A Differnt Kind of Shine (Part Twelve)
Title: A Different Kind of Shine
Author: Jenn
Rating: R?...could go up in later chapters.
Length: 4330 for this part
Spoilers: All of Season One
Summary: Quinn is a laid back surfer type. Rachel is... well, Rachel. Inspired by this Prompt at rq_meme
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine
Part Ten
Part Eleven
A/N: Sorry this wasn't up sooner! The Hunger Games trilogy took over my life and I couldn't stop reading them. This chapter is much longer than usual though! I hope I didn't ramble too much! Once again, it was roughly edited so all mistakes are my own.
Enjoy!
Shelby was waiting on the front steps of her home when the girls' taxi pulled up. The moment Rachel stepped from the car, the older woman wrapped her in a hug. "I'm so sorry I couldn't meet you at the airport. I rushed straight here from school so that I could be here when you arrived."
Rachel smiled and hugged her back, waving off her apology. "It's really not a big deal; we made it through security in record time and had no trouble finding a cab."
Shelby nodded and then stepped around Rachel to pay the driver. Quinn helped Brittany with her bag and then turned to the older brunette, offering to pay the fare. "Nonsense, you are guests in our home and I am so happy you all are here."
Quinn looked at her girlfriend who looked unsure about the 'our home' part of Shelby's comment. Rachel caught her eyes and then offered her a smile in an attempt to reassure the blonde. Shelby accepted a firm hug from Brittany and smiled warmly at both Quinn and Santana before turning to wrap her arms around Rachel and usher them all inside. Quinn could see how excited Shelby was to have Rachel there and hoped this visit would help mend the gap between the two women.
Inside, Shelby led them up two flights of stairs to the third story of the walkup. Stopping in front of the first door, she opened it and gestured inside to Brittany and Santana. "I hope this is alright."
Brittany grinned and ran to hop on the sleigh bed against the far wall. Santana smiled. "This is great, thank you, Ms. Corcoran."
The older woman smiled. "Please, call me Shelby. I'll let you guys get settled and then give you a tour of the rest of the house."
Stepping out the door, she led Quinn and Rachel down the hall and gestured to a door on their left indicating the bathroom. Coming to the final door, she pushed it open and walked inside. "This is your room, Rach. I went ahead and decorated it but we can change anything you want. I promise it won't hurt my feelings."
Rachel walked inside and looked around, stunned. The room was painted a pale, golden yellow and had a beautiful window overlooking the courtyard behind the house. All the furniture was a dark cherry wood and the stately four poster bed was covered by a deep forest green comforter. All around the room, there were rich green and purple accents. Rachel scanned the walls and noticed the framed Broadway memorabilia. Playbills and posters for Wicked, Les Mis, Rent, Guys And Dolls, and more adorned every wall.
Stepping over to the vanity, she noticed framed pictures lining the surface. There was one of her and Shelby at her high school graduation as well as several of all four girls from her most recent trip to California. She smiled at the 5x7 of her and Quinn after her show. Neither girl was looking at the camera as Quinn smiled at Rachel shyly and offered her the bouquet of lilies.
Shelby glanced around almost anxiously and turned back to look at her daughter. "I just want you to feel at home here, Rach."
Rachel lifted her eyes to look at her mother when she heard the woman's soft voice. Smiling widely and blinking back tears, she crossed the room and threw her arms around the taller brunette. Shelby closed her eyes and held her tightly. Pulling back but not releasing her mother, she sniffed away the remaining tears. "It's perfect, Mom."
Shelby grinned and brushed away a stray tear on her daughter's face. Both women chuckled and then Shelby stepped back and looked at Quinn. "You guys get settled in and then come downstairs and I'll show you around."
Rachel nodded and Shelby walked out of the room. Quinn followed behind her and shut the door quietly before calling for the older woman's attention. "I know you're not old fashioned but I want to do this the right way. So if you'd rather I not stay in there with her, I understand, because this is your house and she's your daughter."
Shelby's lips quirked into a smile. "I appreciate that, Quinn. But you're right, I'm not old fashioned plus I think Rachel might have a thing or two to say if I tried to keep you apart. I know you respect her and you both are adults so I trust you to make the right decisions."
Quinn nodded and offered her appreciation as Shelby turned to head back downstairs, stopping at the top of the landing. "Plus there's an entire floor between her room and mine."
Quinn couldn't fight the surprised blush that stained her cheeks at the implication and Shelby cackled as she walked downstairs. "Oh you kids and your delicate sensibilities."
xxxxxx
The four girls were sitting in the music room that took up the entire second floor, discussing their plans for the rest of their trip. Quinn was watching Rachel, who couldn't seem to take her eyes off the shiny Blüthner grand piano in front of the bay window.
The entire place was impressive. Shelby had shown them around after they'd unpacked and Quinn had been particularly fond of the custom book shelves that lined the walls of the living room which seemed to double as a study. Shelby said that she didn't watch much TV but she had installed a flat screen in the music room to watch movies. Rachel had actually squealed when Shelby had shown her the cabinet housing what had to be every musical ever made on DVD.
Rachel had then declared the music room her favorite place in the house after her bedroom, Shelby had positively beamed.
Quinn looked down in Rachel's lap when the singer's phone buzzed. Rachel read the text and then looked up to find Quinn's eyes on her. The brunette smiled and shrugged. "It's Noah; he wants to make plans to meet up."
