Firstly I've got to thank my bully of a beta...although she hasn't bullied me as much recently...I miss the abuse! Secondly I want to thank everybody who has read this and left me any comments, they are amazing and my silent readers as well! Hope you guys like the chapter. I think the next one will be when everything starts to come to a head. Not many more chapters left people! Thank you so much again! xx

Quinn met Brittany on her first day in kindergarten. The dancer had been gangly, already predicting that she was going to be tall, her hair was bright blonde and Quinn thought it looked like sunshine. Little Quinn had sat at her table with her head down, she hadn't wanted to leave her mother that morning and the sting of being left behind still hurt. When she'd run out of pink glitter she'd wanted to cry but that was when a new tub of glitter appeared magically in front of her.

"You can share mine." The happy blonde had declared. "My name's Brittany. What's yours?"

"Quinn." The timid girl had replied and their friendship was set in stone there and then.

Kurt had joined the despicable duo (as their parents lovingly called them) 9 months later. He had moved to their school late and both girls' had been curious about the new boy. They'd argued over who would introduce themselves first. Quinn had argued that she should because she was 32 days older while Brittany claimed she should be because she was taller. In the end it hadn't mattered. As Brittany had twirled on the grass showing Quinn what she'd learnt in her latest dance class; Kurt had approached them telling both of them they looked fabulous. He gushed about Brittany's yellow tights and commented on how Quinn's butterfly hair clips matched the ones on her jumper.

The despicable duo quickly became a terrible trio.

Quinn and Kurt would go and watch Brittany's dance classes which Mrs. Fabray would eventually sign her daughter up for. 'I know you love music and I'm not stopping your lessons but it's important to be well rounded', her mother had said. Kurt's father had refused to let his son join their class however; the boy still went to watch them.

Brittany and Kurt would attend all of Quinn's piano recitals. Being the first and only people to stand up and cheer when she played, ignoring the looks of the people around them.

When Kurt's mother died the two girls' went straight to his house and watched Singing in the Rain with him until he eventually fell asleep.

As they'd nervously approached the steps on their first day of high school they stood shoulder to shoulder. They could do anything as long as they had each other.

It had been Brittany who had dragged her to cheerleading try-outs. And it had been Brittany who convinced her to go for captain.

Kurt had joined glee club first. Stating that he wanted a place to shine. He'd easily talked Brittany into joining. After two months of emotional blackmail Quinn had joined too.

The boy never had to tell them the words 'I'm gay.' He didn't need to and it wouldn't have changed anything.

When Britt and Kurt had caught Quinn making out with one of the cheerleaders, Brittany had only smiled while Kurt muttered, "it's about time." Before shutting the janitors closet door.

As Brittany skipped down the hall with another girl's hand in her own her two friends had only smiled.

After Quinn finally admitted that she liked the glee clubs lead female vocalist Sarah Barlow.

Nothing could ever change the way they felt about each other. They loved each other unconditionally.

Every key moment in Quinn's life had those two in it. They were her constant point in a world that never stopped moving. When everything seemed to change, Kurt and Brittany remained the same to her. Quinn knew them better than she knew herself. She knew every smile, every blush and every hand gesture.

She could do anything with them on either side of her. She could capture the world as long as her hands were in theirs.

Thoughts of her childhood had plagued her in the recent weeks. She's recalled their tears, their laughter and their pathetic excuses of arguments. She loved them without restriction; they were her family, her smile, her laughter and her heart. She could never hurt them, would never want to cause either of them pain. The best days of her life were experienced with her best friends and that's how she knew she was doing the right thing.

Quinn thought of herself as a creature of habit. However in the recent months it had all fallen off course, she'd changed her pattern. She'd decided it was time to push for the old Quinn. The girl who lived for the moment, slept with girls to warm her cold heart for brief moments of passion. She was that girl once. She could be her again. Rachel had turned her world upside down, night was day and day was night, she'd pulled her inside out. As much as her entire being vibrated with a need for Rachel, a desire so strong it rattled her bones she had to face the hard truth; she was Brittany's.

The blonde dancer was happy around Rachel, she smiled all the time, she walked with a literal bounce in her step and Quinn couldn't deny that seeing her friend so joyful made her smile. She would not do anything that might in any way shape or form hurt the blonde. Friends first.

Quinn was selfish. She had started to think only of her own heart, and how it wanted Rachel. Mostly she counted her weeks not in hours or minutes but by the time she got to see Rachel and that wasn't right and it wasn't fair. To always be thinking about her best friends girl. Quinn would spend nights laying on her bed wondering if Rachel was thinking about her the way she was thinking about Rachel. Quinn had no right to be on Rachel's mind, she didn't belong there. She'd had her chance all those months ago in Bar Nunn when she'd seen the brunette and she'd denied it. Hurting Brittany would only break her own heart in the process.

It was finished.

She was officially moving on.

With a defiant sigh Quinn looked at herself in her full length mirror on the inside of her wardrobe. She was wearing black heels (thankfully her ankle was healed), not too high; she didn't want to tower over girls, wet look tights and a mid-thigh length off one shoulder white top. Her hair was tousled in waves looking effortless but in fact had taken her an hour.

She was going out with Santana, to drink, to hit on girls and most importantly to forget about Rachel and her hauntingly beautiful eyes.

Jesus.

Forgetting about Rachel was harder than telling her lungs to stop breathing or telling her heart to stop pounding.

"Argh!" She pushed out through gritted teeth before grabbing her cell phone and calling a cab. She was already running late and she couldn't be distracted further by thoughts of Rachel. Tonight was about her and Santana, to forget about their hearts and how they were mangled by their own hands.

Leaving her room and walking into the kitchen her heels clipped across the wooden floors echoing off the walls. Opening the fridge she pulled out a bottle of beer and popped the lid off. She had time for one before she went out, a little Dutch courage to help her.

Quinn frowned because she'd never needed alcohol to loosen her tongue before. Words and charm had flowed through her much like her blood did. It was just another reminder of how things had changed.

The whistle caused her to snap up and she looked through the arch way to her living room to see Puck. He was sitting on the sofa and had probably been alerted to her presence by her less than quiet shoes. The rest of the head's turned and faced her as well.

"Looking good!" Puck said as his eyes looked her up and down and then winked. "You taking a stick out with you tonight?"

"A stick?"

"Yeah you know so you can beat the girls back." He replied with a smirk and Quinn just shook her head although she was enjoying the compliment to her ego.

Her living room was one of her favorite and yet worse things about her house. Favorite because there was always someone there and worst because...there was always someone there. The amount of times she'd brought girls home to find one of her friends sprawled out on the sofa had driven her mad. But yet she wouldn't have had it any other way.

Quinn walked through the archway to see her friends all watching American Idol. Finn had his arm around Kurt's shoulder while Puck was slouched on the single seated sofa. Across the room sat Rachel on the bean bag and Brittany between her legs. It wasn't an intimate gesture but it showed familiarity and Quinn thought that stung more.

"I'll hand out tickets to the girls tonight so when their numbers called they can come right on over." Kurt threw in. "Otherwise they'll just be all over you. Like bees to their hive."

"You never do that for me." Puck interjected with a frown.

"That's because no girls are lining up for you."

"Hey, Hudson, will you sort your woman out." Finn looked between his friend and his boyfriend, before shrugging at Puck. "Man you are whipped. It's fucking sad." He turned his attention back to Quinn. "Right well fuck him tonight. You are now my wing man or wing woman."

