chapter eleven: and I'd be smart to walk away, but you're quicksand
Using a warm washcloth, Vanessa gently dabbed the blood from Mike's face before applying antibiotics to a bandaid and pressing it over the cut. Mike winced.
"Sorry," Vanessa said, "But you didn't have to get into another fist fight."
Mike shrugged, "I didn't like the way he was talking about you- and you did tell me to make a scene."
"I hate it when you get hurt," said Vanessa.
"I hate this place," returned Mike.
"We're almost done though," she finished bandaging his face, "soon we can go back to normal and it will be just a distant nightmare."
Mike leaned back, regarding Vanessa for a moment, before saying, "You know, pretending to hate each other on a reality show to create our own big family tale romance is probably your craziest scheme."
"Crazier than, at nine and a half, deciding that we're going to become Olympic skaters?"
"Well," Mike smirked, "It's definitely up there."
Vanessa smiled back, "And you're still okay with this pretend to hate each other then pretend to fall in love, thing?"
"I'm still here right?" Mike said as he sat up again and took her hands, "Nessa, listen, I know you think we have to do this fucked up show to be able to skate together again but if-"
A knock at the door cut him off, "Vanessa? It's Quinn. Can I come in?"
"Just a second!" Vanessa cried, grabbing Mike's arm and gesturing for him to hide under the bed. As he rolled underneath, Vanessa shouted, "coming!" And kicked his shoes after him.
"Hi," she said brightly, a little too brightly, as she opened the door for Quinn, "No Rachel today? I thought you'd handed me off to her. You know, because I was being difficult, but I think I just needed to adjust to…. all this!"
Vanessa was aware that she was babbling. It felt like she was watching herself from outside her body, and yelling at the screen to shut up.
Quinn eyed her suspiciously, "No, no Rachel for now. I had something I wanted to talk to you about."
"Is it Mike and Leo?" Vanessa asked, "I heard there was a fight, something about Leo saying nasty things about me?"
"Yes, exactly," Quinn said, "News definitely travels fast on set."
"Don't worry, I'll cut him tonight," said Vanessa, "That is, if you think I should."
Quinn raised an eyebrow, face otherwise impassive, "Really? But you two got along so well last night."
Vanessa felt herself flush, "I- uh, what do you mean?"
"You know what I mean."
"Well since you insist we both know, why don't you elaborate," Vanessa said, pulling herself up to her full height, which had a few inches on Quinn.
"So," Quinn continued to smile pleasantly, "is this the real Vanessa?"
Vanessa didn't answer.
"Last night you uncovered that camera," Quinn said, pointing, "Which had been covered since the moment you arrived at Everlasting. But it was only uncovered long enough for you to fuck Leo, who got into a fight this morning with your ex partner, Mike."
"The world works in mysterious ways," Vanessa replied, "Or in this case, gravity."
"Please, we both know this isn't gravity," said Quinn with a smirk.
"Why is it whenever you come to visit me we end up fighting?" Vanessa asked. She let her posture relax, putting one hand on her hip. "I'd rather be friends. This would all work better that way, right?"
Quinn's smirked changed to a sickly sweet smile that Vanessa knew was fake, "Friends? Wouldn't that be nice. How about as a friend, you tell me what your plan is. Obvious there is one."
"It's so sad when men misrepresent themselves," Vanessa said, pretending to pout, "They'll say anything to get you into bed then they're slut shaming you to the guys. It's a sad male epidemic, don't you think?"
"It is very unfortunate," agreed Quinn, "But do you think the viewers would agree with you? Or condemn a woman who sleeps around?"
Vanessa continued to smile, it was test, a merry war of words, and she was enjoying it. She felt that she and Quinn were equally matched.
"Times are changing, but I think you already know that," Vanessa said, "If my sources are correct, you're the one who helped expose Gary Taylor abuse of his power over those women. You really seem to have started a movement."
"Maybe so," Quinn's eyes flicked across the room before coming back to settle on Vanessa, "Are you ready for today's date?"
"It's a two person date right? We're going to be taking a cooking class?"
"Yeah," Quinn tilted her head, "Why don't you pick Leo and Mike? It'll be great for ratings, kay?"
Vanessa felt her smile falter, "I- are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Don't you trust me?"
"No."
"Smart. Pick Leo and Mike."
Vanessa nodded and watched as Quinn walked out, shutting the door behind her.
"How was that?" Vanessa asked as she locked the door behind Quinn, "Did it sound like she caught me off guard?"
"You really slept with Leo?" Mike said as he crawled out from under the bed.
"I had to make sure no one has any reason to believe we're together," she said, thinking back to Rachel telling her that she talked about Mike too much. She bit her lip as Mike stood and reached out to her.
