I apologies if there is spelling and or grammar mistakes, I work full time and have a busy personal life. I try to proof read but I miss some.
The City.
Summer 2019:
Quinn didn't hate cities.
I mean she didn't love them either but she tolerated it.
Or maybe one step up from that.
She could be in the city, just not for too long. She had contemplated moving to a large city at one time, a long time ago…
None the less Quinn entered the city of Los Angeles, or I suppose she flew over it. She could see it from her window that she was looking down from. She didn't usually like going into cities as large LA but when business called she didn't have an option. And this job was large, and would pay for her living for quite a time.
She was glad in a way to be arriving. The plane that took off from Austin, Texas was getting colder by the minute from the AC and the woman beside her had been coughing for the last two hours, she was sure she had caught something in that time.
She looked at the back of the seat in front of her, her stomach dropping every time the plane did. She focused on the back side of the entertainment magazine. When she sat down her stomach turned with nausea meeting the face she had tried to erase for years but still somehow could not shake.
It also could have to do that the certain face was plastered on every magazine and billboard in every major city. Maybe that was another reason she couldn't stand to be in a city longer than a month, it started to chew at her.
Touching ground Quinn gave silent thanks. She wasn't afraid of flying; just she didn't exactly feel comfortable thousands of feet in the air. She also had a period of time where all she watched was Mayday on Discovery which has slightly scar her of flying now.
She pulled her luggage from the baggage claim, exiting the gates to find Santana waiting for her. Quinn smiled speeding her walk. Santana smirked, pulling her friend into a tight embrace. "I missed you Fabray!"
Quinn chuckled into her friend, shaking her head and pulling away. "I missed you too."
Santana took her luggage from her after a moment of protest from the blonde. She waved her off walking out of LAX toward the large underground parking.
Santana and Quinn didn't start off as friends almost five years ago, quite possibly the opposite. Quinn had been in Columbus Ohio for a workshop and decided to stop by a local bar where she met the girl. They had spent the night together laughing and drinking. Until finally Santana pinned Quinn to the outside wall of the bar kissing her with fire. Santana took Quinn home that night, where both girls fell onto her bed.
Their relationship was destined to be doomed, but after a freak thunder storm and tornado warning Quinn was forced to stay in the awkward one nights stand apartment. They began a relationship for almost four months, where they had mind blowing sex.
Unfortunately other than the sex they were disconnected. Santana was recovering from a past relationship and Quinn was jealous. Quinn was also dealing with her father (who had walked out on her and her mother at fifteen) who had fallen ill with prostate cancer. She was torn in between the feeling of guilt and anger towards him. During the time she realized just how too similar Santana and herself were. In fact other than the sex they never acted like a couple but a pair of close best friends. She ended the relationship. Four days after the break up her father died, but not before she visited him with her ex as he told her he was sorry.
Quinn ended up forgiving him and lent on Santana for support. After then the two stayed friends.
One thing that had sparked Quinn's interest was when she took out Santana's old high school yearbook from Lima Ohio. Her heart thudded as she held the book slightly like it would jump out at her any moment.
She opened it while Santana was in the bathroom tearing through the pages till she came to the B's there she was… in Santana's graduating class… Rachel Berry.
Quinn never told Santana the name of the girl, only that she had an intense summers love when she was seventeen. When Santana came out of the bathroom she took the book from Quinn flipping till she got out the L's and then finally P's where Quinn finally got to see the face of the heart ache in her friend.
Quinn never told Santana about Rachel after, the pain of it all is she couldn't even inquire about Rachel without seeming suspicious. That was until Rachel began to spread out into the news.
The new hot star.
Santana issued information unprompted talking about the girl with first annoyance then reminiscent sadness. She reviled a few personal conflictions with the girl during her senior year. She talked about Rachel had been there the time she was outed. Then at their graduating party where Rachel broke up with her boyfriend of only three months, where Santana had in turn comforted her.
The hardest one to hear, was the one Santana gloated about, in December of the next year of their graduation Santana had been with Rachel at their old high school on the bleachers. Brittany and Santana had broken up months before and Santana was lonely. Rachel was lonely too.
Santana was sure to tell Quinn each detail of the rather steamy make out session they had in the snow. Quinn sat stone face chugging back her beer.
But that was all in the past. Quinn had moved on. She has had several relationships then, people who she has loved. Even one girl she thought of marrying at one point, before she caught her cheating with an amateur football star.
She was over Rachel, in fact she had been over her for years now.
Did the fact that Rachel was living in LA bother her at all? Of course not, this city was large, one of the largest in the USA she knew the possibility of running into her were about as much as getting struck by lightning, and then add on the fact that she was a star and would be going places Quinn would never.
Still she placed her bag on the newspaper with Rachel's face on it when she entered Santana's car.
Santana talked about her new job at a studio enthusiastically, Quinn was half listening half watching the sights pass her. She was able to pick up that Santana had gotten the job from an old friend with connections, but didn't hear much more than that.
She smiled proudly at her friend when she mentioned Brittany. Last year when Santana first moved to California she had bumped into Brittany at a coffee shop ("what are the odds" Santana screamed into the phone when she called Quinn that night). After forming a strange friendship, Santana broke down and asked her past love on a date.
Santana doesn't like to mention when re-telling the story that she had been dating a girl for almost a year at this point. She justifies it with saying long distances relationship never worked and ended it with her Ohio cheer leading girlfriend after she realized she was still in love with Brittany.
They have now been living together for a little over three months, and from what Quinn can tell, deliriously happy. Quinn met the famous Brittany last year at Halloween when she flew out to see Santana.
Santana asked Quinn once, 'why she didn't just move to LA already'. Quinn had just shook her head, saying the country was where she was raised and the only place that held her heart. Santana rolled her eyes and pushed past her snorting "whatever Taylor Swift."
Santana spent the rest of the night singing old Taylor Sift songs.
Santana pulled up to the parking spot beside her small three story old apartment. Brittany and Santana were able to afford an apartment towards the core of LA, closer to both of their jobs. It may not be the 24th floor or even the 3rd but they were comfortable in the 2nd story level in the apartment that looked over patches of buildings.
Santana grabbed the bags from the truck, leading Quinn into her house up one flight of steps. Once entering the room the smell of old incense and food swarmed Quinn. She smiled slightly knowing Santana's obsession with incense's it had always given Quinn a head ache when they were dating, apparently Brittany didn't have the same problem. The lights were all out, instead natural light streamed through all the windows giving the rooms a lively glow.
"Quinn!" Brittany called from the kitchen coming out and giving Quinn a strong hug.
Quinn was worried at first that Brittany would hate her for dating Santana. But Brittany had laughed and tried to start a conversation about how skilled Santana was with her lips. Quinn was quick to stop that conversation.
Brittany pulled back, her hands still on Quinn's shoulders, "What can I get you?"
"Maybe a beer?"
"Coming right up," Brittany clapped, looking over to a struggling Santana as she placed the bags in a small spare bedroom emerging with a pointed look at Brittany. Brittany took a step forward at Santana giving her a quick kiss before returning to the kitchen to receive the beverage.
Quinn took a seat on their sofa with a huff, taking the uncapped beer from Brittany taking a long swing before sighing. "You have no idea how nice it is just to relax."
Santana smirked, pulling one the kitchen table chairs over and siting, "well I hope you enjoy it while it lasts."
"I have till tomorrow evening, I'll be fine."
"About that…" Santana began.
Quinn cracked an eye opening, watching as Santana scratched at her label on her drink. Brittany walked up behind Santana looking in between them slightly worried "You didn't tell her."
"It was a surprise babe,"
"You know how she doesn't like surprises."
Quinn glared at Santana, "What's going on."
"We are having a little get together tonight, nothing too big," Santana tried to reassure her.
Quinn sighed, rubbing her hand across her face, "how big is "nothing too big'" she air quoted.
"Twenty…ish people?" she cringed.
"Twenty people!" Quinn scoffed, "In this place we will be shoulder to shoulder."
"That's an over-exaggeration…" Brittany mumbled returning the kitchen where Quinn now believed she was making some type of party food.
"Look you are never in town for that long. It would be nice if you got to meet some of our friends." Santana explained, "Whenever we try to get you to come out you are always have an excuse."
