Disclaimer - I don't own Glee, but if I did… it would just be all around better.
Chapter 32 - What To Do?
"What are we going to do?" Rachel asked, sighing in hopelessness as she fell backwards onto their bed wearing only a towel she had wrapped around herself after her shower.
Quinn crawled over to her girlfriend, laying her head down on her chest. "I don't know, Rach," she admitted, tracing random patterns on the brunette's stomach with her fingertip. "You have to leave to go on tour, there's no way around that."
"I know, but… it's just so hard, Quinn. Now with you and Jax in my life, I don't ever want to leave you guys… especially for months at a time."
Silence hung in the air as both women were lost in their thoughts. How was this ever going to work? How was it going to be possible to keep their relationship, along with Rachel's relationship with Jaxon, strong when they will be so far away from each other?
"Maybe…" Quinn began, then paused as she mentally went through her work calendar. "Would it be possible for Jaxon and I to go with you?"
Rachel sat up, forcing Quinn to as well since she had been laying on the diva. She scrunched her forehead in confusion at the question. "What do you mean?"
Quinn bit her bottom lip nervously. "Just like I said - could Jaxon and I just go with you? Travel on the bus with you?"
The brunette thought over the suggestion for several minutes. Their last major tour had been busy and chaotic. Granted it was the first one of that magnitude they had been involved in. All their earlier tours were much smaller - no special effects or huge set pieces, minimal dancers and crew members.
They had learned a lot about touring since the beginning and especially after their last tour. They learned tricks to make setting up the stage faster, how to maximize storage space in the trailers and how to use their time more effectively. And besides that, Rachel and Tina had been having several conversations over the last few months about how to use the mistakes they made in previous tours as lessons to learn from. And they both felt so much more confident about this time around.
A smile grew on Rachel's face and she looked at her girlfriend. "I think that could actually work!" she said, happiness overshadowing any dread she had been feeling earlier.
"Of course, he and I won't be able to go the entire two months…"
Rachel shook her head. "No. No, I understand, Quinn. You still have a gallery to run and months on a tour bus will be too much for Jaxon."
"But perhaps we can come for the first two weeks or so?" Quinn suggested. "That way Jaxon can see for himself what a tour is like and know that you will be visiting your fans and playing your music. I think once he understands that you are just traveling, but will still be coming back home, he will be able to handle you being gone for the remainder of the tour much better when he and I have to come back home."
Relief spread through Rachel. This idea could actually work. "I think that's a great idea, babe. Do you think Jax will like it?"
Quinn scoffed. "Are you kidding me? Him surrounded by music, new places and people to hang out with? He's going to be in heaven."
~~~~~QR~~~~~
Rachel held Jaxon's hand as the two brunettes entered into the waiting room of the clinic where Dr. Shelby Corcoran worked.
"Mom 'Chel, we go see Ga'ma?" he asked curiously as he looked around at the familiar room. He saw several toys and books over in the corner play area and a few kids playing with them and a few sitting on their mother's lap.
Rachel nodded. "Yep. I just wanted to talk with her for a second. Is that alright with you?"
He grinned and jumped up and down. "Yay! See Ga'ma!"
Rachel chuckled. Sometimes she was sure Jaxon had sugar naturally flowing through his veins.
They walked through the waiting room and up to the receptionist's desk where a young woman was typing on the computer.
"Hello," Rachel began, "We're here to see Dr. Corcoran, please."
"Do you have an appointment?" the receptionist asked, her eyes never leaving the computer screen.
"Uh… well, no."
"Dr. Corcoran is very busy today. So if you don't have an appointment, I'm sorry, she won't be able to see you." Despite still not looking at Rachel, the girl did have a pleasant tone to her voice.
"Oh, I'm pretty sure she'll make time to see us," Rachel told her confidently.
The words the girl was about to say died in her throat when she looked up to see Rachel standing in front of her. Her eyes bugged out and her jaw dropped. "Y-You're Rachel B-Berry," she stuttered.
Rachel let out a small chuckle. "I am, yes."
Silence followed as the receptionist just stared at the singer in awe.
"Um… Could you maybe let Dr. Corcoran know that I'm here to see her?" the brunette asked nicely.
The receptionist nodded. "S-Sure. No problem."
"Thanks."
Rachel stepped back while the girl picked up the phone and punched in a few numbers with shaking hands. "Uh, yes… Um, Dr. Corcoran, R-Rachel Berry is here to see you," she managed to get out, her eyes never leaving the singer.
Rachel could actually hear her mother laughing on the other side of the phone. Shelby had always gotten a kick out of the way people fumbled nervously around her daughter. Of course to her, Rachel would forever be the little girl with pigtails singing in her bedroom mirror holding a hairbrush as a microphone - not the mega famous singing superstar the rest of the world saw her as.
The receptionist nodded and hung up. "She'll be right out," she informed Rachel.
"Thanks," Rachel said, walking her and Jaxon a few steps over by the door that led back to the exam rooms.
It was only a minute before the door opened and Shelby stepped out.
"Ga'ma!" Jaxon yelled as he ran and threw himself into the older brunette's arms.
Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel saw the receptionist's mouth fall open again and heard her mutter, "Grandma?"
Rachel had to suppress a laugh.
"Hey, Jaxon! How is my little man doing?" Shelby asked, snuggling Jaxon into her chest.
"Great!" he exclaimed, his arms around her neck. "Play toys?"
Shelby laughed. "I don't think I have time to play toys with you right now," but at her grandson's pout she went on, "but why don't we take your mom and go into my office. I have something to show you."
Jaxon grinned. "Okay! Come on, Mom 'Chel!" he called back to Rachel.
"I'm coming," she told him, then wrapped her own arms around her mother. "Hey, Mom."
"Hi, baby," Shelby greeted her, pulling her closer until Jaxon made a squealing noise from being squished between the two women.
Entering her office, Shelby set Jaxon on the floor and pointed the far side of the room. "Look what I have over there, Jax."
Jax ran over and cheered at the wooden trunk full of toys. And of course, right on the top was a black witch's hat and a broom.
While the three year old was in 'Wicked' heaven, Rachel and Shelby sat down on the black leather couch.
"So, what's up?" Shelby asked her daughter. "Aren't you busy getting ready for your tour?"
Rachel nodded. "Yeah. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I need your opinion."
Shelby's eyebrow raised. "Oh really? Why's that?"
Rachel pulled her legs up under herself to get more comfortable as she turned toward her mother. "Well, a few nights ago, Quinn and I told Jaxon about me leaving, and he… well, to be blunt - he completely freaked out and had an epic-sized meltdown."
The older woman nodded in understanding. "I bet he didn't understand what you guys were telling him, huh?"
Rachel shook her head. "Nope. Not at all. He thought I was leaving for good and never coming back. But Quinn and I tried our best to explain it to him and what it meant for me to go on tour. He felt better about it, but I know he's still not happy."
Shelby glanced over at the little boy as he happily went around the room wearing the black hat and straddling the broom, a monkey in his hand. "So… what do you think is going to happen after you leave? I know it's going to be hard for both him and Quinn while you're gone."
"I know. But last night, Quinn came up with an idea that I think will work, and will also help Jaxon to really understand what I'm going to be doing on tour." When her mother stayed quiet, Rachel continued, "Quinn suggested that she and Jax go with us on the tour for a couple weeks."
Shelby's eyebrows raised. "Really?"
Rachel nodded. "Yeah. She asked me if it would hinder the traveling or any other plans for the tour. I know she doesn't want her or Jaxon to get in the way. But I think them coming is a wonderful idea. I even ran it passed Tina this morning and she was cool with it."
"What kinds of traveling arrangements do you guys have set up? They aren't going to have to bunk with the four smelly boys, will they?" she asked, her nose scrunched up in disgust.
The singer laughed. "No. Thank goodness. After the last tour, I told Tina that I refused to be with those guys again. So thankfully she made other arrangements. She and Holly decided to buy new tours buses. So now, she and I will share one. And since Holly isn't with us most of the time, when she does come along, she's just going to sleep on one of the pull-out couches on our bus. So with Quinn and Jaxon coming, the new bus will definitely be ideal."
"So, what do you need my opinion about?" Shelby asked.
"I was just wondering if you thought it would be healthy and good for Jaxon to travel on tour. We don't want to do anything that might… I don't know… screw him up or something."
Shelby smiled. "Rachel, I think it's a great idea. He is very attached to both you and Quinn, so still being able to be with you is definitely best. And I agree with Quinn, two weeks is a good amount of time. With a three year old's attention span, no matter how much fun he will be having for those two weeks, he'll be ready to go back home. And I'm sure he will miss you, but like you said, at least by that point he will understand what you are doing while you are away, and it will be easier for him."
"Okay, good," Rachel felt relieved by her mother's support.
"However…" Shelby added, her expression suddenly more serious. "I know exactly what happens on those tours, Rachel." She gave her daughter a knowing look.
Rachel swallowed. She knew that look in her mother's eyes well. It was the 'You better listen to me, and you better listen good' look.
"I know all about the girls and the screaming and the drinking. I even know about the autographs and body parts," Shelby arched her eyebrow.
Rachel looked down to her lap, too ashamed to even look at her mother.
"You need to be an adult, Rachel. You are in a serious relationship now; I know it's your very first one and you are still figuring out what is expected of that kind of responsibility, but you need to constantly have Quinn and Jaxon in the front of your mind so when a fan asks you to sign on their skin in ridiculous places, you have to imagine Quinn is standing right next to you. If she wouldn't approve, then don't do it."
"Yeah, I learned that the hard way," Rachel muttered, remembering their huge fight in New York. "I did something really stupid and Quinn saw and it… it just wasn't good."
Shelby nodded. "Those immature days have to be behind you, or else one of these days you will lose Quinn and Jaxon. Do you understand what I am telling you, Rachel?"
Rachel nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. I understand."
~~~~~QR~~~~~
A few days later, Rachel drove Quinn and Jaxon down to the company that designed their new tour buses; she wanted to show her family what their new home for the next few weeks looked like.