"Thanks for the offer but I'm not going to Nunn tonight." Quinn said as she took a swig from the bottle and perched on the arm rest next to Kurt.

"What? Why not? It's Tuesday." Brittany protested as she shifted in her seat. Quinn avoided Rachel's eyes, the brunette had been playing with her girlfriend's hair as she sat in front of her.

"Me and San are going to try the Kitty Bar that opened up downtown."

"That place is meant to be a dive." Rachel added but still Quinn looked anywhere but at her. She had to power through this moving on thing and the first step was never making direct eye contact with the object of her affection.

"Oh is that how it is now?" Kurt chimed in with a look of distaste and Quinn pursed her lips predicting the oncoming disappointment.

"We just thought we'd try somewhere else." She clarified taking a huge gulp of her beer. The cab would be there soon and she couldn't stand Santana up any later. She had told the girl she'd meet her at 7 and it was now after 9.

"What my bar isn't good enough for you anymore?"

"Could you stop being so dramatic."

"It's probably because they've been with every girl who's stepped foot in Nunn." Puck said while he wiggled his brows.

"I don't need your help Puck." The boy ceased his smug expression. "Look, San just wanted to try somewhere new." Quinn sighed and squared up her shoulders and prepared herself to become the girl she once was. When it hadn't been about anyone's feelings but her own.

"I don't think you'll find anyone of substance there." Rachel spoke again and Quinn bit back her quick retort about not having found anyone of substance at Kurt's bar either. Although part of her would have liked to see the hurt flick across Rachel's eyes just to know she felt something; Quinn couldn't bring herself to be that cruel.

"I don't know, maybe I'll meet someone special there." The comment was meant for Rachel and even though she refused to look directly at her she saw Rachel stiffen in her peripheral vision at her off the cuff remark. Perhaps she should have held her tongue tighter.

"So Santana is looking for a girlfriend?" The quiet words came from Brittany and everyone in the room looked away from the dancer. The hurt in her tone was obvious.

"I'm not sure girlfriend was the term she used."

"Quick fix?" Kurt asked.

"Fuck buddy?" Puck smirked.

"Just someone." Quinn clarified. "It's not always about a relationship."

"You'd know." Quinn's head shot up and connected with the brown of Rachel's eye, the singer looked surprised that the words had fallen from her own mouth. Quinn quickly turned away and she wondered if the shock of the words were etched on her face.

"Ouch." Puck laughed. "Burn!"

"Shut up Noah." Kurt said as he looked up at one of his oldest friends. Quinn just shook her head.

"It might be awful and we'll end up with you guys tonight anyway. You lot are cutting it close aren't you?" Quinn said noticing the time and wondered why her friends were still at their house.

"We're going later tonight. One of the perks of owning the place we can stroll in whenever we choose and still get a seat." Kurt explained as Quinn drained the last of her drink down her throat.

"So what angle you gonna work tonight?" Puck asked as he scooted forward on the sofa.

"Angle?" Subconsciously Quinn began to rip the label from her bottle, feeling too many eyes on her.

"Yeah you know? Dark and brooding or charming and flirty. Badass? Unattatinable?"

"Puck have you seen me? I don't need an angle." Quinn said as she stood up placing a hand on her right hip and posed.

"Why do you have to sleep with girls? It's like a crime." The blonde couldn't help but smile at the compliment and it went straight to her ego which had suffered recently.

"You couldn't handle me."

"Let me try. Just once." He said as he clamped his hands together as though praying.

"You could not keep up. These walls are paper thin, I've heard it all. That girls is like Lionel Richie, she goes all night long." Quinn flicked what liquid was left in her bottle at Kurt and his hands instantly went to his hair. "Hey!"

"Really you can hear that? You can bring a girl home tonight if you wanna." Finn said with a grin.

"You're aware I'm your boyfriend and I'm sitting right next you."

"Course babe. But you know I was just thinking about getting tips."

"If you try on me what she tries on girls then this relationship is over." In a moment of weakness while the group's attention was diverted; Quinn chanced a glance at Rachel who was staring right at her. She wondered if Rachel wanted to say sorry for her earlier comment. Or perhaps she'd deserved the remark after the dig she'd made towards the brunette. She looked away knowing it didn't matter what Rachel was thinking because she was sitting next to Brittany not standing beside her.

Quinn laughed along with her friends even though she hadn't heard the rest of the exchange. Walking back into the kitchen she placed her empty bottle in the recycling box. When she turned around she saw that her roommate had followed her. Brittany stood by the kitchen table her hands deep in her pockets.

"Is she going to come out?"

"She's already out, I'm just mega late."

"Of the closest."

Quinn blushed as she considered this for a moment; it had been obvious that Britt was talking about Santana. Everything was always about Santana even though the blonde dancer couldn't always see it. From the way she wore colors she knew the Latina liked all the way to still watching athletic events to see who Santana might be up against. They all noticed but none of them said it aloud, they didn't want to remind the blonde that she was still pining for her lost lover.

"I don't think so. I don't think that's what tonight is about."

"What is it about?"

"This really isn't my place."

"I'm your best friend."

"You can't just whip the best friend card out every time you want to know something."

"Sure you can. It's like the get out of jail card in monopoly. You don't just keep it to say you've got one, you use it when you need it." It was hard to argue Brittany logic so Quinn didn't even attempt to.

"It's hard for her." Quinn spoke after a few seconds, trying to consider her words carefully; she's played the sentence over her tongue before releasing it. She felt like she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand she didn't want to lie to the blonde and on the other hand Brittany had Rachel. She wasn't sure if she was claiming it was hard for Santana or admitting it was hard for herself.

All this time she had always thought about how Britt would come off in this situation she hadn't considered the possibility that it could be Rachel that would get hurt. Quinn was certain on many levels that Brittany still loved Santana, but she also knew it was the dancer who had walked away because Santana couldn't give her what she wanted or needed. This had spiraled into some incestuous sexual love square. It hurt Quinn's head almost as much as it hurt her heart.

She'd often played out the scenarios in her head. The what if's and what would happen if...it always led to someone getting her their heart broken. Yet her own heart and Santana's were breaking anyway, but she'd rather it was her hurting than Rachel or Brittany.

"What's hard?"

Quinn sighed heavily. "Seeing you with Rachel." She admitted and saw the blue in Brittany's eyes shine harder and brighter.

"It is?"

"Of course it is. If this was a perfect world she would be out and proud. But it's not."

"We can make the world perfect." The innocent of Brittany's words caused Quinn's heart to contract tightly and she resisted the urge to refute her claims; to tell her friend that the world was in fact harsh and cruel.

"Would it change anything?" Quinn needed to know. If Brittany was willing to go back to the Latina then that might mean that she had a chance with Rachel. She could swoop in and care for her after Britt returned to Santana. It would be like a great romance novel come to life.

The dancer turned and looked back into the living room before looking back to Quinn. Her eyes suddenly looking sad. "No. I guess it wouldn't."

"You have Rachel." She said the words aloud as if to reinforce the thoughts that were clearly running through Brittany's head.

"I do. And I really care about her."

"I know you do."

"It's hard for me too."

"I know that as well." A silence fell between them before Quinn spoke again. She needed to say it. And she wanted to mean it. "Just be happy."

"I want you to be happy as well." Quinn stilled. It had been the second time someone had told her to be happy. She couldn't help wondering what vibe she was giving out.

