AN: Hello again! Wow, such great reviews so far. Very much appreciated. Here' the next chapter. I might have another one up by this evening but we will see.

Just a little side note, Faberry will be really starting up after the next chapter. I know it's been a little slow at first but I felt it necessary to get the story out first.

Cheers!


"'Cadalac Elderado: $29,999'" Kurt reads off the buyers guide to a frustrated diva with her calculator.

"Gosh no!" responds the brunette, almost insulted that a car would be that much.

"'BMW Convertible: $20,000'"

"Not even close"

Kurt sighs and rifles through the entire booklet for something under $5000. He comes across a few to mention.

"'Alpha Romero: $2569"

"Hmm, that's pretty good. Let me see!" Rachel reaches for the paper.

Reading through a couple of the adds for cars, she comes across an add that reads 'Need Quick Cash?'

Intrigued, Rachel reads the rest of the ad. It seems to be advertising for an amateur wrestling function where the winner receives $3000.

Not wanting to worry Kurt, she rips out both the ad for the car and the wrestling match and stuffing it in her pocket.

"So are you ready to tell me what the hell happened the other day?" Kurt asks curiously as he fixes his gelled hair.

Shoot.

"Umm, well.." Rachel stutters trying to think of a reasonable excuse to give her best friend. She really wasn't ready to tell anyone about her new found powers just yet.

If that's what you'd call them.

"I was trying to impress Quinn, so i've been, umm, working out and training to become more... fit."

Kurt looks at her. Amused and somewhat interested.

Does he buy it?

"Well I think that's a great idea Rachel. And to tell you the truth, you're looking healthier than ever. And I think Quinn is noticing too" he gives her a small wink.

Wait a second? Did he just say that? Really?

She's about to say something back to the boy when her phone goes off.

"Hi sweetheart. Are you coming home tonight or are you staying late at the library again?" he sounds concerned. He's been sounding concerned a lot in the past week.

"Yes dad, I'm coming home now. Tell daddy i'll be home soon too" she replies to him trying to sound convincing

"Ok pumpkin, see you soon."

Rachel hangs up her phone and tells Kurt she's wanted home for dinner.

As she leaves her friends house, she decides to make a quick stop at the fabric store first. Remembering the sentence on the wrestling ad that read 'Colorful creative costumes encouraged'


"I feel like we don't know her anymore. I only hear her sing once a day now. She's always out late, she's dressing differently, always doing these weird 'experiments' in her room with the door locked" Hiram tells Leroy as they're sitting down watching the news.

"I'm sure she's just going through a phase. Maybe she's trying to impress a girl at school and she's, i don't know, hormonal or something. We're not women, Hiram. We don't understand what teenage girls go through" Leroy suggests to his concerned husband.

"I guess your right. I mean, it could be worse. We could be working at Ozzcorpe and suffering from all these acts" both men continue to watch the screen.

'Another break and enter has occurred over night at Ozzcorpe Industries. A high-tech aerial glider has been stolen along with multiple weapons. Luckily, no one was harmed during this incident, but there are still no suspects for the case. NYPD are advising everyone to keep an extra eye out for suspects and to be safe'

Rachel comes racing through the door with her backpack filled to the top with supplies from Fabric Ville.

"Hi sweetheart! You have fun at Kurt's?" Hiram stands up and looks at his daughter awkwardly.

Rachel senses they're curious about something, but she doesn't have time to chit-chat with her parents. She needs to work on her outfit for the wrestling match.

"Yup! But I have homework so I'll just take my dinner to my room I think" she grabs her plate of food, gives them both a kiss on the cheek and runs up the stairs.

Both men stare at each other in silence.


She dreamt of Quinn that night. It was an odd dream. They were in Quinn's backyard similar to the other night. Only Rachel was standing in front of her as if she was guarding her or protecting her from something.

She could feel Quinn's shaking body behind her so she turn around to face the petrified cheerleader.

She leaned down and whispered comfortingly "Everything will be alright, I won't let him hurt you" as she wipes away a falling tear from the porcelain skin.

She's just about to lean in for a kiss when there's a bright green flash from behind Quinn. Before Rachel knew it, she was awake.

11:51pm. Wow, still pretty early!

Only Rachel was not in bed, she was still sitting in her desk chair surrounded by drawings, sewing tools and fabric all around her.

Blue, red and black material was all over her desk and was beginning to look like a pretty decent outfit. Only it wouldn't be ready for tomorrow's events.

Too tired to carry on, Rachel decides to climb into bed and call it a night.

As she's about to go shut her bedroom window, she's surprised to see a tired looking Quinn Fabray doing the same. She takes this opportunity to wave hello.

