Fic: A Secret Relationship Unlike Any Other 3/4
A/N: Alright, I lied. One more part after this. I started the resolution, but ended up backtracking, so this basically Rachel’s POV on the situation.
Enjoy.
(The Final Part will be up soon)
Chap 1, Chap 2,
Part 3: From The Eyes of the Ingénue
Well, this was certainly a fine situation she got herself tangled up in this time.
Rachel could admit that this completely weird mess was mostly her fault, although Finn certainly had his part to play. But, with Quinn softly crying into her shoulder, and Sam giving them a very weird look to boot, Rachel was finally regretting it.
It had all began so innocently too.
The thing was, Finn left her miserable. When she was dating him, she felt like she was constantly failing and falling short, a feeling she hated, and the break-up was further proof of that. But without him, everything was so much worse. Sectionals this year showed her that she was no closer to being friends with the rest of the club than last year, aside from Noah, and the phrasing, the way Santana said they were just pretending, well, it made her doubt her current friendships.
Noah is her friend. He has proven it time and time again.
Kurt is her friend. He wasn’t always, but they were definitely really close now.
Everyone else…who knows. Rachel likes to act as if they are, but knows better. Like Mercedes, who sees her as a rival who gets everything, but is consistently unwilling to put in the extra work. Or Artie who is slowly proving himself to be the biggest misogynist in the club. Brittany, who enjoys being the sugar to Santana’s spice but still finds time to mock and tease her. Even Santana, who has never hidden her disdain for Rachel, but still finds time to check her out.
Of course, Finn and Quinn have always been the most difficult to figure out. On the surface, they are both very simple. Quinn hated her; the product of a mix of jealousy and honest contempt. Finn loved her; the product of appreciation and genuine affection.
In fact, though, the two of them seem to feel for her similarly. She knows that both of them envy and dislike the way she seems so at ease with who she is. Finn has made numerous remarks about her weirdness and Rachel has put up with that aspect from Quinn for ages. Rachel also knows that both of them love her voice, even if Quinn hates that she loves it. They are both so affected by what the sheep at McKinley think of them, it really is no wonder they ended up together again.
But Finn, who is supposed to love her, won’t stand up for her in front of the club, chooses Santana’s side over hers, and seems to dislike all of the choices she makes. He dislikes her normal clothes, but hates it when she changes. He breaks up with her after she kissed Noah and was honest about it, but chooses the girl who got pregnant behind his back and lied about it. He refused to take her back, but tried to punch out the first guy she danced with.
Quinn, who is supposed to hate her, stood up for her and pushed the original song idea. Even though it was ultimately not what she really wanted, she was more than willing to help her when she wanted a node job. The girl even said that they were friends now and put up with a lot in Rachel’s quest to win Finn back.
People were so confusing sometimes.
But Rachel hadn’t meant to start anything when she suggested the corsage. She just…Prom is important. Even with Junior Prom, it was the time for them to feel good about themselves. It was why she worked so hard to get Sam and Mercedes to go (who, by the way, would make an excellent couple - although it would mean she was responsible for 2/3 Sam relationships). And it was pretty obvious that it was more important to Quinn than anyone else.
A part of her couldn’t believe that Finn couldn’t put in the smallest amount of effort for the girl he claimed to love, but she also remembered dating him. So she made a suggestion. She really didn’t know what it would lead to. But then, Prom had led to a lot of unexpected things.
For one, she came to the decision that Jesse would make an excellent friend…but only that.
She could forgive the egging. It’s not like it hasn’t been done before or anything, and she could at least appreciate the fact that he basically broke up with her through song. What she couldn’t handle, though, is the fact that he was a failure. Not just any failure, though, the kind that cheated through high school and couldn’t make it through one semester of college. Then he gave up and ran home with his tail between his legs.
Jesse could be her friend, like a straight gay best friend, but she, unfortunately, no longer found him attractive sexually. It was really too bad, considering he treated her the best while having the most in common with her than any of her other boyfriends or stalkers. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and that is someone who isn’t a college drop-out creeping on high-schoolers.
It is also rather unfortunate that her attempt at explaining this tactfully led to him not quite connecting the dots, no surprise, and still attempting to woo her.
The second thing important thing that happened was that Finn proved himself to, once again, be highly hypocritical. Telling her to stop chasing after him and then interrupted her dance to get her date kicked out of the Prom. No real news, but a little important because of what it led to.
Which was the third important thing that happened…Quinn having a little mini-breakdown in the bathroom.
Rachel had known that Quinn was having problems, some of which she brought on herself and some that she didn’t. But this was a little different. Quinn didn’t just yell at her and call her insulting names…Quinn hit her. More importantly, she apologized immediately afterwards.
The hints of problems that were peeking out during what Rachel referred to as the “Get It Right Piano Incident,” hints Rachel had willfully ignored at the time in favor of her own drama, were out in full force.
Rachel did her best to make Quinn feel better. She couldn’t help herself. It didn’t really matter who it was, to be honest, Rachel just couldn’t stand people looking sad. She had barely resisted breaking out into a song about overcoming the past to embrace the future.
