Once Upon A Time

by OddCoupler222

Rachel Berry didn't particularly consider herself a storyteller, but who was she to turn down a request? Luckily, she had some inspiration to draw from, including - as all stories in her humble opinion should - both a musical and romance. And, like every great tale, it all began with once upon a time...

4. Happily Ever After

Rachel sat back in her seat for a moment, reliving the still vivid memory of her and Quinn's first kiss. They'd had thousands of kisses since then – the good morning kisses, the goodbye kisses, the goodnight kisses, the I-had-to-kiss-you-for-looking-so-cute kisses – and despite Rachel's superb memory, she would be remiss to say she could even fathom to remember more than a select few in detail.

But she didn't think she could ever forget that first one.

"Is that the end?" Liz questioned as she pushed herself forward in her seat, "They kissed and it was a magical kiss and then the story's over?"

Before Rachel could get a word in, James quickly sat up, looking upset, "But they didn't even open the musical, yet! It can't be the end!"

Shaking her head, she answered, "It's not over, not yet. Almost. But first I'm going to get a glass of water."

She pushed herself up and grimaced slightly with the feeling of her back popping into place from having sat on the floor for a little longer than she would have liked, after having a dance rehearsal this morning for her show.

"Hurry up, Berry, we're running out of time before we're going to dinner," Santana informed her, serving as a reminder that she was still – surprisingly patiently for Santana – waiting on that answers she wanted.

Rachel shook her head slightly before she made her way into the kitchen. Honestly, it wasn't as if not telling their friends about the news wasn't difficult for her in the last month and a half, either.

As she turned into the kitchen, she came to a surprised stop as she saw that she wasn't alone, "Shelby! When did you get here?"

Her mother was sitting at the table, sorting through the bags and items she had presumably picked up from her last-minute Christmas shopping this afternoon. The older woman gave her a small smile over her shoulder, "About ten minutes ago, you all seemed pretty absorbed in the story you were telling, so I didn't want to interrupt."

She felt a smile tugging at her lips as well, and even though it had been years now since the majority of her bad feelings had dissipated, how far they'd come was something Rachel was always aware of, even if on a subconscious level, "It's… nothing you haven't already heard before."

More or less.

Shelby gave her another small but warm smile before she turned back around to sort through her bags.

For a second, she was taken in by how strange this all was. Usually, the reminder that they were at this place in their relationship at this point was something that gave Rachel a pleasant warmth in the pit of her stomach. But in the face of just how far they'd come – after thinking about the beginning of this path they'd traveled while retelling it to the people in the other room – it astounded her.

None of it had been easy, and it had all been a slow process. But they were here now, at a point where Shelby felt comfortable coming into her apartment after shopping while planning on spending, and what was more than that, Rachel felt comfortable with it, too.

It was almost jarring, in all honesty, to have this present and the past juxtaposed like that.

When Shelby sent her another look, her eyebrow quirked slightly in question, Rachel shook herself out of her thoughts and got back to her original goal, pouring herself a glass of water as her mother asked, "I didn't expect to see Kurt and Santana here. I thought they were supposed to be meeting us at the restaurant. Unless I heard the plans wrong."

Rachel released a quick huff of exasperation as she placed the glass in the sink, even though she couldn't stop her grin, "You're not incorrect. They… just came over."

"And got sucked into your story?" Shelby guessed, and Rachel's dark eyes lit up in amusement.

She confirmed, "Exactly." A quick glance toward the clock at the top of the stove revealed to her that Quinn, Frannie, and the bundle of their combined parents were supposed to be returning soon and that she still had an audience virtually waiting on baited breath, "I should get back to it."

"I'll be here," Shelby gestured to the myriad of items she had sprawled out around her on the table. The older woman turned slightly, before Rachel saw her forehead furrow slightly in thought as she turned back to face Rachel, "I know we haven't had much time to spend together so far on this trip, but… I'm really glad that we'll be spending the holidays together, Rachel."

Her words stopped Rachel from leaving the room as she'd been on her way to do, and she wouldn't have been able to stop the absolute happiness spread through her if she'd tried, "Me, too."

The words came out without really even having to think about them, but they were the absolute truth. While they'd clearly become closer, this was the first time that Beth and Shelby would actually be in New York and spending the holiday with them.

With one last smile, she started making her way back to the living room, with a spring in her step. And, granted, she was walking a little quickly because she had a renewed excitement to finish the story before Quinn would arrive and they would go out to tell everyone their latest news.

As she walked back in, she saw Santana leaning forward in her seat, glaring at Liz, who looked back at her defiantly, while the others watched in amusement – especially Kurt, the delight in his eyes more than apparent.

"What did I miss?" she narrowed her eyes, at Santana, as her hands went to her hips and she waited for a response.

She wasn't let down, as Santana immediately turned her glare to Rachel, "She called m-Naughty bear a bad friend for interrupting the date!"

A laugh bubbled up in her throat as she lifted her eyebrows – the amusement, especially Kurt's, was all clear now. Liz nearly jumped up from her seat in her own defense, "Well, she was! All Goldilocks wanted was to spend some time alone with Tinkerbell and get that magical date with her and she did all that work, and then Naughty bear wouldn't just leave!"

"That doesn't make her a bad friend," Santana retorted, "It means she was being a cock-bl-"

Kurt had already put his hands quickly over James' ears but Rachel hissed out, "Santana!" before she could finish. Not that it really matter, anyway, with Alex's eyes already wide and imploring, trying to figure out what she'd been saying.

Her friend shrugged, but gave in to sit back against the couch as she grumbled, "It's the truth."

Eager to change the subject, Rachel stepped over James, and took her seat on the floor once more, "Anyway, the end of summer was approaching…"

---

"So, honey, do you have anything to… tell us?" Her dad, Hiram, prodded, as Rachel could see her daddy nodding next to him across from her at the dinner table.

Their mostly-finished pizza lay between them, and Rachel looked back and forth, before she sighed, "Okay, no, I still haven't finished clearing out my closet."

She was admittedly and woefully behind schedule to finish packing. And it really was cutting everything close in terms of the timeline they were on. It was already the beginning of August; the play would be opening in just under three weeks, running for a week, and then only a day after it closed, her dads would officially be moving. Two days after that, Rachel would have to be back in New York for the new semester.

"That's not –" Hiram only got through half a sigh before what she said seemed to catch up with him, "What? I thought you were going to have that done last week!" the need Rachel had to be punctual and have everything orderly had been picked up from him – and hers was toned down.

Rachel rolled her eyes with a fond smile pulling at her mouth, "Dad, while I might be behind in packing, I promise you that I'm a grown woman and I will make sure I have everything done on time for the move. When have you known me to be behind schedule?"

Aside from right now, she added mentally.

But her dad nodded, reluctantly. And Leroy shook his head before he cleared his own throat, "How about you tell us a little more about the reason of why you're so behind?"

Rachel bit her lip, feeling her cheeks heat up just a bit, "Well, rehearsal has been getting… intense lately. You know, we are extremely close to opening day."

It was the question that got Hiram back on track as he sat forward, "Yes, but is there something else that has you distracted? Someone else, perhaps?"

Of course her dads were right; since the night that she and Quinn had shared their first kiss, almost two weeks ago, they'd been spending even more time together. Maybe that wasn't the correct way to phrase it, as they had already been seeing each other nearly every day. But Rachel was certainly far more reluctant to go home after a dinner date or a coffee date now, when things were getting so much more personal between the two of them.

They'd been getting close before, and now they were starting to talk about even more. Delving into relationship pasts and dipping their toes into more unchartered territory; it was thrilling, to be honest.

And that wasn't even talking about the –

"The someone we might have spotted you kissing in the car last night," Hiram added for good measure.

Rachel's mouth fell open, "Were you spying on me through the window? Dad, you're aware that I'm twenty-years-old, right?"

Her dad rolled his eyes dramatically, "Well we wouldn't have to spy if you would just tell us who your mystery woman was. Besides, it was hardly spying; you two were parked, right outside, in a bright red car."

Leroy's eyes glowed with amusement, his voice laced with mock disappointment, "I didn't even get to make my joke about cleaning out a different kind of closet. But, really, are we going to have to go through every pretty blonde you might know in this town before you finally tell us who's had you smiling and texting up a storm?" He turned to look at his husband, "It was a blonde, right?"

Feeling her cheeks heat up, she sat straight up before her dad chimed in, nodding, "Definitely a blonde."

Tossing her hands in the air, she sighed, "Okay! Okay, it's Quinn Fabray. Yes, the director of the musical that I'm currently starting in at the Lima Community Center."

Both of her fathers stared at her for a few moments, before her dad asked slowly, "Isn't she that girl who bullied you in high school? For years?"

And this was one of the primary reasons that she hadn't exactly mentioned Quinn to her fathers yet. High school might have been over, but she was well aware that her dads were still her dads. She could already see the judgment clouding in, so quickly, she started to defend, "Okay, yes, she historically was not the nicest person –"

Her dad's teasing smile had completely disappeared by now and was brewing into an unhappy frown, "Didn't she throw food at your face?"

