Thank you so much for the love you're giving to this fic! It's really appreciated! Here's part 3, hope you enjoy it!
The interview
Part 3
The following days various Lima citizens ask Rachel about Quinn (whose calls she is still refusing to take): Mrs MacDuff, the cashier at the grocery store, asks her if she had suspected something back in high school; The Lima Bean young barista, while obnoxiously chewing a gum, asks Rachel if she would have "banged Quinn"; the girls she teaches ask to take a picture with her to proudly show to their friends that they know Quinn Fabray's high school crush.
People she has never talked to before stop her in the streets to know something more about their history. It is a bit unnerving and disturbing but eventually Quinn's love confession gets forget. Even Rachel stops thinking about it; she avoids tormenting herself with thoughts of Quinn and with the what-ifs, and keeps living the life she has chosen.
However she keeps reading the articles dedicated to Quinn on 'The Lima Gazette'. The newspaper publishes and comments all of Quinn's statements; it reports every interview and tweet of the actress who confirms her full homosexuality, thanks her fans for the support and announces her presence at the LGBTQ Visibility Awards.
It's probably out of consideration for her, but Rachel feels disappointed that Quinn never mentions her again.
-x-
It's a Saturday of May and Rachel is at the grocery store for the weekly shopping when she receives a message from Quinn.
Three months have passed since the interview and since her embarrassing breakdown on the phone. Quinn had stopped trying to contact her a week after that and so she is surprised by the unexpected message. Rachel stops in the middle of the aisle to read it.
'I'll be in Lima for the next two weeks. I would really like to see you, Finn and Andrew. Is it okay? Let me know.'
Rachel looks at the words on screen for a long time.
If they were to meet now, things were probably going to be very awkward and Rachel would certainly go back to torture herself with images of a life with the girl, but Rachel finds herself wanting to see Quinn, to look at her in the eyes now that she knows that the woman was once in love with her; and so she replies with an invitation for dinner for the following Monday.
Later as she is putting away the groceries, she tells Finn about it.
"She wrote to me, I thought it would be nice to have her over," she explains while noticing the grimace on her husband's face.
"Yeah. I have to go to Frankie's now. He called me before and yeah…" Finn says as he stands up. He takes his jacket and without a goodbye he leaves the house.
Rachel has imagined that Finn wasn't going to be thrilled about having dinner with Quinn – he has expressed a latent and incomprehensible annoyance towards the actress in the past months after all – but she has expected better than a hasty retreat.
-x-
Rachel spends all Monday in a state of nervousness and excitement. She is really happy to have Quinn over but she can already taste the awkwardness of the impending evening.
She cancels her singing lesson and spends the afternoon cooking, recreating meals she only prepares on special occasions.
When Finn comes home with Andrew at around 5, she sends him to take a much needed shower and puts her son in front of the tv; she needs to finish her cooking, undisturbed.
An hour before Quinn's arrival, Rachel leaves the kitchen and starts getting ready. She wants to look beautiful; she wants to remind Quinn why she once was in love with her.
And so Rachel takes a long shower, carefully puts on her make-up and curls her hair. The dress she decides to wear is black and short. The last time she wore it was on her five-year wedding anniversary dinner. It makes her feel a little guilty that the dress worn to please her husband is now on her to welcome Quinn, but she looks better in it than in any other dresses she owns.
When a disgruntled Finn enters their bedroom to change his t-shirt he takes in her appearance and comments, "Isn't it a bit too much for a casual dinner with Quinn?"
Rachel doesn't miss the way he spits their guest's name and she gets even more anxious about the success of the evening.
"I never get to dress up. I took the chance," she replies nonchalantly. "You should wear the gray shirt with the red cuffs and collar; you look handsome in it!" She suggests him, before leaving the room.
When at 7 the doorbell rings, Rachel puts on her black pumps and moves in front of the door. She takes a deep breath and opens it.
After three years Quinn is standing again in front of her, looking more content than ever.
"Hi Rachel!" Quinn greets her, smiling.
"Hello Quinn!"
They stand still, taking each other in for a long moment. Looking into Quinn's happy eyes, Rachel finally relaxes.
It's only when she notices the bouquet of violet tulips and the bottle of wine in Quinn's hands that Rachel remembers her role as a host.
"I'm sorry. Please, come in!"
After closing the door behind Quinn, Rachel takes the gifts from her offering hands. "You shouldn't have!" She comments, smelling the beautiful flowers.
