Chapter Two:

Music was one of the most relaxing things in the world to Quinn.

Just the way the harmony drifted through the headphones and into her ears, it was spectacular. Her feet bounced on the carpeted floor and she unconsciously chewed on the end of her pen as she read through her latest romance novel.

Reading was also a joy to Quinn.

She hated the idea of the new technology of reading books on a little pad.

She preferred substantial books in her hands rather than some computer object.

She nearly screamed in surprise though when a tan hand shot out and ripped the book from her grasp, and her headphones were being flung off her ears. She gaped, feeling anger rise up in her belly and she turned to face the culprit, preparing to tell the person off.

Santana was standing there with a smug smile set firmly on her face, with Brittany at her side.

"Q, it's time for some major girl talk." Santana informed her, before taking Brittany's hand and dragging her to the opposite side of the wooden table.

Quinn watched Santana pull out Brittany's chair for her and the two shared a secret smile, when Brittany sat down.

To others it may have looked like a first date, but Santana had been doing sweet things like that for Brittany ever since Quinn could remember, so she never usually questioned, but every once in a while Quinn wondered just how close the two girls were.

Quinn was in the middle of contemplating this when Santana snapped her fingers in front of eyes, trying to regain the attention back on herself.

"Q, what's up with you and hobbit?" The Latina demanded, her piercing gaze intimidating Quinn ever so slightly.

Quinn narrowed her eyes, her gaze flickering between Santana and Brittany. Santana had a serious look across her face, while Brittany was staring behind Quinn, her eyes most likely on a poster that she was trying to read.

It was a classical Brittany move. Brittany was always off in her own little world.

"What do you mean what's up with me and Rachel?" Quinn asked, cocking one eyebrow up and giving her a friend a challenging smile.

"Oh god, you are calling her by her first name now. Shit, we are fucked!" Santana groaned, slapping her hand down on the table, "why would you talk to her? She has some sort of disease or something, Q. She's not good for your reputation, and you always used to care about that, remember?"

Quinn rolled her eyes.

God, she hated thinking about what a bitch she had been.

"I don't know if you completely ignored my whole speech at the beginning of the year in Glee, but S, I'm a different person now." Quinn murmured.

Santana gave her an appalled look, "I didn't think you were actually serious!" She sat still for a moment before shaking her head, "and I doubt that Q, people like you don't just change on the spot like that."

The blonde sighed, running a hand through her hair, "Of course I was being serious. I've changed. And it wasn't just on the spot, it was over a whole three months." Quinn explained, "I don't want to be known as that bitch Quinn Fabray anymore. And my first start, was Rachel. And she's actually not as bad as you think she is. And it's actually possible to not care about your reputation, because, I don't care what anyone thinks about me anymore."

"Even Puck?" Santana challenged.

Quinn felt the sudden urge to leap across the table and rip her best friend's hair out.

The girl knew exactly where to pull Quinn's strings.

She hated the girl sometimes.

But she loved the girl as well.

It was a never-ending cycle.

"Even Puck." Quinn confirmed, although it wasn't fully the truth.

"That's a load of bull and we both know it." Santana retorted. She rolled her eyes, and leaned back in the chair with her arms against her chest, still giving Quinn the same challenging smirk she always wore.

Quinn exhaled loudly, "Look, I don't know what the big deal is. Why can't I hang out with Rachel?"

"Because, she's fucking weird!" Santana answered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Quinn felt the need to defend the brunette she had recently started becoming friends with, "Hey, she really is not that bad. You just have to get to know her. She's funny and really nice. I like her and I wouldn't mind being friends with her."

Santana opened her mouth to speak but she quickly shut it with an audible snap.

Quinn didn't fail to notice that Brittany's hand seemed to move underneath the table, and Santana was no longer looking at Quinn, but at Brittany.

The two were obviously having some sort of conversation through their eyes, and Quinn felt a bit uncomfortable just sitting there. The look in there eyes, she couldn't decipher, but it almost made her feel like she was viewing something that was to personal.

"San, cut Quinn some slack," Brittany said, taking a glance at Quinn out of the corner of her eye and giving her a tiny wink before turning back to Santana, "Rachel makes our Q happy. And Q has changed and we need to be happy for her, okay?"

Quinn was secretly cheering on Brittany in her head, and when the blonde turned to look at her she gave her a sincere smile.

She swore Brittany was the smartest person in the world when it came to calming down Santana.

Brittany also knew a lot about life lessons. Even though the girl wasn't smart in school, she knew how to handle life and she was smart with her life choices.

Santana seemed to be having a mental battle in her head as she flickered her gaze between Brittany and Quinn. And finally, her dark eyes settled on Quinn and she narrowed them, "Fine, Q, even though I still think it's a fucking stupid idea to be friends with someone like Rachel, go ahead and knock yourself out. But don't come crying to me when you are getting bashed for hanging out with the chick."

"The only one who will be crying Santana is you. Because, you hate being wrong," Quinn murmured with a smug look on her face, "And in this situation, I'm right and you're wrong."

Santana rolled her eyes, "Oh, please, bitch. Watch yourself before, I smack you."

"So scared." Quinn sighed, and picked up her ear buds and placed them in her ears once again, happy that music was filling her ears again.

Before she zoned the world out she glanced up to see Santana and Brittany with blushes on their cheeks, and whispering words of whatever they talked about to each other.

Quinn felt a tightening in her stomach and she swallowed loudly, dropping her head to the table, shutting her eyes, and listening to the sounds of music invade her ears.