She had even chosen “Blue Wind” from Spring Awakening (despite its failure to work during the play) before realizing that Quinn probably wouldn’t appreciate the gesture and instead comforted her as best she could and made a note to keep an eye on the other girl.
They couldn’t lose National’s because one of their performers transferred schools, after all.
Which is why when, the very next night, Finn came to apologize, Quinn was the first thing on her mind.
She brushed aside the other boys apologies and asked about the other girl and was a little bit upset with the given response.
Finn, looking slightly ashamed, wasted no time explaining his half-rate apology. She had let her temper get the best of her and yelled at him, quickly losing her composure.
“Finn Hudson,” she had hissed at the cowering boy, “all she asked for you to do was show up and smile. Do you know what she thought last night was? It was her last hurrah! The last chance to be good at something, be a success, before she prepares herself for a future she has no desire for. It is one thing to interrupt my good time, quite hypocritically I might add, but she is your girlfriend!”
The boy had tried to defend his actions, lackluster though the attempts were, but eventually he was persuaded that Quinn would be dumping him quickly if she didn’t get another apology. A real apology.
Unfortunately, Finn’s only idea was apologize to her come Monday morning at school. Not only would it be too little too late, but it would bring up Quinn’s loss in front of the student body.
Rachel knew she had to step in.
She dragged the boy up to her room and set up a list of the ten best apology songs. She then had Finn pick which one to sing so that it would still be his choice. As he was deliberating, Rachel called up Mercedes and questioned her about Quinn’s Sunday morning habits. Though they were not as close as they used to be, Rachel figured the other girl would still have some insight.
Still high on her own Prom success, Mercedes had gladly shared without asking any questions.
Finn had finally decided so Rachel burned the song to a cd and let him borrow one of her stereos.
She might have also called him at eight to get him ready.
And hid in the backseat of his car to make sure he didn’t screw anything up.
But everything went perfectly and Rachel felt inordinately pleased at the smile she could see blossoming on Quinn face.
It felt nice to know that she caused it.
As much as she loved Finn, he never seemed to really appreciate her romantic gestures. Even if Jesse was now as sexually attractive as a mannequin, at least he appreciated it when she won him a care bear.
To see Quinn, who was usually so good at keeping her emotions under wrap, giggle and smile, the light shining in her eyes, made Rachel want to keep her always smiling. It was true Quinn was a beautiful girl (and much more than that), but when she smiled instead of glaring or crying…she was gorgeous.
The idea that, after this, Finn would go back to being a somewhat inept boyfriend, putting in effort only to earn forgiveness or “rewards,” and Quinn would once again start bottling things up and preparing for the life of a Lima Loser was heartbreaking.
So, after Finn had went back home to sleep the rest of his day away, Rachel prepared. She didn’t have all the information she wished she had, so she made a couple of educated guesses based on some of her observations. She did, though, make a note to subtly find out some of Quinn’s favorites.
In the meantime, Rachel picked up some generic but lovely flowers, some men’s cologne that smelled a good deal better than that horrid Axe spray Finn insisted on wearing, and a new day planner that she bedazzled with a big Q.
Monday morning she woke up bright and early and snuc- and let herself into Finn’s house to wake him up as well, providing him with coffee to help wake him up.
And then she told him the plan. She provided the flowers and the ideas and Finn provided the boy and the popularity. Well, she didn’t phrase it like that.
Though she might have insinuated that his uninspiring performance as a boyfriend may be the reason all his girlfriends cheated on him.
She got him up and sent him to the shower where she had already replaced the few bathing products he owned with more pleasant smells (and she may have let Kurt take the fall). While he was in there, she set out his outfit and destroyed all of his Axe spray. And then, dressed for success and a man with a plan, she sent him on his way, hoping he wouldn’t screw everything up.
Rachel would come to learn that, as long as she gave very clear and specific instructions, Finn was actually quite decent at following orders. He seemed perfectly happy as long as he didn’t try to think for himself.
After obtaining a copy of Quinn’s schedule from the office aide, who was apparently giving out other people’s schedules willy-nilly, and a map of the school from the computer, Rachel spent the rest of her early morning devising the best way for Finn to escort Quinn to her classes like a gentleman without missing his own.
It would take some doing, but she had enough contacts and sources that she was pretty sure she could get him a special hall pass. After all, she got one that allowed her access to the auditorium at all times and special hallway privileges for when she had the urge to sing through a crowded hall (which occurred more often than most would think.)
Even though she was still single, life seemed to be picking up. Thanks to some timely blackmail on Principal Figgins, who really needed a better password for his computer, Rachel scored enough of a Glee Club budget to pay for Nationals and hire on Jesse as a consultant. This led to practices that were actual practices instead of “sit around and watch people perform”ices.
Jesse was harsh and brutal, forcing them to put in extra hours of effort and tearing them apart with vicious criticisms. Rachel had needed to up her herbal supplements and hot tea regimen to help her body keep up. It was fantastic! So it was quite clear that her professional life was working out now that Glee Club was finally becoming Show Choir and heading to Nationals (New York!!!).
