Chapter 2:

Rachel's still clinging to me, digging her fingers into my shoulders and mumbling something about how this can't be real or something. I'm not to sure what she's saying to be honest, all I care about is that after two years she's here, in my arms. I've dreamed of this moment for as long as I can think of. Each and every night she haunted my dreams, her voice, her eyes. But as time went by her voice faded. Her lips and smile disappeared until all I had was her eyes and the locket around my neck. She starts mumbling more against my shoulder so I pull her back slightly giving her what I hoped to be a quizzical expression.

"You left me..."

"I did".

"you said you'd never leave me Quinn".

"I know Princess, but I had to. I'm here now though", I smile at her reassuringly, silently begging her not to question me right now and ruin the moment.

"Quinn," damn, so close. "Where did you go? I stopped by your house only to have your Father tell me, well, I'm not one to repeat some crude and vulgar remarks".

I give a small chuckle to this but when receiving a pointed look from the tiny diva I gulp because i know I'm in for it now. She lets out a huff and pout before jumping to her feet and glaring down at me. 'yeah, I'm screwed'.

"TWO YEARS!" she's screaming now and even though I know she is going to rant for a good few minutes, all I can think of is how much I missed when she was angry at me. When we used to fight over Finn or her always doing the right thing even when I couldn't. How when i relented and asked for her forgiveness she gave it no questions asked. I get brought out of my thoughts when I realize she's still talking

"...and don't even get me started on what i had to do to get those stains out!"

She's pacing in front of me now, arms stiff by her sides and hands clenched. There is nothing more terrifying than Rachel when she's like this. She can go from adorable to a demon in less than a second. It's safe to say I'm shitting my pants by this point.

"Princess I.."

"Don't interrupt me Fabray!" I gulp and nod my head so fast it might detach with the force. Oh god, now she's glaring at me.

'Quick, say something'.

'Are you CRAZY!'

'I'm not the one talking to myself idiot'.

'shut up!'

'yeah, like she can hear me'.

"Oh for goodness sake Quinn! You're not even listening to me are you? And don't even think about lying, I can read you like a book sometimes. Do you even have the slightest clue what that was like for me? I lost my best friend. You just left without any goodbyes, not even a note. Why would you do that to me? I thought we were past all this, but clearly I was wrong in that assumption. I thought something had happened to you. I kept picturing you in accidents or lying face down in an alley. I made my Dads drive to every hospital withing two hundred miles. I even let Santana convince me into breaking into the school to see if there was any clue in your records which, by the way, they didn't have. All I got out of that venture was a one way trip to the police station and being grounded for two months because Satan left me behind!"

'OK seriously, you need to say something'.

'Like what? I can't tell her where I was. S knows already, well she will because unlike Rachel she won't take nó for an answer'.

"Quinn Fabray!"

'fuck!'

"Rach, I wanted to tell you. I swear I did, but it was last minute. I didn't have a choice".

"Liar!"

'You really should learn to lie more Quinnie, for your own sake. That hot tub crap only worked with Finn because he's an idiot.'

'You're not helping!'

'Neither are you'. I push myself up and grab Rachel holding her at arms length.

"I can't tell you Rachel, all I can tell you is that it's a part of who I am. I had to go so I could come back ."

she looks at me trying to suss out what I'm hiding. All i can do is meet her line of sight and try to portray honesty and pray to baby Jesus that she drops this. Rachel looks up at me and chews lightly on her bottom lip before letting out a sigh and calming down.

"You're not going to tell me are you?" I shake my head and wait for her reaction. She moves back and my arms drop to my sides. Her head is leaned back whilst she thinks, hands resting on her waist.

"OK"

"OK?" I shocked she gave up so easily.

"Yes OK Quinn. I know when to back down and not press the issue, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up". Of course it doesn't. "It means that at this moment in time I'm willing to drop the matter. However if such a moment should arise, I will question you on it and I will get an answer from you Fabray". I gulp at the sly smile she gives me, yep, she's totally devious.

"Fair enough. Now do you want to tell me how you ended up getting thrown in the trash? Last thing I did as the HBIC was put you on the list of untouchables". Her face drops at this, she looks down and shuffles her feet nervously, alomost like she's ashamed.

"Things change Quinn. People change..." as she says this I see a small tear fall down her face. I wipe it away, resting my hand under her chin and getting her to face me once more.

"You didn't".

"How do you know?" she breathes out hopelessly.

"Because you're a star Princess. Other people are just jealous and blinded by your light. And because your still the same girl who gave me this", I say pulling out her locket, her eyes widen in surprise.

"You still have this? I thought you could have lost it, or sold it to a pawn shop or something?"

"I didn't like his offer", I shrug earning a playful slap to my arm. "Rachel this is all I had left of our friendship, It's the only thing that I cherish".

"Oh Quinn", she says as she launch her tiny self into my arms. I laugh out and hug her close against mé as she cries.

"I swear to you Rachel, I'm not going anywhere OK? Now tell mé why they put you in the dumpster".

"I have two gay Dads Quinn, I'm was captain of the Glee club and I'm only friends with Santana and Brittany there".

"Rach, you're the captain of the Glee club".

"Was Quinn, Mercedes took over my captaincy with Finn. Now I just sway in the background now". I let out a growl at this. Who the hell does Mercedes think she is?

"Why would she do that?"

Rachel lets out a sigh, "because popularity changes people Quinn. And sometimes that's all that people think about".

Before i can question her more on this Santana and Brittany return with Rachel's slushy kit. Giving me a look that say, what happened?, I mouth later to Santana and walk beside Rachel into the building heading straight for the locker rooms before Rachel stops me.

"Brittany will go with me. You need to go and get your timetable from the office".

"Are you going to be OK?"

"I'll be fine I promise." She looks like she's fighting with a decision before slowly pulling me into a hug. "I missed you Quinn." I let out a small chuckle and pull her closer.

"I missed you too", 'more than you'll know' i finish in my mind. The best thing about Rachel is that she is warmth in human form. She just oozes joy and happiness. I guess it must have gotten a little awkward for Satan, because the next thing i know is I'm being pulled off Rachel and frog marched down the hall.

"Hey Tubers, think you can let go of Yentil so Britt's can get her changed, we're already missing first period."

'Damn you Santana!'