Don't You Want To Stay

Chapter One

A/N: So this is my second story, and I'll be updating them both periodically (hopefully nothing should be getting in the way of this) this one is quite less angsty than my other one, and I hope everyone enjoys it!

Summary: Rachel is living in New York, two years after graduating, and is attending NYADA with Kurt. Quinn is attending Yale in Connecticut. They both are aware that the other is attending school nearby but have not seen or talked to each other in two years. One night, through mutual friends, they meet at a bar in New York.

June 2012

There couldn't possibly be anything better than this. She was on her to attend The New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts with her best friend, she was going to be living in the greatest place in the world, New York City, and she was going to be studying, and preparing herself for her inevitable and impending Broadway stardom. This was really it. She was really getting out of Lima, getting away from all of the people who tried to hold her back, and who ridiculed her talent. She could not wait to get out of this town and start her new life with Kurt in New York. As she packed though, she thought back to the people she would miss. She had actually made some friends through glee club. She thought about Mike who would be attending Julliard come fall. He hadn't wanted to leave Tina, who was staying in Ohio, and graduating next year. She thought about Mercedes who was going to attend school at UCLA, and of Noah and Finn who were going to The Ohio State University. She and Finn had tried to make it throughout their senior year, but somewhere along the way realized it was easier to just remain friends. They had slowly drifted apart, and before they could do serious damage to their friendship, ended things with each other. Of course, Artie and Blaine were also due to graduate after them as well. Kurt was handling that as well as he could, but she knew he hated the thought of being away from his boyfriend for so long. Santana and Brittany were also on their way to New York. Brittany would be attending Julliard, and Santana was going to be staying on campus at NYU, and studying law.

Then she let herself think about Quinn. Quinn, who always alluded her, who's friendship she had finally attained, after wanting it for so long. She would be at Yale. She was going to live only an hour and a half away from Rachel. The blonde was not going to be far from her. For some reason one of her biggest fears was that Quinn would leave and go far away, to California or somewhere of the like. She knew if Quinn left then there was no way they would be able to maintain the tentative friendship they had built. Of course, if she's not lying to herself, she wanted more, and she came close to getting it once, but fear, and alcohol, had stopped them both. She didn't think Quinn actually felt the same of course, there was no way she could, she was Quinn Fabray, former head cheerleader, and completely straight, I mean she got pregnant for God's sake. There was no way that she could ever want Rachel, the way she wanted her. It was just unusual circumstances that brought the two girls together. Constantly.

She thought back to that day, and that amazing, and frustrating night, of their graduation.

One month earlier

Rachel was standing in the center of the choir room of McKinley High School for the final time. It was graduation day, and she was standing there in her red gown, holding the cap in her hand, thinking back to the very first rehearsal of the New Directions. Back then it was just herself, Artie, Tina, Mercedes, and Kurt. Five misfits that didn't fit in anywhere else at all. Then came Finn, and with him Noah, Mike, and Matt. The of course, Quinn, Santana, and Brittany. Sam, Blaine, and others would come later, and by some miracle they became a family. They found love, found themselves, and now they would all leave, and find themselves again.

She hadn't noticed anyone's footsteps approaching, too lost in her own thoughts, and certainly did not notice the blonde standing, smiling at her, watching her lost in her thoughts, at the doorway.

"Hey."

Rachel jumped, startled out of her daydream, "Oh! Hello Quinn. You scared me."

Quinn smiled at her, and made her way over to Rachel, "It's graduation day."

Rachel smiled back, and looked up into the most beautiful hazel eyes she had ever seen, and probably would ever see, and rolled her eyes at the obvious statement, "Very astute Quinn. It is our graduation day. Our final day of school together."

The former cheerleader frowned slightly at that, "Well yeah, but we're only an hour and a half apart right? So we'll still see each other?"

"Of course we will Quinn. I can't imagine having you so close, and us never seeing each other, or visiting, and keeping in touch."

Quinn didn't respond, just stepped closer to Rachel, completely invading her personal space as she did so, and she had to take deep breaths to keep herself calm in order to stand so near her former enemy, "Are you going to Noah's post graduation party tonight Quinn?"

"I am. He told me there was no way I was getting out of this town without at least one big goodbye party, and it had better be his that I go to. Besides, it won't be all that bad. I bet it won't top your party junior year though."

At the mention of her party, it gave her the excuse she needed to step back from Quinn, as she groaned loudly, and sat in one of the chairs with her face in her hands, "Oh goodness Quinn, do not remind me. I believe I got completely clingy over Finn, made out with Blaine for the better part of the night, and also might have said some fairly inappropriate comments to you as well..."

The blonde threw her head back and laughed, "They weren't entirely appropriate, no, but they were nice, and you were drunk...really, really, drunk, so I suppose we can just let that one go. Everyone does slightly crazy things when they're drinking. Hell, I tried to rip Puck's mohawk off of his head, and screamed at him for the better part of the night about what he'd done to my body."