Quinn stiffened and then sighed, knowing that she couldn't avoid the man forever. "Rach, I'm not quite ready to hang out with Puck like we're old friends. I'm not saying we can't ever or at all, because I know he's your oldest friend, but maybe just at first. Give me a little time to prepare?"
Rachel tossed a glance at Santana and Brittany who had turned their attention on each other in an attempt to give them their privacy. "Quinn, I already forgave you for what happened with Noah."
The blonde nodded and took Rachel's hand. "I know, baby, but I haven't quite forgiven myself. So why don't you meet up with Puck tomorrow for lunch or something and see what he has in mind for you two and I'll hang with San and Britt. While you guys catch up, I'll get my act together."
Rachel frowned at the shadow in the blonde's hazel eyes and the strained smile on her face. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable."
Quinn smiled softly and pressed a kiss to the singer's lips. "I'll work it out, Rach, I promise."
xxxxxx
Santana glanced at her best friend as Brittany skipped alongside her on their way to meet Rachel. "How are you handling the whole Puckerman thing?"
Quinn looked at her and then sighed. "I hate that I did it, San, and I can't take it back. Rach says all is forgiven but I know it still bothers her. In truth I just didn't want to put her in the position that she would have to be reminded of what happened while both guilty parties were present."
Santana nodded. "Plus it's really fucking awkward."
Quinn chuckled. "Plus it's really fucking awkward."
Quinn pushed those thoughts away when she saw Rachel standing in front of the diner, chewing her lip. The blonde stepped up to her and grasped her waist. "You're frowning, what's wrong?"
Rachel slipped her arm around Quinn and began guiding the four of them down the street. "Nothing's wrong, really, just something Noah mentioned wanting to do."
Quinn pursed her lips and tried not to scowl. "What?"
Rachel glanced up and smiled. "Stop scowling, gorgeous, it will give you wrinkles."
The blonde's lips quirked into a smile and Rachel kissed her quickly before they crossed the street. "He mentioned that some people from high school found out I was in town and wanted to get together."
Santana looked surprised. "All your high school friends ended up here?"
Rachel shook her head. "No, some are visiting. In truth I think they knew I was coming."
The Latina looked confused. "Why do you say that?"
"Because Finn's here."
Quinn tightened her hold on Rachel's hand automatically. "Your ex-boyfriend?"
Rachel nodded and Santana smirked at the frown on her best friend's face but didn't comment. Brittany's voice broke the tension. "Why the frown then, Rach? Don't you want to see your old friends?"
Rachel looked down at her feet as they walked. "They aren't my friends, Britt. In school, I was only ever included because of my voice and that was only in Glee where it mattered. Most of them mocked my clothes and laughed when I was bullied. I'm not sure my confidence would hold up well under their scrutiny."
Surprisingly, it was Santana's voice that responded. "Well then we'll go with you and show those bitches that you've upgraded. Seriously, Berry; you're hot and you have Quinn on your arm. And they definitely can't mock your clothes now. Plus you're friends with me and Britt, that automatically makes you cool."
Brittany nodded seriously. "I'm sure they were just jealous because you are so pretty and sing better than anyone in the world."
Quinn smiled at the sincere compliment and noticed Rachel smiling too. Dropping her hand and wrapping an arm around the singer's waist, she frowned at her best friend. "Did you just call my girlfriend hot?"
Rachel swallowed a giggle and Santana just waved her off. "Whatever, Q. She's sexy. You know it, I know it, and Britt knows it. That doesn't mean she's hotter than me or Britt, though. We are definitely the beauty of this operation."
Quinn rolled her eyes. "Does that make us the brains?"
Santana shrugged. "I guess. Although Rachel's smarter than you so I don't really know where you fit in to this foursome. We might have to vote you off the island, Q."
Rachel and Brittany laughed when Quinn reached around and pinched her best friend on the arm. "Watch it, Lopez. I can still kick your ass."
The Latina scoffed but rubbed her arm. "Whatever, I guess you can be the brawn. I'm still more badass than you though."
xxxxxx
"Berry, you're mom is fucking awesome. Dinner last night was a riot."
Rachel smiled at Santana and nodded. "She is pretty great, isn't she?"
Quinn caught her eye and tugged her into her side for a hug. Rachel returned the embrace and then took a deep breath as they neared the Japanese restaurant where they were meeting Noah and the rest of her old Glee club. "Too bad I can't be as hopeful about this dinner as last night's."
Brittany frowned sympathetically and wrapped her arm around her best friend's waist. "Buck up, peanut buttercup."
Rachel bit back a smile. That was her absolute favorite of Brittany's trademark phrases. The dancer had looked at Rachel in confusion when she first tried to correct her and then shook her head telling the singer that a peanut butter cup was way better than a cup of just regular butter. Leaning over, she kissed the girl on the cheek causing her to grin widely.
Santana shook her head and pulled the door open, gesturing inside. "Let's do this."
Quinn rolled her eyes at the Latina but grabbed her girl's hand and led her inside. The woman at the counter pointed them to a room in the back. The blonde felt Rachel tense so she dipped her mouth close to the brunette's ear. "You've got nothing to prove, baby. This is just a chance to see some old acquaintances one last time before you're a huge star and they'll have to wax poetic about how they knew you when. Plus, they'll all be insanely jealous of how sexy you look tonight."
Rachel shuddered at the drop in Quinn's voice and turned to face her just before the entry to the back room. "I'm glad you're here."