Across the school in the choir room, Rachel was in the same position as Quinn.

She had been doing a vocal run through when Kurt had stormed into the choir room, his shoes squeaking against the tile floor.

Before Rachel had even opened her mouth Kurt had forcefully grabbed her and shoved her into one of the chairs.

Mercedes had entered behind Kurt, and had given Rachel a warming smile, and sat down next to the brunette.

The two had been lecturing her ever since.

Kurt stood with his hands on his hips, an agitated look upon his face, while Mercedes had a sympathetic look on her face and was glancing back and forth between Kurt and Rachel.

"It's Quinn Fabray!" Kurt groaned, his arms moving to cross against his chest.

"I don't see why you are getting so upset about this Kurt, Quinn and I have developed a friendship and it's going along smoothly as of right now. And she is considerably nice to me. What is the big problem with me being friends with her?" Rachel demanded to know, crossing her own arms against her own chest.

If Kurt wanted to be stubborn, she could be stubborn too. She was the queen at being stubborn. She'd win this game.

"It's Quinn Fabray." Kurt insinuated.

Mercedes glanced at Kurt, licking her lips before turning back to Rachel.

"Rachel, I think what Kurt is trying to say is that we don't want you to get hurt by Quinn." Mercedes explained, "yes, it's possible she has changed, but we don't know that for sure. And you are our best friend, and we don't want to see you get hurt by some girl like Quinn. She is mean, and everyone knows it. And we don't want you to be so upset over her that you don't do good at Invitationals just because, she'll be there as well." The girl finished, licking her lips, her eyes wide and pleading.

And with that last sentence Rachel knew what the whole thing with Quinn was about.

It wasn't that they were concerned Quinn would hurt her.

They were concerned that if Quinn did hurt her, how Rachel would react, and if she'd be good enough for Invitationals and Sectionals after that.

'Well screw them!' Rachel thought, shaking her head.

Quinn was sincere when she said she was sorry for everything that happened last year, and Rachel truly believed her.

But if Quinn did end up turning out to be a complete fraud, of course Rachel would be devastated. She had always had this strange fascination of being best friends with the girl and she was getting that opportunity. Not even being friend with just Quinn, just being friends with a popular girl.

And now that she had that opportunity, she sure as hell wasn't going to throw it away because, her friends wanted her to be good at Invitationals.

"Look, friends," Rachel began, setting her binder down in her lap before glancing up at the two, "I'm happy you are concerned for me, and I really appreciate it. But I'm a big girl now, I'm almost eighteen, I know how to handle myself and situations like this. If I get hurt then you can tell me I told you so. But Quinn and I have blossomed into a great friendship, and I also believe she needs someone right now. No one has exactly ever been there through her when she went haywire last year with Puck breaking up with her just before school started. And I can be a good friend to her." She finished, giving them both pleading looks of her own.

"I don't kno-" Kurt began, shifting on his feet.

A knock on the door interrupted him in mid-sentence, and the three people glanced up to the doorway to see a sheepish looking Quinn Fabray standing there.

'My hero!' Rachel couldn't help but thinking to herself, and she automatically brightened, "Quinn, hey!"

"Hey Rach," Quinn murmured shyly, glancing at Kurt and Mercedes awkwardly. The blonde walked into the room, her white dress swaying softly by her knees, and her brown boots echoing off the tile floor, "Sorry to intrude but do you mind if I borrow Rachel for a second?" The blonde asked.

Kurt glanced at Mercedes, and Mercedes glanced at Rachel.

After a beat of silence Kurt finally spoke up, "No, not at all." He said, but his face spoke otherwise.

Quinn narrowed her eyes towards the boy, thinking about saying something.

But she ultimately just shrugged it off before turning to smile at Rachel.

Rachel glanced up at Kurt nervously, before standing up and smoothing down her skirt.

She smiled widely at Quinn and followed the blonde who turned and exited the choir room.

Rachel took quick notice of the way Kurt was staring daggers at the back of the blonde's head, and Rachel slapped his shoulder as she passed him.

"Be good," She hissed, "I'll be right back."

After hearing the boy snort, she strode out of the room, and nearly bumped into Quinn who was standing right outside the door.

She flushed a deep shade of red, and took a big step back, putting distance between herself and the blonde.

"Sorry." She mumbled shyly.

Quinn smirked at the girls apology and obvious quaver in Rachel's voice, and Rachel knew full well it was because, Quinn wasn't shy at all when it came to Rachel Berry. But Rachel was immensely shy when it came to Quinn Fabray.

"It's okay, Rach." She grinned, crossing her arms over her chest, "we are still on for tonight, right?"

Rachel nodded quickly, "We sure are."

Quinn smiled, then ran a hand through her cropped hair, "Great. I'm excited." Quinn said, but Rachel saw the look of anxiety flash through the blonde's hazel eyes.

Being the concerned friend she was Rachel frowned, "What is it?"

Rachel felt her stomach begin to twist, preparing herself for the girl to tell her she didn't actually want to hang out with her.

But instead the blonde just rubbed the back of her neck and gave Rachel an apologetic smile before talking, "Look," she mumbled, glancing down at the ground and kicking the toe of her boot against the tile floor nervously, "I just wanted to let you know before you come over tonight, my dad might give you the cold shoulder." She informed Rachel, "but I don't want you to take it personally. He has nothing against you..." Quinn trailed off and suddenly became fascinated by the lockers on the right side of the hallway.

