Fic: Identity (7/9)
Title: Identity
Author: cranberry_pi
Rating: R for much angst and vague descriptions of troubling events - I'm trying not to be too specific or trigger-y with any of it
Spoilers: Up to and including 1x3 "Acafellas," but it's so AU that it's not likely to spoil anything.
Summary: AU. One morning at McKinley High, a girl who no one knows, who can't remember her own name, appears in the halls. She's short, blonde, and carrying a piece of paper that reads "Quinn Fabray."
A/N: The songs are "Umbrella" by Rihanna and "La Pared" by Shakira - sorry for the ridiculous amount of music in this chapter, it just seemed to fit...
The exam went as expected - Quinn could remember little, with the exception of a few major dates, but she hoped that she’d bluffed enough for partial credit. Exhaling loudly, she turned it in to the supervising teacher and collected another hall pass from Figgins.
Her time in the library wasn’t quite as interminable as it had been the day before, as she read through trashy magazines and rehearsed her and Rachel’s choreography in her head. Occasionally a stray thought would return her to wondering what was happening with her sister, but she quickly stamped those out in her determination to not think about it. She supposed she could be using the time to study for her next exam, but she couldn’t recall off hand what the subject was, and didn’t feel much like studying in any case.
Rachel’s arrival was a welcome distraction. “Come with me,” Rachel whispered, taking her hand. “I booked the auditorium over lunch.”
“Cool,” Quinn nodded. “Just don’t spin me too much, or I might be sick, okay?”
“I’ll keep it to a minimum,” Rachel promised.
They rehearsed for forty-five minutes, and they were both breathing heavily when Rachel decided they were as prepared as they’d get. She led Quinn to her locker, where she retrieved a couple of brown paper bags, each labelled with one of their names. Quinn nearly laughed aloud at the cute little heart drawn next to her name, regretting the previous night’s bitchiness all the more.
They sat outside, on a bench near the school’s front steps, and ate. Quinn’s lunch was very plain - a roast beef sandwich, and some crackers - which was good, as it didn’t immediately make her feel ill. As they finished, Rachel looked regretfully at her watch.
“I’ve got to run, Quinn - I don’t want to be late.”
“Have a good afternoon,” Quinn gave her a quick hug, wishing it could be more, and watched her walk back into the school. Throwing her garbage in a nearby can, she stood and stretched languidly. The sun was shining, and she wished she could be anywhere but the library. Then she learned she should be careful about wishing for things when Santana sidled up beside her, her red-and-white skirt being tossed by the light wind.
“How was the wine?” she asked, sticking to Spanish.
“Fine - thank you for supper, by the way.”
“Please,” Santana shrugged, “I get everything for half-off anyway. Did Rachel like it?”
Quinn looked intently at her, trying to gauge her reasons for asking, but couldn’t see anything untoward in her expression. “The food, yeah - the wine, less so.”
“She doesn’t strike me as a drinker. Anyway, I was looking for you - Coach Sylvester wants to see you in her office, and I wouldn’t keep her waiting.”
“For crying out loud,” Quinn complained, reverting to English. “How many times do I need to tell her I’m not interested?”
“Just think about it - Coach isn’t somebody that you want to be on the bad side of, she can make your life pretty miserable.”
“I’ll take my chances,” Quinn assured her. “I’ll go see her, though.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“So, Figgins informs me that you’ll officially be a McKinley student by the end of the week.”
“That’s the plan,” Quinn affirmed, looking around the office. It was a testament to narcissism of the highest order - packed with trophies in meticulously cleaned cases, pictures in ornate frames, all of it arranged so that one couldn’t sit across the desk and look at Sue without being overwhelmed by it.
“I’d just like you to know,” Sue’s abnormally quiet voice was a warning sign, Quinn was sure, “that I take care of my athletes. Tanning privileges, the finest equipment, guaranteed passing grades - if they want it, it’s theirs. Those placement exams you’re writing wouldn’t be an issue either.”
“That’s very comforting to know,” Quinn nodded. “But I’m not one of your athletes. And I can tell you right now, you don’t want me to be.”
“I consider myself an outstanding judge of talent,” Sue argued. “And I think you’d be an excellent addition to my squad. Take my word for it - you’ll get far more out of working with me than that loser Will Schuester and his band of knuckle-draggers.”
