Glee: "Idiosyncrasy" (9/ ?)
CHAPTER EIGHT
YOUR ILLUSION
Artist: Hanson
NEW YORK, WINTER 2015
SCHUESTER'S BROWNSTONE
"Hello everyone, I'm home." Shelby called out in a tired but happy voice. She fully expected her little ones too come charging towards her with a somewhat tired William behind them. What she didn't expect was Beth sulking into the hallway. Walking and kneeing down to the small blond six year old, "Hey there little one."
Beth slowly rose her eyes to meet Shelby's chocolate brown eyes. Eyes that remind her so much of Rachel. A lone tear slowly rolled down her right cheek. She didn't even brother to wipe it away.
Shelby's hand rose and gently wiped the tear off the small cheek. "Grandma Shelby?" Beth's little voice whispered. "Yes baby?" She softly replied.
"Why won't Rachel get better? Why is she so desperately holding onto this sickness that is making her feel so horrible, and so sad." Beth leaned against Shelby's chest. "She's sad, mommy is sad and I'm sad. Why are we sad all the time?"
"Oh baby," Shelby held the little girl closer to her heart than ever before. Bowing her head and kissing the top of the blond head, and then smooth cheek of the little girl that almost was hers. But she was happy that Quinn chose to keep her precious baby, and she was overjoyed that Rachel was helping Quinn raise Beth. "If I could take this from Rachel, than I would. I wish that I could carry this burden for my precious daughter. I would in a heart beat."
"Then you would be sad all the time. Also Grandpa Will, and my uncles and aunts. I don't like this sickness." Beth frowned into Shelby's silk shirt. "I don't like it at all. It's not fair."
Will came into the hallway than and saw his wife with Beth in her arms. He leaned against the wall with his arms around his thin chest. I wish that I paid more attention to Rachel in the beginning. If I had just known that her diva rants were just her defensive mechanism from the first moment that I first laid eyes on her - like I did with the rest of the kids - than I would have been able to offer my shoulder that much sooner too her. But I just wanted to run Glee my own damn way, just too have one aspect of my life that I could call my own - that I just turned my back on a desperate cry for help.
Shelby lifted her eyes and met his. She closed her eyes briefly before opening them once more. Her chocolate brown eyes held no judgment - expect the judgment that he had to finally forgive himself for his past mistakes. She lowered her eyes back to their adoptive granddaughter.
"I want Rachel better, Grandma Shelby. I just want her better." Beth put her arms around Shelby's neck; as Shelby slowly stood too her feet. Wrapping her legs around Shelby's waist she allowed herself too be carried.
"Mommy's home." Four young voices cried in union.
Beth just tightened her hold.
"Hello sweeties." Shelby said in a calm voice. The four children were alert that they needed to calm down. They watched as their mother sat down on the couch with Beth still clinging to her.
Emerson the oldest at four looked at his mother, and his niece. Then he turned his eyes on his younger brother and sisters. He frowned silently than sighed. Gavin at one tried to mimic his action - but he just used his best hammed face instead. Emerson gently rolled his eyes.
Amelia at two smiled sadly at her brother before turning to look at her mother and niece. She wanted to go and join in the cuddle time with her mommy, but knew that there was no room on her mother's lap for her quiet yet. She inched closer to her oldest brother before she held out her arms for him to pick her up. She snuggled into his thin chest; as he gathered her too him.
Katara looked over at her twin brother; than down at her younger brother, she saw her younger sister was being comforted by her twin - she decided to get the comfort that she seeked in her father's arms. Marching over, and tugging on his pant leg she stared up into his brown eyes. He smiled sadly down at her and picked her up. Wrapping her arms around his neck; she just rested her head against his neck.
"Well family, we are going too have guests tonight." Shelby said in the quiet of the room. "Henry O'Neil, and his wife Victoria are going to be coming for dinner."
"I like Uncle Henry and Aunt Victoria." Beth sighed. "But," She sighed deeply once more, "I'm not in the mood to visit with them."
So like Rachel. Shelby and Will thought looking at Beth. She may be Quinn's daughter - but she's ever much Rachel's.
"Well it would be rude to cancel on them. I haven't seen them in twenty years." Shelby sighed. "I usually give into you little one, but not this time."
"It's about Rachel isn't it?" Beth whispered.
"Yes." Shelby whispered back.
"Okay than." Beth nodded into Shelby's chest. She felt her grandmother's arms tighten around her. She was much closer to this grandmother than her other two 'real' grandmothers. After all this grandmother was the mother too her Rachel. "I just want Rachel better again."
LIMA, OHIO FALL 2010
MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL
FIRST DAY OF JUNIOR YEAR
"I usually like school. I mean not the cruel way that I always treated you. But just to finally get out of my house - away from my parents for a good eight hours a day. School was my escape from my parents." Quinn lifted her strap higher on her shoulder, "But now I hate it. I just want to be home with my daughter."
"I know what you mean. Not about willing want to be away from my parents. But I used to love school." Rachel's lips lifted, "I didn't love the treatment that I got. But I love the required things that I need to learn to prepare for my future. I loved escaping to the auditorium whenever I knew it was completely empty."
"It was never completely empty." Quinn softly said. "Whenever I knew you escaped to the auditorium - I would sneak in. You never knew it."
"So it was your presence that I felt." Rachel whispered. A smile lit up her face, "I'm so happy that it was you instead of someone else." Turning around she wrapped her thin arms around the thin waist of the tall blond.
Quinn wrapped her arms around the smaller brunette. "So am I. So am I." She bent down and kissed the top of her head. "I wish I was with Beth."
