AN: Many thanks, again, for reading/reviewing. I love knowing your thoughts about the direction this story is taking. Please note that the brief text message exchange between Q and R is in italics. I am fairly certain I'm about ready to wrap this thing up. I have two possible endings in mind, but feel free to share your thoughts with me about what you'd like to happen. As I mentioned in the AN for the previous chapter, I will be out of town for the rest of this week. I will try to have another chapter posted sometime next week.

Santana stole another surreptitious glance at Quinn. The two girls were in Santana's room. They were supposed to be doing homework. But Santana couldn't stop trying to read Quinn's mood. And Quinn looked like she was making some type of list. Maybe the pros and cons of killing Finn Hudson, Santana wasn't sure. Quinn was just acting all kinds of strange. Santana couldn't shake the feeling – the fear? – that Quinn was up to something.

And Santana didn't think it was another plan to win the favor of one Rachel Berry. When Quinn had tried to get Rachel back before, she'd exuded a restless energy and veiled excitement. Now, Quinn was too quiet, but she didn't seem upset. She'd been like this all day at school, too. Santana was pretty certain Quinn would've heard something about Rachel's date with Finn. Although Kurt knew better than to gloat to Santana, undoubtedly the boy was making sure news of the date made the rounds of McKinley.

But Quinn had remained outwardly unaffected. She'd not mentioned Rachel once today, which was a far cry from her behavior the night before. She'd cried over Rachel. Screamed about how loving Rachel wasn't good enough. Cursed Finn with words even Santana found a little shocking. Santana had rather desperately asked Brittany to come over because, honestly, she was having trouble dealing with Quinn. But she should've known better.

Brittany had begged Quinn to call Rachel. Quinn had replied that talking to Rachel was pointless. Brittany had started to cry. And Santana had suddenly felt as if she was living in the hellish land of déjà vu.

Today, Quinn acted as if she'd never even heard of a person named Rachel Berry. Santana frowned over at Quinn. "You're up to something, Fabray. Hows about you clue me in?"

If Santana's words rattled Quinn, she was doing a damn good job of hiding it, stellar even.

"Why no teary-eyed confessions today? You're acting funny."

"I'm moving in with my Dad."

"Say again, please?"

Quinn shrugged. "I think you heard me."

Santana jumped up from her bed. "You're just gonna run away from her?"

"No, I'm just going to finish my senior year somewhere else."

"Which is another fucking way of saying you're running from her!" Santana yelled. Quinn seemed so irritatingly unmoved and indifferent.

"And I need you to not tell Brittany."

Santana gapped and attempted to speak. Quinn held up her hand.

"Wait until Sunday, Santana, just until Sunday. Otherwise, she'll tell Rachel. You know she will. I'll be gone on Sunday. You can explain it to her then."

"Wait, wait, wait. You're leaving that quickly? How is that even possible?"

"What's so tough about it? I'm switching schools. I'm moving in with my Dad. It's not like I'm planning a trip to the moon."

Santana bit back her reply: You'd have to go to the moon to get away from Rachel Berry. Instead, she focused on her breathing and looked over at Quinn.

"Shouldn't you at least tell Rachel?"

Quinn's laugh rang loud and harsh in Santana's ears. "Tell her? I'm sure she'll figure it out on her own. Or Brittany will say something on Monday. I don't really care how she finds out. But it won't be from me." Quinn turned back to her work.

"That's it, Quinn? You have nothing else to say?"

"I told you everything: I'm leaving McKinley because I'm going to stay with my father for the rest of the school year. Can we talk about something else?"

"Fine. Pick a topic." Santana muttered.

But they talked very little the rest of the afternoon. Brittany joined them at some point – Santana couldn't say just when, such was her disbelief over Quinn's announcement. Santana sensed that Brittany had noticed Quinn's odd behavior, too. She kept peeking over at Santana with a nervous twist of her head towards Quinn. Santana feigned nonchalance and gave Brittany a reassuring smile.

Even after Quinn left and Santana and Brittany cuddled in bed, Santana said nothing to Brittany. She'd tell her on Sunday.

(Break)

Santana thought that Mother Mary and God were having a few good chuckles at her expense because the next day at school, she kept seeing Rachel seemingly every time she turned around. There was Rachel in the hallway dashing to class. She should've already been in class, Santana grumbled to herself. There was Rachel delivering a note to Santana's teacher during first period. She's not even in this class, Santana muttered under her breath. There was Rachel when Santana was in the bathroom in between second and third period. Shouldn't she be on the second floor? Santana frowned.

