Wow. Okay, so here we are. We've reached the end. This is the final chapter, although it is SUPER long! What can I say? It's been...emotional, haha. But thank you ALL for reading and thank you for the endless incredible reviews and the OVERWHELMING support. You've all been absolutely fantastic, and I hope you've enjoyed reading the story.
I won't be changing the tags, however I WILL be editing the author's notes at the start AND end so that future readers can know what they're letting themselves in for if they so wish. I will be doing this in the next few days or so.
I hope you enjoy the final chapter, and for those of you who read Sweetie Pie's Bakery, I am VERY happy to announce that the sequal will be coming shortly! Woo!
Enjoy!
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why. It's not a question but a lesson learned in time. It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life - Good Riddance, Green Day
Quinn chewed on her lip, her fist hovering in the air before she dropped it to her side again and moved away, resting her back on the opposite wall with a sigh. The whole idea had seemed so simple, so casual, when she had left the apartment, but now that she was here her nerves were rattling. Her legs felt like jelly as she rested her head back to stare at the grubby ceiling, weighing up her options. She could either leave, pretend she had never come, and continue to suffer her best friend's solemn silence...or she could stop being a pussy and knock on the door.
Her nose wrinkled at the prospect of talking to Santana after a week of complete solitude from the girl, and her chest tightened warily. The brunette obviously didn't want to talk to her, otherwise she wouldn't have ignored all of her texts, calls, messages and even a tweet, but surely Quinn at least had the right to know what she had done wrong to cause the cold shoulder treatment she was receiving. Rachel had been outraged when she told her about Santana's silence, spinning off into a scowling fit of muttered expletives and incredulous head-shaking, telling her to demand to speak to the girl.
She supposed Santana did owe her an explanation, but couldn't help wondering if maybe she should just leave the girl. Maybe she was being so quiet because she'd realised that they had made a horrible mistake? Perhaps she wasn't even here, out on a sex-fuelled drinking binge with a whole volleyball team of college girls instead. It wouldn't be surprising, knowing Santana. Actually it would, she thought guiltily. She was being unfair. Her friend may have had her fair share of women, but she also didn't willingly offer to talk about feelings or take people on dates.
With a roll of her eyes, she shook her head and pushed off the wall, striding forward quickly and rapping her knuckles on the door.
"Just a sec!" Came the girl's confused reply. Quinn stood on the doorstep, shifting her weight and chewing her lip nervously as she attempted to come up with a line for the girl, rather than standing awkwardly at her door, rambling about texts and pillows and broken legs. Fail to prepare and you prepare to fail.
The door was tugged open by the brunette, who stood on the opposite side in shorts and a t-shirt, one arm folded into a navy blue sling from the elbow to the shoulder. Her eyebrows shot upwards as she saw the girl, her eyes narrowing slightly as she gave a small nod, "Quinn. What are you doing here?"
"Oh my God, what happened to your arm?" She blurted, her jaw dropping open as she stared down at the sling before looking back to the girl incredulously, "Are you okay?"
She nodded curtly, "Yeah, I'm fine. What are you doing here?"
"I-" Quinn frowned at her incredulously before shrugging, "I needed to get out of my apartment and it was driving me crazy not knowing why you wouldn't talk to me! Is that from the accident? You said it was just whiplash!"
The brunette sighed impatiently, leaning against the door frame with her good arm, resigning herself to the girl's presence, "Yeah, well, after you had your cozy little reunion with Rachel, a nurse noticed me wincing and made me go for an x-Ray. Collarbone." She shrugged one shoulder as Quinn gave a horrified gasp.
"But you said you weren't in any pain!" She explained, grimacing sympathetically.
"Well, I had more important things to worry about."
Quinn frowned slightly at her tone, but shrugged, "Okay, so...why haven't you been talking to me?"
"Super busy. Sorry." She replied half-heartedly, looking down at the floor.
"Busy?" The blonde's eyebrow raised disbelievingly, "Too busy to send me one text? I'm sorry but when have you ever been too busy to contact me even once, for a whole week? Especially after...you know, everything."
Santana sighed, "Yeah, you seem really torn up." She replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "I bet you've just been at home every night, crying your eyes out. Oh no, wait, you're here instead."
"Okay, what is your damage?" The blonde demanded, shoving her hands deep into her pockets and staring stunned at the girl.
"What's my damage?" The girl gave a humourless laugh, looking up at the ceiling as if talking to herself, "What's my damage? You know what Q? You haven't heard from me because you've made your choice. And that's fine, it's great. I totally respect that. But just don't expect me to be at your beck and call anymore. You picked Rachel. And that's okay, I hope you're really very happy." She nodded, her gaze never leaving Quinn's, "I know that's what you've wanted for a long time. Probably longer than you realised, maybe even from the first moment you met her, like a Disney movie!" She clapped her hands together sarcastically, "Whatever. But at least have the fucking courtesy to give me some time to fucking get over it. Then I'll be fine and everything will be normal again and balance will be restored." She continued flippantly, "You know, just gimme a week. Maybe a couple more days, that's how long it usually takes so I don't see why you'd be any different. You're just another girl." Shrugging one shoulder, she gave a hollow smile.
Quinn stared silently at her for another moment, her jaw hanging open and eyes narrowed with incredulous confusion before she finally answered, "What are you talking about, I 'picked Rachel'?" She asked slowly, "Are you crazy? I waited with her until her dads could get there because she needed someone to wheel her to reception. Because she had a broken leg."
"And I had a broken collarbone." Santana replied quickly, her jaw tensed as she swallowed, "You might not think you picked her, but I bet if you think long and hard about it..." She gave a sharp sigh before taking a slow breath, watching the girl thoughtfully, "You had no idea where I was? ...but you didn't care, either. So I think...if you really thought about it, you might recall...that you picked Rachel." She averted her eyes for a second, looking at the graphic design on the girl's t-shirt as she chewed on her bottom lip, before giving a small nod and meeting her eye again, "See you later, Quinn."
"Excuse me?" The blonde stared, wide-eyed, her hackles rising, "I asked where you were and the nurse said you already left! You didn't even say goodbye, or tell me where you were going, so why sh-"
"Because I fucking heard you!" Santana finally snapped, silencing the blonde as she stood up straight, "Is that a good enough reason for you?" She raised her eyebrows with a shrug, "I listened at the fucking door and I heard you and Rachel having your beautiful little reunion." She gave the girl a tight smile as she continued, "I'm sorry I eavesdropped? But I guess you're not surprised, it's just like me - probably why you told Rachel that you still love her."
"You were spying on me?" She clarified, her face twisted with disbelief as her skin grew hot with anger, "Well, thanks, San. Although, by the way, if you'd actually listened to the whole conversation, which you evidently did not do, you'd have heard me telling Rachel that she needed to get over the whole thing because I don't have those feelings for her anymore!" She scoffed, "But hey, don't let me ruin your pity party!" She held her hands up with a humourless laugh.
"Oh I'm sure you did." Santana nodded, attempting to fold her arms before wincing and dropping her hand down again, "Whatever. Pull your head out of your ass, Quinn, smug doesn't look good on you."
