First, I'd like to take a moment to say: go tell the people you love that you love the fuck out of them. I know it's cliche but sometimes we forget to say it because we assume they know but - you never know when the world will end. Sure, it didn't end for all of us today, but we lost 26 fucking precious lives last week and, holy hell, people - SPREADING LOVE IS NEVER WRONG.

I'm not sure how many of you that read this even believe in God. If you do, please, pray for those families and for our nation. If you don't, just send positive thoughts that way. And everyone, remember to honor the fallen by doing #26actsofkindness for Newtown.

With that being said, and on a lighter note, I'm posting this chapter today because I finished it! I didn't even have free time but I decided I missed writing andddd MADE time.

Yeah, yeah, yeah - things in this story are moving along nicely and I'm thinking that by next chapter - *cue dramatic music* - well, I can't tell. but stick around and you'll see!

Oh, and one last thing. I usually try to get back to anyone who messages me but lately I've been SO BUSY AND STRESSED that I haven't been keeping up as well as I'd like to. Soooo I'm sorry if I haven't replied. I honestly do not know or remember whom I have or haven't. Ugh. Awful, I know.

ANYYYYWAY, (three hours later, right?) I'll stop writing things that haven't got anything to do with Isn't She Lovely?

XOXO (omgthis just reminded me of GG and I don't even watch that show but REALLY?! Stupid stupid stupid ending),

TWiM

p.s.: it's almost 4 AM and I cannot sleep.

p.p.s.: STAYING ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIVE.

Chapter 25 - Three Words

"I'll put Beth to bed before leaving for book club so you two can catch up," Judy offers after the three adults finish their meal. Beth already has been kind of dozing off since her bath; Britt must've tired her out.

Rachel smiles politely and stands to help move the dirty dishes and plates into the kitchen, "I can help with the dishes."

"No way, Rachel," Judy tells her with a hand up. Quinn nods in agreement off to the side but the movement catches Rachel's eyes anyway. "You're our guest, we won't let you do that."

"But I'll-" she tries to say something to convince them otherwise but Quinn interrupts.

"It's been settled, Rachel. Thanks for dinner and for helping with Beth, mom," Quinn addressed Judy. For a second, Rachel thinks she sees Judy tear up, but she coughs and uses the moment to wipe it. "We'll be in my room, if you need anything."

Judy finds her apron and ties it around her waist and neck, "don't worry, girls, this will be as fast as lightening." They all order out of the kitchen and Judy picks up Beth. "Say good night, Beth," she lightly bounces the girl in her arms to get her attention.

Rachel comes closer and puts each palm on Beth's cheeks, "goodnight, sweetheart. Dream well." She kisses the top of her head and earns a sweet giggle from Beth.

"Waych," Beth repeats once again that day. Judy hasn't heard her say this new word yet so she gasps in surprise.

"That's right, B," Quinn encourages her. "This is our friend 'Waych.'" Quinn smiles at her daughter, proud of how much she's grown. She rubs her pink cheek, then pinches her nose with the pads of her fingers, "love you, baby," and finally leaves a kiss on her head - right above where Rachel did. She kind of overanalyzes that last kiss on their way up the stairs but tries not to worry much over her mom thinking about it. If anything, Judy will just judge of it as coincidence.

"Your mom makes delicious food, I need to learn," Rachel comments walking up the stairs ahead of Quinn. Halfway up she turns, and smiles down at Quinn (for once). The look in her eyes is a mischievous one which makes Quinn like her more.

"And why do you need to learn from my mother when your father is Chef Berry?" Quinn puffs out her chest and twists her nose up, playing around.

Rachel hums in consideration and responds, "you're right. I'll just hire them cook for us."

"You want to employ our parents?" Quinn laughs and shoves Rachel lightly. Truth is, she's missed touching Rachel and she finds every opportunity to touch her without seeming inappropriate if her mother walks in on them.

Quinn opens the door to her room and lets Rachel step in first. "I missed you," Rachel says under her breath as Quinn is shutting the door. "Like," she turns around to face Quinn walking her way. "Your smell, and your eyes," she smiles and raises and eyebrow, "your smile."