Rachel felt her stomach unclench and she nearly leaped in joy when the blonde didn't say what Rachel thought she was going to say.

But she understood why Quinn would be apologetic.

"Nothing against me, but something against my dads." Rachel murmured, licking her lips and pulling them together in a tight line.

"Sorry." Quinn said sadly, giving her a sympathetic look.

Rachel shook her head, "No, don't be, it's okay. I understand." She said quickly, hoping the blonde wasn't going to change her mind.

Quinn didn't look convinced, and she gave Rachel a hesitant look, "Are you sure Rachel?"

The first time she'd ever be able to hang out with a popular girl like Quinn, and the girl was already thinking about calling the thing off.

Rachel could not let this happen.

"I'm positive." Rachel said through her teeth, giving Quinn a wide smile.

The blonde stared at her for a second longer before pursuing her lips to the side and nodding, "Okay, Rach. If you say so," The blonde muttered, her smile quickly widening, "Pack warm, it's supposed to be cold, and I'll pick you up tonight at around, oh, seven?"

Rachel nodded eagerly, "Sounds great Quinn. Thanks Quinn. Y'know, for inviting me Quinn." She blubbered nervously.

And then to her dismay, she realized she had managed to say the girls name three times, out of nervousness.

Quinn chuckled, giving the girl a smirk and placing one hand on Rachel's shoulder, "Quit being nervous, chick. It's gonna be fun."

Rachel stood open mouthed, then nodded, giving Quinn a shy smile, before the blonde pulled away, smiling smugly. Rachel watched as the blonde walked away, before she sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

She turned around and headed back into the choir room where Kurt and Mercedes were standing, a more relaxed expression on both of their faces.

"We've come to an agreement." Kurt announced proudly, tipping his head back to observe the brunette.

Rachel rolled her eyes and headed towards her seat, grabbing her belongings that she had left, "And what would that be?"

Mercedes glanced at Kurt and the boy nodded. Mercedes turned back to Rachel and said, "We will agree to let you be friends with Quinn-"

"Oh thanks." Rachel mumbled sarcastically.

"Shut the hell up!" Kurt cut in, and Mercedes elbowed him in the ribs, "Look, Rachel, you can be friends with Quinn, but the first time she makes a wrong move you have to promise us you'll get out of that friendship immediately, okay?"

Rachel swung her bag over her shoulder before glancing at the two of them, "I don't really have a say anymore, do I?"

Kurt glanced at Mercedes and they both smirked, "Not really."

The brunette groaned, "Fine whatever. It won't happen, but whatever."

Rachel didn't enjoy the fact that her two friends turned to each other, a complete look of accomplishment across their faces.

She quickly said good bye to the two, and headed home for her night with Quinn Fabray.


It's the yellow one, right?

Rachel glanced at her phone in the midst of stuffing her winter jacket in her backpack. She chuckled, typing back a smart ass reply.

Texting while driving Miss Fabray. Tsk, tsk.

She smirked, shutting her phone and throwing it on the bed. She reached for her shoes that were in her closet and quickly shoved them on her tiny feet, lacing them up, just as quickly. She observed her feet for a few seconds, tipping her head to the side.

She hated her feet.

They were to damn tiny!

The brunette turned glancing at her bag, and chuckling to herself.

By the time she had finished packing earlier, she had already had two bags, so she decided to empty one of them out and made one bag of the only things she'd absolutely need. And it still left her with a bag and a half so she hoped Quinn didn't mind much.

Her phone was lighting up with an incoming text message, so Rachel quickly reached for it and read the reply from the blonde.

Shut the hell up. Which one?

Feisty? :D Yes, the yellow one.

Ten seconds later she heard loud knocking on the front door.

Looks like Quinn had been standing outside just waiting for Rachel to reply.

For some reason this amused Rachel.

She quickly grabbed her bags and shut her light off. She leaped down the stairs nearly crashing body first into one of her dads, daddy Hiram. He gave her an amused look, and she couldn't help but glancing down, her face flushing red.

She had always been the clumsy one of the family.

As her father reached for the door, Rachel slid past him like a ninja, and grabbed the door handle before he could.

"Hey Quinn!" Rachel said excitedly at the sight of the blonde.

Quinn stood with her short hair frizzled out in every which way, and Rachel couldn't help but find her look completely crazy. But other than the hair, the girl looked normal. She was dressed in a plaid coat that hung down to her the tips of her thighs and she had a pair of jeans on, with sneakers.

Rachel couldn't help but feel like this was the first time she had ever seen Quinn in something other than a skirt or a dress.

"Hey Rachel-" Quinn began, before pausing as she noticed the tall man behind her, staring at her curiously, "And Mr. Berry, it's nice to meet you. I'm Quinn." The blonde said nervously, reaching her hand past Rachel's body towards the man.

Rachel hadn't even thought about what her fathers would have thought of Quinn. I mean, she had come home crying once or twice because, of how mean the blonde had been in the past. And daddy Hiram had always been the forgiving one, so she wasn't worried about how he would perceive Quinn. She was more worried about Papa Leroy because, he was the stricter one and he was oh so, very protective of his little girl.

Rachel turned, watching her fathers reaction and nearly fainting when the man did nothing. She tried to scream at him with her eyes.

He just stood there staring at Quinn's hand like it was infested with ants.

'This can't be happening to me. It's just a dream.' Rachel thought to herself, while shutting her eyes and shaking her head.