Quinn shook her head slowly, turning away and pacing on the spot, "This is fucking ridiculous. Why did I ever kid myself into thinking this would play out any way other than you sabotaging yourself and me?" She gave a shrug as Santana gave a loud, barking laugh of derision.
"I've sabotaged myself? You were the one who jumped at the fucking chance to get all cozy with Rachel again. If anyone ruined this...thing, it was you. Try accepting some fucking responsibility once in a while."
"Okay. You know what?" She shook her head, turning on her heel to face he girl once more, "I've tried explaining. But of course you don't want to believe it." She shrugged, "You never change, Santana. Just once, maybe try not fucking up your own happiness and trust somebody. Jesus, it's been almost ten fucking years. Silly me, I thought that meant something."
Santana's teeth clenched as she stared at the girl, her knuckles growing white where she grasped the door handle as she dead panned, "Well, with friends like you, who needs enemies?"
"You'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" Quinn nodded, her face impassive, "I suppose I'd better warn Kurt and Blaine, now that your work is done with me you'll probably move on to pushing them away soon, too."
She took a step back, shoving her hands into her back pockets before breaking the girl's gaze and turning away, striding quickly down the hallway towards the stairs. Grateful to be out of sight by the stairs, she flinched as the girl's front door slammed loudly behind her, before sighing heavily.
-oOo-
"Hey." Kitty tilted her head sympathetically as she opened the door, "You look like shit."
"Wow. I'm going to stop knocking on doors." Quinn dead panned, before her face crumpled and tears began rolling down her cheeks, "I'm sorry. I should go, this really isn't your problem."
The other girl smiled, "No it isn't. Get in here."
"What do you do when you need to talk to your best friend about your best friend and the only other person you have to talk to is your ex-girlfriend who hates your best friend? And was recently hit by a car? By your best friend?" She stared at the girl for a moment before giving a sigh of defeat and crossing the threshold.
"Okay." Kitty nodded, crossing to the kitchen as Quinn removed her hoody and followed after her, "You want some cocoa?" She asked knowingly, nodding as the girl gave her a sheepish smile. "So what's been going on?"
"Ugh." Quinn took a deep breath, leaning against a counter, "It's been a long week. Month. More than a month. Jesus."
The other girl's brow furrowed as she poured another mug of cocoa and squirted mounds of whipped cream onto the top, spinning to hand one to Quinn and give her a nod. "Okay. So where did it all start?" She wandered through to the living room, sitting cross-legged on the arm chair as Quinn perched on the sofa.
"So...I gave up dating when we stopped dating."
"Awh."
"Not like that." She chuckled, "I just...didn't have the energy. Then Rachel and Brody broke up and...it all just happened at once. And it was awesome and going really well, I thought. Then Rachel did a total disappearing act on me. She sent me a text saying it was over and completely...went into hiding, she wouldn't even talk to Blaine or Kurt. It was super weird. She didn't contact any of us for months and, you know, I started to get over it. Santana and I were just hanging out all of the time, going to the bar, watching TV and...it was perfect. Then one night we went to this cocktail bar and then I kissed her and since then...it's been non-stop." She sighed, glancing to the blonde guiltily.
Kitty sat sipping her cocoa, surveying the girl with a wry gaze, "It never rains, it pours."
"Exactly. Tell me about it." She rolled her eyes and took a sip from her mug, before continuing. "So...we were really drunk and she had taken me on this amazing night and...I kissed her."
"Hm." The girl nodded slowly, "Mind if I ask why?" She shrugged.
Quinn gave a small chuckle, "I don't know. Blaine asked the same thing. I think I was just...grateful and...she's my best friend, she's always there. She's kind of perfect and I just...I wanted to kiss her. So I did."
"Hmm." Kitty hummed thoughtfully. Quinn's eyes narrowed.
"What? Why did you 'hmm'?" She mimicked.
The girl shrugged, "No. No, nothing."
She frowned. "Tell me. Come on, I'm here for help and advice, don't spare me your wisdom."
"Did you want to because you wanted to, or because you missed Rachel? Like a rebound or...you know, to get back at her for leaving you? It's hardly a secret that there's no love lost between those two. It would make sense." She tilted her head enquiringly, and Quinn looked down into her cocoa as she considered the question.
"I don't know, maybe? I wasn't thinking about Rachel at the time. It wasn't like I thought of Rachel so I kissed Santana. I didn't think of Rachel at all that night, actually, that's what was so great about it. I'd been feeling so crappy but we just went out and had fun and I just...forgot about the whole thing." She explained, her face twisted in a perplexed grimace.
"But I thought Rachel was perfect?" The other girl prompted, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, she's not that great." Quinn shrugged, "I mean obviously she's one of my best friends." She elaborated, taking another sip of warming cocoa. She never thought the drink could be so comforting in the middle of a boiling hot summer, but as it slid down her throat she felt it warming the inside of her chest and sighed slowly. "But I think maybe my rose-tinted glasses have been scratched. Or smashed, really." She turned to look at the other girl as Kitty nodded understandingly, "Which is probably a good thing. It's not very healthy to idolise someone that much I think, in retrospect."
"Hindsight is a beautiful thing." The blonde nodded, giving a small chuckle.
"It's definitely not healthy to love someone when you're convinced they're flawless. Plus it makes it so much harder to comprehend when they fuck up big time." She gazed around thoughtfully as Kitty frowned.
"Rachel fucked up?"
Quinn let loud a loud bark of laughter, before nodding her head, "Oh yeah. So back to the story. Santana and I had sex, woke up the next day and continued on with our lives but...it was weird. Different to the first time."
"The first time?" Kitty repeated, her eyes wide with excitement as her jaw dropped, "You fucked Santana twice?"
She stared back at the girl, her cheeks growing distinctly pink, "Oh yeah. I forgot you didn't know that." Her face twisted into a grim expression before she gave a sharp sigh, "Okay. Santana took my virginity because I was freaking out over the whole thing. Also after you, FYI."
"Wow, I am ever present in this story for someone who's only just hearing it." She giggled, grimacing incredulously.
"I know, you ruined my life." She replied mock-seriously, eyes narrowed, "So I talked to Santana and she was all, 'Yeah, whatever, were not doing anything, it doesn't mean anything, blah blah blah'. Typical Santana avoidance. But then we had sex again only then the next day I mentioned how we kept having drunken sex and she admitted that she wasn't drunk and I already knew that because I wasn't drunk either and everything kind of...changed." She sighed again.
Kitty nodded slowly, "So...what changed?"
The girl stared at her for a moment, swallowing hard as her lip began to tremble. She clamped her teeth down over it to stop the movement as she took a deep breath, finally admitting in a whisper, "Everything."
"Okay. That's...a lot of things." She tilted her head in a considering nod before frowning, "So I still don't see who got hit by a car."
"Santana and I said we would talk properly. She kissed me. I went to walk Barney. Santana called telling me she had hit Rachel with her car."
"Oh my God!" Kitty slapped a hand over her most as her shoulders began shaking. She attempted to keep a straight face as Quinn stared at her in horror, "I'm sorry. That's not funny. I'm assuming Rachel's okay?"
The girl watched incredulously, the corners of her mouth twitching as she nodded, "Luckily for you, yes. Jesus. Santana also slapped herself in the face, by the way. If you're looking for more comedy value in this horrific situation?"