Each time she saw Rachel she had the strong but insane – very, very insane – urge to tell the girl about Quinn's plan. But she held back. Really, though, meeting up with her in the bathroom was almost too much. She'd snubbed her nose at Rachel and made sure the brunette knew not to talk to her. Rachel had rushed into the nearest stall and Santana fled out into the hallway just as soon as Rachel was out of sight.

Santana had held firm until Glee club practice. Rachel had stood in front of the room and belted out a song – Santana had never heard of it, probably because it was beyond lame – about lost love and broken hearts and haunted memories. Then, she'd burst into tears.

Finn's face had turned a startling shade of crimson and Brittany had started up with the waterworks again, but the rest of the Glee kids thought Rachel's tears were part of her performance.

Santana flung herself out of her seat and charged over to Rachel. She clapped her hands and plastered a smile on her face. "So, so pretty, Rachel. Very touching. Stay behind and show me how to hit that last high note?" Santana gripped Rachel's arm and wouldn't let go even when Rachel tried to free herself.

The rest of the group filtered out. Santana asked Brittany to go ahead to cheerleading practice; she'd be just a minute with Rachel. Brittany had hesitated. Rachel was the one who told her everything was okay; Santana wouldn't be but a minute.

After Brittany's departure, Santana whipped around to face Rachel.

"Quinn waits for us to finish practice. She hangs out in the library."

"Why are you telling me this?" Rachel sounded both lost and wary.

"Because I'm about to enlighten your sweet ass…"

(Break)

Rachel marched down the hallway. There was no way – no way at all! – Quinn was transferring to another school.

Just the other night she'd bared her secrets to Finn. Rachel had told him that she'd loved Quinn for longer than she cared to admit. She was sorry for hurting him, but she felt so hollow and lonely inside without Quinn. He'd reacted as she had expected: Angrily. He'd knocked over a chair on Rachel's front porch and stomped away. She had followed after him and he'd turned to give her his final verdict.

"You know what? You two deserve each other. You both use people. You don't care who you hurt!"

Rachel watched him jog off toward his car. She wanted to feel sad. Instead, she'd felt relieved. She wanted to get angry over his accusations that she used people. Instead, she'd found herself more offended on Quinn's behalf than her own.

But she'd ended it. That was the important part. And she had wanted to give Quinn a little space before Rachel told her about her conversation with Finn. She believed that they'd both benefit from time to think, to process, to cool off. Plus, Rachel wanted to come up with a way to dazzle Quinn senseless with some grand, sweeping romantic gesture. But Quinn was once again forcing her hand. So be it. She'd just have to improvise her grand, sweeping romantic gesture.

True to Santana's words, Rachel found Quinn in the library. She was alone at a table in the middle of the room. The place was packed but Quinn must've used her HBIC glare because no one was sitting with her.

Rachel didn't know if Quinn was disregarding her presence on purpose or if Rachel had appeared so quickly at her side that Quinn had no chance to react. Either way, Rachel pulled Quinn from her seat, leaned forward, and pressed her mouth fiercely against Quinn's. She heard several students gasp and the librarian trying to restore order, but she wouldn't detach her mouth from Quinn's lips. Quinn struggled at first but, gradually, she allowed Rachel to kiss her.

Rachel pulled away long enough to whisper in Quinn's ear. "You are going to follow me to my car. And don't think about saying no, Quinn. Or I'll make a scene. And you don't want that. You really don't."

Quinn nodded against Rachel's cheek. Rachel gathered the girl's belongings and wrapped her arm around Quinn's waist. She escorted them out of the library to the parking lot. She opened the passenger side door for Quinn and motioned for the blonde to take a seat. Rachel kept a watchful eye on Quinn as she made her way around the car. Rachel was quiet as she drove them away from McKinley.

Quinn sighed heavily. "Care to tell me what you want with me?"

"You can't transfer."

"Who said anything about transferring?"

Rachel slammed her hands against the steering wheel. "Don't lie to me!"

"Don't act like it matters to you!"

Rachel sped up and cut down a side street. "You are unbelievable, Quinn Fabray. Why do you always have to be so impulsive?"

"Pot, please meet kettle."

"Yes. I am impulsive. But I'm practical enough to know when I've taken things too far."

"Now who 's telling lies? Why, I believe it's Finn Hudson's girlfriend, that's who."