“That may be,” Quinn stood up. “Problem is, I like Will. And his knuckle-draggers.” With that, she turned and left the office, headed toward the library. Sue leaned back in her chair, interlacing her fingers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“You have my heart
And we'll never be worlds apart
May be in magazines
But you'll still be my star
Baby cause in the dark
You can't see shiny cars
And that's when you need me there
With you I'll always share
Because
When the sun shines, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
These fancy things, will never come in between
You're part of my entity, here for Infinity
When the war has took it's part
When the world has dealt it's cards
If the hand is hard, together we'll mend your heart
Because
When the sun shines, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
You can run into my arms
It's OK don't be alarmed
Come here to me
There's no distance in between our love
So go on and let the rain pour
I'll be all you need and more
Because
When the sun shines, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
It's raining
Ooh baby it's raining
Baby come here to me
Come here to me
It's raining
Oh baby it's raining”
Will let the Glee Club’s applause die down before he tried to speak. “Unbelievable!” he bowed down to Rachel and Quinn playfully. “You guys were terrific - the rest of you, you have an awful lot to live up to if anyone’s going to take that dinner away from them!” Quinn and Rachel embraced, and Quinn marvelled at the fact that she felt happy for the first time in days.
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“You were amazing!” Quinn gushed. “You were right - we have this in the bag.” Rachel just smiled. “Oh!” Quinn pumped her fist. “This feels fantastic. I wish we could go back in there and do that again!”
“I believe the auditorium’s still free - we could go and sing some more, if you’d like?” Rachel was overjoyed to see Quinn’s excitement, and wanted to try and keep the smile on her face for as long as possible.
“What exam do I have tomorrow?” Quinn mused. “Do I need to go home and study first?”
“English.”
“I should probably study for that,” she sighed. “Can you book us the auditorium for tomorrow afternoon, though?”
“Absolutely - how long would you like?”
“Call it an hour?” Quinn shrugged. “I just - I like this feeling, you know? It’s just so-“ she waved a hand in the air, “so cool, sharing this with you. I love watching you sing - you’re gorgeous when you’re performing.” She reached out and put a hand on the back of Rachel’s neck and started to pull her closer before she suddenly remembered that they were still on the front steps of the school. She blushed, dropping her hand. “Sorry.”
“No,” Rachel shook her head, eyes wet. “Don’t be sorry. I’ll make up for it with a very good kiss when we’ve returned home.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” Quinn promised.
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“Have la policía called?” was her first question, though, on arriving at the Berry house. “Sorry - the police, I mean.”
“I could probably have figured that one out on my own,” James teased. “I’m afraid not, Quinn.”
“How long can they keep someone for questioning?”
“Without arresting them? Seventy-two hours, I think.”
“I guess I shouldn’t hold my breath, then,” she rolled her eyes. “Come on, Rach - let’s go find out just how bad I’m going to be on this exam. They do give you credit just for speaking it, right?”
Rachel took her hand, leading her to the stairs. “You’ll be fine. I have meticulous notes you can study from.”
Two hours later, she was still sitting at Rachel’s desk, staring blankly at the handwritten pages in front of her. Rachel was doing her own homework on her bed, and the quiet was starting to get to her. She opened her mouth, not sure what was going to come out, and found there was a song waiting there. She sang it quietly, trying not to disturb Rachel.
“Eres como una predicción de las buenas
Eres como una dosis alta en las venas
Y el deseo gira en espiral
Porque mi amor por ti es total
Y es para siempre
Después de ti la pared
No me faltes nunca
Debajo el asfalto
Y mas abajo estaría yo
Después de ti la pared
No me faltes nunca
Debajo el asfalto
Y mas abajo estaría yo
Sin ti
Eres la enfermedad y el enfermero
Y ya me has convertido
En tu perro faldero
Sabes que sin ti
Ya yo no soy
Sabes que a donde vayas voy
Naturalmente
Después de ti la pared
No me faltes nunca
Debajo el asfalto
Y mas abajo estaría yo
Después de ti la pared
No me faltes nunca
Debajo el asfalto
Y mas abajo estaría yo
Sin ti”
“That was beautiful,” Rachel whispered from behind her, and she jumped.
“Sorry - I was trying not to bother you.”
“I was finished my own work anyway - I was only waiting to see how much longer you were going to tap that pencil on my desk and pretend to be studying.”
Quinn blushed. “Was it that obvious?”
“Quite. Do you think you’re ready?”
“I don’t know,” Quinn ran a hand through her hair. “But studying’s not doing any good now, so I’m fine with quitting. You still owe me a kiss, after all. That is, if you forgive me for being dumb last night.”
Rachel stared at her with a look of mock surprise. “You know, I think you’re right - I do still owe you. That will have to be rectified immediately, as I would hate to be in your debt for an egregious amount of time.”
“Sometimes,” Quinn grinned as Rachel turned her chair away from the desk, “I think you just use big words because you like to confuse me.”
Rachel didn’t answer, choosing instead to straddle Quinn’s lap. Quinn moaned, low in her throat, as Rachel leaned in and pressed her lips to hers. The kiss was soft and gentle, their lips barely touching at first. Then Rachel’s hand buried itself in Quinn’s hair, using the grip to pull her closer and press their lips more firmly together. When she pulled away, they were both breathing hard. “I hope that’s sufficient payment of my debt?”