Quinn couldn't deny that. She didn't like the idea of Santana having all these other friends. It gave her the irrational idea of how easily it would be for her to replace her. Not that she would of course, it's an irrational thought for a reason.
She had been able to dodge it ever since Santana had moved here, finding excuses to escape social settings. She was a simple country girl, she didn't know how she would react being around the people a high end dancer, and studio music producer were friends with.
"Just give them a shot Swifty," Santana said, throwing in the nickname Quinn had really grown to hate.
"Fine," Quinn gave in.
"Trust me you'll have a great time!"
-Quinn was having anything other than a great time. She clutched a cup with a mixed drink inside listening to a boy ramble on about different skin products that she should use for her rough hands. Quinn should have known she shouldn't shake anyone's hand here.
Santana was across the room, arm wrapped around Brittany laughing with a blonde boy with large lips. She had noticed the boy glance in her direction a couple times before Santana slapped him upside the head muttering a few words. After he hadn't been sneaking peaks and was now joking with the couple.
Quinn sighed, focusing back at the boy in front of her. "So what brings you to LA?" he asked
"Work," she answered simply.
"Oh!" he exclaimed, "are you a performer?"
"No," she noticed his features slightly falter, "I work as a contractor, there is huge project out here that needs renovations, so I am going to go check it out and see if I can work on that."
The boy was silent for a moment, almost waiting for her to continue but when he realized she wasn't going to he smiled, "fun."
Quinn nodded taking a long gulp from her drink. He puckered his lips, his face brightening, snapping his fingers. He poked Quinn in the arm smiling, "My friend is getting renovations!"
Quinn nodded, "cool."
"So for a project that takes a while, where do you stay?" he inquired,
"I usually stay with the person, that way I can wake up early and get to work."
"Makes sense."
Behind Santana walked up clapping the boy on the back, he grunted sending a glare at her, "not boring her are you Kurt?"
"Of course not, when have I ever been boring?"
Santana laughed, deciding to ignore him, "do you need another?" she pointed to Quinn's cup.
Quinn looked down to see still half of her cup full but still decided to nod her head. Santana took her to the kitchen where a small bar was set up. Santana poured her cup till it was full, looking up at Quinn with a raised eyebrow at Quinn's half full cup.
"So are you having a good time?" Santana asked,
Quinn opened her mouth to grunt some sarcastic remark. But as her eyes spotted Santana nervously looking at the counter before looking up slightly hopefully, she stopped. Santana would never admit that she cared as much as she actually did. But over the last few years Quinn had come to know the telltale signs.
"Yeah, it's good." Quinn nodded taking a sip, "I'm just tired you know."
Santana nodded, "well come on, I want you to meet someone." She looked down at her phone reading over a text.
"Who is it?" Quinn asked, "You aren't trying to set me up again are you? That did not turn out well last time."
"Cut me some slack I didn't know she was into… that."
"Yeah well I still think you should experience the horror of walking into a girl's apartment to see red lights and a wooden cross with buckles on it."
"Will you ever let that go?"
"Nope," Quinn shook her head, smirking.
Santana rolled her eyes, in the living room Quinn herd the sound of the front door opening and Brittany letting out an excited shriek followed by another girlish squeal. "That will be her," Santana urged grabbing Quinn's arm and toeing her into the room.
Quinn was caught off guard and spilt a bit of her drink on her white blouse. She cursed softly looking at the damage. She didn't notice Santana introducing Quinn to her friend, or the stunned look from the girl in the threshold of the door.
But she did hear,
"…Rachel this is,"
"-Quinn."
Quinn's head snapped up so fast she might have been worried of whip lash. There in front of her wasn't a magazine, billboard or newspaper. It wasn't an interview on Jimmy Fallon or Good Morning America. In front of her was in the flesh, real thing Rachel Berry.
Holly shit, fuck, damn, jesus, fuck
Quinn quickly thought of the amount of damage she would have to rebuild if she smashed the window in the far end of the room open and tried to make an escape. She wondered if she would be able to tuck and roll out of this situation. This place obviously didn't have a fire escape there must be some way to the street without going through the front door where Rachel currently guarded like a large pit-bull. Or perhaps that's how Quinn saw it.
She found a way to clear the sawdust from her throat her eyes blinking into picture. "H-hi Rachel,"
It had been twenty minutes since then and Quinn had barely been able to say a word. Half of that had to do with the current knot that was caught in her throat and half because Santana and Rachel had barely shut up from the moment she stepped in the room.
Santana had quickly caught on to the way Quinn looked like she had seen a ghost and quickly asked why. Rachel was reluctant at first and asked for a hard drink which Santana offered right away.
Once Rachel had explained that Quinn and Rachel had met in the summer she connected the dots. She gasped when she understood the full extent she was quick on her feet whispering to Brittany the situation. Santana rapidly harassed the two girls for more answers on the matter.
"Wait your summer romance was Rachel… Rachel Berry." Santana tried to confirm with Quinn.
The blonde nodded slowly, actively trying to forget the presence of the other girl in the room. Santana's place was small. It would only take either of them a few steps till they were nose to nose. But that was a situation Quinn… didn't want.
Santana closed her eyes waving her hand in front of her face in the direction of Quinn. The blonde looked down to her cup which was now completely empty, evident also in the softness in her mind.
"So you fucked Rachel Berry and never happened to mention it?" Santana slurred crudely.
Rachel gasped silently looking to Santana, "She told you we had sex!" She exclaimed, "That is entirely not true!"
Quinn had slowly reached the piercing glare of Rachel the conversation catching up with her. "Never said we had sex Santana," She rolled her eyes, "I said it was a summer romance."
"I didn't know Berry liked pussy," Santana snorted. Brittany scoffed lightly hitting her girlfriend on the shoulder, "Be nice."
"I happen to think sexuality is fluid, I just never met another girl after Quinn…"
"But you found a lot of dick." Santana stated taking the last sip of her drink.
Quinn flinched at her words cowering a bit into her seat. This night had turned into a total disaster. Remember when she thought the likelihood of this happening where the same as lighting, Quinn now thought she had a better chance of living through that then this.
"Could you not Santana," Rachel grumbled.
"Sorry, speaking the truth, my girl needs to know the truth." Santana motioned to Quinn.
Quinn finally perked up glaring at Santana, "You don't think you could mention that Rachel would be coming tonight?" she spat.
Rachel visibly flinched at the acidic tone.
"I thought it would be a nice surprise," Santana shrugged, "I thought you would shit your pants, you always pick up magazines of her and look at it as if you're about to cum."
Quinn's cheeks flushed as she avoided Rachel's pointed look. "Plus I have mentioned her before, remember when I talked about how she gave me my job, or at least set up the interview."
"Santana is the only person I trust in producing my music." Rachel offered off handily.
"I wasn't liste- I must have forgotten." The slip up was not unnoticed by Santana though as she cocked her head.
"Bitch," she muttered.
Brittany rolled her eyes taking the cup from Santana's hand "that's enough for tonight, I wouldn't want a repeat of Halloween you two."
"I think we should be okay, if cry baby over here doesn't forcibly push me up to sing Taylor Swift again," Quinn grunted.
She heard Rachel stifle a laugh as Santana puckered her lips in distaste. "Whatever."
"So Quinn," Rachel started. It was the first time the two girls weren't interrupted by Santana and could actually begin to sink in that the other was there. It was all surreal.
Quinn's gut stabbed as she looked up reluctantly at Rachel, "Yeah?"
"How are you?"
Quinn took time to think over that question. How was she? Over eight year has passed since either has seen each other and all they can think of asking is how are you, after may it be noted twenty five minutes of avoiding direct conversation but using Santana as the third party to talk through.
Perhaps they hadn't matured at all really. And Quinn could only agree with that, looking back at Rachel she was transformed back to that summer.
How had it been so long ago? Where had her life gone? Aren't only forty something old people supposed to say that as they enter their midlife crisis? Quinn was twenty five for god's sake, she was still young. But she couldn't understand how so much time had passed by so quickly. She could only hope the rest of her life slowed down.
