Author's note: Hello! It's MEEEEEEE! I have been hiding. But here is a new chapter. Lemme knowwwwwww your thoughts. Also, I am still looking for a beta. please please please.

CHAPTER 9

Rachel took in a deep breath and pushed her way into the café. Time to face the music, she thought. Entering the café she was again assaulted with the heady scent of fresh baked goods and coffee. Exhaling determinedly, she strutted toward the elevators. Furrowing her brows when she found a numeric keypad instead of a call button for the elevator. Grumbling in irritation she turned to go find Greta. Before she could take a step, the doors dinged and rolled open. Revealing a very attractive red headed woman. Instantly a usually dormant emotion erupted in her chest; jealousy. Who was this woman coming from Quinn's quarters.

The woman stepped out of the elevators and raised her brows, "Well if it isn't the Rachel Berry. Can I help you find something?"

Rachel narrowed her eyes at the woman, "I'm looking for Quinn Fabray. Is she up there?" she said shortly while crossing her arms across her chest. She did not like the smug look on this woman's' face.

Sarah grinned mischievously and decided to have a little fun, "Oh she's up there. I just left her in bed," she drawled, her smile spreading as she practically watched green fill the brunettes features. "She was really tired."

"I'm sure she was. Why don't you just tell her..."

"Tell who what?"

Rachel stopped short at the sound of that voice, spinning around she couldn't help but lose her breath, as she always did at the sight of blonde woman. There stands the absolute love of her life. There stands the person that single-handedly dismantled her entire life. The greatest highs and lows of her life were invested in that woman. "Quinn." she breathed.

"Hello Rachel." Quinn smiled softly as she looked the tiny brunette over appreciatively. Her hair was caught up in a top bun and she was dressed in a plain white shirt and the most form fitting light wash jeans she had ever seen.

Rachel couldn't help but blush as she watched Quinn blatantly check her out. Shaking her head of the mist that always rolled in when Quinn was around, she forged on, "We need to talk," jerking her head toward the elevator and the red head still stood behind her, "alone."

Quinn nodded immediately. "Of course, of course. Rachel, let me introduce you to Sarah, my business partner and the Head Pastry Chef of the cafe. Sarah, the Rachel Berry; Broadway extraordinaire."

Sarah sidled up beside Quinn and extended her hand to the Broadway actress, "Hello THE Rachel Berry. I've heard alot about you."

Rachel extended her left hand awkwardly to shake the other woman's hand. "Business partner?"

Sarah giggled, "That's me. I'm also married. My husband is in the Marines." she said winking at the brunette.

Quinn quirked an eyebrow at the two, "Sar, the distributer from that special farm you wanted is ready to go over the numbers with you. He's in our office."

Sarah nodded and saluted the two.

Quinn turned back toward Rachel, slightly amused by the brunettes narrowed gaze following her friend as she walked away. "Shall we go up to my apartment? Or would you prefer a more public venue?"

Rachel turned her sights onto Quinn again, finally taking in her appearance fully. She was still breathtakingly beautiful. It was kind of unfair. She had matured in the face a little, cheekbones that once held just a little bit of child plumpness now were more prominent. Her eyes though, those still told Rachel a million stories. Right now they were heavy with lack of sleep, the shade darkened by regret. But still held that shiny speckling of hope. Without thinking she stepped closer and reached up to rub her thumb under the blondes eye, "You read all of them last night didn't you?"

Quinn's breath stifled in her chest when Rachel's hand made contact with her face. All she could do was nod and pray that Rachel never stopped touching her. She stared at Rachel's face as she gazed at her own, those dark chocolate orbs always read much more than she was every able to formulate with words. The diva had an innate ability to contrive whole stories from the expression on her face, let alone her body language. Right now Quinn knew that those eyes saw what she had been up to all night. They saw the regret, happiness and hope swirling in her very soul.

Suddenly realizing what she was doing, Rachel dropped her hand back down to her side. "Upstairs would be best. Privacy would be best for something like this, Quinn."

