Authors Note:

The ring changes everything.

Summary:

Finn proposes to Rachel and it turns Quinn's world upside down. What will she do to stop it? And why does it matter so much to her?

Faberry pairing. Spoilers up to S3 Yes/No? For the purposes of this story Rachel says yes. I don't own glee.

I have plotted this as a multi-chapter fic, so please do review and let me know if you think it's an idea worth continuing.

Finn proposed, he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. She couldn't believe it. It'd been the last thing she ever expected and now Rachel was walking around with that stupid ring on her finger. The locker looked at her invitingly and she punched it hard before shrieking as the pain surged through her hand

"It's made of steel, it's gonna hurt." Puck walked past her and she quickly fell into step with him. "What's made you so mad anyway?" he turned to look at her and couldn't miss the scowl on her face.

"Finn and Rachel." Quinn narrowed her eyes as she joined their names together.

"Oh god no, you can't still want Finn, is that why you're punching lockers?"

"No and yes, not really. It's just this engagement, they're too young."

"It's totally odd, I mean my bro needs to be focussing on enjoying his youth, getting laid while he still has all that energy. I'm all for settling one day, but at our age! There's just too many cougars out there. No need to hook up with your high school sweet heart, oops sorry. I guess you thought you were his?"

"No, really not. I'm with you, it's just too young, they don't know what they're doing. Rachel is so talented and has always had this amazing future ahead of her, I wish I'd had that but I didn't, so I was happy to settle for the dull life Finn could offer me. It's not for her, just...we can't let this happen. Are you with me?"

"Anything you say. You want me to seduce Berry and show her that there's a lot more on offer than what Finn is packing? Coz I'm all for it, I always thought she was more into me anyway."

"Don't you dare." Quinn pulled Puck to a stop. "We stop this engagement, but you don't touch Rachel, you do to her what you did to me and I will chop it off, you understand?"

"I really do." Puck's eyes were wide with alarm and his hand cupped his balls for comfort. "So what's the plan then?"

"I'll let you know." Quinn was distracted as she watched Rachel and Finn walk past, Rachel's arm linked in his, with that ring on full display. Her smile was full and it made Quinn want to close her eyes. She couldn't look a moment longer. This engagement was just so wrong in so many ways and she knew she had to fix it.

"Just so long as this doesn't turn into a repeat of the crazy Shelby plan."

"I got over that, Rachel helped me, now I need to help her."

Quinn opened her eyes and saw Puck looking at her curiously, whatever thought he was trying to process was soon forgotten when a hot girl walked by and she was glad that he didn't ask any more questions. Now she just needed to work out how to make Rachel see sense.

...

In glee she chose a seat behind Rachel, she wasn't sure what she was going to do yet, so figured a little eaves dropping may come in handy. Her plan wasn't thought through because that damn ring sparkled in the light and she groaned at the sight of it, the thing was just tormenting her now. Rachel must have heard her because she turned around and looked at her quizzically, they were kinda friends now, so Quinn half smiled. Then it hit her, she was friends with Rachel, but she never made much of an effort, maybe if Rachel had other people in her life that cared for her and showed her attention, well maybe then she wouldn't be so keen to get into a teen marriage. Quinn decided on a seven step plan. Step one was to finally be Rachel Berry's best friend, the other six steps? Well, she didn't have time to think on them yet, but seven steps sounded appropriate for stopping this sham. She nodded her head as she reinforced her own thoughts.

"Rachel?" she tapped Rachel's shoulder lightly and the brunette turned back around with a smile that always seemed to make Quinn feel happy.

"Hi." She nodded her head to one side and looked up at Quinn.

"Do you want to maybe come to mine tonight?"

"Why?" Rachel looked at her curiously and Quinn remembered it was the first time she'd ever asked Rachel over.

"Oh, I thought maybe you could...uh...practice? You said if I need help and this Michael Jackson song is challenging, so maybe?"

"I'd love to." Rachel cut her off and her eagerness was painful to watch, Quinn felt guilty that she'd never even tried with Rachel before, it wasn't so much that she didn't like her, it was just that Rachel could be really annoying and Quinn's tolerance was always tested when in her presence, but now she had a reason and a goal. She wasn't completely sure why it mattered so much, but there was no way she was letting Rachel give up her dreams for Finn Hudson.

"Straight from school? I'll meet you in the parking lot if you want."

Rachel's eyes flicked across the room and Quinn followed them when she saw the smile light up Rachel's face, Finn had just walked in and Quinn rolled her eyes as she watched him dopily grin back at Rachel.

"I'll meet you there." Rachel said distractedly and Quinn knew that was all that would be said as Rachel leapt out of her seat and into Finn's arms, this was probably going to take forever, but she could wait.

