Little Duckling: Prologue/?
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters represented in this fiction. They are the property of FOX and Ryan Murphy, et al.
Summary: AU. Ugly duckling Lucy Fabray was picked on and bullied during her childhood years. When her family moves across the country, she sees it as a chance to start anew. Resurrected as gorgeous Hollywood swan and A-lister Quinn Lucas, she has retreated into herself, fortified behind a façade of cool aloofness. However, when Fate steps in with a blast from the past, it just might be enough to coax an Ice Queen from her castle.
Rating: T overall, some M-rated chapters in the future.
Pairing: Quinn/Rachel; Brittany/Santana
Alright, this is my first multi-chapter attempt, and I guess a pretty ambitious one. As the summary suggests, this is an AU story, so things have progressed a bit differently than was stated in the canon we all know and love; the changes will be pretty evident as the story continues.
At the core, of course, this is a Faberry story with heavy emphasis on the relationships the characters share. The plot will focus on evolution from both Rachel's and Quinn's perspectives, a journey that will be paralleled with the film's storyline.
Hope you enjoy!
LITTLE DUCKLING
PROLOGUE
Lucy Fabray ducked her head down, clutching tight to the straps of her backpack as she shuffled along the hall. She tried to stay invisible, shrinking close to the lockers, attempting to disappear into the crowd, hoping that no one would notice her.
No such luck.
"Hey, hey! Lookie who we have here!"
She wasn't sure who decided it, but it seemed that the most popular guy absolutely had to be a star athlete, irritatingly good-looking, and the biggest asshat in the world - at least in her experience. Denny Campbell was no exception. The large, muscular boy always seemed to have some sort of radar when it came to her and took great pride in making her life nothing short of hell. The quarterback approached her, flanked by a lineman and his girlfriend, head cheerleader Sadie Mitchell. She cringed, knowing full well what the friendly look on Denny's handsome face meant.
Lucy tensed as a heavy arm landed roughly across her shoulders. To most, the gesture would have seemed friendly, genial. Lucy knew better.
"Hiya, Lucy Caboosey!"
An insipid giggle flew from Sadie's mouth. Lucy despised her just as much as her lunkhead boyfriend. The head cheerleader had the intelligence of a gnat, and Cheerleader Barbie had a whole army of like-minded idiots to do her bidding to completely harass and humiliate one Lucy Fabray.
Denny continued the conversation, not minding the silence of his companion, the leather sleeve of his letterman's jacket chafing against Lucy's neck. "You know, Lucy Caboosey, I've been thinking." Denny meandered along, pretending to do so. Lucy seriously doubted his abilities. "I've stuffed you into a garbage can, I've stuffed you into the laundry cart, and I've hung you from the coat rack of the chemistry lab, but what I haven't done in awhile is stuff you into a locker." He grinned, a blinding flash of white teeth.
"It's rather rude of me, don't you think?"
A contradiction to the statement wouldn't have done her any good, and Denny lifted Lucy bodily, her legs dangling a foot off the floor. The lineman opened the door to a nearby empty locker, and Denny walked her over. With very little fanfare, he pushed her in, at least offering the courtesy to help her duck down.
"Whoop, watch your head, Lucy Caboosey! We hope your stay at the Locker Hotel, Suite 243 is pleasant."
With a friendly grin, Denny slammed the locker shut. She could hear their laughter as they continued down the hall.
Lucy sighed, laying her head against the slats filtering light into the cramped space she had been so unceremoniously stuffed into. She started knocking on the door, hoping some generous soul would help her.
At least this locker didn't smell like tuna fish like the last one. She hated tuna fish.
* * *
KANE CASTS UNKNOWN IN NEW SERIES
New face leads comedy on NBC
Quinn Lucas is the new name on Hollywood's lips. Tessa Kane, creator of perennial ratings juggernaut On the Hill has named the virtually unknown actress as the lead for her new scripted show Queen of Babble based on the book series by Meg Cabot, author of the Princess Diaries novels.
Queen of Babble follows Lizzie Nichols, a recent college graduate ready to chase her dreams. But Lizzie Nichols has one fatal flaw: she can't keep her mouth shut to save her life. Navigating through the trials and tribulations of the real world and life, she struggles to keep secrets buried for the sake of her friends and family…if not her sanity.
Lucas will be joined by Pierce Olivier as Luke, Lizzie's French summer fling, and Kayla McKenzie as Shari, Lizzie's best friend.
