AN: This intro chapter is short, but I have a few more already written if there is an interest. Suggestions and reviews are very much welcome, as I am new to this.
AN2: I do not own and am not affiliated with Fox, Glee, or any of its characters.
"Rachel, I…" Quinn's voice trailed off as the smaller girl turned to face her. The hurt in those brown eyes was palpable, and the blonde had to clear her throat before she could continue.
"Rachel, I'm so sorry," she finally managed to whisper, so quietly that the blonde wasn't sure the other girl had heard. Rachel turned back to the mirror, giving no indication. The cheerleader looked down as the brunette tried in vain to clean off the excess slushy.
The blonde cheerleader and tiny diva stood in silence for what felt like hours before Quinn removed herself from the bathroom wall and offered a paper towel to the brunette, wetting it first.
Rachel accepted hesitantly, their gazes briefly meeting in the mirror. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she flinched at the unexpected feeling of dampness on her cheek as Quinn gently wiped away some of the red stickiness left behind by the melted ice, as well as a tear that had escaped. The brunette was equally unprepared for the tremor that ran through her when she felt a stray piece of hair being tucked behind her ear by the taller girl. The gesture felt so…intimate. Intimate and kind, and Rachel's heart sped up as she inhaled sharply.
Quinn frowned, feeling the petite girl shiver. She must be really freezing. There's no way she can clean up properly in a school bathroom. She needs a shower and new clothes. God, I'm going to kill the assholes that did this. I can't believe I used to do this.
Taking a deep breath, Quinn tried a third time to speak to the singer.
"Do you have a change of clothes?" asked the blonde, her voice still soft.
Quinn cursed mentally when Rachel shook her head no. Looking down at her uniform, the cheerleader realized that she too had not brought an additional outfit to school that day. Lunch is probably over by now. Glancing at the clock, the blonde was surprised to see how much time had passed. It was already ten minutes into eighth period.
Berry has dealt with this before. She'll be fine argued one side of the blonde, the side that was screaming for her to run.
That doesn't make it right retorted the part of Quinn that had grown since Beth's birth. Beth had changed so much in the blonde's life, including how she treated other people. What would you want your daughter to do? What would you want someone to do if it was your daughter who needed help?
Protect yourself first, insisted the scared side.
Rachel would help you if the situation were reversed.
What should I do?
One look at the uncharacteristically mute diva made her decision.
"Come with me," Quinn ordered, not unkindly. Rachel, slightly dazed, obeyed. Miraculously, they only ran into one person in the hallway. Unfortunately, it was that annoying guy on the school paper, Jacob Ben Israel, but he thought better of saying anything after a piercing glare from the head cheerleader, and promptly scurried back to class.
It wasn't until they reached the blonde's car that Rachel apparently recovered enough to find her voice.
"Quinn?" The cheerleader raised an eyebrow. "Where are we going?"
"My house," was the short reply.
"Are you entirely sure you want to be doing this? I mean, you could get in trouble with Principal Figgins for cutting class and with the student body for assisting a loser like me. Why would you—" The diva's long-winded questioning was cut off by Quinn.
"Just get in the car, Berry, before I change my mind."