"Let's skip." Rachel whispered.
Quinn heart leapt with the sheer idea of it. Yes, they could skip that day. They could go home and spend the entire day with Beth. But then Rachel's future came rushing forward. She knew that she couldn't allow Rachel one black mark on her attendance record. "No," she sighed. "Sides this is healthy for both Beth and I. Too be apart from one another. It'll help her become independent. Too stand on her own."
"I'm sorry." Rachel leaned up, and kissed the end of Quinn's tight clenched jaw line. "I'm ever so sorry." She burrowed deeper into Quinn's chest for another long hug.
"Okay seriously, I can't have my baby Mama and favorite Jew hugging out here ALL day now can I." Puck said walking up and frowning at the sight before him. "I mean I can't be the only parent that Beth has whom has graduated high school."
Quinn pulled Rachel from her. Letting her hands off of Rachel's skin. Puck's voice helped break the spell that she had been under since Rachel had hugged her. Was it minutes or hours since that time. She had lost track of time. Just like whenever she was with Rachel. She stepped backwards so Rachel couldn't reach her.
Rachel blinked as she watched Quinn move away from her. Her right hand reached out trying to stop the blond from leaving her. But Quinn just closed herself even future. She suddenly felt cold. She moved over to stand next to Noah - whom willing wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her tightly against him. Her head rested on his shoulder.
Quinn blinked at the site of Rachel at Puck's side. They look perfect for one another. Her heart broke as she realized that Rachel would never be hers. Rachel would belong to someone else. To a male whom could actually give her his child - their child.
"Come on ladies, the place that I fondly call hell hole is waiting for us." Noah jerked his head towards the front of the school. "Only two more years than we will be free of this place." He gently tugged Rachel to walk beside him towards the front door. He felt Quinn walk behind them.
Quinn tightened up at how close Rachel willing brought herself into Puck's side. Traitor! Her eyes screamed at Puck's back. ...Noah Puckerman! Right now! She didn't realize that fire was in her hazel eyes. Or that sweat was beginning to break out on her forehead.
Noah hid his smirk. He just knew how to take Quinn's mind off of Beth that day. Well at least too the point of her being able to function. He gently tightened his hold on his hot Jewish sister, not enough to harm Rachel - just enough to get under Quinn's skin. He felt a hole being burnt into his back. He wanted to laugh out loud.
They reached Quinn, and Rachel lockers. "You can let go now, Noah."
"Yeah Puckerman!" Quinn growled.
"I don't mind. I quite like my hot Jewish sister at my side." Noah smiled down into Rachel's chocolate eyes.
"Just leave, Puck." Quinn sighed as she tried to keep her temper in check.
Noah bent his head lower so he could nose snuggle Rachel's left check. "Go with me on this today, Rach. It'll help Quinn."
Rachel hid her smile. "Don't go over board, Noah. I won't be able to hold Quinn back if you decided to become too fresh with me." She managed to whisper in his ear.
"I'll chance it." Noah gently pecked her lips before pulling up. He swallowed the sudden hard lump that had formed in his throat - Quinn's fierce glare almost fried him. But the pain in her eyes just killed his soul. Okay. I won't push this too much. I don't want my baby Mama to be needlessly heartbroken. "I need to get to my locker. See you two in homeroom." He let Rachel go - and half waved at Quinn.
Quinn chewed her bottom lip.
"Quinn?" Rachel said after it had been two minutes since Noah had left them. She moved closer and placed her right hand on Quinn's hot shoulder, "Quinn …."
"You shouldn't let him do that, Rachel. It's Noah Puckerman after all. The man whore of the state of Ohio." Quinn's eyes slitted.
"Quinn!" Rachel said shocked.
"Hell, I'm sure Noah Puckerman is man whore of the entire fucking United States of America - perhaps the entire world even." Quinn's anger rose with every word she was saying.
"Stop it, Quinn Fabray. I'm not going to allow you to hurt someone whom is important to us." Rachel said in a firm but gentle voice.
Quinn glared down into the chocolate brown eyes, "He's important only too you, Berry. He just wants to get his penis tight inside you. He wants too fuck you senseless - he wants to deflower you." She didn't realize that her hand rose to gripe Rachel's arm on her shoulder.
"That's not true, Quinn. You know that's not true." Rachel felt a tear roll down her eyes. Quinn's words wounded her deep inside her soul. "You need to let your anger shimmer down."
"You don't get to tell me what too do - treas - Berry! You don't get to tell me how to feel Rachel. I never gave you that right!" Quinn hissed her HBIC personage back in firm control. She moved closer, her fists clenched at her side, tilting her head to the right. "Perhaps you do what Puckerman's dick tightly inside you - trapped by your clenching walls. Perhaps you wouldn't be the one to force him back out."
Rachel's eyes wide as her back slammed back into the lockers. "Q-quinn …." She tried to reason this rapidly out of control situation.
Quinn leaned down, "He's not that great of a fuck, Rach. Trust me on this. He's all about taking - not giving. You will be dissatisfied for the rest of your life. Always wanting more - but Noah will never be able to give it you."
"I don't want Noah." Rachel whispered.
Quinn pushed herself away from Rachel. Her eyes harden once more. "You know what, Berry? I don't give a fuck! Go fuck Noah Puckerman for all I care." She turned and stormed off down the hallway.
"Quinn!" Rachel shouted after the blond.
Quinn never looked back.
Rachel watched stunned as Quinn turned the corner.
END CHAPTER EIGHT