"I'm sorry. Okay. Okay so Rachel got hit by Santana's car. Then what?"
"We went to the hospital, Rachel explained that she's pregnant, which is why she totally blanked me."
"And how do you feel about that?" Kitty raised an eyebrow, "Are you still mad or did that make you feel better?"
Quinn sighed. Her mouth twisting thoughtfully, "I suppose it made me feel a little better to know why, sort of. But not really. I don't know, it was nice to know that there really was a reason and it wasn't my fault. But...that still doesn't make it okay. And we're friends again and we've talked and stuff this week, you know, it just...it's not like it used to be." She shrugged, "We're just...not back to that yet. I appreciate that Rachel thought she was doing the right thing, but people always do! That doesn't mean it was okay, or fair."
"So you're still mad." Kitty concluded with a nod. Quinn scowled.
"But then for some reason Santana started giving me the cold shoulder."
"Oh. Jesus." Kitty's eyebrows raised as she sighed impatiently, "What is he wrong with you people?"
"I don't know! But there's something." She replied, shaking her head. "So I didn't know what I'd done, but I left her alone for like, almost a week but still nothing so I went over to her apartment to try to talk to her."
The blonde nodded slowly, "And so that's what brought you here."
"Exactly. Santana had a broken collarbone that I didn't know about and she was really mad at me and she seems to think that I got back together with Rachel because she'd been listening at the door and heard half of our conversation at the hospital. And she kept saying I 'picked Rachel' and I just...I don't get it. I don't get how everything changed so quickly. It took less than a day for whatever me and Santana had started...to end. That's my shortest relationship ever, and the only other one lasted three weeks and ended up in a pregnant lady abandoning me."
"You do have an incredible track record." Kitty remarked with a small smile, "Add in a cancerous ex-girlfriend and you're as tragic as it gets."
Quinn frowned, suddenly falling quiet as she lifted her gaze to the girl, "How are you, by the way? I'm being so fucking self-absorbed."
"I'm...okay." She shrugged, "Getting there. Thinking about leaving the city to be closer to my family. And her family. Marley's mom still isn't coping great."
"And give up all this? Practical strangers turning up in tears on your doorstep?" Quinn replied with a wry smile.
Kitty chuckled, before nodding, "It is a toughy. I don't know I just think...maybe I'd like a slower pace of life for a while."
"Good for you." Quinn nodded, "If you need any help moving, I promise I'll let you have all the muscle I can spare. I owe you one."
"Yes, you do." She smiled, "So...what are going to do next?"
"I have...no idea." She sighed, placing her empty mug down and sitting back on the couch. " I just...I'm so fucking mad at her."
Kitty frowned for a moment, "Um, Rachel...or Santana?"
The girl snorted, before replying. "This is so fucked up. Santana. I'm mad at Santana."
"Why?" Kitty shrugged.
"Because...she listened at the door. Because she ignored me for a week. Because she's stupid enough to think I would get back together with Rachel without telling her. Because she thinks so little of me that she thinks I'd get back together with Rachel at all! Because she always fucking puts herself second best. Because she fucking sabotages anything that might work out for her just in case it doesn't. Because she's so fucking stubborn. Because she won't trust anyone. Because she didn't tell me she had a broken collarbone. Because she said I was just another girl." She finished her list with a sigh, before adding pitifully, "Because she called me smug."
"Hmm." The other girl nodded slowly, "I suppose some of those are valid reasons."
"They're all valid reasons." Quinn replied defensively.
Kitty chuckled, rolling her eyes, "Well, now you're just being petulant. So...do you think you'll be okay? You and Santana?"
She took a deep breath, breathing out in a long exhale as she nodded, "Yeah. Friend hard, fight hard." Shrugging, she looked up sadly to meet the girl's eye, "I don't know if we'll ever be...more than we always have been. Not now. Maybe that ship's sailed." She shrugged.
The blonde nodded, putting down her empty mug and sitting up straight, shifting in her seat to look at the girl seriously, "Okay. Your sad little cow eyes are telling me that the idea of you and Santana staying exactly as you always were, just best friends, is killing you, even if your brain and your mouth refuse to acknowledge it. So you came here to me - you want my advice?" She raised her eyebrows and Quinn nodded, "Okay, here it is. You are going to go, get yourself a drink and enjoy your last night of freedom, and then you are going to suck it up." Quinn frowned, but Kitty continued regardless, "When I met you, both of you, you were literally stacked on top of each other. And that is the way you have lived your entire lives, by the sounds of it! You live in each other's pockets. When you don't talk for a few hours you both start having withdrawal symptoms!" She exclaimed with an incredulous laugh, "Quinn, this is ridiculous. You both need to stop worrying so much about your friendship, stop being so stubborn and just go for it!
"Normal friends don't ask friends to skip the state with them. And normal friends don't agree! Andthey don't bust each other out in the middle of the night and run away to freedom! They say they'll visit and keep in touch and then they talk less and less and they never get round to visiting and they make excuses and they drift apart until they find each other on Facebook twelve years later." She tilted her head to give Quinn a matter-of-fact look, "This...is not a normal friendship. So just deal with it! Suck it up and go fucking apologise."
Quinn huffed, "Why should I apologise, she's the one-"
"Be the bigger person!" Kitty suddenly shouted, her fists clenched with exasperation, "Santana is so fucking closed off that you know she isn't going to. Your friendship may be salvageable but if you wait forever then your relationship won't be. Now get out of my apartment - you have your answer. It's late and you've already made her mad tonight so wait until tomorrow and then buy her some flowers and get your knees on that girl's doormat." Quinn sniggered, and Kitty grimaced, "Oh, not like that! Ew."
The blonde sighed, gazing around the room and sucking her teeth before turning back to her friend, "You're right aren't you?"
"One question - since you came to New York with Santana...have you ever looked back?" She shrugged. Quinn sat silently, and Kitty gave her a small nod, "Go."
-oOo-
Quinn grinned as she skipped up the steps of the subway station and headed in the direction of her apartment, already formulating a plan as she wandered down the street. She passed their usual bar, pausing to look at the time on her phone before shrugging and deciding to take kitty's advice. Pushing her way through the door, she surveyed the buzzing room before heading straight to the bar. She was surprised to see so many customers, expecting the bar to be rather emptier than it was on their usual mic nights, but the room was still a hive of activity, full of large rowdy groups and secluded pairs hidden away in the corners. Smiling, she turned back to the bar and smiled at one of the regular barmen, catching his attention.
"Hey, Mike. Just a beer, please." She grinned, pulling a few notes from her back pocket.
"Sure, no problem. Bottle or glass."
Shrugging, she curled her lip and replied, "Bottle will do. Save on the dishes."
"Cool." He nodded, giving her a wide grin and turning to retrieve one from the fridge behind, "So are you here to see Blaine and that girl, Santana, is it? The girl with the sling?"
"What?" She frowned, glancing around the bar in search of her friends, "What do you mean?"
The boy gave her a confused look as he removed the top from the bottle and slid it across the bar, "Um, they're performing an acoustic set tonight? It's this new night we're trying, just background noise, you know? Less formal than the open mic, less focus."