Quinn smiled into the kiss placed on her lips. "Only place I want to be, Broadway."
Rachel beamed and kissed her again before Santana made a fake gagging noise to their left. The two pulled away and Santana gestured to the door. "Time to address the peasants, Berry."
Quinn laughed as Rachel pouted while Santana pushed her into the room. "Don't let them hear you say that, San."
Santana's reply was cut short when the room fell silent. Rachel stood up straighter and seemed to tense before she was swept into a hug and twirled around. The brunette laughed and didn't notice Quinn's low growl of disapproval. "Noah, put me down!"
The mohawked boy did and turned to greet the other girls. Quinn tried not to wince when he looked at her and was relieved when he simply nodded and then moved on. "Brittany, Santana, did you two rethink my offer?"
Santana sneered at him and pulled the dancer closer. "Paws off, Puckerman. I will maim you."
Brittany just smiled and then Rachel turned to the rest of the room. "Hello. It's good to see you all again."
The air still seemed tense so the singer forged on. "This is my roommate and best friend, Brittany and her girlfriend, Santana."
The Latina nodded and Brittany waved enthusiastically. Turning and reaching for Quinn's hand, she smiled. "And this is Quinn, my girlfriend."
A tall, lumbering boy in the corner scoffed but Rachel ignored him. "Guys, these are my teammates from Glee. You already know Noah, this is Mike and Tina."
Quinn felt a little lighter when Rachel smiled at the couple next Puck and they returned the gesture. Her shoulders tensed though, when Rachel's did as she pointed out the others. "Mercedes, Kurt, and Finn."
Kurt lifted his hand in a slight wave and Mercedes smiled politely. Finn kept his eyes on Rachel. The singer noticed that Finn and Puck had taken the end seats of the rectangular table which left only the four seats on the side closest to them. Knowing Quinn would like to be as far from Noah as possible, she tried to fight her grimace as she moved toward Finn's end of the table. Quinn seemed to know what she was thinking and pulled out the second to last chair for Rachel, leaving the one closest to Finn for herself.
Rachel bit back a smile and looked at Quinn knowingly as she moved toward the seat. "You're not jealous are you, sweetie?"
Quinn rolled her eyes but shot a glare at Finn. "Have you seen the way he's been drooling over you since we showed up?"
Rachel chuckled but kissed her cheek in thanks when Quinn pulled out her chair. The singer turned and nudged her best friend when she noticed Santana sitting on the dancer's other side, scowling at Puck. Brittany rolled her eyes. "Watch this."
Rachel nodded and watched as Brittany placed a subtle hand on the Latina's thigh without turning to look at her. Immediately, Santana's focus was on Brittany and her hand was resting on the dancer's chair, twirling a lock of blonde hair. Rachel stifled a giggle but Santana caught her and stared at her suspiciously. When the taller brunette seemed to realize what the singer was laughing at she glared at her. "Watch it, Berry."
Quinn leaned forward and looked at her best friend pointedly. "Easy, S, be nice to my girl."
Rachel lifted her chin and stuck her tongue out, making Santana swallow a smile before replying. "Control your elf, Q!"
Brittany laughed when Rachel gasped and covered her ears. Kurt lifted a manicured eyebrow and spoke for the first time. "And you all are friends?"
Brittany nodded and smiled brightly. "The best of."
xxxxxx
Dinner seemed stilted and Quinn was beginning to feel like she was under a microscope until their drinks came and the questions started.
Rachel beamed when the waitress placed a glass of plum wine in front of her. Quinn shrugged. "I ordered it for you at the bar when I went to the bathroom."
Finn frowned at the drink. "So you're twenty one."
Quinn shook her head. "Almost twenty."
Mike grinned at Rachel. "Going for the older women, huh Rach?"
The singer blushed and laughed with the boy. Tina laughed too and smiled at Quinn. "Rachel was always the baby."
"Because I skipped a grade!"
Puck scoffed. "Yeah, kindergarten!"
Mike laughed at the outrage on the singer's face. "Are you finally legal now?"
Brittany nodded. "She is! We went and bought cigarettes and an R rated movie on her birthday!"
Rachel ducked her head and Quinn laughed. "That's adorable, Rach."
Santana smirked. "Who knew you were such a badass, Berry."
Rachel looked up and pointed at Mike in playful anger. "You be careful, Mike Chang! I've known you since we were eight years old so suffice to say I could tell everyone about that time on the playground that you were on the monkey bars and lost your…"
Mike held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, I yield, Rach, I yield!"
Tina grinned and patted his arm soothingly. Everyone quieted down slightly and Kurt picked at his rice as he turned to Rachel. "So, you never told us why you ran off to UCLA? We all assumed that you'd come here. What's in California?"
Rachel tensed slightly and Quinn could see the subtle hostility behind the boy's words. Santana answered before Rachel could.
"All of the awesome people. She clearly picked Cali because she knew she'd meet us."
Brittany nodded seriously. "Rach is psychic."
The singer chuckled and Quinn smiled, running a hand through her chocolate curls as the brunette answered. "I just felt like UCLA was the right fit for me at the time."
Puck offered his two cents. "And clearly she was right; my fellow Jew has that California sheen all over her. New York will be here when she's done."
Kurt lifted an eyebrow. "So how do you all know each other?"
Santana shrugged. "Q and I went to high school together. We were the Captains on our Cheerleading squad."