Quinn returns the wave and pokes her head out the window. She whispers something but Rachel couldn't hear it over the wind outdoors.

"Pardon?"

"I said goodnight, Rachel." Quinn laughs as she's about to close her window.

"Wait! Umm I.." the brunette begins but hesitates when she thinks Quinn didn't hear her.

Quinn pokes her head out once more for the girl.

"I, uh, I was wondering if you'd like to get a coffee this weekend. Maybe we could catch up?"

Oh you did it now, Berry. No way is she going to go out in public with you!

Quinn looks back at her with a look Rachel's never seen before. She's smiling but there's something in her eyes that makes Rachel feel, well for the first time, noticed.

"I'd love too. How about Sunday morning around 9:00?" the blonde asks cautiously.

Rachel can't hold back her smile "Sounds perfect. Ill see you then"

And that's that. Rachel closes her window and crawls into bed. Her heart beating and adrenaline pumping. Almost the same feeling she felt when she was fighting Finn that day.

Almost.


"Hey dad, I'm heading to the library for the evening I'll see you later toni-"

"Hold on I'll give you a lift sweetie" Hiram rushes from the kitchen to grab his coat. He wasn't even finished his lunch but he jumped up when he heard the girls voice.

"NO! I mean, ugh no dad really I'll take the bus" Rachel attempts to make an excuse but obviously fails because her dad already has his keys and is pushing her out the door.

The car ride is mostly silent. Rachel's humming along to a tune on the radio which seems to make her dad expose a tiny grin.

He pulls up beside the library and Rachel's about to get out before he puts his hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Sweetheart can we talk for a second?" he asks searching her eyes for anything that might give him a clue to what has been going on in his little girls world.

"Ya dad as long as it's not too long. I've got a paper that's due by midnight" Rachel replies. She hates lying. Especially to her father.

"Is everything ok with you lately? You're really distant and your daddy and I have been noticing changes. We just want to make sure you're, well, safe"

Rachel notices the hurt in his eyes. She hates that she can't be honest about this whole thing with him.

"Honestly dad i'm just trying to figure myself out and I'm sorry if it's affecting you and daddy. Just between school, girls and upcoming auditions i've been a little stressed"

He sighs and looks out the window beside him. Almost like he's going to cry. Rachel hates this. Maybe she should just tell him.

"We heard about your fight with the Hudson boy last week."

Rachel looks at her father, trying to read his emotions.

"What were you thinking? That boy could have really harmed you, Rachel! Not only that, but if you would have got suspended that could have effected your chances at getting into Julliard or NYADA or-"

"Dad, first of all, Finn deserved everything that was coming to him. Second of all, it was self defense and I barely touched him, thirdly, what if I don't want to go to any college's after high school? What if I want to try my hand at some auditions or take a year to work and figure myself out a bit?" Rachel rushed out. She was getting a little annoyed.

"What do you mean 'take a year off'? You're destined for great things Rachel! I won't let you throw your college life away because, oh I don't know, you've got feelings for the neighbor girl!"

Rachel dead pinned.

"Wait, how do you know about Quinn?" Rachel asks in surprisingly.

"I heard you two whispering last night outside the windows. Honestly Rachel I just think-"

"Listen dad," this was going to hurt to say, "as much as I appreciate your concern for my well being, I'm fine. I'm not doing drugs or starting fights. I'm not involved with Quinn at all, we are just friends,"

Friends? Were we even that?

"and lastly, you can't tell me what to do with my life after high school! I'm almost an adult and I need to start living my own life. I need to move out and get away from you and daddy in order to start my own journey!"

She hadn't meant for it to come off so hurtful. She likes living at home. She loves her fathers. But she can't live with them forever! Not if she wants to move into the city and start her life.

Hiram sighs once more, "I know it's been difficult living with two fathers, sweetheart, and I understand if you want to get away from it all"

"No dad that's not what I-"

"Let me finish, Rach. I know you'll do great things and I understand that you need to start your life. But don't run away from your problems. You have to face them head on and fight your way through life sometimes."

Rachel listened to her father and didn't quite get everything he was saying at once. But she nodded and decided to end the conversation for another day.

She leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek goodbye and exited the car. She watched him drive away and couldn't help but feel a wide range of emotions as she did so.

Never the less, it was time to do what she came to do. Looking at the venue across from the library, she sees the sign on the outside of the door and her nerves finally set in.

"TAKE ON 3 MINUTES WITH THE UNDEFEATED HEAVY-WEIGHT FEMALE WRESTLING CHAMPION FOR A CHANCE TO WIN $3000"

Well, here goes nothing..


I realize I changed "the talk" scenario a bit but I was a little stuck on the writing. Hope it was ok for you all.

Read and reply! See you soon!