Author's Note: I just want to start off by saying thank you so much for all the favorites, follows, and reviews. They meant so much. Thank you. I forgot to mention on the other author's note before that I'll probably be updating every week, or other week depending on how busy I am. My tumblr is lifeisshort - - sotalkfast (without the spaces so basically lifeisshort-sotalkfast with an added dash in the middle. Go ask me questions or something).

Warning: Rachel is twenty-three in this fic and Quinn just turned eighteen. So there is a five-year age difference between the two. Just letting you know in case that bothers some folks. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Enjoy!


"I am unwritten/

Can't read my mind/

I'm undefined/

I'm just beginning/

The pen's in my hand/

Ending unplanned"

Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield


Quinn shifted the weight on her legs back and forth as she took in her childhood bedroom from the door. It looked plain and so different after packing most of her things for the move. She walked to her bed and sat on it. After a moment, she threw herself back with a frown. It already felt different.

"Feeling the college jitters?"

She turned to the voice and smiled. "Just a little bit," she admitted.

Judy walked further into the room, feeling a mixture of pride and sadness for her youngest' departure as she gave her a watery smile. "Don't worry. You'll be so occupied with your new surroundings; you'll forget all about missing you're small town family."

Quinn sat up and stared at the floor. "I'm not Frannie, mom." She said softly. Her older sister left for college when Quinn was twelve and they hardly ever heard from her other than a postcard every now and again from whatever city she decided to occupy for a year or less. Not that she missed her or anything. When Frannie left, Quinn practically threw a party.

She was the older, taller, and prettier one of the Fabray sisters. She was the one everyone wanted to befriend and they gravitated to her like moths to a flame. She was reckless and fun and everything Quinn never was. But that didn't really bother her as much as her relationship with Rachel did. She was only a year older than Rachel and the relationship they shared showed it. She had the relationship with Rachel that Quinn dreamed of. Rumors constantly swirled about them. How they whispered a little too close, hugged a little too long, and touched just a little too much.

When Frannie announced that she wanted to go to a college in California, far from New York and Rachel, Quinn became her number one supporter. Defending Frannie's choice in disguise as sisterly love. When the summer came to an end and Frannie packed her bags and left leaving everyone without so much as a tear goodbye; Quinn had no regrets.

Judy pulled her into her side. "I'm so glad at least one of my girls knows the importance of family." She said making Quinn feel a pang of guilt for her earlier thoughts. But then she remembered her sister was a selfish bitch who chose not to remain in close contact with the family and all guilty feelings vanished.

"I'm going to miss you, mom." She really did have no idea what she was going to do without her. It was her mom that pulled her through her worse sprouts of depression whenever Rachel brought home a new guy. Even if Judy thought she was only crying over a new boy at school.

"I'm only a phone call away," Judy comforted.

A phone call is too far is what Quinn wanted to say, but she didn't really want to send her mother – or worse, herself – into a sobbing fit so instead she settled for a simple smile and a whispered thank you when she hugged her.


"Don't worry, Russell, I won't let an old pervert corrupt Quinn," Rachel assured for what felt like the thousandth time as they waited to board their train.

"Dad, quit bothering her before she revokes her invitation to let me stay with her," Quinn said getting annoyed with her dad's pestering. She loved him and a part of her was warmed seeing his obvious worry for her, but that part was getting smaller and smaller the longer he spoke. "And I'm not an idiot that's going to wander off with the first New Yorker I see," she grumbled angrily.

"I know you're not an idiot, Quinn. You wouldn't be a Fabray if you were," her father said. Quinn frowned wondering if she should be insulted or not. Knowing her dad, she was going with the former.

"Thanks," she said flatly.

"Now boarding train 315 for New York City. Again, train 315 is now boarding for New York City."

"Oh, that's us," Rachel said, picking up her carryon bag from off the floor, shouldering it. She hugged her fathers goodbye and laughed when they refused to let go.

Quinn hugged her mother first and shushed her when she began crying. "I'll call when I get there," she promised. Her mother nodded and stepped back so she could hug her father next.