The grounds of Theodore Roosevelt High School bustled with the chaos of the morning. Students filled every inch of the hallway, spilling out onto the courtyard and rest of the grounds. The cacophony of slamming locker doors mingled the low hum of chatter. All movement seemed to stop and all noise seemed to dim to white noise when the doors flew open and Quinn Fabray entered the building.
She glided through the halls, head held high, cold hazel eyes fixated on the path ahead but not seeing. She didn't need to shove her way through the masses; the masses parted in her wake. Stares followed her as she moved graceful and sure. There was a potent aura surrounding her, an untouchable force field that repelled all who attempted to approach. Only one was brave enough. Only one had the privilege, and he did so, nudging her with a shoulder. She smiled at him. It was nothing more than a quirk of the lips but it was a smile nonetheless.
They were an odd pair. She was the ethereal, aloof beauty. He was the lanky, gawky nerd. But, to the consternation of the populous, they got along famously. He was her closest friend.
It seemed to defy the very principles of high school hierarchy, but Quinn Fabray was different than the rest of the popular elite. A girl that painfully beautiful should be a raging bitch; but she wasn't. If anything, she was indifferent to her popularity and held a weird soft spot for the misfits of the school. She had a habit of standing up for the little man, something that seemed to irk the rest of the food chain. But from the moment Quinn Fabray had stepped into the halls of Theodore Roosevelt, she had shirked the norm. She certainly was different.
A lot different.
* * *
'QUEEN' NEW RATINGS ROYALTY
Police procedural bows to new comedy
Police procedural and ratings darling Code Blue has finally been unseated as America's top show.
The culprit? Tessa Kane's new comedy Queen of Babble.
Ripe with young talent, including emerging star Quinn Lucas, the newest ratings royalty melds infectious, quirky humor with engaging storylines that have left critics and viewers alike hanging onto Lizzie Nichols' every babbling word. NBC has already ordered a full second season, and there is slight Emmy buzz surrounding the show and cast.
No one is surprised with this development as Queen of Babble has steadily been gathering more and more viewers each week as people continue to tune into the latest Lizzie Nichols' caper, and it's only time before series star Quinn Lucas can be seen in an even grander scale.
Quinn Fabray leaned back against the cushion of the chair in the middle of the coffee shop serving as her study space. Barely two weeks into the quarter of her second year of USC, and she already felt burned out. Quinn sighed, flipping through her textbook to the appropriate chapter, her eyes flicking from the print to the notebook covered by a litany of scrawled ballpoint markings and highlighter slashes. Not for the first time, she questioned if not for the sheer amount of reading required by her professors.
A leg jostled her knee, disrupting the book perched atop of it, and adding an unneeded underline below her first line of notes concerning the "social contract" ideal. Quinn looked up to see a professional-looking woman balancing a cup of coffee atop a stack of papers, her free hand holding the handle of a leather satchel alternatively slung from her shoulder.
"I beg your pardon."
"It's okay," Quinn assured the woman, shifting so her knee wasn't so far out. "Nothing hurt." She showed the mess that served as her notes. "Blends right in."
The woman smiled her thanks before her clear green eyes perused the seated Quinn shrewdly. As Quinn returned her attention to her book, the woman continued to stare at her. It was becoming a bit unnerving, and Quinn cocked an eyebrow.
"Can I help you?"
The woman sank into the seat across from her, emerald eyes boring into her intensely. "Has anyone ever told you that you have a classic beauty?"
Taken aback, Quinn shifted in her seat, gaze narrowing suspiciously. "Not lately, but thank you for the compliment."
"You're welcome." The woman scrutinized her in a way Quinn hadn't experienced since high school. She took a thoughtful sip of her coffee. "You have a face that would look great on television."
Quinn snorted, flipping a page in her book. "And let me guess, you're gonna be the one who gets me there?"
The woman straightened, the gesture flirting with the line between confident and arrogant. "You're damn right. What's your name? Can you act?"
There was something in the woman's voice that made Quinn pause, eyes snapping back to her elder, unsolicited companion. "Wait, seriously?"
"Seriously." The woman reached into her satchel, withdrawing a card from a leather case.
Quinn grasped the offering, reading the elegantly stenciled name. "Grace Carson." This time, Quinn's cool hazel eyes scanned the woman before her, closely scrutinizing. "You really are for real."
Grace crossed her legs, adopting a casual pose, one hand coming up to flick through salt-and-pepper hair cut in a stylish bob. "I sure am. Now can I get a name for this face that will be on billboards?"
