"That movie was positively atrocious," Rachel declared as the foursome exited the theater, her hand firmly grasping Quinn's. Marley and Santana followed behind; their hands were no longer together, having untangled after Rachel had forced herself between them as they entered the lobby.

Santana and Marley shared a small smile between them. "It may have been dark in there," Santana said, "but I'm almost positive that you and Lucy Q weren't paying much attention to the screen. Unless of course, this is your secret way of telling us that Quinn is a bad kisser?"

Rachel and Quinn both gasped, coming to a sudden stop to face their friend.

"Oh, you've done it now," Marley teased, nudging Santana's side.

"I'll have you know that I am fabulous at multitasking. I can, in fact, enjoy Quinn's kisses and keep up with the movie," Rachel huffed indignantly. "The dog was the one possessed by an evil spirit? Really? They call that good cinema?"

Quinn frowned in obvious confusion. "I thought it was the cat..."

"It was actually our feline friend who ended up saving the day," Marley corrected. "Had you been paying attention..." She let her voice trail off, knowing that the blonde's attention had been focused upon Rachel for nearly the entire movie. In truth, she had found it to be incredibly adorable.

Quinn's eyes narrowed first at Marley and then Santana, her lips a thin, disapproving line. "I can't take all this witty repartee," she said dryly. "It's too much."

Rachel's attention zeroed in on Marley's hand, the way the younger girl's knuckles brushed against Santana's, the contact bringing the smallest of smiles to the corners of Santana's lips. It was an innocent thing, but it still bothered Rachel, if only because she didn't want to see her best friend get hurt. Marley fell for people, while Santana fell into bed with them and then never called them back – and in Rachel's eyes, Marley deserved far better than that.

Rachel purposefully stepped over to Marley, linking their arms together. "Walk with me back to the apartment? We haven't had the chance to catch up much since you arrived."

"Uh, okay," Marley mumbled, turning to look over her shoulder. She was happy to see Rachel, or course, yet part of her wished that she was walking with Santana instead.

The obvious blocking tactic was not lost on Santana. She grabbed at Quinn's wrist to tug her close as they followed Rachel and Marley. "Help me out here, Q!"

"I'm sorry, San," Quinn said with a shake of her head. "Look, I tried to tell Rachel that Marley can make her own decisions, but she's very protective of her. I think she still sees her as the innocent little girl she was before Rachel and her dads moved to Lima."

"At least invite me back in to your place when we get back, so I can spend some more time with her?" Santana pleaded. "Distract Rachel with more kisses, or sing a song, or do whatever it is you do when you need her to stop talking. I wants to get my mack on and I can't do it if Rachel keeps getting in the way."

"Honestly?" Quinn pitched her voice low so only Santana could hear, "If you tell Rachel this, I'll deny it, but...I think Marley is into you too. So, as protective as Rachel is, I don't think Marley is going to let that stop her."

Santana's face lit up like a Christmas tree at her best friend's words, hope sparking in her dark eyes. "Yeah? You really think so?"

Quinn nodded. She hated feeling as though she was conspiring against her girlfriend, but who were they to stand in the way of Santana and Marley's obvious attraction to each other? "Yeah," she said with a sigh. "I do."


Marley didn't have much of a temper, being a fundamentally low-key, even-keeled person, but the way Rachel had practically dragged her away from Santana irked her, and she didn't hesitate to tell her so.

"Rachel, what the hell? I'm here all weekend. We'll have plenty of time to catch up. Why are you being like this?" she asked as Rachel briskly walked beside her. When she received no immediate answer, she continued on in frustration. "Oh, wait. This is about Santana, isn't it? I told you, I can handle her. Look - I appreciate your concern, but I don't need you playing big sister here."

Rachel turned to her best friend with a grave expression on her face. "I'm sorry, Marley, but you don't really know her. I do." She gripped the younger girl's upper arms in her small hands, a plea for understanding in her large chocolate brown eyes. "She's my friend, and a dear one, but I've seen the way she treats other girls. Once she's gotten what she wants, she discards them. Doesn't stay for breakfast, doesn't call, doesn't acknowledge them in the hallway, the cafeteria, anywhere. You don't need to deal with that, and I'm not going to allow you to be treated that way."