And then there was big boisterous laughing and Leroy had Quinn's hand in his own and was practically yanking the girl inside the cozy household.

"Gotcha!" He shouted and looked down at the girl, "Sorry about that, the Berry's are all practical jokers."

Quinn glanced at Rachel nervously, then back up at the man, "I see." She hinted, giving the man a shy smile.

Rachel glared at her father, trying to show him how embarrassing he was.

"Quinn let's go-" Rachel began, but was interrupted by, Papa Leroy walking out from the kitchen, wiping his hands down with a washcloth.

"Now wait a minute Rachel," He said, giving his daughter a warm smile, and glancing at Quinn politely, "I'd like to meet your friend."

Before Rachel could even reach for Quinn's arm to yank her out of the house, the blonde was already striding towards the living room and preparing to take a seat on the couch.

Rachel groaned and slowly stomped into the living room, shooting daggers at her father's who were oblivious to the fact that their daughter was angry. She plopped down on the couch next to Quinn and glanced at the taller girl sheepishly, while Quinn just smiled confidently.

Rachel groaned when Papa Leroy crossed one leg over the other and sat forward on with his head cradled in his hands.

Quinn flickered her eyes over to Rachel's and the brunette mouthed the word sorry.

But Quinn didn't seem to be the least bit nervous at all. She seemed comfy in the small living room that Rachel was having a panic attack just being in.

"So Quinn, how long have you been friends with our Ray?" Leroy asked, and Rachel nearly died at the mentioned of her pet name her father's called her.

'Shoot me now God.' She mouthed to the ceiling.

Rachel watched Quinn's reaction but the girl just merely glanced down, smiled, then looked back up at the couple. "Just recently, that's actually something I'd like to talk to you about-" She murmured, giving Rachel a small smile before continuing, "I haven't treated your daughter with the exact respect she deserved a while back, and I just wanted to let you know I send my sincerest apologies." She offered, flickering her hazel gaze back and forth between the two men.

Noticing neither man was going to speak Quinn swallowed nervously and continued, "But over the summer I sort of had a change of heart, and I realized that I shouldn't have ever done anything in the first place because, Rachel has never been anything but not nice to me. So before I started hanging out with her I wanted to tell you I'm sorry and it won't happen again."

Rachel had to give the blonde props for being brave enough to tell two grown men this.

If she were in Quinn's position she would practically be shitting her pants.

Hiram immediately waved his hand in the air, "It's in the past." He muttered, sitting forward and reaching his hand out in Quinn's direction. "But, Quinn-" He said in a serious tone, showing his protective father persona. "If you shake my hand right now, that means you aren't going to bully our daughter again."

And at this point Rachel had her head in her lap and she was trying to take deep even breaths.

God how was she related to these people?

Quinn swallowed loudly, and firmly gripped the mans hand, "I won't Mr. Berry." She replied, her tone just a serious.

Hiram knitted his eyebrows together, studying Quinn before glancing at Leroy and cocking his head to the side. Leroy stared at him for a moment, and Rachel could tell they were having one of their inner conversations. She was nearly positive her fathers could have a full conversation without actually saying one word.

Finally, Hiram turned and smiled, "Okay, Quinn. Thank you. And please-" He started getting up, and Rachel quickly followed jumped to her feet excited to go, "Call us Hiram and Leroy, Mr. Berry makes us sound old." He said with a chuckle, "Now get going and have fun."

Quinn smiled, giving the two men one more handshake before glancing at Rachel and cocking her eyebrows up, tilting her head towards the front door.

As the two girls made their way out, Rachel slowed and glared at the two men she called her parents and shook her head sternly, "Way to embarrass me guys."

"Be good, honey!" They both retorted, rolling their eyes before turning back to the kitchen.

Rachel groaned, and followed after Quinn who was halfway out the front door.

The brunette reached for her bags but noticed, that they were nowhere to be seen. She was getting ready to ask the blonde if she'd seen them on her way out, when she heard a trunk slam and she glanced out to see Quinn, motioning for her to come outside.

Quinn had put away her bags for her?

Kurt and Mercedes don't know what they were talking about.

Quinn had obviously changed.

The brunette hurriedly shut the door and bounded over to the car door, opening it and plopping down into the passenger seat. She shot Quinn an ear to ear smile, before putting her seat belt on.

"I'm so sorr-" She began.

"Hush it." Quinn intervened, "It's okay, they were both nice. And I understand why they wanted to meet me." She said, glancing at the rear view mirror.

"Still embarrassing." Rachel muttered, glancing out the window then at the radio. She quickly began fiddling with it, searching for a station to listen to. She grimaced when all she heard was modern pop music and country radio.

Rachel was into the classical Broadway and indie music.

Apparently Quinn noticed her expression.

"My music taste not good enough for miss Rachel Berry?" She countered, a smug smile on her face.

Rachel shrugged her shoulders, smiling at Quinn, "I don't like modern music."

"Of course! You like Broadway. I am aware of this, Rach." Quinn chuckled, tightening her hands on the wheel.

Rachel snorted, "No, I like indie music too!"

"Yeah?" Quinn shot back, "Like what?'

Now she had to think. There were obviously to many to name, so she named the bigger hit artists off the top of her head. "Mumford and Sons are good, so are The Black Keys, and Ben Howard, Foster The People, The Civil Twilight." She rambled off, glancing at Quinn out of the corner of her eyes. "And plenty more, it's a very broad genre."