"Sounds cool." She nodded absent-mindedly, "So why is Santana doing it? I would have thought Blaine could manage on his own?"
Mike shrugged, "I don't know, he said something about it being therapeutic? I wasn't really listening. I don't really care." He admitted with a chuckle, "Either way they sounded good and they should be starting soon."
"Okay." She replied slowly, giving a considering nod, "In that case I'll just sit right over here." She moved along to the very end of the bar in the hope that the lighting would shield her from her friends' view, biting her lip nervously. She passed the money across to Mike, who sidled along to the cash register opposite her seat and began punching in numbers, "So how are you doing, anyway? What's going on the life of Mike?"
"Not much." He replied, focusing on the tiny screen as she removed her hoodie, "I have a new girlfriend called Brittany. She's pretty cool; she's a bartender and she runs this blog on YouTube. Apparently it's pretty popular, which is cool."
Quinn forced her eyes not to widen as she took a deep breath, attempting to control the giggles that were welling in her chest, "Awesome. We'll...I hope it goes well for you."
"Thanks." The boy grinned as a man stepped up at the opposite end of the bar. He gave her a nod before moving to leave, but Quinn piped up again.
"Oh, Mike? Do me a favour?" He raised his eyebrows, looking puzzled, and she gave him a casual smile, "Don't ever watch any of Brittany's old videos."
The boy frowned, looking at her like she may be insane, but nodded slowly, "Um...okay?"
She smiled, watching him go and picking up her bottle, taking a large swig as she stared at her own reflection in the mirror behind the bar. Tapping her feet on the crossbar of her stool, she bit down on her bottom lip as she tried to control her grin. Though she was wary of seeing the girl after their...less than pleasant conversation - and she bowed her head as she noticed her friends making their way to the stage - she couldn't help the nervous excitement bubbling up from her stomach to her chest.
Glancing at the pair out of the corner of her eye, she watched Santana setting up her microphone with one hand as Blaine picked up his guitar and took a seat at the edge of the stage, watching the brunette for her cue. Quinn bowed her head as the lights around the bar dimmed, trying to keep a low profile as the girl on stage nodded to Blaine.
She didn't recognise the song that the boy began plucking, his notes drifting across the bar as she concentrated, focusing to hear over the din of other patrons, until her friend began to sing, her good hand shaking slightly as she clutched the microphone.
"Yeah I feel I'm watered down, whenever she's around. I put on the crown of clowns, and melt slowly to the ground. Yeah I feel it coming on, when I've been static for too long. And an explosion comes in time, before I go and cross the line." Quinn noted the angry smirk of her friend's face with a sigh, "They say you used to be so kind, I never knew you had such a dirty mind. Well, I went to the doctors believing. The devil had control over me, and I was finding it hard to breath and, finding it hard to fight the feeling.
"When my heart just burst like a glass balloon. I let it fly too high and it shattered too soon. I was the wrong damn girl in the wrong damn room. I broke my glass balloon, I let go of my glass balloon." Quinn turned away from the stage and took a large swig of her drink, her heart sinking. "They call him Hermit the Frog. He's looking for a dog. Did you find your bitch in me? Oh, you're abominable socially, you're just a little bit too much like me."
The blonde bit down on her lip, her attention drawn back to the girl as Santana chuckled, "She says you used to be so kind. Well baby, I gave you your dirty mind. Well I, I wanna tell you a secret. You can take your double standard love and keep it." She flinched, "I can't help the devil likes to make my heart a double bed. And I can't help he sometimes like to come and rest his little head. When my heart just burst like a glass balloon. I let it fly too high and it shattered too soon. I was the wrong damn girl in the wrong damn room. I broke my glass balloon, I let go of my glass balloon. I broke my glass balloon...I let go of my glass balloon."
The song came to a close, but Quinn was surprised to find that there was no applause or commentary to be done like on their open mic nights. The girl on stage turned to Blaine with a small grin, and they exchanged a few words before he nodded again, fiddling with his guitar strings as Santana took a deep breath and moved back to the microphone. The boy started plucking a complicated riff, and Quinn sighed, taking another long sip of her beer as Santana began to sing a song she knew so well. Her mood changed as the girl's voice began singing, the tone of this song so completely different that it took her by surprise.
"You tell me all the things you do. Tell me that it's up to you. Crying in the peaceful night. Telling all the things you hide." Santana sang softly, before taking a deep breath, "But out there in the future. Maybe you're the rainbow. There's no song without love, with your eyes shut you cry in your bed."
Quinn began peeling the label off her bottle, chewing the inside of her cheek as she listened to the girl's impassioned chorus.
"Is that what you wanted? Songs about love? Is that what you hoped you would find when it's burning inside, but a song about love's not enough." The girl looked incredulous, her eyes flitting around absent-mindedly as she continued, "So what do you want for? What are you needing? Songs about memories that hid and then shatter your mind like a constant reminder, I just want to find where you are. I just want to find where you are."
Santana looked down as Blaine continued to play, her hand on the mic stand a she swallowed hard, and raised her head once again, "I hold you and your eyes fall down. You barely even make a sound. Crying in the peaceful night. Showing all the things you hide. But out there in the future, maybe you're the rainbow. There's no song without love. With your eyes shut you cry in your bed.
"Is that what you wanted?" She held her arm out in a small shrug, "Songs about love? Is that what you hoped you would find when it's burning inside but a song about love's not enough. So what do you want for? What are you needing? Songs about memories that hide and then shatter your mind like a constant reminder, I just want to find where you are. I just want to find where you are." Blaine's playing became quieter as Santana sighed, repeating for the final time, "I just want to find where you are."
The blonde sighed, staring guiltily at the bar-top as she chewed on her lip, tipping her head back to take a large swig of her drink before abandoning it on the bar and standing up. She no longer felt the frantic nerves that had made her want to giggle with excitement. Instead, the buzzing feeling had been replaced by a dull ache in Horne pit of her stomach, and a flushing shame burning across her cheeks. Blaine had moved to the piano, and he began to play a slow, gentle melody as she grabbed her hoodie from beside her and moved to leave.
"Hold my breath and I'll count to ten, I'm the paper and you're the pen. You fill me in you are permanent. And you leave me to dry."
Santana's voice reached her by the door, and she stopped, hoodie in hand, staring down at her hand on the wood panelling.
"I'm the writer and she's the muse, and the one that you always choose. Se will falter and gift her blame. And it starts all over again, again, again, again, again.
"She is bright lights and cityscapes. And white lies and cavalcades." Santana took a deep breath as Quinn turned slowly, "And she'll take all you ever have, but I'm gonna love you. You say 'maybe it'll last this time', but I'm gonna love you." The blonde's legs shook as she stared up at the stage, her mouth suddenly dry. "You never have to ask, I'm gonna love you. 'Til you start looking back, I'm gonna love you so right. I wouldn't need a second chance."
Quinn side-stepped as a small group of people pulled open the door beside her, her eyes never leaving the performers on stage as they bustled around her and moved to the bar. She took a deep breath as the girl on stage did the same, her chest suddenly feeling very tight.
"Shield your eyes from the truth at hand. Tell me why it'll be good again. All those demons are closing in, and I don't want you to burn." She swallowed as she watched her friend, her eyes shining as she shook her head slowly, "Never mind what I said before. I don't want any less anymore. You are carbon and I am flame. I will rise and you will...remain.