Rachel looked different – obviously. She was more mature; she held her shoulders with greater confidence. Everything about her looked polished, she looked built, constructed by a world class architecture.
Quinn on the other hand, had her longer blonde hair tucked behind her ears as loose stray strands kept coming into her eyes. Her white shirt (which now had a stain on it) was old, and had lint balls attached to the back side. She had torn jean ripped shorts which fitted a bit loose on her thighs. She wouldn't say she looked bad, (in fact anyone with eyes at the party at some point in the night had checked her out) but she looked rough like the outdoors she loved, but in the same breath a natural beauty.
Rachel's hair was pulled out of her eyes in a half up do. She wore a maroon blazer with a low cut V neck and dark brown leggings. Quinn felt her eyes move down to the pair of high heels she wore, her legs tightly crossed over each other.
"I'm good," she answered simply. Rachel was slightly disappointed at the overly under explained answer but sat back.
Santana turned to Brittany less interested in the two girls now and more interested in what Brittany had previously whispered in her ear.
"You're doing well for yourself." Quinn noted,
Rachel shrugged, "Yeah I suppose."
"You suppose?" Quinn scoffed
Rachel ignored her, "what are you doing in LA?"
"Business." Quinn sighed looking up at Rachel, "I thought you were going to New York, why are you here?"
Quinn could remember clearly the conversations behind trees where Quinn would pin her, but instead of making out they would talk. I mean sometimes they would make out- well a lot of the time, but sometimes they would just…talk.
God they were weird.
"I was in New York for four years, that's where I first broke out in Broadway, but I had record deals and movie deals that I couldn't pass up so I moved out here." She explained shortly, there may be a few details that she missed but she didn't find that those would be necessary at this time.
"Cool,"
"You're different," Rachel stated, placing her cup on the side table and intertwining her fingers.
"You have been talking to me for hardly ten minutes," Quinn argued.
"I talked to you for less than that before you were taking me into your truck to take me to get my first cowboy boots"
(Rachel still had the pair of boots in her closet.)
"Yeah well," Quinn looked up, "eight years is a long time."
"I thought I would never see you again," Rachel admitted vulnerably.
"Life has a way of really screwing you over doesn't it?" Quinn snapped, finally standing up and retreating into the guest room.
Maybe she should have apologized. The ugly feeling crept into her chest. Her mother never raised her to be so ugly- internally. But Quinn couldn't help it, and the alcohol in her system sure didn't help either. Without closure she fell onto her bed and quickly passed out, snoring as friends (tentative at best) from outside left.
Including Rachel.
Quinn was up earlier then she would have liked. She rose with a nauseous stomach and pained head. She stumbled into the kitchen rummaging through the cabinets before she found all the supplies she needed. It was another hour before Santana or Brittany came out of their bedroom.
Santana greeted her with a grunt grabbing a coffee, and pain killer. Brittany skipped into the room pouring herself a bowl of food. Apparently she either had some type of immune to hang overs and hadn't consumed as much as Santana or Quinn.
Santana quickly said her goodbyes, dressing and heading out to her job. Brittany took longer, her dance class she taught not starting until a little past noon. But before Quinn knew it Brittany was out the door in her short spandex and baggy muscle shirt.
Quinn finished up her food before heading for the door. She had to stop off at a shop that would let her rent the truck she needed and some tools that she wasn't able to bring. She was quickly recognized, already have done a few projects in LA.
Rich people love to renovate.
She picked up her dark blue truck from the back parking lot, the inside having the familiar truck smell. She dumped her tool box and a few extra things in the bed of the truck before turning on the ignition. She looked down at the map before speeding away. The roads where unfamiliar, but she soon as driving up a road that had large mansions on either side, guarded by thick bushes.
She was on the right track.
She finally stopped at large bronze gates stepping out other truck and hitting the doorbell. A voice came out from the other end asking who she was. After giving her information she heard the click as the gates began to open.
She ducked back into her truck driving up the curved driveway. She stepped out grabbing a few simple tools waking up the stone path to the front door. She rubbed her shoes off on the mat hoping not to track in any dirt.
It only took a moment before the door was opened to revile a petite blonde girl with a pinched face. "Oh you're a girl." She looked Quinn up and down.
Quinn quirked an eyebrow looking down at her outfit, "yes."
"You are the contractor right?" Quinn noticed now that a Bluetooth earpiece was nestled in one ear she girl holding a smart phone. This obviously wasn't the owner of the home. "-not like his assistant or something?"
"Yeah I'm the contractor, did we not speak on the phone?"
"You talked to my assistant, she said you were the best but…" she again looked at Quinn grudgingly.
Quinn felt slightly uncomfortable under her gaze but shook it off. This girl looked younger then Quinn and she was smaller, just because she held the newest useless smartphone there was nothing to be intimidated over. "Well?"
"Yes, I'm the best, obviously why else would your assistant call me?"
"She has made larger mistakes…" she offered, motioning her to enter the home. She pushed her finger on her phone speaking out loud, but not to Quinn. Most of it was rambling and so Quinn decided to just follow silently.
She looked around the house as they stepped in the living room. Quinn had been in previous homes this size. Though every time she was slightly amazed at the obnoxious luxury of it all.
The living room had high ceiling's… ten foot? Quinn estimated. White clean sofas were positioned behind a large oak coffee table…although it was bigger than any coffee table she had seen before. The latest flat screen was installed on the wall and to the right an inner fire place within a glass box was lit. Behind the room large walls of glass windows showed the breathtaking few of the beach and ocean.
Well they obviously didn't do things only half way. The woman turned to Quinn again shutting off her Bluetooth. "So did Marley tell you what you would be working on?"
"She talked about a deck?" Quinn offered,
"Right, come on."
They walked outside to the back, "… we want to have the deck come out, oh to around here it has to be able to support a Jacuzzi…"
Quinn jotted down notes as the woman rambled on nonstop. She tried to look around the area, trying to predict the time, and materials she would need for the job.
"….money is obviously not an issue, but just to make sure you aren't scamming us, Marley has called your previous employers to see what they paid." She sighed typing onto her phone, "My name is Kitty by the way, I'll let you look around the area for a while, and come back in about fifteen?"
Quinn nodded taking out her tape measure and she began to walk around the area inspecting different length, and widths. She sighed stepping back looking at the empty space, behind her a large pool laid which would not be an issue. Although maybe she should suggest a tarp over it just in case debris got into the water.
Kitty came back still looking annoyed. Quinn settled that perhaps she just always looked pissed off.
"Well?"
"I can get it done in about a month and a half."
"Great, so Marley said you work like an Ox and need a room, the guest house is just down that trail, you can set up your things or whatever. We will have food brought to you by our cook and everything, so you won't need to worry about that and we can either pay you in intervals or all at once at the end."
Quinn's mouth was gaped at the speed of the words that came out of Kitty's mouth. "Yes of course, intervals would probably work best."
"Great."
Kitty turned back to the house, but was stopped by Quinn's voice, "Can I ask whose house this is?"
"What you don't think it's mine?" Kitty gasped, "We will keep that information for later, all you need to know it's someone important and in the light. Now you will also need to sign a contract…"
Quinn had never worked for someone without actually seeing them, or even knowing who they were. But at the moment Quinn didn't want to complain realizing just how much income this deck would bring her. She went back to Santana's for dinner and to pack up some of her stuff.
Santana crossed her arms leaning on the door, "You are already leaving?"
"Might as well get started in the morning," Quinn grumbled stuffing the only outfit that was out of her suitcase.
"So what's up with you and Rachel?"
"What do you mean?" Quinn avoided her look, snapping her luggage close.
"You guys were like… about to go all Simba and Scar on each other last night… or at least you were."
"We fell out of touch. I just don't understand why I should deal with someone from my past, who was able to replace me." Quinn pushed past Santana placing her luggage by the door. Santana frowned down at them.
"Are you sure you guys didn't have some Notebook shit?" Santana asked, "For all you know maybe she wrote a letter once a day for a year, but you never received them."
Quinn rolled her eyes, "yeah, I don't live in a Nicholas Sparks novel."
Brittany jumped, "Oh I love kissing in the rain, and you should kiss her in the rain."