The blonde had her lips pursed and looked like she was thinking hard, "I think I heard of the second one." She muttered, cocking one perfectly shaped eyebrow up.

"You haven't heard of any of the others though?" Rachel guffawed, her jaw nearly dropping to the floor of the car.

"No?" Quinn muttered confused.

'I'm going to have to teach her a thing or two on music!' Rachel thought, before speaking her thoughts aloud, "I'll show you to them sometime." She replied, relaxing into the seat.

"Okay Berry." Quinn replied.

It became quiet and Rachel found herself shifting in the seat.

She was never one for sitting in a car, so she distracted herself by looking at the trees that whipped by the car and the blur of green she was met with. She glanced at the road ahead of the car, and then finally to the blonde in the drivers seat.

It was obvious that Quinn was pretty. A blind man could see that. And Rachel had always found Quinn extremely beautiful, and Rachel had made sure Quinn knew that in the past. But maybe it was the whole nice personality the blonde was taking on that made her look even more beautiful. While last year, Quinn's face was always turned down in a frown, her expression always just worn out and tired, and angry. At that moment she looked carefree, happy, and completely relaxed.

And of course Rachel had to get caught staring and she immediately turned, her face erupting in a blush.

"Caught you." Quinn teased, turning the wheel and pulling into a neighborhood.

Rachel did have a snide retort, but when she saw the large houses, she forgot said comment.

It wasn't like Rachel's family was poor. They had money. Their house was average sized, and they had good furniture and a very modern house.

But Quinn's parents must have been loaded. Because, this neighborhood they had turned into had mansions. No, mansions on top of those mansions. These houses didn't have words. These were like A list celebrity movie star houses.

Quinn pulled the car up to a driveway to a large brown house that looked like it never ended. There was a full porch that wrapped around the house and it seemed as if their windows on every square inch of the house.

Quinn pulled the key out of the ignition and got out of the car casually, while Rachel sat on the passenger side, just gaping at the house.

God, Quinn was loaded.

What did her dad do again?

A few light taps to the window pulled her out of her trance and she glanced out the window, seeing an amused looking Quinn.

Rachel giggled, undoing the seat belt and getting out of the car, following Quinn, who had her bags, towards the front door of the large house.

The blonde gently set down her suitcase and reached for her keys inside her jacket pockets.

Rachel was watching her when Quinn's hand hesitated on the door knob.

"Rach-" Quinn mumbled, glancing over her shoulder, "Please don't take anything my parents say tonight to heart... Okay?"

She quickly nodded, giving her an understanding smile.

Everyone had different views.

'Even though some people's views were wrong.' Rachel thought to herself.

And then the door was being pushed open and Rachel's inner monologue was cut off when she saw the large entrance inside the house.

It seemed impossible, but the house was even bigger than it looked.

The entryway to the front door held a large foyer and two staircases, each heading off in a different direction. Family photos, yearbook pictures, and art decorations were hung up all throughout the little area Rachel was viewing. And to top it off there was a huge ass chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

Rachel was really hoping her jaw wasn't on the floor.

"Quinnie!" A squeaky voice called, "is your friend here?"

Quinn glanced at Rachel, rolling her eyes before darting towards the left into a room, and then quickly re-entering with a woman and man by her side.

Rachel could only assume they were Quinn's parents.

She had heard stories about Russell Fabray from Puck, when she had the occasional conversation with him. Puck had said the man was intimidating, and he looked like he hated you and was judging you from the moment he laid eyes on you. Puck hit that one with a nail on the head. This man was staring at her, his facial features hard, and an unrecognizable look on his face. His blonde hair was slicked back, and his jaw was tightened.

Rachel traced her eyes over to the woman, who looked like an older, mature version of Quinn. Except while Quinn's hair had been cropped short, the woman had hair that hung to her shoulders. She looked frigid but kind. Rachel didn't want to touch the woman though, she was afraid she'd break her.

"Rachel!" The woman said, a wide grin on her face, "We've heard so much about you. I'm Judy!" Judy exclaimed, taking a few steps forwards to the brunette and thrusting her hand out.

Rachel smiled nervously, taking the tiny hand in her own and shaking it.

"I'm Russell." The man's voice boomed intimidatingly, from behind Judy, taking a step forward to stand behind his wife. "You're the Berry's kid?"

Rachel took notice to Quinn shooting a hateful look at her father and Rachel tried not to laugh while the blonde flipped him off behind his back.

"I am." She replied proudly, tilting her chin up ever so slightly.

She'd never be ashamed of her fathers. And she was going to show this man she could stand up to him. She challenged him with her eyes for the man to insult her daddies.

The man narrowed his eyes, obviously wondering if he should accept Rachel's challenge or ignore it.

"Interesting." He grumbled, "you like football?"

Was this guy serious?

She knew about two things about football. And that was only because, she had bothered to look it up when she had dated Finn. She wanted to seem interesting, but football bored her to know end. She didn't understand what was so interesting about sweaty boys in large pads tackling each other.

"Sure." She lied, giving him a wide grin and noticing the man relaxing a little bit, his arm casually raising to wrap around his wife's shoulder.

"Good!" He said, the first signs of a smile appearing on his face, "You excited for the game?"

Rachel nodded her head quickly, "I sure am sir. Our-" 'Oh my god what's our football teams name?' Rachel pried her brain for the name.

The man stared at her confused before it came to her.

"Our Titans will represent."

