Chapter 3

October 2010, Lima, Ohio

Rachel's party was already in full swing by the time Quinn arrived. She was late and everyone was already half-drunk, apart from Rachel and Santana who were both very drunk. Brit was half naked in Artie's lap and Puck was laughing about how intolerant they all are to alcohol compared to him.

Finn was cheerful enough and Kurt, who she still didn't know very well because he'd left before she really got a chance to know him, was driving, so stone cold sober. His boyfriend was another matter entirely and was having a great time dancing with Rachel.

Quinn took the beer offered by Puck and rejected the wine cooler offered by Rachel. Santana smirked at her for drinking beer and then winked as though it was some sort of secret code for something.

It all started to go wrong after Quinn's second beer and a game of spin the bottle…..

Rachel asked for a dare and had to kiss Blaine, they seemed to be laughing about it until they were actually enjoying it. Finn and Kurt both protested and pulled them apart. The bottle was spun again and landed on Quinn.

Santana wanted truth.

"How come you're always avoiding socialising with us guys?" Santana wasn't sure her question made sense. "You're always babysitting. That's totally bogus and must mean something else. Are you, like working in a strip joint or something?"

Quinn was a little woozy herself and to be honest hadn't had a drink in a while. She'd been breast feeding for a few months so had avoided it, but it was also the fact that getting drunk at a party had been the cause of all her problems in the first place.

"Shut up, Santana. I'm not boring, I jus' have…. responsibilities."

"Like what?" Finn asked as though she was making it up.

"None of your business, Finn Hudson." Quinn suspected she was slurring a little which couldn't be good. She really needed coffee to sober up some before walking home.

"It's crap, totally bullship…I mean bullshit," Santana countered. "I'm telling you, strip club! You forfeit and have to do a dare now."

"I'm not lying!" Quinn said, mad as hell at being accused of dishonesty. Then she thought about what she had in turn accused Santana of. "Kay, I wasn't telling you everything." She thought about it carefully first. "The baby is my responsibility." She blinked, her eyelids becoming a little heavy. "Because she's not my sister, Beth's my daughter." She watched, waiting for the inevitable barrage of questions that would no doubt follow.

"What the f…"

"Quinn?" Rachel interrupted Santana before she could say anything else offensive. "How can she be your child? You're not even seventeen yet."

Quinn raised her eyebrows. "Made a dumb mistake," she held her hands up and shrugged. "Got drunk at a party and agreed to something before I really knew what I was doing. I pretended like I did, so it was my own fault, but he didn't use a condom and I was too drunk to ask him. Nine months later, my dad gives me an ultimatum because I already refused to have an abortion," pausing she realised she might have sobered a little because the words are free-flowing and no longer stumbling, "give her up or get out the house."

"No!" Rachel mumbled.

"Asshole," Puck commented.

"Total fucking asshole," Santana mumbled.

"I refused and walked out with nowhere to go, but mom came after me and we went to a motel for the night. Next day she went back and confronted him, he wouldn't budge, so then we packed up and moved out. Lima was the only way to manage mom working and me going back to school."

They all sobered slightly at the story they heard.

Quinn looked around. "Sorry for putting a dampener on things," she stood and went to the bathroom. Only Rachel followed.

"I knew there was something and I thought you would tell us in your own time, but I didn't guess it was this."

Quinn bit the inside of her lip. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Rachel shook her head. "Don't be," she smiled at Quinn a little dopily. "It must have been very hard for you."

Quinn nodded. "Still is sometimes, but better now we don't have dad around to sour everything."

Rachel thought for a moment. "You said I was lucky to have two dads when we first met. I always wondered what that meant."

Rachel reached out a hand and then found herself brought into a hug. "Thanks for being a good friend, Rachel. I would have been a little lost at McKinley without you."

—

"Shit man, never would have guessed that one. I mean, totally explains the ice queen act, dude." Puck was mouthing off to Finn.

Santana rolled her eyes. "Please shut him up. Between Puck the Fuck mouthing off and Artie getting a lap dance from my BFF, I'm gonna puke." Santana really thought she might actually throw up and it might not have anything to do with either. More the thought of Quinn having sex with a guy.

Mercedes giggled and flirted with Sam, then made the bottle spin once more. It landed on the Latina.

"Dare," Mercedes called out. "I dare you to kiss…. she looked around and found Rachel walking back in followed by a sheepish Quinn. She didn't fancy Rachel getting mad at her for suggesting she kiss Finn, Puck was too much of an ass and besides, it was no shock to see Santana kiss Puck. Artie and Brittany were dating and she wasn't going to let Sam get his lips sucked by her. That left Blaine, already been done, Kurt, totally sober so not going to happen or …..

"Quinn!" Mercedes looked at the blonde girl as she took her place back in the circle.

Quinn's brow rose curiously and she looked at the Latina who was actually blushing furiously.

"I'd rather have a truth," Santana grumbled.

"Oh please kiss Quinn," Puck begged. "I'd pay to see that happen."

"Shut up, asshole."

"Me too," Artie detached himself from Brit for a few moments.

"Shut up, McCripplepants," she countered once more.

"Oh for the love of … c'mere." Quinn reached over and put her lips on Santana's, catching them between her own at first, then dipping back in and taking her bottom lip between her teeth.

Quinn felt the other girl relax slightly and for some reason didn't pull away as she intended but rather left them there a moment longer. Both their eyes stared at the other's momentarily and then Quinn let go and sat back. "Happy now?" She grinned mischievously at Mercedes and threw Santana a wink.

The Latina was lost for words.

—

Quinn had one more beer before announcing her departure. A number of them were staying over, but she had already explained her situation so she needed to get back. Kurt didn't want Quinn to walk home and insisted he gave her a ride, which made Finn unhappy because he was desperate to spend longer with Rachel.

Finn slumped into the front seat and Quinn was just saying goodbye to Rachel when Kurt just told him to get back out.

"I'll drop Quinn and get you after," he sighed. Finn bounced back out and went inside tugging Rachel with him.

"See you Monday, Quinn," Rachel waved.

Quinn made her way out to Kurt's car but found she was being called.

She turned to find Santana stood watching her.

"What's up?"

"You. You're what's up!" Santana walked up to her. "Why did you kiss me?"

"I was dared to, in case you hadn't noticed."

"You know what I mean, Quinn. Dammit."

"Because I knew you would enjoy it," the blonde shrugged.

Santana lashed out and slapped her across the face, hard. "Fuck you," she spat as she did it.

Quinn just slapped her straight back. "We've had this discussion already."

Santana was enraged. She felt like her heart was exploding in her chest. She reached out and touched the blonde's face. "I'm sorry."

"I know," Quinn tilted her head to the side.

On instinct, the Latina closed the gap between them and pulled her into a kiss. Quinn didn't resist at first, but then slowly pushed the shorter girl back slightly.

"Not when you're drunk, okay? I made that mistake before and I got a world of trouble for it."

The Latina felt rejected at first but then remembered what had happened the last time Quinn was drunk and nodded slowly.

She watched as Quinn walked over to the car, her long legs stepped into the open door, a little wobbly truth be told, and then Kurt pulled away steadily from the driveway.

—