Chapter 9
"Artie," she called out from her hiding spot in the shadows, just on the edge of the grass near the brick retaining wall, away from the tall light that bordered the circular drive.
He looked up startled, fumbling as he tried to keep hold of the aluminum tray in his hands.
"Artie," she called again. He turned toward her this time, searching the darkness.
With a deep breath Quinn stepped into the light, dark hood on her head, sunglasses on her face. "Hi," she said with a building smile. She wasn't sure what she had been thinking now that she was standing in front of him. Artie must think she's awfully weird to be skulking about the Evans grounds in the dark.
"Quinn?" His voice was shaky as he put the pan on the hood of the car and walked toward her.
"Yeah," she said looking down, still keeping her smile. "In the flesh."
"Oh my god, you're free," he said a bit loudly, a bright smile lighting up his face.
Quinn looked at him relieved. What had she been nervous about? Artie was on her side, at times the only one that seemed to be.
He grabbed her suddenly, catching her unaware wrapping her in his arms, hugging her tightly. "I can't believe you're here," he whispered somewhere between her ear and her cheek.
He smelled like winter and wool, his body was warm despite the cold temperature of the air. Quinn laughed as she hugged him back, getting caught up in his enthusiasm.
"It's so good to see you," he said when he finally spoke again, releasing her, but only stepping a bit back from her. He was in her space, filling the air with his warmth and his smile. He ran his hand through his dark brown hair, letting his eyes sweep over her body, taking her in. "Good to see you in something other than white sweats."
"It feels good to be in something other than white sweats," she chuckled. "I may never wear white again." Or shoes without heels again, or anything with an elastic waistband again, and definitely nothing made of velour or French terry.
"Don't say that," he said touching her face softly, his thumb stroking her cheek. "Wedding dresses are white, you might need to wear one of those again."
He stared down at her with pale blue eyes, so different than his usual brighter aquamarine. Quinn touched the bit of skin that was exposed between his wrist and his coat sleeve, the contact seemed to shock Artie, pulling him back from whatever trance he had been in. He dropped his hand and stepped away to lean against his car.
"I think two strikes and I'm out," she said once Artie had moved away and she could breathe freely again. "Relationships don't seem to be something I'm good at."
"Actually you get three strikes," he said holding up three fingers. "Never know you might just get it right the next time, find your fairytale."
Artie leaned his head back against the car, looking up toward the sky. Quinn followed his gaze, wondering what he found so fascinating up in the darkness. There wasn't a star to be seen overhead. Quinn shifted focus from the sky to Artie's face, studying him as he continued to gaze upward. Even in the dim light, she could see the angular contours of his face, his chiseled jaw, strong features that sort of reminded her of Sam's. Suddenly it felt wrong to be watching the sky with any other man besides Sam. He was the sole reason she was there tonight, and she was allowing herself to get distracted.
"This is a little strange, talking about fairytales in the freezing cold darkness outside of Sam's house," said Quinn, hoping to pull Artie back to the present. She needed him to help her get into the house, and all this star gazing was wasting precious time.
"I don't know. I think meaningful conversations in unusual places just might be our thing."
Their eyes locked, and something wouldn't let Quinn look away, her cheeks warmed the longer he continued to stare.
"I guess you're right, courthouses, hospitals…"
"Don't forget the conference room," he said interrupting.
"How could I forget that? You made me breakfast."
Before her last court appearance, after weeks of subsisting on bland hospital food, Artie had prepared her a feast. So many men had done things to impress and seduce her over the years. Quinn was no stranger to the kindness of men, but what Artie did that morning truly touched her. He had tried to make her feel comfortable and special, and he didn't have to, and he asked for nothing in return.
Artie shrugged, turning to look off toward the house. "Well more like ordered actually, I mean all I did was call and…"
"It was sweet," she said cutting him off. He looked at her again, his cheeks redder than they had just been moments before. "You're the best lawyer a girl could ask for. You set me free."
"Actually that was Sam. I sort of failed on that front."
Quinn could tell it bothered him. He had technically lost his case, once the judge changed his ruling and sent her upstate, but to Quinn he had done so much. He gave her hope and support, when she felt like she had nothing and no one.
"If it weren't for you, Sam wouldn't have known I needed him. You saved me Artie. Please don't forget that." There was so much more she wanted to say, to reassure him and convince him that he would forever be a hero in her life, but as usual, the words in her heart failed to form on her lips.
"Well I wish I could do more, there's so much ahead of you in terms of getting back Beth. I wish I could work some legal miracle and have you two reunited right away."
"I know. I wish you could too. But it'll happen right?"
"Yes it will. You just need to play by the rules and…" Artie trailed off. "Quinn what are you doing here?"
"Uh I'm talking to you," said Quinn giving him a confused look.
"No I mean what are you doing at the Evans house? Beth is probably inside, you can't be here."