"For bright lights and cityscapes. And landslides and masquerades. And she'll take all you ever have, but I'm gonna love you. You say, 'maybe it'll last this time', but I'm gonna love you. You'd never have to ask, I'm gonna love you. 'Til you start looking back...I wouldn't need a second chance." Blaine's final chord rang out through the chattering bar as Santana finished, "I wouldn't need a second chance."
Quinn gave a small nod before turning and pushing her way through the door with a renewed vigour and a wide smile.
-oOo-
Santana took a long slurp from her water bottle before screwing the lid on tight and abandoning it back on the top of the amp. She took a deep breath, glancing to Blaine to see the boy re-tuning his guitar before sighing heavily, mentally running through their set list for the night. Two songs to go, and then she could go home. To her bed. And forget that this horrible day had ever happened.
A buzzing from her pocket alerted her attention and she frowned, pulling her phone from her shorts and checking her newest text expectantly. She was expecting to see Quinn's name flashing up on the creep, but the illuminated number was one she didn't recognise. Frowning, she opened the text and read it, her eyes wide.
Hey San. I'm back in the area, u wanna...mess around? F xxxx
Her eyes narrowed is she looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully, attempting to place the initial or the number. F? She didn't know anyone whose name began with F. Not that she could think of, anyway. Twisting her mouth as she considered the offer, she rolled her eyes and looked over to Blaine again to see the boy still focused on his guitar. She gave her head a small shake and swiftly deleted the message., sighing as her familiar home-screen photo popped up on the screen, a heaviness settling in her chest.
She cleared her throat quietly, and began humming absent-mindedly as Blaine began finishing up.
"I think you're beautiful, but your hair is a mess. And your shoes are untied, but that's what I love best."
-oOo-
"Hey. Do you wanna hang out today?" Rachel asked brightly as she answered the phone, "And by hang out, I mean come to my apartment because I can't leave. Obviously."
The blonde took a deep breath, chewing on her lip as she plonked herself down on the sofa, "I can't. I actually have to...go do something."
"Oh, really?" Rachel frowned, "And what exciting adventures do you have planned for the day?"
"I'm going to go tell Santana that I'm in love with her."
"Oh."
Quinn sat silently for a second, recovering from her blurted confession, before swallowing, "Yeah. I figured it was best to be honest with you, but I know that's probably not something you want to hear." She frowned, reaching over to wrap an arm around the thick fur of her dog's back. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay, really." The small girl nodded as she lay back on her couch, lifting her head to stare up at the ceiling, "Let's face it, there was no way we could ever work out now, plus I have way more important things I have to think about. No offence."
"None taken." Quinn chuckled, "But you're alright?"
"Of course. Like I say, I have to start focusing on me...and my baby, and what I'm going to do with the whole situation. I've been avoiding it for long enough." She groaned, twisting her mouth thoughtfully before continuing in a low voice, "Plus, there's no hard feelings. I love you as a friend and...I don't know, you have my blessing. And I hope she feels the same way as you, which I'm fairly confident she does."
The blonde smiled, bowing her head as she nodded, "Thanks, Rach. You are a...really amazing friend. And I'm fairly confident, too. I know it."
"Well then, good luck!" Rachel grinned, "Although I'd appreciate it if you would take me somewhere this week, I'm getting cabin fever. If Santana would be cool with it, that is."
"Okay." Quinn chuckled, "I promise I'll bust you out over the nest couple of days."
"Thanks." The brunette smiled, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a long sigh, "Good luck, old friend. I'll talk to you later, let me know how it goes."
"Thank you, I will. See you later."
She hung up the phone, placing it gently on the coffee table before taking a deep breath and looking over to the retriever by her side, "What do you think, Barn-door? Are we confident?" The dog reared his head, dragging himself closer to her and lifting his head to lick her chin. She giggled, pulling away and ruffling his ears before bending over to kiss him on the head, "Yeah. It's gonna be great. And if it's not great today...then we'll wait. Yeah?" He licked her chin again and she grinned, "Yeah."
-oOo-
This time, when Quinn found herself at the top of he stairs to Quinn's apartment, she did not hesitate the before striding down the hall and planting herself firmly in front of the girl's door. She switched the ceramic pot she was holding into her other hand before reaching out and knocking her knuckles against the wood. After listening to the muffled sound of movement and footsteps for a moment, the girl pulled the door open with an easy smile, which was quickly dropped in favour of an impatient eye roll.
"Wow." She sighed, "For a recluse you're like sand in my ass crack these days."
"I brought you a cactus." She stated with a nervous grin, holding the plant out in front of her. "Just hear me out."
Santana's confused gaze shifted from her face to the plant, "A cactus?" She repeated, raising her eyebrows.
"I was going to buy you flowers. But flowers die so...I went with a cactus." She shrugged, "They live, like, forever and they don't need much water so it doesn't matter if you forget to water it - which I know you will. It needs very little sustenance, plus it's kind of spiky...just like you." She gave the girl a small smile and pushed the cactus towards her once more.
Santana took it from her with a perplexed glance to the plant, "...thanks?"
"So, it's meant to be kind of, uh...an olive branch?"
"A cactus branch?" Santana corrected, the corners of her mouth twitching despite herself.
The blonde nodded seriously, "A cactus branch. Do cacti have branches?" She asked suddenly with a thoughtful frown, "I don't know. Anyway this is a cactus branch, which leads me to say...I'm sorry. I didn't realise what you thought was going on, and I should have explained sooner, and then once I did realise I was...I was just mad at you for assuming and...being mean. Which is really fucking childish. But Rachel and I are not a thing - we never really were a thing - but either way, I don't want her. And I'm sorry."
Santana shook her head slowly, before shrugging, "Okay?"
"Listen...I know I'm supposed to wait until we're forty and discovering that people still don't love us for us to get married and live out our days in coupled spinsterhood, but you know what? I don't want to wait that long." Quinn's mouth was suddenly dry, her heart hammering inside her rib cage, "And I don't have that long to wait, because you don't realise that you're this incredible, giving, caring, protective, hilarious, gorgeous person. But I've realised that, and soon enough someone else will, too. You're like sunshine. And you've been sunshine ever since you sat down next to me in chemistry and called me a loser and you've been sunshine every single day since then. You light up a room." Santana averted her eyes as a blush began creeping up the back of her neck. "And there are so many reasons for every single person alive to love you, and they would if they were given half a chance. So I can't wait until we're forty. I daren't wait that long and miss this. Because I've already been given that chance. And...I'm already in love with you."
The brunette shrugged, "What, did Rachel reject you again?" She raised one eyebrow, though she had seemed to have lost her gusto from the pervious day.
Quinn watched the girl thoughtfully for a second, before taking a breath, "You know, you can be as stubborn as you want and you can drag your heels until you're blue in the face. But it makes absolutely no difference to me. Because for once, I am so confident." She nodded seriously, "I am for fucking sure positive that this is going to turn out right, whether that's today or in three weeks or four years from now or if it really is when we're forty. I'll wait, because I know that this is only going to end one way. So you can shut me out and you can be stubborn, if you feel like it." She shrugged, "Knock yourself out. But we're meant to be in this, not what we've been doing so far, so...I know it's gonna happen one day, even if you don't." She gave a small chuckle before shrugging one shoulder, "But, you know...at the same time, I miss you. And...I would really like to have that date we had planned before...well, before you became a felon."