"Do you really think I would just let that happen?" Marley shot back, tearing her arms away from the shorter girl's grasp. "God, Rachel. You've got to be kidding me. Contrary to what you seem to believe, I'm not some virginal innocent, untouched and unstained." Rachel winced at her friend's biting words, a little taken aback by her anger. "Let me break it down for you here. I've been with more than a few people, and yes, I've gotten hurt before, but you know what? I made those choices and I've learned to live with them. I love you, but you need to just back off, okay?"

Rachel's face fell, and her shoulders slumped helplessly. "You're right," she sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just...I look at you sometimes and I still see the girl who sat with me at the piano in second grade, harmonizing perfectly on Mary Had a Little Lamb. You had a beautiful voice even then, you know." She laughed and sniffled at the same time, hugging herself as tears formed at the corners of her eyes. "But...I know you're not that little girl anymore. I know that. I just can't stand the thought of you being hurt. That's all."

Marley reached out to wipe away the tears tracking their way down her best friend's face. Her voice was soft as she replied, "I get it. I really do. But you have to trust me, okay? I think you're selling Santana short. I can't explain it, but...I feel like there's a lot more to her than all that stuff you've seen. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe all this is going to be is just one night. Maybe I'll regret it tomorrow." She paused, taking a deep breath, and took Rachel's hands in hers. She exhaled, long and slow. "I don't think so, though. Whatever happens, I need you to just let me make this choice. Okay?"

Rachel squeezed Marley's hands. She sniffled again, laughing softly at herself for being such a little drama queen. Quinn was right. Loath though she was to admit it, Marley was indeed a big girl, one who was more than mature enough to make her own decisions and fight her own battles. "Okay," she said, acquiescing. "Just do me one favor, please."

"Of course. Anything," Marley replied, and the tone of her voice let Rachel know that she meant it. "What?"

"Just...just don't tell me the details, all right? I've already heard enough play-by-play from Santana to last me a lifetime."

"Oh my God, Rachel," Marley laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah, okay. I can do that."

Rachel opened her arms wide, and the younger girl knew what that meant. "Come here. I'm going to hug you now."

The two friends embraced, and as they did, Marley whispered, "You know I'm not staying at your place tonight, right?" She felt the smaller girl stiffen for a moment and then relax, much to her relief. "Do you have, like, an extra pillow I can borrow?"

Rachel stepped out of the hug with a watery smile. "Come on. I'm sure we can find something for you." She offered Marley her hand, and the taller girl took it, returning the smile. They walked that way together for the rest of the short distance back to the apartment, knowing that Santana and Quinn had been watching the entire exchange, grateful that neither of them had chosen to interrupt.


It was still relatively early, so they all piled into the small living room of Quinn and Rachel's apartment. Drinks were poured, and Marley and Santana sat closely together on the floor, while Quinn and Rachel curled up together on the old, scarred up couch. After a period of small talk, Santana told a scary story, in keeping with the evening's horror theme. The other three focused on her as she animatedly related the tale, raising and lowering her voice at key moments, using her hands to emphasize important points.

"So this guy and his girl are making out in the woods, and they hear on the radio that a lunatic killer has escaped from the state insane asylum –"

Rachel gasped, clutching tightly with both hands at Quinn's forearm. The blonde grimaced, knowing that there would be marks left behind. "I knew they shouldn't have gone out there!"

Quinn smiled as she shifted closer to Rachel, silently thanking Santana not only for suggesting they see a horror flick earlier in the evening, but for telling this story. The two combined activities ensured that she was going to have one extra-cuddly girlfriend later tonight.

"So then they hear a scratching sound -" Santana intoned theatrically, glancing over to take in Rachel's wide-eyed expression, and Marley's vaguely amused one.

