Will The Real Rachel Berry Please Stand Up?

15

"I've got a plan" were the words Rachel greeted Quinn with at the break before she added more tentatively, "but I'm not sure it's a good one."

"Okay, songs for sectionals, revenge on Finn or a way out of tonight?" Quinn asked with a grin.

"None of those but maybe a way of making tonight less, ah, painful" Rachel grinned back," But you do have the power of veto. How about I invite Ali? She's excellent at distracting my dads and it means one of us can be answering the door and the other can be supervising the blabber mouthed masses. The downsides are.."

"The minor fact she doesn't like me, at all?" volunteered Quinn. Rachel nodded her head thoughtfully as Quinn felt a pang of disappointment. She berated herself; Ali had every reason to dislike her based on her past treatment of Rachel.

" Em yes and then there's the tricky part of how much to tell her." Rachel added.

"As little as possible I reckon," Quinn thought about the suggestion carefully, "I think you should invite her even if it's just for moral support. You can always resort to the Grease soundtrack if she and I become too er rambunctious"

Rachel eyed her in amusement,"Rambunctious? Really?"

Time had flown between the end of school and the arrival of guests at the Berry household. Quinn had informed her mum of her sleep over plans only for the instruction "have fun dear" to be directed at her in a tone she couldn't quite decipher. Rachel had texted her Dads, belatedly seeking permission for the intended home invasion, only for her phone to be lit up with excited texts from the pair about her guests. Rachel had shaken her head in resignation "This so isn't going to end well" she'd muttered typing a response to what must have been the tenth text from her Dads. Ali had agreed to attend "just to see for myself the accuracy of your impersonations Rach" which had made Rachel grimace. Quinn had to emphasise the importance of Ali's distracting Rachel's Dads in order for Rachel to regain a hint of a smile.

The basement had been tidied, extra bedding organised and takeout menus sorted. Soft drinks and snacks had been stocked up and Ali had arrived and managed an almost cordial greeting to Quinn. Mercedes and Kurt had then arrived together, with Kurt rendered briefly speechless on meeting his first real live gay couple in a long standing relationship. Quinn had been on hostess duty in the basement as Rachel answered the door to Brittany and Ali distracted Hiram and Leroy with questions about must-see shows for an upcoming New York trip with her parents. The doorbell rang again and Tina, the final member of the group, joined them. Rachel and Quinn exchanged a relieved look - it was early days but the Gleeks had been safely manoeuvred past Rachel's dads without any mishaps. Ali now joined them impressing the Gleeks with how she'd already picked up their names although her whispered aside of "Sometimes I forget how exceptionally talented you are Rachel but, wow, spot on" gave Quinn a clue as to how Ali'd managed it. There was debate over what food to order in and Ali explained how long she'd known Rachel and threw in a few amusing stories for good measure. Everything seemed to be going well and Rachel felt herself beginning to relax.

"You're very quiet Brittany. Are you okay?" Tina asked on noting that Brittany was not bouncing as much as usual.

"Yes I'm fine" replied the downcast girl," It's just I've had my two hugs today from Rachel so I can't hug her again else she'll be too tired to hug Quinn."

Ali smirked and said," I don't think Rachel will ever be too tired to hug Quinn eh Rachel?"

It was at this point that Rachel began to have the inkling that inviting Ali might not have been her smartest move.

Rachel could feel her cheeks burn as she opened her arms to Brittany, at least Quinn wasn't in earshot as she was upstairs collecting supplies. Brittany gave Rachel a tight squeeze and twirled her round.