"They sure will!" The man boasted, glancing behind at Quinn and giving his daughter a wide smile. "You pick good friends, honey!" He said, before turning back to Rachel and thrusting his hand out in similar fashion to his wife.

Rachel quickly took his hand and gave him one firm shake before letting go and glancing at Quinn.

"Well," Quinn started, pushing past her parents and making her way to stand by Rachel, "we're going to go hang out in my room. What time are we getting up again?"

"Seven." Russell replied, smiling down at Judy before glancing back up at the two teenage girls.

"Ugh, so early." Quinn growled, then glanced at Rachel and flicked her head to the side. Rachel quickly waved a good bye to Quinn's parents before following the blonde down the hallway and into the basement.

"You live in the basement?" Rachel asked skeptically, as she followed Quinn down the stairs.

Quinn nodded, "More privacy."

Rachel considered this as they entered the blonde's room and she glanced around. There were cheer mats laid out on the far side of the wall, and trophies and ribbons were everywhere. Pictures of Santana, Brittany, and Quinn were hung in frames on the walls. Pictures of handwritten letters were taped to the wall, and there was a large television sitting in one of the corners, while a large queen size bed was pushed up against the wall.

Rachel glanced around in awe, realizing Quinn's bedroom was about ten times bigger than her own.

The brunette noticed a bathroom off in the far corner, and she glanced around at a few clothes lying on the floor.

Quinn glanced at Rachel smiling guiltily, "I took a nap before I came and got you and I forgot to clean up, so why don't you just sit on the bed and then we can watch a movie or something." The blonde suggested, and Rachel was quick to obey, slipping off her shoes by the stairs then heading over to the bed and leaping on top of it.

She heard a small giggle behind her and she cocked her eyebrows up at Quinn curiously.

"You're just so short. You had to like, leap onto the bed when all I have to do is sit on it." She explained, bending down and beginning to pick up random clothes on the floor, "It was funny."

"Quinn Fabray, don't make fun of me! I take offense to that." Rachel said in a mocking tone.

"Oh please." Quinn said rolling her eyes, "how was your day before I got you?"

Rachel laid back on the bed, and glanced at the blonde who was shifting around the room picking up dresses, skirts, and her shoes on the ground all while occasionally glancing up at the brunette who was lounging on her bed.

"It was okay, quite boring." She replied, "And yours?"

Quinn glanced over her shoulder, giving a shrug, "Pretty much the same, boring as usual. Although I got bombarded with millions of texts by that doofus, Finn."

Rachel quirked her eyebrows up, and her heart sank a little bit in her chest.

She wasn't over Finn.

They had dated for the longest time. He was the first boy she had ever kissed. She truly believed they were going to get married someday and she'd be Rachel Hudson. But they broke it off over the summer because, he said he needed some space. Rachel knew what space meant when she saw the boy making googly eyes at Quinn the first day back at schol.

"Speaking of Finn-" Quinn countered, turning and cocking her eyebrows up, placing her hands on her hips, "how are you and him?"

Rachel licked her lips nervously, and glanced down at her fumbling fingers, suddenly feeling a wave of insecurity wash over her.

"What about him?" She mumbled nervously.

There was a loud guffaw and then the bed sank and Rachel glanced up from underneath her eyelashes to see Quinn staring at her skeptically, her legs crossed.

"Rachel, I'm your friend now, you can talk about him if you'd like." Quinn encouraged, reaching out and grasping Rachel's hand, squeezing it lightly.

Rachel still wasn't sure if she was ready to talk about him, so she shrugged her shoulders, "We're fine I guess." She mumbled, and glanced down, "Quinn, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Quinn said, brightening, "What is it?"

"Did you love Noah?" The brunette asked carefully, continuing to pick at her fingers. She didn't want to cross an unknown boundary with Quinn since she didn't know if they had progressed to the whole 'talk about boys' in the stage of their friendship.

Rachel gauged Quinn's reaction, pleased when the girl looked up thoughtfully, no signs of anger across his face.

"Y'know, everyone says at this day and age, it's impossible to experience true love, but with Puck there is not even a feeling imaginable. When I think of love, what I had with Puck seemed like love to me. He was my everything, and I still consider him my everything."

Rachel stared at the blonde never realizing the girl had so many emotions she clearly needed to express more often.

"That's actually pretty adorable," Rachel admitted sheepishly, "although I could never see Noah being romantic in any way." She let out a nervous giggle, hoping she didn't offend the blonde.

Quinn perked up quickly, nodding her head, "Exactly! Me either, but one day he just changed in my eyes." The blonde murmured, sort of in a daze and Rachel smiled amused.

"I remember one Halloween a few years back, he dressed up as a farm boy and I was a beautiful princess, and he just leaned down and whispered that I was a dream come true." Quinn said, smiling widely and Rachel almost felt uncomfortable sitting in the room when the blonde was in her own little Noah Puckerman world.

So the brunette remained quiet and allowed the blonde to think about whatever she was thinking.

She figured the blonde wouldn't want to be interrupted with her thoughts, so she occupied herself by looking around the blonde's room.

Pictures of Santana, Brittany, and Quinn were all placed in friendship frames throughout the room. And Rahel couldn't help thinking she had no pictures of any friends in her own room.

Quinn also had pictures of family surrounding the room, and one picture stood out in particular to Rachel the most. It was an adorable little picture of a young Quinn Fabray, posing with who Rachel assumed to be her sister. They were at a zoo from the looks of it and Quinn was grinning wildly, and there was one large polar bear in the enclosure behind the two girls, swimming in ocean blue water and pressed up against the glass.