Quinn shook her head and boldly interrupted, drawing a frown from her best friend, but no further protest. "No, no - it wasn't a scratching sound. It was more like a drip...drip...drip..."

Marley's eyes darted between Quinn and Santana, marveling at the way the two seamlessly worked together to tell the story. Santana had told her how she and Quinn had known each other forever, competing with each other even as they teamed up, first on the cheerleading squad and then with Rachel in the Glee Club. All those years of closeness were apparent to her as she watched the two grow ever more animated, the story continuing to build to its inevitable, gruesome climax.

Suddenly, as if on cue, a loud crack of thunder rumbled outside the small apartment, rattling the walls. Rachel screamed, jumping into the blonde's lap, and Marley took the opportunity to slide herself still closer to Santana.

"You planned that!" Rachel accused Santana, her fingers tightly curling in the collar of Quinn's shirt.

Santana blinked at her, not even flinching when a flash of lightning briefly lit up the room. "Yes, Rachel, I planned the thunderstorm. You've found me out. And after I'd kept my weather controlling powers secret for so long!"

Quinn and Marley both covered their mouths with their hands in a vain attempt to hide their laughter as Rachel fumed. "Well, I don't care what sound was coming from outside the car. I've had enough scares for one night. I'm going to bed. Quinn, your presence is requested after our guest -" She leveled a glare at Santana. "- has left."

With that, she rose from the couch and stormed off into the bedroom. Santana and Quinn glanced at each other with raised eyebrows; it was worthy of one of her famous Glee Club diva storm-outs.

"Suit yourself, fun buster," Santana called after her. Then she shrugged and whispered conspiratorially to Marley, "He did have a hook for a hand though."

Marley chuckled as a thought occurred to her. "Isn't your roommate away for the weekend? What if Mister Hook-for-a-Hand visits you tonight?"

"I was kind of hoping you would keep me company, actually." Santana said, brightening, reaching up to brush some of Marley's hair off her shoulder. If Rachel had remained in the room, she would have been surprised at the gentle, almost shy tone in which the usually brusque ex-Cheerio spoke. "We could protect each other. You know, in case of any further asylum escapes. This is the kind of night for it."

Marley felt a small shiver at the touch of Santana linking her pinky finger linking with hers. "I think..." she breathed, "that is a brilliant idea."

Rachel returned to the living room, having taken the moment needed to collect herself, curious about the conversation that was still going on there. Quinn pointed to Marley and Santana being all affectionate with each other, still seated on the floor in front of the couch. Rachel tensed, but Quinn stood in front of her, shaking her head. She held her there, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Rachel," she warned in a low voice, speaking directly into her girlfriend's ear. "Please. Let it go. It's her choice."

Rachel deflated against Quinn, her head resting against her shoulder, "I know," she sighed. "I suppose this will allow us to have some alone time."

Santana, oblivious to all else, leaned forward so that her forehead and Marley's were only inches apart, running her fingers slowly, teasingly, up and down the other girl's bicep. "It's getting late – the invitation is open. Come over in ten minutes if you still want to keep this night going." She stood up and gave a little wave and a nod of acknowledgment to Quinn and Rachel. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, San," Quinn called out as Santana backed out the door. Rachel waved behind her, biting her lip in consternation. She still didn't want Marley to go, but she knew that Quinn was right: there was nothing she could do to stop her, and she had no right to try anyway.

When the door clicked shut, Marley stood up to face her hosts. Her decision had been made hours earlier. She knew she was taking a risk here, but with great risk came the potential for great reward. Rachel had told her that once, when she'd confessed to being nervous about entering one of her songs in a songwriting competition. "So, I'm going."

Quinn smiled, still holding Rachel in a side hug, with one arm around her waist. "We know."

Rachel stepped away, moving tentatively towards Marley. She wanted to be supportive, even if she was still worried that this might be a bad idea. "Do you still want me to find you an extra pillow?"

"Pillows are for sleeping. I don't think they'll be doing much of that," Quinn joked, earning herself a glare and a light swat on the arm from Rachel.

