First, thanks for reviews.

So here there is the second chapter dedicated to Puck's party... I rewrote it a couple of times, because it didn't sound right… so, I hope you like it…

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

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Chapter 10

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Mercedes knew she was drinking too much. She had brushed off Tina's and Artie's concern, because really, she wasn't that drunk. She didn't really care about their opinions, they were too much on the conservative side for her taste. If she wanted to drink and let loose a bit she was free to do so. Nor did Mercedes care that with alcohol came to the fore her cattiness.

So she sat with her friends, a bit drunk but lucid enough to watch interested around the room waiting for something to happen. Because one of the most fun things that regularly happened to Puck's party was teenage drama, lots of it. People breaking up, cheating on others, fighting. If you could name it, it had happened at one of Puck's parties.

Every single party but tonight apparently, since nothing had happened. Apart from Quinn's, Brittany's and Santana's dances, which had been hot but not particularly gossip worthy, this party had been positively boring.

"They make a good couple." Artie commented on Finn and Rachel dancing. Mercedes turned her head just in time to see the quarterback stepping on the brunette's toes. Tina and Brittany winced with Rachel, having been at the wrong end of Finn's feet more than once and knowing just how much it hurt. Mercedes followed the scene hoping that the next installment of Rachel's and Finn's tormented love story would be entertaining. She had seen them more than once this night quietly talking, or drinking, but never making out. It was unusual for the two of them. It was unusual for Finn at least. If he went at a party with a girl they would end at least making out. In this that boy was exactly like the stereotypical quarterback. Well, it was true for every girl but Quinn. With the head cheerleader it was a wonder if they spent any time at all together at a party. Often enough Finn and Quinn would separate at the front door and see each other again only when it was time to leave, and sometimes neither then.

"They don't." Brittany said with finality. She hadn't even really understood what the two of them had in common apart from glee and being basically kind people inclined to rare moments of egoism. It was why she liked them too, it was easy to like good people, but she hadn't ever quite understood how that like translated in love.

"Well Finn is hopeless at dancing." Tina commented thinking the blonde was referring to his inexistent dance skills. Brittany had even refused to dance with him for weeks after a disastrous rehearsal during which he had practically broken her foot. When it happened Puck, with Mike's help, had had to stop Santana from slugging the boy for his incompetence. It had been hilariously funny to see two football players having difficulty to stop a cheerleader from beating up their quarterback. Pleading to her they needed him for the match that Saturday if they wanted to at least have a chance to score points. Santana had only relented when Brittany had asked her to take her to the nurse and reminded her that if he had really broken her foot Coach Sylvester would take care of him. Santana had smirked evilly at that. And so had Tina at seeing just how pale Finn had got at the idea. "He couldn't even dance with Quinn, and tonight we all saw just how good she is." She smiled at Brittany saying that.

"Q is good, real good." Brittany agreed. "And she is one of the few people I know and danced with who can lead or follow with the same level of skill and confidence."

"I never saw Quinn lead…" Artie added. "I don't think I have at least…"

"When San and I spend time with her more often than not we end up dancing." Brittany shrugged, it was one of the thing the three of them had in common. "Sometimes is formal dancing, sometimes it's more like tonight… she's really good at waltz…"

"Finn sure as hell went awfully fast from Quinn to Rachel." Mercedes' words made the others turn back to watch the dancing couple. She was right. Only a week ago he was with Quinn and now he was at a party with Rachel. But then again Finn wasn't known for his tact or discretion. "And from the looks of it Quinn isn't taking it well." Mercedes added with unhidden glee. Maybe it was finally time for the teenage drama she was waiting for.

The trio followed Mercedes' gaze to the other side of the room. Quinn was leaning against a wall drinking from a bottle of beer, she too was intently watching the couple on the dance floor. They couldn't see her face, it was somewhat hidden in the shadows, but seeing her drinking while watching Rachel and Finn didn't bode well.

"Who wants to bet that Quinn ends up in Puck's bed tonight?"

"It's not funny Mercedes." Brittany scolded the other girl watching her friend just stand there, obviously watching the couple. Even from here Brittany could tell by her restless body language that Quinn was uneasy about something.