"I am."

"Are you?"

Quinn opened her mouth to speak. Maybe if she just told Brittany everything. Told her how she had completely by accident fallen in love with Rachel. That she was trying all the time to stop it but couldn't then her friend would understand. She would step aside and tell her to go to Rachel; to love her and be happy.

"Q, you're cab's here."

The words of Quinn's confession died in her throat before she even had a chance to form them. Maybe it was fate. Maybe her and Rachel were only ever meant to be star crossed. One brief moment that would only ever be a memory.

The two blondes looked at each other for an instant before either of them began to move. Both trying to decide what had just occurred between them. Without a word Quinn walked past Brittany into the other room grabbing her purse on the table.

"Have fun." Finn said.

"Not as much fun as you'd have if you were coming with us." Kurt grumbled.

"Go with dark and brooding, girls lap that up. Go get it wet!" Puck offered with a dirty smirk.

"Be safe." Brittany called as she too entered the room and Quinn walked towards the door.

"I hope you find someone special." Quinn's hand stilled on the door handle before she opened it. She turned her head slightly to the right just able to see Rachel, she only stopped for a fraction of a second. She didn't wish for anyone to notice her brief pause. Quinn fought hard against her instinct to turn around and completely face Rachel. She fought against apologizing. She fought against falling to her knees and confessing it all.

Quinn pulled out the door. "See ya later. Don't wait up." She fought and won. But it was funny because as she slammed the door behind her she didn't feel like she'd won anything.

Rachel had been kind when she'd called the kitty bar a dive. This place should have been burnt to the ground and built again from scratch. Quinn's shoe's stuck to the floor as she walked towards the bar her eyes searching for the Latina. Unfortunately she couldn't see Santana anywhere.

Brilliant.

While handing over a bill for her drink she checked her phone to see if there was any new messages or if she'd missed a call. Her screen remained the same; nothing. The last contact she'd had was when she'd got in the cab;

Hurry up and get your ass here. I'm fucking drinking alone bitch! - Santana

Finding an empty table Quinn nervously sat down on the seat after she discreetly rubbed the trash on the chair to the floor.

She was still playing back her interaction with Rachel over in her mind. She didn't want things to be tense and harsh between herself and Rachel, she wanted them to playful and flirty and she wanted so much more but didn't allow to dwell on that. Quinn didn't know what she was expecting to happen, that they would become friends and all her emotions would disappear as though they never existed. Resting her head in her hands she rubbed her forehead as if trying to massage the thoughts away. It wasn't helping but she continued the soothing action anyway.

Never before did she want Santana in her presence more than she did at that moment. Just to stop her from thinking about Rachel, because if she was going to move on from whatever was going on with her and Rachel she definitely needed to stop thinking about her.

Although her head was down she could hear the scrapping of the chair as someone pulled it out. She knew it wasn't Santana because the Latina would have been shouting abuse at her for being late. "That seats taken." Quinn muttered as she glanced around the gay bar another time, but was still unable to find the Latina. With a sigh she put her head in her hands again, this had not been the night she'd planned out in her head. She thought her and Santana would get drunk, dance and laugh until their sides hurt. And there would have been no thinking of a certain brunette.

"Yeah by me." Came the flirty reply and Quinn couldn't prevent the eye roll she gave.

"Cute but no. That seat is taken by someone else."

"Can I buy you a drink?"

The blonde didn't respond but rather held up her own glass and rocked it gently side to side causing the ice to hit against the sides. "Thanks any way."

"I have a place just a block over. Me and you could get outta here."

Quinn shook her head before finally looking up to the short haired strawberry blonde girl. She wasn't unattractive, her jaw length hair was straightened into harsh lines and her eyes were a dark emerald green, she was pretty in a youthful way that eluded many girls. But Quinn wasn't in the mood. She could force herself to be, perhaps play along with the girls flirting but it seemed like a lot of effort. Whoever this girl was she deserved more than a half heart Quinn. "Look I'm not interested. I'm waiting for a friend."

"A girl friend?" She asked as she leaned against the back of the chair, chewing on her bottom in what she probably thought was an alluring manner, it was wasted on Quinn.

"No."

"So you don't have a girlfriend?"

"I don't. I'm not very good at relationships."

"Me neither. We could be bad at relationships together." The girl continued to push and Quinn could feel her patients being tested.

"Are you blatantly ignoring what I'm saying?" Quinn snapped with a frown. She didn't mean to take her mood out on the girl, but with Rachel and Santana's absence she really wasn't in the disposition to play nice.

"You're pretty." Quinn's knotted brow tightened at the change of subject. Not that the compliment didn't inflame her confidence. "I haven't seen you here before."

"I haven't been here before."

"Every girl has had their eye on you the moment you walked through the door."

"If it makes you feel better I'm not interested in any of them either."

"It does a little. My friends told me not to come over. Truth is I came out a couple of months ago and well I suck at hitting on girls. When you came in, sorry for saying but you're gorgeous. And I couldn't stop staring." Quinn blushed lightly. "But my friends said I should set my sights a little lower."

"There is no such thing as out of your league."

"No they were right. You're clearly way out of my reach, but I wanted to try."

"For all we know you are the one who is too good for me. You seem like a really nice girl..." Quinn trailed off waiting for the girl to prompt her with her name.

"Laura."

"You seem like a really nice girl Laura. A little forward but nice. You don't have to try so hard. If I was available I would probably be taking you up on your offer." Quinn didn't realize what she'd said until it had left her mouth and by then it was too late to take it back.

"I thought you said you didn't have a girlfriend?"

"I don't."

"But there's someone else."

"I guess there is." She admitted with a feeble shrug.

"Well that has lightened the blow to my ego slightly. But if you like her why aren't you together?" The girl inquired. Quinn wasn't sure why she was telling all of this to a complete stranger but she felt a little lighter every time she spoke.

"It's complicated. She's with someone."

"That sucks."

"It does."

"Does she feel the same way about you." Laura seemed generally interested and Quinn regretted her attitude towards the girl at the beginning.

"Sometimes I think she does and other times..." Quinn stopped herself from finishing the sentence wondering if she was right. If Rachel did feel the same or if it was all simply in her head.

"Other times you don't know." The younger girl finished and Quinn nodded.

"You should try Bar Nunn." The blonde said as looked the girl up and down.

"I've heard of it. But this is like my comfort blanket. I know everyone here."

"That's your problem. You know everyone here. You should try it. My best friend owns it. Lots of different girls."

The girl considered it for a moment. "Would you be there?"

"I'm there most nights."

"Don't worry I'm not trying to hit on you again. I just, it would be nice to see a friendly face is all. Tonight's been the most interesting night in this place for ages. Two new faces and-"

"Was one a Latina?" Quinn interrupted quickly.

"Yeah smoking hot. My friend tried it on her but she got shot down in flames it was painful. She was all like 'if I was in to immature kids then I would have come over to you, seeing as I didn't'. I mean getting rejected by you was bad but that was just a train wreck to watch."

"That's Santana. You wouldn't happen to know where she went?"

"She left about five minutes before you got here. She had an argument with a couple of girls and she left after they did."

"Fucking hell this was her damn idea..." Quinn cursed as she knocked back her drink and stood up. "It was nice meeting you. But I'm gonna get out of here. It's not really my scene."

