this final chapter was powered by... my feels mostly.


Shadows melted by the warm dusk sun pooled on the floor and along the walls of Rachel's room. Quinn's hand, clasped in Rachel's grip, was clammy and heated. A few minutes ago, after Santana left them in peace, Quinn and Rachel cleaned the pizza boxes and washed the dishes in utmost silence. Awkward it was not, but for Quinn, her thoughts were whizzing past her before she could even comprehend them. As she dried and stacked the dishes up on the shelves, Rachel combed her fingers through her hair in a moment of insecurity. Quinn smiled to herself and dried her hands on the dishcloth before turning to face Rachel.

She clasped their hands together and brought Rachel's arms up to wrap around her neck, her palms resting on the curve of her hip. "Why do you look so worried?"

"I'm not." Rachel insisted, her arms tightening around Quinn's neck. Their fronts pressed together, their warm bodies radiating. "It's just… I don't know what to do now. It's quiet, and you're here, and I don't know if I should freak out or be giddy."

Quinn laughed and allowed her hands to sweep up the curve of Rachel's back, to cup her cheeks. "There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just me. I'm telling myself it's just you, but here." She took Rachel's small hand and pressed it to her chest. Inside, her heart was rapid and powerful as it rocked against her ribcage. Rachel's eyes widened, and Quinn offered her an assuring smile. "We both need to calm down, don't you think?"

Rachel smiled and nodded, her hand still flat against Quinn's heart. Quinn noticed the way Rachel's breathing seemed to slow down, as if her heartbeat calmed her down. At this thought, Quinn pulled Rachel closer and gathered her in a hug. Rachel melted into her further.

"Let's go to your room." Quinn husked, pulling back just enough to see the light reflect in Rachel's eyes. She nodded and clasped Quinn's hand in her own, dragging her down the hallway.

And now, they stood in the middle of the darkened room, with the sun seen through the cracks of the curtains, giving the room enough faint light for Quinn to see the way Rachel's features, her fingers latched around hers. For a second, Rachel looked as if she was about to lean in, but instead, she pulled back and clamped her hand over her mouth. "I should brush my teeth."

The tension, if there ever was any, dispersed itself as Quinn laughed and pulled away. "You're right. And I should clean up a bit and shower."

"You can go ahead, if you want." Rachel offered.

"I think I will, thank you." Quinn squeezed Rachel's hand once before taking her overnight bag from the living room. She grabbed her clothes, her toothbrush, and her towel. She tried not to spend too much time thinking in the shower, which was something she tended to do. She got out, dried herself, and brushed her teeth. Dressed in plaid pajama pants and a loose white shirt, Quinn stepped out of the bathroom and returned to Rachel's bedroom.

Rachel walked past her, still silent but smiling, so she could use the bathroom. Quinn finished drying her hair and went to lay down on the bed, legs stretched out before her, her back against the headboard. She took that time to check any mail from professors. Finding none, she eased deeper into the bed and closed her eyes. Quinn needed to think. She needed to calm down in case her heart decided to beat right out of her chest. In her head, she continued to chant that 'this is only Rachel', but the fact that it was Rachel drove her insane.

It wasn't as if anything was meant to happen; as if the cosmos intended for them to be together at this very moment in time. No, Quinn was not for celestial reasoning. Rachel was as real as the bed beneath Quinn, even though she often made Quinn feel superhuman.

Soft footsteps stirred Quinn away from her thoughts. She opened her eyes and saw possibly one of the most beautiful sights known to man. Rachel, her hair damp and curled, dressed in a pair of shorts and a baggy New York shirt that reached her mid-thigh. The light from the hallway burst into the dark room, dispelling shards of light and illuminating Rachel in ways that Quinn only saw in her dreams.

She sat up and dared to stare. Rachel bit her lip and took furtive steps towards Quinn. Her pale hand reached out and met soft skin. Quinn's legs swung off the bed and parted, so Rachel could slide in between them and cradle her blonde head in her arms. Quinn breathed in her scent, the very sensation of Rachel's plush body pressed into hers.

