Summary: Rachel has a secret and Quinn has figured it out - but will Quinn use this knowledge to exact revenge on Rachel for telling Finn that Puck was really the father or will she use her own experiences to help. WARNING - language and sexual content in the form of rape, also at some point possible reference to self-harm.

Pairing: Rachel/Quinn

Notes: Ok so not as short as the previous chapter but still relatively short. One of Rachel and Artie's chats.

Warning: Language

Disclaimer: I own nothings, but the random ramblings of which occur in my brain. Glee and any other copyrighted content used belongs to their respective owners.

Monday

Artie was running late, he had forgotten the books he needed for the assignment he had planned to work on. It didn't really matter it wasn't as if he would actually be working on his assignment, but still the pretense of work loomed over him and he felt that he should at least appear to be willing to study. When he finally arrived at the library he was already fifteen minutes late, he wove through the stacks of books until he finally reached their table hidden from view to find Rachel with her head down on her arms.

"Hey," he tested. When she didn't answer he knew that she was asleep. I'm not that late. Artie pulled up alongside the sleeping girl and gently shook her shoulder, "oh sleepy head, time to wake up."

Rachel sat up with a start, her eyes wide with panic as she tried to figure out where she was.

"Rachel, it's me," Artie tried to get her focus back, "you're ok. You're in the library."

She brought her hand up to her face and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Oh God…please tell me I wasn't snoring?"

Artie smiled at her, "No you weren't snoring, but I was really tempted to put my glasses on you and take a picture. You've got the books open, you're in the library, all you needed was the crooked classes and you could've been some 80's montage for studying."

"Not funny."

"Oh come on, you gotta admit it was a little bit funny."

"I can't believe I fell asleep."

"I have to admit you're never this tired on a Monday," Artie was concerned, "was last night a really bad night?"

"I suppose," she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "I had another dream."

"They're not getting better are they?" he asked sadly.

"Sometimes I think they are, but then they get to being unbearable again when she's not there."

"Who?"

"Who what?"

"You said when she's not there, when who's not there?"

"Oh," her cheeks flared rose, "it doesn't matter."

"Don't be ridiculous, of course it matters. If there's something that makes the nightmares easier then it definitely matters. Who makes it better Houdini?"

"You're never going to stop calling me that are you?"

"Nope," he said proudly, "you're stuck with that name forever. Now stop trying to change the subject."

"You're going to think it's weird," she said shyly.

"You're like my best friend," Artie admitted, "what can possibly be weirder than that?"

"I'm your best friend?" she asked hopefully. Artie fixed her with a gaze that told her he wasn't going to answer any more questions until she answered his. "Quinn," she said quietly.

"Quinn?" his eyebrows vanished behind his hair, "Ok you're right I do think that's weird."

"Told you," she said dejectedly.

"So explain, apart from the fact that in our sophomore year she was a nightmare, what has Quinn got to do with nightmares?"

"She's not the person she was when we were sophomore's Artie," she scolded.

"I know, it's just hard to believe how different she is sometimes. I'm sorry, I'll be nice about her now," he crossed his hand over his heart.

"I don't know whether I should tell you," Rachel admitted.

"I promise, I'll behave. Come on Rachel, what has Quinn got to do with your nightmares?"

She considered not telling him, but she found that she wanted to prove to him that Quinn wasn't as bad as everyone thought she was or used to be, "They're not as bad when she's there."

"How'd you mean?"

"I sleep better when she's with me," she tried to puzzle out why it was that she slept better when the blonde was beside her, "when I wake up, I feel like he's right there, like he's on top of me again, but when she's there…I guess I feel safe."

"Well that kinda makes sense."

"How in the world does that make sense?" her face was coloured with confusion.

"When you're with Quinn, you seem…more like you," Artie said hesitantly, "it's nice to see that."

"I don't think I am me anymore."

"Well not exactly like you, you're different now," Artie admitted, "but then again a lot of us are. I mean look at Puck."