"You do stand out like a sore thumb. So if I went to Bar Nunn I'd see you there?"

"Course. I'll even buy you a drink."

"Really?"

"Sure. Anyway I'm gonna get going. I'll see you soon Laura." Quinn walked around the table until she was standing in front of the other girl and leaned forward until their lips connected. It was only a brief second of contact and there were no feelings on Quinn's part but she wanted to say thank you. Pulling back she looked over the girl's shoulder and saw Laura's friends all staring with their jaws

dropped. Quinn smiled, pleased that it had caused the reaction she'd wished for. She didn't like the thought of Laura's friend telling her that any girl was out of her league, because in reality league's didn't exist, only feelings mattered.

"If I was single I'd be all over you like a rash." Quinn said loud enough for Laura's gaggle of friends to hear before she walked towards the exit. She didn't look back; instead she rummaged through her purse looking for her phone. She felt a swell of pride as she was greeted by the cool night air having seen the reaction of Laura's friend's. Quinn hoped the girl came to Bar Nunn not because she wanted to take the young girl up on her offer but rather she didn't think picking up girls in that shack was doing her any good. Under her false bravado Laura was a sweet nice girl.

She started her text to Santana, berating the girl for standing up, she was less than pleased. All her big plans for the evening were disappearing before her eyes and the blonde wasn't sure if she was unhappy about it or not. Over the last few weeks she's come to discover that she couldn't go back; she couldn't go back to not having Rachel in her life; she couldn't go back to not knowing that smile existed or having it beam in her direction. All Quinn knew was that she had needed this evening whether she wanted it or not.

Quinn heard the grunts and shouts before she saw what was going on, and she stopped to listen wondering what was happening somewhere nearby. She quickened her pace to see what the commotion was about, following the sound. As she got to the alleyway a few feet from the Kitty Bar Quinn instantly frowned; a fight. She was slightly disappointed, although she wasn't sure what she had expected. It looks like two girls against one and Quinn shook her head about to continue on with her way home. But her conscious pulled her feet towards the scuffle, knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep knowing she had done nothing. The fight clearly was unfair with the two girls towering over the one on the floor; she knew she had to channel her inner head cheerleader who had once struck fear into the heart of every freshmen.

It wasn't until she was a few feet from the fight that she realized who the girl on the floor was.

Santana.

The blonde quickened her pace to a run and instantly went to pull one of the other girls on the Latina, earning her an elbow to the eye for her efforts.

"Fuck off." The girl shouted pushing Quinn back who was still stunned by the blow to her face. Regaining her composure she pushed forward again wrapped her arms firm around the offender's waist swinging her away abruptly.

"I said fuck off bitch. This isn't your fight!" She shouted as she struggled free of Quinn's arms. She swung for Quinn and the blonde moved quickly feeling the air rush past her face. If she'd had time she would have smirked at the girl maybe even stuck her tongue out with smugness.

"That girl is my friend dickhead. So get the hell off her!" Quinn told her firmly as she drew her hand back and threw it forward. Hard. Her fist hit the girl in the cheek bone and it set a fire up through the piano players hand all the way up to her arm.

"I've got this." Santana called although her words we're muffled. The blonde chanced a glance at her friend and saw the blood pouring from her nose; Quinn suspected that it was broken but she didn't have luxury of time to investigate it just yet.

The other girl who was over Santana came towards Quinn and swung her fist towards the blonde's face but this time Quinn wasn't quite quick enough and the girls knuckles and ring caught Quinn's lip. She didn't need to look down to know it was bleeding, she could feel the warm liquid explode down her chin.

"Fuck!" Quinn screamed as her foot shot forward and struck the girl instantly in the shin causing stumble as she reached down to hold her leg.

With a blood covered face Quinn saw red.

As hour later the duo were sitting on green plastic chairs in the hospital's ER, the first 10 minutes had passed with them being patient. It had then transcended into irritated foot tapping which had now become out and out aggravated bitching. Quinn was having trouble focusing on her frustration as her face hummed with a dull pain.

"What is taking so long?" Santana moaned with an annoyed sigh her hand clamped on her side. "I could be fucking dying here."

"I think the fact you're upright and whining like it's an Olympic sport implies that you'll live, maybe you'd actually get a gold in something."

"I'll ignore that comment…Bitch. You see it all the time people going into the doctor and then falling down dead two seconds later."

"Where have you seen this?"

"Grey's Anatomy, ER, Private Practice."

"They're TV shows."

"That are based on fact." The Latina responded as her fingers cautiously touched her nose, that was swollen and has dread blood crusted around it. Quinn just rolled her eyes she knew it would be a useless argument; it was just an irrelevant conversation to pass the time.

Quinn had only ever been in a handful of fights and she wasn't even sure they could really be considered fights. She had only ever punched one person and that had been a brainless jock in high school. She'd been raging so hard that when he laughed she punched him square in the nose. He didn't look her in the eyes again after that incident. The other 'disagreements' she's experienced were more 'cat fights' which consisted of slapping, hair pulling and occasionally biting. However when the girl this evening Quinn had gone mad lunging at the girl's throwing threats about the police around until both girl had eventually turned and retreated.

This was definitely not how she had planned to spend her evening. But at least the throbbing in her eye stopped her from thinking about anything else; in particular Rachel.

Santana sighed beside her and Quinn looked to face her. "What's wrong now?"

"Jesus when my sponsor and agent find out they are gonna go fucking ape shit." The blonde hadn't really thought about that, she saw Santana as her friend and she often forgot what the brunette did for a living. That she had fans who followed her career, CEO's who watched her socially. To Quinn the Latina was just her bitchy closeted friend. Not an athlete who hoped to compete at the Olympics'.

"Maybe this is what you need." Quinn shrugged and Santana rolled her eyes.

"Don't start Q. I can't even process this shit right now."

"Look, lie." It was a peace offering of sorts; Quinn knew that now wasn't the time to push the issue with Santana coming out so she backed down.

"Lie?"

"Yeah. Tell them that you were with me, and then I got in a fight and you came to my aid."

"You'd do that?" The Latina looked over with hopeful eyes and Quinn smiled back at her, as much as she could smile with her split and swollen lip.

"Yes. It's not going to change my life."

"Thanks Q. You were pretty scary back there."

Quinn nodded her head and attempted a smirk. "Just glad you're alright."

"Well I will be when I see a damn doctor and he pain killers me up!" She shouted out loud for everyone in the entire waiting area to hear and Quinn sunk into her chair.

Another twenty minutes passed and the girls were still sitting in the same place, but their expressions were even more hacked off than they were before if that was possible. Even Quinn found herself losing her composure now. However after much complaining the irritated receptionist had given them two ice packs. Santana had hers delicately pressed to her noses, while Quinn had her head back resting the cold pack on her eye. It felt nice Quinn noted. The blonde thought that if Rachel was beside her holding her hand or rubbing her thigh then everything would hurt a little less. Even a bruised and bloody face could not distract her from the brunette.

"My God, we're more messed up than that guy." Santana said pointing to the guy who was being escort through to the examination rooms. Quinn looked up taking the pack off her face and following the Latina's gaze.

"San I think he's been stabbed."

"I could have damn internal bleeding here." Throwing her arms up until she winced Santana sighed, shaking her head in disgust.

"I think you're going to be fine."

"When did you become a damn doctor?" Quinn turned to face forward, deciding to leave the Latina to stew in her own annoyance for a while. "This is all Rachel's fault." Santana grumbled after a minute or two of silence.