"I don't want to kiss her in the rain." Quinn cut, "Look Rachel and I had something for about two months, nothing more. In fact she is probably one of my shortest relationships I have had. I dated Santana for longer for god's sake."
"She's got a point babe," Brittany pointed.
"Look she might not mean that much to you, but she was not herself today in the studio her voice cracked Quinn." Santana widened her eyes for dramatic effect. Brittany gasped covering her mouth.
Quinn looked between the couple as Santana slowly nodded at Brittany, "I don't get it." She admitted,
Santana scoffed, "She has never had a crack in her voice Quinn… that could mean anything!" she threw her arms in the air, "I mean I wouldn't be surprised if the doctor said she only had a month to live."
"You are so dramatic."
"Okay so maybe she won't die, but that could be a serious impact in the career." Santana waved, "also just because she seemingly meant nothing to you, you are the only girl she has ever dated, that means something!"
"Yes it means a straight girl had fun with a lesbian," Quinn dead panned, "Oh wow breaking news! A lesbian is screwed over by a straight girl, this really is news. You should write a book on it Santana."
Santana rolled her eyes "fine bitch, see if I try to help again."
"Maybe I don't want you medaling in my personal life all the time like some kind of obsessed pre-teen."
"Fuck off,"
Quinn grunted under her breath picking up her suit cases she was about to open the door when she stopped, "We are still on for lunch this Thursday though right?"
Santana nodded, "Yeah for sure." Santana stomped away into her bedroom, leaving a bemused Brittany behind who looked between Santana and Quinn who had just opened the front door.
She would never understand their relationship.
Quinn woke up just as the sun was creeping through her windows. With a grumble she rolled off her large queen size bed and got dressed. First things first, she needed to get accurate measurements. And then the store… and then… Quinn's mind ran off with excitement.
Quinn had always loved making things with her hands. She had a lot of that to thank from Helena who she had helped smaller renovations around her old home.
She worked through most of the day, Kitty coming out once to check up on Quinn before disappearing again. Days went past like that. Kitty would check on her once, and Quinn would receive extraordinary meals. Not that Quinn was complaining but she was starting to get slightly lonely.
Okay so maybe she was complaining a little.
Finally one day Quinn glanced through the window noticing a brunette speed by. She rubbed her hands on her pants jumping up and racing through the doors to meet her. So far the only people she had seen in the home were either Kitty or the cook. She was beginning to believe there wasn't a person who owned the home.
She smiled brightly as she confirmed that in fact this was someone new, the woman was turned away from her looking down at something in her hand. "Hello," Quinn alerted her presence.
The woman turned around in fright, coming face to face with Quinn. The blonde smiled kindly holding out her hand, "Quinn, I'm doing your renovations…"
The woman nodded, looking down at her hand before shaking it, "Unfortunately I don't live here, we talked on the phone I'm Marley."
"Oh," Quinn squinted, scratching the back of her neck after she brought her hand back, "right."
"Anyways I have to run Kitty just wanted me to pick up Rachel's medication," Marley held a small bottle of moisturizer up, "That's the problem with being the assistant to Rachel's assistant you get stuck with jobs like this.
Quinn froze, her heart she swore turning icy cold. "R-Rachel?" Quinn stuttered, "As in Rachel Berry?"
Marley nodded slowly until realization crept up, "Oh shi- I wasn't supposed to tell you that, don't tell Kitty I told you I am close to being fired as it is!" she rushed
Quinn's eyes blinked slowly starring at a point behind Marley's shoulder. Marley waited for the woman to say something but finally glanced at the time, "I have to go, don't tell Kitty alright!"
Quinn stood stone cold in the middle of… Rachel's home.
No, this had to be some prank, this couldn't be reality, this never happened in real life. What had she done to the universe? Was it not enough that she had to see the woman everywhere she looked now she had to also work in her house?
Maybe it would be okay. Like Kitty said, Quinn wasn't even supposed to know whose house this was, maybe she wouldn't even have to come in contact with Rachel. If she finished this deck quicker she could get the hell out of LA.
This city was cursed
Quinn hurried back outside, taking out her tools and working quicker than before. By the end of the day she collapsed in her bed, after a quick warm shower. Days went on like this, Quinn would hurry outside and try to achieve more progress then she would normally.
Luckily still the only people she encountered where Kitty, and the cook. Every time she heard the door open in the home her heart would leap out of her chest.
But she would try, she would try her damn hardest to get this over and get the fuck away from Rachel Berry.
The Volvo finally turned the corner out of Quinn's sight leaving her in the quite dead of lost. Helena shifted to her side, her eyes watching as silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
"This doesn't have to be goodbye for you two" Helena offered kindly
"It does," Quinn argued softly, "I would only hold her back. She was born to achieve everything she dreamed…. I can't be in the way of that."
"That's ridiculous and something a young person such as you use as an excuse." Helena rolled her eyes, "look as much as you to believe right now, the world doesn't only revolve around you. You have to make things happen for yourself, and I'm telling you if you let that one go you'll be regretting it till you're as old as me."
With that Helena walked back to her house, grumbling a few choices words at her granddaughter and Quinn.
Quinn kicked at the dirt, stomping away in the opposite direction of Helena. Quinn knew what she was doing she knew she had to do this.
It only took Quinn a few days before she cracked, Puck was with her when she threw her hands into the air screaming out nonsense as he talked about his latest conquest like it was some type of sport. Puck would recall this day as the day Quinn became Scary-Quinn. She yelled at him after, calling him harsh names and giving in harsher threats if he decided to keep talking about women in such a way.
It was this event that made Quinn snap awake. She couldn't let Rachel just slip away from her. She had to somehow get her back. Quinn had no idea where to even start.
But she would try, she would try her damn hardest to get Rachel Berry.
It was as if Quinn was tip toeing around the Berry's residence. She could practically see the way she walked around the house being filmed as a horror movie. What would the young blonde find around the next corner? Perhaps nothing, hopefully her damning attempt to work harder in hopes to get this project done, get her money and get the hell out of LA.
Quinn had even called Noah in desperation that was living in San Diego, with his long term fiancé. But even he could only make it out one day before returning to his own construction job (he worked in the office now though, checking the safety at different projects.)
Why couldn't she have run into Oprah, or Leonardo Dicaprio? Why did it have to be Rachel anyone but Rachel would have been fine. She couldn't have been doing work for Ellen?
Quinn grumbled under her breath as she shot nails into the side of the board. She had broken down and hired a pair of hands to help her. She never before saw the point in hiring others. She could just as easily do it herself. But Santana gave the number of her seventeen year old cousin who needed a job to start saving up for college, so Quinn reluctantly agreed.
Nick wasn't bad. In fact it was nice to have the boy by her as some type of company. Quinn did cut at him a couple times when she caught the boy openly eyeing her- he was related to Santana after all. Santana had also given him an ear full (in Spanish) and a head smack after Quinn casually mentioned it over dinner with the Lopez's and Brittany.
Quinn was starting to look up, it was only a short time now till she finished and without the contact with Rachel she was finally able to relax.
She should have known. She should have known the moment she relaxed would be the moment Rachel would pop up like she actually lived here. It happened on a Thursday evening at approximately four in the afternoon. Nick had just finished coating all the wood with the darker stain and was taking his mask off, coughing softly.
It was then his coughing abruptly stopped and his stance went ridged, did the crouching Quinn take notice. She was bent over putting two pieces together when she sighed and looked up at Nick her hand shielding her eyes form he suns glare.
"What is it?"
Nick didn't answer her but quickly looked down at his boss and then back up. Quinn sighed, craning her head in the direction that Nick was looking in. Her breath caught in her throat, her joints freezing crouching on the ground like a frightening cat.
"Quinn," Rachel greeted.
Quinn shot up her back straightening, quickly brushing her pants from the piling dirt staining them. "Rachel."
Rachel looked past Quinn down at Nick, and to her current work, "You are building my deck."
"What are the chances, right?" Quinn rubbed the back of her head, laughing nervously.
"Yeah well, life has a way of really screwing you over doesn't it?" Rachel sneered, spinning on her foot and marching back into her house.
Ouch.