Both girls laughed lightly at the memory, or what little memory of that night they had. It had been fun, and it had been the first night that Rachel realized she had slightly-more-than-platonic feelings for Quinn. Her drunken state almost caused her to reveal that to Quinn but luckily before that could happen Santana had started screaming in Spanish and they had rushed off to help calm the hysterical girl down.

"I'm glad we became friends Quinn. It really means a lot to me..."

She grabbed Rachel's hand and held it in her own at the shorter girl's words, "I'm really glad too, Rach. I don't think I've said it before, but I really, truly am so sorry for what I did to you," Quinn's eyes started to water, "For everything, the names, the slushies, the pictures, everything Rachel, I am so, so sorry."

Rachel pulled the other girl into a tight hug, and ran her hand through the short blonde hair, while she cried into her shoulder, "It's okay Quinn, I forgave you a long time ago for all of that, you have been through so much, and living in the past... It can not do either of us any favors. We have to forgive, and move forward, and that is exactly what we are doing."

Quinn sat up, but didn't pull away from her. Rachel reached her hand up, and wiped a tear off of her cheek, almost mirroring the night of their junior prom, when Quinn had ran out, and Rachel had chased after her. She tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear, and smiled. Both of their heads had been leaning unconsciously towards the each other, and then "Hey! We have been looking everywhere for you guys!" Noah burst into the room, and Quinn and Rachel broke apart quickly, "You can't have a graduation without the valedictorian and the salut-whatever you are in second place, Fabray." He winked at them both, and left the room, telling them to hurry up.

The two girl cleared their throats, Rachel speaking first, "Okay. I guess this is it then."

"Yeah. This is it."

"Good luck Fabray." She said winking.

Quinn smiled down at her, "Good luck Berry."

Later that night

"To the McKinley High School, Class of 2012!" Noah raised his cup and cheered, as did everyone else in the room.

Everyone had started drinking almost immediately, as was per usual with one of Noah's parties. Tina and Mike were making out in a corner, as were Santana and Brittany. Artie and his new girlfriend were together by the beer pong table, and Mercedes and Sam, after finally having reunited were on the couch with some of the other football players. Finn seemed to be having a good time, though he might have been really drunk already. She was happy that he was happy, and when they caught each others eye, she smiled and gave him a small wave, and he smiled back and waved as well.

She had yet to see Quinn the entire night, but the blonde had said she was coming, so Rachel kept her eyes open for her in the event that she arrived. These parties were not her entirely in her comfort zone, and Kurt seemed to sense that as he and Blaine moved towards her.

"Not having a good time Rach?" He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

"It's not that, I think I'm just ready to get out of here you know? Not the party, it's fine, but the town. It just feels like there is still something I need to do here though."

"Or someone," Kurt muttered.

"What?"

"Of come on Rachel. You don't have to pretend with me."

"Pretend what, Kurt?"

"Pretend that you have not been standing as close to this door as possible all night, just waiting for the moment that Quinn Fabray walks through it and graces us all with her presence."

Rachel glared at her friend, but didn't try and deny it. She knew he was right, and she knew he knew that. Blaine came up to her side as well, and tried his best at advice, as well.

"Rachel, why don't you just tell Quinn how you feel? I mean, it's kind of obvious to us, but we're probably the only ones."

"No we aren't," Kurt interjects "Santana knows too. She's actually the one who brought it up to me. She asked me if, and I quote 'The Hobbit was trying to get into Tubbers' maternity pants' and it made me realize what I apparently have been missing for four years."

Rachel's face turned bright red for a moment, and she started to give a speech as to how she was not "trying to get into Quinn's pants" but at that exact moment the door opened, and Quinn strode in. Rachel nearly had to do a double take. Quinn was not wearing her normal sundress attire, no she was wearing what Rachel could only assume were the tightest, and most wonderful, pair of skinny jeans ever created, and a low cut tank top, with knee high, heeled, black boots, to complete the outfit that would surely kill Rachel. That is of course, until she walked up to the trio, and Rachel saw her up close.

Quinn smiled, and raised her hand in a short wave, "Hey guys, hey Rach. How is the party so far?"

"It is, as always, a drunken teenage smut fest." Kurt responded, pulling Quinn into a hug, as they laughed.

"I can see that, is there anyone at this party that doesn't currently have their tongue down someone else's throat?" Quinn said, glancing around the party at all of the couples, that just kept multiplying as the night went on.

"Um, well, there's Rachel. I think that's it." Rachel swatted Kurt on the arm, as he and Blaine, politely excused themselves from the conversation to undoubtedly find a place to make out themselves.

"Well that was awkward."

Quinn laughed, "Not really. I'm not making out with anyone either, so you aren't the only one I guess."

Rachel smiled up at her, and tried not to let the alcohol she'd already had flood her mind with thoughts of making out with Quinn Fabray, "Well, do you want to get something to drink? You know Noah won't let you get out of having at least one."

"Yeah, you're right on that one. You'll just have to take care of me if I get to drunk Berry. Clearly Santana and Brittany won't be the ones to do it."

She smiled and winked at her, and Rachel tried to rein in her breathing, and gulped, and chuckled nervously. Once they got the other girl a drink, the party seemed to get into full swing, and most of the couples detached themselves from each other and the dancing began. Brittany and Mike of course were the first out on the floor, and by association, Santana and Tina. Noah, Finn, Sam, and some of the other football players followed, and then some Cheerios, before it seemed everyone was dancing, and the music was pounding.

