Black Holes & Revelations 1
Title: Black Holes and Revelations
Author: blueskyhawk
Length: 1,727 words
Fandom: Glee
Pairing: Rachel/Quinn
Rating: T (PG-13)
Disclaimer: I don't own them, therefore I do not profit from them. etc, etc. The title comes from a line in the song Starlight by Muse. I don't own that either.
Spoilers: Basically anything before Sectionals in the 1st season is fair game, but the fic itself will move past Sectionals eventually in the timeline of the story. I play a little with the timeline.
Copyright/Archiving: Only with permission of the author (that would be me).
Summary: Rachel's figured out Quinn's secret, a secret Quinn doesn't even know she's been keeping, and Rachel is determined to make her fess up to it. "You have a secret crush on someone...me." Faberry love. Takes place during the 1st season.
Author's note: Any sentences in italics are the inner thoughts of the characters, but not to be confused with the individual words in italics meant for inflection.
Also - I adore comments/reviews and I'm always incredibly appreciative of the love!
Chapter 1
It was a typical day at McKinley High. Classes began, classes ended. Little did Quinn Fabray know that her life was about to change as she walked down the hall towards her locker with Santana and Brittany at her side. As Quinn told her two friends that she would meet them in the cafeteria after getting a few things out of her locker, a 5'2" shadow was lingering around the corner waiting for her moment to pounce.
Once the Cherrios were out of ear shot, she made her move stealthily sliding up behind the blonde. "I know your secret" Rachel stated simply as Quinn nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Jesus, Berry! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" She glanced over her shoulder with disgust at the shorter girl while steadying herself once again as she looked back into her locker. "What the hell do you want, and why are you lurking around in the hallways like a little troll? Oh wait, that's right - because youare a little troll." She smiled inwardly at her slam on Rachel. After all, one must always remind her what her place is in this school.
Rachel, however, was completely unfazed. "I said, I know your secret."
The blonde froze. How could Rachel Berry possibly know about Puck being the real baby daddy of her unborn child? Steeling herself and making her face as unreadable as possible, she turned toward the brunette. "Excuse me?" she spit out with as much venom as she could muster given this surprise attack.
Rachel smirked at the ex-Cheerio, for she had her right where she wanted her. Being that they were in the hallway, she knew Quinn wouldn't make a scene after dropping this on her. "I've noticed you've been trying to hide something for a while now, and I've been trying to figure out what it is. Then this morning while I was on my elliptical during my normal morning routine, I had an epiphany of just what it is you've been trying so desperately to hide."
Quinn did her best not to show the fear that was rising up in her. She knew that if Rachel had discovered that Finn was not the father, it wasn't going to take long before she'd open her big mouth and tell him. She absolutely had to laugh and make the younger girl feel as though she was completely insane for even suggesting such a thing. With as much spite in her voice she simply said, "Enlighten me, Sherlock."
If it was possible, Rachel's smirk grew. "You have a secret crush on someone."
The blonde's first reaction was to breathe a sigh of relief. Berry knew nothing of the baby drama that had been keeping her up nights. She was just about to scoff when it dawned on her that Rachel wouldn't be standing in front of her looking like the cat who swallowed the canary if there wasn't something more to this than a mere crush. Playing it cool, she rolled her eyes and turned back to her locker. "Stop wasting my time, man-hands. Don't you have some horrid My Space video to practice for?"
She couldn't see her, but she figured Rachel had to have withered a bit at her disinterest in the conversation, but instead the brunette's grin continued as she began her run down on her supposed discovery. "For the longest time I thought you hated me."
"That hasn't changed" Quinn laughed out while still digging in her locker.
"But then I realized that all of the nasty nicknames you call me, all the despicable comments you leave about my nightly videos, not to mention all the daggers and threats you throw at me to stay away from Finn were all just a clever disguise you wear."
"Spit it out, Rupaul, because I'm really tiring of this conversation, and unlike you, I have friends waiting for me" she stated as she turned to face the shorter girl. "Who is it that you think I supposedly have a crush on? I just can't wait to hear this." She crossed her arms while narrowing her eyes, trying to look as frightening as possible. Quinn was really not in the mood for this. She had woken up with a horrible case of morning sickness, only to be followed by a brutal headache that refused to go away.
Rachel smiled once again, fully reveling in the moment and the bomb she was about to drop on the girl standing in front of her. "You have a crush on..." Quinn turned her head slightly to the right as if to say, yeah? Rachel took in a self satisfied breath while adding, "me."