"Beth's usually with Mercedes."
"And Mercedes is here. They're throwing Sam a birthday party here tonight," he said stepping away from the car to examine her clothing. "And by the look of that dress you have hidden under that coat, you already knew that. What's up Quinn?"
"I'm here to see Sam."
"Ok so why are you standing outside in the cold?"
"See the thing is," she bit her lower lip nervously, weighing how she should proceed. "I'm not exactly invited to the party."
Artie nodded his head slowly. "Understandable given that Mercedes is throwing the party. So why are you coming to see him tonight then? Can't it wait until tomorrow?"
"No it actually can't wait. I need to talk to him now. I have to tell him something, something I should have said when he came and got me last night, but I didn't, I sort of froze, but now I'm ready."
More ready than she'd been in her life. Almost losing him, giving birth to his child, feeling the squeeze of his hand as he came back to consciousness, it was all that and more that made her see that Sam was what she had been searching for the whole time. Right in front of eyes, yet she never knew, the missing piece to fill that perpetual void within was him. If only she had opened herself to him sooner, let him in when he had asked her all those years ago, maybe they'd be happy together right now.
"Let me guess, this something you need to say can't be said in front of his wife."
Quinn had to hand it to Artie, he managed to make that comment without any judgment creeping into his voice.
"It's personal, for Sam's ears only. I'm not even sure Mercedes knows I'm back in Lima yet."
"What?" he asked his jaw slacked in shock. "How can she not know that?"
"Sam was supposed to tell her today, but I haven't talked to him yet, so I can't be sure. We agreed that I'd keep a low profile until Mercedes was up to speed about the changes in my situation."
"And low profile means crashing a party looking stunning in a long black coat and shades? Where's your head Quinn? There are cameras and reporters right at the door. How do you think you're going to waltz in the house unnoticed?" Artie asked, his voice and his arms rising in agitation.
"Well if you keep your voice down, I can tell you how. I have a plan."
Artie crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the car. "The last time you had a plan you were caught breaking into Shannon Beiste's house and you know where that got you…"
"Sent upstate," she said finishing his thought. "I don't need to be reminded. I lived it." Sometimes it replayed in her head, the horrifying nightmare of being dragged into that facility, poked and prodded, and then drugged against her will.
"Oh I think you do need to be reminded, repeatedly. Do you want to go back there? How did Sam manage to get you out anyway? Probably some shady deal brokered under the table with a judge, but believe me whatever influence Sam may have over the local law in this town, his father has tons more of it. Do you think Dwight Evans will just let you walk right into his house?"
"Are you done? Or is there more to the lecture?"
"Hell yeah there's more. I don't want to see anything bad happen to you Quinn. You deserve to be home and free and with your baby, so if I have to follow you around for the next decade lecturing you about making good choices I will do it."
"Decade?" asked Quinn fighting back a smile. "I'm not sure I can afford to keep you on retainer for that long."
"It's not about money. God, I thought..." he paused, shaking his head.
"What? You thought what?"
"I thought we had something between us, that we were developing a friendship. Maybe it was all me and I was thinking wrong."
"It's not just you," she said quietly, putting her hand on his navy coat sleeve. "I consider you a friend."
Artie smiled. "Good. So you'll take my advice and wait until after the party to talk to Sam?"
"No," said Quinn, shaking her head as she avoided his eyes.
"No?"
"I can't wait Artie, a million things could happen between now and tomorrow. Life changes so fast. Look at how it changed for Sam, one minute he was fine, the next in a coma. I can't waste any more time." Quinn shut her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. She got so emotional every time she thought of how Sam had been lost to her for almost a year.
"What about Beth? What you do tonight, might impact her as well."
"It definitely will impact her, at least I'm hoping. I'm trying to give her the life I never had, and this is the first step."
"You can't see Beth."
"I know. I only want to see Sam. I promise that's all I'm going to do. Talk to Sam then leave. No one will ever have to know I was here." It would be hard, knowing Beth was so close, and not being able to see her, but she wasn't trying to cause a scene or start any drama. She'd stay away from Beth, for now.
"That's going to be a little difficult since the whole family is going to be assembled inside for his party. They will kind of notice you. You don't exactly blend."
"My plan is to get Sam alone before the party. Santana told me that they are keeping him upstairs while they set up. I just need to get to him."
Santana didn't have specifics. Puck had just mentioned that Sam was upstairs away from the noise when she had talked to him last. Quinn figured that meant he was in his bedroom. It was on the far side of the house away from the stairwell and the main rooms below. Her plan was straightforward. Run upstairs to Sam, corner him in his room, and tell him she loved him. She hadn't decided yet whether she would wait for his reaction or just run from the room in a cold sweat. There was just no planning something like that. Either scenario would work, at least Sam would know how she felt.
"Santana Lopez? You're taking advice from her?"