What was also fantastic was her personal life was also going well. Even if she was in a constant state of doubt about their true feelings, she definitely had more friends this year as shown by the number of sleepovers and get-togethers she had participated in. While she didn’t have a boyfriend, she was being pursued by cute boy who sung really well (but was also apparently a savant) as well as stalked by her own personal (creepy) paparazzi.
She was spending increasing amounts of time with Finn and was somehow managing to bring beautiful smiles to Quinn’s face.
And, in a fantastic mixture of all the success she was enjoying in her life, she even managed to plan another romantic serenade, even if it was for Finn to sing to Quinn. That just made it more challenging to plan and create, which meant more fun!
It was no wonder she had been wearing a smile as she woke up an hour early to make some “Happy Friday!” cupcakes for Quinn. She could have made them the night before, but she figures the girl will appreciate them still being a bit warm.
She allows Finn to have exactly one, no more than that, and brings some in for Jesse since he’s being such a great sport about everything.
She sort of regrets it when he smiles smugly for the rest of the day.
But Quinn was also smiling all day, especially during lunch as her, Santana, and Brittany ate them and laughed in front of the Cheerios table, so it was a win.
Plus, the cupcakes put Quinn in a good and receptive mood for the planned Friday night date. It was their first one, not Finn and Quinn’s of course but the first including Rachel…’s input, so Rachel had to make sure it was special. And amazing.
She had been scouting possible locations all week and luckily found the perfect picnic spot Thursday and the meal was already all planned.
She will admit that she used the same picnic basket she had once used with Finn in the auditorium, but it actually seemed somewhat fitting. Knowing that Quinn was still somewhat insecure about her weight (the cupcakes had been a bit of a risk), Rachel packed only healthy food items that may or may not have also been vegan. She had taste tested everything though, having both Kurt and Noah also test the food to make sure everything was appealing. After making sure Finn had sufficiently memorized his “Say and Don’t Say” note cards, she spritzed him with some cologne, handed him the chocolates and flowers, and sent him on his way.
She did not hide in the bushes and watch them or anything, though. Kurt had forced her into another “talk-about-Blaine-and-then-sleep” over. She even resisted the urge to abandon the sleepover when Finn arrived home, but persevered. But, after Kurt and Mercedes had let the sandman whisk them away, she snuck into Finn’s room and woke him up, grilling him on how everything went. Apparently it went well.
Unfortunately, Finn continued to be hugely unhelpful when it came to knowledge about his significant other (she wondered if he knew this little about her) and Rachel had to interrogate Quinn herself. She cleverly disguised the maneuver under another task for Glee and completely fooled the other girl, easily finding out her favorites without anyone being the wiser.
To keep up the charade, she also ended up knowing everyone in Glee Club’s favorite things and rewrote “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music as an original song incorporating this newfound knowledge. It made the song a little longer, but really stretched her creativity and got the juices flowing, so she considered it a win.
She did exclude herself, as it was only fair, and managed to offend almost everybody though.
It was mostly a win.
At the very least, it made choosing gifts for Quinn much easier. Rachel really preferred to personalize her gifts, after all. Generic bouquets and sweets were for the lazy.
Eventually, though, Rachel discovered that the hardest part of keeping Quinn happy was Finn. He listened to her directions and followed her orders, but he was the infallible human element in this equation. After he was five minutes late to one of his dates, and hadn’t remembered to shower after basketball practice, Rachel brought out the his-and-her kitty calendars. This allowed her to keep better track of him and leave him reminders and details to follow, even when she wasn’t around.
Even with perfect punctuality, or as perfect as Finn could be, Rachel still had to devout countless hours to behavior training.
She set up certain actions he should be doing every day, without being told, such as picking Quinn up, meal included, and walking her to class, while carrying her books. She even sent daily, sometimes hourly texts to remind him of these duties. She tasked him with smiling adoringly at Quinn, at all times, and spent a day working with his facial expressions so the smile was just right. She made new “Say and Don’t Say” note cards daily to keep up with how often Finn’s foot made its way to his mouth.
But when it was just Finn and Quinn together, preparation only went so far. When they were alone, Rachel could only trust that Finn was prepared and ready.
So she made sure they were never truly alone. Of course, she didn’t hide behind bushes or in trash cans or anything, that would be taking it too far. But her and Jesse had a number of friend-dates that coincidentally occurred near the other two. And she made a number of excuses to make sure things weren’t going wrong.
Jesse, G-d bless his empty little head, never seemed suspicious.
And it was a good thing too. Once, she had a quick rendezvous in the Breadstix kitchen (after telling Jesse she needed to practice her scales real quick and bribing the cook to let her stay) after he had accidentally ordered something heavy with garlic and had no idea what to do. And the time at the zoo when the met up in the lion feeding area (Rachel told Jesse she had to powder her nose) after Finn told Quinn that she reminded him of an ostrich. That one was hard to fix.
Not to mention the bug Lauren had helped set up. It had taken copious amount of chocolate, but, when Rachel couldn’t be there in person, she could listen and relay messages to the boy from her laptop.