Rachel found it quite cute and couldn't help but blushing.

But at that point, Quinn had dragged herself out of her thoughts, and was whipped back into reality.

When Rachel turned to glance at the blonde, the girl was turning on the television, and hopping up from the bed.

Rachel watched the blonde head towards the stairs.

When the blonde reached the bottom, she turned flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder and giving Rachel a wide smile, "I'm going to go get some popcorn, you want some?" The blonde chirped and Rachel nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Alright, I'll be back." Quinn announced, and the blonde walked up the flight of stairs, disappearing from Rachel's sight.

The brunette rested her head back against the headboard and watched whatever Quinn had turned on.

It was some stupid scary movie with mutant creatures, chasing after some people in the woods. She heard the sound of feet on the floor above her but she ignored it. She pulled out her phone from her pocket and opened it.

Has she slaughtered you yet?

That was one message from Kurt.

The other was from Mercedes.

Be careful gurl. Xoxoxo.

Rachel felt her eyes roll instinctively, and she shut her phone, just as a pair of feet descended down the stairs.

Rachel glanced up to see Quinn galloping down the stairs, a bowl of overflowing popcorn in one hand and a set of drinks in the other.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I just grabbed some Diet Coke." Quinn mumbled, blushing ever so slightly, before handing Rachel one of the canned drinks.

The brunette took it eagerly, and with her fingers snapped it open.

Quinn smiled, walking back to the stairs and flicking off the lights. The room was filled with darkness and Rachel took a large intake of breath when Quinn sank down next to her.

"Sorry it's just me." Quinn murmured, and Rachel nearly jumped out of her skin when hearing how close the girl actually was.

Rachel laid back against the headboard, and listened to Quinn adjust a few times and then settle back in a similar position.

"What are we watching?" The blonde groaned when a woman on the screen fell out of a tree.

"A scary movie." Rachel replied, turning her eyes from the screen for a split second, then quickly turning back to the light.

"Oh really, Rach." Quinn retorted sarcastically and Rachel turned to shoot her a fiery gaze.

"Funny." She hissed back.

Quinn chuckled throatily which caused Rachel to giggle and then they were having a laughing fit.

Quinn got this adorable wide-eyed look, while Rachel had her signature upside down smirk.

After they got through with laughing Quinn ran a hand through her hair, then smiled at Rachel, "No offense, but I could have never seen us being friends." The blonde murmured, shooting Rachel a sheepish smile.

Rachel rolled her eyes dismissively, "Don't worry about it, I couldn't either." She said, smiling at the blonde softly.

Quinn stared at the brunette for a beat longer before turning back to the television to ask her next question, "Since you asked me," The blonde started, still averting her gaze, "did you actually love Finn?" The blonde hesitated, glancing at the brunette warily, "I mean even though he wasn't a good boyfriend, did you still truly love him?" The blonde puckered her lips to the side curiously, while Rachel thought over her answer before replying.

"I thought I did at one point," She admitted, "but now I'm not so sure. He'll always have a special place in my heart, but I don't love him like I used to." She murmured then quickly added, "and he wasn't always a jerk... He had his sweet moments."

Quinn huffed, tilting her head to the side, a skeptic look crossing her face, "How so?" She questioned, and at the point the movie flickering on the television screen was long forgotten.

Rachel licked her lips, then titled her head to the side, "For example," she started, "one time he was at my house and he was getting ready to leave. He just turned around, grabbed my cheeks and kissed me on the forehead, and said, "I love you sweetie" then left." She murmured, blushing at the distant memory.

It was quiet for a moment and Rachel couldn't help but glancing up and trying to see what Quinn's reaction was.

The blonde had a wide smirk set on her face, and Rachel felt embarrassed under Quinn's gaze.

"Stop looking at me like that, creep!" Rachel mumbled shyly, glancing up at the television just in time to see a man get hit by a car, and a woman screaming on the side of the highway.

The brunette grimaced, scrunching her face up in disgust. She turned back to Quinn who still had the widest smug smirk on her face.

"That's so cute!" The blonde shrieked throwing her hands up and clasping them around Rachel's own neck.

"Sure Quinn!" Rachel groaned into the blonde's hair.

When Quinn released her a few seconds later, Rachel subtly smoothed down her shirt, shooting the blonde a wary smile.

"I'd never see that butt brain called a boy doing anything sweet." Quinn said, glancing at Rachel, checking to see if the blonde had offended her.

"Me either." Rachel said distractedly, getting lost in her own little distant memory. She felt the butterflies she had once had for Finn flutter up her stomach, and fly around for a few moments until the butterflies got bored and Rachel was back in reality in Quinn's room.

Rachel glanced at Quinn's wall trying to figure out a new conversation to strike up.

Spotting the picture of Quinn, Santana, and Brittany. The brunette figured that would be a good topic to start on.

"How long have you known Santana and Brittany?" Rachel asked, glancing at the blonde, who turned to her, then looked up at the picture that had caught Rachel's attention.

The blonde smiled faintly at the recognition of the picture. "Only since freshman year although I'm pretty sure Santana and I had met each other and at a cheerleading camp when we were younger." Quinn recalled, glancing at Rachel and giving her a mere shrug.

"Who are you closer with?" Rachel pressed curiously, popping in the last few pieces of popcorn into her mouth.