"Come on… why not? One can see her jealously from here… a couple of those bottles and Beth'll get a little brother… or sister…" She snickered.

"Go to hell Mercedes." Brittany was already making her way to Quinn. Two years ago she hadn't done anything to help her friend, too involved in Santana and the new facet of their relationship. But even if she hadn't done anything about it she had seen how sad the other blonde had been that night. How alone she had seemed even when she was drinking and laughing with them. And really Quinn had done the most drinking that night while the two of them had been the ones to laugh. Brittany wouldn't make the same mistake.

"What did I say?" Mercedes wined at the dancer's harsh tone.

Artie and Tina just shook their heads. "If you had to ask, maybe it's better if you don't drink anymore Mercedes…"

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Rachel shouldn't have been looking at Quinn. She knew it. The blonde had made more than clear how she felt about her, how she didn't want her friendship, her, back. She had done so for years really, if one considered the cold shoulder of freshman year, the harsh brush-offs and the repeated rebuffs at her offers of friendship in sophomore year. And Rachel had enough self-respect to not go where she wasn't wanted.

But she kept looking at Quinn.

Rachel kept looking at her and finding her beautiful.

Not surprising considering just how Quinn looked. Tall, blonde, with a body to die for and a chiseled face that was almost unreal it was so beautiful. One had to be blind and stupid to not see it. From the first time Rachel had seen her in high school she had seen just how beautiful Quinn was.

She kept looking at her and finding her attractive.

That was surprising. Because when Quinn had only been Quinn and not Lucy, her beauty had been something remote. One of the things you know intellectually but don't really feel. Rachel had been way too intimidated by her to find her attractive. Now, well, now Rachel found her attractive. Very attractive.

But she was here with Finn, even if they were here only as friends and she shouldn't really look at others. It was bad form.

But something had changed with Finn too. Now Rachel was sure she wasn't in love with him anymore. She still found him attractive, still loved him at some level, but she wasn't in love with him anymore. She just didn't feel that pull anymore. Not like before. And looking back it was now clear her relationship with Finn had been more a on then off thing than something really meaningful. It always seemed like they were trying to get together and once they were together they split off for some reason or the other. There weren't ever deep feelings about it, not like those she had felt with Lucy.

So Rachel found herself being with Finn and thinking about Quinn, no matter what she did to avoid it.

But damn that girl was hot. The dance with Brittany and Santana had been… Rachel was sure she had been drooling for most of it. Finn hadn't noticed, because he too had been drooling. To be honest, the whole room had been drooling.

If Rachel was paranoid she would think Quinn had danced that way just to make her realize just what she had thrown away. What she wouldn't ever have. She wasn't paranoid fortunately. Still the doubt was there.

"You want to dance?"

"Sure." Rachel replied without thinking and then bit her lips realizing just what she had said. This really wasn't her night. She had just agreed to dance with Finn to a slow song. Her feet were done for now.

Rachel let Finn lead her to the makeshift dance floor cursing her distraction. She had successfully avoided dancing with him for the whole night and given the hour she had thought she would survive the nigh unharmed. Damn.

Dancing with Finn was an… experience. One that Rachel avoided whenever she could, no matter he was her male lead. He was that bad. But he knew she liked dancing so he offered every time. It was cute but... "But dancing with Quinn…" Rachel remembered fondly the few dances she had had with Lucy. And having seen Quinn in Glee practices or at parties like tonight, well it was clear she had become even better and three years ago she hadn't been bad at all. "Well she was taking ballet..." And she was thinking of Quinn, again. Damn. "Quinn doesn't want you around Rachel…" She scolded herself harshly for the umpteenth time.

Rachel watched her hand being swallowed in Finn's as he tugged her. Sometime his size startled her. It was nice to have a partner taller than her, and realistically Rachel knew that just about everyone was taller than her, but sometimes with Finn she felt more of a child than anything else. It was unpleasant and it even made the logistics of many things, like kissing, problematic.

