Quinn Fabray seldom assumed but after seeing Rachel Berry on the subway the day before, it was hard not to assume that old pain was lingering.

Yesterday, she had been thankful that finding a job was her main focus. Today was proving to be a lot harder.

With nothing but a barred window and some cockroaches to keep her company, Quinn couldn't help but muse over her long-lost love.

She wasn't dense. She had always know that Rachel was something special even before the little starlet opened her mouth and sang.

No, Quinn had always felt a soulful connection to the girl. An undeniable attraction that refused to pass or fade.

Quinn had been afraid. God, she had been so afraid. The feelings she had for Rachel went against everything she was taught and they were so powerful that it became nearly impossible to even see the brunette.

High school had been a nightmare. With no other outlet for her desire, Quinn lashed out at the other girl. Called her cruel names and threw slushies at her. Every slushie would make Quinn cringe, both at the pain in Rachel's eyes but also the immediate relief it gave.

This had gone on until the summer of their junior year where they ended up working at the same summer camp. Quinn couldn't take it anymore.

She leaned back against the wall and her eyes fluttered shut as she remembered.

Rachel was sitting on the dock a few feet away. Her body was tanned and her bathing suit was modest and attractive. Very attractive.

Quinn was trying really hard to care about lifeguard duty, but she simply couldn't with those legs stretched out into the water. Rachel glanced over and smiled shyly.

She'd been doing that a lot lately. Quinn would glance over at Rachel and there'd be a stupidly adorable smile slapped onto her face. Curiosity always evident in the head-cock.

Most of the other counselors were off with their campers somewhere doing something a lot more exciting than watching three kids swim around in the shallow part of the lake.

Quinn breathed deeply.

Well, she tried to. It had become exceedingly difficult lately. The whole breathing thing. She wasn't even really sure what it meant to breathe anymore.

She sucked in air and puffed out her chest, trying to look casual and unaffected.

"Hey Rachel." She said, plunking down next to the brunette who gave her the most glorious smile to ever be witnessed by a human being.

"Hi, Quinn. How are you? Have any of the children drowned yet?"

"Unfortunately, no." Her eyes were fixated on Rachel legs that were splashing lightly in the water beneath them. "That Tommy kid is getting on my nerves. And he keeps pretending to drown and splashing me."

"Maybe he has a crush on you." Rachel said. "You are very crush-worthy."

Quinn flexed her jaw will her vocals cords to function properly but the words weren't coming.

"Cat got your tongue?" Rachel teased and bumped Quinn's shoulder with hers. Quinn raised an eyebrow bumped back with a grin on her face.

Her eyes were still fixated on Rachel's legs pattering away in the water.

A devilish grin spread over her face as Rachel bumped her again. Quinn bumped back a little harder this time and again until Rachel went in with a splash and a scream.

"Quinn Fabray! How dare you! I was just starting to tan!"

"Sorry, it was an accident!" Quinn said and wiggled her eyebrows. "Here, let me help you out." She reached her hand out to Rachel who gripped it tightly and yanked Quinn into the water.

She splashed around and pretended to drown, squealing every time she surfaced.

Rachel looked unamused.

"Quinn. Stand up."

Her feet found the rocky bottom and she stood up, giving Rachel a sheepish grin.

"Come on, it was funny."

"No, it really wasn't" Splash.

"Yeah, it really was." Splash splash.

"Quinn, stop arguing. The joke was on me and I deem it very unfunny. And stop splashing me!" Splash splash splash.

Quinn drew closer to Rachel with splash, sending the other girl into a fit of choked giggles and retaliation.

It took her a minute to realize that she was nose-to-nose with Rachel. The water had made it difficult to see between them. Rachel grabbed Quinn's hand to cease the splashing.

Quinn gulped.

She looked up into those big, beautiful brown eyes and something exploded. She closed the few inches between their faces and pressed her lips to Rachel with the utmost tenderness.

For a second, Rachel didn't respond. She seemed stunned. Quinn could feel the brunette's body stiffen against her.

And then she felt those lips press back, if only slightly and it was the most glorious thing Quinn Fabray had ever felt in her life.

She came undone and wrapped her hand around the base of Rachel's neck, drawing her in and carefully deepening the kiss.

After what seemed like hours, Rachel finally pushed her hands against Quinn's chest and pulled away, but maintaining contact.

Quinn's eyes blazed into hers.

"Quinn." Rachel's voice was soft. Quinn barely heard her, but it sent a shiver down her spine.

She answered back equally soft. "Rachel."

"This. I. You." For the first time, Rachel Berry was speechless and Quinn fell a little more in love with her.

"I know. I-I'm sorry."

"No!" Rachel grabbed Quinn's hand. "No, not like that. I just-I didn't know. If I had known, Quinn. I'd have-" Her eyes fell to the water. "I'd have done something long ago."

Quinn's knees buckled and she dropped into the water like a ten-pound rock.

Rachel's soft hands caught Quinn's arms before she hit and pulled her up.

"I've got you, Quinn."

And that's when Quinn knew she was a goner.

The ceiling wasn't that exciting after staring at it for hours.

Quinn finally sat up and shook the nostalgia from her eyes.

That life was long over. Rachel had moved on with her life because Quinn had let her go.

She was afraid to see Rachel again. The past would inevitably come up, or worse, it wouldn't come up at all.

There was an ache inside her that hurt worse than her mother's death. It was a void. A place within her heart that had been demolished and a new foundation had never been poured.

She glanced her phone on the bedside table and cautiously picked up, scrolling through the contacts until she found Rachel's number.

She stared at it for a good ten minutes. Each number taunting her, saying she wasn't brave enough to do what had to be done.

It was time to apologize. It was time to set things right.

Taking in a mouthful of air, Quinn clicked the "call" button. There was a cacophony in her chest. Pounding and breathing. Pounding and breathing.

"Hello?"

"Rachel, it's Quinn."