That hurt, Quinn had to admit that her previous one liner was a bit harsh. She should apologies to Rachel. She should be an adult and tell her how that night she had hit her out of the blue. She had been on a long plane ride, she had been drinking, and she just wasn't ready. It would be the mature thing, perhaps after Rachel and Quinn could go out and grab coffee, catch up.
Or.
She could finish the deck quicker and get out of here.
She really should do the adult thing, she knew she should. But she couldn't stop herself from turning around quickly picking up her nail gun and snapping back to work. She barked orders at Nick to finish up the rest of the staining.
Her plan would have gone out without a hitch if she hadn't seen Rachel sitting on the grass, lodging on one of her benches reading a magazine. As much as Quinn tried she couldn't go more than five minutes before she was looking back up at Rachel.
How could she do that? Rachel was just reading a magazine, yet she made it look like she was posing for a photo from the magazine. Rachel's eyes caught Quinn a couple of times, each time sending a shock down Quinn's spine and putting her back to mind numbing work.
Finally after twenty minutes, Quinn grunted dropping her tool, brushing her hair to the side of her face and walking up to Rachel. Nick from behind watched curiously as his boss fidgeted with her hands.
Rachel looked up when Quinn's shadow over casted her. "Hey,"
"Hello Quinn."
"-look I think I should explain…"
"Oh save your breath Quinn, you made I very clear to me at the party."
"I'm sorry, okay?"
Rachel clasped her hands in her lap, "What are you sorry about?"
"You don't deserve what I said… I mean I shouldn't have been so rude." Quinn softly explained, "I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted." Rachel nodded, "If you are so worried about seeing me, maybe you shouldn't have taken this job."
"I didn't know it was your house," Quinn defended.
Rachel laughed, folding her magazine up and throwing it on the side table. She stood up unnervingly close to Quinn. "And the sign by the door that had "Berry" engraved in it, or the art work dedicated to Barbra didn't tip you off?" Rachel cocked an eyebrow.
Quinn shifted nervously, "I mean it could have been anyone."
Rachel smirked, shaking her head "Mhm…" she looked past Quinn's shoulder, nodding at Nick. "You should get back to work, that deck isn't going to build its own.
And just like that Rachel breezed past casually, Quinn following her movement as she entered her house. Quinn's jaw fell a bit slack, but she was quick to regain control. She walked back to Nick who was curiously looking at her.
She shook her head, shoving a trash bag into his chest, "take this out" she huffed.
He rolled his eyes, dragging the bag to the front. Leaving Quinn, to silently get back to work, but not before she took one last glance to the screen doors.
The next few days Rachel would show up, checking up on the progress. She would talk to Quinn about minimal structurally questions, turn around and leave. It wasn't until one afternoon when she had come from her check-up did it change. It was then she saw Quinn stifle a yawn and rub at her eye.
"Are you tired?" Rachel asked abruptly.
"Tired?"
"Yes tired, you know humans get tired."
"I'm not tired,"
"Don't be ridiculous Quinn, Nick can you over see things for a little? I'm taking Quinn to get some well-deserved caffeine." Rachel grabbed hold of Quinn's grey t-shirt tugging on it before she could argue.
Quinn sighed, giving up and following Rachel out to her driveway into her luxurious car. "No driver?" Quinn questioned ducking into the passenger seat.
"She gets he weekends off,"
"How kind," Rachel snapped her eyes over at Quinn, slightly narrowing. "What?"
"You could try to be nice to me you know." Rachel huffed pulling from her drive way, through the gate and onto the street. "After all, you are building my deck."
"I'm not being mean," Quinn said defensively.
But she was, and she knew it. She just couldn't help it. The pit of acid sill swished back and forth within her. She couldn't help but be resentful when she looked at Rachel. When she looked into her eyes she saw Helena's.
"I know I left, but that's life."
"Yep,"
"I couldn't put my whole life on hold because we had a summer romance, I mean we were seventeen. We barely knew what life would be."
"I know,"
Rachel grunted pulling over the car in a jerking turn. Causing Quinn to curse and hold onto the ceiling of the car. "What the fuck!"
"Then what is it Quinn!"
The blonde looked around, recognizing that she wasn't not in a seven person pile up but parked on the side of the road. "Is this really the time?"
"Is there ever a time with you?"
"What does that mean?"
"Every time you have seen me you act like I'm contagious. It's hard to actually talk to you for more than a few seconds before you shut off"
It didn't take long to see her eyes.
"I mean I tried to somehow connect with you again by talking about all that construction jargon with you, god I even studied it." Rachel said, more to herself.
"You studied?"
Rachel waved her hand, "That's not the point!" Quinn sighed leaning back in her chair, "Why won't you even try to talk to me!"
"You remind me of Helena," Quinn quietly stated, looking out the window. Rachel was silent for a moment letting out a deep breath, "not that you would…" Quinn mumbled an unfinished sentence.
"That I would?"
"I mean, like you said life got in the way for you. You were what? On Broadway when she died, too busy. The town understood." Quinn snapped.
The blonde huffed, shaking her head she opened her door and got out. Rachel was fast on her heels throwing her door close with force. "Oh!" Rachel shouted as Quinn began to walk down the side walk. "So the truth finally comes out you are upset because I couldn't make it to the funeral." Rachel spat trying to pump her legs fast enough to trail Quinn. "-that what? Not going somehow proved that you loved her more? You have no idea what I went through"
"Two Tony nominations? It most have been such a hardship." Rachel gasped hitting Quinn on the shoulder causing her to turn on her heel "Hey!"
Rachel pointed up at Quinn jabbing her in the shoulder, "How dare you."
Quinn held Rachel's glare, starring down with a menacing look, both challenging the other. People around them were whispering and pointing at Rachel (who had forgotten her sunglasses and hat in her car.) some were subtly taking photos on the camera phones.
Quinn sighed, "Look I'll build your deck, and then get out of your life, and we can go right back to the way we were.
"No!" Rachel screeched, "I will not allow us to merely suffer." Rachel crossed her arms, "I want to go back into my house without fear that I might upset you with my face. I want to be able to see Santana without her awkwardly rescheduling because you are seeing her."
Quinn looked away, she couldn't handle to look at her anymore. How could she promise any of that? "I want to be able to go back to the way things were." Rachel finished.
The knife finally twisted in Quinn. "The way it was, hm?" Quinn muttered, "Funny I remember things being a bit different."
"I have a boyfriend."
"-Ex,"
"Santana told you…" Rachel blanked,
"She may have briefly mentioned it…"
"Quinn, now is your chance!"
"Santana I have told you once before I'll tell you again, not interested."
"She broke up with her beach model big mouth fish guby mutant thing."
"It doesn't matter,"
"-I mean you may have competition I bet he can really go down on a girl with those lips…"
"Santana!"
"It matters! You could be those lips going down on her.
"Santana!"
"Either way, I have moved on." Rachel reasoned
"It was a phase," Quinn clarified, "That's what you are saying."
"You aren't my type anymore, if you most know."
"It's alright Rachel I understand," Quinn raised her hands, "You aren't interested in women. Plus with the spot light shining down on you, it would be compromising to be seen dating one."
"Excuse you!" Rachel gasped, "Just so you know-"
"-here we go,"
"That if I ever-"
"-I unleashed the monster…" Quinn shook her head,
"-found a woman that I loved I would give everything up everything! If that's what it took to be with her. But trust me, you are no longer that person, and will never be that person."
Rachel breathed heavily starring up a Quinn, whose eyes were hard before gently softening to a weaker exterior. "Right," Quinn coughed, "I'm sorry about all of this Rachel, it's just a bit of a smack in the face, I was probably wrong for blaming you… I just…"
Rachel's eyes took in the girl in front of her realizing that something had just cracked. Quinn looked to the ground, her back loosing form. Rachel watched as Quinn shrunk, her mouth open a gap trying to continue her sentence.
"I'm working for you, and I shouldn't be treating you this way regardless." Quinn finished, "Coffee?" she turned walking away to a close Starbucks.
Thank god these things were on every block.
Rachel stood still, trying to deceiver what exactly what just happened. She caught the flash of someone's phone and glanced over, noticing the forming crowd. She waved shyly before following Quinn into the shop.