"Quinn Fabray."
"Well, Quinn Fabray, it was a pleasure meeting you." Grace Carson's lips curled up in satisfaction. "Give me a call."
Quinn looked down at the card, frowning thoughtfully. Acting, huh? Well, it wasn't like she hadn't been doing just that for the last five years.
* * *
QUINN LUCAS TO STAR IN NEW KELLER DRAMA
Lucas makes the jump to the big screen in military film
In a casting move that surprised absolutely no one, Hollywood It-Boy Christian Keller announced Quinn Lucas of the highly successful NBC series Queen of Babble would be his leading lady in his highly anticipated next film, Duty and Honor. This marks the first jump to the big screen for Lucas, a virtual unknown before helming the Kane comedy-romance series that has overtaken the airwaves.
This time around, Keller is hitting the more controversial notes with a drama focusing on Sloane Gerard, an American Marine fresh from a tour of duty, as she lives an out life in her Midwestern suburb for the first time since Don't Ask Don't Tell has been repealed. As she attempts to assimilate to civilian life once again, Sloane finds herself intrigued by the owner of the new bakery in town and struggles between her hidden past and her prospective future as an openly gay soldier. No word yet on who is playing opposite Lucas.
Lucas will return for a second season of her hit series Queen of Babble set to premiere in the fall.
Quinn exited the taxicab, striding into the building. She looked around at the sheer opulence of the innards and shook her head. Chris Keller sure didn't do things by halves.
"Hi, welcome to Shaolin Studios. How may I help you?" The pretty brunette receptionist raised her head, eyes widening as she took in the woman standing on the other side of the desk. "Oh my God! I love your show!"
"Thanks. It's always nice to meet a fan." She nodded to the receptionist. "I'm here for the Chris Keller table read."
"Name, please?" Even though the young girl obviously knew who she was, Quinn knew it was just protocol.
"Quinn," she answered. "Quinn Lucas."
MILLIE TO RETURN TO BROADWAY IN REVIVAL
Boasts cast full of new talent
It's been a long time coming, but the 2002 Tony winner for Best Musical, is finally getting its revival. Thoroughly Modern Millie, set to reclaim its former home at the Marquise Theatre, finally has its Millie Dillmount. That woman is Rachel Berry, director Tony Langella announced this morning.
In the much anticipated revival of one modern woman's quest for love in the Roarin' Twenties, new talent Rachel Berry has been named the headliner to this fan favorite. In her final year at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Berry is set to take this new production on her shoulders. Berry is joined by rising Broadway heartthrob Brady Shaw as Jimmy Smith and veteran Marcus Kantor as Trevor Graydon, III. Previews are scheduled to begin in late March.
GIMME, GIMME!
Critics and theatergoers can't get enough of Rachel Berry
The roof of the Marquis Theatre is still intact, but if it weren't, that would be the doing of one Miss Rachel Berry. In her Broadway debut as Millie Dillmount, the "modern" woman looking for love, Rachel Berry has defied all expectation and emerged as the bona fide star of the production. Critics and theatergoers alike are raving about the pint-sized diva with the tremendous voice belting through showstoppers like "Gimme Gimme" and dancing her way through "Forget About the Boy."
The Tony buzz has begun for this remarkable revival, and no one can deny that it has strengthened to a roar with anticipated nominations for the musical, the direction, and Rachel Berry for Lead Actress. Needless to say, it is pretty apparent that Rachel Berry has cemented herself as the latest Broadway talent.
BROADWAY WORLD'S FRESH FACE:
Rachel Berry
Age: 23
Currently: Starring as Millie Dillmouth in the revival of Thoroughly Modern Millie
Hometown: Lima, Ohio
Written in the Stars: "When I was younger, I placed gold star stickers after my name. I meant it as a metaphor, and it kind of became my thing.
Only in New York: Berry has had her eye on the Great White Way since she was young, but it was far from easy. "I faced a lot of adversity growing up," she laments. "I wasn't shy about stating my goals and I was certainly very bullheaded when it came to them. It would have been easy to stay in the small town and settle, but my dads liked to say I was too big to stay in a Bean. I was meant for an Apple." As for the rigors of such belting numbers such as "Gimme Gimme"? "'Don't Rain on My Parade' has been my signature song since I was four," she admits sheepishly. "No offense to Sutton Foster, but if I can handle Barbra, I can handle anything!"
