Quinn sat in glee club once again, she was barely paying attention to anything around her. That happened a lot lately, she couldn't seem to focus, constantly drifting in and out of thought. She snapped out of her reverie long enough to shoot the brunette sitting beside her a companiable grin, the diva returned her smile and turned back to zone into Mr Schue's debate on which group song they would be performing at Friday's pep assembly.

The blonde really didn't know what was going on in her life anymore. Sure she was still head cheerleader, people still parted like the Red Sea when she graced the halls of McKinley with her presence. But there was no rhyme or rhythm to her social status anymore. She spent most of her time hanging around the group of "misfits" ironically dubbed New Directions. Because that's exactly what she felt like they offered her, a way out. A different path then the one that had been decided for her by her rigidly coordinated people who called themselves her parents. They stuck together, eased each others burdens, and besides the odd quip or innuendo, they pretty much stayed out of everyone else's business. They were too busy fighting their own demons. Then there was Rachel.

"Please don't die Rachel ..please don't die .."

Quinn was shocked that day to say the least. She had always admired how strong the diva really was, naive sure, innocent probably, but always strong. Always there to take the moral high ground. She could recall the overwhelming relief when the brunette had finally responded to her makeshift first aid that day.

"Rachel! C'mon Rachel breathe." Quinn was at this point utterly hysterical, her only thought was "keep going, keep pumping, keep going .."

Eventually she felt the brunette stir beneath her. With a sudden gasp the diva's eyes shot open and she coughed up a small torrent of water.

Quinn fell back to a sitting position and started panting exhaustedly. Never taking her eyes off the diva who had rolled onto her side, still retching, chest heaving. Her eyes were raw red and she looked like a drowned angel. At least that's what the blonde thought, then banished the thought, horrified. After a few moments the brunette finally looked at Quinn.

"You saved me."

It wasn't a question. Nonetheless she saw Quinn nod, eyes still locked with the brunette's.

"I guess my dads should have invested in swimming lessons huh?" rasped the diva in a painfully obvious attempt at breaking the tension.

Quinn wasn't buying it.

"Why did you do it?" the blonde probed gently, careful not to set the brunette off again, aware that the darker girl had cringed and shut her eyes tight.

Rachel seemed to have realized that she wasn't going to get away with it that easily. Heaving a long suffering sigh, she sat up and ran a hand meekly through her sopping hair.

"I'm going to answer your question Quinn, because you did just save my life. But I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell everybody else just yet. I'll tell them all in my own time. Or maybe not at all" she added as an afterthought.

Quinn merely nodded and gestured for her to continue. She was shaking from fear and adrenaline but didn't dare leave.

Rachel paused apparently gathering her thoughts and her gaze finally came to rest on the blonde.

Eventually she took a calming breath and without emotion said;

"Seventy five."

The cheerleader quirked a questioning eyebrow.

"Seventy five, is the amount of times I've been slushied since I started school this year."

Quinn winced perceptively but did not interrupt. The brunette seemed to be in full flow now, ploughing on mercilessly.

"Fifty three, is the amount of times my fellow Glee members have mocked me. That club was meant to be my safe zone, a place I could go without being ridiculed. I guess even the outcasts can't stand me" she smiled bitterly and continued.

"And finally, one." She ended now on the verge of tears once more.

The blonde waited for her to elaborate, but when it became clear she wouldn't, she coaxed her gently.

"One what Rachel?" she found herself whispering, inadvertently leaning closer as though worried she'd be overheard. Which was ridiculous, they were completely alone.

"One, is the amount of compliments I've gotten this year, besides my Dads of course. Your the once who gave me it Quinn. When you told me that I was too good for Finn, well, it kind of cancelled out everything else. I was happy, happier at least. I thought somebody was finally on my side and it gave me the strength to deal with everything else." Rachel smiled lightly remembering the feeling.

Quinn despite herself, felt herself returning the smile.

Then the brunette's face dropped, a haunted look in her eye.

"And then, when we were in Glee and you weren't laughing along with everyone else, I thought that they're might actually be hope for me to have an ally ..a f-friend."

Rachel now turned to face the pool again and waited a few moments before she spoke again.

"I guess I was wrong."

Quinn snapped out of her thoughts as the bell rang signalling the end of Glee and grimaced lightly remembering the hollow defeated look that had taken up residence in the brunette's eyes. She had spent every moment since then trying to prove to Rachel that she wasn't wrong to trust her.