Santana scoffed, turning to place the potted plant on the sideboard with a thump, "I accidentally hit someone with my car - totalling my baby in the process, by the way. Hardly makes me a felon."
"I suppose." Quinn shrugged, stepping forward, "But I'm sure you'll have done something illegal in the past week. Plus, I like the idea of having a hot, felon, lady-of-the-flame girlfriend."
"Girlfriend, huh?" Santana repeated, raising her eyebrows, "Little presumptuous."
She smiled hopefully, "If you'd have me?"
Santana took a deep breath, leaning against the doorframe and glancing around, her teeth clenched, before finally meeting the girl's eye again, "And why would you want to be my girlfriend?" She shrugged, "When you know me so well and you know...exactly what I'm like?"
"Because I'd be a fool not to." Quinn replied honestly, holding the brunette's gaze, "And because I know you so well. And I know exactly what you're like. Even if you don't." She nodded before taking a breath and leaning against the wall beside Santana, folding her arms casually, "You know, I saw this thing the other day about relationships being...honest, or something. Seeing the worst in a each other but...loving each other just as much...as when you see the best. Or. Not seeing the worst at all. Seeing the worst but still only seeing the best? Or something?"
"You're so eloquent." Santana sniggered.
"I'm sorry." She looked down with a sigh, "My point is that...you make stupid jokes, and you're cocky and...sometimes a little arrogant. Especially when you're you're nervous. And you push people away, like, you do have total trust issues-"
Santana frowned, "I hope you're going somewhere with this."
"I am. Because I'm stubborn and I get sarcastic and bitchy when I'm scared. And I'm really fucking messy and I make you walk my dog when it's raining and watch documentaries that you think are really boring and yesterday I killed a spider that I could have set free." Santana frowned and she shook her head quickly, "That one's irrelevant I'm just not over the guilt. But anyway...you are the best thing that has has ever happened to me in my entire life. Really, you are my entire laugh. And it's stupid that it took me so long to see that."
"They are boring. But I don't mind." The brunette admitted quietly.
"Santana I followed you to New York because I didn't get to say goodbye. I abandoned my family and crossed two state lines so I didn't have to say goodbye. But it's not about picking you; you're not there to be picked. I don't pick you, I just...I love you. And I hope you pick me."
Santana inhaled slowly through her nose, her mouth twisting thoughtfully before she narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to look at the girl, "Will I still have to take you sky-diving?"
"Mmm-hmm." The blonde nodded seriously, "It's a deal breaker for me."
"Ugh, fuck." She tutted, "You drive a hard bargain."
Quinn sighed impatiently and shifted slightly closer, "Will you please just kiss me?"
Santana grinned, edging towards her and whispering, "On one condition."
"No sky-diving?" She guessed, rolling her eyes.
The brunette leaned forward, lifting her good hand to the girl's waist and pulling her close, tilting her head and pressing her lips to Quinn's in a tender kiss. The blonde smiled triumphantly against her mouth as she wrapped her arms around the girl's neck, her eyes falling shut as her chest swelled. Santana suddenly winced, retreating slightly and gesturing to her collarbone.
"Ooh. Sorry." Quinn grimaced sympathetically, moving her arm away, "I keep forgetting. Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine." She nodded, "Although I don't know why you're so hell-bent on causing me pain." She chuckled.
The blonde bit down cheekily on her bottom lip as she sidled closer, "Well, who doesn't want to play doctor with a sexy firefighter?"
Santana sighed impatiently before shouting, "Lady of the fl-"
Quinn grinned and cut her off with a hard kiss, pushing her into the apartment and swinging the door shut behind them.
-oOo-
"Come on, it'll be fun!" The blonde insisted as she slapped the girl's leg.
"Nothing with Berry is ever fun for me." Santana sighed, rolling her eyes, "Can't you please just go without me. I don't mind! You'll have fun, I'll look after Barney and Cobweb...will ignore me like she always does, until I force her to sit on my lap and she digs her claws into my leg. You'll come home, we'll have sex, it'll be a great night all round!"
Quinn watched her quietly, before moving back to the couch and perching down beside her. "Hey. Did you know that I used to have the biggest crush on you?"
Santana's jaw dropped, her eyes wide as she pushed herself up the couch and turned to face the girl, "What? When? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Exactly." The blonde nodded, "So you owe me a year of unrequited love. Which I am cashing in." She clambered off the sofa and made to leave, but Santana lunged after her, sprawling across the couch as she grabbed her by the wrist.
"Hey! No!" She dragged the girl backwards ignoring the shooting pain through her shoulder before inspiration struck her, "Ooh! Ow!" She winced dramatically, and Quinn immediately stopped, turning back and sitting down.
"What? Are you okay?" She asked, grimacing sympathetically.
"So when was it?" Santana asked excitedly, sitting up straight again, "Last year? I saw the way you looked at me when I made you come swim suit shopping with me."
"No!" Quinn protested, grimacing indignantly and slapping the girl's leg.
Santana smiled sweetly, batting her eyelashes, "Please. Please tell me. Please."
"Not the last time you'll beg like that tonight." Quinn sniggered, but the brunette gave her a shove. "Ugh, fine, I'll tell you! It was senior year...to New York." She admitted, looking down at her hands as Santana's jaw dropped slowly, her cocky grin now gone.
"What? That...long ago? How...I mean, for how...long?" She shrugged, looking stunned.
"I don't know, probably like..." Quinn shook her head, mouthing speechlessly, "Two years, maybe?"
Santana's eyes slowly grew wider as she stared silently, "Two...what? Two years?" She asked incredulously, "Is that why you came to New York with me? Because you were in love with me?"
"No! Of course not!" The blonde shook her head, "It was just a tiny crush back then!" She shrugged shyly, "I came to New York because you were my best friend and...like I said, I...didn't want to say goodbye to you." Her cheeks felt as though they were burning as she broke eye contact with the girl again, looking down awkwardly as Santana stared around the apartment, open-mouthed.
"So it was like...the first two years of New York." She nodded, gazing thoughtfully as she did the math, "Pretty much the whole time I was in my free-of-the-suburbs, sleeping-around, out-every-night, telling-you-every-single-one-of-my-adventures-phase."
Quinn snorted, "Well, to be fair, you've been in that phase for the entirety of our time in New York, give-or-take." She chuckled, but Santana was watching her seriously.
"Did you love me?"
The blonde gaped wordlessly at the bluntness of the girl's question, stuttering before answering, "I-I don't...maybe, I mean...almost. But no. Just a crush." She finished with a shrug.
"Holy shit. Quinn, holy...shit." Santana took a deep breath, "Still, why did you...do that? Still hang out with me when I was out doing...you know...all the time. I told you everything, I rubbed your face in it! Why did you stick around?"
Quinn sighed heavily, before shrugging, "I don't know. Because I liked you but I was your friend first and...well, mostly because I'd just fucking moved to New York with you so I didn't have many other options."