Rachel and Quinn both ordered and sat down awkwardly at a table silently sipping at their drinks. "Look-" Rachel put down her cup, "I just want to try to be friends."
Quinn bit her bottom lip nodding her head, looking back up at Rachel, "Okay."
And so Quinn and Rachel began their tentative friendship.
Since then Rachel and Quinn talked to each other like...adults. Rachel brought Quinn coffee a couple of times, asking less about the deck and more about Quinn presently and where she had been.
The deck had been pushed back after it rained for a straight week. Quinn was held up in Santana's and Brittany's apartment. Rachel came over a couple of times during that week. In fact ever since the coffee incident (as Quinn liked to call it) Rachel and Quinn started hanging out like actual people who liked each other a couple times a week.
At first it had been slightly uneasy, they weren't quite sure if this thing could even work. But to both of their surprise starting a friendship was easier than they would have thought. Quinn had pushed her previous judgments behind, although it was hard at first the more she talked to Rachel the easier it got.
Santana and Brittany talked while in bed before sleep about their friends, placing different beats.
"Ten bucks says Quinn cracks and kisses Rachel before the deck is done." Santana stated, Brittany's head resting on her chest as Santana stroked her lover's long blonde hair.
"I don't think so," Brittany argued, "I think Rachel will be the one."
"You have a beat."
"You know I'm going to win," Brittany smirked siting up, "I always do."
Santana smiled, closing space in between them, "not this time."
Their talking was over for that night.
Quinn and Rachel were becoming so close in fact that the days Rachel had off she would try to help Nick and Quinn. Quinn never admitted to Rachel that in her helping it actually took longer, Quinn spent half the time making sure Rachel didn't nail her hand.
Santana would kill her if that happened.
There was also something slightly terrifying seeing Rachel holding a nail gun in one hand laughing with pleasure at her successful shot. Nick and Quinn exchanged a glance, looking back at the smaller girl.
"So… Rachel," Nick muttered on afternoon after hard work. Cleaning his work gloves by rubbing them together, looking down at his boss. Quinn glanced back at him where she was bent over. She had been inspecting the part of the deck that Nick had put up… she had to admit he did a good job.
She looked back at the house where Rachel was just visible through a window talking on her phone. "What about Rachel?"
"You two…"
Quinn sighed, standing up, "What is it Nick?" Quinn grunted, "Spit it out."
"Are you two like…" Nick looked to the sky, "Look Santana is nicer then my own mom, I don't judge."
"Nick I'm gay,"
"I know it sucks." Nick huffed, "Not that it's bad!" he waved, "Just that all the beautiful woman are gay or dating a girl in my life."
"-Rachel isn't," Quinn finished.
Nick stiffened a laugh, "I mean are you sure about that?"
"Of course Nick." Quinn rolled her eyes.
Nick shrugged his shoulders, swinging his back pack on, walking past Quinn. "Well the way she was checking out your ass all afternoon was pretty gay." He called out before retreating into his car, leaving a stunned woman in his wake.
Quinn was a little more wary after that. It's not that she as letting Nick's words get to her but…
Yeah she was letting his words get to her.
Rachel must be some type of ninja though, that or Nick as lying. Every time Quinn tried to catch Rachel in the act he woman was looking somewhere else, perhaps a bird, or a flower.
She even reached the length of trying to coordinate some type of incident in which Rachel would have prime checking out time. Bending over the counter with a low V neck or bending over to pick up something right in front of her.
She poured some fucking water on herself while wearing a white shirt for god's sake.
If anything Nick was getting more out of this circus than Rachel or Quinn.
Why was Quinn doing this? God she didn't even want to try to answer that question.
Even Santana seemed to be noticing. During one dinner with all four girls, Quinn had been trying to subtly urge Rachel on.
Santana pulled her aside.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you mean?" Quinn hushed
"You are like trying to in-between the lines seduce Rachel," Santana answered.
"No I'm no-" Quinn paused, "-Wait, what does that even mean."
"It- it means…" Santana stopped, looking past Quinn before shaking her head, "That doesn't matter right now,"
"You don't even know what it means!"
"You are acting like you are trying to show yourself off." Santana excused, "Like the bright shinny toy on display in the front of the store."
"Okay just stop," Quinn raised a hand, turning away.
She turned into the living room where Brittany and Rachel were sitting down with glasses of wine. Quinn walked over, grabbing her glass from the table on the way and sitting across from Rachel giving her a shy smile which Rachel returned.
"It's nice to see you two getting along." Brittany stated, "Thought one of you might break out into a fight last party,"
"Us, fight?" Rachel smiled, taking sip from her glass, "Never."
Quinn smirked, looking to the ground. Rachel and Quinn were becoming so close that Quinn was falling back on her work, taking her longer to do some of her tasks. But she couldn't find a reason to care.
"Yeah you two seem to be just two peas in a pod." Santana grumbled taking a sip from her wine glass. "Which surprises me, since only a month ago you two were colder than ice to each other. I mean Rachel performance was even lacking."
"Santana no business talk," Rachel snapped.
Santana raised her hands in surrender, placing her glass back onto the table and slinging an arm over Brittany's shoulders. She smiled kindly, which should have been the first clue to Quinn that the girl was thinking up something horrible.
She dated the woman for god's sake, she should have been able to pick up on Santana's smirking plotting face. But Quinn was too busy smiling as Rachel's eyes lit up with excitement when Billie Holiday started playing. Rachel caught Quinn's eyes looking down in slight embarrassment. Something about their exchange was too intimate.
"SO tell me about your relationship." Santana concluded. "I never really got to hear all the little details."
"Oh, story time!" Brittany clapped.
Rachel looked up at Quinn raising her eyebrows, in a slight challenge. "Rachel's dads dragged her to the country," Quinn started
"They did not drag me."
"You are so city that it kills," Quinn laughed
"Oh I know, Quinn had to drag me there too Rach," Santana rolled her eyes.
"You went there?"
"When we were dating yeah."
"Wait…" Rachel's eyes looked back and forth from Quinn to Santana, "You two dated…?"
"Yep."
"-it was a long time ago."
"Mmmm, not as long ago as you two, and I dated you for what was it four months or so… maybe longer I can't remember," Santana looked up to the ceiling grinning back at Rachel, "But let me tell you, you missed out honey, that girl knows her way around in the bedroom."
Brittany smiled, "I mean no one can beat Britt, but Quinn was a close second."
"I'm almost upset I didn't get to have a fling with her." Brittany frowned, "You all have a connection… Quinn and Santana dated, Rachel and Santana have kissed, Quinn and Rachel had a summer fling."
"Let's not go there babe." Santana cringed.
Rachel fell silent her eyes slightly clouding over, "I didn't realize you two had dated."
"There was a reason it didn't work out," Quinn offered.
"And it wasn't because the sex."
"-Santana!" Quinn jumped, "could you not."
"Well that's fine…" Rachel smiled at Santana, "You're with Brittany now."
"Right," Quinn sighed.
Quinn changed the subject to Rachel's Broadway career, trying to steer the room in a different direction. Santana seemed to accomplish what she had hoped to, and the only person in the room that had caught on to her was Brittany, who was also smiling.
After Quinn drove Rachel home, smiling as she stuck her truck into park. "So that was…"
"-Awkward." Rachel finished laughing.
"Yeah," Quinn ran her hand through her hair.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"What?" Quinn asked, looking over at Rachel, "That Santana and I dated? I didn't think it mattered."
"It's an interesting fact though."
"Not really, we really only work well as friends."
"The way she made to sound, you were a sex god."
Quinn's face heated up and she bit her lower lip roughly, "she likes to exaggerate sometimes."
"…Maybe."
Quinn felt the heat of Rachel's eyes on her, the small truck cabin closing in around her, the air feeling hot and sticky. "Really the relationship would have never worked out, Santana and I are too similar."
Quinn started to recognize Rachel's ever interest in the subject, yet the look of jealousy running through her eyes. It made Quinn tilt her head in curiosity as if she could understand what was in Rachel's thoughts at that moment.
"We are such drama queens,"
"What do you mean?"
"We had a relationship for a month perhaps, and could hardly stand to see each other." Rachel started, "but you and Santana had an intimate relationship for double that time and stayed friends easily."