"It's really nothing," her guest replies and then with a new glint in her eyes adds, "You look gorgeous, by the way!"
Rachel blushes at the compliment. She has spent an hour getting ready, hoping that Quinn would think that, but hearing the words coming from the girl's mouth makes her feel self-conscious.
"Thank you!" Rachel says embarrassed. She then looks at Quinn, dressed in a dark pair of jeans and an elegant blue shirt that outline her form perfectly, and comments, "You also look beautiful. Not that you need me to tell you that. I mean, you have your fans saying so, and Hollywood and everyone who is not blind but…"
Rachel notices Quinn's amused smirk and manages to stop her rambling; then, she awkwardly motions Quinn to follow her in the living room.
When they enter the room, Finn promptly stands up from the couch and greets the guest.
"Hello Quinn!" He offers his hand and kisses her cheeks. He then nudges his son, "Andrew, say hi to the lady!"
"Hello!" The boy timidly greets.
"Hello Andrew!" Quinn says, smiling gently at him. "Wow, he looks a lot like you!" She adds, looking at Finn.
"I go put these in the kitchen," Rachel says lifting her full hands, "Finn, make Quinn take a sit at the table."
Rachel leaves her guest with her husband, hoping that he will behave.
When she comes back from the kitchen bringing the opened bottle of wine – a Modenese Lambrusco she can't wait to taste – and the hors d'oeuvres the others are sitting at the table talking about Finn's parents.
"Andrew, did you recognize Quinn from the tv?" Rachel asks her son then. The day before, as a promo for 'Us against Love' was aired, she had explained to him that the blonde girl in the tv was coming for dinner; he had been excited at the prospect.
Andrew gives her a little nod, looking shyly at Quinn.
"You know, Quinn lives in Los Angeles."
"Really?" He asks animated turning towards the actress. "Do you live in Disneyland?"
"Oh no! In Disneyland only live the princesses with their princes and Mickey and his friends!"
"But you look like a princess!" Andrew objects and Rachel's heart melts a little.
Quinn chuckles lightly, "Thank you, you're very charming!"
From that moment, Andrew becomes the entertainer of the evening. He is clearly smitten with Quinn –who without any real efforts has managed to win him over like the last time – and so he enthusiastically talks to her about his favourite cartoons, his love for batman, and his friends. Quinn listens to him with fondness and replies with patience to his questions.
Rachel gets to ask some questions too (when she is able to get her son to eat besides talking) and she finds out about Quinn's promotion as regular for next season of the tv show, about her castmates' quirks and about her upcoming auditions for a few movies.
There's humbleness and real joy when Quinn talks about her job and Rachel finally lets go of the envy of Quinn's success.
For some unwritten rule, they all avoid talking about the interview and their high school days. The fact that Quinn was once in love with Rachel is put aside, momentarily forgotten.
-x-
Dessert comes with a revelation.
Rachel brings the cups of ice cream at the table and then sits down again. When she notices a drop of cream sliding down the cup in front of her, she absentmindedly stops it with her finger which she then sucks clean. As she takes hold of her spoon she feels Quinn's gaze on her. It's intense and lustful; it feels like a lover's caress and makes her body tingle. When she meets Quinn's amber eyes, she can see the desire in them. In a blink, the look is gone but its trace lingers in a few accelerated beats of Rachel's heart.
Rachel slowly eats her dessert wondering if Quinn could still be attracted to her after seven years.
"Everything was delicious, Rachel. Thank you so much!" Quinn comments with a satisfied sigh when she has finished her ice cream. "Let me take care of the dishes!"
"Nonsense! You're our guest and the dishes can wait!" Rachel replies. "Let's move to the couch!"
"Quinn, do you want to play memory with me?" Andrew asks as they leave the table.
"Sure, kid!"
"You don't have to!" Rachel reminds her guest.
"Oh but I want to! Go take the cards, Andrew!"
The boy darts excitedly towards the stairs and Rachel yells in vain after him not to run.
As they wait for Andrew, they take their sits: Rachel and Finn on the couch and Quinn on the nearby armchair.
Rachel intentionally crosses her bare legs slowly, letting her short dress ride high up her thighs, and she is rewarded by Quinn's eyes following the movement. The lustful look of before is back and under the intensity of it Rachel's body pleasurably shivers again.