"No its not." She argued although not for the first time she had thought if they'd never met Rachel they wouldn't be sitting in the ER. It was all a chain reaction, had her sleeping with Rachel set off a series of events that had brought them to this exact moment?

"You're only saying that because you like her."

"If it wasn't Rachel it would have been someone else. Britt wouldn't have stayed single forever, as much as you would have liked her to." Quinn explained, she sometimes thought that Santana expected Brittany to wait until she retired from athletics for them to be together. She loved both girls' deeply but her loyalty would always lay with Brittany. Whenever Quinn caught the two girls looking at each other she had always thought it was a shame that they couldn't work it out.

"But look at us, this is what this whole mess has fucking caused. Its shit." She removed the pack from her nose pointed to her face to emphasis the point.

"That's not Rachel's fault San." She hadn't planned to get defensive but she didn't like the way that Santana was attacking Rachel over something that was not the brunette's fault.

"It's not mine either."

"Well it sorta is." Quinn confirmed which only caused Santana to frown at her.

"Fuck you." With a huff Santana put the ice pack on her face a little too hard and groaned at the impact, Quinn stopped herself from laughing.

"Tried that remember. You're acting like a spoiled brat. You can't have what you want and now you're getting yourself into so much shit that I have to rescue you." Her defenses around Rachel were making her speak harsher than she should, but she couldn't stop herself.

"I was doing fine.

"Yes. Your face is totally screaming 'I had them where I wanted them'."

"I did!"

"Tell you what, next time I'll leave you to it shall I?"

"Does it look bad?" The self-confidence radiated off the girl and Quinn knew that she would have to tread carefully so as not to upset her.

"You look fucking awful." Her mother always told her honest was the best policy, it also helped that the out raged face of Santana amused her. Dipping down into her seat she popped her head back and placed the ice pack upon her face again.

"Thanks."

"You need to move on." It hadn't been her intension to broach the subject for a second time, but Quinn was having to face the facts that Brittany and Rachel liked each other; which meant Santana had to come to terms with it also. Yes they argued almost constantly but the reason their friendship worked was that they were each other's voice of reason. Telling each other what they needed to hear even if it was potentially life threateningly painful.

"That's coming from you?"

"I am. I'm facing facts its time you did the same."

"We're done talking."

"I haven't finished." Quinn said removing pack and looked over to the Latina who had her eyes closed.

"..."

"San!"

"..."

"You can't just stop talking!"

"…."

"Oh you're a child."

"…I know you are but what am I?"

Quinn sighed and rubbed her face in her hands momentarily forgetting the pain. "Damn it." She cringed. Santana chuckled before clutching her side at the sudden movement and Quinn laughed in response.

Quinn pushed through her front door an hour and a half later only to find the living room filled with the same people who had been in there when she'd left earlier that evening. When she entered the house all of them sat up and she felt like she was on a stage and any moment they were going to expect her to perform. But then she saw their tired expectant eyes and knew what they really wanted from her; information; comfort.

She considered pulling her sunglasses down so that she could look in their eyes. Santana had lent her the shades when Quinn had dropped the Latina off. The piano player had asked to borrow them so she'd have something to hide behind, not wishing for her friends to see the glowing bruise over her eye. If she was honest with herself there were only one set of eyes she wanted to avoid. She didn't want Rachel to see her like this, she looked weak and she couldn't let the singer see her so feeble. Said brunette was sitting on the sofa beside Finn staring relentlessly at her,

Only an hour ago she had wanted nothing more than Rachel beside her, telling her she still looked gorgeous. She knew that the girl's calming influence would make the greatest pain disappear. Quinn couldn't allow herself to wallow in her thoughts as she knew the questions were about to fly at her.

"So?"

"Are you both okay?"

"What's with the glasses?"

"Jesus, babe your lip."

"What happened?"

It was a buddle of voices so much so that Quinn couldn't determine who had asked which question and she tried to focus to answer what they each wanted to know. Quinn had to fight her initial instinct to just run to her room, hiding the injuries she'd been dealt. For a brief moment she'd actually considered the Halloween mask that Santana had offered, knowing it would cover not only her eye but her split lip. She didn't want anyone to see her like this; especially Rachel.

Then one voice pierced through all the chaos in her head: Brittany's.

"Where's San?"

Quinn swallowed and shook her head. "She went home. She didn't really want to see anyone."

"So she's alone?" The blonde asked as the rest of the group fell silent; the worry in her voice was clearly evident to them all.

"Yes, but she's fine Britt hone-"

"I have to go check on her." Sitting on the edge of the couch she turned to face Rachel who smiled. "I won't be long."

"It's okay. I'll wait here for you. You should be there for her." Leaning forward the blonde kissed the singer on the cheek softy and Quinn hated the way the innocent gesture made her ache.

"Look I'm not sure that she's up to company." Quinn answered honesty, knowing that in Santana's frame of mind it might not be best for her to see the one person she wanted most and yet didn't have.

"She shouldn't be alone." Brittany replied firmly as she stood up and Quinn knew that arguing with the dancer would be pointless.

"Fine." Quinn said after a deep sigh. "She is fine but she took a beating. I'm warning you, her nose is broken and she's got a couple of broken ribs as well."

"Jesus." She heard Kurt breath out and it only caused Brittany to move quicker. A moment later the blonde had her jacket and purse in her hands.

"I'll be back." She told the room but really she was telling Rachel and Brittany shut the door loudly in her haste to leave.

"What the hell happened?" Puck suddenly declared breaking the silence. "What's with the shades? You signed up for the men in black."

"It's nothing. I'm fine. I told you on the phone, there was a fight. It's nothing." She repeated although knowing her friends would not think it was 'nothing'. "Can we talk about this in the morning, I'm really tired."

"Should you be sleeping?" It was Finn's turn to talk now. The paleness of his face and the worry in his voice touched the blonde. Maybe she hadn't been friends with him as long as Brittany and Kurt but she cared just as much about him. "I mean what if you've got a concussion?"

"I don't, the doctor checked me out. No head injury. I promise, I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. But it's late." Quinn didn't wait for any of them to pipe up with any more questions and quickly darted for her bedroom. All through their inquest she'd felt Rachel's burning into her and Quinn couldn't bare it.

She had barely closed the door and taken a step towards her bed when the door flew open behind her and she turned to face the intruder.

"Take your glasses off." She demanded. The blonde felt her stomach drop, she didn't want anyone to see the swelling or the blackness that hung over her eye. She didn't want Rachel to see her weakness.

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Fine." In one fluid motion Rachel was upon her reaching for the protection that covered her eyes. She struggled against the tiny girl until eventually she lost and the glasses were whipped from her face. On reflex Quinn stepped back and turned her head away not permitting Rachel to see what had happened. A soft hand hooked around her jaw and pulled their eyes level. The brunette's face fell and then it hardened. "Quinn, what happened? Look at your face. Who did this to you?" Hating the pity that was written over the girl's face; the piano player pulled her head back.

"Nothing. I said it was nothing now can you please leave me alone."

"I want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine. I said I was fine. Now leave."

"What is wrong with you?" The shorter girl asked her eyebrows knotted together. Quinn didn't want to look at her. Didn't want to be near the constant weakness to her heart.

"What's wrong with me?" Quinn spat out. "What's wrong with you? Who encourages their girlfriend to go check on her ex? Now that's fucked up."