Quinn couldn’t answer, so she settled for nodding enthusiastically. “Good,” Rachel grinned, climbing off of her. “Now, if the smell from downstairs is any indication, dinner is nearly ready. Shall we?”
Quinn took her hand, smiling ruefully. “You’re going to kill me, you know.”
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“You know,” Quinn spoke up after almost five minutes of silence at the table, “if anyone wants to talk, it’s okay. Really. I’m not going to freak out if somebody brings up my sister, or my baby, or anything - I promise.”
“Sorry,” Tom smiled. “We just didn’t want to-“
“I know. It wouldn’t be the first time I freaked out, I get it. But really, let’s just have some dinner table conversation like normal folks, okay?”
“How did your exam go this morning, Quinn?” James took the initiative.
“Well, if I scraped through, I’ll be happy. Whatever education I’ve got, U.S. History wasn’t much of it.”
“I’m sure you did fine,” Rachel assured her.
“What about you guys?” Quinn addressed James and Tom. “How were your days?”
“Fine, sweetheart, thank you,” Tom answered for them both. “And you, Rachel?”
“I had an excellent day. Quinn and I performed a duet for Glee Club today, and I think we’re going to win the intra-club competition for a dinner for two.”
“That’s great,” James congratulated them. “I don’t doubt you two could take on anyone. How’s your morning sickness been, Quinn?”
“Whoever called it that was a horrible liar, because it happens all day long,” Quinn complained. “It’s been fine today, actually - yesterday I was ralphing every couple of hours.”
“It’s a good sign, though,” Tom assured her. “For the pregnancy, I mean.”
“I’m sure it is,” Quinn agreed. “Doesn’t mean it’s much fun.”
“I don’t doubt it. You’re keeping crackers with you at school?”
“Yep - Rachel’s googled every pregnancy site on the web now, so I’m sure I’m prepared,” Quinn smiled at her. “If she knew any more, she could be my doctor and save me the time.”
“I simply like to be thorough,” Rachel protested.
“I think it’s cute,” Quinn promised, leaning over to kiss her cheek. James cleared his throat. “Sorry,” she blushed brightly.
“Not at all. Who’d like some dessert?”
“I’m kind of stuffed, actually,” Quinn patted her stomach. “But I’d kill for a coffee.”
“If you’d care for a walk,” Rachel offered, “we can go to Starbucks.”
“Sure - did you guys want some help with the dishes before we go?”
James shook his head. “We need to stand up for a while anyway - you girls go ahead.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Why did you order me decaf?” Quinn complained.
“Because you shouldn’t be having caffeine,” Rachel insisted. She looked over Quinn’s shoulder and her eyebrow shot up. “Mister Schue?” she asked, loudly. Quinn turned around and, sure enough, there was Will Schuester, sitting alone at a booth in the back. He waved, and Rachel wandered over as Quinn grabbed their coffees.
“Hi, Rachel,” he greeted her. “Quinn - how are you?”
“I’m good, Mister Schue, thanks. What are you doing here?”
“Actually, I was out doing some Christmas shopping, and wanted to stop for a latte.”
“Christmas shopping?” Quinn raised an eyebrow. “It’s October.”
“Well, I like to be done early. Sit down, you two, please.” They did, sliding into the chairs across from him. “Quinn - I’ve been meaning to ask you something, but school didn’t seem like the time or place. A couple days after I took you to the hospital, I called them to ask something. They wouldn’t answer me, though - they said your next of kin had been updated on your file, so they couldn’t tell me anything. I was just curious as to who you put down. I mean, it’s none of my business-“
“No, it’s fine,” Quinn shook her head. “I didn’t change it. Wait - two days after? That was way before Frannie showed up. And she didn’t even know I was in hospital anyway. How is that possible?”
“Frannie?”
“My sister,” Quinn filled him in on all that had happened, omitting the details she didn’t want to discuss.
“She only got into town on Saturday?”
“That’s what she told me. But who knows,” she shrugged awkwardly. “Obviously she was lying about something, or else the cops wouldn’t have brought her in. I’ll call the hospital tomorrow and ask who they have on my file. They’ve got to tell me, right?”
“That’s my understanding,” Will nodded. “So, what’s on your Christmas lists? Both of you?”
“A brain,” Quinn nodded solemnly. “One that’s not made of swiss cheese.”
“Well, I don’t celebrate Christmas,” Rachel corrected, “but my birthday is on December eighteenth, and I’ve requested a box set of Barbara Streisand on DVD.”
“Good ideas, both of you,” Will smiled, getting up. “Well, I should probably get going - Terri’s going to be wondering why it took so long to get a tire changed.”
