The One Real Thing Chapter 10: 10: WeAre NeverEver GettingBack Together, a glee fanfic

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, Taylor Swift, or any of her songs.

Chapter 10: We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Quinn opened the text message from Rachel and tears fell down her face.

It was three words.

Three words that changed everything, that fixed it… almost.

She read and re-read the words.

From Rachel: I love you

She hadn't lost her, not yet… not completely; she wanted to go to her. To run to New York if she had to but she didn't. She wanted to wait for Rachel to come to her… or at least until her classes were over for the day.

Oh shit my classes- she thought and looked at the clock. Fuck!

She typed out a quick text back to Rachel, hit send, grabbed her book bag, and her room. And once she got outside she sprinted across campus to her class; which started in ten minutes.

Rachel needed to talk to Quinn… but she needed to go see Finn first and make sure he understood for real, that they were over; forever.

So she texted him to meet her at the train station, and after sending it she packed her overnight bag, grabbed her Metro North tickets, and headed out the door. As she walked to the elevator she passed Santana and Kurt in the hall.

"Where are you going?" Kurt wondered.

"New Haven," she said simply and she didn't notice it; but Santana smiled.

"Well it's about fucking time," Santana shouted and Rachel smiled back at her.

"Thanks for your help Santana," she said and saw that Santana shrugged, Rachel nodded once before she got on the elevator.

When she got to the train station she found the shop that she told Finn to meet her at; and as she walked in she saw him. He was sitting at a table picking at a muffin but not really eating it; when she walked over he looked up at her. And then he motioned for her to join him and she did.

"Why here, at the train station?" He asked as he looked around.

"So I can watch you leave," she said without hesitation. She saw tears threatening to escape his eyes but he was fighting them.

"But-"

"Look Finn," she cut him off before he could start going into the reasons why they were perfect for each other when she knew that it was the exact opposite. "Do you remember the first time we broke up?" She waited but he didn't say anything so she continued. "I do… we hadn't seen each other in a month outside of school because of all the baby stuff- which was so bad of us to begin with- secretly seeing each other; we were wrong," he nodded.

"Yeah but it wasn't official."

"It was still real Finn."

"You're right," he agreed.

"Remember when you came around again after you and Quinn finally broke up; remember you were telling me you were going to change, and remember how that lasted for a day?"

"It was longer than a day."

"That's not the point," Rachel said through gritted teeth; she was getting annoyed because Finn was completely missing what she was trying to tell him.

"Then what is your point?"

"We'd break up, you'd call me, and I'd take you back… it happened over and over and over again. I'm telling you now, once and forever Finn… and I want you to hear me. Are you listening?" She waited and he nodded; she reached over and covered his hand with her own and looked deep into his eyes. She knew she had his full attention before she spoke again. "We… are never, ever getting back together."

Like ever.

"Are you sure because-"

"I'm in love with her Finn," Rachel cut him off because he was still not getting it; and she knew he got it this time, she knew her words had hurt him, because this time she saw a tear slide down his cheek and he nodded in defeat. "So please… just let me go."

"You're a hard girl to let go," he said and Rachel gave him a sympathetic grin. "But I guess if I had known that all along you'd still be mine."

"I appreciate you taking the blame for us not working out Finn… but that stance diminishes my relationship with Quinn, my love for her," he was really crying now but still trying to fight it and she felt bad for doing this to him; but she needed to. She needed to say it and he needed to hear it.

"I believe with all of my heart and soul that Quinn was who I was meant to be with all along, so even if you didn't break up with me last year and all the other times before… I still believe that you and I wouldn't have worked out. She is my fate," he nodded and it seemed as though he finally and fully understood.

"Yeah… you two always did have that spark," he said and she nodded because he was right. "And I was so arrogant to believe that the reason why you two fought so much was because of me."

"That didn't make you arrogant Finn," she reassured him. "You were a high school boy, that's what high school boys think… and to be fair if it makes you feel any better- at the time- Quinn and I thought we were fighting over you too; and to some degree it was… just not in the way we thought at the time."

"How then?" He was curious.

"We all thought that Quinn and I were fighting to keep you away from the other because we both wanted you for ourselves," he nodded because he had thought that. "But deep down- and even though I didn't realize it then- I wanted you so that you didn't have her," he grinned.

"And Quinn?"

"Well, she did realize it… she didn't want you to be anywhere near me because she wanted me… she didn't want you to have me."

"Hmm," he hummed and then he got lost in thought for a moment. "That makes a lot of sense actually… looking back now," she giggled because he was right. "So… do you think I'll be okay?"

"I do."

"And do you think I'll ever find a girl that loves me as fiercely as Quinn loves you?"