Brittany smiled. "I was on the dance team at my high school in Denver. I met Santana at a coffee shop on campus and then met Q through her!"
Mercedes turned to Quinn. "Is that how you met Rachel, at UCLA?"
Quinn shook her head. "No, I don't go to UCLA. We met on a beach. I was surfing, she was watching the sun rise."
Rachel wasn't sure why, but she didn't feel like sharing that part of Quinn with Mercedes or Kurt for that matter, so she changed the subject. "So what have you all been up to?"
Kurt lifted his chin and spoke. "Well I'm currently at an internship for Saks and Miss Jones here is visiting from Chicago where she is majoring in design."
Tina frowned at his tone but took her turn in the conversation. "I'm visiting Mike from Boston. I ended up choosing Harvard."
Rachel beamed. "Tina that's wonderful! I always saw you picking Harvard over Princeton."
Rachel turned to Finn, whom she had yet to directly speak to. "And you Finn? Are you enjoying Ohio State?"
Finn nodded and fixed his eyes on the singer in a way she used to swoon over. Now it just seemed to make her uncomfortable and she could feel Quinn tense beside her. "I do like it. Football is awesome and I'm even singing on the weekends with a band."
"That's great, Finn."
Before he could say anything else, Kurt spoke up again. "So Rach, how are your dads? Or your mom for that matter?"
This time, the malice in his voice was anything but subtle. Quinn felt ready to knock the smirk of the boys face when a small hand covered hers on top of the table. "They're fine, Kurt. And my mother is doing well. Thank you for asking."
Puck glanced around the table and took note of the tension. "Hey Hummel, remember when you and Artie tried to pimp out his wheelchair but ended up jamming the spokes and crashing into that ladder with the paint on it? You were so pissed because you thought it had ruined your jacket or something."
Kurt's lip turned up at the memory. "It did ruin my coat as well as my Hermes scarf. Speaking of my impeccable fashion sense, I'm happy to see you've traded your animal sweaters and argyle for something slightly less awful."
He said it with a chuckle but it was obviously not meant as a joke. Quinn tensed when Rachel's shoulders fell. "She does look gorgeous, doesn't she?"
Rachel smiled at her attempt and was going to reply when Finn cut in. "So when did you decide you were into girls, Rachel?"
Quinn scowled at him but melted as soon as Rachel answered. "When I met Quinn."
Finn rolled his eyes. "So is that why you broke up with me then, because I'm a guy?"
His words were dripping with anger and Quinn looked him in the eye. "Don't speak to her that way."
Mercedes' eyes widened but she kept her mouth shut. Kurt didn't. "Easy, blondie, it was a valid question."
Rachel opened her mouth to speak again when Quinn responded. "I didn't like his tone. Also, that's not the reason they broke up. She broke up with you, Finn, because you're an immature asshole."
Finn bristled. "You have no clue what our relationship was like. We dated for two years!"
Kurt leaned forward and nodded. "Rachel was a drama queen then and it's obvious nothing has changed. With the exception of an upgrade in her wardrobe and her new cheerleader friends, she's still the same Rachel."
Rachel felt like crying. She had not anticipated the dinner going this way and she was fighting back tears. Quinn noticed and laced their fingers together. Santana noticed too.
"Well it's obvious you're still a prima donna little bitch, Hummel, and it seems like Rach was being kind when she described you."
Soon everyone was talking and Rachel had had enough. As she stood up, the table fell into silence. Quinn immediately stood up as well. "Kurt, you didn't know me in high school and you don't know me now. You have not changed a single bit and I can safely say I have not missed your unwanted and uneducated assessments of my character. Mercedes you have been far kinder than I expected. Finn, I'm not sure what your issue is but I have left the past behind me and that's exactly where any feelings for you are. Mike and Tina, I have truly missed you both and am thrilled I had this opportunity to see you again. I am sorry it was spoiled by this unfortunate turn of events. I would very much like to stay in touch. Noah, I'll call you later."
The brunette took a breath and then turned to Quinn. "I'd very much like to leave now if that's alright. I'll go settle the bill at the bar."
Quinn shook her head. "I've got it, baby. We'll meet you out front."
Rachel sighed but nodded and took the hand Brittany was offering her as they made their way out of the restaurant. Tina stood up and quickly followed, throwing a glare over her shoulder at Kurt and Finn. The table was silent until Santana spoke. "Well it's been awful, let's not do this again."
Quinn watched her go and then turned back to the others. "Mike, Mercedes it was nice to meet you."
Not acknowledging Finn, she nodded at Puck and walked out.
xxxxxx
Later that night, Rachel crawled into bed and was immediately wrapped in Quinn's arms. The blonde pulled her close and kissed her temple. "You were right to leave them behind, Rach. With the exception of Mike and Tina, the others aren't worth it."
Rachel nodded minutely. "My overall experience with people at my high school was so abysmal that I overlooked some of the good ones. I quite enjoyed Mike and Tina even back then."
Quinn turned her chin up and leaned down to press a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. "I've got you now, Broadway."
The brunette smiled and kissed her again until both girls were breathing heavily. When they pulled away, Quinn tucked the comforter over both of them. "We've still got a lot of time left in the City, so sleep now and tomorrow we'll see if we can talk Santana into a Broadway show."
Rachel laughed lightly and nodded before letting her lips whisper against the blonde's collarbone in a ghost of a kiss. "Thank you, Quinn."