"Were you really in love with Rachel?" Finn asks abruptly, glaring at her host.
"Finn!" Rachel can't believe that her husband is bringing that up.
"What? She had no problems telling Mr Thomson about it. She can answer a few of my questions!"
"It's okay, Rachel," Quinn reassures her. "Yes, Finn. I was in love with Rachel."
"Why did you date me and Puck and Sam, then?"
"I needed a boy to pretend that Rachel wasn't what I wanted."
"Was it jealousy the reason why you were so opposed to our wedding?"
Rachel knows that the answer is negative and she is surprised that Finn has to ask that; he must know too. Quinn was opposed to their wedding because she thought that they were too young for that type of commitment, because she was sure that Finn would have trapped Rachel in Lima, and because she found Finn undeserving of Rachel.
Rachel waits these words to leave Quinn's mouth but they don't. "Yes. That was it. I wanted to be the one to marry her, to make her happy!" It's not a lie but it's not the whole truth and yet Finn smiles satisfied and almost relieved.
"I'm sorry I was the one who got her!" Finn replies, caressing Rachel's thigh possessively. Rachel can see the clenching of Quinn's jaws.
At that moment, Andrew appears in front of them with the box of cards.
As she helps him and Quinn to place the cards on the coffee table, Rachel thinks of the latest exchange. Did Finn search some kind of reassurance and did Quinn give him one by lying? Well, if that will make Finn stop being annoyed at Quinn, Rachel can take it.
After two victorious games Andrew yawns loudly.
"It's really time for bed, honey!" Rachel announces petting his head.
"I should go then!" Quinn says.
"You don't have to!"
"Andrew needs to be put in bed and I'm sure you're both tired. And you still need to clean up. You're sure you don't want any help?"
"I'm sure, Quinn."
"Okay, then!"
They all stand up and move to the foyer. Andrew yawns again and Rachel turns towards her husband, "Do you mind putting him to bed?"
Finn looks warily between her and Quinn but then nods. "Andrew, say goodbye to Quinn!"
Both Andrew and Finn hug their guest goodbye before getting upstairs.
"Thank you again for inviting me. I was really happy to see you all," Quinn comments.
"I was too. You never visited after three years ago…"
"Well, there's a reason for that. I…" Quinn starts but abruptly interrupts herself. "Can we meet again before I go back to LA?"
The evening has been lovely but it has seen them avoid a serious discussion about what was said three months before; they both know they still need to address it, possibly without Finn.
So, without hesitation, Rachel replies, "Of course!"
Awkwardness falls upon them as they stand silent looking at each other.
Rachel finds herself gazing into Quinn's eyes, looking for the desire she has seen in them before, hunting down the words that her friend hasn't speak moments before, searching for the high-school girl that was once in love with her, seeking the fantasy of a life together.
Quinn averts her eyes before she is able to find anything.
Rachel is tempted to reach out, to take Quinn's face in her hands and force the girl to look at her, to bare her soul for her but she refrains herself.
"Well, I'll go now!" Quinn mumbles gesturing at the door behind her back.
Rachel nods and moves to hug the girl goodbye. Quinn breaks the hug pretty quickly and opens the door.
"We'll see each other soon, then. Bye Rachel!"
"Bye!"
Hands in pockets, Quinn walks away.
-x-
After he has helped her clean the table, Finn wishes her goodnight and goes upstairs.
As she does the dishes, alone in the kitchen, Rachel thinks back to Quinn's lustful looks. Her body hasn't changed in the past years but it amazes her that Quinn might still feel attraction for her, after all this time and after starting working in an industry full of beautiful women.
And it somehow worries her the way her body has responded to the attention. When Finn looks at her with desire Rachel can only feel the heaviness of what has stopped being a pleasurable activity and has purely become a marital duty; but seeing lust in Quinn's eyes has surprisingly excited her.
As she wipes the pans dry, Rachel wonders if Quinn is thinking about her in that instant, if the girl is also replaying those charged moments of the evening. Is Quinn thinking about her legs crossing slowly? Is Quinn imagining running her hands over them and prying them open?
At the thought, a sudden shiver runs through her body and Rachel unintentionally lets go of the pan she's drying.
The loud clank of it hitting the floor is what she needed to stop her dangerous train of thoughts.
A little unsettled, Rachel quickly finishes her cleaning and leaves the kitchen.
Twenty minutes later she is in her bed, struggling to fall asleep.