Started my daily ficlets to make the
hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a
second cycle. Now entering the seventh through ninth weeks, here comes cycle 3 of my gleekathon!
Today is my 50th daily ficlet! It's already twice as much as this was originally planned out to be, which was just three weeks to cover the hiatus, and it has become so much more to me. I couldn't have done that without all the support of you guys who have taken the time to read and comment on these stories. There have been days where it's been so crazy, with university and all, that I wasn't sure I'd get the story done in time, but you guys pulled me through it :) Couldn't have done it without all your being awesome, so in acknowledgment of that, I wanted to thank...
_shaomao_ -
_takemeaway_ -
abyssica -
acidic_ram3n -
allstarzs -
amehanashi -
amentina202 -
anomalousanna -
aseret_kitsune -
balcony_scene -
berryquinn -
bozothemoose -
cailet_06 -
char_arch -
chase_austenfan -
chuckney -
clockwork_jo -
cordy_jay -
dbpchick -
devexation -
digitalviolets -
duckgirlie -
editornia -
enslaved_cullen -
firestar007 -
fishery -
gnrbu -
greyelveneyes -
haithurleah -
hanshi_woaini -
headswedance -
inthefamily -
ion_bond -
ipickquinn -
jelly_belly99 -
karenknismesis -
kasiunia0504 -
la_tante -
little_poo_pod -
lizetm -
lovelycudy -
lunamystik -
madisonpassion -
madndizzee -
maniacal_x3 -
masagoroll -
maureenans -
megan_moonlight -
mello_bello_91 -
mollivanders -
mrslvttspies -
mrspiccoloswife -
mrtoulouse -
n0m_de_plum -
phelipa -
provacateur617 -
puguita -
renimar -
reverie_405 -
rosiejoh -
saxa246 -
scottish_play -
sil3nts -
sparrabethx -
storywriter84 -
sullyvann -
swimgurl50 -
takobob -
tranquil_eyes -
unposed -
visiblemarket -
vivere -
voodoochild_101 -
wanderinghope -
wildchild111 -
x_thatcrazygirl -
xbirdseyeviewx - ANONYMOUS (x3)
And now on to the story of the day...
"BEAMS & RAYS"
Sequel to
Divergence and
SunshineYoung Rachel & Quinn
They may have been short, but they were ‘big girls,’ like Pop would say. More than that, they were… mighty. They had their tutus on - Rachel in red and Quinn in blue. But that wasn’t enough, not when it came to the All-Mighty Sunshine Girls.
Rachel complemented her outfit with tap shoes and a cape to become ‘Beams.’ For her part, Quinn slipped on a pair of long gloves and her very special tiara, turning into ‘Rays.’ Together, Beams and Rays, dressed for duty, went around their fair town - be it Rachel’s house or Quinn’s - looking for people in need of a little sunshine.
In their four-year-old minds, their appraisal of their talents at subtlety was slightly uneven. But this was just as well. Their ‘quiet’ approach allowed for them to give their targets a moment to ever-dramatically present themselves in need of their sunny power.
So far that day, at Quinn’s house, they had given Quinn’s sister a boost, and now they were on patrol for someone else to help. They came upon Mr. Fabray in the living room, reading the newspaper. The girls stopped just outside the living room, looking in. They shared a look, just missing out seeing the smirk on Mr. Fabray’s face. When they looked back, he gave a big sigh, drawing the girls’ attention an inch closer. Mr. Fabray kicked up his sad clown act, leaning his chin against his fist and resting his elbow on the arm rest before repeating the sigh.
The Sunshine Girls retreated for a plan of action. Up in Quinn’s room, the duo ducked into ‘HQ,’ which consisted of a blanket pinned to create a tent - there was a similar set-up at Rachel’s.
“We have to help my dad, Beams!” Quinn nodded, holding on to her tiara so it wouldn’t fall off.
“Don’t worry, Rays,” Rachel nodded firmly, giving her foot a couple taps. Her face scrunched up, deep in thought, as Quinn waited around by poking at her blue tutu. Finally Rachel’s face lit up with excitement and an idea. “Song!” she yelped. Quinn shushed, and Rachel looked around. “Song,” she repeated with a whisper.
“How?” Quinn asked, curious.
“Dad said… He said…” she tried to recall the words. “A song… a song opens the heart… heart, and… and lets all that… you feel go inside,” she nodded happily as she finished. Quinn giggled at this. “That’s what he needs.”
“You’re right,” Quinn nodded. “He needs lots and lots of sunshine.”
“We can do it,” Rachel presented her hand with a grin. Quinn grinned back, pressing her own hand against Rachel’s to create their call sign. “Come on,” she grabbed Quinn’s hand and pulled her out of HQ.
“What song do we do?” Again, Rachel gave the question some deep thought.
“What does he like?” she asked, after her thoughts didn’t produce an idea. Now it was Quinn’s turn to think. After a few seconds, she gave a nod.