Marley laughed, rolling her eyes. She opened her arms to offer Rachel a hug, squeezing her best friend tight when she accepted the embrace. "I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you for everything. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Rachel said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Whatever happens, however this works out...just remember: I'll be – no, we'll be - here for you"

"Thanks, Rachel. You too, Quinn," Marley said. Then she was out the door and across the hall. She stood there for a moment, listening to the sound of her quickening heartbeat, beating back her anxiety, anticipation making her pulse race. She willed her breathing to slow, then walked down the corridor in the direction of Santana's apartment.


Once Marley reached Santana's door, she paused once more to collect herself. She really didn't know what to expect, but she knew she'd kick herself later if she didn't at least try to find out. Taking in a deep breath, then slowly letting it out to calm her nerves, she knocked on the door and was mildly surprised when Santana opened it right away.

"Hey. Come on in." Santana greeted her with a smile and moved aside to let her in, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

"Hi," Marley said as she stepped into the small, but neatly furnished apartment. She looked around, pleased to see that it didn't look like anything the den of iniquity Rachel probably imagined. No chains mounted on the wall or anything – that was a good sign. "Nice place you've got here."

Santana closed the door behind Marley, and turned to her with a smile. She almost couldn't believe the girl was here. Her palms were clammy, and her heart rate sped up as she looked at the other girl, who was perusing the decor with a curious eye. "Not really, but thanks. Tina - my roommate - mostly decorated it. Lots of anime and monster movie posters to hide the cracks on the walls, area rugs to cover up the various weird colored stains on the floors, that kind of thing. Lots of second hand furniture too. Typical college student living space. Still beats the dorms, though."

"I like it. I think it's...charming. Eclectic, even." Marley grinned, picking up a movie monster figurine from a small table and waving it around, making monster growling sounds as she did. She placed it back on the little table when she noticed Santana staring at her with a bemused look on her face. "Um, sorry. I didn't know if it was okay to touch that or not."

"It's okay. Tina plays with it all the time, actually," Santana chuckled. "I'm sure it's like some kind of therapy for her or something."

Marley laughed, clasping her hands behind her back to keep from picking up the figurine again. "She sounds like fun. Will she be back at all this weekend? I'd love to meet her."

"Fun? Yeah, I guess I could use that word to describe her," Santana cracked. "Along with a few others. No, I'm kidding. She's all right. Unfortunately, she won't be back until Tuesday morning, because she doesn't have any classes on Monday."

"Aww, that's a shame." Marley stepped toward her with purpose, her eyes dark and filled with clear intent. Santana felt her body heat up at her approach. "So...I guess that means you've got the place to yourself for the whole entire weekend plus a day, huh?"

"Yup. Gets a little lonely sometimes when she goes home."

"Oh, really? From what I hear, you're usually not lacking for company. Well, that's what Rachel says, anyway." The taller girl ran her hand up Santana's arm, making her breath hitch. She was very close now, her face mere inches away. The air between them was very, very warm. "Is it true, or was she exaggerating?"

"It's true," Santana admitted. "What can I say? I'm a people pleaser."

Marley chuckled, putting her other hand on Santana's slim waist. "Oh, I'm sure you're very pleasing." She brushed her lips up against Santana's with a mischievous smile, her voice a low, catlike purr. "Very...very...pleasing."

"Damn," Santana whispered, closing her eyes. Her skin was positively on fire now. Then Marley's lips were on hers, and the very small space that had existed between their bodies was suddenly, completely gone.


Santana circled her arms around Marley, her fingers clutching at the fabric of her shirt in an effort to keep her own hands from shaking. Kissing had always been one of her favorite things in the world, but this kiss she was sharing right now with Marley was different, somehow. It was electrifying in a way nothing she'd felt before had ever been, and clearly, Marley wasn't as innocent as Rachel had kind of led her to believe. No one that innocent could take total control of a kiss the way Marley was doing; she moaned involuntarily when the other girl deepened it, expertly introducing her tongue to Santana's.