“See you tomorrow, Mister Schue,” Rachel said, and Quinn gave him a little wave. She took a sip of her coffee and grimaced. “Cold,” she complained. “Let’s go home - we’ll microwave it and drink it while we watch TV.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was as close to a perfect night as one could hope for, Quinn thought. She wore a pair of comfortable flannel pyjamas, and she was curled up against Rachel, who wore a soft nightgown. They sipped at their coffees, and watched trashy television, and revelled in each other’s company. And when it got too late for either of them to keep their eyes open any longer, they simply turned the television off, snuggled closer together, and fell quickly asleep.
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Wednesday morning was a rushed affair - everyone seemed to take just a little bit too long to get through their morning routines, and Quinn went into her exam feeling panicked and out of sorts. It was an excruciating exam, as it turned out - a half and half mixture of multiple-choice questions and one long essay question. She left the room with a cramped hand, and a sinking feeling that the exam would be her undoing.
She convinced Figgins to let her use the office phone and called the hospital, waiting on hold for ten minutes. When she finally got through to the receptionist, she asked for the name and relationship of the next of kin listed in her file.
“Of course, Miss Fabray, one moment please.” There was the sound of typing, and then she spoke up again. “We have your mother listed as your next of kin - Judy Fabray?” Quinn was stunned, but held it together long enough to ask for her address and phone number, telling the receptionist that she was simply confirming they had the right information. “Fourteen twenty-eight Elm Street, Lima, Ohio. We have her phone number as 419-555-9276. Are those correct?”
“Yes,” Quinn managed, “thank you.” She hung up and wandered to the library in a daze. She grabbed a map of the town from the small reference desk and looked up the address she’d been given. It was too far from Rachel’s house for a quick walk, but Quinn determined she’d ask for a ride there that night. She briefly considered calling the police and letting them in on the new information, if they weren’t already, but decided against it. They hadn’t told her anything, after all.
When Rachel joined her for lunch, she was noticeably distracted, and had to apologise when she missed half of her list of Glee Club ideas.
“Perhaps we should skip the extra auditorium time - and Glee, for that matter - for today, then,” Rachel conceded when she explained what was happening. “You know, my dad gave me this,” she pulled the piece of paper with the Fabray’s address on it from her purse. “But it isn’t the same address as the one you got from the hospital.”
“The whole thing is screwed-up,” Quinn complained. “Your dads wouldn’t mind driving us over to Elm later, though?”
“No, certainly not. I do have to ask, though - what precisely do you hope to find there?
“Answers, I guess. Since the police haven’t given me any, maybe whoever’s at that house can.”
“I just-“ Rachel bit her lip. “I don’t want you getting hurt when you find out the answers. Whoever’s at that house, they might be dangerous. They might be liars, and have no answers for you at all.”
“Or it might be my mother,” Quinn countered, “and she might be able to explain all of this to me. She might be able to tell me who I am, and how I got here, and what my sister was lying about.”
“She might be the one who told your sister to lie!” Rachel insisted.
“Maybe. One way or the other, though, I need to know. Will you come with me?”
“You don’t need to ask that - of course I will.”
“Then I’ll be just fine, no matter what happens.”
James agreed to drive them, but insisted that Tom come along, and that they would wait outside in the car until they were sure the girls were safe. James also quietly called the Lima Police, but didn’t mention that to either of the girls.
They were pulled over on the way to the house, then, by two unmarked cars. James rolled down the window, and Sergeant Daniels leaned down to look through the vehicle’s window. Quinn’s eyebrows shot up.
“What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk, Quinn. Do you want to get out of the car?”
It was a strange, impromptu conference at the side of the road. There were five police officers, plus Quinn and Rachel and her two dads.
“So,” Daniels began, “you found the house.”
“Wait - you knew about this?”
“Of course we did, Quinn - do you think we didn’t check into your hospital records? We’ve had the place staked out for days now. We know your sister’s been here, but we haven’t seen anyone else come in or out.”
“Speaking of my sister-“
“I’m sorry, Quinn. Real investigations aren’t like they are on television - we can’t share everything with you, especially while it’s still ongoing. But - and I know this is unfair - we would like to ask you for a favour.”
“And what’s that?”
“We’d like you to go to that house. Knock on the door, and see who answers. I don’t think there’s actually anyone there, but we’d like to know for certain.”
“Can’t you just get a warrant?” James asked, and Daniels frowned.
“Yes - but honestly, this is faster. We have no reason to believe Quinn would be in any danger.”
“I’ll do it,” Quinn spoke up, cutting off James’ objections. “But only if Rachel can come with me.”
The house was standard fare for Lima - not palatial, not ramshackle, just an average-looking place with a decent-sized yard. The police, Quinn knew, were waiting across the street, just out of sight. Squeezing Rachel’s hand painfully tight, Quinn rang the doorbell with a shaking hand. The front door opened, revealing the woman Quinn had only seen in pictures - Judy Fabray.
“Hello, Quinnie,” she said softly. “What took you so long?”