"Jesus, Quinn. I'm so sorry." Santana frowned, puffing out her cheeks and exhaling loudly, "I thought I had it bad. Jesus."
The blonde nodded, before grinning, "Exactly. So you owe me two years of unrequited almost-love. Now get your jacket."
"Ugh! But still...the whole Berry thing! It's weird. It makes me uncomfortable!" She groaned.
"Santana...I don't want to spend my life having to split my time between my best friend and my girlfriend. I've spent way too long already trying to avoid having either of you in the same room." She squeezed the girl's knee absent-mindedly, "I know there's bad blood and I know that you fucking hate each other. But...every once in a while could you just try to spend a night together without ripping out each other's throats constantly?" She leaned her forearm against the back of the couch and stroked her index finger along the brunette's leg, "For me?"
Santana sucked her teeth, gazing around the room thoughtfully before taking a deep breath, "Fine. Let's go." She nodded slowly, "But if she's being an ass, I have the right to excuse myself and claim my meds are making me drowsy. Deal?"
Quinn nodded, pushing herself to her feet and holding her hand out to the brunette before pulling her to her feet and grinning, "Thank you. I promise it will be fine and we don't have to stay too late just...let me get my music on and hang out with my friends and my girlfriend and we'll just...have an awesome night."
"If you say so." The brunette grinned, giving the girl a chaste kiss before stepping past her and grabbing her jacket, slipping her arm through the sleeve and tugging it over her other shoulder. "Can you zip me up?" She smiled, turning to where Quinn was tugging on her sneakers, and settled her jacket over her sling.
The other girl obliged diligently before grabbing her hoodie and pulling it on, collecting her equipment from the floor by the door, and handing the lightest case to Santana.
-oOo-
"Ah. My attacker is here. How lovely." Rachel remarked as Blaine wheeled her up to their table and took his seat opposite the girls.
"Be nice." Quinn warned in a low voice, before smiling at the boys, "Hey, guys. How's it going?"
Kurt nodded, "Not too bad."
"Better now that we're not playing a who's who of avoidance." The curly-haired boy chuckled, "So I'm just gonna break the ice and say it...is everyone...okay?"
Santana and Quinn exchanged a quick glance before smiling, and the brunette nodded, "Yeah, we're good."
Rachel smiled, before suddenly her eyes lit up and she grinned, "Ooh! I have some news!"
She reached out to pick up her drink from the table and tapped her nail against it dramatically, "So...a friend of a friend heard from a guy who works Off-Broadway that they're doing a revival of Les Miserables this year!"
The group exchanged confused frowns, before Kurt took a deep breath, "Um...not to ruin your big moment but...so?" He shrugged.
Rachel placed her drink back on the table, holding her hands out in preparation, "So...that means they will be casting Madame Thenardier! A character who could very easily be played by-"
"A pregnant girl!" Blaine finished as a moment of inspiration struck him. "Rachel that's perfect!"
"I'm missing something." Santana frowned.
Rachel rolled her eyes, "Of course you are."
"Hey!" The blonde objected with an impatient sigh, "I said be nice!"
"She broke my leg!" Rachel snapped petulantly.
"And you broke my heart!" Quinn countered, raising one eyebrow challengingly.
Santana sniggered, turning to Blaine and mouthing, "Quinn broke my bed."
"Shut up, Santana!" The blonde snapped, her cheeks turning distinctly pink.
"Fine, fine! I'll be nice!" The girl in the wheelchair sighed, "Santana, I'm sorry. Madame Thenardier is a character in Les Mis. She's not very nice and she's pretty skanky so it doesn't necessarily matter whether the actress who plays her is pregnant. So I could audition for it and hopefully...you know, my career doesn't have to be over." She finished, and Santana nodded.
"I see. Thank you" she gave the girl a small smile before reaching for her beer and taking a large swig. "So...how is the whole...pregnancy thing?" She asked stiltedly, but Rachel's shrugged.
"Okay. I don't feel much different yet. I'm not showing yet, which is nice - I'm hoping I won't be one of those women who balloon out and become huge." She explained with a shrug, slightly awkward at the prospect of having a normal conversation with the girl, "Mostly the only difference I've noticed is that I hate almost everyone and am almost consistently filled with this uncontrollable, irrational rage, like, all of the time." She rolled her eyes with a sigh.
Santana smirked, nodding slowly, "Wow. You're less insufferable already." She grinned, giving the girl a sidelong glance. The tiny brunette looked startled for a moment, before she looked to the girl and saw Santana grinning back at her. She smiled, taking the joke on the chin and nodding slowly.
"Wish I could say the same for you." She replied cheekily, and Santana snorted.
"Ooh!" Quinn suddenly piped up, leaning forward conspiratorially, "Guys, you will never guess what I learnt the other day!"
Kurt's eyebrows raised excitedly, his eyes wide, "Ooh, what? Tell!"
"I was talking to Mike the other day."
"Mike?" Rachel frowned.
"The barman."
Santana's jaw dropped open with confusion, "How do you know his name?"
"Because I'm not an anti-social city-dweller like all of you! I'm Ohio at heart and I talk to people!"
"You don't...talk to...anyone." The girl in the wheelchair replied, her eyes narrowed. "You barely talk to us."
She rolled her eyes, "Okay, fine! He wore a name tag one time! Anyway, do you want to hear my news?"
"Yes. Please tell us. Shut up, people!" Kurt snapped.
"Mike is dating...Brittany." She announced smugly, nodding her head at each of them individually.
Rachel and Santana's jaws dropped, "Brittany Brittany?"
"Stalker Brittany?"
"Your Brittany?"
Quinn stared from girl to girl, frowning with confusion, "What? Yes, stalker Brittany, not...my Brittany. She's not my Brittany."
"Of course she is." Santana shrugged, "They're all your whoever-they-are."
"Your needy Finn. Your lookalike Sam. Your racist Tina." Rachel listed.
Santana gave her a cheeky grin as Rachel turned to look at the bar, and the boy standing behind it, mouthing, "Your Santana."
"Huh. Mike and Brittany. Hm." She nodded slowly, "I never pictured it but...they could be a cute couple."
"Yeah." Santana chuckled, "As long as Mike can stand up in a background check, full criminal record check and his medical background doesn't show up any serious family history."
There was a moments pause before Quinn shrugged, "I'm sure he'll be fine," she nodded. "So," she announced, "now that peace is restored and I have dropped my news, I'm going to go start...setting up." She nodded to the stage before pushing herself out of the booth and wandering over to the stage, smiling contentedly.
"So what's everyone been up to?" Rachel beamed, "I've been stuck inside for two weeks and it feels like forever."
Blaine shrugged, "Not much, really. We went to see this amateur production of Jersey Boys."
"Which was horrible." Kurt finished, rolling his eyes. "The falsetto couldn't even hit most of his notes. I swear, I could have done a better job."
"Ugh," Rachel nodded, "I once saw a production of Phantom of the Opera because my boyfriend was in it and it was terrible. Then afterwards I had to pretend like it was really good when really I was dying inside the whole way through."
"Been there." Santana commented, one eyebrow raised. The group turned to look at her curiously and she flushed, suddenly awkward, "Although it was a bartender, not a boyfriend and...it...wasn't a show."
