Prologue - 20 years ago

Remember all their face,

Remember all their voices.

Everything is different

The second time around

-You've Got Time

A blonde teenager sat on a lone bench underneath an oak tree. Her hazel eyes were closed and her lips were turned up in a smile. In front of her was a short haired brunette playing a calming tune on her violin. Her dark eyes were closed as her fingers danced on the strings. In their little haven, the outside world couldn't touch them. They were free to just be themselves.

Finally, the brunette's song finished. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she was met with fierce hazel.

"That was beautiful, Alex," the blonde complimented.

A sheepish smile formed on Alex's lips as she blushed. "Thank you, Nicole."

Nicole stood up and held her arms open. Alex quickly moved and engulfed her in an embrace. They don't know how many minutes passed with them in that position, but then again, time was non-existent in their little bubble.

After what seemed like forever, Nicole's hold on Alex tightened. "You should go to NYADA."

The brunette stiffened. "What?"

"You should follow your dream," the blonde said with a small smile as she lets Alex go.

The violinist shakes her head. "I'm not leaving you."

"I won't let myself hold you back," Nicole said firmly. "I love you."

Alex wiped the tears that formed in her eyes. "I love you, too."

Nicole's smile fell momentarily. "You'll be so far away."

"My heart will always be with you," Alex replied. She wiped the tear threatening to break free from the blonde's eye.

A beat passed between them before Nicole dropped on one knee.

"Nicky..."

Nicole gave her a charming smile. "I am proposing, in a way. I want to give you a promise." She stood up to wipe the tears in Alex's cheeks. "I love you. I've known it ever since I first saw you." She chuckled. "I was relentless, and you finally caved last year. When you said yes to me, I knew I would never do anything to lose you. I want to spend my life with you."

"Me too," Alex said through her tears.

Nicole entwines their pinkies together. "This is my promise to you. Whatever happens, even if death tears us apart, you are the only one I will love. My heart and my sould will forever be bound to you." She places a kiss atop the chained pinkies. "I will never leave as long as you'll have me."

Alex smiled and pulled Nicole closer. "I love you. You are my forever." With that, she places a kiss on the blonde's lips.

The move away from each other with happy smiles on their faces. Suddenly, Nicole's eyes sparkled as an idea struck her. She let go of Alex's hand and moved to dig through her backpack. She emerged with a small pocket knife.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked with a laugh.

Nicole ignored her as she moved to the oak tree that watched over them for so long. With her knife, she started to carve. Alex walked to her, and peeked over her shoulder.

"That's cute," she commented.

Nicole smiles sheepishly at her work - a badly carved heart with 'A + N' inside of it. She patted the bark of the sturdy tree. "This tree has been here since I first met you. In a way, our lives revolved around this tree. Here it stands tall. Like this tree, my love for you will stand strong despite whatever storm comes brewing our way. Like this tree, our promise will be forever."

Alex smiled. She loved when the aloof blonde showed this side of herself to her. She placed her hand on the bark, and sent her own little prayer.

"No matter what happens, we'll still have forever."

"Are you nervous?"

Alex shakes her head, but her eyes betray her. Nicole reached out for her and grabbed her hand, eyes not leaving the road.

"Don't worry," Nicole assured her. "You'll blow them all away."

Alex nodded but her eyes still held worry.

"Is this about your mother?" Nicole asked. Alex simply averted her eyes.

"I...I just can't believe she would do that to me," Alex's voice cracks.

Nicole sighed and pulled the car over. The highway is empty as they parked in front of a stop sign. Nicole turned in her seat to face Alex fully.

"She just needs time. Finding out that her daughter is gay is not exactly something a parent can take that easily," she said. "And whatever happens, remember that I'll always be here."

Alex smiled weakly. "Thank you."

The blonde grinned. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Alex paused and hesitated, but added, "I have something to tell you."

"Hmm?" Nicole hummed.

The brunette grinned herself as she pulls the other girl closer. "I want to be your wi-"

The sound of blaring horns, skidding tires, and metal colliding with metal cuts Alex midsentence.

Nicole's vision was blurred. Her body ached all over. Her ears were ringing.

She could faintly smell gasoline and something burning. What had happened? That sentence kept popping up in her head.

"A-Alex," she called out, her voice cracking. Her eyes scanned around. Everything was still blurred. She tried to stand up, but found a searing pain in her abdomen everytime she tried. She dropped her eyes to find a piece of metal sticking through her.

Her eyes widened. "Alex," she called out again. "Al-ex. Are you o-okay?"

She received no answer. She leaned forward again, ignoring the pain that seemed to numb her senses. Alex. Alex. She had to get to Alex.

"Alex?" she called out.

A groan.

Her eyes widened and snapped to the direction of the sound. Her heart thundered at the sight she beheld. Alex laid there, eyes closed and lips curled down in unadulterated pain. Blood. There was blood everywhere. Or maybe all Nicole could see was red.

"Alex."

The lower half of her lover's body was crushed between two pieces of metal that she couldn't recognize. All thoughts about her own pain was pushed to the back of her mind as she reached forward, trying to get to the brunette. The more she moved, the more the pain took over her senses. She was numb, but she had to reach Alex. Her hands, shaky from both the pain and her blurred eyesight, reached out for the brunette's hand.

The sound of sirens echoed in the background as Nicole held tightly on to Alex's cold hand.

"You're my forever."

Present Day

Quinn Fabray stands in the secluded part of the park, her hands carressing the rough bark of the old oak tree. Her fingers absentmindedly trace over the fading inscription of promises twenty years ago.

Her fingers trail over the A, something in her heart pulling her closer. Her hazel eyes close as she takes a deep breath.

"Alex," she whispers almost inaudibly.

Her eyes snap open and a smile pulls at the corners of her lips.

Her phone buzzing snaps her from her musing. She pulls it out and reads the text from Coach Sue telling her to 'get her skinny ass to practice or be the bottom of the pyramid.' She sighs and begins to jog off. A couple of feet away, she pauses and looks back to the oak tree.

"Forever," she mutters, before closing her eyes and continuing her jog.

AN: Hello. Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed it. If any of you guessed the reference with Alex and Nicole, I will forever love you. Anyway, here is a short summary, if you're confused.

Alex and Nicole promised forever twenty years ago, but during their drive to New York, they died in a car accident. In present time, their reincarnations are rivals, Quinn Fabray and Santana Lopez. This is normal. What's not normal is for Quinn to regain the memories of her past self.