Quinn could only nod as she took in a deep breath. Reaching over she punch in her access code, acutely aware that it was the date of their first kiss at the dance back in high school. Glancing to the side quickly as the doors opened, she couldn't help her lips from turning up minutely at the faint blush on Rachel's cheeks; knowing that she knew exactly what those numbers were. She motioned to the cart, following with her own blush after catching a glimpse of the singers' rear-end. 'Was that more voluptuous or was it just her imagination?'

Silence ensued the whole ride up. Both were hyper aware of the other. Every breath, every movement. Both filled with trepidation. One with anticipation and the other with resentment.

Quinn lead Rachel into her apartment swinging the door closed behind her. "The letters are in my office if you want to go in there or we could talk in the kitchen or the living room or maybe the balcony would be best, it really is a nice day, isn't it? I can get something for us to drink or..." Suddenly there was a hand pressed against her mouth.

Rachel couldn't help but smile, immensely amused by the rambling blonde, "The balcony sounds great. Some iced tea would be appreciated." Pulling her hand away she nodded her head indicating the french doors she assumed led to the balcony. When Quinn confirmed she turned and made her way across to them.

Quinn watched the diva as she tried to will her heart to stop beating so fast. She needed to pull herself together. This was about Lucy right now. She needed the chance to know her daughter. She wanted Lucy to know that BOTH of her parents loved her deeply. That she was important. Moving into the kitchen quickly she grabbed a bottle of raspberry iced tea. Filling the glasses with ice she poured the tea and proceeded to follow the diva onto the balcony. Spying her leaning against the railing smiling that secret smile of hers as she stared at her most favourite place. New York sprawled out in front of the diva, even the Statue of Liberty could be spied in the distance. "Rach..."

Rachel spun around slowly at the sound of Quinn's voice calling her name like that. She couldn't deny that she had missed her. She couldn't deny that the sight of her incited the same quickening in her blood, the same excitement through her body. Yet now that instictive first feeling was followed by rage. A fiery anger that settled low in her stomach. "Where have you been hiding, Quinn?"

Setting the glasses on the patio table quickly, Quinn approached the brunette carefully, "Hiding?"

Rachel scoffed, "What would you call what you did to me four years ago, Quinn? A vacation? Were you kidnapped and held captive?"

Quinn narrowed her eyes at the diva, "I was not hiding from you, Rachel. I didn't know what else to do. I was protecting you."

Rachel's eyebrows shot up to her hair line in incredulity, "Protecting me? From what?"

Quinn shook her head and took a deep breath. Her heart was clenching in her chest painfully as flashbacks of the day before she left her whole world behind started filling her mind.

Quinn smiled widely at herself in the window of her car. Making her way toward the one coffee shop in Lima. Today was definitely the day. The ring box in her pocket was practically burning a hole through her jeans. Today she was going to ask her mother for her Grandmothers ring. Grannie Hanson left it to her in her will after she died.

Quinn had adored her Grannie immensely. The woman had been a joy to her during the years that she had still gone by Lucy instead of Quinn. She had shared all of her most distant dreams with her grandmother. Her aspiration to be a writer or an artist. Entering the Lima Bean, she immediately spotted her mother sat at a corner table, back straight and sipping coffee from a mug, rather than a paper cup. Her mother still had the traits of a upstanding Christian woman, but where stately pantsuits and dress skirts once adorned her body now there were more relaxed clothing. Today a pair of jeans and a bright coloured cardigan. Smiling she approached quickly, "Mum. I'm happy you could meet me."

Judy Fabray turned her head at the sound of her daughter and immediately rose from her seat to pull her into a hug, "Quinnie, I'm so happy that you're home."

Quinn hugged her mother tightly. She treasured embraces such as these. They had been so few when her Father had ruled their home. He was of the opinion that children were to be brought up to be obedient and silent. That kind of child-rearing did not lend itself to coddling. Pulling away slowly, she smiled at her mother, "Did you bring it?"

Judy nodded happily at her daughter. The absolute joy on her face was infectious and she knew the one Rachel Berry was the soul reason for it. No longer was her Quinnie's eyes dull and muted, now they glowed with happiness, the green of them speckled with gold. "Of course I did. I'm so happy that you want to use my mothers ring."