This was home. This, being held in Rachel's arms. The crook of her arm, the faint scent of cinnamon on her skin, and her heartbeat. Quinn would do anything and everything to have this real estate.

She pulled back and traced Rachel's tentative features with her eyes. "Are you still nervous?" Quinn murmured, arms curled around her hips. She nodded. Quinn smiled and pulled Rachel into bed with her. "Why?"

"I'm scared… that if I do something wrong, all of this would end." Rachel admitted. Their legs entangled underneath the duvet, as if they do not want the other to go. "I know you're only here because Santana asked you—"

"You're wrong." Quinn interrupted. She picked up Rachel's hand as they lay down on the bed, facing each other. "I told you. I'm here for you, not because Santana asked me to. Not because I have feelings for you. But because you and I? We're friends, Rachel. You know that. But you're letting this thing between me and Santana prevent you from actually understanding that."

Rachel stared at Quinn. "Wait, did I hear you correctly? You said—you have feelings for me?"

Quinn's smile immediately turned sheepish. "You heard that, huh?" She glanced at the wall behind Rachel, knowing that if her eyes stayed on her features, she would see disappointment, and perhaps, something akin to disgust. Quinn couldn't know. She was not brave enough for this. "Look—"

That was when Quinn decided to take a chance and look into those eyes that caused her heart rate to pick up. She did not see the things she expected, for in Rachel's eyes, she saw a dream coming to life. In her eyes, Quinn saw the initial stirrings of happiness, something so close yet so far away. In her eyes, Quinn saw acceptance, and possibly, a reciprocation of the purest form. One that has no expectations.

"Quinn… I probably don't deserve you. Not after how blind I've been." Rachel sniffed, and Quinn couldn't help but smile. She pulled the girl closer to her and curled her arm around her hip. In her arms, Rachel was safe from everything, but her love. "And if this baby is real, then… I don't think I'm good enough for you!"

A soft hum left Quinn's throat as she tucked Rachel's head underneath her chin. "You don't have to be good enough for me, Rachel. All you need to be is you. Be my little star, the one who leads me where I need to be. Which is right here." She tipped Rachel's chin upwards and rested their foreheads together. Their breaths mingled, a mix of mint and spice and thick emotion. Quinn watched Rachel's eyelids flutter, noticed the way her throat bobbed and her lips parted. "Look, I know you have a boyfriend, and I shouldn't even be here with you because of the way that I feel."

She cupped Rachel's cheek, her nose brushing against her soft cheeks. "But I would do anything for you. I'd get into car crashes, sword fights, and forest fires for you. I'd wrestle with the hand of god if it means I get to hold you." At this, Quinn pulled her closer, and allowed her mouth to taste just a sliver of Rachel's skin. "It doesn't matter to me if you return my affections. I…" She took a deep breath, her hazel eyes meeting pools of starlight and galaxies. "I love you. And I'm not saying that to make you feel better. I'm saying that because I'm just an honest girl who knows how and when to use her words."

Rachel was smiling, her eyes watery with unshed tears that threatened to fall. The sight was exponentially beautiful that Quinn felt that there was nothing left for her to say. "I'm so happy I can't breathe…" She gasped. Quinn chuckled and rubbed her back slowly and traced spirals along Rachel's exposed skin. "At first I didn't know if I love you, but… I'm starting to think that I always have. And now… It's like I'm on my way to falling all over again. Maybe high school wasn't really about me and Finn. Maybe it's been about you and me all along."

Quinn couldn't help the grin that split her cheeks. "Rachel Berry," she murmured, the stillness of the night was overpowered by her strong, pumping heart. "Will you allow me to kiss you?" The pad of Quinn's thumb traced the outline of Rachel's bottom lip. She could already taste her. Quinn heard Rachel's breath quicken and felt her shift her legs as if to squirm closer to her.

"Please…" Rachel husked, and the anticipation spiked in Quinn's veins. "Kiss me, Quinn Fabray."