Marley smiled into the kiss as it grew more heated. Yes, she had only met Santana tonight, but she had already been thinking about about what it might be like to kiss Santana during dinner. Happily, it was at least a billion times better in real life than she'd thought it would be. She was a little surprised, though, at how submissive Santana was being; she'd expected her to be much more aggressive. She took advantage of that submissiveness by walking her backwards, guiding her to the small couch in the living room. Gently, she pushed Santana onto it and then straddled her lap, not breaking the kiss until both of them were gasping for air. Santana's eyes were even darker now than before, Marley thought, staring into them for a moment before mashing their lips together once again.

Santana made herself comfortable, leaning back as she inhaled another whiff of the sweet, delicate scent of Marley's light perfume, the other girl's long, slightly wavy hair falling around their faces, a dark curtain.

Marley hesitantly pulled back from Santana again. They were both breathing heavily, their foreheads still resting lightly against each other. "Is this okay?" she whispered, her nose just barely touching Santana's.

Santana couldn't help but laugh; that was usually her line in these situations. "It's more than okay," she husked, her voice ragged and raspy with want. She was actually startled at how much she wanted Marley; she hadn't felt such fierce desire since...well, not since Brittany. She leaned forward to press her lips against the skin of Marley's neck, which was already lightly sheened with perspiration, and decided to assert her dominance by sliding her hands down from Marley's lower back to her perfect, delectable ass, giving the firm flesh a soft squeeze.

"Oh!" Marley exclaimed, tilting her head to allow Santana more access to the sensitive skin of her neck and jawline, her hips involuntarily rocking against her. Some small part of her mind mused that she'd had no idea this surprise visit would turn out this way. It had been a while since she'd been with anyone, and even if this turned out to be nothing more than a one-night stand, she knew already that it was going to be a night she would never forget.

Santana kept her own thoughts at bay by focusing on keeping her lips and hands busy. She'd never been one to lose her cool over anyone, and she wasn't going to start now, even if the girl on top of her was causing her heart to beat at an abnormally fast rate. She had never been concerned about what anyone thought of her before, but right now, in this moment, she wanted – no, she needed to impress Marley. And she was going to do it the best way she knew how, while also trying to be romantic about it.

Marley whimpered Santana's name with delight at the sensation of Santana's fingers sliding up the back of her neck, the other girl kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin below her jawline for a few more pleasurable minutes. She knew that this was going to leave a mark, but found that she didn't really mind. Marley let her hands fall between them, her fingers fumbling with the buttons of Santana's top. When the last one was undone, she tore the shirt away from Santana's upper body, getting her first look at the muscles in the cheerleader's arms and shoulders. The limbs were slender, but well toned, and Marley found herself dying to find out what Santana's midsection looked like. Absently, she recalled that Rachel had mentioned Santana was here on a cheerleading scholarship, which made her something of an athlete. Frustrated that her hands couldn't do much exploring here on the couch, she suddenly pulled back and stood up, smiling at the adorably confused look on Santana's face.

"Hey! Get back here," Santana protested, reaching out to try and grab Marley's hand in an effort to pull her down atop her lap once again.

"I, uh..." Marley stammered as she backed up towards the bedrooms, boldly pointing over her shoulder at the two doors. "Which one is yours?"

Santana's perfectly shaped eyebrow rose in surprise, and she found she needed a moment to collect herself before standing up. Now Marley let her take her hand, and without a word, she led the girl inside her bedroom. As soon as the door shut behind them, they picked up right where they'd left off, tumbling onto Santana's bed in a heap, grinning and laughing like delirious fools.


Santana was exhausted in the best way a person could be. There was a pleasant soreness in all the right places, her lips were still all tingly and swollen from kisses and nips, and she could tell without looking in the mirror that there were marks and scratches all over her body, souvenirs of passion. She also knew without a doubt that she'd left Marley feeling exactly the same way. They'd pushed each other to their limits and beyond; Santana drowsily smiled with pride and bone-deep satisfaction. She didn't want to move; frankly, she wasn't sure that she was even able to do so. She was ready to succumb to sleep now. Her eyes were just beginning to flutter shut, when suddenly she felt a few light kisses being pressed against her shoulder.

