Author's Note: It's nice to see so much Artie/Quinn love around here! Here's my second contribution to the pairing (my first is in New Directions). It's kind of...okay. And I think it could be more detailed but I just wanted to make this a one shot. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is my Quinn/Artie song so I briefly mentioned it here. Please read and review! Thanks!

The Ice Princess

The crawl space underneath the stage was not the most romantic of meeting spaces, and Artie could barely fit there in his wheelchair, but Quinn insisted that it was the most secretive. Every time they came together there, Artie complained to himself as he covertly (as much as was possible for him) wheeled his chair into the darkness. The grumblings always fell from his lips when he spotted her, however, a sliver of light touching the top of her head and spilling over face. There was no denying that Quinn Fabray was beautiful and in that setting she almost looked like an angel.

Angel, though, she was not.

The whole school suffered under the reign of the Ice Princess, the less popular fleeing in terror when she so much as looked at them, while the more popular bowed to her every demand.

Artie had once vowed to never give in to whatever spell she had cast over those who sat at her feet. He and Tina often laughed at those people, mocking for them for caring more about what others thought than about being themselves.

And yet he had found himself being ordered around by her ever since the day four months beforehand, when he had realized she was a human being, with problems just like everyone else.

Mr. Schue had asked them work together on a song for Glee and, despite her initial protests, Quinn had found herself putting in extra hours with the "loser of epic proportions," as she referred to him. On the third day of rehearsing together, Artie had gotten to the music room a little early, finding Quinn wiping away streams of tears falling from her eyes.

Upon seeing him, she had appeared horrified then, at his perusal, which had really only been the beginning of a complete sentence ("What's the-"), she had poured out the whole story, about her aunt and cousins, all of whom had been injured in a drunk driving accident. They were going to be okay, Quinn had told him, but her mother had claimed that the Fabray family didn't have time to visit them, something which apparently upset Quinn.

Relating to the tale, since he himself had lost his ability to walk due to the stupidity of an intoxicated individual who had chosen to drive, he had rolled forward, patting her arm sympathetically. Glancing up, she had sniffed, then said, "Wasn't that how you…you know." She nodded at his legs to indicate what she meant.

Dropping his hands into his laps, Artie frowned at her. "You know how this happened?"

Shrugging, she told him, "Not a lot happens in this town. That was kind of a big deal."

Not used to hearing her speak without venom injected into her tone or some sort of insult directed at anyone within the vicinity, Artie smiled. "Yeah, I guess so. Um, are you going to be okay? We can talk if you want to." He hadn't really expected her to take him up on the offer but soon she was rattling off about many different topics.

About how Finn's break up with her had been shocking but not wholly unexpected. About how she kind of liked Glee. About how she had once made out with Puck while she had been dating Finn…

At that, Artie held up a hand, eager to tell her that she might be sharing too much information. The pained expression on her face made him feel guilty even though it wasn't his desire to be her confessional.

"Sorry," she muttered. A quick glance to the clock revealed that a lot of time had passed. "I…have to go." Turning at the door, she smoothed the brown skirt she was wearing and glared at him. "And don't tell anyone anything that I just said or I will make your life a living nightmare."

Knowing that she probably could wasn't what kept him silent. It was a desire to see more of the Quinn who had poured her heart out to him. That Quinn was actually a likeable person and Artie made it his goal to discover more of her.

After singing "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," the song they had been practicing for a week, in front of the group, Artie waited backstage, though he wasn't sure why he was or who he was waiting for.

A nervous Quinn was the one who approached and when she smiled at him, Artie knew that he was there to see her.

"We sound good together," she commented, clasping her hands together in front of her.

"Yeah…"Looking in opposite directions, neither spoke and Artie was determined he wouldn't go first. It didn't take long for him to capitulate. "I don't think you're that terrible of a person Quinn." He wasn't sure why he had chosen to say those words but Quinn almost seemed to appreciate them.

"I'd rather die than admit this," she whispered. "But you're not that terrible either." Then, with a quick glance over her shoulder, she did the last thing he would've ever thought she'd do. Leaning down, she pressed her lips against his in the lightest of kisses. It should've ended there, and Artie was sure that had been her plan, but, as one, they deepened the kiss. When someone called her name, Quinn had pulled back, appalled. Without another word, she disappeared, leaving Artie alone to think about his first kiss.

The second kiss had been more of a shocker than the first, as Artie had thought that Quinn would want to pretend that it had never happened, no matter how wonderful it had been. While practicing his guitar, in the band room one day after school, she had come.

"There you are," she said, a strange look in her eye.