Quinn scrunched up her face as though she had just smelled something unpleasant, then threw her head back and laughed at the preposterous notion that she, Quinn Fabray would have any feelings other than hatred for one Rachel Berry. She stared her down and threw out, "You've got to be kidding me." Rachel just shook her head with the same smile playing on her face. "You mean you're serious?" The brunette nodded and Quinn's cold smile started to fade. She was serious, and Quinn didn't find it the slightest bit amusing. "Did Puck make you a batch of his cupcakes, cuz clearly you're high if you think I even remotely like you, let alone have a crush on you. You're completely out of your mind! I've heard you say a lot of ridiculous things before, and I know you think quite highly of yourself despite so many people trying to remind you what a loser you are, but this" she motioned to Rachel with her hand, "is just insane."
Despite, or perhaps because of Quinn's growing anger, Rachel didn't waver. Her smile just continued to grow as if completely proud of herself, and deep down Quinn knew it was because the brunette had shaken her.
"Keep talking, because you're only proving my point. As Queen Gertrude says in Hamlet, The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
Composing herself slightly, Quinn stared down at Rachel with as much irritation as possible. "Ugh, why doesn't it surprise me you would quote Shakespeare in a normal conversation, not that there is anything normal about this. Do me a favor, treasure trail, and keep your crazy to yourself, I really don't have time for this." With that she turned, slammed her locker, and began walking off down the hall but not before body checking the brunette as she went. Quinn wanted to make her feel as unsteady as she did herself, but it didn't work. Immediately she heard soft footsteps coming up fast behind her.
"During Homeroom I comprised a list of the reasons, or facts, that have brought me to this conclusion which I understand has no doubt unsettled you. After all, you may not even be aware of your feelings for me on a conscious level. Knowing you, and your very strict and religious parents, you have probably stuffed these feelings down so far that you have convinced yourself that you hate me, when in reality you really like me. And I mean, like like me. Me, on the other hand, having grown up with two gay dads, I'm much more open about human sexuality. Therefore, I was able to spot your real feelings for me which you have been hiding behind faux hatred." Rachel was practically running to keep up with the longer legged girl, but Quinn finally stopped with Rachel nearly crashing into her from behind.
"Are you finished, Dr. Phil, cuz I'd really like to go to lunch now." At that moment she realized just how close Rachel was standing in front of her, and she did her best not to show how flushed she felt being so uncomfortably close to the young singer. With a sharp intake of breath that she hoped went unnoticed, she said with far less conviction than she wanted, "I really detest being analyzed, especially by someone so far down on the food chain."
"I'll leave you alone for now, since you are clearly startled by my proclamation, but I would really like to talk to you more about this and offer up my findings regarding your crush on me."
"I don't have a crush on you" she quickly retorted, but the wind had long since left her sails.
Rachel saw the defeat in Quinn's eyes and in turn lowered her voice to a soft unobtrusive tone. "Perhaps after glee?" The blonde's eyes slipped to the floor slightly, but she did her best to return the intense gaze she was receiving from the brown eyes in front of her. Rachel didn't miss the pleading look. "But not today, because, you know, I have things I need to do after glee." The taller girl looked slightly relieved. She knew there was no use in arguing with Rachel about having to talk about this. She knew the girl would just show up every day at her locker until she gave in, but at this moment she didn't have it in her to talk about this. "You should have a few days to think about what I've said since I kind of just sprung it on you without much warning."
"With no warning." Quinn couldn't help the shy smile that was tugging at her lips begging to be let out.
"Right," Rachel smiled softly back, "with no warning." They stood in awkward silence for a moment before the brunette gave Quinn her out. "I'll see you in glee...?" It was more of a question than a statement. She had won this round, but chances are by the time glee rolled around it may be a completely different Quinn that she found in practice than the one who was timidly standing before her.
"Yeah, glee." Quinn rung her fingers together finding them very interesting for a second before adding in one quick breath, "I've gotta go." With that she walked off in the direction of the cafeteria where she'd have to come up with an excuse for a testy Santana of why she was so late getting to lunch. Morning (afternoon?) sickness always seemed to work.
Rachel watched Quinn walk down the hall until she turned the corner and out of sight. Then, with a very satisfied smile, Rachel too headed to lunch.
TBC