Rachel ran a stop sign and made a sharp left. "I'm not his girlfriend!"

"Does he know that?"

"I told him the other night. Why couldn't you have trusted me a little longer?"

"You never gave me a reason to trust you at all."

Rachel bounced forward in her seat when she hit a speed bump too fast. "I hate you sometimes!"

"I don't doubt it."

"You can't transfer!"

"You can't always have your way."

Rachel turned down an alley and jerked the car to a stop. "Maybe not."

She crawled across the console and into the back seat. She roughly pulled Quinn along with her.

"Fuck, Rachel…"

Rachel put her hand over Quinn's mouth and muffled the rest of her words into silence. She tugged at the buttons on Quinn's shirt and two of them roughly came unclasped.

"You can't transfer."

One hand still covering Quinn's mouth, Rachel unbuttoned the rest of the blonde's shirt and it dropped from around Quinn's shoulders.

Rachel removed her hand from Quinn's mouth and ran her thumb along the edges of her jawline. "I want to see you."

Quinn put her lips flush against Rachel's, but they didn't kiss. "What do I get out of it?"

Rachel was breathing in Quinn's air. And it was making it hard for her to think.

She finally managed to find her voice, "Me. You get me."

Quinn reached forward and grabbed Rachel's shirt. "Lift your arms."

The sudden rush of cold air caused Rachel to push into Quinn for warmth. The blonde deftly removed Rachel's bra and Rachel leaned into the touch. Everywhere. Quinn's hands were everywhere. And then her tongue was twirling circles around and around her breast, stopping just long enough to graze her nipple before starting the process over again.

Rachel arched into Quinn. "Please! I want to see you!"

Quinn halted her movements and looked up at Rachel. Never breaking eye contact, Quinn reached behind her and took off her bra. Quinn unzipped her pants and Rachel tugged them off.

She cautiously licked Quinn's bottom lip and was rewarded with a soft sigh. But that was as soft as she wanted this encounter to go. Rachel swiftly dragged her fingernails up Quinn's back.

"Jesus, Rach!" Quinn yelped.

Rachel repeated the motion, this time feeling tiny beads of blood sprout along Quinn's skin.

"Rachel! Easy!" Quinn bucked her hips against Rachel's thighs.

Rachel again put her hand over Quinn's mouth. She used her free hand to scrape across Quinn's back for a third time. Quinn whimpered, dropped her head, and pushed harder into Rachel.

"You…can't…transfer." Rachel's tone was forceful, insistent. Quinn responded by yanking at Rachel's jeans. Rachel took the hint. She hastily wrenched her jeans and underwear from around her waist and threw them into the front seat. She just as quickly wrapped her arms around Quinn and scratched up the girl's back yet again. This time, when Quinn curved her body against Rachel's, she could feel the wetness of Quinn through her panties.

Rachel put her lips against Quinn's and moaned into her mouth. "You're so wet." She cupped Quinn's sex and whispered, "You'd miss this if you left me."

Quinn groaned but said nothing. Rachel trailed her fingers down Quinn's stomach and wound her fingers around the waistband of the girl's panties. Quinn lifted her hips and Rachel inched them down her thighs.

Rachel almost smirked at the sight of Quinn. Her wetness pooled over onto her thighs and clung to her core. Quinn was rocking her hips in the air, searching for any type of contact with Rachel.

Without warning, Rachel slapped Quinn between her legs. Quinn cried out and bucked into Rachel's hand. Rachel let her hand linger. She gently flicked Quinn's clit with her thumb. And then, just as forcefully as before, she slapped Quinn's pussy once more. Quinn lunched upwards with a strangled scream.

"Shhh!" Rachel murmured, placing her hand over Quinn's mouth. Quinn was frantically angling her center toward Rachel's, but Rachel held back.

"You can't transfer. You'd miss me too much." Rachel lowered her body against Quinn and took one of the blonde girl's nipples in her mouth. She sucked hard on the bud and bit down when Quinn pushed Rachel more firmly against her.

Rachel laughed. "You're so eager. I think you know I'm right. If you transfer, you can't have this anymore." To emphasize her point, Rachel swirled her tongue in Quinn's belly button.

Quinn groaned louder than Rachel had ever heard. She smiled against Quinn's skin.

"There, huh?" Quinn tried to tilt her body in such a way that would bring her into direct contact to where Rachel knew the girl needed her most. But she wasn't ready to give in to Quinn just yet.