“My mom knows,” she affirmed. Rachel adjusted her cape. Quinn grinned, fixing her gloves.
“Let’s go, Rays!” she called, running off to find Mrs. Fabray. Quinn followed right behind her. Rachel’s tap shoes clicked maniacally across the floor as the girls ran. They came to a stop when they found Quinn’s mother in the kitchen.
“Mommy!” Quinn squealed, dashing up to her, standing at the counter, cutting vegetables.
“’Mommy?’ Me?” Mrs. Fabray put down the knife before crouching down to her daughter’s eye level. “Aren’t you that sunny hero, Rays?” she observed her closely. “Are you my Quinny?” she looked her over. Quinn gasped.
“No, no… Rays, that’s me!” she stepped back, waved Rachel over.
“And Beams, hello,” Mrs. Fabray greeted her. “What can I do for you girls?” she asked with a smile. The two shared a look.
“What’s a song for Dad… uh… for… him?” Quinn waved her arms in the general direction of the living room. Mrs. Fabray nodded, knowing immediately.
“Well… If you seen Quinn,” she played, and the girls giggled. “Tell her to think about the song he danced to, with her, at his birthday last month.” Rachel looked to Quinn, who was already thinking. Then she gasped, nodded to Rachel.
“Okay, going!” she declared as they ran off back to Quinn’s room.
“Wait, if you see the girls, can you bring them those cookies there?” she nodded to a plate on the counter.
“Okay!” the girls spoke at once, getting the plate on the way out.
Rachel’s shoes started their mad beat again, until they got back to Quinn’s room with their bounty. They sat in HQ and ate for a while before they remembered their mission.
“We do the song?” Rachel asked. Quinn thought, finishing her cookie.
“Lots of words,” she admitted, sounding disappointed. Rachel liked seeing her upset about as much as she liked seeing others upset… which was not at all. She was quick to act to bring her friend back on track though.
“Dance! We can dance it!” she nodded. Quinn’s frown dissolved and she was smiling again before long. They got up out from behind their blanket hideaway so Quinn could tell Rachel about the song, or what she remembered of it, twirling about in the process. Rachel smiled on, following her. After a while, Rachel took the lead, inserting a tap section. Quinn still did her own thing.
Once the girls were satisfied, they fixed their costumes and returned to ‘subtle’ stalking, going to the hall outside the living room, looking in. Mr. Fabray was still reading his newspaper, as far as they knew not having moved since they’d previously looked in on him. They moved around the couch, toward the other side, popping up over the arm rest.
“Hello!” Quinn and Rachel spoke at once, making Mr. Fabray jump in ‘surprise.’
“What’s all this?” he asked. The girls popped up, ready to present themselves. This was not the first time, but each one required introduction anew.
“I’m Beams!” Rachel announced, throwing her hands up.
“I’m Rays!” Quinn curtsied, holding her tiara with a grin. “We’re here to help!”
“Yes, don’t be sad, we’re here!” Rachel pointed her finger at Mr. Fabray, who was having difficulty not smiling, keeping his pout on for them to chase it away.
“Say, I know who you are. You’re the All-Mighty Sunshine Girls,” he pointed to the giggling girls. “What can you do for me, I… I’m so sad,” he spoke ‘dramatically.’ The girls shook their heads at the mention of sadness.
“Hang on, we…” Rachel started, then realized… “Oh, no, the song!” she looked to Quinn, who turned her head toward the kitchen.
“Mommy!” she called out. Mrs. Fabray came scurrying in.
“Yes, yes,” she spoke, moving to find the CD before they asked. She set the song and gave a smile to the girls, and then her husband, before ‘going away’ - into the hall to watch.
Back on track, the girls did their dance for Quinn’s father. He made a good show of appearing less and less sad until he was clapping along to encourage the dancing girls. They closed on ‘big finish,’ which Rachel insisted to be essential for a successful act. When they finished, out-of-breath, Mr. Fabray gave hearty applause, drawing both girls forth for a hug.
“Thank you, thank you both,” he laughed. When the girls pulled back, they looked up at him.
“No more sad?” Quinn asked. He stroked her cheek with a smile.
“No more,” he assured her. The girls gave satisfied nods.
“You’re welcome!” Rachel told him.
With a show of their ‘sunshine hands’ call sign, the All-Mighty Sunshine Girls fluttered away for juice before going out on patrol again. There was no rest for the Sunshine Girls, but they preferred it that way. They would spend their lives, the two of them side by side, spreading a little more sun.
THE END
PREVIOUS DAYS
[Cycle 1] [Cycle 2][Cycle 3]
[43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] Suggestion Drop Off Title: "Beams & Rays"
Pairing: Young Rachel & Quinn
Rating: G
Summary: Sunshine Girls #3. The All-Mighty Sunshine Girls are on a mission to give some sunshine to Mr. Fabray.
Spoilers: Mm... none, really... pre-series.