Finn had thought that was super awesome and Rachel concurred. Kurt, who had been brought in when an inside man who knew how to cook was needed, thought Quinn was going to have a restraining order on Rachel by the end of the year.
He found everything very entertaining, though, and his love of wacky dramatic scenarios kept his mouth shut.
In fact, Kurt had found Quinn’s Quinn Fabray All-Day Birthday Extravaganza Carnival to particularly amusing and had even helped her set it up.
Somewhere along the way, though, things started to get a little…complicated. She became a little too involved, if it’s actually possible to become too involved (Rachel doesn’t believe so).
She had initially arranged the spa days because she felt that she - Finn, really - was smothering the other girl. She prompted some mother/daughter bonding because she feels parents should actually spend time with their children instead of just throwing money and dance classes at them. And she intervened and actually spoke to Judy Fabray because, after watching the two women sit in silence, identical frowns in place, she felt it was necessary. And, although she hadn’t shared it with Quinn yet, Rachel had already begin researching colleges and scholarships that would be good for the other girl.
Somehow, Rachel had gone from helping Finn to making Quinn smile to making Quinn’s life better.
And, judging by the quiet sobs into her shoulder, it was a failure. Rachel wants to blame Finn, and a part of her does. He acted impetuously, breaking up with Quinn on a whim and at the worst possible time. Rachel might not be the expert, but she knows that if she broke up with someone she cared for, that she claimed to love, then she would at least put some thought into it. Take some time to make sure it was really what she wanted and at least try to figure out the words to make it as painless as possible.
Finn apparently couldn’t even wait until he got her home. Rachel hates to think it, but this isn’t the first time Finn dumped a girl and left her stranded. He really needs to work on his technique.
Still, she is honest enough to know that she created most of the mess that led up to this.
She sighs, refocusing her thoughts on the girl huddled against her.
When Noah dropped her off, she made sure to pull Quinn along with her. Noah and Sam looked on in concern, but a small shake of the head sent them off and leaving the two of them alone.
Once inside, Rachel spent some extra time setting things up and making things comfortable for the two of them, grateful for the moment to compose her thoughts.
This was a very delicate moment, and Rachel had to approach it with care. She will admit that she thought the cheerleader had remained ignorant throughout everything, but that was apparently too much to hope for. That Quinn hadn’t called her out, though, raised a number of new questions that Rachel wasn’t sure she was ready to deal with. But Quinn apparently was.
Except, if Quinn was admitting that she…enjoyed what was going on and allowed it, than she must really be upset right now. To allow that vulnerability…either Quinn really trusted her or she was really messed up right now. Either way, Rachel would have to tread lightly.
She finished up the hot cocoa she had made and snuck a look into the living room where Quinn was huddled up. As beautiful as Quinn’s smile was, seeing her so despondent was heartbreaking. She still looked lovely of course, Quinn always somehow looked lovely, but Rachel really couldn’t stand seeing her so miserable. It made her want to cry…or feed Finn to the lions.
With a small frown, she pulled out her phone and sent a quick message to the boy.
[Finn Hudson, I am upset with you right now. While your effort at the funeral was rather marvelous and should be commended, your actions afterwards are contemptible. Unfortunately, we cannot talk right now as I am picking up the pieces of the mess you made, but you can trust we will have words tomorrow. Please do not contact me until then as I am rather busy and will call Sam and Noah to dispose of you.]
Satisfied that it was clear and succinct, she nodded to herself, turning the phone off before tucking it away. She grabbed the cocoa and headed towards the living room, trying to hide her nervousness.
It was time to face the music.
--------------------------------------------
Also, if anyone is curious, this is the song Rachel ended up making as the cover of finding out Quinn’s likes and dislikes.
Anyone care to guess which verse belongs to whom.
Smiles on faces and hats on my head.
Cats all around me and San on my bead.
Watching the duckies and playing on swings
These are a few of my favorite things
Wearing hot dresses and that camo jacket
Digesting dinner and making a racket
Fine cigar smoking and beds with great springs
These are a few of my favorite things
Super great fashion and fine moisturizer
Hitting the right notes as my voice goes higher
Watching Blaine “dance” around as he sings
These are a few of my favorite things
Being Asian
Dating Asians
Touching his abs,
I try to remember my favorite things
And never end up feeling bad
Dating a cute girl whose really quite swell
Playing the guitar and football as well
Reading comics and giving girls rings
These are a few of my favorite things
Being badass and also quite cute
Having great guns and talent to boot
Wooing the ladies to see what it brings
These are a few of my favorite things
Being on top and winning the crown
Not being pregnant, no need to skip town
Baby doll dresses with matching earrings
These are a few of my favorite things
Asian girls
Manly twirls
Facial expressions from Brad
I try to remember my favorite things
And never end up feeling bad
Throwing the football and making a goal
Eating grilled cheese and being all cool
Big man on campus and all that that brings
These are a few of my favorite things
Cadbury crèmes and Milky Way bars
Wrestling guys ‘til they see stars
Being the boss and pulling the strings
These are a few of my favorite things
When the tots go
Or no solo
And I feel so sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so sad
Obviously, I am not meant to be a song writer.