It took her a second to connect, before she corrected, "Slushies," and then grimaced, because that probably was not going to help, "But, might I remind you, those stopped before high school even ended. Not to mention, that is the past. You both know I've grown since high school; Quinn certainly has as well."

The Quinn Fabray she'd known – albeit not very well – in high school would never have jumped through hoops to create them a romantic evening. She never would have sat through the rant Rachel had gone off on about a song on the radio as she drove her home last night. She never would have been smiling at the end of said rant with a smile on her face, or responded by shaking her head slightly and leaning in and capturing Rachel's mouth in a kiss.

Which evolved into longer, heavier kisses.

Clearing her throat softly, she shook her head and brought herself back to the present as both of her dads gave her a look, before exchanging one – wordlessly communicating in a way they'd had since she'd been very young. It was always something she'd enjoyed seeing between them, but right now it just made her sigh.

Which drew their attention back to her, and it was her daddy who spoke first, and she could see that it was slightly forced, "Okay, we'll give her a fair chance. But when do we actually get to meet her? I know this summer has been a little crazy, with our work schedules and the move, but we would still make time for our daughter's girlfriend," his voice took on a slightly teasing tone.

But Rachel bit her lip and sat back against her chair, feeling a little unsure, "I'm – I don't know, daddy. Quinn is very busy this summer as well," she hedged. Which was true, Quinn had the show to direct and her daughter to connect with, which was a whole other issue that Rachel was not discussing with her parents yet.

And the word girlfriend gave her pause. Though they were certainly going on dates, and ending those dates in a decidedly amorous manner, there hadn't been a label put on it yet. Not that it wasn't something she'd thought about.

However, she managed to reason with herself that what had been happening between them had only been going on for a couple of weeks, and beyond that – they had their own lives to go back to, outside of Lima, in less than a month. Rachel would go back to New York and throw herself back into NYADA, and Quinn would go back to New Haven.

This could be a real-life summer fling. Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson with a more feminine twist, and in reverse, seeing as how they'd met by going to the same high school and now were experiencing this chance meeting with a summer romance.

Her answer clearly left them unhappy, especially her dad, as he huffed out a breath in a manner very similar to her own. And she knew that it was because he felt very put out over the fact that they didn't get to meet any of her beaus since she'd moved to New York.

Not that there had been anyone super serious in the last couple of years, but it was still something her dad lamented about.

"We're all busy," he grumbled, as her daddy started to clear the table, after nudging his husband with his shoulder.

She wondered if Quinn would be interested in meeting her dads – after all, she'd met Quinn's mom, sister, and niece. Her mother a few times, at this point. And they were going to meet on the opening night of the musical no matter what.

Acquiescing, she also started to clear the table as she told them, "I'll ask her over, maybe sometime next week."

As it turned out, she didn't have to wait to ask Quinn over to meet her dads. A couple of hours later, Rachel was immersed in her to-do list. Though she'd had so much time to pack already this summer, it occurred to her that the few things she'd managed to get done already really hadn't made that big of a dent.

Now dressed in an old pair of yoga shorts, a t-shirt that she wore when lounging around her apartment, and hair tossed into a bun, she felt motivated to pack.

It was also easier, given the fact that Quinn was busy this evening and Kurt was on vacation with Blaine and virtually unreachable, so she had no distractions. She was buried in her closed, submerged in piles of clothing, when there was a knock on her door.

Assuming it was one of her fathers with some more boxes to give her she called out, "Come in!" as she continued to debate over whether or not to keep the sweater she had in hand.

And her mouth fell open in surprise when she heard, "I didn't know exactly what to expect from Rachel Berry's room, but I didn't think it would be this messy," in a low, teasing tone that sent shivers down her spine.

Spinning around, she gaped at the blonde standing next to her bed, unfolded boxes securely in her arms, and a little smirk in place on those soft pink lips as hazel eyes looked around her room, taking it in, before they came back to land on Rachel.

Who blushed, and quickly stepped forward – hopping fairly ungracefully over one of her piles – to take the boxes from the blonde, "I'm typically very organized, I will have you know."

She brushed her hands over Quinn's deliberately, enjoying the way her stomach jumped at the contact, before she placed the boxes on the floor, as Quinn grinned, "Mhmm. I'll bet."

Before the indignant defense that was already on her tongue could fall from her mouth, her eyes widened in realization, "You're here!" And then she shook her head with how ridiculous that must have sounded before she expanded, "I just mean, did my dads say… anything to you?"

Because of course, in order for Quinn to be standing here in front of her, she must have been let in by one of or both of her parents.

The amused spark that was alight in those hazel eyes dampened slightly, replaced by confusion, "They introduced themselves and asked if I would mind bringing you these boxes."

Rachel let out a relieved breath as she nodded; the last thing she needed was for her dad to scare Quinn off, "Okay, good."

The confusion was still evident as Quinn ran her eyes up and down Rachel's face before she bit her lip, "Is it okay that I just stopped by? I was driving home, and when I passed your street, I just wanted to see you," her voice was low and smoky, and more than enough for Rachel to momentarily get lost in, before a mischievous smile flashed over her features, "And it's not like you haven't shown up out of the blue and surprised me before."

Rachel couldn't contain her smile as she shook her head, "You are more than welcome to surprise me at any time," she didn't know how many words she had meant as sincerely as those. "And I'm glad I get to see you today, too. How were Brittany and Santana?"

They hadn't gone on their routine coffee and/or dinner date today, because it had been one of the evenings that Santana had allocated to them, saying that soon the summer was going to be over and they wanted to get time in with Quinn before they were headed back to LA. Rachel couldn't blame them for the sentiment; she wanted the same thing.

She wouldn't, however, pretend that it didn't please her unequivocally that Quinn would gripe about when her time with Brittany and Santana took away from time with her, as she had for a little while earlier.

The blonde smiled before rolling her eyes, "It was fun, until Santana insisted we go to Breadstix for dinner. Again."

Rachel chuckled, thinking about how Quinn was constantly irritated with her friend's love of the faux-Italian restaurant. She'd sat through an irritated rant from Quinn last week about the restaurant and how she'd had more than her fair share in high school. It had been an extremely fun time for her, seeing as how – thus far – she didn't get many rants coming from Quinn.

Not to mention, Rachel agreed with the sentiment. She also was confounded at the fact that the restaurant was the go-to place for so much of their old peers.

Quinn bit her lip before she looked at the clothing piles over Rachel's shoulder, "So, what is going on with all of this?"

Rachel had forgotten completely that they were in the middle of her room, surrounded by her mess, and she spun around, "Oh! Well, I've actually gotten around to clearing out my clothes. I can pause, if you'd like, and we could… watch a movie?"

She hoped that the implication of not watching a movie was clear. Though they hadn't had sex yet, and Rachel didn't actually plan on doing so while her dads were right downstairs – especially when this was the first time Quinn had come over and both of her parents were weary of her – there was absolutely no harm in some kissing.

And… perhaps a little touching, too. She wasn't one to move too quickly with any partner, and maybe what was going on between them hadn't been happening for very long, but Rachel felt like she'd been set aflame by it already. She was more than ready to explore.

Just the thought of it had her licking her lips in anticipation as she waited for Quinn to respond.

And she was entirely too disappointed when Quinn easily shook her head and stepped around Rachel, brushing against her shoulder as she walked over the piles, "No, I'll help you pack."

Which, okay, was sweet, and Rachel found she couldn't hold on to her disappointment too much, as she walked back to where she'd been standing before, and she pointed at the larger pile, "Those are clothes to be donated," then she moved to the marginally smaller one, "And those are coming back to New York with me. I'm also trying to figure out if there is something viable to wear to the cast party next week, or if I'll end up wearing the black dress I wore to your house."

Quinn nodded, her voice low enough to send shivers down Rachel's spine as she murmured, "That dress was very nice," as she looked at the clothes in each pile, and Rachel bent to pick up the sweater she'd been considering before Quinn had surprised her. It was dark green, with a reindeer emblazoned on the front – it had been her favorite in high school, before her tastes had started to evolve, with influence from Kurt.

And it definitely wouldn't be something she wore now, even by her own choice, she thought with a sigh, and decided that she already had such limited space in her and Kurt's apartment, that this would just take up too much of it to keep for the memories.

She was about to put it in the donate pile, when Quinn's voice stopped her, "You don't wear that anymore?"

Eyebrows scrunching together in confusion, Rachel gazed up at the blonde – who was standing closer to her now that she'd been a minute ago, "You've seen me all summer! Have you seen me in this kind of thing?"

Quinn pulled her bottom lip between her teeth before she asked, "What about the argyle? And the plaid skirts?"

Puzzled, she shrugged, "I don't know, occasionally some of the skirts. As I said, you've seen me all summer." She shook her head slightly until she placed the look on Quinn's face.

It was the same look that she'd seen last night in Quinn's car, as she'd drawn away. A slight flush, darkened eyes… it was a hungry kind of stare, and it shot a thrill through her, as she teased, "What, would you like for me to put it on?"