"You know nothing about mine and Brittany's relationship Quinn. She still cares about Santana."

"She still loves her."

"Yes but she is with me. And I'm not a jealous person."

"Bullshit."

"Pardon."

"You heard me. That's bullshit and you know it."

"I'll have you know that I am fine about Brittany being with Santana. I trust her."

"What about Sarah?"

"Who?"

"You know who I'm talking about. You were completely jealous the night I ran into my ex." Quinn didn't understand where this anger was coming from nor why she was directing it at Rachel. Perhaps in some messed up way she just wanted to release some type of emotion from the girl; even if it was fury and disgust.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"And what about tonight when I went out you were practically green."

"Don't flatter yourself Quinn Fabray."

"I don't have to. You do it perfectly." The blonde wanted to stop it. To stop talking; prevent every word coming out of her mouth. She felt like she'd reverted to the head cheerleader she'd once been before Kurt and Brittany brought her back to reality. She hated that girl she'd become in high school, and she was even more hateful of that girl now.

"It's becoming more and more clear why you were punched in the face." Rachel said as she crossed her arms over her chest as if trying to protect her from the onslaught coming from Quinn.

"You hate seeing me with anyone else. It makes your skin crawl, I see it in your eyes."

"What are you doing?"

"Telling it like it is."

"No you are behaving like an arrogant jerk."

"Isn't that what attracted you to me? Don't deny it." Quinn didn't know why she was pushing the issue, why she was being so aggressive towards the girl, it wasn't what she wanted to do but it flowed out of her mouth.

"Right now I'm having trouble figuring out what attracted me to you. I only wanted to make sure you were alright. And possible brain damage aside you seem fine." Rachel spun and turned to leave the room, her cheeks slightly flushed. Quinn reached her hand out and instinctively curled her fingers around Rachel's elbow, stopping the girl.

"Wait." Although Quinn was hurting and in turn taking it out upon Rachel she knew the girl didn't deserve it, and she didn't want her to leave the room hating her. She wouldn't be able to stand it.

"What for? So you can act like an even bigger idiot?"

"I'm sorry." The blonde removed her hand from Rachel's warm skin and her arms fell helplessly to her sides.

"Try again." She folded her arms snuggly over her chest and Quinn had to stop herself from looking to the girl's breast that had been pushed together. Even in a situation such as this, her hormones still raged.

"I was being a bitch. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."

"Getting warmer." Rachel kinked an eyebrow and Quinn sighed.

"This is hard. Harder than I expected."

"What is?"

"Brittany being in a relationship. I took it for granted that she was there and now she's got someone else. She doesn't have as much time for me anymore."

"She hasn't gone anywhere. She's still your friend."

"But it's not the same. Everything is different."

"It doesn't have to be."

"She had to be happy. She wouldn't have been content with living the way she was."

"How do you know? Did you ever ask her?"

"I could see it. She deserved to be loved. To be someone's everything instead of just being my…friend." Quinn knew they were talking around their issues. Saying everything without ever saying what they wanted to. It was like a dance they had gradually perfected, like a waltz, slow and yet power. Like a foxtrot, quick yet classic. Like a tango, passionate yet loving. They skirted around each other never getting out of their formal position, scared of what that extra inch closer might lead to.

"We're still talking about Brittany aren't we?"

Quinn gazed at the brunette considering her answer, wondering if it was now time for the honesty that bubble inside her to erupt. She sighed. "Yes." They lapsed into silence before the singer took a step closer; entering her personal space.

"How's your face?"

"Sore." Rachel reached out a hand and Quinn had to fight against her instinct to pull her head back like before. Not because she feared the electric pulses that would tingle her skin from Rachel's touch but she didn't want to wince when Rachel finally made contact. She needn't have worried however, the brunette's gentle fingers skimmed over the bruise and Quinn very almost melted.

"It looks it."

"You think this is bad you should have seen the other guy." Quinn smiled weakly at the over used joke and she saw Rachel made the effort to grin also.

"What happened?"

"There was a fight, Santana and some girl's. It doesn't matter."

"Well it matters to me Quinn."

"Santana's struggling at the moment and I think all her emotions are on high alert and she was just over taken by them. I didn't get there until it was too late. I wouldn't have let it happen."

"I know you wouldn't." The silence over took them and they gazed at each other, Quinn didn't know what was being said between them without word but she hoped she wasn't giving too much emotion away.

With a deep sigh and a reluctance to stop movement Quinn finally spoke. "Could I take you up on your offer again?"

"Offer?"

"Of friendship. I realize my outburst just now probably wasn't my finest hour, but I'd like to, if you'd like to." Quinn had finally admitted it to herself that night that she couldn't go back to a life without Rachel in it, so if friendship was all she could hope for then it was better than nothing.

"I'd like that."

"Good."

Later that evening when Quinn was alone in her bed she played all the events of the evening in her head. Trying to understand it all. She was only sure of two things: 'Santana was drowning' and 'her feelings for Rachel needed to be tamed.' She wasn't sure how she was going to tame said feelings nor did she know how she was going to save Santana. Life seemed much easier when she had slept with girl after girl, not bothering to learn their names. However easier it was though Quinn wouldn't change the moments of heart aching joy she felt in Rachel's presence. It was a dangerous situation, Quinn was aware of this and the moments of joys were matched with times of heart break. She knew she had been changed, beyond recognition in some ways and she wondered if the rest of the world were noticing it as well.

Quinn found herself sitting in her regular bar (her safety net) she planned never to vent to another gay bar again. She hadn't really wanted to come out tonight, she'd planned on a night in her empty house, eating Ben and Jerry's watching trashy TV. However that plan was now just a distant memory.

A grumpy and still sore Latina had burst in demanding that Quinn get her ass out the front door. The blonde had barely had time to change and put some concealer on before being dragged out the front door. Quinn's lip was mostly healed and her eye now had a yellow tinge to it. She wasn't conscious of the injuries any more, in fact Quinn was a little bit proud of the wounds she'd had been inflicted with. She held her head high like they were her war wounds and the blonde liked the sympathy. Including the way Rachel would wince ever so slightly when her eyes fell on the bruise.

The bar was packed which was a common occurrence now, well on nights The Pretty Little Liars played. The jealousy that Quinn had once felt was now replaced by another emotion, a feeling that she recognized as pride. The crowds adored them, Rachel in particular, she had many admires and her regular groupies. The blonde would watch the girl's smile radiate as they told her how good she was and all the compliments were slowly building up her confidence that had been shattered by all the knock backs she'd been dealt. Yes she was amazing, her passion while singing was nothing short of breath-taking but Quinn still couldn't help but think Rachel's talent was wasted here. She smiled at the brunette as their eyes caught each other and Rachel stuck her tongue out during the guitar solo of the song, which caused Quinn to pout dramatically. Rachel bit her lip while smiling and Quinn couldn't hold her gesture at the toothy grin and her lips curled upwards. Rachel was an addiction that she couldn't stop from indulging in. It felt like a life time since they had flirted in such a way, and it knocked against the damn she'd built; trying to push apart the barrier to let her emotions run wild.

Things between herself and Rachel had been weird and not in the; 'I can't stop myself from touching you and looking at you weird'. But rather they were being civil and nice to one another, they were friendly and polite and Quinn thought it was actually worse. The tension was there beneath every friendly word clawing to get to the surface, begging to let Quinn's true feelings be known.