Enjoy.
(The Final Part will be up soon)
Chap 1, Chap 2,
Part 3: From The Eyes of the Ingénue
Well, this was certainly a fine situation she got herself tangled up in this time.
Rachel could admit that this completely weird mess was mostly her fault, although Finn certainly had his part to play. But, with Quinn softly crying into her shoulder, and Sam giving them a very weird look to boot, Rachel was finally regretting it.
It had all began so innocently too.
The thing was, Finn left her miserable. When she was dating him, she felt like she was constantly failing and falling short, a feeling she hated, and the break-up was further proof of that. But without him, everything was so much worse. Sectionals this year showed her that she was no closer to being friends with the rest of the club than last year, aside from Noah, and the phrasing, the way Santana said they were just pretending, well, it made her doubt her current friendships.
Noah is her friend. He has proven it time and time again.
Kurt is her friend. He wasn’t always, but they were definitely really close now.
Everyone else…who knows. Rachel likes to act as if they are, but knows better. Like Mercedes, who sees her as a rival who gets everything, but is consistently unwilling to put in the extra work. Or Artie who is slowly proving himself to be the biggest misogynist in the club. Brittany, who enjoys being the sugar to Santana’s spice but still finds time to mock and tease her. Even Santana, who has never hidden her disdain for Rachel, but still finds time to check her out.
Of course, Finn and Quinn have always been the most difficult to figure out. On the surface, they are both very simple. Quinn hated her; the product of a mix of jealousy and honest contempt. Finn loved her; the product of appreciation and genuine affection.
In fact, though, the two of them seem to feel for her similarly. She knows that both of them envy and dislike the way she seems so at ease with who she is. Finn has made numerous remarks about her weirdness and Rachel has put up with that aspect from Quinn for ages. Rachel also knows that both of them love her voice, even if Quinn hates that she loves it. They are both so affected by what the sheep at McKinley think of them, it really is no wonder they ended up together again.
But Finn, who is supposed to love her, won’t stand up for her in front of the club, chooses Santana’s side over hers, and seems to dislike all of the choices she makes. He dislikes her normal clothes, but hates it when she changes. He breaks up with her after she kissed Noah and was honest about it, but chooses the girl who got pregnant behind his back and lied about it. He refused to take her back, but tried to punch out the first guy she danced with.
Quinn, who is supposed to hate her, stood up for her and pushed the original song idea. Even though it was ultimately not what she really wanted, she was more than willing to help her when she wanted a node job. The girl even said that they were friends now and put up with a lot in Rachel’s quest to win Finn back.
People were so confusing sometimes.
But Rachel hadn’t meant to start anything when she suggested the corsage. She just…Prom is important. Even with Junior Prom, it was the time for them to feel good about themselves. It was why she worked so hard to get Sam and Mercedes to go (who, by the way, would make an excellent couple - although it would mean she was responsible for 2/3 Sam relationships). And it was pretty obvious that it was more important to Quinn than anyone else.
A part of her couldn’t believe that Finn couldn’t put in the smallest amount of effort for the girl he claimed to love, but she also remembered dating him. So she made a suggestion. She really didn’t know what it would lead to. But then, Prom had led to a lot of unexpected things.
For one, she came to the decision that Jesse would make an excellent friend…but only that.
She could forgive the egging. It’s not like it hasn’t been done before or anything, and she could at least appreciate the fact that he basically broke up with her through song. What she couldn’t handle, though, is the fact that he was a failure. Not just any failure, though, the kind that cheated through high school and couldn’t make it through one semester of college. Then he gave up and ran home with his tail between his legs.
Jesse could be her friend, like a straight gay best friend, but she, unfortunately, no longer found him attractive sexually. It was really too bad, considering he treated her the best while having the most in common with her than any of her other boyfriends or stalkers. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and that is someone who isn’t a college drop-out creeping on high-schoolers.
It is also rather unfortunate that her attempt at explaining this tactfully led to him not quite connecting the dots, no surprise, and still attempting to woo her.
The second thing important thing that happened was that Finn proved himself to, once again, be highly hypocritical. Telling her to stop chasing after him and then interrupted her dance to get her date kicked out of the Prom. No real news, but a little important because of what it led to.
Which was the third important thing that happened…Quinn having a little mini-breakdown in the bathroom.
Rachel had known that Quinn was having problems, some of which she brought on herself and some that she didn’t. But this was a little different. Quinn didn’t just yell at her and call her insulting names…Quinn hit her. More importantly, she apologized immediately afterwards.
The hints of problems that were peeking out during what Rachel referred to as the “Get It Right Piano Incident,” hints Rachel had willfully ignored at the time in favor of her own drama, were out in full force.
Rachel did her best to make Quinn feel better. She couldn’t help herself. It didn’t really matter who it was, to be honest, Rachel just couldn’t stand people looking sad. She had barely resisted breaking out into a song about overcoming the past to embrace the future.