"Rachel, my mom can come in at any minute," Quinn warns her and turns her head to look backwards. Rachel stops her with delicate fingers to Quinn's jaw. It's not that Quinn doesn't want to hear these things - she does, actually, very much - but she is a coward.

"Look at me, baby." Rachel says softly. "Don't worry about your mom for five seconds and let me tell you how you make me feel?" Rachel looks up at Quinn, a pouty bottom lip that's irresistible to Quinn.

"I'm sorry, go ahead. But I'm going to stand three feet away from you just in case," Quinn jokes and points a finger at Rachel to keep her distance."Because all I really wanna do right now is kiss you." she admits and bites her bottom lip.

Rachel chuckles and continues, "all of my waking minutes in New York, I thought of you." She smiles with closed lips and looks at Quinn with the most adoring look. "Yeah, a guy asked me out while I was grabbing coffee one of these days and I said, without thinking," she clears her throat and tells Quinn, "I said: 'I am flattered but I'm not interested at all. I have a girlfriend.' A girlfriend! Remember when we said that we were just friends? Yeah, it's literally impossible for me to not think of you as mine - my girl."

Quinn sniffles and takes a hand to her eyes to dry them. She doesn't say anything; just consciously makes an effort to breathe and keep herself in check.

Rachel takes one step forward, "You make me feel like a teenager, Quinn. I feel new when I'm around you; I feel like the best version of me because you make me want to be better." She licks her lips, they're dry. Another step. There's only one foot in between her and Quinn's lips.

There's a knock and Quinn lets out a frustrated chuckle. "Damn it," she mumbles and shares an apologetic smile with Rachel. "I'm sorry," she mouths just as her mom opens the door and she takes a step back.

"I'm leaving, girls." Judy comes in the room fixing her blazer. "Beth's asleep and I already started the dishwasher. I'm stopping by the market on the way back home, let me know if you need anything, okay, Quinnie?" With a touch to Rachel's arm she tells her, "it really is nice to have you here, dear."

She leaves and Quinn follows her just outside her bedroom to make sure she really left. There are sounds that give away her mother's path through the house - down the stairs, into the kitchen, past the laundry, to the garage. Faintly she hears the car being turned on.

Finally, Quinn turns around in a hurry, slams the door closed again and takes Rachel's lips in her own.

Rachel stumbles back two feet but then gains control of her balance again and can then kiss Quinn back. "About damn time," she says between kisses and breaths. "I don't think I could've gone another minute without kissing you."

Quinn nods, tells her to shut up, and backs her away to bed. Her mouth is hanging open and Rachel is latched onto her lower lip when they get there. Her lungs are working hard to keep her breathing. She says, before kissing Rachel again, "I'm having a real hard time to keep from saying something dumb."

Immediately, Rachel knows what she means and feels her entire body get the goose bumps. Just the possibility of Quinn saying those words excite her. Sure, it might be a silly reaction, but how could she not? Quinn feels about her what she feels for Quinn, and there is nothing more beautiful than that in the world. It's as if she were a painter with just blue and yellow and now she was promised the possibility of red.

But Quinn is right. It's a dumb notion for them to be considering it. As much as she'd love to hear it - and say it,- how does a person know if it's the appropriate time? Right? Is there a right time? Should she keep from saying it because it's 'too early'? But she feels it! And shouldn't you always let a person know you love them when you do?

Her mind is steering her too far away from Quinn so she forgets all about over thinking it and sits on the bed, pulling Quinn on top of her in the process. Quinn straddles her with expertise and it's sexy. Her skirt rides up, exposing thighs. Rachel's hands are on them as fast as a bullet. "Nothing you say could ever be dumb," she reminds Quinn. She trails soft kisses from Quinn's chin up to her ear.

Quinn's body starts to shake lightly and Rachel knows she's chuckling when she hears the sexy wisps of air falling on her own ear. Quinn starts to talk, struggling to keep making sense, but too involved in this conversation to just give up saying what she wants to say, "bab - y. I, oh man." Rachel has taken it upon herself to linger on those kisses and travel down her neck, to that spot. "Wha- I'm just. Um," it's like Quinn's inability to speak is egging Rachel further. "You - amazing. You've been amazing to my daughter and I, and even my mother," Quinn starts to ramble. Rachel laughs and it sparks a fire at the bottom of Quinn's stomach; why is her laugh so sexy? "And I know that - I know, I kn - I know that I -" Rachel flips them over, surprising Quinn and eliciting a gasp from beneath her when Quinn's back hits the mattress.

