Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of the shows/books/films quoted.

I hope you'll enjoy! (Also, if you want, review so I will now what you think about the story! Constructive criticism is also appreciated as long as it's polite and helpful.)

Like always, thanks a lot for all the nice reviews, it's very kind of you! Happy holiday if you already have them! Where I live – Italy, by the way – we start holidays the twenty of December, and we come back to school the seven of January. Well I hope so, for now we still have Google Meet classes, but we should be able to get back to school in January. Stay safe, you all!

Also, where I live, it never snows. Like, really, never. It snows at least once or twice every winter, and yesterday and today it's snowing a lot, so expect a Christmas chapter in the next days, because I'm really inspired. Have I mentioned that I love Christmas? But anyway, I know Rachel is Jewish, so she celebrates Hannukah, and I'll do some research to write her part, because I will feel bad if I'd ignore her celebrations.

Let me know what you think of the story so far!

Once again, enjoy! ;)

-Chapter six-

As if we never said goodbye

Quinn was holding her breath, because she was literally laying on the bottom of the swimming pool, exhaling slowly. A little column of tiny bubbles was escaping her lips, and her blonde hair were floating all over her face, like a golden crown. Since she was alone, she was allowed to not wear a swim cap. Quinn was smiling. She didn't have goggles, but she still could see the water around her, and the blurred image of the swimming pool. It was light blue, and it was beautiful. Quinn's swim suit was also blue. Royal blue.

She could hold her breath for a very long time, since she was literally resting on the bottom of the pool from one minute. Then, she saw a blurred and dark imagine cover the lights. Curiously, she slowly emerged from the water, and she leaned on the edge of the pool, resting her chin on her crossed harms.

Now, Rachel Berry was a very good actress, and she was more than capable of hiding her emotions, but that heavenly vision almost caused her to choke. Quinn Fabray had her arms crossed on the edge of the pool, and she was resting her chin on her. Her hazel eyes were staring at her, and she had tiny blonde and wet curls on her forehead. It was just beautiful.

Put it together, Berry! A voice screamed in her head. A voice that was worryingly similar to Santana's. Play cool, play cool.

"Hey, Quinn!" she smiled, and she sat on the edge of the pool, putting her tanned legs in the water. That was Quinn's turn to almost choke, because Rachel in a black swimming suit had a strange effect on her stomach, which was twisting in a… good way? She wasn't sure.

"Y-you came" Quinn softly smiled, blushing a little. She wanted to tell Rachel how beautiful she looked, how gorgeous her eyes were, and how happy she was because she made it, but she got distracted by a little blackbird drawn on Rachel's swimsuit. She liked birds, because they were so light and delicate and beautiful. And blackbirds were her favorite, because they were black, and even if no one liked them because they were noisy and they were 'the birds of death', they were fascinating. "I l-like blackbirds" she simply stated, pointing at the draw on Rachel's swimsuit.

"What?" Rachel asked. Quinn understood that people could easily get confused by her fast thoughts, and she explained Rachel that she saw the blackbird on her swimsuit, and why she liked them. Rachel just nodded and smiled.

"S-so… a-are you going to g-get in the p-pool? B-because I'm k-kind of free-freezing here" Quinn said, and she honestly didn't know if she was stuttering because her usual self or because of the ice cold water.

"Do I have any choice?" Rachel teased. Instead of replying, Quinn grabbed her hand and stepped back, with a forceful tug. She fell on her back, and Rachel followed her, splashing water everywhere and squealing loudly. They fell underwater, and emerged laughing hysterically, Rachel's arms and legs wrapped around Quinn's torso, trying to protect herself from the ice cold water. She nuzzled closer Quinn and she buried her face in Quinn's neck.

"You crazy girl!" Rachel shrieked, but she was laughing. And Quinn was laughing too. Laugh was nice, and liberatory. She enjoyed laughing. And it was even more amazing if she looked right in Rachel's eyes. God, those eyes. Holding her close, having her all wrapped around her torso, was beyond every line Quinn had drawn around her comfort zone, but she didn't care at all. If she was any other person in the world, Quinn would have freaked out by now, but it wasn't anyone. It was Rachel.