The girl in the wheelchair gave a bemused smile as she shook her head, "I will never tire of your, often worrying, antics." She chuckled, "But it was bad. The pronunciation was so bad it sounded like they were saying funnel instead of follow."
"Ah, Christine." The other brunette smirked, "Forever destined to make the wrong choice and funnel Raoul."
Rachel giggled as the boys exchanged a satisfied glance, and Quinn stepped up onto the stage.
"Hey, guys! Regulars, new faces, old faces." She pointed to her table of friends, who cheered loudly, Rachel clapping above her head in an attempt to be seen from her lowered seating position. "Tonight I am going to start off with a dedication. So, this one...is for you."
The group didn't have to guess who she was referring to, though Rachel snuck a glance at the other brunette, who was suddenly chewing on her lip shyly, her elbows on the table and face tucked into her hands. She swallowed hard, but smiled as she turned back to the stage.
Quinn played a few notes in preparation and pressed some pedals by her foot, before taking a deep breath and beginning to beat a rhythm on her guitar, clapping every third note. She tapped out a few bars before pressing another pedal, the beat continuing as she began to strum.
"So this is what you meant, when you said that you were spent. And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit right to the stop. Don't hold back. Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain check." She looked up to see her girlfriend's eyes on her, and grinned, "I don't ever wanna let you down. I don't ever wanna leave this town. 'Cause after all," she raised an eyebrow, "This city never sleeps at night.
"It's time to begin, isn't it? I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit, I'm just the same as I was. Now don't you understand? That I'm never changing who I am." The steady beat continued as Santana's blush rose from her neck to her cheeks, her chest tight as she took a deep breath. "So this is where you fell, and I am left to sell. The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell, right to the top. Don't look back." Santana gave her a knowing look, and she chuckled, "Turning to rags and giving the commodities a rain-check.
"I don't ever wanna let you down. I don't ever wanna leave this town. 'Cause after all, this city never sleeps at night. It's time to begin, isn't it? I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit, I'm just the same as I was. Now don't you understand? That I'm never changing who I am. It's time to begin, isn't it? I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit, I'm just the same as I was. Now don't you understand? That I'm never changing who I am."
As she finished the song, Santana drummed her fingers on the table and pushed herself up, "Okay. I'm getting drinks before the next song." She announced, attempting to keep her grin in check, "Same again, everyone?"
"Please." Kurt nodded, eying her wryly. The brunette nodded and sauntered away, taking a deep breath as she left and breathing out slowly, hoping to calm her racing heartbeat.
"Hey." Blaine nodded to the tiny girl, "Are you okay? I can take you home whenever you're ready if its...weird, or anything."
"No." Rachel shook her head confidently, "No, I'm fine."
He frowned, looking concerned, "Really? I think you're handling this really well. If it was me, seeing Kurt with someone else I'd be...freaking out." He shook his head, but Rachel shrugged.
"It's nice. Quinn's...happier than I've ever seen her." She glanced to the stage, where Quinn had begun playing again, "Complete."
"You're doing a good thing." Kurt replied, reaching over to squeeze her hand gently, "You're being very...grown up."
She gave a small chuckle as Santana turned at the bar, "Well...it's about time, if I'm going to take care of this baby."
"You've made your decision then?" Blaine asked, raising his thick eyebrows.
"Yes. I have." She smiled, "If I'm brewing it, I'm keeping it."
Santana returned to the table, placing the tray down gently and passing round the drinks, "Did I hear right?"
"Yup." Rachel nodded, "Keeping." She added, pointing to her belly and picking up her water.
"I thought you were worried about...work and everything?" She shrugged, "Sorry. That was really negative." She shook her head as she sat down, "I really didn't mean to be unsupportive; I think that's amazing! I just...I know you had...concerns."
"It's okay!" The other girl giggled, hurrying to reassure her, "Don't worry. I was concerned but...it's my baby and, you know, my dads could always look after him or her. I have some money put away and the money from...Brody, which can pay for child care and...I'll work it out." She shrugged.
The other three nodded as Blaine piped up, "Plus, we can always babysit! You know, when I'm not taking care of Barney and seven other animals. And I'm great with kids."
Rachel grinned, "Thanks, guys."
"And I'm sure me and Quinn could, too." Santana nodded, "I know I'm hardly a role model but...if you needed us to." She shifted uncomfortably under the stunned gazes of everyone else around the table, before shrugging, "What? I like kids. They haven't learned to be assholes like adults yet."
"Well...thank you, Santana. For that...surprising announcement." She nodded slowly, her eyes wide, "Yeah, I'm sure I'll manage it's just...I don't know, a little scary right now."
The taller brunette shrugged, taking a swig of her beer, "It takes a village."
As the conversation ended they turned back to the stage, where Quinn was beginning her next song, strumming her chords enthusiastically.
"I never knew you before. I've been walking around with my eyes on the floor. But now you're everywhere to me, you're every face that I see. Things ain't moving quick enough for me." She looked to her friends' table, grinning at the two girls, "I guess I've been running round town, leaving my tracks, burning out rubber, driving too fast. But I've gotta slow right down." The girls at the table exchanged a guilty look, "Back to the moment the very start, from the very first day you had my heart. But I've gotta slow right down. Slow it down. Down, down, down. Down, down down. Down down down.
"Wishing, wanting for something more, always better than I had before. Who knew these dreams would come true? And I run the red won't stop at night, I don't care for traffic lights. Things ain't moving quick enough for me.
"I guess I've been running round town leaving my tracks, burning out rubber, driving too fast. But I've gotta slow right to the moment the very start, from the very first day you had my
Heart but I've gotta slow right down. I guess I've been running round town leaving my tracks, burning out rubber, driving too fast. But I've gotta slow right down. Back to the moment the very start, from the very first day you had my heart. But I've gotta slow right down. Slow it down, down, down, down, down..."
As her playing faded, Santana took a long slurp of her drink and sat back in the booth, smiling contentedly.
-oOo-
"Okay, thanks, Mike!" Quinn called as they bustled towards the door, carrying her equipment with them.
"Good luck with the new girlfriend!" Santana grinned, before clapping a hand over Rachel's mouth as the girl began sniggering, wheeling her through the door that Blaine held open and passing her off to the boy.
She paused between the two doors, turning back to face the blonde and swallowing. Quinn frowned bemusedly, the corners of her mouth turned upwards as she raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Quinn, I just..." Santana trailed off, averting her eyes as she struggled to find her phrasing, "It's you and me now, right?"
The blonde smiled, raising her hand to brush a tendril of hair behind the girl's ear, letting her thumb sweep down her jaw, "Two years, Santana. It's always been you and me."
The songs included in this chapter are as follows:
Marina and the Diamonds - Hermit The Frog
Jake Bugg - A Song About Love
Sara Bareilles - Bright Lights and City Scapes
Amy Macdonald - A Wish For Something More
Imagine Dragons - It's Time
Amy Macdonald - Slow It Down
Once again, THANK YOU ALL for reading! For future readers, the endgame is QUINNTANA. If you are a die-hard Faberry shipper looking for Faberry Endgame then this is not the story for you, my apologies but thank you for stopping by.