Quinn just pulled her closer and held her tight until she felt sleep overtake her.
Author: Jenn
Rating: R?...could go up in later chapters.
Length: 4330 for this part
Spoilers: All of Season One
Summary: Quinn is a laid back surfer type. Rachel is... well, Rachel. Inspired by this Prompt at rq_meme
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine
Part Ten
Part Eleven
A/N: Sorry this wasn't up sooner! The Hunger Games trilogy took over my life and I couldn't stop reading them. This chapter is much longer than usual though! I hope I didn't ramble too much! Once again, it was roughly edited so all mistakes are my own.
Enjoy!
Shelby was waiting on the front steps of her home when the girls' taxi pulled up. The moment Rachel stepped from the car, the older woman wrapped her in a hug. "I'm so sorry I couldn't meet you at the airport. I rushed straight here from school so that I could be here when you arrived."
Rachel smiled and hugged her back, waving off her apology. "It's really not a big deal; we made it through security in record time and had no trouble finding a cab."
Shelby nodded and then stepped around Rachel to pay the driver. Quinn helped Brittany with her bag and then turned to the older brunette, offering to pay the fare. "Nonsense, you are guests in our home and I am so happy you all are here."
Quinn looked at her girlfriend who looked unsure about the 'our home' part of Shelby's comment. Rachel caught her eyes and then offered her a smile in an attempt to reassure the blonde. Shelby accepted a firm hug from Brittany and smiled warmly at both Quinn and Santana before turning to wrap her arms around Rachel and usher them all inside. Quinn could see how excited Shelby was to have Rachel there and hoped this visit would help mend the gap between the two women.
Inside, Shelby led them up two flights of stairs to the third story of the walkup. Stopping in front of the first door, she opened it and gestured inside to Brittany and Santana. "I hope this is alright."
Brittany grinned and ran to hop on the sleigh bed against the far wall. Santana smiled. "This is great, thank you, Ms. Corcoran."
The older woman smiled. "Please, call me Shelby. I'll let you guys get settled and then give you a tour of the rest of the house."
Stepping out the door, she led Quinn and Rachel down the hall and gestured to a door on their left indicating the bathroom. Coming to the final door, she pushed it open and walked inside. "This is your room, Rach. I went ahead and decorated it but we can change anything you want. I promise it won't hurt my feelings."
Rachel walked inside and looked around, stunned. The room was painted a pale, golden yellow and had a beautiful window overlooking the courtyard behind the house. All the furniture was a dark cherry wood and the stately four poster bed was covered by a deep forest green comforter. All around the room, there were rich green and purple accents. Rachel scanned the walls and noticed the framed Broadway memorabilia. Playbills and posters for Wicked, Les Mis, Rent, Guys And Dolls, and more adorned every wall.
Stepping over to the vanity, she noticed framed pictures lining the surface. There was one of her and Shelby at her high school graduation as well as several of all four girls from her most recent trip to California. She smiled at the 5x7 of her and Quinn after her show. Neither girl was looking at the camera as Quinn smiled at Rachel shyly and offered her the bouquet of lilies.
Shelby glanced around almost anxiously and turned back to look at her daughter. "I just want you to feel at home here, Rach."
Rachel lifted her eyes to look at her mother when she heard the woman's soft voice. Smiling widely and blinking back tears, she crossed the room and threw her arms around the taller brunette. Shelby closed her eyes and held her tightly. Pulling back but not releasing her mother, she sniffed away the remaining tears. "It's perfect, Mom."
Shelby grinned and brushed away a stray tear on her daughter's face. Both women chuckled and then Shelby stepped back and looked at Quinn. "You guys get settled in and then come downstairs and I'll show you around."
Rachel nodded and Shelby walked out of the room. Quinn followed behind her and shut the door quietly before calling for the older woman's attention. "I know you're not old fashioned but I want to do this the right way. So if you'd rather I not stay in there with her, I understand, because this is your house and she's your daughter."
Shelby's lips quirked into a smile. "I appreciate that, Quinn. But you're right, I'm not old fashioned plus I think Rachel might have a thing or two to say if I tried to keep you apart. I know you respect her and you both are adults so I trust you to make the right decisions."
Quinn nodded and offered her appreciation as Shelby turned to head back downstairs, stopping at the top of the landing. "Plus there's an entire floor between her room and mine."
Quinn couldn't fight the surprised blush that stained her cheeks at the implication and Shelby cackled as she walked downstairs. "Oh you kids and your delicate sensibilities."
xxxxxx
The four girls were sitting in the music room that took up the entire second floor, discussing their plans for the rest of their trip. Quinn was watching Rachel, who couldn't seem to take her eyes off the shiny Blüthner grand piano in front of the bay window.
The entire place was impressive. Shelby had shown them around after they'd unpacked and Quinn had been particularly fond of the custom book shelves that lined the walls of the living room which seemed to double as a study. Shelby said that she didn't watch much TV but she had installed a flat screen in the music room to watch movies. Rachel had actually squealed when Shelby had shown her the cabinet housing what had to be every musical ever made on DVD.
Rachel had then declared the music room her favorite place in the house after her bedroom, Shelby had positively beamed.
Quinn looked down in Rachel's lap when the singer's phone buzzed. Rachel read the text and then looked up to find Quinn's eyes on her. The brunette smiled and shrugged. "It's Noah; he wants to make plans to meet up."