"Oh gosh… I hope so," she said honestly and they shared a smile.

"You'll always be important to me Rachel," he shot her his dopey grin. "And I'll always be on your side, cheering for you."

"Thanks Finn, that means a lot… and I feel the same way about you," she winked. "You'll always be the first boy I ever loved, and you'll always have a place in my heart."

"Okay, I can live with that." He said as he wiped the tears from his face and got to his feet. "Tell Quinn I'm sorry for kissing you like that, it was mean and a lousy thing to do."

"Yeah it was," Rachel also got to her feet. "But I'll give her the message."

"Thanks," and with that he leaned down and hugged her, she hugged him back and a moment later he pulled away, looked at her for another beat, and then grasped his bag from the ground, and they walked toward the track so he could board the train that would eventually get him back home to Lima. Once they stood near the train they stopped, and Finn turned to face her.

"Break a leg Rach," he winked and she smiled. "I mean here in New York on Broadway and with Quinn."

"Thanks Finn," he hugged her one more time before she watched him get on the train, and then she watched it leave. Once it was gone, she pulled out her phone and turned the power on as she walked to the Metro North- New Haven track. The next train was leaving soon and she needed to get to her girl.

Once her phone was on it beeped to signal that she had received a text message; she quickly opened the text from Quinn and bit her lip at the beautiful words.

From Quinn: I love you too.

After Quinn's class she was walking back toward her dorm and as she crossed the courtyard she was beginning to worry. Rachel had texted her exactly what she needed to know from the girl but that was it. She still didn't know where she stood with Rachel, she didn't know where Finn stood with Rachel; and for all she knew they could be hooking up at this very moment. She cringed at the thought and then shook those images from her mind.

She knew Rachel better than that.

Even if Rachel was confused about her feelings she knew her, and she knew she would never do something like that; especially not after the text that she had sent to her and confessing her feelings the way she did.

No… Rachel was probably working on what she had asked her to do- and she just needed to be patient while Rachel sorted her head and her heart out.

Her thoughts were running around her head so much that she didn't hear her name being called.

"QUINN! Quinn!" Her roommate Brooke was calling her from across the courtyard; when it was clear that Quinn couldn't hear her, or wasn't listening to her Brook began jogging and soon caught up with her. Quinn nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand on her and she was about to do some self-defense moves she had learned a few months ago when Rachel dragged her to a class; but she heard Brook saying her name so she stopped panicking.

"Quinn, hey."

"Oh for fuck's sake, you scared me," Quinn said grasping her chest.

"Sorry," Brooke told her through her pants as she tried to catch her breath.

"I almost kicked your ass."

"Yeah like you could," Brooke teased and Quinn smiled and giggled. "But I am sorry for scaring you, I was calling your name and you didn't hear me so I ran to catch up."

"Oh," Quinn felt bad. "Now I'm sorry."

"It's cool," Brooke told her with a pat on her shoulder and they both began walking toward the door to their dorm.

"So what's up?"

"Well I was thinking," Brooke began with a mischievous smirk. "Since you're out of the room and seemingly feeling better."

"I'm trying," Quinn admitted.

"Good I'm glad… but tonight is karaoke night," she looked at Quinn's expression to gauge her feelings before continuing but she couldn't tell so she continued anyway. "Kate and I are going and we would really love it if you would join us."

"That's nice but I-I don't want to be a third wheel and-"

"You won't be… in fact Kate will be pissed at me if I don't get you to come; she is dying to hear you sing."

"Why" Quinn was confused.

"Because it's not every day you meet a singer from a national championship winning show choir," Quinn snorted laughter. "Her words, not mine… Kate is sort of intrigued by show choirs."

"Oh… that's a little weird," Brooke nodded in agreement. "But trust me… I'm not that good; Rachel was the star of our glee club… you guys should want to hear her sing."

"And I hope we get to someday," Brooke said with a hopeful grin and Quinn smiled back. She appreciated Brooke's support more than she could ever tell her. "But tonight… I want to hear you sing," Quinn nodded. "Come on it'll be fun, please say yes!"

"Yes," Quinn agreed. She just hoped a night out would get her mind off of Rachel and Finn; for a little while any way.

"Great!" Brooke squealed with delight. "I'll text Kate and tell her to meet us at Slyce for some pizza, in an hour.

"Dinner too?"

"Yeah… if we're going to be drinking we're going to need to eat first, or we won't last an hour."

"Drink?" Quinn shook her head in confusion. "But we're underage."

"Yeah… but the fake ID's I got for us say that we're definitely of legal drinking age," Brooke winked, and then draped her arm across Quinn's shoulder; Quinn hadn't said anything but Brooke knew she was impressed. "Now c'mon, let's go get ready for a girls' night."