They spent almost two hours swimming and playing in the water like they were two kids again, laughing and screaming. They splashed water at each other, they laughed, and they even had a small competition to decide who could hold her breath for the longer time. Quinn totally won, and she had to hear Rachel's long speech all the way back home, because 'Rachel Berry is not a loser, and there must obviously had been some strange types of chlorine in the water…'

They arrived at Rachel's home. They had already showered at the swimming pool, so they changed into some more comfortable clothes – Rachel almost died when she saw Quinn's blue pajama, with the cute penguin printed on it, because it was way too cute – and they sat on Rachel's comfortable couch, covered with warm blankets. Quinn liked Rachel's house. Even if it had warm colors, like the red blankets, orange couch and all the decorations. It was full of things, literally. The shelves were full of everything. Books, DVDs, plants, jars full of… was that really a glass jar full of marbles. She was so going to get one too.

"Th-That's b-beautiful" Quinn pointed at the jar. Rachel turned around to see what Quinn was pointing.

"That's cute" Rachel nodded, "When I was little, like five or six, my Daddy started to buy me two marbles every Sunday, if I well behaved. It was like an allowance, but better. We stopped when I was fifteen, but I kept all of them. They were way better than allowance."

"Th-that's s-sweet" Quinn smiled.

"So, let's get this pajama party started!" Rachel cheered, and she noticed that Quinn was blushing again, the kind of blush that appeared on her cheeks when she was embarrassed about something. "Okay, I know that look. What's wrong, Quinnie?"

"I-It's just… I- d-don't r-really know how this things wo-work" Quinn admitted shyly.

Rachel asked herself if it was possible for her heart to explode because of the cuteness of a certain blonde girl. Every single time Quinn blushed or stuttered, Rachel found it the cutest thing ever, and she also felt the urge to beat every single person who dared making fun of Quinn for that.

"Well, we could watch some movies, or get into a pillow fight…" Rachel saw Quinn's scared face when she mentioned the pillow fight, "Okay, no pillow, but I could make popcorns and… yes, you can have Gatorade popsicles, Quinn. Anyway, what movie should we watch? I have plenty of DVDs, but I suppose you don't want to watch Funny Girl, so… I don't know, you choose. We can watch your favorite, what is it?"

Quinn looked down and mumbled something, but her voice was so low that Rachel couldn't understand a word. "What was that?" Rachel encouragingly said, leaning over to catch Quinn's eyes. They were almost golden in the soft light of Rachel's living room.

"F-Frozen" Quinn murmured, looking down, her cheeks redder than ever.

Rachel really couldn't get over how amazing Quinn was. Her favorite movie was Frozen. Frozen. Probably because there was a lot of blue and there were winter and snow, Quinn's favorites thing in the whole world.

"You are just…" Rachel couldn't find a word good enough to describe Quinn, so she just smiled and got up, to prepare popcorns. "Quinn?" she called over her shoulder from the kitchen, "What about you build a fort while I make popcorns?"

Quinn's eyes widened, as she nodded enthusiastically.

"We have to build a fort" ten years old Rachel said with a smirk, while she turned on the television in her living room. Sitting next to her, Quinn Fabray smiled and nodded. Rachel was still amazed by how the blonde little girl had let her became her friend. The petite brunette couldn't understand why all the kids in school were so mean with Quinn. She was kind, she was funny, and she was very smart. When Rachel had troubles at understanding Math, Quinn would help her, turning the geometry problem in short stories, which helped Rachel a lot. Quinn made Math seem easy, she made school look fun, and she was Rachel's best friend in the world. Every single time someone dared to tell bad things at Quinn, Rachel was there, always ready to stand up for her friend. Not that Quinn couldn't stand up for herself, but Rachel wanted to beat every single kid who made fun of her friend.

"L-like with p-pillows?" Quinn frowned a little. Nancy had taught her how to build pillow forts, but she never really understood why she had to lock herself between a bunch of pillows and blankets. But if Rachel wanted to do it, it must have been something fun.

"With pillows and blankets" Rachel nodded enthusiastically, "And then Daddy will bring us popcorns, he said so. And Dad promised we can eat popsicles if we don't drop them on the couch. We can start the movie, now? Do you want to see something fun or depressing? Because I know a lot of funny movies, but depressing ones are better."

"I-I don't w-want to b-be depressed" Quinn frowned a bit. "I s-saw so-some f-funny m-movies with Nancy, b-but they weren't fun. F-friends is b-better, and it's f-fun."

"Oh, well. I suppose we can watch a musical then. Do you like musicals?" Rachel asked hopingly. She wanted so bad to watch some beautiful musical, but she also wanted Quinn to enjoy the night.