Rachel trailed her tongue along Quinn's stomach and peppered wet, open-mouthed kisses against her collarbone.

Quinn still wasn't talking but her body told Rachel what she needed to know. The blonde kept frantically jerking her hips and gripping at Rachel with her thighs.

Rachel pushed Quinn back and dangled one of the blonde's legs over her shoulder. She plunged three fingers inside Quinn and harshly scissored them against her walls.

"Too much, Rachel! It's too much!"

Rachel withdrew her fingers and wiped them against Quinn's leg. Quinn was soaked. Rachel eased two fingers back inside the girl and was met with a satisfied moan of approval. Quinn's breathing picked up and she pushed herself, hard, against Rachel.

"Tell me you wouldn't miss this." Rachel murmured in Quinn's ear. She didn't give Quinn a chance to respond before bending her mouth to Quinn's neck and biting down fiercely.

Quinn yelped and grabbed Rachel by the wrist to thrust her fingers further inside her. Quinn swayed her hips rapidly. Up and down. Back and forth. Side to side. Faster and faster.

"You can't transfer. You'd miss this. I know it." Rachel again bit down on Quinn's neck. And that's all it took.

Quinn beat her fists against the roof of Rachel's car as she came with a scream: "It's not enough! It's never enough. Never, ever enough!"

Quinn fell backwards with a sigh of release. After a moment, she swiped her hand against Rachel's sex. Rachel gripped Quinn's hand tightly and pushed it away.

"No. Watch me. Because this is what you'd be giving up if you transferred." Rachel slipped two fingers inside herself, rolled backwards against Quinn, and moaned. Quinn's mouth hung open in a silent O and her eyes never left Rachel's fingers.

Rachel added a third finger. She felt Quinn's body quiver beneath her. Rachel rocked her hips in a slow, teasing way while Quinn gripped her ass and brought them closer together. Rachel reached down and danced her tongue against Quinn's upper lip before allowing Quinn's tongue to meet her own. They fought for control and Rachel was so lost in the battle that she at first didn't notice that Quinn's hands had left her.

Then, Quinn's hands were on her again. Quinn's thumb brushed against her clit. "Let me watch you come, Rachel. Show me what I'd be giving up."

Rachel threw her head back and with one final flick of Quinn's thumb against her clit, she came around her own fingers. Quinn smiled languidly at Rachel and gently but urgently ran her palm up and down Rachel's clit. Rachel's body immediately responded.

"Don't leave me! Never leave me!" Rachel cried out as a second orgasm hit her. She rode Quinn's thigh silently until her orgasm subsided.

She fused her body against Quinn and shut her eyes tightly. Rachel listened to Quinn's breathing as it evened out. She was suddenly afraid. Because now they'd have to talk. Rachel was going to make them talk. And she wasn't going to start with any formalities. She really had only one question to ask of Quinn.

Rachel buried her face in Quinn's neck. She wasn't prepared to have this conversation while looking right at Quinn. She composed herself as best she could, seeing as she was still naked and trembling slightly, and dove in head first.

"Did you mean it when you said you love me?"

Quinn's body stiffened beneath her. And Rachel was never so glad in her life that she couldn't see Quinn Fabray's face. But Quinn's answer caused her to jolt forward so that she could meet the blonde's gaze.

"I meant it."

"Do you still mean it?"

Quinn seemed reluctant to respond. Rachel was about to hide her face again when Quinn spoke.

"You know that I do."

"Tell me. Say it again."

Quinn reached toward Rachel and cupped her cheeks. "I meant what I said. I love you, Rachel."

Rachel folded her body around Quinn's and held her tightly. She wasn't aware that she was crying until she felt the gentle stroke of Quinn's fingers against her cheeks as the blonde wiped away her tears.

"It's okay, Rach, it's all right." Quinn's voice was so soothing, calming, reassuring. Rachel brought the blonde closer to her and allowed Quinn to give her the comfort she so badly needed.

Quinn loved her. She loved her. It was okay. Everything was fine.

Rachel kissed Quinn behind her ear and whispered, "I love you right back."

Quinn relaxed into Rachel and nearly purred, "Then show me how much."

Rachel rolled on top of Quinn and proved her love.

(Break)

"You should come back to Glee."

Quinn looked up from her position on Rachel's lap. They were under the bleachers having lunch. Well, Rachel was eating but Quinn couldn't quite bring herself to try the weird hummus/olive/feta combination Rachel had prepared for them. She desperately wanted a bacon cheeseburger.