"My favorite kind of night."

"Mm," Brooke hummed. "Mine too," both she and Quinn giggled and just like that Quinn was looking forward to this much needed night away from her thoughts.

Rachel was sitting on the train; she was thinking about how happy she was with Quinn and how over the last year each day had been something to look forward to… and when she was with Finn it was always push and pull, it was always a fight.

They'd break up, he'd call and say he loved her, she'd take him back. Over and over it was a vicious cycle and she was glad she was finally off of that rollercoaster ride.

And the last year of high school was the worst, with the wedding and everything that happened; she didn't realize it at the time that it was happening but she could see it all… in stunning clarity.

She had been changed for him; he was essentially asking her to change throughout the entire last year of high school and she was doing it. He knew since they met that she had dreams and goals and he asked her to change them, to stay with him, to go to California… and she almost did.

She almost freaking married him.

What was I thinking?

And then she thought about Quinn, and how she told her not to marry him. And when Quinn later begged her not to marry him; and how she still hadn't seen Quinn's true motives behind her actions. She thought back to when she asked the girls about whether or not to have sex; and oh how she wished she had listened to Quinn then.

I wish I had listened to Quinn all of the times she tried to steer me in the right direction- Rachel thought back to those days; and the memories came flashing back like pictures.

The moment at the piano in eleventh grade- when she thought Quinn was trying to hurt her by dating Finn again when in reality she was trying to convince Rachel that she didn't need Finn, and that she was better than him… better than Lima, and better than all of them.

Quinn was ready, willing, and able to sacrifice her own happiness to ensure that Rachel's dreams would come true, even if that meant marry Finn… even if that meant giving up on her love for Rachel forever. And if that isn't true love… what is?

She was so in love with Quinn and she hoped she still had time to make her believe it; and then she promised herself that she would do whatever it would take to sure that Quinn would never forget or doubt it; and her love again.

And she was going to start right now.

She pulled a notebook and pen out of her bag and began writing. She was writing a letter to Quinn; to put all of her feelings in writing so that Quinn could have it… and hold on to it for whenever she needed it.

So that she would always know.

Quinn was sitting at a table across from Brooke and Kate; Brooke had just come back with three shots and they all had one in front of them. Brooke winked at her before she lifted her glass; wordlessly Kate and Quinn lifted theirs as well.

"To friendship," Brooke said. "Whether you've known someone your whole life," she looked lovingly at her girlfriend. "Or you just met them," she looked back at Quinn. "Here is to real friends, with real amazing women."

"I'll drink to that," Kate said.

"Me too," Quinn agreed and they all three downed their shots.

"So Quinn," Kate said after she shuddered through the taste of her shot. "Tell me about show choir?" Quinn giggled because Brooke was telling the truth about Kate's strange interest in show choir.

"What do you want to know?"

"What was the first song you ever sang for glee club?" Brooke cut in before Kate could ask her question.

"I Say a Little Prayer," Quinn answered and Brooke curled her lip.

"Okay then," Brooke said and then immediately thought of another question. "What's the gayest song you ever sang?" Quinn laughed before answering.

"Um… You Keep Me Hanging On."

"What's gay about that?" Brooke wondered.

"Because you sang it to Rachel," Kate stated rather than asked; it was as if she already knew and then Quinn nodded her confirmation.

"Yeah," Quinn said with a sigh and then thought back to that day. "Rachel and I had just had this ridiculous fight in the hallway over our shared ex-boyfriend."

"Why were you fighting about him?"

"Because she wanted him and I had him… I was telling her that she was never going to get him; mostly because I was going to let him have her."

"And what did she do?" Brooke asked this time.

"She argued back and she put me in my place. I was sooo angry… but I was more turned on. I wanted to rip her clothes off and do very naughty things to her."

"But what did you actually do?" Brooke already knew her too well, and Quinn rolled her eyes in annoyance over that.

"I went to glee club rehearsal and I sang about it," both girls laughed at her.

"Yeah I guess that is pretty gay," Brooke said and this time Quinn laughed with them. After a beat Kate spoke again.

"Did you ever sing with Rachel?"

"Yeah… once," Quinn smiled in reflection at the memory.

"What song?"

"It was a mash up of the songs I Feel Pretty and Unpretty."

"Oh wow," Kate said.

"I would love to hear that," Kate and Brooke both said moments apart.

"Maybe one day, you'll get to."

"Cool… I have one more question," Kate continued and Quinn nodded. "Did you ever sing a song to Rachel?"

