Hello all! I should be working on I Told Him, I know. But the old Muse is a bit dried up. Nothing like a prompt to fix that! Keen for Faberry week (winter edition) 2013?! This is the first promp 'reunion'. Please enjoy, and if you're able, participate!

Just in case it isn't completely obvious; single comma enclosures are 'thoughts' and the doubles are "speech", evidently.

Quinn swirled the crystal glass, watching with intent as the red wine clung in a fine film to the sides. Decent wine and crystal wine glasses? She thought fleetingly that she couldn't really be at McKinley. But then, with Alumni like April Rhodes, Mercedes Jones and Rachel Berry she figured she should hardly be surprised. Rachel. She sighed into her cabernet merlo. It had been years. Eight by her count. And who was she kidding? She kept an exactingly accurate record. If there was one thing Quinn was good at, it was filing.

At Yale she had toyed with a number of ideas in regard to her major. In the end she went with a bachelor in Education, going on to do her Masters degree in Library Science. Now she was tucked away in a little cottage in Detroit, working at the Parkman Library. Her constant companions were two Burmese cats she had named Luna and Artemis. If anyone asked her if she watched Sailor Moon she didn't feel the need to deny it. She liked her quiet life. Treasured it really. The lack of excitement suited her fine. She figured she had more than enough in high school to last a lifetime. And yet, here she was, standing as unobtrusively as possible in the corner of her Alma Mater's Gymnasium. It felt to Quinn as if she were tempting fate.

Avoiding eye contact as much as possible still hadn't deterred a lot of people from coming up to claim her. They had been cautious as they approached, most of them people she had never really known but had obviously struck fear into at some point. It was difficult to restrain her desire to laugh out loud at their surprise when she greeted them politely, going so far as to enquire as to their health and happiness. In a way it was a relief to be able to make a completely new and decidedly different impression.

"Fabray!"

'Shit.'

There would be no making nice with who approached her now however. Santana Lopez stalked towards her, dressed to kill in a form fitting sleeveless red dress that was cut just above the knee, a small slit on one side. With the divine suede peep-toe black pumps she looked both classy and sexy. Typical Santana.

"Where the fuck have you been?"

To be a smart-ass or to not be a smart-ass? It wasn't a question worth asking. Looking up to meet Santana's demanding gaze she replied with a slight smirk.

"Under a rock, Lopez. How's tricks?"

She saw the lantina look slightly taken aback before her mouth quirked up in an answering smirk.

"Never been better, bitch." she paused before adding "It's good to see you."

Quinn's smirk transformed into a small smile. "You too, Santana."

Without any preamble Santana snatched her glass away, taking a long sip as she turned to face the rest of the hall.

"Seen any of the other Gleeks?" she asked, handing the glass back over.

Quinn took a deep breath in through her nose as she finished the wine.

"Not yet" she replied as she placed the empty glass on the half empty tray of a passing server. Whoever had organised the reunion had really gone all out.

"I've been with Britt, Mike and Tina mostly. Kurt is here too. Apparently it's only a matter of time until the big shots breeze in."

"Oh?" Quinn did her best to sound disinterested but her gaze roved almost immediately over to the main entrance.

College had been for Quinn, as it is for many people, a time of self discovery.

After she and Santana had slept together she had gone back to college with a mind open to new possibilities. There were boys, but there were also girls. The more she dated though, the more she realised that she wasn't able to commit to anything long term. When she eventually figured it out, it had come to her like a horrifying epiphany.

She had been sitting in the Library, on the verge of tearing her hair out over her thesis when someone's phone had gone off. It was Defying Gravity. Quinn could tell after the first few notes. The ringtone was quickly smothered, but Quinn's reaction was prolonged. She didn't think she could ever not remember that song, or indeed, not be reminded of Rachel when she heard it.

From a distance she had been tracking Rachel's rise to fame. And it had been a rapid rise. As she thought of Rachel she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. She wondered absently how the other woman was doing. If she was happy with her life, if she had found someone. The unexpected pain at that thought caused a prickly wave of awareness to wash down Quinn's spine.

"No." she had murmured, her slim, pale fingers scrunching the loose pages beneath them. "There's no way!"

But there was a way, and no matter how much Quinn willed it to not be so, it simply was.

It took time to acclimatise. She figured she would eventually outgrow it. Only she never had.

Which led back to the present, where she was trying to inconspicuously look out for Rachel's arrival.

Unbeknownst to her Santana was scrutinising her.

"Looking for someone Q?"

The blonde barely held in a flinch. "No one in particular."

Santana raised an eyebrow. "Whatever you say."

Quinn was a little purturbed. Santana didn't usually just let these things go. It had been years since she's spoken to her friend, but she knew for a fact that was something that would never change. It put her on full alert.

When the murmuring in the hall increased to a fever pitch Quinn's gaze once again slunk back to the main entrance. There must've been someone of note on their way in to cause such a stir. And sure enough, moments later a glamorous pair walked through the open double doors. Mercedes looked radiant, but Quinn only had eyes for Rachel. Her eyes greedily drank in the sight of her, unable to restrain herself.

Santana's eyes pinged between the two, making a small noise in her throat. 'No kidding.' she thought, her smirk reappearing.

"Come on Q. Time to play catch-ups." she said, grabbing the blonde by her wrist and dragging her through the swarming crowd.

