A/N: I had an anonymous review that actually made me laugh. Usually they're kind of scathing and really a waste of time to read, I'm sure this person was really trying for that but... anyway it never occurred to me how long this fic has actually been online. Mostly because I've only been writing it for a year and a bit in total. For those of you that remember there was a pretty lengthy hiatus in between that I decided to just label my fanfic retirement. Glee had just murdered my lovely Rachel and well... I reacted how any fan would: trolling petition websites to get this new Rachel banished to the shadow realm... along with Ryan Murphy, since he clearly didn't care for my efforts at all.

Anyway, the point of this is I wanted to specially thank those that have stuck around from the very beginning and shared in my journey through the five stages a grief. And for those of you that missed it, you should be really glad you did lol.

Enjoy :)


Chapter 51

Quinn felt like an idiot. Puck was singing his stupid theme song and Rachel was smiling, she never smiled like that for her. Quinn just woke up early this morning to make cupcakes and…

Well, whatever.

Puck could sing his stupid theme song and Rachel could smile at him like Barbra Streisand had descended down from the rafters of Central Perk. Quinn glared at his (stupid) dumb face until it disappeared. Unfortunately, it was only so he could sit down.

Why did she ever let that idiot touch her?

Rachel on top of Santana, eyes dark, lip-gloss sticky and smudged…

Quinn glanced over at the Latina—watching her eyes just leisurely drink Rachel in—and growled lowly as her fingernails dug into the plastic of her chair. Santana was smirking at her and that bitch wasn't getting away with—

"Quinn, are you alright?"

Hazel eyes fluttered and there was Rachel looking perfect…perfectly worried actually. Her heart pounded, it was practically rattling her ribcage. Quinn straightened up in her chair—briefly wondering where exactly everyone had gone—before her gaze settled on Rachel's sweater memorializing sailboats. It was absolutely atrocious but on Rachel… it was kind of cute.

Sort of.

"I…I'm fine," she mumbled but sounding like a fool just wasn't acceptable so she added, "So you're talking to me now?"

Quinn was aware she was being bitchy (and slightly unreasonable) but she didn't like being ignored. And after Rachel had blown her off in the washroom that's exactly what happened. For an entire week, all she got were these long looks in the halls.

But Rachel was sitting beside her and her eyes were sparkling—just the way Quinn liked—so maybe that was over with now. Quinn sure hoped so; vegan baking was kind of a bitch and Quinn could maybe admit she kind of missed Rachel too.

The tiny Diva shyly glanced down at her hands clasped in her lap—and Quinn's heart beat a little faster—before those eyes were looking at her again. "I suppose that's fair. I just wanted to thank you for the delicious cupcakes that were mysteriously placed on my desk and awaiting my arrival to English this morning."

"It's not a big deal, Rachel," Quinn grumbled because she could feel the heat rising to her cheeks.

Rachel was smiling (at her) like a beaming beckon for million dollar yachts and she was going to cry. Quinn just barely sniffed back the first onslaught of tears but then wide (lying) brown eyes became all too visible and she just…

"Oh my, Barbra," Rachel screeched, which was the usual Rachel Berry reaction before a slue of words tumbled out, "maybe it would be best if you choose to omit whatever it was that I—"

"I'm horrible to you and you're so nice to me," cried Quinn, stopping Rachel's anxiety in its tracks.

In fact the tiny brunette was smiling (again) just so completely amused by Quinn's hormonal breakdown. She couldn't believe the other girl was just laughing at… Rachel drew some tissue from places unknown and handed it to her.

Quinn quickly took them, slighted feelings forgotten.

Rachel's hands fell back into her lap. "I can assure you that your behaviour towards me could be exceedingly worse and I care about you, Quinn. I can't foresee anything changing that."

She felt warm and her heart just as enthusiastically picked up speed. God, her baby made her so easy.

"Okay," she mumbled, sniffing occasionally as she just continued cleaning up her face.

It wasn't too bad.

Waterproof mascara was her saving grace.

Suddenly, Rachel was standing, giving her (another) smile and a tiny shrug. "Well, I suppose I should go. I've planned a few hours of personal time, since it's been quite scarce lately. I'll see you tomorrow, Quinn."

Rachel was leaving and Quinn bit her lip, realizing she didn't want the girl to go. She just…

"Wait," Quinn called, awkwardly vaulting from her seat as if it were on fire. "I…um… does this mean that we're… you forgive me?"

Dear Lord, what was Rachel doing to her? She sounded like a freaking moron.