Rachel looks down into Quinn's eyes and breathes deeply, watching as Quinn breathes deeply. Her breasts are barely being covered by the way the blouse is sitting on her now, and Rachel really misses them. She smirks as she comes down closer to Quinn's face, and Quinn - red from how hot the room is getting,- simply opens her mouth in expectation and licks her lips. The action really turns Rachel on, whose hands find Quinn's chest in no time after that and makes them both moan out of desire and that desire finally being fulfilled.

"Wait, Rach, wait." Screech. The train was coming at full force and suddenly is stopped on its track.

Oh, shit, here it comes. Rachel has no idea what it is, but she was afraid of it, even before leaving New York. Her arms begin to shake next to Quinn's face out of fear and from holding up in this position. "I -" Rachel tries but fails. She doesn't understand. It seems like this is where they were going. She can't bear to look at Quinn in the eyes. It's like this time, the roles are reversed from earlier.

"Rachel," Quinn says, calmly and with confidence, as if she knows what Rachel's thinking. She wraps her hands behind Rachel's neck and then sits up to kiss Rachel's worry away. She only pulls back when Rachel kisses her back. "I just wanted to say what I'm going to say next while we're not in the haze of awesome sex," she laughs and Rachel ends up laughing too. She looks at Quinn with those brown eyes, vulnerable and afraid still. "When you touch me, my mind goes blank. So, I want to say it not because I'm so caught up in the moment that it comes out; I want to be fully aware and I want you fully aware."

Rachel smiles, starting to like where this is going. "So you stopped me for a good reason, and then we're going to continue doing what we were doing?" She wiggles her eyebrow and bites down her bottom lip.

Quinn responds quickly, "oh, god, yes! I've missed the hell out of you." She laughs, pecks Rachel's lips quickly, then continues, "just... remember what I said earlier about saying dumb things?" She squints her eyes, starting to feel cold feet, even though she really wants to tell Rachel. With a nod and a growing smile, Rachel finally gets it and gives Quinn permission to continue, "well, um. It's pretty not dumb:

I love you."

The words leave her mouth and immediately her ears start to ring; she's anxious, nervous, and hoping that she didn't say them in the wrong moment. She chews on her lower lip, because this way she has control of something.

Rachel can physically feel the words make way into her heart. I love you, Quinn said. She's sure she might faint from happiness. She was worried about saying but here is Quinn taking that step. Quinn! A girl that when she met, Rachel believed would never be able to like her back that way. And now here she is, in Rachel's arms and saying I love you. Without hesitation, "I love you, gorgeous girl," Rachel tells her and surges forward to kiss her senseless. While peppering Quinn's face with kisses she tells her, "from the moment I saw you, I knew I would lose my heart to you."

Quinn is giggling, trying to stop Rachel, but really enjoying the display of affection. "I knew it too, it just took me longer to admit it."

"Stubborn girl," Rachel sings. "I don't really have lyrics to the song, but I do know you're a stubborn girlllll." She laughs at the fake pout Quinn puts on and winks from above her. "Am I allowed to coerce you into a steamy, very very sexy make out session now?"

Quinn nods excited while giggling and blushing already, "yes, please," she says. Grabbing Rachel's cheeks with her hand she pulls her closer and almost kisses her lips, "I've missed your pretty, little mouth." They kiss, taking their time to explore each other with tongues and hands and teeth.

Rachel settles properly atop Quinn's hips and neither can help the increasing need to move. Together, they sway like the ocean in a beautiful dance of squirming bodies. Quinn licks up Rachel's throat and finds her way to Rachel's ear. She kisses the spot that makes Rachel groan out loud and beg for more.

Turning them over on the bed, Quinn taks control and rips her shirt off, exposing a pretty pink lace bra and her toned abs. Not that Rachel would care if she wasn't so fit, but she is so Rachel is definitely not complaining. Immediately her fingers touch the skin and roam up toward that confining piece of cloth. She sits up, kind of hugging Quinn and with a look, she asks Quinn for permission. Her hands are already poised and waiting, but she needs Quinn to say it's okay.