At the end of the day she made her way slowly to her car. Her head hurt and she took a sip from her water bottle, it got stuck in her throat when she saw Rachel was not alone as she waited by her car. Finn was of course with her, he couldn't keep his hands off her and Quinn watched as he picked Rachel up and placed her on the wall, like a little toy. He then moved himself between her legs and was leaning in for a kiss. Quinn wanted to turn and pretend she'd not seen them, that it hadn't made her almost choke at how disgusting it felt to see them like that, but it was too late. Rachel was pushing Finn away and waving at her.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Rachel placed a kiss to Finn's mouth as she hopped off the wall and Quinn watched as he reluctantly let her go, it was probably meant to be romantic, but she could only describe it as clingy.

"I understand if you have other plans." Her tone was clipped, but Rachel didn't notice as she followed her to her car and climbed in.

"No plans, I said I'd help and here I am. I must say I'm surprised, but very happy that you came to me Quinn, while your voice is pleasant, I genuinely believe with the right help you could actually be a decent singer."

Quinn turned to look at Rachel, but the brunette was busy looking out of the window towards a now retreating Finn, Quinn shook her head, she knew spending time with Rachel could be difficult, but sometimes she found Rachel's comments amusing, even if they were at her expense.

"It's great that I have you to help me then, because I'm guessing it's going to take a lot of work." She somehow hid the sarcasm from her voice because it was the perfect excuse, they'd have to spend a lot of time together and that would definitely help Rachel to see she could survive without Finn.

"I'm pleased that you hold no resentment towards me, especially since the proposal."

"Why would I resent you? I'm happy, free and have all my dreams and whole life ahead of me."

Rachel turned to look at Quinn, not sure if she was playing her or not, but the blonde was focussed on her driving, so Rachel shrugged it off.

"Finn is just so amazing, did you see the ring?"

"I don't think anyone missed it. We're here." She skidded to a stop, glad to get out of that conversation. She fixed them both a snack and they headed to her room.

"We could start with some breathing techniques if you like?" Rachel took a sip of her water and looked up to see Quinn watching her.

"How about we just get to know each other a bit better? It's time we worked on this friendship, if you want that is?"

"I do, yes, but you said you need help."

"That'll come, first we should build up trust."

"Why did you change? I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just you were so messed up for a while there and now, well now you seem happier."

Quinn lifted her left shoulder, not sure she was comfortable with this line of questioning but then she'd been the one to bring up trust. "It was you, I guess. The thing with Shelby, I got so lost, but you stopped me and I decided I needed to stop messing my life up, I got another chance and this time I'm going to try to use it. I've been rushing to grow up, I need to enjoy being a kid for once, the last few years have been intense to say the least. Beth, the mess with Finn, working things out with Puck, Shelby returning and of course my parents. I was growing up and rushing into a life that people our age aren't ready for, we should be staying out late, going to parties, falling in and out of love. Tying ourselves down to commitments is, well, it just isn't what I want right now."

"You don't think it's nice to have a tether?"

"It can be restricting, we're all too young for that."

Rachel locked her eyes on her shoes, the words Quinn said seemed to have another meaning, but she didn't want to dwell on them.

"I'm all for enjoying high school, I'm happy you've come to terms with your problems. Maybe I can be there for you in the future?"

"That's what friends do." Quinn smiled reassuringly and she noticed Rachel kick her feet out giddily.

"Are you still keen on Yale?"

"Definitely, maybe we can visit each other, you know if you get into NYADA. If you wanted?"

"I think I'd like that very much." Rachel's smile filled her face and Quinn felt herself grinning back like a fool.

It was late by the time Quinn drove Rachel home, they'd talked mostly, but Rachel couldn't leave without giving Quinn a list of songs to practice. She thought they fitted her voice perfectly and would help her improve, Quinn tucked it away in her folder and promised to look over it before bed.

"Thanks for you help tonight."

"But Quinn I didn't do anything, we really need to work on so many things, perhaps we could set aside some time later in the week, that's if I didn't annoy you too much tonight?"

"Tomorrow? I've got a lot of free time since I quit Cheerios and no you didn't annoy me, it was fun hanging out."

"Really?" Rachel looked stunned, but quickly composed herself. "Tomorrow, yes, I think I can make time."

"Unless you have plans with Finn?"

"No, we don't have plans, it's fine. I can do it, but could you come to mine? It's just my Dads will get upset if they don't see me two nights in a row."

"My Mom could go a week and not know if I was sleeping in my bed." Quinn laughed.

"That's actually really sad Quinn." Rachel spoke softly, her hand reached out and rested on Quinn's shoulder. "It's good to have people that care about you."

"I think my family skipped that part of the parenting guide books."

"I care about you. Will that do?"

Quinn nodded, sucking her lips between her teeth nervously as she tried not to get too emotional. Rachel had somehow got her to open up and right now her emotions felt very raw, so when Rachel pulled her into a hug, she wrapped her arms around the brunettes waist and held her tight, letting her head rest on the shorter girls shoulder. She couldn't miss the smell of Rachel's hair, mixed with traces of her perfume, she took a deep breath and was surprised at how comforting that scent was. Rachel let go and climbed out of the car, waving as she got to her front door. Quinn watched her with glazed eyes, glad that Rachel couldn't see that she was close to tears, she fixed a smile to her face and waved back. Satisfied that her plan was beginning to take shape.

...