The tiny girl turned back and this smile, it was one Quinn had never seen before. Usually the brunette smiled so wide the sun went down but now it was softer—more genuine as it glowed—making Quinn's breath catch painfully in her chest.

Rachel giggled. "I can't deny that I was quite charmed by your gesture, so I suppose I have."

She turned to leave and Quinn was still standing there staring at her like an idiot. She just wanted…

Growling, Quinn strode towards Rachel, catching her by the wrist right before she opened the door. Their eyes locked in a tempestuous swirl of brown and Quinn could feel Rachel's breath teasing her lips—again and again—and she…

"Would you perhaps be interested in accompanying me for ice cream?" the tiny brunette asked before blinding her retinas with the usual attack by grin.

They were back to that smile—Quinn thought petulantly—and when she'd been seconds away from…

It didn't matter.

Rachel was looking at her with those sparkling eyes, so she tried not to care too much when the girl backed away.

"Sure, I guess," Quinn mumbled and went to go grab her purse from where she left it beside her chair.

Rachel (naturally) led their way out.

The walk toward Rachel's car was comfortably quiet. The halls were virtually empty, except for the creepy janitor who always whistled The Star Spangled Banner as he mopped. Quinn was sure there was something wrong with him.

Fresh air hit her lungs while Rachel skipped on ahead to the car. Quinn wasn't huge (yet) but her feet weren't used to catering around so much extra weight. They throbbed all the damn time and there would definitely be no skipping out of her anytime soon... or ever.

Quinn looked up and Rachel was holding the door open for her with that smile back on her face. She smelt like cupcakes and hazel eyes fluttered shut as she slid into the car, sighing softly until the door was gently shut.

She wanted… God, she wanted…

"Quinn, are you—"

And she couldn't take it anymore.

Darting forward, Quinn finally took exactly what she wanted. She devoured Rachel's mouth—so greedy and so hungry—her entire body was tingly and… oh God. Quinn tore her lips away and Rachel's eyes fluttered open, looking up into worried hazel eyes before leaning in until their lips touched once again.

"You can kiss me if you want to," Rachel whispered and Quinn could just feel the girl smiling at the slight whimper that managed to escape through the blonde's lips.

God, that was embarrassing but she couldn't care about that right now, not when Rachel was so eagerly opening her mouth because Quinn requested it.

The touch of their tongues spurred her to pull the tiny girl closer, yanking the cotton in her hands before just deciding to bypass it altogether. Underneath, tan skin was so warm and the toned stomach twitching at Quinn's touch was just so good. She felt her conscious mind fading; things were getting hazier and hazier; her skin burned with every touch. It was… she just…Quinn pulled herself away; gasping as air finally filled her lungs.

"God, Rach…Rachel…I'm…" Quinn whispered, panting breathlessly against Rachel's lips to try to catch her breath.

The brunette leaned in to press their mouths back together, barely brushing against Quinn's lips, before pulling away.

"Don't apologize," the Diva stated, her voice seemed deafening in such a confined space as Quinn expertly avoided eye contact. "I've forgiven you, Quinn and I know that for whatever reason you enjoy these occasional intimate moments between us as much as I do, so it would be foolish to deny either of us that."

Quinn blinked and finally turned to glance at the other girl. Rachel was already looking at her (of course) her head tilted to the side with her brow (cutely) weirdly furrowed. Quinn just wanted to reach out and… she cleared her throat and silently cursed herself for being so shy.

"Sure, that makes sense," she mumbled and she saw Rachel clap her hands together because it was slightly too insane (even for Rachel) to pat herself on the back.

Quinn watched her start the car and loud music was suddenly abusing her ear canal. Rachel turned it off too quickly for Quinn to figure out if she knew the song or not.

"I apologize," Rachel started talking way too quickly to be normal, seeming almost nervous. "Jes… my friend is quite taken with Freddie Mercury and it occurred to me last night that New Directions would sound quite wonderful covering one of his songs for Invitationals."

Quinn felt her eyebrow rise because while that was probably all true, Rachel was apparently quite the liar by omission. And Quinn wanted to know, Rachel might even tell her if she asked but…

"Which song?" she mumbled, noting Rachel's surprised eyes, just as Quinn's phone started to buzz inside her purse.

The blonde reached for it and following Finn's last text message—went home & my mom tinks I'm 2 sck to pick u up. sorys luv u—was another one.

Three words that turned her blood cold.

I'm cuming over.

Shit.

She glanced over at Rachel and she was actually really looking forward to whatever this was. Her baby had already decided that it really (really) wanted ice cream the moment it was promised and Quinn, she just… she just really (really) wanted to spend time with Rachel.

And that was… not happening.