Quinn lifted an eyebrow at her, before she bluntly stated, "Yeah. Wear it to the cast party," she encouraged, and the look on her face was… scarily not reading as a joke, still looking at her with eyes that spoke of devouring.

A surprised laugh fought its way out of her throat even as she flushed, and she filed it away to think about it more at length later, about Quinn's apparent… enjoyment of the clothes she once teased her about.

But for now, she couldn't resist leaning in to capture Quinn's lips with hers, especially when she realized she hadn't done it already since Quinn had arrived. She brushed her mouth against Quinn's, softly, as a smile still played on her lips. Lightly, she nuzzled their noses together, before she sighed and settled in for a longer but still sweet kiss.

Before she felt Quinn's hands grasp firmly at her hips, and she gasped as she was pulled closer, her body settling in snugly against the blonde's taller one, as Quinn sought to deepen their kiss. Rachel gladly welcomed her entrance, a low moan escaping as their tongues stroked.

She slid her hands up, one arm wrapping around slim shoulders, as the other threaded into soft blonde hair, scratching lightly. And she was already questioning her own resolve to not go too far with her dads in the house – what could really be the harm in moving this to the bed?

Quinn's hand fisted in the back of her shirt before she pulled away, just enough for an inch of air between them, and she could feel Quinn's soft, warm breaths against her mouth. It really just made her even more disappointed for the breaking of the kiss.

But before she could question it, Quinn murmured, "Don't think I missed your watching a movie invitation. I fully intend to take up the offer; I just wanted to get a look at your old wardrobe first."

She shook her head slightly, brushing her lips over Quinn's again in the process, as she let out a soft chuckle, "You are an enigma, Quinn Fabray."

Quinn walked them backwards, pressing Rachel against the wall and trapping her there with her body in a move that stole her breath and shot arousal through her, as Quinn husked into her ear, "Maybe you're just oblivious, Rachel Berry."

And Rachel resolved to ponder that later, too. But for now, Quinn's mouth descended on hers again, pulling her bottom lip between hers and sucking on it in a way that Rachel felt all the way down to her toes.

She slid her hands under Quinn's shirt, feeling her skin hot to the touch, and incredibly soft. And she lightly scratched her nails over the small over her back, which made Quinn moan into her mouth, and push more firmly against her, the entire lengths of their bodies closer than they'd ever been.

Her nipples hardened and she very much wanted Quinn to touch her there. As she slipped her tongue into the blonde's mouth again, she reached back and pried Quinn's hand from her shirt, moving it to her front, and slipping it under the hem.

She shuddered when Quinn's hand flexed against her hip, and trailed up her body. As Quinn's thumb stroked over her nipple, she broke their kiss and her head fell back against the wall, a low groan falling from between her lips, as she pressed her hips against Quinn's, uncontrollably.

And Quinn pressed back, dragging her mouth down Rachel's neck, lips trailing before she scraped her teeth against her.

She'd never been more disappointed that she was home, with her parents right downstairs, in her entire life. Regardless, they could still have a good time if not as much as she wanted right now, and she ran her hands up Quinn's back, feeling her lithe muscles move under her palms.

There was no way Rachel could let herself get too caught up in thinking about what was going to happen in their future, because what was happening was far, far too good.

Unfortunately, Rachel realized later that week, that she couldn't use that philosophy for everything that was currently unresolved in her life. She was walking slowly up the walkway she felt like she knew very well, but had really only walked up twice, her hands clasping together in front of her, fingers squeezing like if they squeezed hard enough, her nerves would disappear.

It didn't work.

But this had to be done; it wasn't something she could put off anymore, because she'd spent too long putting it off and now the summer was almost gone. She knew that she would regret not seeing Shelby and if not forming any sort of bond, at least getting closure.

It had been, after all, one of the main reasons that she'd returned to Lima for the summer. And in light of the absolutely enchanting developments in her personal life, she thought with a slight smile to herself, she couldn't regret that.

She knocked on the door and kept that in mind.

This time, when Shelby swung it open, there was no surprise on her face – Rachel supposed that happened when she actually called in advance – but a smile that she could read nerves in. For an inexplicable reason, the idea that Shelby was nervous made Rachel feel slightly less so, and she took a deep breath as she straightened her shoulders, "Hello."

Her mother's smile became slightly less nerve-filled, "Hi, Rachel. Would you like to come in?"

As she nodded, Shelby opened the door wider, allowing her to step in. It was the first time she'd actually entered the house from the front door, and as she started to follow Shelby down the hallway, she took note of the small details she'd missed before. The pictures – of Beth, Beth and Shelby together, or with various other people that Rachel assumed were relatives – as well as the other mementos that told her this was a home, with a family living in it, much like her home with her dads.

Shelby came to a stop as she walked into the kitchen and she gestured at the table, "I thought maybe we could talk a bit. Maybe have some iced tea?"

Rachel was already nodding slowly, her stomach twisting uncomfortably, as she moved to take a seat at the table. She cleared her throat as she smoothed her hands over her shorts, "I'd love a glass of iced tea, thank you."

She kept her eyes on the older woman as she poured them each a glass from a pitcher in the fridge before she turned around to place them on the table, and commented stiltedly, "There's nothing better than a glass of iced tea in the middle of a summer day."

Rachel found herself nodding in agreement, a small smile taking over as she thought about the many summer days she'd spent with Kurt sprawled out in their apartment during the last couple of summers, feeling like they were dying of heat, as they would drink iced tea, "I agree."

It wasn't long before Shelby set aside her glass and spoke to her, quietly, "Rachel, I was so happy when you called. I know you're going back to New York in a few weeks, and I didn't want to push you, but… I wanted to see you before you left."

She could hear how genuine Shelby sounded, and that loosened the knot in her stomach that much more, a niggling feeling of happiness trying to claw its way out. However, she remained cautious, even as she responded in kind, "I wanted to see you, too."

There was a flash of surprise across Shelby's face before she said, "I know that there aren't any guarantees about what I can ask of you and vice versa, but I do want you to know that I've thought about what you said, the last time you were here."

When Rachel had shown up out of the blue after a rehearsal almost two months ago. It wasn't exactly her finest of moments, she knew, and she grimaced as Shelby continued.

"I understand why you felt upset by everything that's happened, and why you were… blindsided by Beth. And I want you to know that I'm so sorry for what happened, in the past. For how I handled things," her voice was low and open, and Rachel couldn't deny that she was starting to hang on every word, "I never should have broken my agreement with your fathers about contacting you a few years ago, because neither of us was ready."

And she understood that. That Shelby hadn't been ready for her, and that she had been ready for a mom, but she'd been so ready that youthful imagination of having that role filled had very much complicated her expectations.

Shaking her head lightly, she drew her fingertips over her glass, collecting the condensation, "What makes you think we're ready now?" She couldn't help the question from slipping out.

But the fact remained that under everything – under the betrayal she'd felt upon learning that Shelby adopted a baby right after discarding her, under the rejection that had colored their relationship from their initial reunion a few years ago – what she mostly felt when it came to Shelby was fear.

Before Shelby could say anything to placate her, she explained quietly, "You started to get to know me once, and you didn't want to anymore," the hurt she felt at that was still very present. While she knew she would be able to survive it if they started to embark on this road again only to have Shelby turn back, she definitely would opt out of experiencing that again.

Shelby closed her eyes for a moment as Rachel waited anxiously, "It was never that I didn't want to get to know you, Rachel. It was that… you were ready for a relationship that I didn't know how to fill. And it was too much."

"But what makes you think it won't still be too much?" she pushes, because she couldn't let it go. It just wasn't in her to do so, "I know that you're not my mom, only my mother, this time. But while I am proud to say that I have matured and have more realistic outlooks – generally speaking – I'm still me," and Rachel was fully aware of what that meant. She was emotional, and she probably always would be. She got attached quickly, and she could rush into things.

And she didn't entirely understand the smile on Shelby's face, but it looked a lot like endearment, "I know you're still you, Rachel. But I've changed. I'm – I am a mom now, and that's such a big reason of why I want Beth's parents to be in her life now. Because I never want them to feel like they have to be in my position," she took a deep breath, "And I would hate it if anyone made Beth feel the way I made you feel."

Rachel had no control over the tears that sprung to her eyes, because the admission that Shelby had made some sort of a mistake and acknowledging that she'd deeply hurt her in the past… it was something she didn't even know she needed, "I think… that I would like it if we could stay in contact after I go back to New York."

The relief was evident on Shelby's face, a tentative smile on her mouth, "You would?"

"Yes," there was still a shadow of a doubt there, but… something inside of her told Rachel that this was the time to lead. So, she was leaping.

Shelby was looking at her with a small smile on her face and Rachel let her hands fall into a lap as silence settled between them – not quite uncomfortable silence, which was a relief – and her fingers pulled at the hem of her shorts in uncertainty, "I'm in a musical at the Lima Community Theatre. Jekyll & Hyde. It's premiering in two weeks, and… maybe you'd like to come?"

The small smile broke out into a large, full smile, "I would love to… actually, I already knew about the musical. Quinn's told me about directing it."

At the mention of Quinn, Rachel couldn't contain the smile. These days, it seemed to be an automatic occurrence, "She's actually very good."