"Santana?" Marley's voice was soft, but edged with the same exhaustion.

Santana smiled, opening first one eye and then the other. Was Marley really going to initiate a fourth round? Her head lazily lolled to the side to peer at her. "Yeah?"

"I hate to be a bother, but...do you have an extra pillow?" Marley asked shyly, cutely worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. She looked ready to pass out herself, if only there were something soft beneath her head. Honestly, she wanted nothing more than to cuddle into Santana's side at the moment, but she had no clue as to whether Santana was into that kind of thing, and she didn't know how to ask. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, so she didn't want to press her luck by being too clingy.

Santana pushed herself up into a sitting position, looking around the dimly lit bedroom, her mind suddenly racing. Normally, she would have kicked a girl out of her bed by this point, or been sneaking out of her apartment, but this time was different. She definitely didn't want Marley to leave, but she just wasn't used to sharing the bed after the sex was over.

"Um – here," Santana said finally, sliding her own pillow over to where Marley was lying next to her. "I'll just go grab one from Tina's bed."

"Thank you," Marley replied with a sweet smile, sighing appreciatively as her head hit the soft cushion under it. She could smell the scent of Santana's hair, Santana herself, on the pillowcase as her head sank into the soft, downy cushion. She turned to watch as Santana climbed out of bed, without even bothering to put any clothes on. Marley silently thanked the full moon for illuminating Santana's perfect body, enjoying the view as she stretched and yawned before stepping out of the room.

Once she was gone, Marley rolled onto her side, making a sound of contentment as her eyes closed. She hadn't been with that many people in her relatively brief life, but Marley would have to say that this had been the best sex she'd ever had. It was normal for her to have two orgasms, but when Santana coaxed a third from her, she'd nearly passed out, it was so intense. She smiled and gave herself a mental pat on the back as she recalled bringing Santana to climax the same number of times. Now she was more than ready to sleep. As she drifted off, she found herself hoping that even though Rachel had asked her to spare the details, she would want to hear about at least some of her night.

A few moments later, Santana crawled back into bed, positioning Tina's pillow beneath her head. Oddly, she suddenly felt wide awake. She turned to look at Marley's sleeping form next to her; even in the darkness, she was able to make out the definition in the muscles of her back. Santana had been surprised by the body she'd discovered under the clothes Marley wore. She wasn't in quite the shape Santana was, but Marley was definitely in shape and Santana had thoroughly enjoyed feeling just how amazing her body was. She blushed at the thought. She'd never spent this long thinking about a girl before; it was kind of a weird thing, feeling this way, after not feeling very much of anything in emotional terms for so long. She was seized by a strange giddiness, and now all she wanted to do was hold her just so she could feel her warmth again.

Her heartbeat quickened as she stared in the dark at Marley's back, filled with a strange nervousness at the idea that popped into her head. She couldn't remember the last time she actually cuddled with anyone. The last time she'd been with Brittany was the last time she'd held anybody after sex, and even then it didn't last long; Brittany was a light sleeper, so sometimes cuddling with her just wasn't worth the effort. After a short internal battle, Santana finally decided to just go for it, shifting across the small space between them, her front pressed against Marley's back. She draped an arm over her waist, her hand resting on the other girl's taut, flat stomach.

She tensed for a few seconds, waiting to see what would happen next, then relaxed when she felt Marley lean back into her. Marley reached out and grabbed the blanket, pulling it up and over them a little more, and then her arm came down to rest on top of Santana's, their fingers lacing together. Santana pressed a few kisses to the back of Marley's neck and then finally rested her head back down atop her borrowed pillow, the warmth and closeness making her drowsy once more.

"Goodnight." Santana whispered with her nose buried in Marley's hair, the scent intoxicating her. This was definitely something she could get used to.

