Dec. 29, 2011, 10:55 a.m.
Forever and Always: Chapter 11
K - Words: 1,103 - Last Updated: Dec 29, 2011 Story: Complete - Chapters: 13/13 - Created: Dec 29, 2011 - Updated: Dec 29, 2011 1,096 0 1 0 0
Kurt didn't sleep all night.
Blaine woke to find his eyes shining as they stared at the ceiling above them many times that night, unable to sleep peacefully either. Neither could stop thinking about what Quinn was doing, several blocks away. Questions kept revolving around their minds. Had Finn shouted? Had Quinn cried? Had it finally ended?
Of course it hadn't. Whatever came next was the consequence. They couldn't escape it. What was coming for them was coming, whether they wanted it to or not. Part of Kurt did, because at least now it was out in the open. They didn't have to keep lying about it, letting it slowly burn a hole in their lives. At least now they'd limited the damage it had caused.
But what damage had it caused?
'I'm going to get Colbie,' Kurt announced, finally giving into the urge to get out of bed.
Blaine yawned as he rolled over and blinked at the clock. 'Kurt, it's six o'clock. She won't be awake for another few hours.'
'I have to get ready, though, don't I?' was all he replied, as he disappeared into the bathroom.
An hour later, when Kurt was back in the bathroom - this time fixing his hair - Blaine decided that he too could not fight it either. He slivered out of bed and dressed, not bothering to touch his hair. It was too much effort, he was too tired - there were reasons, but at same time there wasn't. All he could think about was what they'd let happen last night - whether a marriage was now scattered on the floor or simply an awkward tension hung between the pair.
What they found, however, was a mixture of the two.
Kurt let himself into Carole and Burt's house, expecting to find his step mom running after a scampering toddler. Instead, he found scream and giggling echoing from the loud. Confused and slightly worried, Kurt watched Blaine poked his head around before grinning and gesturing for Kurt to do the same. He did, discovering Ethan and Evan helping Colbie build an igloo in the middle of the lounge.
'She'll knock it down once it's built,' came a dull, familiar voice from behind them.
They turned and found Quinn sat at the kitchen island, looking just like she had when she'd turned up on their step all those years ago, pregnant and alone. Of course, now she was pregnant. Just alone. And Kurt's heart flew to her as he stepped into the kitchen.
'Carole went to do a grocery shop,' she told him, her voice monotonous.
'Quinn - '
'She said she'll be back soon.'
'Are you okay?'
She took a deep breath and admitted, 'It could be worse.'
Kurt slipped into the seat opposite. 'What happened?'
'Well, I told him,' Quinn began, her voice shaky. 'I told him everything - about… about that Christmas, and… what happened, about dumping myself on you and how I begged you to take her…'
'And then?' came Blaine's voice over Kurt's head, as he joined them, slipping into the seat next to Kurt.
Quinn took another deep breath before she went on, 'And then Finn freaked out. He…' she trailed off, pushing a glittering gold band across for them to see.
It was Finn's wedding ring.
'So that's it?' Kurt whispered, scared to know. 'It's over?'
Quinn shook her head. 'No. He said he needed time to think… to get his head around it… He told me - he told me to leave.'
'So where did you stay?'
'Here,' she enlightened, curling her hands around a coffee cup in front of her. 'I stayed in Finn's old room.'
'And Finn…?'
'He brought the twins over before he went to work this morning,' she explained, before letting go of one solitary sob. 'He never said a word to me.'
That sounded about right for Finn, Kurt thought. When in times of pressure, he'd do one of two things; fight or fly. Since, from Quinn's report, he hadn't fought with her last night, it was clear he'd chosen the flight path. He'd distanced himself from the problem; he'd pushed her away and kept her at arms length. Kurt knew, from past experiences, that was not the best reaction. Eventually, you would break down - you were just putting it off. And, in doing so, you were stopping time, putting life on pause.
Everyone's life.
'C'mon,' Kurt told her softly, standing. 'You need to go somewhere, do something.'
'But - '
'Get your coat. We're going out.'
Kurt's plan had been very simple, had he not forgotten how very little there was to do in Lima. Nothing was open, everything having closed up for the winter, especially as it was now so close to Christmas. That's how they found themselves sat in a small play park not far from the Hummel-Hudson residence, which pleased the kids - and Blaine - just fine. While the four of them played joyfully, Kurt and Quinn sat on a nearby bench, half watching and half lost in thoughts.
In the end, Kurt had to break the silence between them and ask, 'So what comes next?'
'I… I don't know,' Quinn admitted slowly. 'I didn't plan this far ahead.'
'You just wanted to get it out, to be honest,' he nodded, understanding, unable to stop himself then musing out loud, 'So, now Finn knows, are you going to tell Puck?'
'Tell Puck?' she repeated, shocked, her wide eyes turning to him immediately. 'No. I - I mean - no.'
'Why not?'
'Because he doesn't need to know. There's nothing he can do, now Colbie's with you. And I think - I don't know for certain; they didn't mention it last night or anything - but I think Puck's with Lauren.'
Kurt raised his eyebrows, surprised. 'Really? I didn't see that relationship living past high school.'
Quinn smirked, momentarily distracted. 'Me neither. But Finn is Puck's best friend still and he's given me the impression they're still together so…'
'I wonder who else is still together,' he mused. 'No one really gave anything away, did they?'
'Mike and Tina are,' she enlightened him. 'She moved to England after college to be with him. I helped sell her house. And I know Mercedes and Sam were still an item when they moved to LA - I don't know about now, though.'
Kurt shook his head. 'They're just good friends now - and they have been for a while. Mercedes told me it just wasn't working, and they mutually decided to break up.'
There was a pause as Quinn soaked this information up - then, out of the blue, she snorted. 'Look at us, Kurt. We're just sat here, gossiping like high schoolers.'
He smirked. 'Well, we are, aren't we? Big scandals and all. Nothing's changed.'
She sighed, serious once again. 'No. Nothing's changed.'
Comments
hahaha, still gossiping high schoolers