Shelby's dark eyes narrowed in contemplation, and Rachel could hear the same tone in her voice as she said, "She thinks the same about you."

The idea that Quinn had said as much made pleased butterflies flutter in her stomach. Of course Rachel knew that she was a talented performer, but it was always great to hear praise. And it was even better knowing that the praise came from Quinn, and that she'd said it to others.

Her mother spoke slowly again after a few seconds of Rachel basking in the compliment, "Quinn actually speaks very highly of you, all around. You two are… friends?"

Rachel, once again, wasn't even surprised that Quinn spoke highly of her. Maybe once upon a time she would have been – namely, up until the beginning of the summer. But at this point, she'd made it abundantly clear that she very much enjoyed Rachel's company… among other things. But it didn't change how pleased she was.

At the descriptor of friends, her cheeks flushed, "I, um, yes. Quinn and I have become very friendly." Though she was feeling more open with Shelby as of the last half hour or so, she still didn't think they were at the right place in their relationship to discuss her love life. It was far, far too early. "She's with Beth today, right?"

Shelby nodded, "Yes. I asked her if she wanted to take her out for the afternoon, so we could have some time alone when you came over." She glanced at the clock on the stovetop, "Actually, they should be back any minute now…" she trailed off unsurely.

And Rachel saw this for what it was – the option for her to leave before Beth returned. But before she could even decide if she was ready to meet the little girl who was so connected to her through her mother and her… Quinn, she could hear the front door open, followed by giggling and little feet running down the hallway.

"Mama! Quinn took me to the park and then we got ice cream!" Beth came running into the kitchen, her head turning quickly as she tried to find Shelby, and there was excitement written all over her face, curly dark blonde hair in a messy ponytail. She lit up when she saw her mom, "And then she said that we could go swimming at her house soon, if you say it's okay." Then she peered beyond Shelby, making eye contact with Rachel, as she tilted her head to the side, the curiosity clear, "Who are you?"

For a moment, Rachel found herself just looking at the little girl in front of her. She'd been very unsure about this whole thing, and maybe she was still feeling a little unnerved but despite the complicated situation that this was for her, Beth was just… so cute. And she looked so much like Quinn, from the hazel tinted eyes to the curve of her jaw, that it was impossible not to smile at her.

Which really only grew when Beth came closer and stuck out her hand, as she announced, "I'm Beth!"

"I'm Rachel," she introduced herself, taking the small hand in hers and shaking it, amused with the firm way Beth shook hers back.

Beth squinted at her, "How do you know my mama?"

Everything came to a halt for Rachel, because how to explain that? More importantly, Rachel certainly didn't want to be the one to do it. But she was saved by the sound of the front door closing and Quinn's voice rang out as she walked swiftly down the hallway, "Beth, you didn't take your backpack –"

And much like Beth, Quinn came to a complete stop when she came into the kitchen and saw Rachel there. There was a confused look on her face as well, "Rachel?"

"Is Rachel your friend, too?" Beth questioned as she turned around and looked up at the blonde.

Rachel took that as an opportune moment to stand up, "I think I'll go, now."

Shelby's glance darted from her to Beth and then back to her, "You don't have to."

And Quinn looked at them both before she addressed Beth, who was looking up at her impatiently for an answer, "Yes, Rachel is my friend. A very good friend."

Regardless of what Shelby said, though, she did have to, because this… was more than enough for one day, "It was… nice to see you," she told Shelby before dark eyes flickered to Beth, who was looking at her once again, "And nice to meet you, Beth."

Quinn was still looking at her oddly, curiously, "I'll walk out with you," she offered, before she tore her gaze away and looked down at Beth, kneeling to give her a hug.

And Rachel could see in the look on Quinn's face, the contentment that flashed over her features as Beth hugged her back, that Shelby had no need to ever worry that Quinn would make Beth feel the way Shelby had made her feel.

She pulled back with a smile and a promise of, "I'll see you in a few days."

Beth responded with a bright smile, as Quinn and Shelby exchanged a few words, before Quinn tilted her head toward the doorway. Relieved for the way out, she sent a small smile to Shelby and Beth, and then was grateful for Quinn's hand snaking down her arm and brushing against her own. And she took the offer, entangling her fingers with the blonde's. The contact made the remaining uneasy feelings in her stomach fade as they stepped back out onto the porch in the sunlight.

Before they went any farther, though, Quinn used their joined hands to stop her, her thumb stroking over the back of her hand, "You didn't tell me you were coming here today."

It was a statement, but Rachel could hear the question of why. She bit her lip and looked at the closed door over Quinn's shoulder, "I felt like it was something I had to do by myself."

A look of understanding crossed over Quinn's features, but a small frown still popped up, revealing a cute crinkle between her eyebrows that Rachel had come to associate with whenever Quinn was feeling dissatisfied, "Still, we're – friends," she seemed to catch herself, before she added with a self-deprecating smile, "And we're a lot more than that." She tilted her head in a way that made the sun shine around her, and Rachel's heart stuttered because she didn't think she would see anything that looked more like an angel than Quinn did at that moment, as she murmured, "I would have wanted to be here for you."

It was really all she could take. Because she was already falling fast for the blonde, and all of the sweet moments she was discovering only made it happen faster. She rocked up to her tip toes to capture Quinn's mouth with hers in a quick kiss.

The kiss was just enough for a taste of the warmth and to experience the softness offered to her there. She was mindful that they were standing outside of Shelby's, and she didn't know exactly how much Quinn wanted Beth or Shelby to know about them. And she didn't know how much she wanted them to know for that matter.

But she did know that it was increasingly more difficult for her to not act like Quinn was her girlfriend, with or without the proper label, especially when she said things like that.

When she pulled back, she was met with the sweetest smile, and she was positive that her own mirrored it, as she squeezed Quinn's hand in her own, "It appears that you're here for me without even planning on it."

She'd started out this summer with the intention of getting to know Quinn Fabray better, and now she was trying her hardest to not fall completely head over heels for her.

It was something that she realized she had already utterly failed at, a few nights later.

Rachel hurried inside of the back entrance of the theatre, as she adjusted her dress. The cast party had started over thirty minutes ago, and while it was a party so there was no reason for her to feel guilty about not being on time, it didn't change the fact that she simply preferred to be punctual.

However, it couldn't be helped that she had some very specific plans in which to put into motion this evening, and preparations at her house had to be made. Those preparations had made her sacrifice her typical timeliness.

She could tell that the party was already in full swing when she arrived, taking in the large back room that was meagerly decorated, dim lighting, with a dance floor and a refreshment table, as well as several members of the cast and crew looking like they were more at a club than the theatre.

But she could understand their excitement; she was feeling decently well about the way the musical had turned out as well – they were in the last week of preparations. Dress rehearsals and run-throughs that would continue through the following week until opening night revealed that though there were still improvements that could be made. But Rachel could say without a doubt that she would not be the least bit embarrassed to have her name associated with the production.

Dark eyes scanned over the crowd until she caught sight of Quinn across the room, looking agitated as she talked to Asher, and the sight of the blonde, with her hair done up and leaving her shoulders bare in that red dress she'd worn the night that she'd made them dinner – the night of their first kiss – brought Rachel to a stop.

The first time she'd seen Quinn in that dress, she thought that she might pass out from how incredibly sexy it made her look. She'd been lightheaded with it, and she felt the same arousal now.

It made her anticipate the night ahead even more.

Rachel knew, logically, that she should circulate a bit. Talk to her fellow cast mates and the crew that had been working to make the show happen. It was what a gracious (co)star would do. Especially given that she'd spent the summer with these people and Rachel hadn't gotten to know the majority beyond a handful of generally pleasant experiences.

Unless she was assisting them in bettering themselves, which sometimes didn't go as positively as she thought it should.

And despite all of that, the first person she wanted to talk to in the room, in most rooms, was the gorgeous blonde that she'd spent so much of her time with already.

The decision to approach Quinn rather than mingle was made for her, when Quinn turned her head and they made eye contact, the irritated expression seemingly melting into a small smile that made her heart skip a beat.

However, her path was blocked by a different blonde, who more like stumbled in front of her, "Rachel!"

Tearing her gaze from Quinn, she looked up at Laura-the-paralegal, who played the other female lead. A polite smile worked its way up onto her mouth, which wasn't very difficult. Though they'd had some issues in the beginning, Laura had made remarkable improvements, and Rachel was ultimately impressed. If not with her sheer talent, with the effort she'd put in.

Laura grabbed Rachel's arm as she wobbled a bit unsteadily in her heels, which led Rachel to believe that she was apparently, already drunk. Rachel suspected that she might have indulged before the party had begun.

When she reached out to help stabilize the taller woman – really, she was over six inches taller than Rachel herself – Laura's eyes found hers blearily, "You came! Asher thought you wouldn't, but I knew you would. I mean, you put so much work in, you know?"

The mention of Asher made dark eyes narrow; her dislike of his unfounded arrogance – really, he was never using his theatre degree for anything more than community theatre – as well as his blatant feelings for Quinn that he repeatedly tried acted on despite Quinn's constant turning him down had only grown in the past months.