Smiles split their lips, and in the blur of space and time, they kissed.

Finally, finally, finally.

If Quinn's dreams had a flavour, they would taste exactly like this. If her happiness had a texture, it would feel exactly like this. And if time could stop just for two people, it would stop for Rachel and Quinn, if only they could stay like this for longer. For an eternity, maybe.

Quinn sampled Rachel's mouth like one would with her first shot of alcohol. She licked Rachel's plump lips before drinking her in. All of her, all at once. Soft, full lips. Rachel's sticky breath. The taste of the next one hundred years of Quinn's life, all wrapped in one. Her toes curled as warmth spread across her body. Quinn pulled away just enough to keep their mouths brushing together. "God…" She gasped. "How do I even begin to describe that?"

A devilish smirk for such an angel spread across Rachel's mouth. She threw her leg over Quinn's hip and rolled them over so that she was on top. A soft grunt came from Quinn's throat, but it was immediately replaced by a moan. "Don't." Rachel murmured. "Not yet, at least. That's just the first of many, and I think…" Her fingers curled around a lock of blonde hair. "It might be too soon to have a conclusion. I thought you're experimenting?"

Quinn shook her head, her palm flattening against the swell of Rachel's hips. "Rachel… You have never been and will never be a hypothesis. You're my desired outcome; the reason why I want to be sure; the foundation of my experiments and calculations." Her hands slipped underneath Rachel's baggy shirt so she could feel the plush softness of the girl above her. Quinn craned her neck and smiled against the moist mouth of Rachel. "Do you think I can finally say I have love down to a science, now that I have you?"

At this, Rachel chuckled and pressed her face against Quinn's cheek. "You're the only one I've ever known who can make science sound so romantic."

Quinn scrunched her nose and laughed. "If you think that's romantic, you haven't really heard anything yet."

"Oh, is that so? In that case… I guess I just have to stick around, won't I?" Rachel said, her mouth hovering directly above Quinn's, barely making contact. "You don't mind, right?"

"Hell no." Quinn whispered. "Stick around for as long as you want."

At some point in the night, Rachel and Quinn decided that it was a good idea to go to sleep. Curled in warmth and the elatedness brought forth by their steady, beating hearts, Quinn closed her eyes for the first time in years, completely happy. For those hours, they kissed until their lips were raw, and spoke until their words slurred. Quinn felt no loss when it came to losing her consciousness because she knew that this mind-numbing happiness was what she would wake up to.

And when she woke up she witnessed the sight of Rachel's disheveled hair, drool along her chin, her arm slung across Quinn's stomach. If she didn't have to pee, Quinn would have been content to just lay there and watch. She squirmed out of Rachel's grip that only tightened as she stirred. "Where are you going?" She demanded, soft and sleepy, against Quinn's arm.

"I need to use the bathroom," she whispered, combing her fingers through thick locks. "Don't worry, go back to sleep."

Rachel shook her head and sat up, rubbing her eyes free of sleep. "I have a doctor's appointment later, to see if the tests were accurate. I just want to know if you'd go with me."

Quinn crawled over to Rachel and nudged her nose with hers. "What did I tell you last night? If I'm what you need, then I'll gladly do anything for you. You know that. Stop questioning it, or else I'll just have to remind you again," she kissed Rachel's forehead. "And again," her right cheek. "And again," her left cheek. "And again." She finished, murmuring the words against Rachel's mouth.

They stumbled out of Rachel's bedroom together in a fit of giggles, but the sight of Brody in the middle of the apartment was enough to burst the dirigible of their happiness in one, clean glare. Santana was not yet awake, and Kurt was nowhere in sight. It was just the three of them, standing in front of one another.

"So, what. Are you leaving me for a chick?" Brody demanded, arms crossed over his chest. "Rachel, I'm the best you'll ever have—"

"Brody, I might be pregnant."

"W-what?" His eyes widened, and Quinn could see the obvious fear, the evident rejection in his eyes. "Is it mine?"