She had even chosen “Blue Wind” from Spring Awakening (despite its failure to work during the play) before realizing that Quinn probably wouldn’t appreciate the gesture and instead comforted her as best she could and made a note to keep an eye on the other girl.
They couldn’t lose National’s because one of their performers transferred schools, after all.
Which is why when, the very next night, Finn came to apologize, Quinn was the first thing on her mind.
She brushed aside the other boys apologies and asked about the other girl and was a little bit upset with the given response.
Finn, looking slightly ashamed, wasted no time explaining his half-rate apology. She had let her temper get the best of her and yelled at him, quickly losing her composure.
“Finn Hudson,” she had hissed at the cowering boy, “all she asked for you to do was show up and smile. Do you know what she thought last night was? It was her last hurrah! The last chance to be good at something, be a success, before she prepares herself for a future she has no desire for. It is one thing to interrupt my good time, quite hypocritically I might add, but she is your girlfriend!”
The boy had tried to defend his actions, lackluster though the attempts were, but eventually he was persuaded that Quinn would be dumping him quickly if she didn’t get another apology. A real apology.
Unfortunately, Finn’s only idea was apologize to her come Monday morning at school. Not only would it be too little too late, but it would bring up Quinn’s loss in front of the student body.
Rachel knew she had to step in.
She dragged the boy up to her room and set up a list of the ten best apology songs. She then had Finn pick which one to sing so that it would still be his choice. As he was deliberating, Rachel called up Mercedes and questioned her about Quinn’s Sunday morning habits. Though they were not as close as they used to be, Rachel figured the other girl would still have some insight.
Still high on her own Prom success, Mercedes had gladly shared without asking any questions.
Finn had finally decided so Rachel burned the song to a cd and let him borrow one of her stereos.
She might have also called him at eight to get him ready.
And hid in the backseat of his car to make sure he didn’t screw anything up.
But everything went perfectly and Rachel felt inordinately pleased at the smile she could see blossoming on Quinn face.
It felt nice to know that she caused it.
As much as she loved Finn, he never seemed to really appreciate her romantic gestures. Even if Jesse was now as sexually attractive as a mannequin, at least he appreciated it when she won him a care bear.
To see Quinn, who was usually so good at keeping her emotions under wrap, giggle and smile, the light shining in her eyes, made Rachel want to keep her always smiling. It was true Quinn was a beautiful girl (and much more than that), but when she smiled instead of glaring or crying…she was gorgeous.
The idea that, after this, Finn would go back to being a somewhat inept boyfriend, putting in effort only to earn forgiveness or “rewards,” and Quinn would once again start bottling things up and preparing for the life of a Lima Loser was heartbreaking.
So, after Finn had went back home to sleep the rest of his day away, Rachel prepared. She didn’t have all the information she wished she had, so she made a couple of educated guesses based on some of her observations. She did, though, make a note to subtly find out some of Quinn’s favorites.
In the meantime, Rachel picked up some generic but lovely flowers, some men’s cologne that smelled a good deal better than that horrid Axe spray Finn insisted on wearing, and a new day planner that she bedazzled with a big Q.
Monday morning she woke up bright and early and snuc- and let herself into Finn’s house to wake him up as well, providing him with coffee to help wake him up.
And then she told him the plan. She provided the flowers and the ideas and Finn provided the boy and the popularity. Well, she didn’t phrase it like that.
Though she might have insinuated that his uninspiring performance as a boyfriend may be the reason all his girlfriends cheated on him.
She got him up and sent him to the shower where she had already replaced the few bathing products he owned with more pleasant smells (and she may have let Kurt take the fall). While he was in there, she set out his outfit and destroyed all of his Axe spray. And then, dressed for success and a man with a plan, she sent him on his way, hoping he wouldn’t screw everything up.
Rachel would come to learn that, as long as she gave very clear and specific instructions, Finn was actually quite decent at following orders. He seemed perfectly happy as long as he didn’t try to think for himself.
After obtaining a copy of Quinn’s schedule from the office aide, who was apparently giving out other people’s schedules willy-nilly, and a map of the school from the computer, Rachel spent the rest of her early morning devising the best way for Finn to escort Quinn to her classes like a gentleman without missing his own.
It would take some doing, but she had enough contacts and sources that she was pretty sure she could get him a special hall pass. After all, she got one that allowed her access to the auditorium at all times and special hallway privileges for when she had the urge to sing through a crowded hall (which occurred more often than most would think.)
Even though she was still single, life seemed to be picking up. Thanks to some timely blackmail on Principal Figgins, who really needed a better password for his computer, Rachel scored enough of a Glee Club budget to pay for Nationals and hire on Jesse as a consultant. This led to practices that were actual practices instead of “sit around and watch people perform”ices.
Jesse was harsh and brutal, forcing them to put in extra hours of effort and tearing them apart with vicious criticisms. Rachel had needed to up her herbal supplements and hot tea regimen to help her body keep up. It was fantastic! So it was quite clear that her professional life was working out now that Glee Club was finally becoming Show Choir and heading to Nationals (New York!!!).