"Just be careful okay?" He said, wrapping his arms around Vanessa, "It's a whole other world here."
She felt the tension in her shoulders ebb away in his embrace, "Okay, I will."
…
Rachel let herself into Quinn's office. She chewed the inside of her cheek, unsure why Quinn had summoned her there. Was it about Vanessa? The show? Their fight? Quinn's expression was impassive, but she was pale, holding a piece of paper.
"You wanted to be included," Quinn said and held out the paper, "Here."
Taking it, Rachel read the typed page.
If you run from me,
I'll hang her from a tree,
If you call the cops,
It'll be the gun that pops,
Try to track me down?
I'll bury Rachel in the ground.
"It was brought in with the mail," said Quinn, "I- I don't know what to do. But now you know."
Rachel felt cold all over, and she dropped down into a chair trying to stop the world from spinning. Letting the paper fall to the floor, she put her head in her hands.
"Maybe I should leave the show," Rachel said, "Maybe that what they want."
"This isn't blackmail, it's just threats, threats to kill you then me."
"What if-" began Rachel as Quinn's walkie talkie crackled to life.
"Has anyone seen Rachel?" the voice from the walkie said, "There's a Dr. Simon here to see her?"
In the infinitesimally long second that followed, Rachel lifted her head to look Quinn in the eyes, "I'm sorry."
…
Jay clicked through the camera feeds on his laptop, searching for something he could use, something exploitable. He needed an edge, especially if Rachel and Quinn were fucking.
Things weren't all bad though, there was Ben. There was sneaking around blind spots in the security cameras for quick kisses and blow jobs. Ben was pretty obviously using him to get better shots and more camera time, but it was television, everyone was using everyone, even Quinn and Rachel.
Jay clicked the laptop. A shot of the pool. Click. Quinn leaving Vanessa's room. Click. Madison making out with Ben by the bathrooms. He stopped, leaning in closer, double checking that the feed was being recorded, and zoomed in.
In the grainy feed, Madison pressed up against Ben, her hands in gripping his shirt. Ben's hands were on her waist.
"You little slut," Jay whispered. That's why Madison had been casually suggesting Ben for dates.
Jay smiled. Why not let her? Ben was his guy and if Madison wanted to help him m with his job, he'd let her.
…
Snatching the walkie talkie off the desk, Quinn was out the door and after Rachel without a second thought. She heard Dr. Simon call out to them from where he had been stopped by one of the security guards, and Rachel's faltering step was enough to catch up with her. Quinn's hand wrapped around Rachel's upper arm with a steely grip, jerking her so they stood face to face.
"What did you mean you're sorry?" Quinn demanded, "Did you bring him here?"
Rachel didn't try to pull free, "No, no I called him last night because I thought if I told him to leave us alone it would all stop. I was trying to make it stop Quinn!"
"You don't know it was him," said Quinn, her voice low.
"Rachel!" Dr. Simon called as he and the security guard began walking towards them.
"Did you say anything about the letters and photos?" Quinn hissed.
"I- I think so," Rachel said, "Quinn-"
Quinn glanced around at the crowd that was beginning to form. The crew was drawn to drama like vultures circling a soon to be dead animal.
"Don't talk to him, I'll deal with this. I'll clean up your mess again."
Releasing her grip on Rachel's arm, Quinn turned to face Dr. Simon. She tilted her chin up and squared her shoulders back, pulling herself up to her full height. Outwardly, Quinn had a posed appearance despite her heart pounding so hard she thought it would burst from her chest. Beside her, Rachel slouched, chagrined.
"Dr. Simon," Quinn said, "I thought I had you banned from set. Maybe I should have gotten a restraining order so you'd stop harassing my producers."
"She doesn't really care about you Rachel, not like I do," Dr. Simon said, looking past Quinn, "She's just using you because you make her money."
"You're delusional," Rachel snapped, and Quinn reached back, hand brushing her wrist to silence her. Rachel jerked her hand away.
"I'm going to use simple words because apparently this is hard for you to get through your thick skull," Quinn said, "Get off my set. I'll give you until the count of ten, then I'm calling the cops."
Dr. Simon glared. Stepping closer, Quinn could feel anger burn through her. The fear, disgust, and confusion from the past several weeks bubbled up into searing anger, all directed at the man in front of her.
"And if I ever see you anywhere near Rachel again, I will cut your dick off and shove it so far down your throat you'll be shitting semen," Quinn snarled, so quietly that only they could hear. The security guard next to Dr. Simon shifted, visibly uncomfortable.
"Quinn!" Rachel said, then turned to Dr. Simon, "You need to leave."
