Your Way Back

A/N: First time posting a fic here. This is intended to be a one shot unless people want me to continue it. I don't really have anything laid out after this, but I'd be willing to work on it more if people were interested. Sorry for the cliffhanger ending. That's just how I roll. Un-beta'd so any mistakes are mine. Also I don't own glee or the songs used in this story. They belong respectively to Ryan Murhpy and Jill and Kate. Enjoy.

It had been exactly two weeks since Rachel had quit Glee. Two weeks and Quinn was trying to figure out how to convince her to come back. At first she found it odd that she cared so much, but then again it didn't really surprise her. Quinn never really hated Rachel to begin with. She might go as far as to say she loved the girl, but that was complicated. It scared the shit out of her at first, but now, she couldn't help but miss the brunette. So after two weeks of barely seeing Rachel, except for the classes they shared, Quinn came up with a plan.

She had it all figured out. It only took her oh, about a day to come up with the pefect idea. How could she have been that stupid. The way to Rachel's heart was music, it was that simple. Yet it took her a whole day to think of something. Way to go Quinn, she thought to herself. She finally decided to serenade the girl into coming back, so an hour and one trip to the library later she found herself standing in front of Rachel's locker. She quickly scanned the hallway before walking up to her locker door and slipping a note inside the top slot. When the bell rang Quinn slipped back into her hiding place just down the hall and waited. She watched Rachel make her way through the crowd to her locker and open it. Rachel quickly glanced around, grabbed the note and read it.

Meet me in the auditorium. I have a surprise for you.

- Finn

Quinn saw the smile appear on Rachel's face as she deposited the note and her books back into her locker. Upon closing her locker Rachel trotted off towards the auditorium. Quinn hated that she lied to Rachel and that the brunette's smile would more then likely be wiped off her face when she found out Quinn was behind the note. She knew that Rachel never would have come if she had signed her own name so she kept telling herself she did what she had to do. She just prayed Rachel wouldn't hate her too much.

Turning on her heel, Quinn headed towards the auditorium. She's not sure how it happened but she wound up beating Rachel there. For the first few minutes she thought that her plan had blown up in her face. That maybe Rachel had run into Finn in the hallway and everything got turned around. Slowly she made her way to the stage and sat down to sulk at the piano. She wasn't expecting Rachel to show since it had been at least 15 minutes since she saw her head this way. Quinn jumped however when the door to the auditorium was ripped open and a sopping brunette came stalking down the isle. Her body went ridged as she cringed knowing exactly why the brunnette was late. Damn jocks would pay for this. Rachel was making her way to the stage and was startled out of her internal musings when she saw Quinn.

"Oh, Hi Quinn! I uh, I didn't realize the room was being used. I'm supposed to be meeting Finn here. he left me a note saying to meet him. However, I was attacked by a slushy on the way here so if you'll excuse me I'm going to go backstage and change and I'll be right out." Rachel said as she headed backstage. Quinn sat gaping at the spot where Rachel was just occupying for so long that she didn't even realize the brunnette had reentered the room.

"Finn's still not here? You haven't seen him have you? Did I miss him?" she asked as she crossed the stage to stand next to the baby grand Quinn was currently sitting at.

"Uh, no, I haven't seen Finnessa. Who slushied you this time?" Quinn replied.

"Karofsky, who else..." she trailed.

"I'll make that jerk pay" Quinn whispered to herself a little too loudly.

"What was that?"

"Oh uh... nothing... nothing." Quinn blushed.

"Well anyways that's odd that Finn didn't show. I mean he's not exactly the most punctual person, and we are no longer together, but I still would expect him to show up to something he himself planned. He seems to be nowhere to be found though." Rachel babbled walking a little closer to the bench Quinn was sitting on.

Quinn fiddled with the keys for a few seconds, and then her cardigan. She wasn't sure how to tell the brunette that she was the one who asked her here without sending her running for the hills. She was getting woozy and was just about to spit it out when Rachel came up to her side and touched her arm.

"Quinn, are you okay? You look a little ill..."

"Rachel, look I..." Quinn trailed when she noticed that Rachel was now smiling at her. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You called me Rachel..." she whispered moving away from the blonde slightly.

"Well that is your name isn't it?" Quinn chuckled as she began softly playing the tune from before.

Rachel seemed to contemplate the question for a while before responding. She was a little caught off guard at Quinn's demeanor and still somewhat wondering where Finn was. She couldn't believe he had stood her up.

"Y..yes that is my name Quinn, you would be correct. It's just I've never heard you use it before, or well, it's not very often that you use it. Normally I get 'manhands' or 'rupaul' or if I'm lucky.. 'Berry'.. so I just.. it was unexpected given our..." she was cut off.

"Look Rachel , you can stop looking around for Finn to show up... he's.. he's not coming.." Quinn stated a little bit defeated. This was not going to end well. She could just feel it.

"How would you know that Quinn? I thought you said you hadn't seen him."

"Because I... because I uh,..I" she sputtered her mouth suddenly dry as she began to fidget again. And again Rachel came to her side, reaching for her arm.

"Quinn are you sure you're alright you're starting to worry me." she said voice full of concern.

"I'mfinejustI''tcomeifIhadaskedyou" Quinn rushed out gasping for air and turning away from Rachel's incredulous look.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat yourself? It sounded like you just said you were the one who left me the note from Finn and I can't have heard you right.. could I?" Rachel questioned as she walked around to face Quinn stoney faced.

"Yes, Rach, I wrote the note. Look before you get mad and pull a diva storm out, will you just... hear me out please? Then you can slap me, or yell at me, or leave. Whatever you want. Just please hear me out. Please?" she pleaded finally looking Rachel in the eye.

Quinn could feel the tears welling as Rachel stood silently deciding on her next move. She didn't want to cry in front of her. That would be too much. Rachel noticed the tears forming, and quickly weighed her options. This was Quinn Fabray after all, it could be a trick. She knew she had to be careful but in the end her curiousity won out.

"Fine, you have five minutes." She stated crossing her arms and staring Quinn down.

Unphased by Rachel's attempt at an intimidating look, Quinn smiled and stood up. She slowly uncrossed Rachel's arms and walked her over to the bench and sat her down. Taking a few deep breaths she mentally prepared herself for what she was about to do. She was not only trying to let Rachel know she was missed in glee club, but that what she felt for the girl was a lot more than hatred. In her own way she was letting Rachel know she loved her. She just hoped it would be received well if Rachel caught on at all. Here goes nothing.

"Just sit, okay, I'm not going to hurt you. This isn't some trick or attempt to get you."

"What's this all about then Quinn?"

"We all miss you in Glee... I miss you in Glee... So just, listen?" she asked.

Rachel nodded but didn't say anything else. Quinn nervously sat down beside her and began playing the same tune from earlier. She focused her attention on Rachel and waited until she locked eyes with the brunette and began her song.

I miss you so

And you'll never know

I was too afraid to try

To show you love

To give it up

To let you know I might

Care a little

Care a lot

Hold a place for you in this stubborn heart of mine

I hide it well

And maybe you'll never see

That you got me

And do you still remember me

Your long lost friend you used to need

I'm still hoping that you might

Find you're way back.

Quinn looked away from Rachel as she breathed out the last line of the song. Silence descended upon them and she forced herself to look back up at the girl sitting next to her. Shock clearly regsistered on her face, she sat mouth open, eyes wide. Quinn was growing more nervous by the second as time ticked by with Rachel looking at her like that. Finally deciding to end her misery and get it over with, she asked the one question that could save her or break her.

"Well?"