Quinn was practically vibrating in anticipation as her mother reached into her purse and brought out a velvet satchel. When it was placed in her hand she opened it quickly, pouring the ring out into her palm. The marquise cut sapphire glinted from the rays of sun filtering into the shop. It was a simple ring by most accounts, but it held the love of almost 100 years worth of marriage. "Thank you Mum. Thank you for keeping it safe and thank you for letting me use this."

Judy smiled adoringly at her youngest daughter. Quinn had been a constant worry to her, even the way that she was born aside. Her Quinn was always a deep thinker. Always seeking the brighter side of things and living in own imagination. Her ex-husband had tried his utmost to try and rip that from her. She was so happy that he had failed. "I'm just happy that it will see many more years of love," she assured, sighing some what wistfully.

Quinn pulled the velvet box out of her pocket and placed the ring inside. "Thank you Mum, you don't know how much that means to me. You're still going to be there right?"

Judy nodded her head, "Yes, I spoke to Leroy and Hiram earlier today. Everything is set for your big surprise."

"Thank you so much. I'm going to get back to the hotel before Santana decides to kill someone." Standing she waiting for her mother to stand u as well and hugged her tightly.

Pushing the box back in her seat she strode quickly out the door of the café.

"Quinn Fabray?"

Quinn felt ice slide down her spine. She knew that voice anywhere. Finn. Goddamn. Hudson.

"You're still a stuck up bitch I see." he sneered.

Quinn turned around to glare at the giant oaf. She hadn't set eyes on him in 2 years, she wished it had been 200. "What do you want, Hudson?"

Finn narrowed his eyes at the blonde, "I guess Kurt was right then. You are going to ask her to marry you?"

"That is no concern of yours, Hudson." Quinn ground out, turning to open her car door. Just as she was about to pull her door open, a big meaty hand wrapped around her her arm and pulled her roughly around.

"You bitch. You're gonna ruin her before she even gets to Broadway. No matter what you are still a freak of nature. One word from someone about you to the press in New York and Rachel's career would be over before it even starts. They would have field day knowing that you aren't really a girl, Fabray. What do you think they would say about Rachel dating a disgusting abomination like you? Do you think she would get any parts with that kind of scandal following her?"

Quinn wrenched her arm free, "You don't know what you're talking about!"

Finn laughed in the blondes face, an evil sneer adorning his face now. "Just leave Rachel alone, Fabray. Before you ruin her life."

Quinn stared at his retreating form. 'Well shit.'

"You were already on your way to stardom. NYADA was going amazing and you were making new friends. I was so proud of you. I..." Quinn sighed as regret filled her entire being. She just wanted Rachel to have everything she had ever dreamed of. That was Broadway.

Rachel stared at Quinn incredulously, "You what, Quinn?" the diva yelled, stepping closer to the blonde. Her anger was reaching a boiling point. 'I needed her and she just disappeared. How dare she say that she was trying to protect me. That is bullshit.' "You left us without a word, you left all of use without a word. You left... you left me.' Now Rachel's rage was quickly dissipating into heartache. No matter how mad she was at the blonde, she still had missed her like a limb. She was always a constant. She thought about her every day.

Quinn steadied herself as Rachel approached her, she was not going to retreat from this. She deserved this. When Rachel's eyes turned from bloody rage to being blurred by tears it took everything in her to not follow her instincts and wrap her arms around her. To comfort her. "I'm sorry." was all she could croak out.

The brunette huffed out a sigh of indignation at the hollow words. Of course the secrets are going to continue. "I'm here to talk about Lucy." she spoke monotonously. "It doesn't matter how we feel about each other. She deserves to know you more than the stories that myself, Santana and Brittany has told her. She already loves the idea of you, Quinn."

The former cheerleader exhaled the breath that she didn't even know she was holding. Her daughter loved her. It felt so nice to know that. "I am open to any ideas that you might have. I really want to get to know her. I want to be apart of her life."

Rachel nodded, her heart swelling a little bit at the words. This is all she wanted for Lucy. She wanted Lucy and Quinn to have a relationship. "We are having a Mama-Daughter date tonight. Why don't you come for dinner tonight. I know that she is dying to see you again. Are you still a fan of lasagna?"

Quinn nodded excitedly, "It's only second to bacon."

All Rachel could do was smile slightly and shake her head, the two were more alike than either of them even knew.