Her heart is beating too fast to be considered normal, Quinn thinks. It's not like they've never done this before, but it still feels new and like her very first time. She adores Rachel for asking because she knows it feels like that to Rachel too. With a sure nod, she gives Rachel permission and Rachel discards the bra to the side, hands automatically finding Quinn's breasts.

A guttural noise escapes Quinn, and she relishes in the feeling of being in Rachel's hands. Then she remembers she really wants to see and touch Rachel, too. She tugs at Rachel's sweater and demands, "you, too." Within seconds, their skins are sliding together, nothing in between them.

It's around ten thirty when Rachel wakes up, worried. Before opening her eyes she already realized that they did something they shouldn't have done. At least not in the Fabray household. "Babe, Quinn. Wake up." She gets up quickly, rolling away from Quinn and picking up her clothes from the floor.

"Where are you going?" Quinn asks as she forces her eyes open to watch Rachel getting dressed. She watches as Rachel pulls up her underwear and pants and wonders why she looks so worried. She rubs her eyes to rub away the sleep and sits up.

A shaky hand points to the clock to Quinn's left, "it's 10:30. Your mother could be home at any moment. I shouldn't have fallen asleep, I'm sorry. I was just so tired from the trip and I completely forgot about any of that once I-"

"Honey, calm down." Quinn stands and walks to her, picking up Rachel's shirt for her on the way. She hands it over and smiles, "it's usually my job to freak out." She waits until Rachel looks more relaxed and then turns to start dressing herself. "It's not only your fault. I fell asleep too."

"Why aren't you freaking out?" Rachel asks suspiciously.

Quinn lets out a shaky laugh, "I am. Oh, god. But when you woke me up freaking out, I knew one of us had to not be." She smiles, shaking her hands to release some tension and then admits, "she should've already been home. We were lucky."

Rachel fixes her hair on the mirror and makes eye contact with Quinn, "I know. Again, I'm so sor-"

"Stop," Quinn tells her and walks up behind her, hugging her waist. "I'm just glad you're here. Let's just consider it a gift from God and move on. There's no use in being worried over something that didn't happen."

Squinting her eyes and lolling her head to the right to rest on Quinn's shoulder, Rachel jokes, "I'm sorry. Is that Quinn in there? Just earlier today you were worried about her coming in when we were talking. Now, when we wake up, "she whispers, "naked and tangled in each other," her voice resumes to normal so she can finish the sentence, "you're extra reasonable."

"It must've been the orga-" Quinn stops her sentence halfway when she hears the garage door opening. Her eyes bulge and Rachel starts laughing. She steps away from Rachel and starts touching her face, "do I look presentable or do I look like I just came?" She hurries to the bathroom and washes her face.

"Something's gotten into you," Rachel muses from her spot in the bedroom. "I don't think I've ever heard you talk like that." Then she adds, mumbling, "not that I seem to mind..."

Quinn pokes her head out of the bathroom with a smirk and that's the answer. "But seriously, do I?" She asks just as there's a knock on her door and Judy ventures in slowly. Rachel quietly reassures her with a shake of her head and a secret smile.

"Oh, good. You're still here. You sing, right, Rachel? Professionally, I mean?" Judy asks her and sits on Quinn's vanity chair.

"Um, well," she looks between Judy and Quinn. "Yes, I do." Quinn smiles proudly of Rachel for going after her dreams. She's always updating Judy about Rachel's accomplishments in New York.

Judy grins and claps once, "would you be interested in being the guest singer at this year's Daughters of the American Revolution Luncheon? I'm in the board and our band called to say they can't make it anymore."

"Yes! Do it, Rach! You'd be so good," Quinn encourages.

"It's tomorrow evening, and your repertoire can be anything that is not on the radio right now. The things you kids listen to and call 'music'." Judy explains with air quotes and everything. "Oh, and we'll get you a beautiful red dress!"

Rachel sees no other option but to say yes, and it's not like she was going to say no. She loves performing, no matter what it's for. Besides, it's for Quinn's mom, someone whom she wants to like her, so she agrees. "Of course, it's not a problem."

