A/N: Okay guys seriously the response to this has been awesome, much better than my other fic for which I'm valiantly fighting writer's block. I'm so sorry about the delay in updates but school's a bitch. I know that's the most generic excuse ever but it's all I've got. Believe me, if I could write all day I'd be the happiest girl to ever walk this planet. So, this chapter is a bit dark in my opinion. I'm a bit of a tortured soul so that's generally what my mind is like (not that I'm depressed or anything, it's just how I work). I think that before things look up in life, they have endless possibilities to get worse. But don't worry, Quinn's gonna be there for Rachel and she's literally gonna fight people to do so. Btw I saw the sneak peeks of the super bowl episode and I wanted to slap Finn, just saying. Oh and Schuester too, like the dude didn't completely blow up before sectionals and took her solos away! Anyway, before this author's note gets too random (as if it isn't already) I leave you to it. Please review but most of all, enjoy. (:

"What the hell are you doing here, Fabray?"

The blonde could do nothing but gape at the tiny brunette in front of her. She had lost a significant amount of weight if that was even possible and had huge dark circles under her eyes. She was wearing the baggiest pair of sweats that only accentuated her overall state of distress.

"Oh my god Rachel, are you okay?" Quinn reached for the girl instinctively but the diva moved aside.

"That's none of your business so I'll ask again, what the hell are you doing at my house?"

"I-I-I wanted to see of you were okay. You've missed a week of school now, that's not like you and don't even get me started on Glee."

Rachel tilted her head to one side and eyed the blonde suspiciously. Suddenly, the short girl stepped out of the house and yelled. "Okay everybody! You can come out of the bushes and make fun at Man hands and her hideous choice of clothing! Maybe even throw her a slushie!"

Quinn watched frozen as the girl paced back and forth in front of her house yelling at who she thought was hiding obviously waiting to humiliate her on behalf of the blonde. She felt a pang of shame and guilt but she couldn't deny her involvement in provoking that reaction from the petite diva. "Rachel, calm down. It's just me, I was really worried and nobody knew where you were. I just…I needed to see for myself that you were okay"

Rachel's eyes snapped to worried hazel ones and she invaded Quinn's personal space in a few quick and angry strides. "Worried were you? Or was it that you could not find anyone else to torture?" The brunette stared into Quinn's eyes waiting for that flash of pettiness that appeared every time Quinn did something mean to her. It never came and Rachel visibly deflated. She seemed to relax a bit as she walked back to the door. "Fine, you've seen me, now leave."

Every cell in her body was screaming at her to say no. She had to stay and comfort the clearly distraught brunette but the one time she needed them most, her words failed her completely so she stood there speechless. A pale hand reached out to touch a tan one but the cheerleader changed her mind and let her arm fall awkwardly to her side.

Rachel sighed. "Quinn, please. Just leave."

With that, she closed the door leaving a dumbfounded blonde standing at the door. Great Fabray! You should have tried harder!

Once inside the house Rachel slumped against the door and slid to the floor where she just couldn't hold it in anymore so she broke down in sobs. "Rachel? Rachel sweetie? Who was it at the door?"

"Nobody aunt Millie. Nobody."

Rachel really loved her aunt. She used to go to her house every summer for a week and have the most amazing time. Still, with the present circumstances, every time she looked at her she couldn't help but remember the past and how screwed up things were now.

The older woman approached the girl and wrapped her arms around her. "Sweetie, I wanted to talk to you about school. I think it's time you went back."

Rachel stiffened and managed to get out of her aunt's hold. She knew Millie was right, school was important and she shouldn't keep missing if she didn't want to have any unnecessary problems with Figgins but she honestly didn't think she was up for it yet. "Aunt Millie…"

"Listen to me sweetie. You fathers cared a lot about your education. They would not like it if you were to loose the year or anything like that. Of course, I'm not gonna force you, you'll do things at your own pace but I just thought…I don't know…that maybe you could start by going back and seeing how you feel?"

Rachel thought about it and simply nodded to her aunt, she was really in no mood to argue. "Okay, I'll go back on Monday, I promise."