"I l-like when-when you sing" Quinn nodded. Rachel blushed furiously, so she got up to set the DVD player.

When the movie ended, twenty-four years old Rachel was cuddled up on Quinn's side. The blonde was lightly stroking her hair, and her left arm was protectively holding the small brunette, who had spent the last half an hour singing and trying to make Quinn sing all the songs performed in the movie. All of them. She knew all of them by heart. Quinn adored the girl, she simply adored her. She was a starlet, Quinn's favorite starlet.

"I always like it" Rachel mumbled, but even if the movie was ended, she didn't move from her position in Quinn's lap. As long as it didn't bother the blonde, Rachel had no intention of moving. "Can I ask you a question?"

"O-okay" Quinn said, unsure if she needed to be scared or not of the question.

"Do you have a job? I mean, I know you live with your sister and all, but since you're so smart…" Quinn blushed at Rachel's words. No, she didn't have a job. Mostly because she had tried to work as a bartender, but she ended up freaking out every time someone talked a bit too loud. She had some job interviews, but no one ever liked her. Because she refused to look them in the eyes, because she stuttered, because sometimes she made very long thoughts in a very little time, and when she said the conclusion of those thoughts out loud, no one seemed to understand her. It hurted Quinn. But she couldn't show it, she just couldn't. She was – wrongly – convinced that would disappoint Nancy and Rachel. And she didn't want to disappoint either of them.

"I-I d-don't" Quinn muttered, and Rachel blushed.

Smooth, Berry, smooth. Were your intentions make her uncomfortable? In that case, good job, Berry. Rachel shook her head. She really needed to take that Santana-voice out of her mind.

They remained quiet for a bit. Quinn's mind was working faster, while her fingers were tapping with their usual rhythm on Rachel's arm. Two taps, one tap, five quick taps. No, she didn't have a job. But she knew she needed to get one as soon as possible, because as soon as Nancy's baby came, she needed to find a new house. But Quinn didn't want a normal job. – Oh, look! Rachel had a star-shaped wall clock. Quinn loved Rachel's home- Anyway. She did have a project though. Quinn always loved literature. She had read the entire Divina Commedia, in the original language. She knew that in Italy, there were different kinds of High School, and one of them was the Liceo Classico, where students learned how to translate Latin and ancient Greek, so she signed up for an online class. After that, she read the Iliade and the Odissea, both in English and in ancient Greek. She had loved it. And she loved all kind of stories, especially classic ones. So, without even realizing it, she started writing herself. She bought a Prussian blue notebook, and she was slowly and carefully filling it with her elegant handwriting. So, yeah, that was it. That was her dream.

Quinn looked at the window, and her eyes widened in joy. It was raining!

"I-it's raining! I-it's r-raining!" she cheered excitedly, tapping faster on Rachel's arm. The brunette confusedly raised her head from Quinn's lap, and she looked confused at her.

"Did you forget your laundry out?" Rachel asked.

"No, i-it's raining!" Quinn repeated, and she tapped even faster, "C-come o-on, R-Rae! G-get up! We have t-to go out-outside!"

"What?" Rachel squirmed, sitting on the couch and frowning at Quinn, "Why in hell would we go outside in the rain?"

"B-because i-it's raining!" Quinn stubbornly repeated. "C-come o-on R-Rae" Quinn widened on purpose her eyes and folded her shaking hands together.

"I am not going to go outside in the rain just because you are so damn adorable" Rachel grumbled, crossing her arms. Truth was that Rachel's heart was painfully aching seeing Quinn's adorable hopeful expression.

"P-please?"

Come on, Berry. You know you're going to lose this fight. Santana's voice echoed in her head. You'll break in three… two… one…

"Fine" Rachel growled, "You're lucky you're cute, Fabray."

Quinn squealed and clapped, jumping in front of Rachel, who was still grumbling, while picking a black umbrella with yellow stars on it.

"N-not that!" Quinn pointed at the umbrella.

"What? Quinn Fabray, I swear, I am not going to go under the rain without my…"

"I truly hate you" Rachel growled, her soaked head ducked in her shoulder, soaked dark hair all over her shoulders, while the rain continued falling all around them.