"Come on." Finn prompted, grinning lopsidedly, putting his hands around her waist and beginning to sway to the music with what one could call a decent level of competence. If one hadn't ever took a dance lesson. And Finn had done so in glee for more than a year. Rachel followed his loose lead, grimacing once more at the nearness of Finn's feet to her own. She still hadn't forgot her broken nose thanks to his elbow. It brought back to mind Quinn's support in changing it. Like the blonde had done. Rachel frowned, suddenly recalling an half forgotten memory of a lazy Saturday spent with Lucy.

It had been an afternoon like many others, they had been sprawled on her bed, simply talking about everything and anything. Joking, laughing. When they had finally calmed down they had just laid there in a blissful silence. Rachel had turned on her side, looking at her friend who had just looked back with a smile and a quizzical expression.

They had stood like that for a while, the silence growing more charged with feelings Rachel didn't really understand. The strange stillness was broken when Rachel finally gave in to the urge of just doing something. The brunette had reached out and traced Lucy's nose. It had felt intimate.

Rachel smiled remembering how Lucy had blushed at the contact but hadn't moved, letting her friend trace lightly her nose up and down. They had stood there, smiling at each other, frozen once again for what had seemed like an eternity.

And suddenly it had felt awkward. Rachel had blushed too and draw back her hand like she had burned her fingers. To break the silence, this time an uncomfortable one, Rachel had blurted out how their noses weren't all that great. Lucy had started a bit at the words, then she had shrugged and told her she didn't really care if Rachel didn't either.

Rachel had felt guilty then, knowing that Lucy was really self conscious of her image, but hadn't apologized, not knowing how.

Rachel felt worse now that she knew that sometime that summer Quinn had gone and got a nose job. It made her question just what other things Quinn had done simply because Rachel had asked. Or done for something the Rachel had said. And she was thinking of Quinn again. Damn.

Then, in the corner of her eye, she saw a profile she recognized.

Quinn.

She was standing against a wall, nursing a beer, apparently lost in thoughts.

The blonde seemed so alone, almost forlorn. Maybe she should go to her…

"Ouch!" Rachel cried out instinctively beginning to hop around. Finn had just crushed her foot and it hurt.

"I'm so sorry Rachel. Let me help you…"

"It's nothing…" She reassured with a fake smile, hopping around on a single foot. "If he has broken my foot I swear I'll break his nose just to make him understand how it feels…"At least she wasn't thinking about Quinn anymore.

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The gentle giant and the bold dwarf. It sure as hell seemed the beginning of a fairy tale. One of the relationships that everybody always said were just destined to be. And Quinn knew that in this fairy tale the plot painted her in the role of the wicked witch.

She took a sip of her beer morosely watching her two exes dance with each other. The sadness and at least a tad of resentment she had expected. The jealously she had not. That had been a surprise, even with all that had happened in the last weeks. That it was that surprising only told her just how much she didn't want to see it.

Because Quinn knew she had once again started to search for Rachel every time she entered in a room. Or how she noticed what the brunette was wearing, and no matter what it was, finding it attractive. She had been thinking that someone really should ban those plaid skirts for the sanity of the rest of the population because those legs were just too distracting. She had gone back to find Rachel's voice heavenly, when before it had grated on her nerves. She had wanted those brown eyes to look at her like they had before, without hesitation or doubt about her reaction, only with that love that seemed endless.

Quinn had spent all night watching Rachel, her eyes stubbornly searching for and finding her even when she didn't want to. It was maddening.

And now she stood here, leaning against the wall farthest from Rachel, finally admitting to herself she was still attracted to her. That she still loved her. And she was scared shitless by it.

And as if her own mixed-up feelings weren't enough Rachel's actions confused the hell out of Quinn.

Rachel had said she wanted to be her friend again. That had been simple to say no to. Because Quinn knew that she didn't want to be Rachel's friend, it was hard enough to be her acquaintance.

Then Rachel had given her half globe back asking to gain it back. It had been enough to turn Quinn's world upside down once again. Because Rachel had to know that that charm represented more than simple friendship to Quinn. It always had, even when she hadn't known how to say it.

But then Rachel come to this party as Finn's date.