She couldn't tell Rachel the truth about why she wouldn't be coming back to Glee. She settled on a divisionary answer: "I'm not ready to consider that option. And aren't you still secretly glad there's one less person who could take solos from you?"

Rachel pouted at Quinn. "I'd give them all to you if you came back."

"How about I give you something else instead?" Quinn asked, winking up at Rachel.

"Quinn Fabray, I will no longer entertain the idea of having sex with you until you take me out on a proper date. And I think you should ask me out for this Friday, as I have no plans and I would very much like to see you."

Quinn laughed. "Only Rachel Berry would demand that someone ask her on a date."

"I'm simply providing you with very good advice. Advice you should seriously consider taking."

Quinn propped herself up on one knee, gently grasped Rachel's hand, and bowed low. "Rachel Barbra Berry, would you do me the honor of gracing me with your presence this Friday evening? You would make my dreams come true if you would allow me the pleasure of your company. I would very much like to take you out on a 'proper' date."

Rachel beamed at Quinn. "I accept your offer, Lucy Quinn Fabray, and I am delighted at your request."

Both girls collapsed back onto the blanket in laughter. They linked hands and giggled until the bell called them back to their senses.

(Break)

Quinn spent half of Thursday evening and most of the day on Friday – between classes, of course – trying to find a vegan restaurant in Lima. She knew it was probably a pointless endeavor. And she had been right. How did Rachel manage to find anything to eat in this town?

She finally found a restaurant, but it was two hours outside Lima. Workable, she thought.

She texted Rachel: Need to leave 4 date right after school. K?

This is the first time u texted me school!

Quinn rolled her eyes but smiled.

Need an actual answer.

Oh, right! Sorry! Yes!

Quinn fidgeted through the next class period. She wanted to get Rachel some kind of gift. Otherwise, she feared Rachel might not find the date "proper" enough. Chocolates? No, how could she be sure if they were vegan-friendly? Some type of love note? No, stupid! She'd done that before. A donation to an animal-rights charity? But she could hardly present Rachel with a printed-out certificate of a charitable contribution and have Rachel consider it romantic. Flowers? Wrong again. Flowers upset Rachel; she believed it was a senseless way to destroy living things.

She glanced at the clock and tapped her foot restlessly. A plant! Yes, a plant! Something like basil or rosemary. Rachel could use it when she cooked. Quinn dashed out during her free period and lucked up: The florist had a pretty decent selection. Quinn bought Rachel four plants. Overkill. She was going for overkill on this date.

Because Quinn realized she needed to give Rachel one perfect date. Something that Rachel would always look back on and smile. It was the only thing Quinn knew for sure she could give the girl. She texted Rachel to inform her that she'd pick her up at the curb outside McKinley at exactly three-thirty.

Rachel was smiling as she bounded out to Quinn's car, promptly, at three-thirty.

"Where are you taking me?"

Quinn grinned over at Rachel. "It isn't polite for a lady to be so forward, Rachel."

Rachel just laughed and sat back in her seat. She mimed a zipping gesture across her lips and threw an invisible key in Quinn's direction.

Quinn suddenly blushed and reached into the back seat. "Got you something." She practically thrust the plants one by one into Rachel's hands. Rachel had trouble balancing them all.

"I know you like to cook and you think flowers are a waste. Well, not a waste so much as bad for the environment, or something." Quinn knew she was rambling, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. "And food is so hard to find that's acceptable to vegans. I wanted to get you something…so here." Quinn pushed the final plant into Rachel's lap.

"Oh, Quinn, thank you!" Rachel's reaction appeared genuine enough. But Quinn was nervous. Maybe she should've gotten her sheet music! Damn, that was a far better idea.

Rachel pulled Quinn to her and whispered softly in her ear, "You're thinking too much, Quinn. Talk to me."

"Maybe I got you the wrong thing. I don't really know how to do this, Rachel! Date, I mean."

"You're doing fine. Better than fine." Rachel kissed Quinn gently on her earlobe. "I was telling my Dad the other day that I needed herbs so I could learn to make more pasta dishes. And, besides, I can tell you put a lot of thought into this. You did good, Quinn. Relax."

Point for Fabray, Quinn thought, allowing a smile to ghost across her lips.