Quinn stiffened and then sighed, knowing that she couldn't avoid the man forever. "Rach, I'm not quite ready to hang out with Puck like we're old friends. I'm not saying we can't ever or at all, because I know he's your oldest friend, but maybe just at first. Give me a little time to prepare?"
Rachel tossed a glance at Santana and Brittany who had turned their attention on each other in an attempt to give them their privacy. "Quinn, I already forgave you for what happened with Noah."
The blonde nodded and took Rachel's hand. "I know, baby, but I haven't quite forgiven myself. So why don't you meet up with Puck tomorrow for lunch or something and see what he has in mind for you two and I'll hang with San and Britt. While you guys catch up, I'll get my act together."
Rachel frowned at the shadow in the blonde's hazel eyes and the strained smile on her face. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable."
Quinn smiled softly and pressed a kiss to the singer's lips. "I'll work it out, Rach, I promise."
xxxxxx
Santana glanced at her best friend as Brittany skipped alongside her on their way to meet Rachel. "How are you handling the whole Puckerman thing?"
Quinn looked at her and then sighed. "I hate that I did it, San, and I can't take it back. Rach says all is forgiven but I know it still bothers her. In truth I just didn't want to put her in the position that she would have to be reminded of what happened while both guilty parties were present."
Santana nodded. "Plus it's really fucking awkward."
Quinn chuckled. "Plus it's really fucking awkward."
Quinn pushed those thoughts away when she saw Rachel standing in front of the diner, chewing her lip. The blonde stepped up to her and grasped her waist. "You're frowning, what's wrong?"
Rachel slipped her arm around Quinn and began guiding the four of them down the street. "Nothing's wrong, really, just something Noah mentioned wanting to do."
Quinn pursed her lips and tried not to scowl. "What?"
Rachel glanced up and smiled. "Stop scowling, gorgeous, it will give you wrinkles."
The blonde's lips quirked into a smile and Rachel kissed her quickly before they crossed the street. "He mentioned that some people from high school found out I was in town and wanted to get together."
Santana looked surprised. "All your high school friends ended up here?"
Rachel shook her head. "No, some are visiting. In truth I think they knew I was coming."
The Latina looked confused. "Why do you say that?"
"Because Finn's here."
Quinn tightened her hold on Rachel's hand automatically. "Your ex-boyfriend?"
Rachel nodded and Santana smirked at the frown on her best friend's face but didn't comment. Brittany's voice broke the tension. "Why the frown then, Rach? Don't you want to see your old friends?"
Rachel looked down at her feet as they walked. "They aren't my friends, Britt. In school, I was only ever included because of my voice and that was only in Glee where it mattered. Most of them mocked my clothes and laughed when I was bullied. I'm not sure my confidence would hold up well under their scrutiny."
Surprisingly, it was Santana's voice that responded. "Well then we'll go with you and show those bitches that you've upgraded. Seriously, Berry; you're hot and you have Quinn on your arm. And they definitely can't mock your clothes now. Plus you're friends with me and Britt, that automatically makes you cool."
Brittany nodded seriously. "I'm sure they were just jealous because you are so pretty and sing better than anyone in the world."
Quinn smiled at the sincere compliment and noticed Rachel smiling too. Dropping her hand and wrapping an arm around the singer's waist, she frowned at her best friend. "Did you just call my girlfriend hot?"
Rachel swallowed a giggle and Santana just waved her off. "Whatever, Q. She's sexy. You know it, I know it, and Britt knows it. That doesn't mean she's hotter than me or Britt, though. We are definitely the beauty of this operation."
Quinn rolled her eyes. "Does that make us the brains?"
Santana shrugged. "I guess. Although Rachel's smarter than you so I don't really know where you fit in to this foursome. We might have to vote you off the island, Q."
Rachel and Brittany laughed when Quinn reached around and pinched her best friend on the arm. "Watch it, Lopez. I can still kick your ass."
The Latina scoffed but rubbed her arm. "Whatever, I guess you can be the brawn. I'm still more badass than you though."
xxxxxx
"Berry, you're mom is fucking awesome. Dinner last night was a riot."
Rachel smiled at Santana and nodded. "She is pretty great, isn't she?"
Quinn caught her eye and tugged her into her side for a hug. Rachel returned the embrace and then took a deep breath as they neared the Japanese restaurant where they were meeting Noah and the rest of her old Glee club. "Too bad I can't be as hopeful about this dinner as last night's."
Brittany frowned sympathetically and wrapped her arm around her best friend's waist. "Buck up, peanut buttercup."
Rachel bit back a smile. That was her absolute favorite of Brittany's trademark phrases. The dancer had looked at Rachel in confusion when she first tried to correct her and then shook her head telling the singer that a peanut butter cup was way better than a cup of just regular butter. Leaning over, she kissed the girl on the cheek causing her to grin widely.
Santana shook her head and pulled the door open, gesturing inside. "Let's do this."
Quinn rolled her eyes at the Latina but grabbed her girl's hand and led her inside. The woman at the counter pointed them to a room in the back. The blonde felt Rachel tense so she dipped her mouth close to the brunette's ear. "You've got nothing to prove, baby. This is just a chance to see some old acquaintances one last time before you're a huge star and they'll have to wax poetic about how they knew you when. Plus, they'll all be insanely jealous of how sexy you look tonight."
Rachel shuddered at the drop in Quinn's voice and turned to face her just before the entry to the back room. "I'm glad you're here."