There was that look. The look people often gave her when they were starting to question her sanity. She'd seen it more times that she could count since her PPD.
"I know what I'm doing. Trust me. I know you think I'm just this crazy…"
"Stop right there," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. His voice softened as he began again. "I don't think you're crazy. I never have, you know that. I just think you're letting your heart lead you in the wrong direction."
"My heart's leading me to Sam and Beth. How can that be wrong?" she asked wiping at the tears that rolled down her cheek.
"This could be so dangerous for you. Your heart could sustain some serious damage here," he said, pulling her into his chest, hugging her against him.
Quinn pulled back, to look him in the eyes. She needed him to understand. "He's worth the risk."
She at least had to try. If nothing came of this, if they never found a way together, so be it. At least he'd know once and for all how much he means to her.
"Fine." Artie sighed, releasing her. "Let's hear this plan of yours."
"Finally," said Santana opening the door of her car. "I thought I was going to die if I had to sit through one more minute of your good guy blathering. We get it you think Quinn should play it safe, head back to her hotel, and wait patiently for CPS and the small minds of Lima to allow her to start living her life again. You think she should stay away from Sam because he's married and she might get hurt. How am I doing so far?"
"There's nothing wrong with taking things slowly and letting the media frenzy surrounding her to die down," said Artie.
Santana got out of the car, smoothing out her long dress coat, before shutting the door behind her. "Sweetie, that right there is why you're very attractive, yet so very single, living in sleepy little Lima. Some little LA tart chopped off your balls and now you're hiding out here."
"Santana!" Quinn grabbed her friend by the arm, totally appalled she would go there with Artie.
"What?" Santana asked, pulling away from Quinn with a crooked smile. "I did my research. I know all about his vegan model slash actress ex-girlfriend."
Artie looked uncomfortable, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, avoiding her eyes. "My personal life has nothing to do with this," he said quickly.
"What personal life?" Santana scoffed, with a flip of her black hair. "You came to the party with Rachel Berry. And don't even try to act like this is a real date because I already know that her dads set this up when they met you at synagogue. How pathetic is that?"
"How did you know that?" asked Artie.
Santana let out a bored sigh and waved her hand. "I pretty much know everything."
"Look I've been busy working," he started to explain. "I haven't had time…" he added when Santana didn't look convinced. "I just moved here…" he continued, as Santana rolled her eyes. "I carried the pan!" he finally said loudly, his brows knitted in annoyance.
Santana just smirked, and patted him on the arm. "Excuses, excuses, all adds up to you haven't been laid in months."
"Santana, shut up. I'm so sorry Artie. She gets like this." Santana's mouth was going to ruin everything. They still hadn't gotten Artie to agree to help them get into the house. If Santana kept at it, their Plan B was going to leave them out in the cold.
"Don't apologize for me Quinn. Artie knows I'm speaking the truth. Don't you Artie?" asked Santana as she gave Artie a look Quinn couldn't quite decipher.
"I assume you have a point to all of this," Artie said, blandly.
Quinn could tell he was working hard to pretend that Santana's words hadn't rattled him, but Quinn could see that they had.
"I'll take that as a yes," said Santana, with a devilish laugh. She pulled Artie closer by the lapel of his wool coat. "So here's how it's going to go, instead of facing the paparazzi over there, all alone, head bowed, hoping to rush through unnoticed, you're going to walk by them head held high, a smile on your face and a beautiful woman on your arm. Think of it as yet another good deed to add to your long list."
It was starting to feel completely wrong. They would essentially be throwing Artie to the lions. If he survived the walk through the media mob, he'd still have to face the wrath of the Evans family. Artie was a good guy, and someone she truly considered a friend, she couldn't put him through this. She'd just have to find a better way to get inside.
"This is a bad idea. Artie, ignore her. We shouldn't have even bothered you with this. Just go inside and enjoy the party. Santana let's go." Quinn headed back to the passenger side of Santana's car. Maybe Artie was right, tomorrow wasn't so far off, she could talk to Sam then, without all the added drama of a party.
"No wait," said Artie, grabbing Quinn's arm. "I'll do it. I'll help you."
Quinn broke into a grin. "Are you serious? You're going to help us?"
"Gotta keep my client happy, keep that beautiful smile on your face," he said tugging at her hood with both hands.
"You're too sweet, stop it." She couldn't believe it. Artie was coming through for her again. She'd gotten majorly lucky to end up with him in her life.
"Yes please stop it," Santana said from behind them. "I'm getting queasy."
"Let's do this. It's freezing out here, and life's awaiting right Quinn?" Artie smiled and took her hand, squeezing it gently.
"Right," said Quinn with a smile.
For the first time in so long it finally felt like her life was really starting over, that new beginning she craved was within her reach. This time she was on the right track, and she was going to be brave enough to follow it no matter where it led her.