"We don't know yet." Rachel said, her arms curling around her frame. She needed to be held, Quinn knew, but she didn't want to provoke Brody. Instead, her palm rested against the small of her back. A small gesture, but it was enough to lessen the tension in Rachel's body. "If you want anything to do with it—"

"I don't." Brody spat, shaking his head. "Fuck, Rachel. I don't even want to be a dad. I've never seen myself as one, especially not parenting a kid with you—"

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Then just quit while you're ahead." She growled. "C'mon, I'll even help you pack."

Brody narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw. "Fine. But just so you know, you'll never be as good as me." He pushed in between Quinn and Rachel and disappeared behind the door so that he could, Quinn assumed, pack his things. Beside her, Rachel murmured something she didn't hear.

"What was that?"

"I said," she took a deep breath and smiled at Quinn. "You're not as good as him. You're infinitely better."

They saw Brody off with a smile, despite his constant insistence that he was better than the collective sum of Rachel's romantic endeavours. By the third time he tried to assert it, they stopped listening and focused on reading the morning paper. As soon as Brody left, they got dressed to head to the doctor's office. The waiting area was pristine and smelled faintly of rubbing alcohol.

"The doctor will see you now," the nurse said in a clipped tone. "You're just in time and since it's not busy today…"

Quinn held Rachel's hand as they entered the office where the doctor was sitting. She looked at them over the rims of her eyeglasses before removing them. "I'm Doctor Lewis, but you can call me Lauren." She said, offering her hand to Rachel, then to Quinn. "I have Miss Berry's chart and…" Lauren hummed and read through the clipboard quickly. "You want an ultrasound to check if you're pregnant or not." She stated rather than ask. Her eyes locked with Quinn's, before she scribbled something on the paper. "Alright, please sit."

Helping Rachel up on the high perch, Quinn didn't bother letting go of Rachel's hand. "You'll be fine." She promised, despite her lack of power to do so. She kissed Rachel's knuckles and smiled at her as Lauren rolled over on her stool. She set up the ultrasound, apologising when Rachel winced. Silence filled the room, only to be filled by the ambient whirring of the machine.

"You said you had assumptions that you're pregnant?" Lauren asked as she manipulated the probe gently. "Did you take pregnancy tests?"

"Y-yes…" Rachel swallowed hard, her eyes locked on the monitor. Her hand was tight around Quinn's, and she trembled ever so slightly, but it was enough for Quinn to notice.

Lauren removed the probe and wiped away Rachel's flat belly. "You can rest easy. It was just a false positive. Were you stressed or worried about anything in particular when you took the test?"

Rachel nodded and looked up at Quinn. "I'm not pregnant…" She whispered, her hand resting over her stomach. "Oh my god, I'm not pregnant."

Smiling at her relief, Quinn pecked her forehead and thanked the doctor. "That's what I actually told her, but thank you for reassuring us—for reassuring her." She corrected herself. The smiling doctor simply shrugged.

"If symptoms start appearing, do contact me immediately."

Quinn and Rachel nodded and thanked the doctor once again. They left the clinic, the fresh spring breeze of New York whistling past them as they walked with a spring in their step. "If I'm being honest, I almost resigned myself to the fact that I do, in fact, have a kid inside me." Rachel admitted, her arm curled around Quinn's bicep as they walked towards home. "Because you made everything seem so… Positive."

"You may not be pregnant, and those tests may be false," Quinn said. "But I'm grateful for it because then... I got the chance to tell you my truths."

Rachel smiled and pulled Quinn to stop walking. They stood in the middle of the sidewalk, New York stirring behind, within, and around them. She cupped Quinn's cheek and rose to the tips of her toes for a kiss that not only knocked Quinn's air out of her lungs, but it also filled her with ringing bells and signs of the world renewed.

This was her life now. Kisses in the middle of the city, Rachel's tiny hand in hers.

Quinn wouldn't trade it for anything else.

~end