A/N: Wow...I cant tell you how many times I've sat down and tried to update this story but I finally did it. Thank you to all that continue to read, review, favorite, and follow. It means a lot.
Everything looked the same. As if she'd never left. Quinn placed her suitcase by her door and peered around the room, silently taking everything in.
"We left everything exactly the way you had it before." Quinn turned and gave a tight smile.
"Thank you." She whispered. She sat on the bed and ran her hands across the lavender blanket, her face in deep thought.
"You don't need to thank me honey, you're family, you know that."
Quinn gave a watery laugh and sighed. "My roommate had a lavender blanket on her bed. She said the color was calming. She clung to it everything night like she needed it to breathe. She said it was the only thing she had left of what her dad gave her before he died. Do you know what I had?"
Mrs. Jones looked at her, waiting patiently for her answer. "I had memories. Not good ones at first. But I learned to pull the good ones out. Memories of you and papa J. Mercedes and Kurt and at my lowest moments I had my memory of Beth's face. The color of her eyes. The way she looked at me when she saw me for the first time. So yeah I do have to thank you. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you enough."
Mrs. Jones slowly made her way across the room and pulled Quinn into a tight hug. "We will always be here for you Lucy. Me and Harold love you like our own, to us you became our daughter the second Mercedes brought you into our home. Do you remember the first night you came here? You looked so scared and fragile and just so...lost. I was scared you we're going to break down any moment. The second Mercedes told us what was going on, Harold said "We have to protect her, Gwen. She's just a kid. We can't let anyone else hurt her."
Quinn buried her face inside neck as new tears began to fall. "I love you."
"I love you too." Quinn wiped her eyes and gave Mrs. Jones a small smile. They were both trying to gather themselves when the heard someone clear their throat.
"What's going here? Why are two of my favorite girls crying? This is a happy day."
Mrs. Jones rolled her eyes while she patted Quinn on the check. "Don't worry dear these are happy tears."
"Ok just checking. I need this one Gwen. She's the only of my one kids that can actually keep up with me in scrabble."
Quinn's eyes widen as she heard him refer to her as one of his kids. She still couldn't believe after everything they still accepted her as part of their family. noticed Quinn's reaction and began to shuffle his feet at the door.
"What I meant was...that you're...look Quinn I know I'm not your real dad.
"No you're not" Quinn cut him off as he was trying to explain himself. She made her way to the door way and hugged him tight.
"You're better. You actually check if I'm ok, you took me in as a complete stranger and let me cry on your shoulder, and you didn't just throw me away after one mistake even though I've made more of them then I can count. So no you're not my biological dad but you're my father in all the ways that count."
Mr. Jones hugged her back just as tightly. "And I'll always be there. I love you, kid."
"I love you too." Quinn whispered as she felt a new round of tears coming on. She'd never to able to express how grateful she is to these people; especially Mercedes for sharing her family with her. She finally had people who loved her for just being Quinn.
"Now enough of this mushy stuff. I've got a surprise for you downstairs." Mr. Jones said after he released Quinn.
"A surprise?" She turned to with a look of confusion and when all she receives is a shrug she slowly makes he way downstairs. She's on the third stair when she hears it. The voice of her protector, one of her very best friends, her confidante. She's missed it. And she finds her feet moving faster and the tears come again as she gets closer.
"Mikey." She whispers as she steps off the final stair.
"Hello there, Princess." He smiles a small smile. The one he reserves just for her and just like that the floodgates are open again and she's launching herself into his arms. He laughs and twirls her around as new tears spill onto his shirt. His hold is strong but tender exactly the way she remembers. She can't even count how many times she's been wrapped up with him as he listened to her cry and vent and never once did he blame or judge.
"I've missed you so much." She whispers into his neck.
"I've missed you too. These past few months haven't been the same without you here."
She hugs him tight; afraid he'll disappear if she lets go. Only Kurt clearing his throat makes her loosen her hold. She steps out of his arms but not far as she finally takes him in. He looks the same but different in many ways.
"The summer has done you good Michael Chang." She says. He smiles and rolls his eyes playfully.
"Are you kidding...without you here I've become a couch potato. I'm ready to get back to our morning runs." It's then Quinn's turn to roll her eyes as she pokes him in his still very well defined abs.
"Oh yeah...such a couch potato. The first one I've ever seen with a six pack. She giggles and he just smiles.
"I'm sorry I haven't been able to talk much these past few weeks. I have that dance showcase coming up I've telling you about. So I've been practicing non stop. But how have you been...really?"
There's a long pause in the air as Quinn sighs and gives a small shrug. "I've been good." She says. His eyes bore into hers and his small smile drops as his lips form a line. She knows she can't lie to him, she's never been able to. He tilts his head to the side searching her face for any signs of falsehood.
"Really Mikey. I've been a lot better. I'm taking it one day at a time." He reaches for her arm and runs his fingers lightly across the scar on her wrist. His touch is light like a feather; she knows she can barely feel it yet it still feels like a searing burn as he runs his fingers across it. She flinches and if he catches it he doesn't let that slip. He presses a light kiss to her wrist before wrapping her in another hug.
"I'm glad you're back. And continuing to get better. One day at a time is perfect. Because I really have missed you. The real you." He whispers in her ear. She smiles into his shoulder because he understands. He always has. It's one of the things she loves most about him.
"Not that this love fest isn't what romantic comedies are made of but now that we're all here I'd like to get this movie night started." Kurt's voice breaks through their little bubble. Quinn sighs and turns to Kurt looping her arm with his pulling him towards the living room.
"Will you stop that. Mike and I are just friends ." Kurt hums and continues walking. Mike follows behind them with his smile falling just a little for no one to see. Mercedes is already searching through comedies before Kurt takes the remote from her.
"Hey. What are you doing?"
"Mercedes, I love you but I can't sit through another pointless comedy. I want to watch a rom com.
" Hell no. I had to deal with your sappy ass movies all summer."
"Sappy! The Notebook is a classic." They begin to wrestle over the remote before Quinn steps in.
"Okay okay enough. Give me the remote. Mercedes can you go get some blankets from the hall closets and Kurt grab the snacks from the kitchen. I'll pick the movie."
They both grumble but move to comply anyway. Kurt pushes the remote into Quinn's hand and mumbles something about not knowing good film. Quinn smiles and shakes her head as she walks to the couch. She smiles at Mike and pats the couch seat next to her.
"What do you wanna watch Mikey?"
Mike smiles as he takes the sit next to her. "Whatever you wanna watch Princess."
She smiles at him and taps the tip of his nose. "That's a good answer." He chuckles as he watches her flick through the different channels. She really has in some strange way become his best friend. She has a way of wiggling into your heart and just staying there. Taking up a piece of it; a piece she doesn't even know she has. In that moment he vows to help take care of her better because he really truly has missed her. He too silently promises to make sure to catch her if she ever falls again.
A/N: Wow...I bet you weren't expecting that friendship. Ive always loved the idea of Mike and Quinn being best friends. I don't know why. I just feel his character has a really caring nature and her chaaracter needs that. Chapter 3 is already almost done. Most of the gang will be introduced to the story then. Thank you for sticking around.