching her smile at his touch.

He could think of nowhere else he'd rather be than with her.