What was also fantastic was her personal life was also going well. Even if she was in a constant state of doubt about their true feelings, she definitely had more friends this year as shown by the number of sleepovers and get-togethers she had participated in. While she didn’t have a boyfriend, she was being pursued by cute boy who sung really well (but was also apparently a savant) as well as stalked by her own personal (creepy) paparazzi.
She was spending increasing amounts of time with Finn and was somehow managing to bring beautiful smiles to Quinn’s face.
And, in a fantastic mixture of all the success she was enjoying in her life, she even managed to plan another romantic serenade, even if it was for Finn to sing to Quinn. That just made it more challenging to plan and create, which meant more fun!
It was no wonder she had been wearing a smile as she woke up an hour early to make some “Happy Friday!” cupcakes for Quinn. She could have made them the night before, but she figures the girl will appreciate them still being a bit warm.
She allows Finn to have exactly one, no more than that, and brings some in for Jesse since he’s being such a great sport about everything.
She sort of regrets it when he smiles smugly for the rest of the day.
But Quinn was also smiling all day, especially during lunch as her, Santana, and Brittany ate them and laughed in front of the Cheerios table, so it was a win.
Plus, the cupcakes put Quinn in a good and receptive mood for the planned Friday night date. It was their first one, not Finn and Quinn’s of course but the first including Rachel…’s input, so Rachel had to make sure it was special. And amazing.
She had been scouting possible locations all week and luckily found the perfect picnic spot Thursday and the meal was already all planned.
She will admit that she used the same picnic basket she had once used with Finn in the auditorium, but it actually seemed somewhat fitting. Knowing that Quinn was still somewhat insecure about her weight (the cupcakes had been a bit of a risk), Rachel packed only healthy food items that may or may not have also been vegan. She had taste tested everything though, having both Kurt and Noah also test the food to make sure everything was appealing. After making sure Finn had sufficiently memorized his “Say and Don’t Say” note cards, she spritzed him with some cologne, handed him the chocolates and flowers, and sent him on his way.
She did not hide in the bushes and watch them or anything, though. Kurt had forced her into another “talk-about-Blaine-and-then-sleep” over. She even resisted the urge to abandon the sleepover when Finn arrived home, but persevered. But, after Kurt and Mercedes had let the sandman whisk them away, she snuck into Finn’s room and woke him up, grilling him on how everything went. Apparently it went well.
Unfortunately, Finn continued to be hugely unhelpful when it came to knowledge about his significant other (she wondered if he knew this little about her) and Rachel had to interrogate Quinn herself. She cleverly disguised the maneuver under another task for Glee and completely fooled the other girl, easily finding out her favorites without anyone being the wiser.
To keep up the charade, she also ended up knowing everyone in Glee Club’s favorite things and rewrote “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music as an original song incorporating this newfound knowledge. It made the song a little longer, but really stretched her creativity and got the juices flowing, so she considered it a win.
She did exclude herself, as it was only fair, and managed to offend almost everybody though.
It was mostly a win.
At the very least, it made choosing gifts for Quinn much easier. Rachel really preferred to personalize her gifts, after all. Generic bouquets and sweets were for the lazy.
Eventually, though, Rachel discovered that the hardest part of keeping Quinn happy was Finn. He listened to her directions and followed her orders, but he was the infallible human element in this equation. After he was five minutes late to one of his dates, and hadn’t remembered to shower after basketball practice, Rachel brought out the his-and-her kitty calendars. This allowed her to keep better track of him and leave him reminders and details to follow, even when she wasn’t around.
Even with perfect punctuality, or as perfect as Finn could be, Rachel still had to devout countless hours to behavior training.
She set up certain actions he should be doing every day, without being told, such as picking Quinn up, meal included, and walking her to class, while carrying her books. She even sent daily, sometimes hourly texts to remind him of these duties. She tasked him with smiling adoringly at Quinn, at all times, and spent a day working with his facial expressions so the smile was just right. She made new “Say and Don’t Say” note cards daily to keep up with how often Finn’s foot made its way to his mouth.
But when it was just Finn and Quinn together, preparation only went so far. When they were alone, Rachel could only trust that Finn was prepared and ready.
So she made sure they were never truly alone. Of course, she didn’t hide behind bushes or in trash cans or anything, that would be taking it too far. But her and Jesse had a number of friend-dates that coincidentally occurred near the other two. And she made a number of excuses to make sure things weren’t going wrong.
Jesse, G-d bless his empty little head, never seemed suspicious.
And it was a good thing too. Once, she had a quick rendezvous in the Breadstix kitchen (after telling Jesse she needed to practice her scales real quick and bribing the cook to let her stay) after he had accidentally ordered something heavy with garlic and had no idea what to do. And the time at the zoo when the met up in the lion feeding area (Rachel told Jesse she had to powder her nose) after Finn told Quinn that she reminded him of an ostrich. That one was hard to fix.
Not to mention the bug Lauren had helped set up. It had taken copious amount of chocolate, but, when Rachel couldn’t be there in person, she could listen and relay messages to the boy from her laptop.