Her eyes closed briefly before fluttering back open with their usual hard sheen. She texted Finn back before turning to look at Rachel, Quinn could already see the disappointment all over the tiny brunette's face.

"I suppose we'll have to postpone?" the girl said softly with another smile. This one was small, reserved—resigned.

Quinn felt awful but she nodded anyway. "Finn invited himself over and I can't leave him with my parents so…"

"It's alright, you don't need to explain, Quinn," Rachel waved it off before shifting the car into drive with a small sigh. "I completely understand, I suppose I was just already looking forward to our outing is all."

Quinn smiled, her heart beat (again) quickening in her chest.

"Me too," she whispered, though Quinn wasn't sure if Rachel heard her because the brunette was leaning over to the radio and turning the sound up.

"I've yet to choose a song but I've narrowed it down to three," she explained, Quinn suspected she'd be waving her arms around like a crazy person if she wasn't driving. "I must get your opinion before you leave."

Quinn nodded and let the music wash over her. She supposed she owed Rachel that much. The tiny Diva was bopping her head to the instrumental part in Bohemian Rhapsody and Quinn wanted to kiss her. But she wasn't about to pounce on the girl—and mount her right there on Main Street—the moment they yielded for a stop sign.

Her baby could just deal with it.

The rest of the ride was driven in silence with Quinn ultimately deciding that Somebody to Love would be a real crowd pleaser somewhere near the end. When they pulled alongside the curb in front of her house, Quinn breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that Finn's truck wasn't immediately in sight… until she saw it rattling its way down the street.

Damn it.

Quinn glanced at Rachel before getting out of the car. He was basically stomping his way towards her in minutes and Quinn's eyes fluttered closed. She knew what this was.

"Tell me right now, is it true? Is it?" he screamed and his face was trying for fuming mad, as he towered over her just looking really constipated again.

But his eyes, they looked so betrayed and the angry red scratches on his chin just helped sell his overly sad package. Quinn realized that she'd really managed to hurt him.

"Yes," she whispered and it was obvious that he really wanted to believe it wasn't true, as he swiped at the tears in his eyes.

It had only been eight days, most of them she'd alternated between berating everything about him and a flat out ignorance of him entirely. He couldn't be that heartbroken and Quinn looked at him—his hunched over shoulders, teary eyes and red face—he was embarrassed.

"How could you do this to me?" he cried and his narrowed eyes just made them look beady and wet. "How could you lie?"

Quinn's stomach churned, she was a horrible person. She managed to emasculate him without a second thought and he probably still thought he loved her too.

"Finn…" her voiced trailed off in a weak breath of air as she watched his whole body start to shake.

Normally, he'd kick a chair and be done with it but the only object close by was… well, her. Quinn cradled her stomach and instinctively took a step back.

"You better not be thinking about kicking my car, Finn Hudson because I'll be forced to resort to violent measures if that were the case."

Rachel.

Quinn watched Finn's entire body straighten up from the sad sack it had been before. He even puffed out his chest and she just wanted to punch his stomach so he'd deflate like the inflatable tube he was.

"Rach," he trailed off and scratched the back of his head. "Do you live close by?"

Quinn scoffed and Finn turned to glare at her, suddenly remembering that he was here to bitch her out for bruising his gigantic ego.

"You," he stuck his finger in her face, "you lied! I looked it up. You can't get pregnant from… from…" he glanced at Rachel and then back at her, "what happened."

God, why did she feel bad? Finn Hudson was a giant jackass. She couldn't even…Quinn froze—no, no, no—the porch light did not just turn on.

"Finn, please," she turned her fearful eyes onto Finn, pleading with him to just listen. "Can we talk about this—"

"No!" Finn was screaming again and Quinn glared at him, trying to get him to shut up. She could only hope her parents were already passed out cold. "You cheated on me and you lied..."

Rachel's eyes were staring nervously at the front porch and Quinn now regretted not giving Rachel a chance even more. "Finn—"

"No, Rach," he was shaking his head and stomping his feet like the giant man-child he was. "I thought I was going to be a dad! I even picked out a name!"

Quinn groaned, rolling her eyes at the utter ridiculousness of this moment. "It was one week, Finn, honestly—"

"No, why are you trying to hurt me?" he yelled again and Quinn didn't understand why Rachel looked terrified while Finn just kept talking. "I mean, don't you care that—"

"I think that's enough son."

"Mr. Fabray…" Finn gasped, the boy's eyes darting to hers and he almost seemed apologetic.

Well, it was a little too late for that, dumbass.

Her gaze found Rachel's, as she clenched the fabric of her dress tightly in her fist.