The Radio City Music Hall was packed to the brim with the elite of Broadway performers for the most prestigious award show of the Great White Way. Since the beginning of the season, Tony Award buzz had been flaring up as new shows opened, but the most prominent of said buzz centered around the revival of Thoroughly Modern Millieand the woman who helmed the new smash production. As the date loomed, critics, theatergoers, and performers waited anxiously for the evening in early June when erstwhile predictions would either be verified or refuted.
As the A-list of Broadway stars gathered together to celebrate the best of the best, the evening wore on, and the prior award announcements proved to be relatively unsurprising. It seemed evident that everyone in attendance knew exactly which award fueled the most anticipation. Finally, Sutton Foster and Gavin Creel took the stage to present the award for Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical.
Sutton Foster smiled as her former costar read through the introductory monologue and the nominees. She uttered the words everyone had been waiting for.
"And the Tony Award goes to…"
Gavin Creel opened the envelope, reading the contents. "Rachel Berry, Thoroughly Modern Millie."
The spotlight panned the audience until it settled on the starlet in question. Rachel froze, processing for the barest of moments, and she rose, the action more from Santana's insistent hand rather than her own power. Finally, comprehension smacked her solidly across the face, and she broke into a beaming smile, turning to hug her friend before turning towards the aisle and making her way up to the stage.
With shaking hands, she accepted the award, hugging the two presenters before her. Slightly unsteadily, she approached the microphone.
"Oh, goodness…" Rachel looked down at the trophy, unsure of whether or not it was real. "Practicing in front of my bedroom mirror when I was ten surely never felt like this, and I could never make the tinfoil trophies this heavy." She broke, reaching out to spin the medallion, giggling to herself, and shrugged. "I'm sorry, I had to." She allowed the twittering laughs to sound, giving herself time to regain her composure. "Firstly, I'd like to thank my amazing cast and crew. To B and S for taking me under their wing and giving me some iron to my chin. To my parents, thank you for indulging a little girl an impossible dream and allowing that dream to bloom. To everyone behind the scenes, management, agents, to the fans, thank you, just thank you."
BERRY HITS CHICAGO
Rachel Berry to appear as Roxie Hart for limited engagement
From one hit to another, Rachel Berry will be heading just down the street to headline another Broadway smash. This time around, Berry will be to slip on a pair of prison fatigues at the Cook County Jail as Roxie Hart for a limited engagement starting at the end of the month.
A relative newcomer to the Great White Way, Berry notched her Broadway debut with the revival of Thoroughly Modern Millie, a production that netted her a Tony Award for her performance as Millie Dillmount.
Berry will be joining Tara McElroy as Velma Kelly and Tony-winner Justin Westbrook as Billy Flynn.
Rachel Berry nodded to the security guard as he opened the stage door, smiling brightly in thanks. Her smile only widened as she was greeted by a throng of dedicated fans waiting behind the barrier. She waved happily, beginning to work her way down the line. It became a routine - take a Playbill, sign her name, pose for a picture - but it never got old.
She stopped in front of a young girl held aloft by her grinning father, her little feet balanced on the top rail of the barrier, and took the Playbill offered to her.
"You were wonderful tonight, Miss Berry," the girl said shyly.
"Thank you, sweetie." Rachel smiled. The little girls were the best ones. "What's your name?"
"Heidi." She smiled a gap-toothed smile. "I want to be just like you when I grow up. I want to be on Broadway too."
"Well, let me let you in on my little secret," Rachel answered. "If you want to be a star, you gotta reach for the stars and never let anyone bring you down." She finished her signature with a large star and handed it back to the young girl with a wink. "Good luck, little star."
Rachel looked out to the masses of people clamoring for pictures and autographs, waving Playbills and posters in her direction and couldn't help but beam. She had been that little girl not too long ago, and there was certainly truth to her words; after all, it had been the principles she had lived by. She took one more look. Yes, this certainly was a long way from Lima, Ohio.
Sloane Gerard walked down Main Street, her hands in her pockets. She rotated her head slowly, taking in the sights of her hometown. It was too…quiet. Too still. She felt out of place in this town. To be honest, she never really fit in to begin with.
Where Mike Brown's flower shop used to be was a quaint little bakery. 'Sweet Rose Bakery' was the name adorned on the sign. The smells emanating from the door drew her in like a moth to flame, and before she knew it, Sloane had eclipsed the threshold, hovering by the tables, looking at the displays. Everything looked so…good.
"You know, they taste even better than they look."