Her eyes still closed, Marley smiled and gave Santana's hand a squeeze, her own heart pounding with excitement. She relaxed into Santana a little more, the embrace lulling her to sleep. She barely managed to whisper "goodnight" in return before she completely slipped into oblivion.


"It's not the fact of what they're probably doing right now that bothers me," Rachel said in a tone of slight distaste, putting the finishing touches on her nightly skin care routine as Quinn leaned against the bathroom door frame. "It's what normally happens after Santana's been with someone that's the problem. You've seen it too, Quinn - don't try to deny it. I can't bear the thought of Marley being just...discarded like that."

Quinn stepped behind the shorter girl, slipping her arms around her waist, resting her chin on her shoulder. "I get it, Rachel. I do. But look - you did your best to warn her. After that, it was up to Marley as to whether she would take the risk or not."

"Yes, I know, I know," Rachel sighed, enjoying the feeling of her girlfriend's arms, warm and comforting, encircling her middle. "But you can't really blame me for wanting to protect her, can you? I mean, yes, Marley's a big girl and she's not inexperienced, but this is Santana we're talking about. Don't get me wrong, I love Santana, but..." her voice trailed off, not wanting to voice the same old objections to past conduct yet again. "It will break my heart if Marley comes back tomorrow crying her eyes out because Santana's left her in bed alone with nothing but a note on her pillow."

"If she does, I'll be the first to have words with her, believe me. Marley's the last person who should ever be treated like that," Quinn assured her, giving her a light squeeze. "But you know what? I have it on good authority that Santana really likes her. I mean really likes her, in a way she hasn't liked anybody in a long time."

Rachel turned in Quinn's arms to face her, placing a kiss to the tip of the blonde's perfect nose, her hands gently gripping her strong shoulders. "That authority being Santana, right? You believe her?"

"I do. Santana's a lot of things, but she's not a liar. The look on her face, in her eyes, when she told me that...I haven't seen it since - well, not since Brittany. Attraction is one thing, but that kind of connection is another. I think we should give Santana the benefit of the doubt - unless and until we have proof that she doesn't deserve it."

With that, Quinn released Rachel from her embrace, earning herself a pout from the dark-eyed girl. "Aw, come on. Let's go to bed. Whatever happens in the morning happens. We should at least be well-rested when it does."

"Who said anything about resting?" Rachel asked in a low, sultry voice. "Or have you forgotten all those nips and kisses you gave me in the movie theater, and the effect they had on me? Because I certainly haven't."

Quinn arched an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" She gestured with her hands towards her own body, sweeping them up and down. "Are you saying you want all this?"

Laughing, Rachel said, "Yes. Always." She fixed her girlfriend with a hungry gaze. "I mean, look at you." She pointed at Quinn's signature choice of sleepwear: a white tank top and powder blue boy shorts. "You're scrumptious."

"Scrumptious?" Quinn made a wry face, scrunching up her nose and squinting her eyes. "That makes me sound like...like an apple pie or something."

"Exactly." Rachel stepped towards her, turning off the bathroom light as she invaded her girlfriend's personal space with intent. "Good enough to eat."

Quinn's eyes widened as she let out a mock gasp at the double entendre. "My, my," she said, trying and failing to approximate a tone of scandalized shock, too aroused by Rachel's words to really pull it off. "I wonder what Santana would say if she heard that."

"She's not the only one around here who knows how to talk a beautiful girl into bed, you know," Rachel purred, reaching her arms up to wrap them loosely around Quinn's neck and kissing her hard, smiling widely at the dazed look on her girlfriend's face when she broke the kiss.

"Now - are we going to bed or what?"

Growling low in her throat, Quinn slid one arm down Rachel's back and reached the other down her legs to lift her easily into a bridal-style carry. Rachel giggled even as she was thrilled by Quinn's show of strength. That always had a very...pleasant effect on her.

"We so are," Quinn said, and with that, she carried the smaller girl into the bedroom, using one foot to kick the door closed behind them.