"Santana, definitely," Quinn said without any hesitation, "I love Britt and all, but she does have the tendency to get a little annoying. Just because, I can't relate to her in some ways, y'know?" Quinn asked, glancing up at Rachel with wide hazel eyes.

"I understand. And no one could ever replace Santana as your best friend?" Rachel pushed trying to understand why she was feeling a tug of jealousy in the pit of her stomach.

Quinn pursued her lips, "It's unlikely. But who knows after college. It might change." Quinn mused, flashing her set of white teeth at Rachel.

Rachel nodded turning back to the television screen for a split second, before Quinn's angelic voice cut through the silence, "Who would your best friend be?" The blonde asked.

The brunette thought over this before glancing at Quinn sheepishly, "Probably nobody, I'm kind of happy being by myself." Rachel answered, ducking her head, and letting a curtain of her brown hair hide half of her face from Quinn.

"That's really depressing, Rach." Quinn admitting giving Rachel a sympathetic smile, and hitting the girls knee with her own, "what about Kurt and Mercedes?"

Rachel giggled, "They're supportive, but I wouldn't say they are my best friends. And speaking of the two, I'm pretty sure they are both convinced you hate them." Rachel said giggling and rolling her eyes.

She heard Quinn gasp, and the blonde was quick to defend herself, "I don't hate them, I just don't know them all that well!" She glanced down and licked her lips before glancing back up, "Like today for example, you were talking to them and I kind of felt like I was intruding on your guys conversation. But, Rach, you gotta tell them I don't hate either one of them." Quinn begged giving Rachel a wide-eyed, pleading look.

"Of course Quinn," Rachel murmured, a wide grin flashing on her face.

They shared a smile and Quinn held Rachel's gaze for a long second before beginning to feel little goosebumps on her back. The blonde quickly turned glancing back at the television screen.

Seconds later, she was dying of laughter when the evil woodland creatures began setting the little cabin on fire. Quinn through her squinted eyes, saw Rachel giving her an amused look.

"Who picked this movie?" She asked in a state of wonder, and Rachel gasped.

"You did!"

Quinn began laughing even harder and with Rachel seeing Quinn dying of laughter, she joined in, and soon they were sprawled on the bed, clutching their stomachs. There were tears in both of their eyes, and they couldn't for the life of them figure out why they were laughing so hard.

A knock sounded on the door interrupted them.

Rachel glanced up to see Quinn's father, Russell, standing there an amused expression on his face.

"Girls, remember we got to get up early, so I suggest you guys catch some shut eye soon." The man suggested and both girls nodded quickly.

"Okay then, goodnight ladies." He chuckled throatily.

"Goodnight!" They crooned, and glanced at each other, which then started a whole new laughing fest.


It was dark in the room and Rachel could hear the sound of the wind howling outside the windows.

She could feel the warmth of Quinn Fabray sleeping beside her.

Rachel had offered to sleep on the floor because, she didn't know what was considered normal at a normal sleepover between two teenage girls. Quinn had given her an incredulous and laughed loudly at Rachel's suggestion. "No silly!" Quinn had said, "you are going to sleep with me on the bed, like normal people!"

And now this left the brunette wide awake.

And then a voice fluttered in the darkness and Rachel felt comforted at the angelic sound.

"Rach, you okay?" Quinn's voice fluttered over to Rachel's ears, and it sounded like music.

The sound of a sleepy Quinn Fabray was most likely the best sound in the world.

Almost better than Barbara.

"You're still up Quinn?" Rachel breathed, rolling on her side so she could try and let her eyes adjust to the blonde's form.

"I've been in and out of sleep." Quinn muttered with a shrug, copying Rachel's movements and turning on her own side.

Rachel took in Quinn's bright but tired hazel eyes. She took in the short messy blonde hair and the soft smile on the girls lips. It was one of the only times Rachel thought Quinn looked completely normal. And even looking normal the blonde was still absolutely stunning. It was almost comforting, and it stroked Rachel's ego just a bit, knowing a gorgeous girl like Quinn could look like someone normal like Rachel Berry.

"I'm sorry." Rachel whispered, shutting her eyes and just listening to the sound of the wind howling outside, and the sound of Quinn's even breathing.

"No big deal." Quinn whispered, her breath fanning Rachel's face, "Want me to put on some music?" Quinn asked and Rachel nodded, mumbling out a hushed yes.

When the bed shifted, Rachel waited patiently for the sound of a pop singer, but relaxed when the sound of normal music floated through the speakers.

The soft voice of Christina Perri floated throughout the room, and Quinn sank back down into the bed. Rachel waited for the blonde to settle before she breathed out shyly, "Thank you for being my friend." The brunette glanced at Quinn's face whose hazel eyes were searching her own brown ones.

The blonde licked her lips before replying, "No problem, Rach." She whispered, "and if it really means that much to you... I'll help you become more popular and teach you how to be more self-confident." The blonde whispered, turning on her back and looking at the ceiling.

Rachel felt a wave of gratitude float over her and she smiled brightly, "Thank you Quinn." She whispered and she watched the blonde nod, and let out a whisk of air.

"Good night, Rach." The blonde whispered, and Rachel turned onto her stomach, trying to get more comfortable.

"Good night, Quinn, sweat dreams." Rachel whispered, shutting her eyes and letting sleep wash over her.

The last thing she registered before falling into her own dream world was Quinn's raspy, angelic voice whispering sweet dreams.