Quinn felt the tears gather in her eyes. Trying to control them she blinked repeatedly and took another sip of her beer.

"Q?"

Startled Quinn turned to find Brittany in front of her, evidently worried. Seeing a friend coming to her in a moment of distress soothed a sore spot in Quinn, one she didn't think she still had.

"Hey B." Still she tried for nonchalance, but her voice broke gracelessly at the end.

"Are you alright?"

And for once Quinn didn't feel the need to lie and hide her sadness. For a long time in her life she would have been angry that someone found her when she felt vulnerable. She would have shut them out and tried harder to control her emotions. "No, not really."

Brittany only nodded taking the bottle of beer from her hands and then gathering Quinn in a hug. "You want to go home?" The taller girl asked softly, still keeping her close.

"Please." Quinn whispered once she was sure she wouldn't cry.

Brittany let her go, checking her friend was composed enough to leave without breaking down. Quinn had always been a very private person regarding her emotions and breaking down in front of practically the whole school would destroy her self-esteem. "Come on then, I'll drive."

Quinn gave her keys to Brittany and let the taller girl lead her to the car. For a time neither of them broke the comfortable silence, Brittany concentrating on driving, Quinn absently looking out.

"I'm in love with Rachel."

Brittany only nodded. "What do you plan to do about it?"

"Nothing."

"Because she is with Finn? I doubt they are really together." At least Rachel's whole body language had been all wrong for it.

"It's not that…" Even if it was, at least in part. "I'm scared B…"

Involuntary Brittany's mind went to Santana's words.

The Latina's fears about her sexuality had strained their friendship but after tonight Brittany was hopeful that they would mend it. And Brittany knew she had Quinn to thank for that. It had been the head cheerleader's actions to make them speak again, really speak again and begin to mend fences. And Brittany knew Quinn enough to know it hadn't been just a fortuitous coincidence.

But the blonde somehow doubted that Quinn was afraid of that side of herself, like Santana, more so after the kisses she had given them tonight. If one was scared of liking girls, and wanted to hide it, she didn't go around kissing two of them in front of the whole school.

When the silence went on for a bit Brittany prompted Quinn to go on. "Of what?" It was rare that the head cheerleader would really talk about what made her sad. And Brittany had noticed that Quinn had always be sad deep down.

"Rachel."

A part of Quinn expected Brittany to laugh at what had to seem an absurdity to anyone who didn't know the whole story. But her friend surprised her when her next words were as serious as she had ever heard from Brittany.

"What has she done to you?"

Quinn didn't really questioned how Brittany had known instinctively that Rachel had done something to her. She just sucked in the relief that those words brought her.

"She broke my heart, B. She broke it in a thousand of little pieces… and I-I just don't understand, you know? One day I love her and she loves me… I could see in it her eyes, B, she loved me… the next she breaks up with me…" Her voice broke again but Quinn went on, desperately trying to get it all out. "…she told me I wasn't good enough for her… but I was trying to be better B, I was really trying… I worked out. Lost weight… but still I wasn't good enough… and now, now I'm all that she wanted… I can sing good enough to be on a stage… I'm beautiful enough she could walk with me on the red carpet without being ashamed by my looks… she still doesn't want me. Just what is wrong with me, B?"

"Nothing is wrong with you, Q." Brittany reassured her, internally frowning at what Rachel's words had done to her friend. She had always known that Quinn had needed to be the best at what she did but she hadn't ever known why. She had always thought it had something to do with her father, but now she asked herself if Rachel's words hadn't something to do with it too. "You're funny and kind and intelligent… protective, strong and tough when you have to…"

"Why did she do it then, B? I just want to know… whatever it is I can change it…" Quinn knew she was almost begging by now but she was drunk enough she didn't care, she just wanted Rachel back. She wanted the blissful relationship they had three years ago back. "I can be better, really… I can."

Brittany didn't say anything, because she didn't know the answers of Quinn's questions. She didn't even know if there were answers. She simply grasped Quinn's hand in hers and hold it until they got home, hoping it would comfort her friend.

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In the next chapter there'll be a Faberry scene where they will even talk to each other… shocking, no?