Trevor, the owner of the company, and Rachel shared their usual greeting. The singer introduced him to Quinn and to Jaxon who was excited and bouncing in Rachel's arms.
"So, young man," Trevor said to Jaxon as they all walked out of the building, "I heard you will be joining your mom on the bus for a while."
Jaxon grinned and furiously nodded his head. "I go with Mom 'Chel and Mama and Tina!"
Trevor laughed. "Should we go check it out?"
Jaxon nodded his head again, pushing against Rachel's shoulder to let him down. "Mom 'Chel, me walk."
"Okay, but you have to hold my hand."
He agreed, and grabbed the singer's hand when she placed him on the ground.
The four of them made their way to the back of the parking lot. Trevor pointed to the end of the lot where some of the biggest buses Quinn had ever seen in her life were parked.
There were four tour buses and four semis. Three of the buses were black with a gray wave down the side; the four semis were painted the same. But the last bus was a light cream color with several gold, black and white stars all over it in different sizes.
Yep, Quinn knew instantly that bus was Rachel's. And she was proven right as they walked straight over to it.
"Here are New Directions' fleet," Trevor joked as he waved his hand indicating the eight large vehicles. "And this one right here is your tour bus, Jaxon," he said, pointing to the cream one.
It was indeed massive. And Rachel was so impressed, she couldn't contain the wild grin on her face.
Trevor pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the door. "After you," he said, gesturing to the open door with his hand.
As the door slid open, the small family made their way up the narrow stairs, instantly stopping at the top. Quinn and Rachel's jaws were on the floor and Jaxon just kept bouncing.
It was absolutely incredible! The interior was decorated in light colors, and very modern looking, but it had a very homey feel.
They saw two white leather sofas and the missing armrests made them look like fancy and modern diner booths on either side of the bus. The plush carpet was an off-white and lined the entire length of the area, complementing the color scheme well. Right next to the couch on the right was a table and another small booth-like seat in front of it, with a TV screen above. Farther down was a long kitchen counter with a sink, a coffee machine, a microwave and some overhead storage cabinets, in addition to the many other ones all around the bus. Rachel pulled on the handles underneath and discovered a slide-out fridge and a garbage chute next to it. A door to the left led to a small, compact bathroom with a toilet and sink.
Farther back was a lounge area with two sofas, one to the right and one up ahead. There were also two recliners. To the left was a desk with a chair next to it for work purposes. And finally, a lounge wouldn't be complete without a large TV.
Jaxon climbed up on one of the couches, testing how bouncy it was. Quinn sat down next to him and felt her body start to melt into the softness. It felt wonderful. After a few minutes, she stood up, excited to keep exploring the rest of the bus.
At the end of the lounge was another door. When Rachel opened it she saw that it led to a short hallway. There was a bathroom containing a toilet, a good-sized shower and a sink with a mirror over it.
"Where are the beds?" Quinn asked. She knew they were at the back of the bus, but hadn't seen anywhere for them to sleep.
Trevor grinned knowingly. "Right this way," he told them, indicating to the door at the end of the hallway.
He opened it and the only thing Quinn saw was a spiral staircase.
"No way," she muttered in disbelief.
Rachel chuckled. "Yep. Tina and I decided that everyone needed more room, so we bought double deckers."
Quinn led the way up the stairs, making sure to hold Jaxon's hand so he didn't trip. And at the top, she stood in awe.
There was a living area with a sofa and two recliners, plus a table and a good-sized TV. There was a hallway down the length of the bus. Halfway down was a door which opened into a bedroom big enough for a double bed, a desk with a chair and a closet.
At the end of the hallway was a door that led to a bigger bedroom. This one had a queen-sized bed, a dresser with a large mirror surrounded by lights, a recliner, a large closet and a desk with a chair. On the back of the door was a full length mirror. The bedspread was covered with gold stars and there were several pillows at the head. The walls were a very calming color and there was a built-in sound system. Quinn had to giggle - this one was definitely Rachel Berry's room.
"Wow!" was the only thing Quinn could say. The whole thing was incredible.
Jaxon bound onto the bed and fell down on the pillows dramatically. "My bed!" he announced so everyone would know it was claimed by him.
Rachel shook her head, chuckling. "Sorry, little man, but you're going to have to share it with your mama and me."
"O-kay," he said, sighing like it was such a burden.
Quinn just rolled her eyes. Sometimes she dreaded him growing up. His dramatics were bound to just get worse.
The family made their way back down the stairs and were greeted again by a grinning Trevor.
"How do you like it?" he asked.
"It's amazing! It's like a home," Quinn answered.
Next, Trevor gave them a tour of the boys' bus. The main level was a lot like Rachel's, but the upper level had two twin beds in each of the rooms instead of the double and queen that was in the girls'. Also the color scheme was made up of darker colors. It also had more storage closets where instruments and random accessories could be stored.
The last two buses were for the crew members, hair and makeup artists and the dancers. The four semis carried all of their sets and lights and props and everything else that would make the tour run smoothly.
Rachel let out a sigh, feeling happy that everything seemed to be falling into place.
New Directions was ready.
It was going to be a tour to remember.
~~~~~QR~~~~~