"Yo-you d-don't" Quinn grinned, and Rachel smiled, even if she really didn't want to. But seeing Quinn twirling in the rain, with her arms open, her head tilted up and her crystal laugh, made her growling fade. She was beautiful. She was lovely. She was kind. She was smart.

And Rachel had a big crush on her.

Oh, God. She could almost hear Santana's voice screaming 'I knew it, bitches, I so knew it!'. Fuck. God damn those beautiful hazel eyes who made her heart ache in a magnificent way.

She felt Quinn grabbing her wrist, and dragging her in her dance under the rain. And Rachel just couldn't say no to her. They ran, they twirled together in the rain, laughing and screaming. Rachel was amazed by Quinn's laugh, her beautiful smile. Her true smile, with her teeth, with her eyes filled with sparkles. Rachel was astonished by how beautiful and happy that girl was, dancing in the rain with her penguin-pajama, blonde hairs sprained all over her shoulders, soaked wet, but still beautiful.

It happened in less than a second. Quinn pulled her close, but Rachel slipped on the wet grass, and she collapsed on Quinn. She hit her strongly, and they both fell on the ground. Quinn's head didn't hit the ground though, because Rachel was there, ready to protect her with her arms. They spent a few second in silence, still a little shocked and confused; Quinn was laying on her back, leaning on her elbows, and Rachel was on top of her still worried about Quinn's wellbeing.

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Rachel asked worriedly, cupping gently with her fingers Quinn's face, to check if she had scratches or bruised. All that she found was drops of rain and golden hair, though.

"I-I'm fine" Quinn giggled. She was giggling. They had just fell on the ground, in the middle of a rainstorm, and Quinn was giggling. God, Rachel loved her. Wait what? No, no, no, Berry, you can't think that. You have a crush on her, you don't love her.

Quinn started laughing openly, and Rachel followed her. They laughed until there was no more air in their lungs, until their jaws were hurting. And when they slowed down, only softly chuckling, Rachel found out that she was still on top of Quinn, and that their foreheads were slightly brushing against each other. They were very close to each other, and that was dangerous. Rachel's gaze ran to Quinn's lips, and then to her beautiful hazel eyes again. Except that she didn't saw the beautiful hazel slash gold slash green color, because her pupil had grew bigger, and she was staring at Rachel with a strange look.

Unconsciously, Rachel's fingertips delicately touched Quinn's pale cheek, and the blonde shivered at the contact. Rachel trembled when she noticed that Quinn's lips were slightly parted. And she trembled more when she noticed that for the first time since she had met her, Quinn was perfectly still. No trembling hands, no finger-tapping on the ground, no quick tics of her eyes. She was immobile. Rachel's soaked bangs fell on her eyes. Quinn lightly raised her hand and she moved them, to see Rachel's eyes.

"Y-you l-look like B-Bambi" Quinn said, with all the innocence she had.

That was when Rachel lost it. Quinn was just- She couldn't even think about what Quinn was. She was pure, she was innocent, she was sweet. And she also was amazingly beautiful. And Rachel was falling for her. She was falling for her deeply, even if she had known her only for a year when they were ten, and they met again only a few weeks ago. But now that Rachel was thinking about it, she realized that even if she didn't know it, she already had a big crush on Quinn when they were kids.

"You look beautiful" Rachel breathed out, leaning in slowly. She felt Quinn's left arm sliding around her back, pulling her closer. Their noses were brushing now, and Rachel did the last move. Their lips touched lightly. Electricity flew in Rachel's veins, when she finally kissed Quinn.

She didn't do nothing more, she just stayed still, her lips firmly pressed against Quinn. The blonde was frozen too, still perfectly immobile. None of them moved. Rachel was probably paralyzed by how sweet Quinn's lips tasted, even if they were covered by rain. The only movement Rachel could feel was Quinn's arm gripping tightly her back, and pulling her a bit closer.

After a few seconds, Quinn's head snapped back, and she sat rudely, causing Rachel to fall on the ground. Again.

"N-no" she just stuttered, standing up and trying to clean her soaked pajama. "I j-just- I-I am s-s-so sorry, R-Rae, I-I have- to… g-go. I- I am s-so s-sorry."

And then she just left. She didn't run, she just walked away. Rachel was still on the ground, and she just watched her leave. The rain that seemed almost funny a few minutes ago, now was making her mad. Stupid, stupid rain! Stupid Rachel. Why in hell did she have to kiss her? They were doing so well, they were friends, they were fine.

And now they weren't.