A/N: Chapter 3 and 4 both being as short as they are I decided to go ahead and publish both of them today. Enjoy.

Chapter 4

Quinn plays the piano for almost ten minutes uninterrupted before she realizes something, Rachel's still not here. Rachel is Miss Punctuality. Usually she's the one that's there fifteen minutes ahead of everyone else to berate the stragglers. How she manages that, no one's quite sure, but Quinn's got a secret theory that there's a time turner on Rachel's person somewhere. She's just about to go searching all the bathrooms in case Rachel got slushied when she comes walking on the stage opposite Quinn. "You're late. You're never late," Quinn says, "I found more of that tea you liked. It's…"

"We're friends, right?" Rachel asks.

"Uh…"

"I mean, I'm aware that you are generally reticent to actually say the word aloud," Rachel continues without heed of Quinn's answer, slowly striding toward Quinn leaving the barrier of the piano between them, "but I understand that actions speak louder words and your actions have generally been that of a friend. You've been there when I needed you, usually, stood up for me when it would have benefitted you socially not to, and defended my idea of writing original songs."

"Yes, Rachel," Quinn says, "We're… friends. What you're point?"

"My point… my point is I know we haven't spent a lot of time together this year but I thought we were close enough to be honest with each other," Rachel said visibly squaring her shoulders.

Quinn's pretty sure she knows where this is going. "Go ahead, ask me."

"Fine, are you and Finn together?"

"Yes," Quinn admits and just that simple act feels so good. She stands from the piano bench and makes her way to where Rachel is stood motionless. "It's been a couple of weeks. We were going to tell you, but we wanted the club to get through Regionals before we said anything. After the huge mess that was Sectionals we just wanted this to go smoothly." Quinn reading the massively conflicted look on Rachel's face, "You've never needed to be prompted to speak your mind before Rachel, don't start now."

"Thank you for being honest with me, Quinn. Now if I may, I'd like to repay that honesty by saying, how could you do this to me?"

"Do what, Rachel?" Quinn asks, "What exactly did I do to you?" Rachel opens her mouth to respond but Quinn cuts her off. "What exactly did I do to you that you didn't do to me first?"

"You… you… you…" Rachel almost never stammers, so Quinn knows full well that Rachel has no reply.

"Finn and I broke up before Sectionals last year. You and Finn broke up the day of Sectionals this year. You and Finn got together at Regionals last year. Finn and I got back together right before Regionals this year, so I got started a couple of weeks before you did but I had to watch you blatantly pining for him for months beforehand last year so I don't think that counts for much of a difference. And according to the divine rules of the sisterhood of women, as defined by you, he didn't break your heart, you broke his, so my dating him isn't some horrible offence."

Rachel is near tears. "I still have feelings for him," she says.

"I still had feelings for him too," Quinn bites out, "Why do you think we're back together? Why do you think he could tempt me away from Sam so easily? I never got over him. Just because I don't stand up in front of Glee Club and sing out my feelings for him at every available opportunity, making everyone else really uncomfortable, doesn't mean that they don't exist. But even through all of that, I was still there for you when you needed, listening to you bitch about him and comforting you when he said or did something hurtful. Are you a big enough person to do the same for me?" Rachel's jaw is set, clenched in visible anger. "Or does the world play by different rules when he's your ex-boyfriend?"

"Why are you being so mean?"

"It's called tough love, Rachel, and you are in desperate need of some," Quinn says, "Do you want to know how this story plays out? I get Finn, you get heartbroken, and then Finn and I stay here and start a family. I'll become a successful real estate agent, and Finn will take over Kurt's dad's tire shop." Quinn's voice breaks with emotion. She hates her vision of her own future, but that's for another time. "You don't belong here, Rachel, and you can't hate me for helping to send you on your way."

"No," Rachel shakes her head resolutely, "I'm not giving up on Finn. It's not over between us."

"Yes, it is!" Quinn snaps at her. She really hadn't meant to. It's just that well… "You're so frustrating, and that's why you can't write a good song…Because you live in this little schoolgirl fantasy of life. Rachel, if you keep looking for that happy ending, then you are never going to get it right." Quinn turns to look back the piano bench. "So we're done with that, and why don't we just return to our work, okay?"

"No, I think I'm gonna write this song on my own," Rachel says and quickly flees the stage in silent tears.