Author: cranberry_pi
Rating: R for much angst and vague descriptions of troubling events - I'm trying not to be too specific or trigger-y with any of it
Spoilers: Up to and including 1x3 "Acafellas," but it's so AU that it's not likely to spoil anything.
Summary: AU. One morning at McKinley High, a girl who no one knows, who can't remember her own name, appears in the halls. She's short, blonde, and carrying a piece of paper that reads "Quinn Fabray."
A/N: The songs are "Umbrella" by Rihanna and "La Pared" by Shakira - sorry for the ridiculous amount of music in this chapter, it just seemed to fit...
The exam went as expected - Quinn could remember little, with the exception of a few major dates, but she hoped that she’d bluffed enough for partial credit. Exhaling loudly, she turned it in to the supervising teacher and collected another hall pass from Figgins.
Her time in the library wasn’t quite as interminable as it had been the day before, as she read through trashy magazines and rehearsed her and Rachel’s choreography in her head. Occasionally a stray thought would return her to wondering what was happening with her sister, but she quickly stamped those out in her determination to not think about it. She supposed she could be using the time to study for her next exam, but she couldn’t recall off hand what the subject was, and didn’t feel much like studying in any case.
Rachel’s arrival was a welcome distraction. “Come with me,” Rachel whispered, taking her hand. “I booked the auditorium over lunch.”
“Cool,” Quinn nodded. “Just don’t spin me too much, or I might be sick, okay?”
“I’ll keep it to a minimum,” Rachel promised.
They rehearsed for forty-five minutes, and they were both breathing heavily when Rachel decided they were as prepared as they’d get. She led Quinn to her locker, where she retrieved a couple of brown paper bags, each labelled with one of their names. Quinn nearly laughed aloud at the cute little heart drawn next to her name, regretting the previous night’s bitchiness all the more.
They sat outside, on a bench near the school’s front steps, and ate. Quinn’s lunch was very plain - a roast beef sandwich, and some crackers - which was good, as it didn’t immediately make her feel ill. As they finished, Rachel looked regretfully at her watch.
“I’ve got to run, Quinn - I don’t want to be late.”
“Have a good afternoon,” Quinn gave her a quick hug, wishing it could be more, and watched her walk back into the school. Throwing her garbage in a nearby can, she stood and stretched languidly. The sun was shining, and she wished she could be anywhere but the library. Then she learned she should be careful about wishing for things when Santana sidled up beside her, her red-and-white skirt being tossed by the light wind.
“How was the wine?” she asked, sticking to Spanish.
“Fine - thank you for supper, by the way.”
“Please,” Santana shrugged, “I get everything for half-off anyway. Did Rachel like it?”
Quinn looked intently at her, trying to gauge her reasons for asking, but couldn’t see anything untoward in her expression. “The food, yeah - the wine, less so.”
“She doesn’t strike me as a drinker. Anyway, I was looking for you - Coach Sylvester wants to see you in her office, and I wouldn’t keep her waiting.”
“For crying out loud,” Quinn complained, reverting to English. “How many times do I need to tell her I’m not interested?”
“Just think about it - Coach isn’t somebody that you want to be on the bad side of, she can make your life pretty miserable.”
“I’ll take my chances,” Quinn assured her. “I’ll go see her, though.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“So, Figgins informs me that you’ll officially be a McKinley student by the end of the week.”
“That’s the plan,” Quinn affirmed, looking around the office. It was a testament to narcissism of the highest order - packed with trophies in meticulously cleaned cases, pictures in ornate frames, all of it arranged so that one couldn’t sit across the desk and look at Sue without being overwhelmed by it.
“I’d just like you to know,” Sue’s abnormally quiet voice was a warning sign, Quinn was sure, “that I take care of my athletes. Tanning privileges, the finest equipment, guaranteed passing grades - if they want it, it’s theirs. Those placement exams you’re writing wouldn’t be an issue either.”
“That’s very comforting to know,” Quinn nodded. “But I’m not one of your athletes. And I can tell you right now, you don’t want me to be.”
“I consider myself an outstanding judge of talent,” Sue argued. “And I think you’d be an excellent addition to my squad. Take my word for it - you’ll get far more out of working with me than that loser Will Schuester and his band of knuckle-draggers.”