Russell didn't move and the two stared at each other before he finally gave her a soft smile and opened his arms. "Be good. Make the Fabray name proud," he told her before letting her go.

Quinn smiled not taking the quick and reserved hug to heart knowing it was just the Fabray way. No need to give people a show by being crying messes in public. The Berries didn't seem to have that reservation as they held each other like Rachel was heading to war. Quinn raised her brows at the scene and looked to her parents to see them having the same reaction as she. Well, at least she knew where she got it from.

"Quinn," Hiram called over, waving his arms around for a hug. Quinn sighed, resigning herself to an embarrassing display of affection from the older man. "I'm going to miss you so much. It's like sending another daughter off."

Quinn wrapped her arms around the man feeling touched. She saw Rachel wrap Judy into a hug and somehow got Russell to give her one too. She engaged them in a quick conversation while Quinn got pulled into another hug by Leroy.

"I know you're more mature than many girls your age so I'm not worried," he said smiling. "But we both know Rachel's heart gets ahead of her sometimes so," he paused, placing his hands on her arms. His eyes scanned her face and she wondered what he was looking for. "Just . . . take care of her for us, alright?"

Quinn furrowed her brows in confusion wondering why Leroy was getting so emotional over the request. She's been told to take care of Rachel before, but it was usually said jokingly or addressed to the both of them. Maybe it was because she was older now and she was finally being addressed as an adult rather than a little girl. Whatever the reason, Quinn took the request serious and replied in earnest. "I won't let anything happen to her," she promised.

"I don't doubt you," he replied, then winked lightening up the mood.

"Okay, we really have to go," Rachel interrupted. "The train's going to leave without us," she joked, giving a quick kiss to both her fathers' cheeks as she pushed her way through the crowd to board.

This is it, Quinn thought, feeling her stomach flutter; the start of the rest of her adult life. She gave her parents and the Berries a quick wave goodbye as she followed Rachel onto the train. The two quickly found their seat and – after a small squabble – Quinn claimed the window seat.


"That comment about me barely making it out of the booster seat hurt," Rachel said later, sitting with a pout on her face and arms crossed.

Quinn chuckled. "I'm sorry. I got into the moment."

"I'm not even that short," she continued, indignantly. "I'm five-foot-two. Way over the height requirement to get out of the booster seat."

"I know," Quinn soothed, fighting a smile.

Rachel eyed her before smacking her on the arm. "Jerk," she said as she rubbed the arm she hit in apology. Quinn smiled and leaned her head against the window, feeling content.

It was a few minutes later, when Rachel brought up the conversation Quinn had with Leroy. "What did my dad tell you before we left?"

"Leroy," she asked.

"Yeah. It looked like a serious talk."

Quinn opened her mouth with all intentions of telling the truth, but for some reason she couldn't shake that Leroy's word had another meaning and so she lied. "He just told me to call him if you be mean to me."

Rachel gasped dramatically, earning quite a few stares from fellow passengers. "You're mean to me! You've called me Elf every Christmas since you grew taller than me," she whined.

Quinn's shoulders shook in silent laughter as she leaned her head against the window. The train ride continued on this way with the two joking and laughing through the entire journey.


Quinn stood on the platform of Grand Central Station and took in the sight. It was loud and crowded and so different from Lima, Ohio. Her eyes scanned the people rushing around on their phones only paying attention to themselves; unconcerned about the lives of the people surrounding them. No one was watching people, judging, they didn't even glance at the others surrounding them; each too caught up in their own lives to care about someone else's.

It was perfect.

"Welcome to New York City," Rachel voiced from behind her. Quinn looked at her and she smiled. "Different, isn't it?"

Quinn gave a breathless laugh. "Yeah. It's more . . . private."

"You're not in Lima anymore," Rachel laughed. "C'mon," she slipped her arm through Quinn's and pulled her along. "Let's get our bags and we'll drop them off at my apartment before I show you around the Big Apple."

Quinn couldn't wait.

Goodbye, Lima. Hello, New York.