Quinn smiled into the kiss placed on her lips. "Only place I want to be, Broadway."
Rachel beamed and kissed her again before Santana made a fake gagging noise to their left. The two pulled away and Santana gestured to the door. "Time to address the peasants, Berry."
Quinn laughed as Rachel pouted while Santana pushed her into the room. "Don't let them hear you say that, San."
Santana's reply was cut short when the room fell silent. Rachel stood up straighter and seemed to tense before she was swept into a hug and twirled around. The brunette laughed and didn't notice Quinn's low growl of disapproval. "Noah, put me down!"
The mohawked boy did and turned to greet the other girls. Quinn tried not to wince when he looked at her and was relieved when he simply nodded and then moved on. "Brittany, Santana, did you two rethink my offer?"
Santana sneered at him and pulled the dancer closer. "Paws off, Puckerman. I will maim you."
Brittany just smiled and then Rachel turned to the rest of the room. "Hello. It's good to see you all again."
The air still seemed tense so the singer forged on. "This is my roommate and best friend, Brittany and her girlfriend, Santana."
The Latina nodded and Brittany waved enthusiastically. Turning and reaching for Quinn's hand, she smiled. "And this is Quinn, my girlfriend."
A tall, lumbering boy in the corner scoffed but Rachel ignored him. "Guys, these are my teammates from Glee. You already know Noah, this is Mike and Tina."
Quinn felt a little lighter when Rachel smiled at the couple next Puck and they returned the gesture. Her shoulders tensed though, when Rachel's did as she pointed out the others. "Mercedes, Kurt, and Finn."
Kurt lifted his hand in a slight wave and Mercedes smiled politely. Finn kept his eyes on Rachel. The singer noticed that Finn and Puck had taken the end seats of the rectangular table which left only the four seats on the side closest to them. Knowing Quinn would like to be as far from Noah as possible, she tried to fight her grimace as she moved toward Finn's end of the table. Quinn seemed to know what she was thinking and pulled out the second to last chair for Rachel, leaving the one closest to Finn for herself.
Rachel bit back a smile and looked at Quinn knowingly as she moved toward the seat. "You're not jealous are you, sweetie?"
Quinn rolled her eyes but shot a glare at Finn. "Have you seen the way he's been drooling over you since we showed up?"
Rachel chuckled but kissed her cheek in thanks when Quinn pulled out her chair. The singer turned and nudged her best friend when she noticed Santana sitting on the dancer's other side, scowling at Puck. Brittany rolled her eyes. "Watch this."
Rachel nodded and watched as Brittany placed a subtle hand on the Latina's thigh without turning to look at her. Immediately, Santana's focus was on Brittany and her hand was resting on the dancer's chair, twirling a lock of blonde hair. Rachel stifled a giggle but Santana caught her and stared at her suspiciously. When the taller brunette seemed to realize what the singer was laughing at she glared at her. "Watch it, Berry."
Quinn leaned forward and looked at her best friend pointedly. "Easy, S, be nice to my girl."
Rachel lifted her chin and stuck her tongue out, making Santana swallow a smile before replying. "Control your elf, Q!"
Brittany laughed when Rachel gasped and covered her ears. Kurt lifted a manicured eyebrow and spoke for the first time. "And you all are friends?"
Brittany nodded and smiled brightly. "The best of."
xxxxxx
Dinner seemed stilted and Quinn was beginning to feel like she was under a microscope until their drinks came and the questions started.
Rachel beamed when the waitress placed a glass of plum wine in front of her. Quinn shrugged. "I ordered it for you at the bar when I went to the bathroom."
Finn frowned at the drink. "So you're twenty one."
Quinn shook her head. "Almost twenty."
Mike grinned at Rachel. "Going for the older women, huh Rach?"
The singer blushed and laughed with the boy. Tina laughed too and smiled at Quinn. "Rachel was always the baby."
"Because I skipped a grade!"
Puck scoffed. "Yeah, kindergarten!"
Mike laughed at the outrage on the singer's face. "Are you finally legal now?"
Brittany nodded. "She is! We went and bought cigarettes and an R rated movie on her birthday!"
Rachel ducked her head and Quinn laughed. "That's adorable, Rach."
Santana smirked. "Who knew you were such a badass, Berry."
Rachel looked up and pointed at Mike in playful anger. "You be careful, Mike Chang! I've known you since we were eight years old so suffice to say I could tell everyone about that time on the playground that you were on the monkey bars and lost your…"
Mike held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, I yield, Rach, I yield!"
Tina grinned and patted his arm soothingly. Everyone quieted down slightly and Kurt picked at his rice as he turned to Rachel. "So, you never told us why you ran off to UCLA? We all assumed that you'd come here. What's in California?"
Rachel tensed slightly and Quinn could see the subtle hostility behind the boy's words. Santana answered before Rachel could.
"All of the awesome people. She clearly picked Cali because she knew she'd meet us."
Brittany nodded seriously. "Rach is psychic."
The singer chuckled and Quinn smiled, running a hand through her chocolate curls as the brunette answered. "I just felt like UCLA was the right fit for me at the time."
Puck offered his two cents. "And clearly she was right; my fellow Jew has that California sheen all over her. New York will be here when she's done."
Kurt lifted an eyebrow. "So how do you all know each other?"
Santana shrugged. "Q and I went to high school together. We were the Captains on our Cheerleading squad."
Brittany smiled. "I was on the dance team at my high school in Denver. I met Santana at a coffee shop on campus and then met Q through her!"