With one last hug the brunette girl retreated to her room like she had been doing almost all week. Right when she passed her fathers' room she paused for a second and put her hand to the doorknob. Desperately, she wanted all this to be just a nightmare and that once she opened the door she'd find Hiram and Leroy Berry smiling back at her. With a light push the door swung open and her heart broke yet a little more, there was no one there. There would never be anyone for her like that again. Closing the door she finally reached the safe haven of her own room while she heard her aunt yell from downstairs that dinner would be ready in a few minutes, like she was hungry at all.

Unbeknownst to the brunette, there was a blonde cheerleader a few miles away that was plotting some way of getting her phone number. She had failed miserably and was frankly astonished that none of the glee club member had Rachel's cell phone or home number. They really were a crappy team. JewFro is out of the question. I can't keep getting information put of him; he'll get suspicious.

Then in a bout of inspiration she packed a duffel bag and snuck out (not that it was hard because her mom was working almost all day now, female liberation was a really cool thing, Judy Fabray was now addicted to self sufficiency) after scribbling a note about a sleepover at some random Cheerio's house. Quinn drove to McKinley High only to find it deserted as she hoped it would be. It wasn't hard to pick the locks and get into the offices where they kept the students' files. She opened the cabinet and frantically searched for Rachel's file.

Opening up the folder she found the normal information. Address, phone number (which she promptly stored in her own cell phone), brief health history, etc. In short, every generic piece of information that a school asks every student that wants to enroll. Then she noticed one of those sheets that Ms. Pillsbury or rather Mrs. Howell used to "file a report" on a problem she notices about a student. Quinn knew what it looked like because she had been there when the counselor had filled one for her pregnancy. In this situation, Quinn's curiosity got the best of her even though he knew that reading it would constitute a huge invasion of the brunette's privacy.

She froze as she read on. Rachel was an orphan now. Mrs. Howell had contacted the sister of Mr. Leroy Berry and she was now the tiny girl's guardian. The redhead had also advised professional help but was waiting to hear back from the woman until she could recommend someone specific. A tear escaped from focused hazel eyes. Rachel absolutely adored her fathers, it shone through every time she spoke of them and now she was all alone. Quinn didn't know this Millicent Berry since the petite diva had never mentioned her but she knew that with both men missing she was feeling utterly alone. And then we have to go and be the biggest jerks to her. As if she needed a reminder of how lonely she is going to be.

In that moment, Quinn Fabray resolved to be different to the short brunette. No matter how freaked out her feelings had her or how far away the school's stupid hierarchy had them standing. Come hell or high water Rachel Berry was going to know that she was most definitely not alone.

It was this determination that had the blonde cheerleader sitting in her car in front of the Berry residence looking up into what she thought was Rachel's bedroom. She obviously isn't going to invite you up moron! You really have some serious convincing to do if you want her to open up to you. Somewhere along the ride, Quinn had decided that it would be best if Rachel didn't know that she was aware of her situation. She had to be the one to open up to people about it whenever and if she was ever ready at all. Nobody could really blame her if she decided not to tell them, the glee club and school in general had done a pretty good job at making her feel ostracized.

Releasing a breath that she didn't even know she was holding she got out of the car and adjusted her duffel bag on her back. With great determination she moved to the side of the house and started climbing. This was the kind of situation that made her thankful for Sue Sylvester and her crazy exercise regimes; this would've been harder without the extra muscles. Finally she reached the lit window and risked a peek inside. Please let this be her room! She let out a relieved sigh when she realized that luck was on her side tonight and that she was peeking into a Broadway themed room that could be no one else's but Rachel's.

Riding that wave of luck she chanced a yank to the window, which opened without much effort. Wow, I really need to tell her that it is disturbingly easy to break into her house. Once inside she found herself in an empty room and she got closer to the door to try to listen. She heard Rachel's voice and a woman's she supposed was her aunt coming from downstairs. Quinn put her bag down and sat on the edge of a very comfortable looking bed and she waited.

The blonde must have dozed off because next thing she knew was being woken up by a shrill scream. "Thank you aunt Millie…OH MY GOD!"

Quinn shot up in bed and looked pleadingly into the deepest brown orbs as both girls heard footsteps thundering up the stairs. "Please Rachel, don't have me arrested."

"Rachel! Sweetie what's wrong?" Millie was in the hallway now.