One evening Rachel had actually pointed out an attractive peroxide blonde that Quinn should hit on. The piano player hadn't really been interested but she'd approached the girl just to spite Rachel. Hoping that she might see the flecks of green in her brown eyes once again. When Brittany and Rachel had left together a few hours later Quinn had blown the girl off and gone home alone.

What being friends actually meant was to be tortured daily, to have her heart ripped out every second, to have her soul crushed and her eyes constantly averted to the floor. Because friendship was the last thing she wanted but she knew it was the only thing she had to give even though she wanted to give Rachel everything. All her smiles and laughter were wrapped up and she only wanted Rachel to be the one to open them. It was pitiful.

But there was Brittany. Beautiful, sweet and trusting Brittany and she knew that she could walk through the fires of hell just so her friend was happy.

Rachel was on the last song of the first half of the band's playlist. Although the songs changed weekly, Quinn knew how many songs they played on average, which songs were their favorites and the number of minutes that waited between their intervals.

Every time Quinn watched Rachel sing she couldn't help but imagine the girl on a huge stage in a packed out theatre singing her heart out. Rachel wasn't just an amazing singer, she was outstanding; but she was so much more than that. When she sang her face conveyed every emotion, every smile every tear the song had to offer. They were more than just words leaving her mouth. The world deserved to see Rachel sing. She pitied anyone who didn't get to hear her. Because Rachel Berry was one in a million. It was a breath taking experience watching Rachel perform, even just as a lead singer in a band playing in a gay bar. The energy that Rachel exuded was electrifying; it travelled through her microphone touching everyone near her. Words failed to describe what it was like being able to watch Rachel sing; no word would ever convey it or do it justice. So Quinn just watched with a smile spread across her face.

Quinn didn't doubt that one day Rachel would have her name in lights somewhere. With people lining up to watch her. Quinn also knew she'd be the first one in line.

The blonde watched as Rachel said her thank you's and informed the engaged crowd that she would be back after a small break.

"Quinn?" Hearing her name she frowned and turned to look towards the direction it had come from: Finn. She'd almost forgotten that it wasn't just her and Rachel alone.

"Yeah?" She responded as she reluctantly drew her attention away from the talented brunette.

"Is it normal for guys to want sex all the time?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the question before answering too quickly, "Yes."

"Seriously?"

"Of course you're a guy Finn, if you didn't want sex all the time then something would definitely be wrong. Don't guys think about sex like every other second?"

"It's not me it's Kurt!" Finn clarified as a deep blush crept up from his neck to his face.

"Oh. Well yeah it's normal to want sex all the time."

"Are you saying there is something wrong with me?" He exclaimed the worried expression etching deeper into his boyish face.

"No, I'm sure it's normal." Quinn shrugged she really had no knowledge on the sex drive of the average male, although she would assume it was generally quite high.

"It's just with girls you know I would get a break...like when they were on their period." He whispered the last word and Quinn held back her chuckle at the clueless boy. "But with Kurt he just wants it all the time and sometimes all I wanna do is cuddle."

Quinn stopped herself from calling him a girl and instead smiled at him fondly. "Do you like the sex with Kurt?"

"Of course I do. It's great and I don't have my erm mailman problem anymore."

"Then I'm not sure what your problem is?" She frowned, surely sex on tap was a good thing. Quinn failed to see an issue.

"I love him."

"Yep I know that." Another loved up couple, it seemed like soon the entire world would be paired up and Quinn would be alone like the hunchback of Notre Dame. Where was her damn Esmeralda?

"And I just worry that if I don't put out he is going to run off on me."

Quinn shook her head and bit her lip to prevent the annoyed groan that wanted to escape her lips. "Do you really think that Kurt would ditch you because you aren't giving him a jolly 3 times a week?"

"It's more like ten times a week."

"Jesus!" Quinn responded before her jaw dropped, she was impressed by her roommate. "How do you manage?" She was able to admit she loved sex, however since Sarah she'd never met anyone she'd wanted again and again-not until now that is. She often thought of kissing the places of Rachel's flesh she'd missed the last time. Claiming an unscathed inch of skin untouched by another as her own, to leave her mark forever on the girl. "This is like a millionaire complaining they have too much money." Quinn eventually said shaking her head. "You are actually complaining because you're getting too much sex."

"Well you say it like that, it makes it sound bad."

"It is bad."

Quinn shook her head at the boy and laughed as she looked over to the bar she noticed Rachel and a tall black haired woman she didn't recognize. The stranger seemed to be invading Rachel's personal space and the brunette was trying to back away slowly, the dark haired woman was clearly drunk as she stumbled closer to Rachel. Quinn felt her blood boil.

Looking around she tried to spot the brunette's girlfriend; she was still getting used to saying that, it just didn't taste right in her mouth no matter how many times she said it. When she still couldn't spot Brittany she pushed herself up out of her chair without explaining where she was going to Finn. The blonde began walking through the people pushing the crowd out of her way; Quinn's eyes were only focused on the increasingly uncomfortable looking brunette. Her feet only had one goal. She couldn't help herself. That was her problem when it came to Rachel she just couldn't help herself, she wanted to be there by her all the time. As her feet took her across the room she knew fighting it was a pointless task, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try to. She kept telling herself to keep her cool, to not approach the other girl and rip her dirty hands off the petit singer.

Before her mind could properly come up with some type of plan Quinn stood firmly against the singer and draped her arm around her shoulder. "You okay babe. Sorry I took so long."

Rachel gazed up at her a look of complete confusion on her face and Quinn could only smile back, noting how cute the expression was.

"Wh-Who is this?" The woman slurred and Quinn turned back to the woman and eyed her up and down. She wasn't even that pretty. She wasn't Rachel's type.

"I'm her girlfriend. Who may I ask are you?" The sneer on Quinn's face was blatant to read but the black haired girl didn't seem to back up.

"Well me and Rachel are talking. So if you-"

Quinn instantly opened her mouth to let an onslaught of insults at the woman who had the nerve to talk to her in such a way. Maybe she wasn't Rachel's actual girlfriend but this girl didn't know that.

"How about you and-" What stopped her mid insult was Rachel lifting up her hand and interlocking her fingers with Quinn's that were laying on her left shoulder.

"As you can clearly so I'm taken. Happily taken. So not only are you embarrassing me with your unwanted attention and yourself but you are embarrassing my girlfriend as well and you don't want her to smack you down, she has a black belt." For a second Quinn thought the girl was going to argue, but with a shrug she turned and left.

"You almost got me in a fight!" She exclaimed and Rachel laughed.

"It's my knight in shining armor." Rachel joked, her face a picture of relief and Quinn felt pride knowing she was the one to save her.

"Well don't look too closely, there are chinks in my armor." Quinn smiled sadly, it didn't quite reach her eyes and she wasn't sure she had the effort to lie. From across the room she saw Brittany approaching them, a happy bounce to her step. Hesitantly Quinn slid her fingers out from in-between Rachel's and removed her arm from around her neck. The lack of heat was instant. Rachel too seemed to sense that the moment was over and rubbed her hands on the front of her short pleated skirt.

"Thank you for saving me."

"Anytime." Quinn said with a half-smile and began to walk outside to get some much needed air. It was a persistent problem when it came to Rachel; the constant need for more air due to her inability to breathe easy.