"That's like comparing apples to oranges,"
"Not really,"
"The way I felt about you…" Quinn trailed off, looking away from Rachel's intense stare, "It didn't compare."
Felt
"Oh,"
"It's late." Quinn broke the silence.
"Right,"
The two women got out of the truck walking up the path way, till they diverged to Quinn's guest house and Rachel's home. "Right, so goodnight."
"Night," Rachel whispered.
Quinn stood still as the brunette reached forward her hand grazing Quinn's arm. She lifting onto her tip toes kissing Quinn's cheek in an oddly and slightly nerve wrecking close way.
Quinn was painfully aware of the place that Rachel's lips had just touched as it scorched, her skin flaring and buzzing by the closeness of Rachel. The brunette pulled back slowly, her eyes swimming in between Quinn's.
The blonde cleared her throat taking a step back. "I'll see you tomorrow." Quinn turned around quickly walking away with her hands buried deep into her front pockets, her face blazing read.
The next week both Quinn and Rachel stepped lightly round each other. Nick took notice but didn't say anything. Their project was slowly coming to a close as the finished up placing supports up, and the railing that was boarding the outside of the deck.
Quinn pursed her lips, a tight knot forming in her throat. There would be no reason to stay, she had made it clear to everyone that she missed the country, her home. But her body ached and not because of the back breaking work.
She wasn't prepared to leave Rachel again.
She knew this time she would see her again, there wouldn't be a way around that. But something felt different it felt empty, that something should have happened, was meant to happened.
Maybe that was true, but maybe Quinn was also supposed to make that happen. Every time these thoughts started to creep up in her mind, her memory of Rachel's words would flash back like white heat "But trust me, you are no longer that person, and will never be that person."
Quinn just needed to finish up this staining job, say her goodbyes and leave.
"I'll miss you believe it or not," Quinn said to Nick.
He smirked shrugging his shoulders, "yeah why wouldn't you."
"Oh god, you are a Lopez." She brought him in for a quick tight hug.
"I'll miss you too though," he smiled, "Don't be such a hermit and come out everyone once and awhile."
"Yeah okay,"
After a last goodbye, Nick picked up his tool box and headed to his car. Quinn sighed, pulling the furniture that Kitty had bought onto the wood surface. She looked over her work smiling softly. She hadn't lost it.
She didn't hear Rachel come up from behind, not until she heard a small cough did she turn around. "Rachel!"
"It's beautiful," Rachel stated looked past Quinn.
"So you like it,"
"I love it."
Quinn cleared her throat nodding, "good."
Quinn's skin itched at the silence that lingered in the air. She cautiously turned her head, looking back at Rachel as her eyes seemed somewhere entirely different.
Rachel stepped up to Quinn's side, "I talked to Noah."
"What?"
"Kitty called him as one reference for you," She explained, "But I wanted to talk to him as well."
"Okay?"
"He said it would take you to build a deck like this in half a month to maybe a month."
Quinn gulped. She dug her nails into the palm of her hand trying to seem oblivious to where Rachel was going.
"You've been here for two and a half."
"There were delays…" she tried to explain, her voice faltering.
"Why did you stay?" Quinn turned to see Rachel, looking up at her softly, "why."
"Rachel," Quinn whispered.
The city girl stepped forward towards her country girl.
"You were always it," Rachel spoke softly, "but I need to know Quinn, I need to know that I am yours."
"You left…"
"I never was able to get over you Quinn, I thought I could for a while. I only distracted myself, the moment I saw you at that party everything rushed back like a bulldozer, I can't be without you." Rachel said with a softness, and vulnerability. "-And if you only want that to be as friend, I-I think I can manage that, it will be hard, because every time I look at you Quinn I fall back in love again and again but if that's what it will take I will."
Rachel took in a deep breath, her speech barely interrupted by her taking a breath.
Quinn shook her head looking down at the smaller girl, taking a step closer. The air around them seeming to crack and snap with anticipation.
She took in a shaky breath her hand relaxing, "I need you to be mine. Because I have always known you were it for me."
Rachel sighed her shoulders relaxing, Quinn lifted her hand brushing away Rachel's hair, "I knew the moment you showed up in those silly yoga pants, I knew when you got up on that horse and looked like you were just about to jump out of your skin. You are one of the most interesting humans to date, how could I not fall in love with you instantly."
Rachel crashed forward, taking Quinn's face in between her hands, her lips connecting with Quinn's. In a moment, Quinn's entire world was blown up, every light surging into focus behind her closed eyelids.
Quinn's arms wrapped around Rachel's waste lifting her up. She hugged her tightly, bringing the bodies impossibly closer. She set Rachel back down, bending over to allow Rachel to set both feet flat onto her deck.
Their lips moved in different ways then they had before, but yet it felt familiar.
Years had gone by, the last time they kissed they were girls. They were women now. With every curve and motion that was evident. Quinn dragged her hand up Rachel's back her fingers curling up to her neck until she was able to twist her fingers into Rachel's hair.
She never thought she would feel her again like this. All the years seemed to play back for Quinn, all those years in rewind till the blazing image of Rachel came back into view.
Rachel couldn't believe what she had gone without. How did she lie to herself and forget what this could feel like. She moaned into Quinn as she pushed forward, trying to get closer. The moment she had seen the blonde she knew she was done. She fell back into her grandmother's porch, when Quinn was a young charming teenager.
Love like that wasn't supposed to stay with someone. You were supposed to get past it. And for both of them they did.
They thought.
They had both just pushed away how they had felt, not trusting themselves. But now they had no other option then confront it head on.
Rachel moved her hand down Quinn's back till it was cupping the others woman's ass, giving it a tight squeeze. Quinn moaned opening her mouth, allowing Rachel to take charge, pushing the blonde back till she hit the railing with a thunk.
It's a good thing Quinn built this deck well.
Quinn couldn't help but get hopelessly more turned on at Rachel's dominance. Rachel massaged the woman back side in her hands, growling as Quinn bit onto her lower lip. The kiss was becoming needy, they both needed what they were never able to have before.
Quinn cupped Rachel cheek tilting her face so she could gain more control grinding herself down onto Rachel which caused the shorter woman to whimper. There was no time for modesty now, Quinn wanted Rachel to know just how much she was turned on, how much she wanted her.
She began to grind down with a rhythmic thrust in her hips. Rachel losing her grip on the blonde, too focused on the feeling of Quinn's hot body coursing down on her. Quinn took this momentarily distraction to bend over, looping her hands under the girl's thighs and picking her up with a loud squeak from the woman.
Rachel tightened her legs behind Quinn, as the stronger woman walked them over to the deck furniture.
Maybe the first time should have been with candles and soft music, maybe it would have been. But right now this was enough for both, it was more than enough.
Quinn bent over letting Rachel fall onto the white sofa softly, their lips splitting apart. Rachel leapt forward as Quinn crawled on top of her, lining kisses down the other woman's throat. She could feel every shaky breath Quinn took and the small whimper she let out after Rachel bit down gently on her pulse point. Quinn's eyes fluttered shut as Rachel dragged her tongue up to her ear nibbling on it gently.
Quinn's arms strained on either side of Rachel's head trying to keep her weight off her. It wasn't until Rachel bent her knee in between Quinn's legs that she let out a defeated sigh and let her full weight on the smaller woman. Rachel could feel the heat of Quinn even through her baggy jean shorts and let out a groan as Quinn grinned down onto her knee as she let out a shaky breath.
Quinn could hardly breath, it seemed that Rachel was touching everywhere all at once. It never had felt like this. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy sex before, she loved it.
But this.
This was more then she had felt before.
Rachel reconnected their lips. Her hands grabbing Quinn's ass and controlling her movements. She was no longer the innocent teenage girl, she knew what she wanted. And she wanted Quinn, desperately.
She had wanted her ever since she walked up to her on her grandmother's front porch. Then again when she was stuck building her own porch, a porch -she noted- that looked fantastic.