Making a sudden decision Rachel pointed towards her bathroom and whispered. "Hide."

Quinn did as she was told just in time for Millie to come barging into the girl's room. "What? Why did you yell? Are you okay?"

She heard Rachel sigh. "Yes aunt Millie, I just…I almost tripped and hit my head." The brunette could certainly do better than that Quinn thought; she was an excellent actress. However, it seemed to be enough for the older woman as she accepted the explanation and simply left for the guest room.

The blonde waited just in case the woman came back but she couldn't hear a thing. She expected Rachel to come in right away but the brunette didn't show so Quinn stepped out of the bathroom to find Rachel changing into a pair of pajamas. Holy shit! She's hot! Focus Fabray, focus! "Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay, it's not like you don't do this in the locker rooms with the other cheerleaders." The brunette said.

"Yeah right so…uhm…thanks, you know, for not having me arrested or something."

Rachel turned around and dropped the clothes she was wearing in the general vicinity of her bed. "I know I already asked this earlier and it was no use so I'm going to be more forceful thins time. So, what the fuck are you doing here again?"

Quinn was nonplussed. The petite diva never swore because it was "extremely unbecoming for a young lady" and to hear such harsh words now was just plain weird.

"Uh, I told you…I'm worried. And our encounter this afternoon didn't ease my worries at all so I decided to come again."

Rachel snorted. "Okay, let me get this straight. Quinn Fabray, Head cheerleader of McKinley High, better half of the Ken & Barbie all-american couple, is worried about Rachel Man-Hands Berry, better known as RuPaul or Treasure Trail?" Then she broke out in laughter.

The blonde cheerleader couldn't help but notice how cynical the girl sounded. Ashamed of what Rachel had said about her she waited until the laughter subsided. Once she thought Rachel had calmed down she looked straight into brown orbs and supplied in the most sincere voice se could muster. "Yes, I was. I am."

Rachel stared her down and finally walked to her bed and plopped down on it. "Seriously Quinn, what are you trying to pull here? The best prank of the year, perhaps? I can assure you I'm not in the mood for it, really. I just want to be left alone."

The blonde felt her heart clench at the girl's utter defeat so evident in her voice. She hated herself for causing it to some extent. She knelt down in front of the brunette and brought her face to look directly into each other's eyes. "Look, Rachel, I want you to know that I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was ever such a bitch to you because you didn't deserve it. I want to make amends and be there for you. I am worried because you don't look, act or even talk like yourself. What happened?"

Quinn hoped that Rachel saw the sincerity in her eyes and in her unwavering voice but at the same time knew that it was too much to ask for her to just forget years of bullying and just open up. It was going to take a little more than that.

"I don't need your pity. I've been dealing with it on my own for years so it's nothing new to me. Besides, everyone seems to hate me so being something other than myself seems like a good enough tactic."

"Okay, fair enough. I know I'm asking a lot of you by simply expecting you to accept my apology so how about we make a deal?" Quinn quickly added.

"Fine, if that's what it's gonna take for me to be left alone. Let's hear this deal of yours."

Quinn smiled. She's giving me an in here; she won't know what hit her. The blonde stood up to sit beside Rachel and held her hand. One perfectly sculpted and dark eyebrow shot up in confusion. "You let me prove to you that this isn't some high school bullshit and then you decide if that offer for friendship still stands. If you're not convinced I'll leave you alone."

She watched as the brunette thought about it and finally huffed a response. "Fine."

"Great!" Quinn went over to her duffel bag and started to rummage in search for her pajamas. Apparently she had forgotten them in her haste to get out of her house. "So I need to ask you something."

"What now?" The brunette answered a little irritated.

"Can I have some clothes to sleep in?"

"What? You think you're sleeping over?" Rachel questioned frankly surprised.

"Yes, you see? I invited myself over. I was going to tell you before but you screamed and I really thought that you or your aunt were going to call the police, I mean, you looked pretty mad after you got over the surprise of finding a stranger sit..hmpf"

Her rant was cut short by a pair of sweatpants hitting her right in the face. "And people say I talk a lot."