"Rachel, her control over you isn't healthy! You got away from your mother, you can break free from her!"
"One," Quinn began, crossing her arms.
"Okay pal, let's go," the security guard said, as he lead Dr. Simon away.
They watched until Dr. Simon was out of slight, then Quinn sighed, rubbing her forehead with one hand.
"Alright, shows over, back to work!" She snapped as the gathered crew, still gaping at them.
"I," Quinn continued, more to Rachel than anyone else, "Am going to go look into filing a restraining order, unless you plan on inviting him back for drinks tonight."
Rachel's mouth pressed into a thin line as she glared at Quinn.
"What?" Quinn knew she was pushing the limits of Rachel's annoyance with the question, but she asked anyway.
"Thanks Quinn," Said Rachel, her tone cold as ice, "I don't know how I do anything without you."
Pivoting on her heel, Rachel stalked back to set, leaving Quinn alone in the driveway.
…
Glaring at nothing in particular, Rachel watched as the cameras focused in on Vanessa, Mike, and Leo. She's already cut James, Ritchie, and Ashley, but the date with Leo and Mike had gone disastrous and with the way they planned to cut the footage, it would be anyone's guess who she'd cut next.
Except Rachel already knew.
So she waited, arms crossed, wishing shooting would just finish for the night so she could go home and have a glass of wine and a hot shower.
"Camera A zoom in on Leo," she said, reflexively as she mentally planned the best way to get from where she was to her Jeep without running into Quinn.
Leo looked expectantly at Vanessa as he stood next to Mike. Vanessa smiled at them both as she held a single rose.
"Leo, Mike, today's date showed me that I want a partner who isn't just talk, so Leo, I'm sorry, but our time has come to an end," Vanessa turned to Mike, "Mike, while I appreciate you jumping to my defense, I can fight my own battles. But your character has remained consistent during this entire journey. Would except this rose?"
"Of course Nessa," Mike said as Leo glowered and stormed away.
"Camera A follow Leo!" Rachel said into her walkie.
Within an hour, they had wrapped. Leo's things were brought out to him after an angry exit interview. Vanessa sighed as she watched the PA carry his suitcase out to the waiting car.
"It's too bad he was a dick," she comment to Rachel, "Because he was great in bed."
Only slightly surprised, Rachel opened her mouth to reply when Jay's voice crackled in her ear, "Hey Rach? Can you come to the control room, like now?"
"What's up Jay?"
"You just need to come here."
Jay met her at the door, blocking her way. His voice was low as he said, "Your girlfriend is super drunk. Like, more than usual."
"She's not my girlfriend," Rachel hissed, "And she can take care of herself."
"I'm not so sure about that," said Jay as he stepped aside, letting Rachel in, "She's in her office."
Rachel waved him off, approaching the door to Quinn's office. A clatter could be hear from inside, glass hitting glass a little too hard. Taking a deep breath, Rachel opened the door and stepped inside.
"Quinn?"
"Goldie," Quinn slurred, taking a sip from her tumbler of whiskey, "I thought you were avoiding me."
"You're drunk Quinn."
"And you're insufferable," Quinn wandered closer, "But so intoxicating."
Rachel sighed, "This is ridiculous. Were you this drunk when we were filming? Give me that."
She reached for Quinn's glass, but it slipped from Quinn's grasp, shattering on the floor.
"Fuck," Rachel muttered, and bent to pick up the shards.
"Is everything okay in here?" a familiar voice said behind them. Dr. Allison James hovered in the doorway, "I thought I heard something break?"
"We're fine," Rachel said, "Just dropped a glass."
"You're not really a redhead," Quinn commented, "You need to get your roots done."
"I- uh," Allison self consciously touched her hair.
"I have an excellent stylist if you need someone, but you probably can't afford him,"
"Okay, bye Allison, we'll see you tomorrow," Rachel said all but pushing Allison out the door. She shut it and turned to Quinn, "I'm taking you home."
Quinn had moved to sit on the couch. She smiled up at Rachel, "You always come back to me."
"No, that's not what this is, and don't think this means I'm not still mad at you because I am! God, Quinn, I'm not the only fuck up here, you keep saying 'oh I have to clean up for you again Rachel,' well news flash! I'm always fixing shit for you too! Remember all the times I've saved the show! Remember Gary? Remember August?" Rachel cried.
Quinn's eyes widened and she pulled back, surprised at Rachel's sudden outburst, "You done?"
Rachel chest was heaving, her heart pounding in her ears, "Yeah, for now."
"Then why are you still here?" Quinn said, sharp and angry.
"Because you're too drunk to drive," Rachel replied, grabbing Quinn by the wrist and pulling her up, "And I guess I'm fixing this too."