Sitting outside she pulled out a cigarette and popped it between her lips, enjoying the gently humming of her skin and pride that was only caused by the petit brunette. She was just a simple pathetic addict when it came to Rachel. One part of her constantly told her to be strong, to move on. Then the other side would argue back, forcing her lips to rise into a small or for her feet to lead her to the singer. Knowing which side to take was an endless battle. And Quinn had no idea what side was going to win.

The image of their intimate touch from only seconds ago played on repeat in her mind. Quinn wondered silently if people that had been driven mad had done so by unrequited love? Having pictures flashing through their heads of people they could not have no matter how much they craved them until finally they were driven insane. Right now it seemed like a very reasonable explanation to the blonde.

She hadn't even taken her third drag of the cigarette when Puck came wandering over to her from across the street. She had wondered where he was, his late arrival had been noted by everyone but no one knew where he was. The male walked over to her wearing a pair of fitted black jeans with a white shirt tucked in tightly and what Quinn thought could possibly be a tie. The answer to where Puck had been was far from being answered with his appearance. His usually overly tight to reveal my muscle's T-shirt was missing and the blonde did a double take just to make sure it was the man she suspected.

As he strut over to her with one of his famous flirty smirk's she knew she wasn't mistaken, but he didn't look quite right. She didn't speak as he turned around in a circle in front of her and she just frowned in confusion. Hopefully he would explain himself; 'what on earth is on that tie?' she thought to herself as she cocked her head to the side.

"How do I look?" He finally asked looking extremely proud of himself, like a child who had just walked for the first time.

"You're wearing a tie." Her frown grew staring at the on his tie until she understood what the pattern was; Yep it was still Puck and not a pod person.

"Do I look smart enough?" The man said as rubbed down his clothes self-consciously, his arrogant usual smirk was faltering and it only caused the blonde to be more intrigued.

"Your tie has naked girls on it." The girl's weren't even in bikini's it was full frontal and completely Puck. Yet it still didn't answer why it was around his neck. He never wore ties he'd always said he was too worried a girl who pull on it and choke him to death. Which if it even did happen he would have probably deserved for some inappropriate comment.

"But it's a tie." He looked down waving the fabric around at Quinn as though she might not see how smart it looked.

"With naked girls on it. Why are you wearing a tie with naked people on it?" Quinn took a drag of her cigarette as she continued to eye him up and down.

"It's the only tie I own." That wasn't surprising.

"Doesn't answer the question about why you're wearing it."

"I'm trying to impress the drummer." Puck tried to sound cool but there was a very slight tremor to his voice that other people might have missed, but Quinn heard it. Puck was nervous. She never thought she would see the day. She tried not to smile.

"Yeah might want to lose the tie."

"But I think it gives me an edge." He explained as he posed with his arms on his hips. It was the most unmanly stance she'd ever seen. Quinn reminded herself to start going to a straight bar with the boy every now and then.

"Hey, why's everyone out here?" Rachel asked as she approached them. Quinn looked around them, noting that it was only them two from their group.

"I wouldn't say everyone." Quinn joked as Rachel took the seat opposite. "Where's Brittany?"

"Some Pitbull song came on and she ran off shouting this is my jam."

"Yeah, give me everything. She used to love that song in high school."

"Yes then Finn took Kurt into his office." Quinn chuckled considering the conversation she'd just had with the freakishly tall boy.

"They're obviously-" Quinn started but Puck instantly held his hand up.

"Don't say it. I don't need the visual."

"Why are you wearing a tie?" Rachel asked pointing with eased brows.

"He's trying to impress Mercedes."

"It's got naked women on it."

"Exactly what I said." Quinn said smugly and Puck once again looked down at the clothing tied loosely around his neck.

"Come on! This is completely acceptable."

"No. No woman wants to be wooed by a man with nakedness all over his clothes." The singer noted as she shook her head clearly as unimpressed by it was Quinn was.

"It's not all over..." Rachel stood up and proceeded to undo the tie and whipped it from his neck while he continued to protest. Finally she undid his top button and took a step back giving him an approving nod.

"That's better." She said happily as she idly wrapped the tie around her small hands and took her seat beside the blonde. "So what's your plan?"

"I'm gonna ask her out."

"Just like that?" Quinn asked.

"Yep just like that. No standing close by flexing my guns, no chat up lines, no pet names."

"That's impressive Noah."

"Damn straight." He smiled now; glad to have the girl's approval at last. Every now and then Quinn was surprised by people, this was one of those moments. People had always pegged Puck wrong, they saw him as just a well-muscled girl chasing jerk. And there were moments when he was just that, but in between all that he was caring and sensitive. He was the underdog she couldn't help but route for.

Taking a deep breath he rolled his shoulders. "Here it goes."

"Good luck." Rachel said with a wink and Quinn smiled as the boy walked into the bar in search of the drummer. After a beat Rachel turned back to the blonde with a worried look. "I hope he doesn't come back with bruised balls again."

"There's a fifty fifty chance." Quinn admitted earning herself a small light laughter from the brunette.

"This could be interesting." The silence that fell between them wasn't the awkward kind that is often dreaded but rather the comfortable kind. Quinn sat there just happy to be in Rachel's company and she was worried about speaking just in case she said anything that could ruin it.

"Hey."

"Hi." Said before blowing the smoke up above their heads into the night sky, she watched it float away before quickly looking back to the brunette.

"I wanted to say thank you again. You know for saving me."

"Anytime." Quinn had Rachel's name carved into her soul so deeply that she didn't think it possible for it to be worn off. Even if she had wanted to let Rachel fend for herself against the drunk girl's advances should couldn't. She was in too deep and she was only falling harder every second.

"You know smoking is a disgusting habit?" Her eyes were fixed on the white half smoked stick between Quinn's fingers.

"Well it's a good job you don't have to smoke it then."

"You should give it up. It's really not good for you." She stared intently at the blonde and Quinn felt her walls cave under the gaze so much so that she stubbed her cigarette out with an over exaggerated huff .

"Happy now?"

"Extremely."

Half-heartedly Quinn looked at her watch, their time together was pretty much up. "We should get back in. We don't want to keep your adoring public waiting."

"No we don't, they're addicted to me. It would be cruel." The duo smiled at each other, happy to be in the others company. Quinn suspected although Rachel was joking that the girls probably were in fact addicted to the singer. She felt a little jealous, as though she was just one of the many girls in love with Rachel. "This friend's thing isn't so bad." Rachel commented gently as she pushed herself up and waited for Quinn.

"It's fine." Quinn agreed while inside the creature roared with displeasure and together they walked back into the bar. Her jaw tensed painfully as she willed her mouth to stay closed, not wishing to tell her how hard it actually was.

Quinn looked at Kurt leaving his office his fingers interlocked with Finn's; she watched near the stage as Puck said something to make Mercedes's laugh; Tina sat in Artie's lap as he whispered into her ear over the music. For a brief second Quinn considered reaching her hand forward and holding the brunette's hand like they had done earlier that evening. However the moment was ruined as Brittany came running over and wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist.

Quinn was alone. But hadn't that been what she wanted? She didn't want relationships; she'd avoided them since senior year.

Looking at the couples loving each other, the blonde realized that perhaps that had been what she wanted all along. Or perhaps it had just been Rachel she'd been unsuspectingly waiting for all this time. The creature inside her traced the outline of Rachel's imprinted name on Quinn's soul and the blonde felt every excruciating second of it.