“That may be,” Quinn stood up. “Problem is, I like Will. And his knuckle-draggers.” With that, she turned and left the office, headed toward the library. Sue leaned back in her chair, interlacing her fingers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“You have my heart
And we'll never be worlds apart
May be in magazines
But you'll still be my star
Baby cause in the dark
You can't see shiny cars
And that's when you need me there
With you I'll always share
Because
When the sun shines, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
These fancy things, will never come in between
You're part of my entity, here for Infinity
When the war has took it's part
When the world has dealt it's cards
If the hand is hard, together we'll mend your heart
Because
When the sun shines, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
You can run into my arms
It's OK don't be alarmed
Come here to me
There's no distance in between our love
So go on and let the rain pour
I'll be all you need and more
Because
When the sun shines, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
It's raining
Ooh baby it's raining
Baby come here to me
Come here to me
It's raining
Oh baby it's raining”
Will let the Glee Club’s applause die down before he tried to speak. “Unbelievable!” he bowed down to Rachel and Quinn playfully. “You guys were terrific - the rest of you, you have an awful lot to live up to if anyone’s going to take that dinner away from them!” Quinn and Rachel embraced, and Quinn marvelled at the fact that she felt happy for the first time in days.
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“You were amazing!” Quinn gushed. “You were right - we have this in the bag.” Rachel just smiled. “Oh!” Quinn pumped her fist. “This feels fantastic. I wish we could go back in there and do that again!”
“I believe the auditorium’s still free - we could go and sing some more, if you’d like?” Rachel was overjoyed to see Quinn’s excitement, and wanted to try and keep the smile on her face for as long as possible.
“What exam do I have tomorrow?” Quinn mused. “Do I need to go home and study first?”
“English.”
“I should probably study for that,” she sighed. “Can you book us the auditorium for tomorrow afternoon, though?”
“Absolutely - how long would you like?”
“Call it an hour?” Quinn shrugged. “I just - I like this feeling, you know? It’s just so-“ she waved a hand in the air, “so cool, sharing this with you. I love watching you sing - you’re gorgeous when you’re performing.” She reached out and put a hand on the back of Rachel’s neck and started to pull her closer before she suddenly remembered that they were still on the front steps of the school. She blushed, dropping her hand. “Sorry.”
“No,” Rachel shook her head, eyes wet. “Don’t be sorry. I’ll make up for it with a very good kiss when we’ve returned home.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” Quinn promised.
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“Have la policía called?” was her first question, though, on arriving at the Berry house. “Sorry - the police, I mean.”
“I could probably have figured that one out on my own,” James teased. “I’m afraid not, Quinn.”
“How long can they keep someone for questioning?”
“Without arresting them? Seventy-two hours, I think.”
“I guess I shouldn’t hold my breath, then,” she rolled her eyes. “Come on, Rach - let’s go find out just how bad I’m going to be on this exam. They do give you credit just for speaking it, right?”
Rachel took her hand, leading her to the stairs. “You’ll be fine. I have meticulous notes you can study from.”
Two hours later, she was still sitting at Rachel’s desk, staring blankly at the handwritten pages in front of her. Rachel was doing her own homework on her bed, and the quiet was starting to get to her. She opened her mouth, not sure what was going to come out, and found there was a song waiting there. She sang it quietly, trying not to disturb Rachel.
“Eres como una predicción de las buenas
Eres como una dosis alta en las venas
Y el deseo gira en espiral
Porque mi amor por ti es total
Y es para siempre
Después de ti la pared
No me faltes nunca
Debajo el asfalto
Y mas abajo estaría yo
Después de ti la pared
No me faltes nunca
Debajo el asfalto
Y mas abajo estaría yo
Sin ti
Eres la enfermedad y el enfermero
Y ya me has convertido
En tu perro faldero
Sabes que sin ti
Ya yo no soy
Sabes que a donde vayas voy
Naturalmente
Después de ti la pared
No me faltes nunca
Debajo el asfalto
Y mas abajo estaría yo
Después de ti la pared
No me faltes nunca
Debajo el asfalto
Y mas abajo estaría yo
Sin ti”
“That was beautiful,” Rachel whispered from behind her, and she jumped.
“Sorry - I was trying not to bother you.”
“I was finished my own work anyway - I was only waiting to see how much longer you were going to tap that pencil on my desk and pretend to be studying.”
Quinn blushed. “Was it that obvious?”
“Quite. Do you think you’re ready?”
“I don’t know,” Quinn ran a hand through her hair. “But studying’s not doing any good now, so I’m fine with quitting. You still owe me a kiss, after all. That is, if you forgive me for being dumb last night.”
Rachel stared at her with a look of mock surprise. “You know, I think you’re right - I do still owe you. That will have to be rectified immediately, as I would hate to be in your debt for an egregious amount of time.”
“Sometimes,” Quinn grinned as Rachel turned her chair away from the desk, “I think you just use big words because you like to confuse me.”
Rachel didn’t answer, choosing instead to straddle Quinn’s lap. Quinn moaned, low in her throat, as Rachel leaned in and pressed her lips to hers. The kiss was soft and gentle, their lips barely touching at first. Then Rachel’s hand buried itself in Quinn’s hair, using the grip to pull her closer and press their lips more firmly together. When she pulled away, they were both breathing hard. “I hope that’s sufficient payment of my debt?”