Quinn watched as Rachel made her way to the bathroom and locked the door. It was a start, it was going to be difficult but she was adamant in her idea of helping the petite girl out. She proceeded to change into the oversized sweats. No way these are Rachel's, she's too tiny. Or maybe she likes to be comfortable. After a few minutes the brunette came out of the bathroom with her freshly cleaned face and teeth so Quinn took her turn. Five minutes later she came out to find Rachel lying on her bed with her back to the door.

"Your phone buzzed."

Quinn went to see what it was about and rolled her eyes when she saw that it was a text from Sam.

Hey babe! Where r u? I went by ur house 2 c if u wanted 2 hang out but ur mom said u were at a sleepovr or smthing. Y didn't u tell me? Call me when u get this, there was a partay 2nite…did u 4get?

"Ugh…" Clingy much? Can't you go alone?

"Is it Sam or another one of the cooler persons at school?" Rachel said from her position. "Maybe you ought to be at some party having the quintessential teenage experience complete with alcohol and maybe even narcotics."

"Yes, I mean no…it's not what you think. I just…I hate it when people use text- speak. It's like they are so lazy they can't even be bothered to write properly. And no, I'd much rather be here with you than taking care of drunken and high teenagers" She quickly replied that she was tired and that she'd call tomorrow and tossed the phone back into her bag. She turned around and realized that Rachel was only occupying half of the bed. "Uhm…Rach…am I, you know…"

"I'm not infected you know? Unless you'd be willing to sleep on the floor, by all means, be my guest."

Without further argument Quinn pulled back the covers on the side she was going to occupy and slid in very carefully. She settled facing away from Rachel after fighting down the urge to just snake her arm around the smaller girl's waist and hold her tight. "Good night Rachel."

Before she drifted off to sleep she swore she heard a faint. "Good night Quinn."

She fell into a very peaceful sleep, until that is; she was woken up by sobs and whimpers coming from the girl lying right beside her. She turned around and debated over what to do. In the end she decided to wake the brunette up, she was obviously having a nightmare. "Hey Rachel?" She gave a light tug to the brunette's shoulder. "Rachel wake up, come on. Wake up."

Deep chocolate orbs snapped open and scanned their surroundings in panic. The petite diva shot up in bed and pulled her knees to her chest and then proceeded to hug them. "Quinn, I'm uh, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." She scooted as far from the blonde as she could manage without falling off the bed while trying to calm her thundering heartbeat.

Quinn didn't move to touch the brunette but got a little closer just so she could see her face. "Rach, it's okay. It was just a nightmare. Everything's going to be fine. Just give it time."

The brunette looked up and got this look of being far away when she suddenly blurted out. "They're gone."

Quinn was surprised to say the least. She knew who was gone but still, it wasn't any less sad and heartbreaking. She really felt sorry for the girl. "Who's gone Rachel? What do you mean?"

"My fathers…" Tears started welling up in the girl's eyes. "…they're…dead. That's what happened, they've left me all alone now. That's what's wrong."

"Rachel, I'm so sorry." Not caring if Rachel wanted to or not, the blonde took her in her arms and started rubbing soothing circles onto her back. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here and I won't leave you, do you understand?"

They stayed like that until the tears subsided and Quinn maneuvered their positions so they could lie down. When she moved to remove her arm from around Rachel, the tiny girl gripped her sleepwear tighter effectively pulling them closer. "Don't! Please…don't let go."

Quinn's heart broke a little further at the sight of Rachel. Geesh! How much crap is she going to have to take for people to see that she is indeed broken? None if I have anything to do about it. "Okay, I won't. You should get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

Needless to say, Quinn found it extremely hard to go to sleep so she chose to watch the other girl in her arms. She looked more peaceful, serene even, but the blonde knew that it would all go away once the safety of sleep was abandonded. She thought about what she would do in the brunette's place. Certainly, her mother was not the perfect woman but at least she was trying and Quinn honestly couldn't imagine losing her now. She traced the curve of Rachel's jaw with a barely there touch. The girl stirred lightly but it was only to accommodate her neck further in the crook of a pale neck. I really have my work cut out for me this time.

A/N2: Hey guys! I looked back to the file I had uploaded for this chapter and the word count didn't add up. I remembered I had written a lot more so I double-checked and I had indeed messed up. It's mainly the same but with a bit tacked on at the end. Sorry and please review if you can.