"I see your point," she really did see his point, but couldn't help but feel like she had lost herself, she knew she wasn't who she used to be and she had no idea how to regain that person.

"You're a good person Rach," he could see that she was struggling, "shit happens and it happens to the best people who don't deserve it."

"Maybe I did," she whispered.

"Never in a million years could you deserve it. You need to stop blaming yourself," Artie's words were soft and warm.

"How can I not?"

"Because you are an amazing person, whether you realise it or not. You would never be able to do something so cruel to anyone, that's how I know it's not your fault. You are so strong and I admire you for that. You're my best friend and I love you," he offered her a smile.

"Why can't all guys be like you Artie?"

"You want every guy to be in a wheelchair?" he knew she needed the subject changing if she was going to be able to make it through the rest of the day, "That seems a little harsh."

"No," she offered him a watery smile, "that's not what I meant."

"I know, but you gotta admit. It'd be crazy if all guys were in wheelchairs," he laughed, "can you imagine the transference of road rage? Yikes!"

"It'd be pretty bad wouldn't it?"

"Bad, it would get nasty!"

"Maybe we shouldn't put them all in wheelchairs then."

"Good idea," he pulled his books from his bag realizing that there was only twenty minutes left before the start of their next class.

"You're really going to study?" Rachel asked incredulously.

"No, but I won't feel as guilty about not studying if I at least try and pretend that's what I came in here to do."

"Maybe we should find somewhere else to meet up in future?" she suggested, "to avoid the guilt."

"No," he answered quickly, "I like it here, no one bothers us."

"No one bothers us in the auditorium," she pointed out.

"True but that doesn't mean Mr. Schue won't emerge from somewhere and start talking about Glee," he thought of the time Mr. Schue had came in when he was practicing a song he wasn't sure he wanted to perform for anyone.

"Oh God," Rachel groaned, "I can't believe we've got regional's in three weeks."

"Me either, hey do you think Mr. Schue will do a song selection meeting again?"

"I'd imagine he will, he did state last year that it was the first annual regional meet so that does suggest he intends for it to happen this year."

"Damn," Artie joked, "I had a feeling you'd say that."

"You're not looking forward to regional's?"

"I am, I really enjoy Glee. It's just this stupid thing with Figgins. If we don't place it's over," Artie was honest, "I hate that we have that looming over our heads again. It takes away from it. Mr. Schue was right, it shouldn't be about winning but because of Figgins it is."

"All we can hope for is our best," Rachel said half-heartedly, she knew that unless she started to get more involved again Glee was finished.

"You're right. I hate it when that happens."

"I actually kind of like it," she smiled back as she started to pack her things away.

"Hey Houdini," he knew this would probably result in a slap from someone along the line but he want to cheer Rachel up, "when Quinn stays over, you guys actually share a bed?"

She walked into it, "Yes. Why?"
Artie wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, "That's kind of hot."
"I'll tell Tina you said that!"

"I'll deny all knowledge," he finished off putting his books away, there really was no point in getting them out in the first place.

"Deny it all you want Abrams, I'll inform Tina of your Puck-like moments," she stuck her tongue out.

"And that my dear Houdini," he laughed, "is exactly why she won't believe you."

Attention: Ok so I hopefully the chapters will start getting longer again. I hope that this was a nice break from all the ARGH in this story. I know it wasn't all sunshine but at least there was some fun in it right?

Ok before I go any further I just have one thing to say…

IF and right now that's a big if, Shelby comes into she will NOT and I cannot stress this enough, be adopting Rachel's baby. I know I've been incredibly cruel to Rachel but even I'm not THAT cruel.

Ok so question…I did have one and it's completely slipped my mind…oh wait a minute this one will do…

Do you think Rachel should perform at Regional's?

Not really a question cos I think I know what I'm doing when it comes to Regional's I just wondered what people's thoughts were on this.

Anyways I hope you enjoyed the update, there probably won't be another one until tomorrow night at the earliest as the next one is probably going to be a bit intense – or at the very least difficult for me to write and for it to come out the way I want it to.