Quinn couldn’t answer, so she settled for nodding enthusiastically. “Good,” Rachel grinned, climbing off of her. “Now, if the smell from downstairs is any indication, dinner is nearly ready. Shall we?”
Quinn took her hand, smiling ruefully. “You’re going to kill me, you know.”
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“You know,” Quinn spoke up after almost five minutes of silence at the table, “if anyone wants to talk, it’s okay. Really. I’m not going to freak out if somebody brings up my sister, or my baby, or anything - I promise.”
“Sorry,” Tom smiled. “We just didn’t want to-“
“I know. It wouldn’t be the first time I freaked out, I get it. But really, let’s just have some dinner table conversation like normal folks, okay?”
“How did your exam go this morning, Quinn?” James took the initiative.
“Well, if I scraped through, I’ll be happy. Whatever education I’ve got, U.S. History wasn’t much of it.”
“I’m sure you did fine,” Rachel assured her.
“What about you guys?” Quinn addressed James and Tom. “How were your days?”
“Fine, sweetheart, thank you,” Tom answered for them both. “And you, Rachel?”
“I had an excellent day. Quinn and I performed a duet for Glee Club today, and I think we’re going to win the intra-club competition for a dinner for two.”
“That’s great,” James congratulated them. “I don’t doubt you two could take on anyone. How’s your morning sickness been, Quinn?”
“Whoever called it that was a horrible liar, because it happens all day long,” Quinn complained. “It’s been fine today, actually - yesterday I was ralphing every couple of hours.”
“It’s a good sign, though,” Tom assured her. “For the pregnancy, I mean.”
“I’m sure it is,” Quinn agreed. “Doesn’t mean it’s much fun.”
“I don’t doubt it. You’re keeping crackers with you at school?”
“Yep - Rachel’s googled every pregnancy site on the web now, so I’m sure I’m prepared,” Quinn smiled at her. “If she knew any more, she could be my doctor and save me the time.”
“I simply like to be thorough,” Rachel protested.
“I think it’s cute,” Quinn promised, leaning over to kiss her cheek. James cleared his throat. “Sorry,” she blushed brightly.
“Not at all. Who’d like some dessert?”
“I’m kind of stuffed, actually,” Quinn patted her stomach. “But I’d kill for a coffee.”
“If you’d care for a walk,” Rachel offered, “we can go to Starbucks.”
“Sure - did you guys want some help with the dishes before we go?”
James shook his head. “We need to stand up for a while anyway - you girls go ahead.”
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“Why did you order me decaf?” Quinn complained.
“Because you shouldn’t be having caffeine,” Rachel insisted. She looked over Quinn’s shoulder and her eyebrow shot up. “Mister Schue?” she asked, loudly. Quinn turned around and, sure enough, there was Will Schuester, sitting alone at a booth in the back. He waved, and Rachel wandered over as Quinn grabbed their coffees.
“Hi, Rachel,” he greeted her. “Quinn - how are you?”
“I’m good, Mister Schue, thanks. What are you doing here?”
“Actually, I was out doing some Christmas shopping, and wanted to stop for a latte.”
“Christmas shopping?” Quinn raised an eyebrow. “It’s October.”
“Well, I like to be done early. Sit down, you two, please.” They did, sliding into the chairs across from him. “Quinn - I’ve been meaning to ask you something, but school didn’t seem like the time or place. A couple days after I took you to the hospital, I called them to ask something. They wouldn’t answer me, though - they said your next of kin had been updated on your file, so they couldn’t tell me anything. I was just curious as to who you put down. I mean, it’s none of my business-“
“No, it’s fine,” Quinn shook her head. “I didn’t change it. Wait - two days after? That was way before Frannie showed up. And she didn’t even know I was in hospital anyway. How is that possible?”
“Frannie?”
“My sister,” Quinn filled him in on all that had happened, omitting the details she didn’t want to discuss.
“She only got into town on Saturday?”
“That’s what she told me. But who knows,” she shrugged awkwardly. “Obviously she was lying about something, or else the cops wouldn’t have brought her in. I’ll call the hospital tomorrow and ask who they have on my file. They’ve got to tell me, right?”
“That’s my understanding,” Will nodded. “So, what’s on your Christmas lists? Both of you?”
“A brain,” Quinn nodded solemnly. “One that’s not made of swiss cheese.”
“Well, I don’t celebrate Christmas,” Rachel corrected, “but my birthday is on December eighteenth, and I’ve requested a box set of Barbara Streisand on DVD.”
“Good ideas, both of you,” Will smiled, getting up. “Well, I should probably get going - Terri’s going to be wondering why it took so long to get a tire changed.”
“See you tomorrow, Mister Schue,” Rachel said, and Quinn gave him a little wave. She took a sip of her coffee and grimaced. “Cold,” she complained. “Let’s go home - we’ll microwave it and drink it while we watch TV.”