"I wouldn't have missed it," she assured her co-star. Which was nearly a lie, seeing as how she was more invested in the unofficial after-party than this particular party.

Laura just nodded vehemently, before her grip tightened slightly, "You really know what you're doing, though. Your fancy school in New York really must teach you a lot. Hey, how hard is it to get in there?"

Rachel bit her lip, and, unbidden, her eyes sought out Quinn once more as she looked around Laura, and the blonde was back to glaring at Asher, which made Rachel glare once again before she brought her attention back to the woman still peering down at her, waiting for an answer. She had to think back to what she'd been asked, before the question dawned on her.

And she tried to keep the look on her face more or less impassive rather than incredulous, "It is extremely competitive. I had no idea that you were interested in leaving your paralegal work."

"This summer taught me a lot, about singing and everything. I think it would be pretty fun to do. Who wants to be a paralegal forever?" she tilted her head, looking genuinely curious.

Rachel could be of no service in that matter, as her heart had always belonged to the theatre. As politely as she could, she nodded, "Might I suggest some more vocal lessons before you attempt a more professional setting?"

Laura's eyebrows drew down, "I guess that makes sense."

She nodded, looking past the blonde once more, to be met with Quinn already looking back at her. And even from across the room, she could read the look in hazel eyes clearly asking for help.

Who was Rachel to deny such a plea, "Laura, would you excuse me?"

The taller woman was already eyeing the refreshments table, as she nodded, "Sure. Talk to you later."

Rachel quickly approached, and she was already reveling in the warm smile Quinn gave her. Though her happiness was slightly tampered down by the look of frustration on Asher's face, as he tilted his head to acknowledge her, "Rachel. Lovely to see you this evening," and the sarcasm in his tone made her grit her teeth.

She glared at him, and took a step closer to Quinn's side, very much enjoying the way Quinn reached out and drew her closer with her hand on Rachel's lower back, "You as well, Asher. I hope you won't mind, but I'd like to steal my…" she paused for a moment, glancing at Quinn out of the corner of her eyes just to check, and was encouraged by the way the blonde's thumb stroked over the small of her back, a pleasant warmth settling over her as she finished with, "Date, for a dance."

Asher's mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again as he looked between them, eyes widening, "Your date?"

Quinn nodded, hazel eyes shining at Rachel in a way that made her entire body tingle as she confirmed, "Yes, my date."

"Date date?" he questioned incredulously.

Causing Rachel to sigh, "Yes, Asher, date date. We previously haven't made the cast and crew privy to our romantic entanglement due to the fact that Quinn wanted to maintain the respect she's garnered for her professional attitude this summer."

He was still looking between the two of them, his expression undiscernible, but Rachel was positive that she wouldn't like the next thing he was going to say no matter what. So she nodded firmly, "Now, if you'll excuse us."

The hand on her lower back was already directing her to walk away and toward the dance floor, and she complied as she looked up at Quinn, unsurely, "It's okay that I said that, right? Because now that Asher knows, everyone will know."

Quinn just looked down at her with this adorable, adoring smile on her lips, "I don't care at all." In a smooth move that surprised Rachel, and made her laugh even as her stomach erupted in butterflies, Quinn slid her hand to Rachel's using their hold to twirl her effortlessly before pulling her close and wrapping her arms around Rachel's waist as she started to move them in a slow rhythm, "In fact, I'm glad people will know."

A flush worked its way over Rachel's face, "Really?"

Quinn bit her lip as she looked down, and at that second, there was just a moment. The music played around them, and she felt Quinn's hands stroke over her back in a way that both elicited shivers and soothed her, as hazel eyes gazed into her own, looking so warm and open that it made her heart start to beat faster in her chest. She was worried to put a name on what it felt like.

And that was before Quinn confessed in a low voice, "Directing this show has been a great opportunity for me; I learned a lot and I like… most of the people here. But the truth is that there's only one person in the room right now that really matters."

If Rachel could have, she was positive she would have melted into a puddle on the floor. She beamed up at Quinn, just as the blonde's smile took a teasing turn, "That person is Asher, obviously."

"Quinn!" an indignant huff left her of its own accord, and she pulled back as she felt the magic moment die a bit between them. Though the joke wasn't quite enough to make her completely storm away.

But Quinn shook her head, tendrils of blonde hair swaying, as she simultaneously pulled Rachel closer and stepped forward once again, aligning their bodies together with the sway of the music. And she dipped her head, so that when she spoke, her voice was low and husky right into Rachel's ear, "Come on, you know that out of everyone in this room, there is only one person I would put this dress on for. Only one person I want to impress, and it happens to be the most talented person, who is also incredibly beautiful, and happens to be gracing me with a dance."

All right, Rachel didn't even remember the teasing joke that Quinn had made that broke the previous moment anymore. Her arms came up to circle around Quinn's neck, fingertips sliding into soft, blonde locks as she leaned forward to rest her head on Quinn's shoulder, inhaling her scent.

She could feel the content sigh that Quinn breathed out a moment later, as her arms shifted, wrapping fully around her, and she realized as they moved slowly along with the music that Quinn really was her perfect fit. Tall enough for Rachel to lean against comfortably, resting her head, but not so tall that she was dwarfed. Her slim body fitting so perfectly against her own.

She'd always suspected that it might be like this between them and now that it was confirmed, it made her heart feel like it was full. And other places feel… other things.

Shaking her head slightly, she felt her cheeks burn, as she couldn't resist leaning in and pressing a quick kiss against Quinn's neck, before she whispered, "Quinn?"

"Hmm?"

"My dads are at the new house for the night," she lightly scratched her nails down the back of Quinn's neck, "You should come over."

She didn't go into detail about the fact that she had been the one to suggest that they both go to the new house together tonight instead of their original plan of driving up tomorrow morning to spend the day there. And then she'd practically ushered them out of the house to ensure their absence. Then had come running around to get ready for this party while also making sure that the last step of her plan was in order for later.

Quinn sucked in a breath, and her fingers – which had been stroking lightly over Rachel's back – passed as she pulled back enough for hazel eyes to search Rachel's face, and the way her eyes darkened, as well as the spark in them, already had Rachel's throat running dry even before she husked out, "So, we'll have your house to ourselves?"

Her lips curved into a smile, "Mhmm. So, after we leave here…" she trailed off, thinking about the night ahead, as she slid her arms down, dragging her hands down Quinn's back, so they came to rest on full hips, and she could see the shiver that went through Quinn.

Who looked around, sucking on her teeth for a moment before she asked, "So how long do you think we have to stick around here before we leave?"

A laugh worked its way out of her, even though she was wondering the same thing, "Well, you are the director, and I am one of the stars, so… we should probably stay."

Quinn's eyes narrowed in thought, "I think that just means we have license to leave whenever we want."

Rachel knew, as the consummate professional she was, that it wasn't something that would reflect perfectly on them. But she couldn't disagree, not when she wanted Quinn, and they'd spent the last few weeks pushing the boundaries on their physical relationship but always having to stop.

She bounced up to her tiptoes and brushed her mouth over Quinn's, not caring if anyone was watching at this point, only pulling back enough to breath out, "Follow me to my house. And when you get there, come in and lock the door," she directed, to be met with Quinn lifting her eyebrow at her.

"Yes, Ms. Berry," she faux saluted, before she leaned in and slid her lips over Rachel's once again, murmuring, "One for the road," as she pulled away.

One for the road really hadn't been enough, she reflected as she drove home quickly.

But it was probably for the best that they didn't drive together, she reflected. Because she was already anticipating what was to come, and she would have been very distracted had Quinn been in the car with her. Being able to smell the subtle tones of her perfume… even watching her drive was something Rachel liked to do. She always looked very in control.

Knowing Quinn had left quickly after she had, Rachel rushed up the stairs and into her room for the final preparation of the evening. Which… she didn't even know if this would play out the way she hoped it would, but she was Rachel Barbra Berry, and she didn't do anything halfway.

As quickly as she could, she unzipped her dress and quickly changed, only managing to brush her hands over her hair to smooth it down when she heard Quinn walking down the hallway, asking, "Rachel?"

With a deep breath, her stomach in a mess with excitement and arousal and a little bit of nerves – it had been a while since she'd slept with anyone, and she'd certainly never had sex with Quinn Fabray – she pulled open her bedroom door, nearly jumping in surprise when she saw that Quinn was right outside of it. She cleared her throat and drew her shoulders up in a way that she knew she'd done in high school.

After all, she was a talented actress, and it wasn't difficult to play herself, "Quinn Fabray, in my own house."

The wondering she'd done about this step flew out the window as she watched Quinn draw back before raking her eyes down Rachel's body. Complete with the reindeer sweater Quinn had seemed to enjoy last week, the shortest of her plaid skirts she could find, and finished with a headband quickly placed in her hair.

She watched on a baited breath as Quinn's tongue traced over her lips, as hazel eyes tracked back up her body, a smirk playing on her mouth when she met dark eyes, and the hunger she saw in Quinn's stole her breath, "I can see why you wanted to get here before me."