They spent the car ride north either singing along to whatever song was on the radio – usually some cheesy ballad, so Rachel was in her glory – or Quinn listened to Rachel debate the merits of Julliard over Columbia.

The restaurant was much more high-class than Quinn had anticipated. She looked down at her clothes: Plain t-shirt, skirt, flats. Good enough. The menu threw Quinn for another loop. She decided right then and there that she never again wanted to eat at a place where every other dish had tofu as a main ingredient and kale as a side dish. But Rachel was clearly in her element. She ate so much that Quinn wondered if the girl wasn't secretly stashing food in her purse to take home for later.

Quinn was pleased to learn that there was a small lake not far from the restaurant. She took Rachel there after dinner and the two walked, hand in hand, by the shore. They watched as two small boys skipped rocks across the water and ran shrieking in happiness back to their parents.

Rachel glanced at Quinn. "I don't know how to skip a rock."

"Are you serious?"

Rachel blushed. "Even though it may appear otherwise, I don't know how to do everything, Quinn."

Quinn bent low and picked up a rock. "Come here, novice, and I'll show you."

She gently positioned Rachel in front of her and sneakily took advantage of the opportunity. She ran her thumb along the edge of Rachel's breast.

Rachel squealed and jumped forward. She whipped around and scowled at Quinn. "Quinn Fabray, that is no way to treat a lady on a first date! And there are children present!"

Quinn doubled over in laughter. When she was able to compose herself, she grinned at Rachel and said, "Does that make me the…uh…gentleman in this scenario?"

Rachel huffed. "We are both ladies. And I have made no move to…to…molest you!" Quinn started laughing again and a blush crept across Rachel's face.

"Quinn! Don't laugh at me!"

Quinn waved her arms at Rachel and sunk to the ground. She couldn't stop laughing. When she finally sobered up, Rachel burst into laughter and sat down heavily between Quinn's legs.

Quinn picked up another rock and placed it in Rachel's hand once their laughter tapered off. "Here, put your index finger around the rock. And place your thumb under it. Angle your elbow to the side."

Rachel did as she was told.

"Now, don't fling it. Just kinda let it slip from your hand."

Rachel shouted in delight as the rock skipped twice across the lake.

Another point for Fabray.

Quinn wrapped her arms around Rachel and they swayed together to the rhythm of the water. A short time later, she enveloped Rachel in a tight hug. "Think I'd better take you home now, my dear lady, the hour growth late."

Rachel smiled at Quinn and nodded.

They spent the car ride south either breaking out into random fits of laughter or Quinn listened to Rachel rave on and on about her meal.

Although she considered that another point in her favor, Quinn had hardly touched her food. She still really wanted that bacon cheeseburger.

Quinn pulled over to the curve across from Rachel's house just after midnight. "Well, I guess it's a good thing you didn't turn into a pumpkin." She grinned at Rachel. "Can I see you later day?"

"It is customary for one to walk a girl to her door at the conclusion of a date, Quinn."

"Yeah…I don't think your fathers would be too happy about that."

"Well, then, kiss me now."

"Who said anything about kissing? Just because you walk a girl to her door…"

Rachel interrupted Quinn with a kiss. When they pulled away, Rachel said, "You'd better see me later today." She gave Quinn another kiss and literally hopped out of the car. Quinn never took her eyes off Rachel as the brunette made her way around the car.

Rachel tapped on Quinn's window and she lowered it to look up at the girl.

"What comes next, Quinn?" Rachel's demeanor was suddenly very serious, almost pensive.

Quinn leaned up and trailed her hand along Rachel's check. "I honestly don't know. But we'll figure it out, okay?"

Rachel favored her with a tentative smile. She reached for Quinn's hand and kissed each of her knuckles.

"Okay," she responded. She kissed Quinn's palm and took a step back from the car. Quinn watched Rachel until she turned the key in her door. She drove away and tried not to think about what would come later.

(Break)

Rachel closed her front door as quietly as possible. She was startled by the sound of her Daddy's voice.

"Rachel, were you with Quinn?"

"Daddy, you scared me!"

"I'm sorry I scared you. But please answer me."

"Yes. I was with Quinn and I didn't break my curfew, so I don't know why you're down here in the dark waiting to pounce on me."

"You didn't tell us you were going out with Quinn."

"I said I would be with a friend and, technically, Quinn is my friend."

Rachel plastered a defiant look on her face and glared over at her father. For his part, her Daddy looked back at her wearily. His face was ashen and his eyes rimmed dark. Rachel faltered and stared down at her feet.