Sloane's head snapped up, and she found herself staring into a pair of bright green eyes. She felt her jaw sag, her vision panning out to take in the gorgeous face and flowing blonde hair.
"But, you know, I am kind of biased." The woman looked at her expectantly. "Can I get you anything?"
Sloane started from the beauty-induced coma. "Oh, uh, sorry. I was just curious." She gestured weakly to the sign outside the door. "This is new. Mike Brown's used to be here."
The blonde waves shimmered as the woman nodded. "Yeah, but then Mike won the lottery then decided to retire to Coco Beach."
"Oh…" Sloane murmured lamely. "I, uh, didn't know that. It's been awhile since I've been back here." She stuck out a hand. "Sloane Gerard."
"Mia St. Claire." The blonde smirked, twirling a strand of her hair around a finger. "And eight years, five months, and twenty-two days to be exact," Mia recited. At Sloane's amused expression, Mia shrugged. "People talk when the prodigal daughter returns."
"Great," Sloane mumbled, eyes dropping down, hands sliding deeper into her pockets. "That's exactly what I didn't want to happen."
Mia bit her lip, rotating coyly. "Might have done you better not to have waltzed into town for the first time in eight years with the uniform then, huh?"
"CUT! Wait, wait, stop." Christian Keller stood from his chair, moving towards the two actresses. "Jennifer, you're supposed to be more friendly, more open. You're not trying to seduce Sloane just yet. You're genuinely just curious about her. Let's try this again. From the introductions."
Chris waited as the two actresses took their marks, the camera crew rotating around back to their positions.
"And, ACTION!"
"Oh…" Sloane ducked her head, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "I, uh, didn't know that." She shrugged. "It's been awhile since I've been back here." She cautiously extended a hand. "Sloane Gerard."
"Mia St. Claire." The blonde held on longer than necessary. "And eight years, five months, and twenty two days to be exact." Mia leaned forward, arms bracing on the counter, her cleavage on full display. "People talk when the prodigal daughter returns."
"CUT!"
Chris closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. He didn't have to look around to see the apprehension on the rest of the crew's face. One didn't have to be a seasoned director to comprehend that there was a weak link in this pairing. If this movie wasn't going to completely flop, he had to do something.
"Uh…" Chris ducked his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You know, guys, I think we're gonna call it today. I've got to rework this scene."
Ben Brantley, the film's producer, waited for the set to clear out before turning to Chris. "You really want to rework the scene? I thought it was fine as is."
"I don't have to rework anything," Chris dismissed with a snort. "This isn't working." He gestured to the doorway Jennifer Wolfe disappeared through. "She's not working."
Ben nodded, hands fidgeting anxiously with the script in his hands. "There's a clear separation in acting ability and there's absolutely no chemistry; there's no connection."
Chris nodded his agreement, grabbing his notes. "What the hell was I thinking?" he grumbled, running a hand through his light brown hair.
"She had a good screen test and there was something appealing about her," Ben tried to reason as they walked towards a conference room to meet with the rest of the production team to try and find a solution to this problem. "Just so happens once you put her with Quinn…"
"The vapid shallowness becomes more apparent," Chris finished. "Yeah, I know." He nudged his glasses up his nose and flipped through the newspaper he finally had a chance to read now that he had a break. "We need someone that will look like she can stand beside Quinn and not look completely outclassed."
"Yeah, someone who would shine just as bright as her," Ben concurred.
Chris nodded absently. "We need someone like…" he trailed off, staring at the front-page Features section of the New York Times. More specifically, his eyes dropped down to the article splashed across the front page boasting the title, "Shine Bright, Little Star" and a picture of a brunette, her physical stature miniscule amidst her cast-mates, but her talent larger than life even in the black and white of the photo. He had seen Rachel Berry perform before, and she had been absolutely mesmerizing.
A calculating frown played at the corners of his mouth as his clear, gray eyes sparkled, flitting over the content of the article, absorbing the words. Around him, the production team chattered, offering out their opinions towards the direction of the film.
"Hmmm…"
Chapter 1
And done. I hope you all enjoyed the prologue. As you can see, it was pretty much setting the stage for the story to come. This will definitely be a theme within the story - snippets of the movie interspersed with flashbacks - but the bulk of the plot and story will occur in real time. Next up, we will see how Chris Keller deals with his new casting problem and get a bit of a glimpse into Quinn's background and her life now. Rachel also makes an appearance as well. As always, let me know what you think!
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