She tugged at the hem of her sweater, "Do –"

The rest of her question was swallowed by Quinn, as plump pink lips descended on her own. She gasped at the hunger there, her hands coming up to grasp at Quinn's shoulders as the blonde nipped at her bottom lip with her teeth, and it made her shiver.

Quinn took a step forward, sliding her hands down to cup over Rachel's hips as she started to back Rachel into her bedroom, as her tongue flicked up and stroked along the roof of Rachel's mouth in a way that made her knees weak.

It was then that she remembered – this was her planned evening to take Quinn, and she slid her hands to trace over Quinn's sides before she grasped at her waist and spun them, walking until Quinn's back was against her bedpost, and she surged forward, to take another taste of Quinn's mouth before she dragged her mouth away, starting on a journey down Quinn's neck.

God, she thought it should be impossible for skin to be this smooth, and she was itching to feel how smooth she was everywhere, as she lightly nipped at Quinn's throat. The resounding moan that reverberated through Quinn's body shot Rachel's arousal through the roof, and she could already feel how wet she was.

Her hips pressed against Quinn's, whose own ground back against her, and she groaned when she felt Quinn's hand land on her thigh, squeezing gently, before it slid up under the fabric of her skirt, and then gripped as another hand landed in Rachel's hair pulling her back, so she could meet dilated hazel eyes, as Quinn growled out, "You have no idea how long I've wanted this."

Rachel spared a look down at herself, before looking back at the blonde, "I think I'm starting to have an idea."

Quinn didn't even care enough to retort before she used the hand she had buried in dark locks to pull Rachel in close to her again, as she ducked down to set her mouth over Rachel's once more.

She sucked on Quinn's tongue, feeling her groan, as the hand in her hair tightened once more, before it slid down, and came to trace over the hem of Rachel's sweater, not hesitating before slipping under, and tracking up her stomach, until the backs of her fingers reached the underside of Rachel's breast.

With a whimper, she tried to press herself even closer, rocking her hips against Quinn's as she felt Quinn pinch at her nipple, shooting sparks through her nerve-endings. Quinn's fingers were… magical, she decided, as she moaned into her mouth.

Her own hands tracked up the back of Quinn's dress, because this dress was a lady killer. And Rachel was a victim. The dress had to be brought down. To her bedroom floor. Her fingers found the zipper, and she only pulled it down an inch before she paused and ended their kiss, intending to double check.

And was met with Quinn's hand sliding down, fingers scratching over Rachel's stomach, making her quiver, as she nodded, quickly, her voice low and urgent, "Just – take it off."

Good. Great. Rachel's hands were nearly shaking from how turned on she already was as Quinn's fingers dug into her thigh, and she undid the zipper as soon as she could, her breath catching in her throat, as she stepped back enough for the dress to fall to the ground.

Taking in Quinn standing in front of her with only a pair of black panties on was almost enough to bring Rachel to her knees. She was all smooth pale skin – from her tones arms and legs to her flat stomach – and, her breasts were so… perfect. Perfectly rounded and tipped with pink nipples that were begging for her attention.

And Rachel's mouth watered with want to give it to them, as she breathed out, "You're so beautiful, Quinn."

The blonde's cheeks flushed as she bit her lip, and she brought both of her hands to the waist of Rachel's skirt, dipping her fingers in to pull Rachel closer again. But Rachel averted the kiss, and ducked her head, placing kisses along Quinn's shoulder, then trailing them down her collarbone, as she slid her hands up to cup Quinn's breasts, bringing her mouth to wrap around an already hard nipple, relishing in the way Quinn's hands tightened against her, holding her, as she moaned.

She laved her tongue over the bud in her mouth, tasting Quinn, as she lifted her leg, pressing it between the blonde's and she could feel how hot and wet she was for her even though the thin fabric of both Quinn's underwear and her own skirt.

The feeling of it made Rachel groan against Quinn's breast, but she wasn't stopping for anything. Not when she had so much to explore.

That turned out to be not so true, when only moments later, Quinn's fingers tunneled into her hair and made her lift her head up to her own, lips crashing down on hers, and before she knew it, Quinn had them turned around, her hands sliding under Rachel's thighs and simultaneously lifting and pushing Rachel back, and she found herself lying on her back.

Dark eyes blinked open, and she thought that she might have died and gone to an afterlife when it was a naked, hungry, Quinn on top of her. And she was more than ready to be devoured.

Pink lips captured her own again, as Quinn's hands grabbed hers and held them above her head while her bare thigh slipped between Rachel's. Quinn pulled Rachel's bottom lip between her own before she released it and moved to her ear, sucking on her lobe for a moment before she whispered, "I know that you've arranged this whole thing. But I've wanted you for so long, Rachel, that I'm going to go crazy if I don't make you come. Okay?"

Before the question was even posed, Rachel was already nodding. Yes, she had envisioned being the one to drive Quinn to the brink of orgasm first, and yes, she typically didn't like when things didn't go according to plan.

But if there was one person on the planet who could say no to Quinn wanting to make her come, Rachel was positive they were crazy. She was certain it was going to take Quinn only minutes to make her come as it was; she was soaked already.

And then something in the atmosphere shifted. She felt it in the way Quinn's thumbs stroked lightly over her wrists, before her mouth pressed a gentle kiss to Rachel's jaw. Then she was pulling back and her hands slid to the bottom of Rachel's sweater, slowly inching it up.

Followed by soft, sweet kisses pressing against her stomach, where she couldn't control her muscles twitching. She pushed up on her elbows to watch as Quinn continued to slowly inch up her sweater, loving on every inch of her skin that was revealed and it gave Rachel a crazy combination of arousal and warming her heart.

Then she pushed even higher, revealing her breasts, and she bit her lip in ridiculous waiting, because she wanted Quinn's mouth on her now, but darkened hazel eyes stared at her, taking her in for a few seconds, before she shook her head, and met her gaze, "You're perfect, Rachel."

She opened her mouth – she wasn't even sure to say what – before those perfect pink lips latched onto her nipple, and she fell back onto the bed, her hands sliding into blonde locks. Because Quinn's mouth was just as talented as her fingers had been minutes ago, and she couldn't control the whimpers that worked their way out of her throat, or the way her hips started to buck against Quinn's abdomen.

She wanted Quinn so fucking badly.

"Quinn," she panted, gasping and arching as teeth nipped lightly at her nipple, the feeling coursing through her entire body.

Her tongue soothed the area, before she pulled back, eyebrow lifted, "Hmm?"

It took her a moment to remember that she'd been trying to tell Quinn something, but it really wasn't that difficult to figure out with the insistent throbbing between her legs, "Touch me."

She didn't care how desperate she sounded. She didn't care that when Quinn touched her, she was going to feel her fingers dripping in Rachel's wetness. She just needed to be touched.

Luckily, Quinn was on the same page, and she nodded, her fingers dipping into the waistband of Rachel's skirt once more, as she slowly pulled it down, taking her panties with it. Rachel watched Quinn's eyes track the movement down her legs, before she dropped the clothing off of the side of the bed.

And then those hands slid lightly back up Rachel's legs, leaving goosebumps in their wake, before they settled warmly on her thighs, and Rachel parted her legs in both invitation and demand.

Quinn's fingertips stroked in gentle, nonsensical patterns for a few seconds, as hazel eyes tracked up the length of her body, before locking on dark ones, "Perfect," she husked out again, and the tone of her voice made Rachel shiver again.

Before Quinn ducked down, and started pressing soft, tantalizing kisses against Rachel's hips, and Rachel couldn't stop herself from pressing upwards, wanting the steadily growing coil in the pit of her stomach to be released, and she felt Quinn's mouth curve into a smile against her.

Fingertips traced lightly up the inside of Rachel's thighs and left her quaking in their wake – she didn't think she'd ever anticipated this so much. In fact, she knew it, and she wanted more than anything –

"Yes!" the word left her on a moan as Quinn's mouth dipped lower, and Rachel felt her tongue slide over her slit, ending on her clit.

Magical mouth, she thought dimly, and then she didn't think at all as Quinn's mouth latched onto her bundle of nerves, sucking lightly, as her fingertips traced over Rachel's folds, slightly dipping inside, before moving back out, and going back to teasing her.

The build of her orgasm was torturous, but Rachel knew it wouldn't take that much longer. Not with Quinn's mouth on her like that, and one of her hands dug into the comforter, trying to ground herself as she lifted her head, to see that blonde hair between her thighs and – god, just the image of it hurtled her that much closer to the edge.

Her other hand curled around the back of Quinn's head, and then she felt Quinn's shift, moving lower, before she pressed her tongue into Rachel, her nose brushing her clit, and Rachel fell back onto the bed, an uncontrollable cacophony of whimpers and moans leaving her mouth as her world started to implode.

Her orgasm crashed over her in waves, her hand tightening in Quinn's hair, holding her against her, and she felt time froze. Without a doubt, she'd never felt this much pleasure before.

Finally, she didn't know how much longer later, she fell back limply onto her bed, trying to catch her breath. She could dimly feel her leg twitching as Quinn's magical mouth gently lapped at her, before pressing a kiss to her thigh.