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It was as close to a perfect night as one could hope for, Quinn thought. She wore a pair of comfortable flannel pyjamas, and she was curled up against Rachel, who wore a soft nightgown. They sipped at their coffees, and watched trashy television, and revelled in each other’s company. And when it got too late for either of them to keep their eyes open any longer, they simply turned the television off, snuggled closer together, and fell quickly asleep.
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Wednesday morning was a rushed affair - everyone seemed to take just a little bit too long to get through their morning routines, and Quinn went into her exam feeling panicked and out of sorts. It was an excruciating exam, as it turned out - a half and half mixture of multiple-choice questions and one long essay question. She left the room with a cramped hand, and a sinking feeling that the exam would be her undoing.
She convinced Figgins to let her use the office phone and called the hospital, waiting on hold for ten minutes. When she finally got through to the receptionist, she asked for the name and relationship of the next of kin listed in her file.
“Of course, Miss Fabray, one moment please.” There was the sound of typing, and then she spoke up again. “We have your mother listed as your next of kin - Judy Fabray?” Quinn was stunned, but held it together long enough to ask for her address and phone number, telling the receptionist that she was simply confirming they had the right information. “Fourteen twenty-eight Elm Street, Lima, Ohio. We have her phone number as 419-555-9276. Are those correct?”
“Yes,” Quinn managed, “thank you.” She hung up and wandered to the library in a daze. She grabbed a map of the town from the small reference desk and looked up the address she’d been given. It was too far from Rachel’s house for a quick walk, but Quinn determined she’d ask for a ride there that night. She briefly considered calling the police and letting them in on the new information, if they weren’t already, but decided against it. They hadn’t told her anything, after all.
When Rachel joined her for lunch, she was noticeably distracted, and had to apologise when she missed half of her list of Glee Club ideas.
“Perhaps we should skip the extra auditorium time - and Glee, for that matter - for today, then,” Rachel conceded when she explained what was happening. “You know, my dad gave me this,” she pulled the piece of paper with the Fabray’s address on it from her purse. “But it isn’t the same address as the one you got from the hospital.”
“The whole thing is screwed-up,” Quinn complained. “Your dads wouldn’t mind driving us over to Elm later, though?”
“No, certainly not. I do have to ask, though - what precisely do you hope to find there?
“Answers, I guess. Since the police haven’t given me any, maybe whoever’s at that house can.”
“I just-“ Rachel bit her lip. “I don’t want you getting hurt when you find out the answers. Whoever’s at that house, they might be dangerous. They might be liars, and have no answers for you at all.”
“Or it might be my mother,” Quinn countered, “and she might be able to explain all of this to me. She might be able to tell me who I am, and how I got here, and what my sister was lying about.”
“She might be the one who told your sister to lie!” Rachel insisted.
“Maybe. One way or the other, though, I need to know. Will you come with me?”
“You don’t need to ask that - of course I will.”
“Then I’ll be just fine, no matter what happens.”
James agreed to drive them, but insisted that Tom come along, and that they would wait outside in the car until they were sure the girls were safe. James also quietly called the Lima Police, but didn’t mention that to either of the girls.
They were pulled over on the way to the house, then, by two unmarked cars. James rolled down the window, and Sergeant Daniels leaned down to look through the vehicle’s window. Quinn’s eyebrows shot up.
“What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk, Quinn. Do you want to get out of the car?”
It was a strange, impromptu conference at the side of the road. There were five police officers, plus Quinn and Rachel and her two dads.
“So,” Daniels began, “you found the house.”
“Wait - you knew about this?”
“Of course we did, Quinn - do you think we didn’t check into your hospital records? We’ve had the place staked out for days now. We know your sister’s been here, but we haven’t seen anyone else come in or out.”
“Speaking of my sister-“
“I’m sorry, Quinn. Real investigations aren’t like they are on television - we can’t share everything with you, especially while it’s still ongoing. But - and I know this is unfair - we would like to ask you for a favour.”
“And what’s that?”
“We’d like you to go to that house. Knock on the door, and see who answers. I don’t think there’s actually anyone there, but we’d like to know for certain.”
“Can’t you just get a warrant?” James asked, and Daniels frowned.
“Yes - but honestly, this is faster. We have no reason to believe Quinn would be in any danger.”
“I’ll do it,” Quinn spoke up, cutting off James’ objections. “But only if Rachel can come with me.”
The house was standard fare for Lima - not palatial, not ramshackle, just an average-looking place with a decent-sized yard. The police, Quinn knew, were waiting across the street, just out of sight. Squeezing Rachel’s hand painfully tight, Quinn rang the doorbell with a shaking hand. The front door opened, revealing the woman Quinn had only seen in pictures - Judy Fabray.
“Hello, Quinnie,” she said softly. “What took you so long?”