"Yes," Quinn answered and she could tell that her friends wanted more. "Twice," she continued. "But she didn't know I was singing to her either time… in senior year I sang the song Never Can Say Goodbye by the Jackson 5 and the other time was in junior year and the song was Lucky by Jason M-"

"Oooh I love that song, will you sing it tonight?" Kate asked but Quinn shook her head no.

"Not tonight," Quinn answered with a slight pout. "I-I just can't."

"That's fine."

"So… if you could sing any song to Rachel right now, what song would it be?" Brooke asked and Quinn thought about it for a moment.

"I guess it would be-"

"Wait!" Brooke cut her off before she could answer. "Don't tell us, just… go sing it," she pointed to the stage.

"I-I no…" Quinn's voice trailed off as she started to think about doing it anyway. It might help stop her from feeling so bad.

"I already signed you up, you just need to write down what song you're going to sing," Brooke continued with a sheepish grin and Quinn's mouth dropped.

"You're a bitch."

"I know," Brooke winked at her. "Now get your ass up there and write down the song you picked, and when he calls your name go back up there and sing the hell out of it," Quinn was nervous, and excited, and she was also buzzed so before she could over think it; she got up and walked over to the stage.

Quinn was feeling pretty drunk when the MC called her name; Brooke and Kate cracked up laughing and clapped as Quinn got up, and made her way to the stage. But once the music began, and Quinn started to sing; they were both mesmerized.

Dreams, that's where I have to go
To see your beautiful face anymore
I stare at a picture of you and listen to the radio
Hope, hope there's a conversation
We both admit we had it good
But until then it's alienation, I know
That much is understood
And I realize

If you ask me how I'm doing
I would say I'm doing just fine
I would lie and say that you're not on my mind
But I go out and I sit down at a table set for two
And finally I'm forced to face the truth,
No matter what I say I'm not over you, not over you

Damn, damn girl, you do it well
And I thought you were innocent
Took this heart and put it through hell
But still you're magnificent
I, I'm a boomerang, doesn't matter how you throw me
I turn around and I'm back in the game
Even better than the old me
But I'm not even close without you

And if I had the chance to renew
You know there isn't a thing I wouldn't do
I could get back on the right track
But only if you'd be convinced
So until then...

When the song was over and the crowd applauded; she smiled awkwardly and made her way back to her table and the MC announced the next singer. When she got back to her seat there were two shots in front of where she was sitting, she sat down anyway.

"That was amazing Quinn," Kate told her and the girl was a bit in awe.

"Yeah my girlfriend is fangirling you," Brooke said to which Quinn laughed. "But seriously, you were so good."

"Thanks," Quinn motioned to the shots in front of her. "Are these-"

"They're both for you," Brooke answered her question before she asked it. Quinn downed one shot, the other, and then she shuddered through the bitter taste. Brooke laughed and ordered them another round of shots.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"If that's what it takes to keep that smile on your face… then yes."

"I love Rachel."

"I know sweetie," Brooke reached over and rubbed her forearm sympathetically.

"I just love her," Quinn repeated.

"I know," Brooke also repeated.

A few hours later; Quinn, Brooke, and Kate stumbled back to their dorm laughing and giggling. As they reached the steps Quinn stopped dead in her tracks causing the other girls to almost fall over.

"Rachel," she said shocked to see the girl sitting on the steps and she instantly sobered up

"Hey," Rachel said softly as she got to her feet and stepped closer to where they had stopped. Quinn was staring at her with a half-confused, half-relieved expression; and she certainly wasn't talking so Rachel looked at the other two girls.

"Hey Brooke, hey Kate," she said and both girls waved awkwardly.

"Hey Rachel," Brooke said with a huge grin on her face. "Kate and I were just making sure Quinn got home okay, but we're spending the night in Kate's dorm room tonight."

"We are?" Kate asked her with confusion but when she saw the look on Brooke's face she caught on. "We are… that's right, see ya Quinn."

"Yeah bye Quinn," Brooke said and just like that Rachel and Quinn were left alone; Rachel stepped closer.

"What are you doing here?" Quinn asked as she finally found her voice.

"I love you," Rachel replied.

"And Finn?" Rachel could hear the pain in her tone as she asked the question; so she merely smiled.

"I don't know if Finn loves you… you'll have to ask him," Quinn felt the pain slowly going away as she laughed. "I'm yours Quinn," Rachel continued. "I always have been," and just as she got the words out; Quinn closed the distance between them. When Rachel felt Quinn's body collide into hers; it felt as if her world had shifted back into place.

And Quinn felt it too.

And then Quinn was kissing her and just like that it was like coming home.

"We are never getting back together. Like, ever!"

-Taylor Swift; We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

A/N: The song Quinn sings in this chapter is Not Over You by Gavin DeGraw