And then the vision that was Quinn, with her hair all mussed from Rachel's grip, and her mouth dripping with Rachel's wetness, a satisfied smile on her face, appeared above her. Dark eyes blinked open, and Rachel felt a large, lazy smile slide over her own face.

"You… are very good at that," she breathed out, and Quinn just smirked in response, before she lowered her head.

She paused just before she met Rachel's mouth, and she surged up, making the connection. Moaning at the taste of herself on Quinn's mouth, she adjusted so that she could press her leg up between strong thighs.

And she was met with the realization that Quinn had already slipped off her own panties, and even though Rachel had wanted that honor for herself, she couldn't begrudge the perfect feeling of Quinn's slick heat right against her thigh.

The blonde tossed her head back with a gasp, as she grinded herself back down on Rachel's leg, and she could not believe she had Quinn in her bed like this, or that Quinn was so wet from having made Rachel come.

She brought one of her hands up to slide into blonde locks, bringing Quinn's mouth back down to her own, before she rolled them over, using the leverage to push into Quinn harder, reveling in the way the blonde threw her head back into her bed, her eyes closed.

Rachel wanted to taste Quinn, too, but they had all night and all day tomorrow, and the first time she made Quinn Fabray come, she wanted to see her face. She continued moving her leg against Quinn, the blonde's hips jumping up against her as Quinn dug her fingers into the small of Rachel's back.

"It's really not going to take me long," Quinn told her, through gritted teeth and panting breaths.

It spurred Rachel to action, as she drew her hand over Quinn's breast, palming at her nipple, and drawing her fingertip lightly around it, loving the way she could see her shiver from it, before she slid her hand lower, before she slid her leg back from that heat.

Only to replace it with her fingers, and she drew two of them over Quinn's slit, marveling in how wet she was and the breath Quinn quickly sucked in, before she slid her fingers into tight, wet, heat.

The moan that tore out of Quinn's throat at the intrusion was all Rachel could handle, as she started to pump into the blonde. She was single-mindedly focused on making Quinn come around her fingers, needing to see what she looked like, hear how she sounded.

And Quinn was right; only minutes later, Rachel pumping her hand, rubbing Quinn's clit with her thumb, she felt Quinn tighten around her, clenching so tightly it took her breath away as Quinn gasped out her name, and Rachel had never felt more in awe in her entire life than of the beauty that was Quinn coming apart under her, around her.

She gently pulsed her fingers, working Quinn through her orgasm, before she gently pulled out as she felt the blonde twitch under her, and she leaned down, peppering kisses all over that perfect face.

Quinn's hands slowly came to life, scratching over her back, and Rachel smiled against her. Quinn's breathing was still labored as she murmured, "I'm not the only one who is really good."

Rachel chuckled as she brushed her mouth over Quinn's.

They made the best of their time alone together in the next couple of days.

---

"You okay over there, Berry?" Santana cut in, her voice devious.

Liz glared at her, "I think it's super romantic that they danced together after Tinkerbell helped Goldilocks get away from a stupid boy." She fixed her eyes on Rachel, "But what happened next?"

She looked at her curiously, as everyone did except for Kurt and Santana, who knew. But Rachel hadn't even realized she'd paused in telling the story. She'd gotten too lost on her own thoughts after cutting herself off from speaking things not safe for children's ears – basically leaving off that part of the story far before they'd left the party.

Feeling her cheeks blush, she shook her head and cleared her throat, "Well, they shared their very romantic dance, before they went back to Tinkerbell's house. For a slumber party. Meanwhile, the big summer ending show before they were to go back to each of their villages was about to open…"

---

The absolutely incredible flames that had now been fanned made the summer affair burn hotter than before. Which, in turn, made Rachel start to dread the end of the summer. At the beginning, she'd been unable to wait for the summer to fly by, and all of the sudden, she wanted to hit the brakes.

If she thought she and Quinn had spent a lot of time together before, it only increased in the following week leading up to opening night. They stole time together whenever they could, wherever they could.

And it had Rachel more nervous than anything about the impending end of the summer. It was rapidly approaching, though, and time to put it off was becoming scarce.

While the performer in her was more than thrilled about revealing Jekyll & Hyde to the public, it meant that her time with Quinn this summer was drawing to a close. And the thought of it hurt more than she wanted to admit.

Rachel sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror in the dressing room at the back of the theatre. The show must go on, and the show was going to be going on in about an hour. She was early, and thankfully alone, as she tried to sort out her thoughts.

At the knock on the door, she jumped and then felt her stomach dip in anticipation and excitement – because she was fairly certain it would be Quinn. She was looking forward to the fact that apparently the blonde had had the same thought about arriving early and that they would have some time together before the show, as she moved to open the door.

Only to be greeted with the smiling face of her best friend as she opened it, "Surprise!"

Her smile faded for a moment, only to be replaced by a different one, "Kurt! What are you doing here?" It dawned on her, "It now makes sense why you asked about where exactly I was, twenty minutes ago."

He grinned at her, stepping closer to her and wrapping his arms around her in a hug, "I told you at the beginning of the summer that I was going to be here for opening night. Did you think I was going to miss your Lima Community Theatre debut?"

She pulled a face at his teasing tone, and dark eyes rolled, even as she couldn't stop the smile on her face, "I didn't think you were going to be back from your vacation with Blaine already!" she'd thought they were going to be at Blaine's family's beach house through the next week.

Kurt's eyes twinkled mischievously, "All the better to surprise you." He gave her a final squeeze before pulling back and looking around the small dressing room. It was very small, shared by the female cast, and fairly messy, but he was already drawn to all of the costumes.

He walked past her, drawing his hands over the clothes before he asked, "Who were you expecting, hmm?"

Rachel cocked her head to the side, feigning innocence, "When?"

"Not that I don't think you're not happy to see me, but you had a special kind of a smile, on your face when you opened the door. Don't think I overlooked that," he shot her a look over his shoulder, a knowing smile.

She sighed, "Kurt, the building is empty. Who could I have been expecting?"

He didn't fall for it though, "Rachel Barbra Berry, after being friends for years, let along living together, you think I don't recognize that infatuated smile when I see it?" as soon as the words left his mouth, he gasped and spun around to face her, "You were expecting Quinn, weren't you?"

Her cheeks flushed, but she drew her shoulders up straight and proud, "Fine, yes, I was expecting Quinn."

He narrowed his eyes and walked back to her, observing her face, before his mouth fell open, "That's not what you look like when you have a crush! You two are together!" he pointed at her accusingly, before he practically screeched, "I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

Arms crossed, she huffed out a breath, "It's not as if I didn't want to tell you." That much was true; talking to Kurt would have been very helpful for her to help sort out the situation and her feelings on it, "Blame the fact that Blaine's family's summer house has practically no cell phone reception!"

"Spill. Everything," he directed, delight washing over his features, and she knew that she would have his rapt attention.

Mindful of the time, and that others would be showing up soon, she gave him an abridged version of their summer romance, "It all started when she invited me over for dinner a month ago," actually, she thought it started before that, but now wasn't the time to go into the details, "Brittany and Santana crashed it –"

Kurt winced, "She's still friends with them?"

With a shrug, she nodded, "Yes, and they're not as bad as they were in high school. In fact, the night wasn't bad at all. Quinn planned and cooked our dinner and she was wearing this beautiful dress, and we kissed."

Thinking about it even made her own stomach fill with adoring butterflies, which were mirrored on her best friend's face.

She went on to tell him about the other sweet moments and the sexy moments, leaving Kurt to stare at her, wide eyed, "I can't believe you had sex with Quinn Fabray."

Sometimes, she couldn't either. But that wasn't what was important here, "Kurt! Focus. What am I going to do?"

For a moment, his eyebrows drew together in confusion, "What do you mean what are you going to do? I –" then blue eyes widened, as he hissed out, "You're in love with her!"

"I – I'm not," she denied quickly. Because it was too soon for that, wasn't it? All right, maybe she did have feelings that felt like that, but she'd been doing her best to try to push them away as best as she could.

Kurt just gave her a knowing look, "You need to talk to her. What if she's in this the same way?"

There had been signs that Quinn was feeling as much as she was as well, but, "What if she isn't, Kurt? It wouldn't be the first time I've felt like I've been in love super quickly, and thought that I was on the same page, but it turned out that wasn't the case."

In fact, that had happened too many times for Rachel. She knew she fell too hard, too fast. And she'd been trying to get as much as she could out of her relationship with Quinn before that could combine with the distance that would soon be between them, and ruin anything between them.

Her best friend's face was sympathetic, "It's not like you have that much more time to not talk about it, Rach. You're going back to New York in less than a week."

"I know, I know," she sighed, and crossed her arms, "But that's still a few more days."

The fact was that she didn't want this perfect spell that had been set between them to be broken.

"I think you should talk to her sooner rather than later," he advised, and then opened his mouth to speak again, before he was cut off.

"Should I come back later?" Quinn asked from the doorway. The door that Kurt had forgotten to close after he'd entered.