At this Judy jumps at her and pulls her into a hug, "thank you! Thank you! You've saved my life!" It's a bit of an exaggeration but Quinn lets it slip because she likes it that Rachel and her mother get along.

"Well, I should get going," Rachel tries to find an out.

"Oh, already?" Judy asks. "You can stay. You don't have to go because I got home."

"No," Rachel insists. "I really should go home. I haven't seen my parents yet and I'm sure they'd be upset if I came home too late to catch them awake."

Judy's mouth drops open, "oh, dear! Yes! Okay, well, I'll pack some lasagna so you can take home. Quinn," she places all of her attention on her daughter, "why don't you tell Rach all about the Luncheon?" Quinn's face is one of amusement as soon as she hears the nickname, and she runs to shut her door once her mother's gone.

"Rach? You're Rach to her now," she laughs quietly and then says, "she really loves you."

Rachel shrugs, "it's hard for parents not to like me." Quinn sticks her tongue out at her. "But paraphrasing Shane's words, I wonder how much she'd like me if she knew I am fucking her daughter."

At first Quinn laughs, and then she stops. "Wait, who's Shane?"

"Oh, yeah, that's right," Rachel snickers. "I forget you're a newb. It's from The L Word. I'm sure Santana and Britt know what I'm talking about." Rachel steals two kisses from Quinn and then opens the door. She licks her lips and hides the smile threatening to take over her face for kissing Quinn when her mother is home. "We shall have a marathon some day. I really have to go now."

They are making their way downstairs, when Quinn says, "Britt wants to hang out tomorrow. We could go over after the Luncheon?"

"Sure, that sounds like fun. I can take you to work, if you'd like."

"I'll see you in the morning then."

Judy appears from the kitchen with leftover lasagna for Rachel, "here you go, sweetie. And thanks again."

"No worries. I'm always happy to perform."

Quinn realizes that even though Rachel has sung many times to her in the time they've known each other, she's never actually seen Rachel perform to an audience of more than one person. She is definitely excited to see this because she's sure Rachel won't disappoint. "See you tomorrow, Rach." She holds the door open. Rachel gives her a one-armed friendly hug with a quick squeeze to the shoulder and then leaves.

"She's going to be a success at the dinner," Judy comments. "I just know. She has this air of - of - well, she exudes confidence and rock star quality!" She snaps and then starts making her way to her bedroom. "I have to call Regan!"

Quinn laughs at her mother's reaction. It's as if Judy is in love with Rachel. Well, she doesn't blame her. It's not hard to fall in love with the girl.

She treads upstairs and slows down to check on Beth who is still sound asleep in her crib. She makes her way softly to the baby girl after watching her for a few minutes and drops a kiss on her forehead. "I love you very much, Beth," she whispers at her daughter. Making her way soundlessly out of the room, she changes and gets under her own covers and basks in the feeling overwhelming at the end of this beautiful day.

She is about to drift off to sleep when her phone starts vibrating near her pillow. She picks up, knowing that the only person who could possibly be calling is Rachel. They always talk before sleep; if not by call, by text, but it always happens. "Hey," she says. "You get home alright?"

"Perfectly fine, Quinn. You in bed?"

"Again." She laughs.

"I'm glad I came down to see you," Rachel tells her and Quinn hears sounds on the other side. She must be pulling her sheets back and getting in bed.

Quinn smiles and bites her bottom lip, trying to contain the excitement because Rachel's here. "I am too. So much."

"Hey, listen, you need to go to sleep because of class tomorrow but -" she leaves the sentence hanging in the air.

Quinn's excited to hear what Rachel has to say. "Yeah?"

"Um, I called because I didn't have the opportunity to say it again before leaving with your mom around and all -" Rachel does the hanging of the sentence again and even though Quinn knows where she's taking this by now she indulges her and whines

"Mmhm? Tell me!"

"I just wanted to let you know I love you, that's all."

It never sounds wrong, no matter how many times she's heard people say it is. And it doesn't feel wrong, no matter how much she worries about it being wrong. This time, and every time when it comes to Rachel, she opts for love. "I love you, too."

"Good night, you," Rachel says.

Quinn can hear her smile through the phone. She grins and simply wishes Rachel good night back and lets herself dream.

A/N: don't forget to say I love you.

Love

love

love

love

love

love is louder