"Don't you see what you're doing, Rachel? You're lying to your fathers."

Rachel rallied. "I didn't lie…." She trailed off and avoided her Daddy's eyes. "I…I withheld information."

"Important information! You withheld important information. You know how we feel about Quinn. She's not good for you."

With great force and purpose, Rachel slammed her foot down on the floor and prepared to defend the girl she loved.

Hiram cut her off. "You've been moping around the house for days. You're not even practicing your singing at home anymore. It's as if you've lost all your passion for what you used to value most in your life."

Rachel had a good comeback for that one: "I practice at school."

"You've been skipping your piano lessons."

Rachel struggled for an answer that would satisfy her Daddy. It was true. She'd missed several lessons. At first she just couldn't find the energy to attend sessions because she was so upset over losing Quinn. And she hadn't made it to her lesson on Thursday because she was too busy cuddling with Quinn in the park after school.

Hiram continued, "She's taking you away from the things that you love. The things that are going to get you out of this town. The things that make you, you!"

"No she isn't!"

"Rachel, she's unpredictable. You're playing tug of war with her, but she's not going to hold on to her end of the rope forever. She's going to leave you hanging."

Rachel tried hard to both absorb and discount her Daddy's words. Internally, she'd almost succeeded in justifying her view of Quinn over the one her father currently held. But then she thought of how she'd relay this conversation back to Quinn. Her first thought was that Quinn would get angry. In all likelihood, she'd even take it as an opportunity to run from Rachel yet again. This was the girl, after all, who was ready to pack up and move to a new county just to put distance between them. Sure, they'd had a couple of really, really good days together. But in all the years they'd known each other, were those days enough to discredit the rest?

As if to echo her thoughts, her Daddy said, "I know you have deep feelings for her. But you're a teenager, baby girl. These emotions are intense, I know, but they'll fade. If I knew she made you happy – happy most of the time – I'd back off. You know that, right?" But from what I understand, she usually just makes you sad."

She glanced at her Daddy. It was his love for her that had prompted him to speak out against Quinn. She smiled at him, wrapped Hiram in a tight hug, and whispered against his chest, "Thank you for loving me, Daddy. But let me figure out Quinn on my own, okay?" She felt her Daddy nod his head. She pulled away from him and turned toward the stairs. He didn't stop her as she made her way to her room.

Rachel perched herself on the edge of her bed and thought of Quinn. She remembered when Quinn first told Rachel that she loved her. And the look that always graced Quinn's face right before she came; it was a look of lust and trust and freedom. But then she considered the ways in which Quinn had hurt her. She'd left her crying, broken and alone, in a hotel room in New York City. Bruised her and pushed her aside when Rachel was trying to tell her how she felt. Had planned to move in with her father and never let Rachel know.

And Rachel was tired of being left behind! She was beyond sick of Quinn running from her. Her Daddy was right: Just give Quinn the chance, and she'd let go on Rachel.

Later today, she'd have to tell Quinn the truth: Rachel couldn't handle it if Quinn tried to shut her out again. She didn't want Quinn to once more blindside her to the point of near devastation. So Rachel was going to distance herself from Quinn. At least, then, Rachel would see the end coming before Quinn.

(Break)

Quinn tip-toed inside her house. From the living room she could hear her mother lightly snoring. She peeked in and noticed a half-empty bottle of vodka perched on the edge of the end table. She felt a stab of guilt rush through her. Was she making the right decision? She quietly entered her room and surveyed her surroundings.

Quinn weaved around the boxes scattered across her room. There were only two empty ones left. She reached down for a box and haphazardly began tossing items inside.

Later today, she'd have to tell Rachel the truth: She still planned on moving in with her father. She'd made so, so many mistakes. And there were far too many reminders in Lima of her faults: The absence of Beth. Finn's contemptuous glare. Her former coach's villainous stare. The wariness that still sometimes flickered across Rachel's face. Even the distance she had to keep from the Berry home was a contributing factor. She didn't belong here. She needed out. She just prayed Rachel would understand.

They could still be friends. Maybe even continue dating. But Quinn knew this was one more way she was going to let Rachel down. And though it was hurting her badly, she didn't think she could give Rachel the best part of her. Because she didn't believe she was good enough for Rachel. And the only way to prevent herself from staying a Lima Loser was to get out of this place while she was still able. Quinn grabbed a few more things and flung them inside the last empty box.