Rachel jumped in surprise, as nerves tangled in her stomach – how much had Quinn heard? Dark eyes locked with Kurt's who was also looking wide-eyed for a moment, before he cleared his throat and his eyes lit up with a smile, "Hello Quinn."

She jumped forward between them, "Quinn, you remember Kurt, from high school?"

Pink lips that Rachel very much wanted to kiss in a quick greeting curved into a smirk, "Yes, Rachel, I remember your best friend that you've talked about many times this summer, whom you live with."

Kurt snickered, before he cleared his throat, "I think I should probably go get Blaine before the show starts. It was very nice to see you, Quinn," he gave her a large smile, before he walked behind her, and pointed very obviously before mouthing talk to her! behind her back.

She felt like her smile was strained as she tilted her head, telling him to leave.

Quinn looked at her, before she gently shut the door behind Kurt, and she leaned in to brush her mouth over Rachel's in a light, sweet kiss that Rachel had been craving.

But she drew back all too soon, lifting her hand to brush over Rachel's jaw lightly, as she murmured, "I heard him say that he think you should talk to her sooner rather than later. Am I right in thinking that I'm her?"

Rachel looked up into hazel eyes, and she could see the uncertainty there, and she cursed Kurt and his timing. She hadn't wanted to bring this up yet, but… with a deep breath, she nodded, "I'm just – he thinks I should talk to you about the fact that I'm sad that this is coming to an end." She gestured between them, and watched as Quinn's eyebrows shot up in confusion, so she rushed to continue, "I mean, I'm going back to New York in a week, and then you're going back to Yale, and our lives are in different places, and I've been wanting to know you and figure you out for so long, and now that I finally do have a handle on you, it's… ending."

She rambled, her stomach sinking with the realization that it really was all coming to an end, as she let out a sigh and looked up at Quinn again.

Who shook her head slightly, a small, inexplicable smirk on her lips, "You've been trying to figure me out?"

In all of what Rachel said, that was what Quinn focused on? Not her potential heartbreak? Exasperated, she nodded, "Well, yes. But I know you now."

Quinn stepped closer, into her space, as she asked in a low voice, "Do you?"

She swallowed and stepped back enough so that she could look into those hazel eyes, wanting to know what Quinn was feeling here, "Yes."

"Care to share?" She wasn't smirking anymore, and she was serious in her request.

So Rachel took a deep breath, "I've always known that you were a very passionate and intelligent person. But I've learned how much you love your daughter and seen how you worry about her and care for her and how vulnerable that can make you. I've seen how talented you are and how ambitious you are about your own future, and I know without a doubt that you are going places. I know that you used to hurt me because you were very much attracted to me, which explains a lot," she added with a small smile, her heart beating quickly in her chest.

Quinn's cheeks blushed a bit, and she sucked in a deep breath as she asked, "Is that it?"

She shook her head – there was so much she could say, "I know the little things. Like how you like your coffee. And how you like to sleep in, and how you read like you can never get enough. And the big things. About your family, and how strong you are and how much you've overcome to get to where you are, and that despite how amazing you are, you're just starting out." She released a sigh, her stomach tangled in knots as she expelled the truest thing, "I know you now, Quinn. And it's going to be very hard for me to let you go."

Dark eyes squeezed closed before they opened again to find Quinn shaking her head at her, before she reached out, and lightly trailed her fingers over the back of Rachel's hand, "You, Rachel Berry, are not a mystery," she spoke lowly, before she laced their fingers together, which Rachel allowed – wanted – even as her mouth fell open indignantly.

Which made Quinn smile as she continued, "You think you're insanely talented and you always have. And you are. You ramble a lot and have a lot of strong opinions. You love to cuddle. When you get upset, you do this adorable little frown. You've been hurt before, but you still are willing to give second chances and let people in, even when they haven't proven that they deserve it. Because you have the biggest heart."

Said heart was thundering in her chest, as Rachel could feel herself tearing up, because she'd never heard anything so sweet, and god, she was in love with this woman. She already knew it.

But Quinn wasn't done, "And you might feel like you've fallen for me too quickly, but I can assure you that it's mutual."

"So you did hear that," she whispered, and Quinn squeezed her hand.

"New York and New Haven aren't that far, and I have a few Metro North passes that I was going to give you in a few days that beg to differ with your idea that we have to let each other go," she reached down to take Rachel's other hand, and she couldn't stop herself from leaning in to kiss Quinn again.

She wanted the connection, and she loved the way Quinn sighed contentedly against her, before she leaned back and murmured, "I do know you, Rachel, but I want to know everything. And it doesn't have to end with the summer."

Rachel swore that that was the moment she knew that what she had with Quinn was going to make it farther than any other romantic relationship in her life. She'd known it felt different from anything else she'd ever felt before, but… that was when she knew.

And she used their interlocked hands to pull Quinn down toward her, pressing their lips together again, swearing that it was something she could never get enough of.

---

"And, she was right," Rachel added, with a small, dreamy smile.

She was met with several other smiles, and she looked down at James, who smiled up at her, "How did opening night go?"

Thinking back to her very first opening night, she answered, "It went very well. All of their friends and family members came to see them."

"Even Tinkerbell's mom? The Queen?" Beth asked, and Rachel was very pleased with herself that the teenager had stopped acting like she wasn't interested.

She nodded, "The Queen came, too."

"What happened to them? Did Tinkerbell sing for everyone back in her big city? What about Goldilocks?" Liz asked, leaning forward in her chair.

Biting her lip, Rachel's eyes darted up at the mantle where awards rested, "Tinkerbell, naturally, went on to sing in the big city. She won several awards for it, just like she always knew she would, with Goldilocks supporting her. And Goldilocks also won some awards for directing, before she started writing. Which she was also extremely talented at," she added.

Before anyone else could say anything, the sound of the front door opening interrupted once more, and several voices rang out, which was enough for the kids to all hop up, from where they were, Alex yelling, "Grandma's here!"

At the same time that James scrambled to get up, looking at Rachel in excitement, "Your dads are here, too!"

Her dads, who took to spoiling the little boy rotten. The kids quickly left the room, and the sounds of them greeting her dads and Quinn's mom could be heard several rooms away. Kurt and Santana soon followed, as Rachel also stood.

She smiled, feeling ridiculously pleased with… her life, really, and the way it had all turned out. With a small sigh, she bent down to start collecting the pillows and blankets from the floor, only to jump when she felt a hand brush over her butt.

She recognized the touch even as she stood up quickly, face melting into a warm smile at the sight of her wife, who was looking at her in concern, "Should I believe my eyes? You volunteered to be entertain all of the kids by yourself, and you lived to tell the tale?"

Still excited, she shook her head at the teasing, and dropped the blankets that she'd collected as she pushed upward to capture Quinn's mouth with hers. It might have gotten so much more familiar, but that feeling was still there. That feeling this gave her in the pit of her stomach, comforting and exciting all at once.

With a small hum as she got a taste, she pulled back and met hazel eyes with a bright smile, "It went so well!"

And Rachel was so incredibly relieved that it had gone so well. It showed her that despite the fact that she didn't have a ton of experience with a lot of children, despite the fact that she didn't like when messes were made or when things got out of hand, she could manage it. Which alleviated some of her stresses and her worries, and she knew that Quinn knew that. She could see it in her eyes.

As well as hear it in her voice, with her fond tone, "I'm very happy to heat that, baby." Then she quirked an eyebrow, "But why does Santana think we're leaving the country? Why didn't you just tell her about the townhouse?"

She felt an impish smile tug at her lips, as she looked at her wife through her eyelashes, "It was nice to know that she'd miss us. Besides, she's going to find out the truth at dinner, with everyone else."

And the truth was that their apartment was listed, Santana was right. But they were only moving to a new neighborhood. A neighborhood that was slightly nicer, quieter, and had more space, that they were soon going to need.

Dark eyes dropped to Quinn's stomach, followed by her hand, as she leaned into her wife and whispered, "How are both of my girls?"

She swore that she'd never seen a smile look warmer than Quinn's did whenever she talked to their baby, "Your girls are doing very well, despite the snow storm."

"Well, Emma is already exceptionally well-adjusted," she stroked her thumb over Quinn's still-flat stomach, unable to keep the affectionate smile from taking over.

Even as Quinn teased, "Is it Emma today?" her own hand came to rest over Rachel's, and their wedding rings brushed against one another as she stroked the back of Rachel's hand.

"I'm feeling nostalgic," she admitted, "I told them a story."

"I heard," the blonde arched her eyebrow, "Something about Tinkerbell and Goldilocks, falling in love?"

Rachel grinned, "Mhmm, it was an epic fairy tale, Quinn. Their love is one for the ages."

"I've never heard it," Quinn teased, dipping her head to press another quick kiss to Rachel's mouth as they were called by several of their visitors to come join them, "How did it end?" she asked against Rachel's lips.

She enjoyed the closeness for a few moments, before she answered, "Like all once upon a time stories, it ends happily every after."

---

Please let me know what you think!

Thank you so much for reading, I've enjoyed dipping my toes into writing for Rachel/Quinn so far! And thank you so, so much to everyone who has let me know your thoughts, and who has messaged me about the story :)