Rachel's mind stopped short as Quinn's hand trailed up her body until she had one of her breast through her shirt in the palm of her hand. Rachel groaned into Quinn's lips biting down onto the blonde's bottom one lightly. Rachel clawed at the back of Quinn's navy shirt, the country girl took. straightening her back over Rachel for a moment to pull her shirt up and over her head, her hair following the movement and sticking up.
Rachel took a silent moment to gaze up on Quinn in amazement. Did this always happen? When you were with the right person did it make all the other times seem so wrong? Quinn paused on her decent, noticing the far off look in Rachel's eyes.
"What?"
"Huh?" Rachel delayed.
Quinn chuckled, ducking down to press her lips along the brunettes neck, "how can you be so hot and then turn around and be a cute lost puppy."
"I'm not lost," Rachel sighed, arching her neck to allow Quinn more room. "I have been found."
"What's the reward?"
"-Reward?"
"I found a lost puppy, there must be a reward," Quinn quirked.
"I'm trying to give you it, if you would shut up."
"Did Rachel Berry just tell me to shut up?"
"Yep, and Rachel Berry is about fed up with you Quinn Fabray." Rachel grunted, pushing Quinn away with much effort until she was able to flip them over, with as much grace as she could muster performing such a difficult task.
She was small, okay
It was difficult.
Quinn gasped, laughing at Rachel's short temper.
She was laughing.
She stopped right about the same time as Rachel ducked down her face coming inches from her chest. The brunette trailed her finger along the black simple bra pressing soft kissed along the exposed flesh before tugging the cup away and taking a nipple into her mouth swirling her tongue around it in a quick circle.
She was going for the surprised factor.
It worked
Quinn arched up off the sofa her hand flying up to the back of Rachel's head. The brunette went to work on switching for either side, one hand messaging the opposite breast as her mouth worked on the one. Her other hand played along Quinn's waist band, her finger dipping down tickling Quinn's now sensitive skin.
"Rachel," Quinn gasped, pushing her hips up into Rachel.
The smaller women grasped Quinn's waist band tugging on it stopping Quinn's movements. The blonde let out an irritated groan as she tried to move her hips to little success. That was until Rachel pushed her hand under the band reaching Quinn's soaking wet underwear, moaning into Quinn's skin at the wetness the could feel.
The jeans pinched her wrist a bit, and the angel was a bit awkward, But Rachel could care less.
Quinn was all hers.
The blonde pushed her head backwards into the sofa her breath coming out raggedly.
"Jesus," Rachel mumbled, around a nipple her lips now kissing down Quinn's flamed skin.
Quinn's mind was running on a one way street, not many thoughts were circulating except Rachel. She lifted her head to momentarily to watch Rachel's decent before that was too much, her head thudding back. She took the time as Rachel nibbled at her hip to push away her hair that had curtained itself in front of her eyes.
Wasn't she supposed to be doing this to Rachel?
She was a bit more experienced in having sex with women then Rachel was.
Oh god, but how could she fight with Rachel when she moved her tongue like that. For someone who hasn't gone further than second base with a woman Rachel sure seemed like a prophet.
She was a Sapphic prophet.
Rachel smirked as Quinn let out a breathy plead, un-zipping her jean shorts down before pulling them down her long pale legs. Rachel pressed two soft kisses on either of Quinn's thighs, as they shook with anticipation.
She sighed rubbing her hands up and over Quinn, looking up and liking her lips. Rachel had never been this excited to go down on a guy before. She could barely hold herself back from devouring Quinn at that moment. And by the looks of Quinn, she wouldn't mind if she did.
Rachel hooked her fingers in Quinn underwear, pulling them down slowly as she nestled herself in between Quinn's legs, her own legs dangling over the edge of the end of the sofa. After the last piece of article was removed Rachel gaped.
Holly-
Fuck.
Rachel kissed the inside of Quinn's thigh loudly, her eyes never leaving the end target. One of Quinn's hand slapped the arm of the sofa her fingers holding tightly her knuckles turning white.
Rachel licked her lips one last time before taking her first taste of her country girl. Rachel's eyes fluttered shut (Quinn's shot open) moaning into Quinn's wetness, her nose pressing down onto Quinn's clit as her tongue worked along her folds.
Quinn used her free hand to find Rachel her fingers threading through her hair, as if she was fearful that the girl would get up and walk away at any moment. She tried to remember to breathe in and out, but that was a little hard when Rachel Berry was going to town on her.
Rachel brought her tongue up to Quinn's hardened clit, pressing down on it quickly before playing with it back and forth. The blonde cried out as Rachel sucked it for a moment returned to the tight circles.
Quinn gasped, her stomach tightening as she lifted off the sofa after a jolt of pleasure ran through her body. At this point she was barley aware of all the different sounds and words that were spilling out of her mouth.
Rachel heard every last one.
Each time Quinn would curse or moan out Rachel's name, the brunette responded with a deep breath tightening her grip on Quinn's thighs slightly.
"R-Rachel" Quinn chocked out, a small bead of sweat rolling down her forehead, the dying sun imprinting that last of its heat on her.
Rachel sucked Quinn, bringing up her right hand until she was able to run her finger up and down Quinn's wetness right under her tongue.
The blonde couldn't choose between having her eyes wide open or closed. Every time she looked down and saw Rachel's head in-between her own thighs it would push her back causing her to slam them back shut with a groan.
Rachel pushed a finger into Quinn, the blonde ringing out a line of profanities. She moved her finger in and out in short thrust her mouth moving along with it. Quinn was close, sort of embarrassing close. Actually she had been embarrassing close ever since Rachel kissed her.
Her other hand came down to Rachel's head holding on firmly as an anchor for herself as her body climbed higher and higher. Rachel groaned into Quinn her finger twisting up into her.
The last fraying string had snapped.
Quinn arched her back letting out a straggled cry, not really caring of any other staff in the house that might hear. Her breath came out raggedly, her heart beating out of her skin, her entire face and chest flushed.
She collapsed after a few unbearable moments of pure bliss.
Rachel took her time pulling her fingers out and dragging her tongue down Quinn, swirling it around Quinn's heat which earned another jolt from the blonde. Rachel smiled into Quinn kissing down until she reached her inner thigh again, giving it a small kiss before looking up.
Quinn's eyes were closed as she gasped for air trying to regain control of her lungs.
That was so hot.
And Rachel wasn't even close to being done.
They had time to make up for,
Time lost,
Time that could have been spent like this.
Rachel felt overwhelmed at the lost and brought her body back up to Quinn's level kissing the girl on the neck before reaching her lips. Quinn pulled her in with her hand hooked behind Rachel's neck, whimpering as she tasted herself on Rachel's lips.
"I don't think I can stop," Rachel groaned into Quinn's lips, "I want to keep loving you, I want to see you cum over and over again."
Quinn moaned pushing the long brunette hair out of Rachel's eyes. She suddenly realized Rachel unfortunate state of dress.
"Clothes." Quinn grunted
Rachel nodded siting up to rip her shirt from her body which landed on the deck, her bra was closely followed. Quinn began to unzip Rachel's trousers pushing them down as far as she could in this position gaping at the bright pink underwear. Rachel began trying to take her pants off but the position was not giving her much room to be graceful.
Quinn sensed Rachel's struggles and began to try to help her.
Both let out a shriek as Rachel's weight started to fall from the sofa. Quinn followed, Rachel's hand hooking at Quinn's arm dragging her down along her. They hit the floor roughly, Rachel squeaking as Quinn 'oofed' on top of her.
When Quinn finally looked at Rachel with one leg of her pants off her hair tussled and her eyes wide at the sudden events. She laughed throwing her head back, Rachel pouted looking up as Quinn smiled down at her.
"It's not funny."
"It is."
"it's not," Rachel growled.
Quinn shook her head bending over and kissing Rachel on the cheek. "shh,"
Rachel softened the moment those amazing lips touched her skin, her sore back forgotten for the moment.
"-and to answer you," Quinn said, trailing her tongue down Rachel's neck. "We aren't stopping."
Quinn's hand came up pinching Rachel's harden nipple in-between her fingers. "We are never stopping," she growled predatorily.
Rachel groaned allowing her body to Quinn.
They had tonight.
They would have nights,
Mornings
Days
Evenings
They would have them for as long as they wanted.
And they both wanted them forever.