Quinn hardly had time to catch herself before they were through to the front.

Santana elbowed her way through the last line of people, her free hand raising in a wave as she shouted.

"Berry! Jones! Long time."

The two women swung their attention to the Latina. Both immediately began to grin, leaving their bodyguards behind to meet Santana.

With a forceful tug the Latina dragged Quinn into their line of sight.

Rachel found her eyes instantly.

Swallowing thickly Quinn dragged her hand from Santana's, wiping her palms on her dress as subtly as she could manage.

'Be cool Fabray.'

But all her cool went out the window when she was suddenly snared in a firm hug.

"Quinn." Rachel. That voice breezed by her ear and she felt her knees tremble. "I missed you."

Words failed Quinn, but thankfully it seemed like her body still knew what to do. In moments her hands were splayed across Rachel's back, returning the hug. After a few beats she managed to muster up a reply. "I missed you too, Rachel."

Then they parted and she was caught up in Mercedes' embrace.

"Girl it is so good to see you!" The rest of the Gleeks found them in short order. If Quinn was honest a lot of the rest of the greetings were a total blur. Santana was at her side, plying her with liquor and filling the gaps in conversation. Quinn made a note to send her a thank you gift basket. All she could really do aside from taking frequent sips from the glass in her hand was stare at Rachel. If anyone aside from Santana noticed her behaviour they didn't mention it. For that she was grateful. There was no animosity. No one demanding to know why she hadn't contacted them for years. They all just slipped back together seamlessly. Like things hadn't changed at all.

After what must have been her fifth glass of wine Quinn began to feel slightly dizzy. She leaned into Santana, whispering in her friend's ear. "I'm just going outside for some air."

She slipped out of their circle, weaving through the crowd to get to the door. There were a few people gathered not far outside, smoking. Walking right past them Quinn headed for a more secluded area by the corner of the Gym. Her back met the cool corrugated sheet metal and she sighed deeply, letting her head loll back. Finally seeing Rachel again had put her in a spin. She couldn't help the girlish giggle that escaped as she remember Rachel saying that she'd missed her. Maybe she'd risk it? After all, it could be ten years before she saw Rachel again, if ever. Maybe she could just go ahead and tell her. Maybe then she could let it all go. Or just maybe she would receive more than a slap, or flabbergasted platitudes. A girl could dream, right? With a groan Quinn covered her face with her hands.

"Yeah right, like that will ever happen."

"Like what will ever happen Quinn?"

The blonde froze, daring to part her fingers slightly to peek at who had approached her. Rachel.

'Oh god.'

Over the brunette's shoulder she saw a bodyguard standing some twenty feet away. Behind him she saw the football field and the bleachers. The sight reminded her what she was capable of. She was Quinn Fabray, damn it. If she couldn't front up and tell the girl she loved how she felt, well then no one could. Drawing herself up to full height her hands dropped from her face as she pushed off the wall of the gym.

"Rachel." she began, seeking eye contact. "When I said I missed you, I really meant it. I don't think there's been a year that's gone by where I didn't regret not staying in contact."

"Quinn.." Rachel murmured, looking as if she was going to continue.

"Please, let me finish." Quinn interrupted, her hands balling into fists as she screwed up all her determination. "I just need to say this and then you can do whatever you'd like."

Rachel's soft brown eyes looked up at her, warm and intent.

"I'm in love with you, Rachel. I think I have been for a very long time. I'm so proud of you, of everything you've accomplished, despite what we did to try and hold you back. I just needed to tell you. I just needed you to know." she trailed off into a whisper, breaking eye contact to stare at the ground. Her body began to turn of its own accord, a hand finding its way to her small bag to fish for her phone.

A hand on her wrist stopped her in her tracks.

"Quinn!" Rachel's voice was choked. She pulled on the wrist to turn Quinn about, freeing the hand with a phone in its grasp from the bag. Daring to look at the shorter woman Quinn felt pained at seeing the tears swimming in Rachel's eyes.

"I..I."

Quinn smiled ruefully. "You don't have to say anything, it's ok."

The shorter woman glanced down at their hands, moving suddenly to take the cell from Quinn. She unlocked it swiftly as Quinn watched, typing a number in and saving it. A tear splattered onto the display. Rachel looked back up, holding Quinn's gaze firmly even as tears tracked down her cheeks.

"When you get home, call me." she said, pushing the phone back into Quinn's limp hands. After a moment of consideration she rocked up onto her toes, pressing a kiss to the blonde's cheek. "I don't want to have to wait to see you again Quinn. We have a lot to discuss." Rachel shot her a smile, outwardly amused at the stunned look on the other woman's face. And with that parting remark the brunette turned and walked away, collecting her bodyguard as she went.

It took at least thirty seconds for Quinn to collect herself. She glanced down at her phone, suddenly jumping into action. Checking her contacts she discovered that she did indeed have a new contact. Rachel's name shone proudly up at her. She staggered backwards, leaning on the gym again for support.

"Well shit."

There was no doubt. Quinn had fallen in love with an extraordinary woman. She felt like a fool for underestimating Rachel Berry.

'But I'm the happiest fool there ever was.' she admitted, grinning up at the stars that shone above Lima.

Feels good man, feels good. Just to write something again I mean. Completely unbeta'd. Written on the fly for the prompt fill. I have to go to sleep now. Hope y'all enjoyed this tiny bit.