Finn had thought that was super awesome and Rachel concurred. Kurt, who had been brought in when an inside man who knew how to cook was needed, thought Quinn was going to have a restraining order on Rachel by the end of the year.
He found everything very entertaining, though, and his love of wacky dramatic scenarios kept his mouth shut.
In fact, Kurt had found Quinn’s Quinn Fabray All-Day Birthday Extravaganza Carnival to particularly amusing and had even helped her set it up.
Somewhere along the way, though, things started to get a little…complicated. She became a little too involved, if it’s actually possible to become too involved (Rachel doesn’t believe so).
She had initially arranged the spa days because she felt that she - Finn, really - was smothering the other girl. She prompted some mother/daughter bonding because she feels parents should actually spend time with their children instead of just throwing money and dance classes at them. And she intervened and actually spoke to Judy Fabray because, after watching the two women sit in silence, identical frowns in place, she felt it was necessary. And, although she hadn’t shared it with Quinn yet, Rachel had already begin researching colleges and scholarships that would be good for the other girl.
Somehow, Rachel had gone from helping Finn to making Quinn smile to making Quinn’s life better.
And, judging by the quiet sobs into her shoulder, it was a failure. Rachel wants to blame Finn, and a part of her does. He acted impetuously, breaking up with Quinn on a whim and at the worst possible time. Rachel might not be the expert, but she knows that if she broke up with someone she cared for, that she claimed to love, then she would at least put some thought into it. Take some time to make sure it was really what she wanted and at least try to figure out the words to make it as painless as possible.
Finn apparently couldn’t even wait until he got her home. Rachel hates to think it, but this isn’t the first time Finn dumped a girl and left her stranded. He really needs to work on his technique.
Still, she is honest enough to know that she created most of the mess that led up to this.
She sighs, refocusing her thoughts on the girl huddled against her.
When Noah dropped her off, she made sure to pull Quinn along with her. Noah and Sam looked on in concern, but a small shake of the head sent them off and leaving the two of them alone.
Once inside, Rachel spent some extra time setting things up and making things comfortable for the two of them, grateful for the moment to compose her thoughts.
This was a very delicate moment, and Rachel had to approach it with care. She will admit that she thought the cheerleader had remained ignorant throughout everything, but that was apparently too much to hope for. That Quinn hadn’t called her out, though, raised a number of new questions that Rachel wasn’t sure she was ready to deal with. But Quinn apparently was.
Except, if Quinn was admitting that she…enjoyed what was going on and allowed it, than she must really be upset right now. To allow that vulnerability…either Quinn really trusted her or she was really messed up right now. Either way, Rachel would have to tread lightly.
She finished up the hot cocoa she had made and snuck a look into the living room where Quinn was huddled up. As beautiful as Quinn’s smile was, seeing her so despondent was heartbreaking. She still looked lovely of course, Quinn always somehow looked lovely, but Rachel really couldn’t stand seeing her so miserable. It made her want to cry…or feed Finn to the lions.
With a small frown, she pulled out her phone and sent a quick message to the boy.
[Finn Hudson, I am upset with you right now. While your effort at the funeral was rather marvelous and should be commended, your actions afterwards are contemptible. Unfortunately, we cannot talk right now as I am picking up the pieces of the mess you made, but you can trust we will have words tomorrow. Please do not contact me until then as I am rather busy and will call Sam and Noah to dispose of you.]
Satisfied that it was clear and succinct, she nodded to herself, turning the phone off before tucking it away. She grabbed the cocoa and headed towards the living room, trying to hide her nervousness.
It was time to face the music.
--------------------------------------------
Also, if anyone is curious, this is the song Rachel ended up making as the cover of finding out Quinn’s likes and dislikes.
Anyone care to guess which verse belongs to whom.
Smiles on faces and hats on my head.
Cats all around me and San on my bead.
Watching the duckies and playing on swings
These are a few of my favorite things
Wearing hot dresses and that camo jacket
Digesting dinner and making a racket
Fine cigar smoking and beds with great springs
These are a few of my favorite things
Super great fashion and fine moisturizer
Hitting the right notes as my voice goes higher
Watching Blaine “dance” around as he sings
These are a few of my favorite things
Being Asian
Dating Asians
Touching his abs,
I try to remember my favorite things
And never end up feeling bad
Dating a cute girl whose really quite swell
Playing the guitar and football as well
Reading comics and giving girls rings
These are a few of my favorite things
Being badass and also quite cute
Having great guns and talent to boot
Wooing the ladies to see what it brings
These are a few of my favorite things
Being on top and winning the crown
Not being pregnant, no need to skip town
Baby doll dresses with matching earrings
These are a few of my favorite things
Asian girls
Manly twirls
Facial expressions from Brad
I try to remember my favorite things
And never end up feeling bad
Throwing the football and making a goal
Eating grilled cheese and being all cool
Big man on campus and all that that brings
These are a few of my favorite things
Cadbury crèmes and Milky Way bars
Wrestling guys ‘til they see stars
Being the boss and pulling the strings
These are a few of my favorite things
When the tots go
Or no solo
And I feel so sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so sad
Obviously, I am not meant to be a song writer.