Realizing she had sought him out, and confused as to why, he placed his guitar on it's stand. "I think I know why you're here Quinn. But you don't have to worry. I won't-"

Her mouth, crashing into his, had effectively cut of his sentence.

Afterwards, Quinn scheduled their meetings, usually choosing the area underneath the stage. And like a groveling beggar, Artie always showed up on time, ready to kiss or talk or simply let Quinn sit on his lap while neither said anything. It would've been nice except that Quinn ordered him not to utter a word about their clandestine relationship. That hurt more as the months went by because Artie found himself falling in love with her, despite his best intentions not to.

That day though, staring at her, the anger that had been festering for so long in him, poured over. "I can't do this anymore," he snapped.

Startled out of her almost meditative state, her eyes had widened. "What?"

"Pretend that we're not..." Pausing, he gripped the wheels of his chair until his hands ached. "We sang that song together, remember?" She didn't answer, just stared at him blankly. "Sometimes when I listen to that song, I think about us, about our relationship. This…private relationship that we have is breaking my heart Quinn. I know you weren't directing those words at me when we sang but…" He trailed off then blinked a couple of times, not oblivious to how wet his eyes were becoming as he spoke. "I wish you had meant them, I wish that things could be different. Because I…I love you." One of her hands shot to cover her mouth and Artie knew he had to leave before her pity made him physically ill. Retreating, he backed his wheelchair, eyes anywhere but on her. Finally, he emerged from the small space. Heading down the aisle as fast as was possible for him, he strained his ears, wanting to so badly to hear her voice calling his name, begging him to stop.

But Ice Princesses never beg.

Several days later, Artie was on stage with Rachel, Finn, Tina and Kurt, singing half heartedly along. Quinn, sitting in the front row of seats, looked about as dejected as he felt. He couldn't help but hope that her despondency had to do with their break up. When they were done singing, Mr. Schue took Artie aside and asked him if everything was alright. "Your not giving it your usual all today."

At the question, Artie almost shouted, "No, everything's not alright! I finally got a girlfriend and I loved her but she didn't want me!" Grinding his teeth together, he held that response in and told Mr. Schue he had just had one of those days.

As soon as Mr. Schue left, one of the younger Glee members flounced over, beaming at Artie. Tina swore the Freshman liked him, a rumor that might have been better received had he not heard it during the duration of his fling with Quinn. The girl began to flirt with him, catching Artie off guard, but soon it was easy to respond in the same light, teasing manner. So engrossed with the girl (whose name he couldn't recall) was he that he didn't notice Quinn approaching until she was upon them.

"Can I talk to you alone Artie?"

It was his perfect opportunity to hurt her as she had hurt him but being cruel just wasn't in his nature so, with a bright smile, which caused the other girl to titter in excitement, he rolled away, Quinn close behind him. Behind the curtains, in the same spot where they had first shared a kiss, made Artie feel odd. "What is it?"

Appearing more little match girl than Ice Princess, she slumped, eyes on the floor. "I…I…" A trembling lip made her pause. Taking a deep breath, she finished. "I miss you. I can't talk to anyone the way I talk to you. No one cares."

Inside, his heart beat a little faster and her words were almost enough for him to relent, to enter once more into their secret affair. Almost. "Maybe if you were nicer, people would care, Quinn. You treat everyone like they're your subjects." Shaking his head, he prepared to leave her. "And you telling me that doesn't change anything." Once on the center of the stage, Artie tried to concentrate on what was happening around him but found that he could barely could. Everyone else was gathering up their stuff to leave but Artie was frozen in place.

"Wait!" Her voice reverberated around him, echoing out across the theater's audience chamber, due to the acoustics, causing the other members of Glee to pause what they were doing. Running out on the stage, Quinn shouted again, "Wait! Artie… You didn't even give me an ultimatum that day. But I know why you didn't. I know what you'd thought I say. And you would've been right. I probably would've rejected you. But the last few days have been the most miserable in my entire life. I didn't realize it until you were gone, until I had to live without you but…I love you. I love you too Artie."

Eyes glued to hers in surprise (a pleasant one, to be sure), he didn't hear the gasps that came from everyone listening. Grinning, he asked, "Can you say it one more time?"

Hearing the mocking tone in his voice, she glared before leaning down to kiss him, the rest of the world fading away as she perched on his lap and he ran his hands through her hair. Pulling back, she touched her forehead to his. "I love you."

Amazed that she had answered the question, because Ice Princesses tended to ignore the requests of others, Artie's grin only grew.

The Ice Princess had finally melted - right into his arms.

End