Quinn leaned down next to Rachel's ear, "Want to dance?"

The two had been standing off to the side, in their own world for most of the party so far, and had she been slightly more sober she might have said no, but this was her graduation night, and dammit she was going to dance with Quinn Fabray!

She stood on her toes to reach Quinn's ear, "I would love to dance, Quinn." They set down their drinks and made their way out onto the floor to some pounding beat. Santana and Brittany were to their right, grinding on each other, and Quinn twirled Rachel around in her arms so that her back was to her, and pulled her in. Their bodies swayed to the music, and Rachel decided if Quinn didn't care how they were dancing, then neither did she. She reached her arm behind her, and wrapped her hand around the back of the blonde's neck, and as she did so, Quinn's arm wrapped tightly around her waist, and she bent a little to acquiesce Rachel's height. They started to sway a little less, and grind a little more, and soon they were just grinding, much like Santana and Brittany.

When the song finally switched, Rachel's body moved with it, and she turned to face Quinn, looping her arms around her shoulders and holding her neck with her hands. She looked up into her eyes, and found a brilliant shade of green staring back at her, and she knew her own eyes had to be close to black. As the music blasted, Quinn adjusted herself to better accommodate Rachel's body, slipping her thigh between Rachel's legs and bringing her hands to rest on her hips, and pulling her flush against her body.

Rachel finally couldn't take anymore, and tilted her head up to Quinn's ear, brushing her lips across it as she spoke, "Do you want to go outside? It's starting to get really hot in here."

Quinn simply looked at her, and nodded, grabbing her hand and leading her out of the room, through the Puckerman's kitchen, and out the back door. The night air hit them, and they both took deep breaths. They left the porch, and went to sit on the grass, shrouding themselves in the darkness of the night. Quinn had yet to let go of Rachel's hand, and Rachel did not plan on bringing this up, in fear that she would let go as soon as it was mentioned.

"I just really can't believe we're leaving soon." Rachel looked over at Quinn, and even in the darkness she could see the solemn expression on the blonde's face. "It's just that, I am so used to this. I know how everything is supposed to go here, and now I have to go off and be alone, and I'm scared. I can't imagine not seeing these people every day, can't imagine..." Quinn trailed off, mumbling the last part.

Rachel leaned in closer to her, and said quietly, "Can't imagine what Quinn?"

Quinn turned her head to look into Rachel's eyes, the movement making them seem even closer to each other, their faces were only a mere five inches apart from each other now, "Can't imagine not seeing you every day, Rachel." She said is so quietly Rachel didn't think she would have heard if she hadn't been staring at the blonde's mouth. Then she couldn't stop herself, she leaned in and pressed her lips to the blonde's, knowing that this might be her last chance, and framed her hand around Quinn's cheek. The blonde let go of her hand and reached up to hold Rachel's face with both of her hands, as Rachel's hand moved to the back of her neck. Quinn's tongue swiped Rachel's lower lip, and she immediately granted her access and then the kiss moved quickly, it was no longer slow and languid, but fast and frenzied, like they both knew it was the only one they would ever have, and when they finally disconnected, their foreheads resting against the others, Quinn looked into her eyes, and whispered against Rachel's lips.

"I have to go."

Present day

It was a month later, and she had not spoken to Quinn since then. They both pretended it had never happened, and when she had finally walked back into the house after Quinn ran away from her, there was no sight of the blonde. She blamed the alcohol. That's all it had been. She and Quinn would hopefully be able to retain their friendship through college, and they could both go on pretending that it had never happened. She was shaken out of her day dream by her vibrating phone, and she smiled when saw the text message from Quinn.

Kurt told me you guys were heading out at the end of the week for NY. Let me know if you're free to hang out before you go, I miss you Rach.

Her smile widened at the sight of the message. It was the first time Quinn had contacted her since the night of graduation, and it seemed it had not affected their friendship after all.

Of course Quinn, I can make time. Tomorrow I'm free all day actually if you're available. I miss you too.

Hmm, look at that I am completely free and available for spending time with the soon to be famous, Rachel Berry.

Rachel laughed at the text message, and told Quinn she could come over at any time the next day, as both of her fathers were called away on business and would not be returning until the day before she left, they would have the house to themselves. She sent the message, and then realized how presumptuous it must have sounded. She started to panic, and send another message, but before she could Quinn responded to her.

Sounds great Rach, I'll bring some movies, we are not spending the whole time watching musicals again.

She breathed a sigh of relief, and then decided it was time for bed. She clearly was going to have a busy day tomorrow and she needed her rest.

There is nothing wrong with musicals, Quinn. Just...not a lot of zombie movies again ok? I'm heading to bed now, can't wait for tomorrow, good night Quinn.

Um...how many is a lot? jk. Night, Rach, sleep well.

She smiled at the text, and then changed into something to sleep in. When she laid down in her bed, it dawned on her how bad of an idea this could turn out to be.