Mercedes turned to Quinn. "Is that how you met Rachel, at UCLA?"
Quinn shook her head. "No, I don't go to UCLA. We met on a beach. I was surfing, she was watching the sun rise."
Rachel wasn't sure why, but she didn't feel like sharing that part of Quinn with Mercedes or Kurt for that matter, so she changed the subject. "So what have you all been up to?"
Kurt lifted his chin and spoke. "Well I'm currently at an internship for Saks and Miss Jones here is visiting from Chicago where she is majoring in design."
Tina frowned at his tone but took her turn in the conversation. "I'm visiting Mike from Boston. I ended up choosing Harvard."
Rachel beamed. "Tina that's wonderful! I always saw you picking Harvard over Princeton."
Rachel turned to Finn, whom she had yet to directly speak to. "And you Finn? Are you enjoying Ohio State?"
Finn nodded and fixed his eyes on the singer in a way she used to swoon over. Now it just seemed to make her uncomfortable and she could feel Quinn tense beside her. "I do like it. Football is awesome and I'm even singing on the weekends with a band."
"That's great, Finn."
Before he could say anything else, Kurt spoke up again. "So Rach, how are your dads? Or your mom for that matter?"
This time, the malice in his voice was anything but subtle. Quinn felt ready to knock the smirk of the boys face when a small hand covered hers on top of the table. "They're fine, Kurt. And my mother is doing well. Thank you for asking."
Puck glanced around the table and took note of the tension. "Hey Hummel, remember when you and Artie tried to pimp out his wheelchair but ended up jamming the spokes and crashing into that ladder with the paint on it? You were so pissed because you thought it had ruined your jacket or something."
Kurt's lip turned up at the memory. "It did ruin my coat as well as my Hermes scarf. Speaking of my impeccable fashion sense, I'm happy to see you've traded your animal sweaters and argyle for something slightly less awful."
He said it with a chuckle but it was obviously not meant as a joke. Quinn tensed when Rachel's shoulders fell. "She does look gorgeous, doesn't she?"
Rachel smiled at her attempt and was going to reply when Finn cut in. "So when did you decide you were into girls, Rachel?"
Quinn scowled at him but melted as soon as Rachel answered. "When I met Quinn."
Finn rolled his eyes. "So is that why you broke up with me then, because I'm a guy?"
His words were dripping with anger and Quinn looked him in the eye. "Don't speak to her that way."
Mercedes' eyes widened but she kept her mouth shut. Kurt didn't. "Easy, blondie, it was a valid question."
Rachel opened her mouth to speak again when Quinn responded. "I didn't like his tone. Also, that's not the reason they broke up. She broke up with you, Finn, because you're an immature asshole."
Finn bristled. "You have no clue what our relationship was like. We dated for two years!"
Kurt leaned forward and nodded. "Rachel was a drama queen then and it's obvious nothing has changed. With the exception of an upgrade in her wardrobe and her new cheerleader friends, she's still the same Rachel."
Rachel felt like crying. She had not anticipated the dinner going this way and she was fighting back tears. Quinn noticed and laced their fingers together. Santana noticed too.
"Well it's obvious you're still a prima donna little bitch, Hummel, and it seems like Rach was being kind when she described you."
Soon everyone was talking and Rachel had had enough. As she stood up, the table fell into silence. Quinn immediately stood up as well. "Kurt, you didn't know me in high school and you don't know me now. You have not changed a single bit and I can safely say I have not missed your unwanted and uneducated assessments of my character. Mercedes you have been far kinder than I expected. Finn, I'm not sure what your issue is but I have left the past behind me and that's exactly where any feelings for you are. Mike and Tina, I have truly missed you both and am thrilled I had this opportunity to see you again. I am sorry it was spoiled by this unfortunate turn of events. I would very much like to stay in touch. Noah, I'll call you later."
The brunette took a breath and then turned to Quinn. "I'd very much like to leave now if that's alright. I'll go settle the bill at the bar."
Quinn shook her head. "I've got it, baby. We'll meet you out front."
Rachel sighed but nodded and took the hand Brittany was offering her as they made their way out of the restaurant. Tina stood up and quickly followed, throwing a glare over her shoulder at Kurt and Finn. The table was silent until Santana spoke. "Well it's been awful, let's not do this again."
Quinn watched her go and then turned back to the others. "Mike, Mercedes it was nice to meet you."
Not acknowledging Finn, she nodded at Puck and walked out.
xxxxxx
Later that night, Rachel crawled into bed and was immediately wrapped in Quinn's arms. The blonde pulled her close and kissed her temple. "You were right to leave them behind, Rach. With the exception of Mike and Tina, the others aren't worth it."
Rachel nodded minutely. "My overall experience with people at my high school was so abysmal that I overlooked some of the good ones. I quite enjoyed Mike and Tina even back then."
Quinn turned her chin up and leaned down to press a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. "I've got you now, Broadway."
The brunette smiled and kissed her again until both girls were breathing heavily. When they pulled away, Quinn tucked the comforter over both of them. "We've still got a lot of time left in the City, so sleep now and tomorrow we'll see if we can talk Santana into a Broadway show."
Rachel laughed lightly and nodded before letting her lips whisper against the blonde's collarbone in a ghost of a kiss. "Thank you, Quinn."
Quinn just pulled her closer and held her tight until she felt sleep overtake her.