AN: There's a small time jump included in this chapter as I couldn't see what to write about in episode 3 as it's very centred around Mike, so I've jumped from episode 2 to 4.

Just before the time jump I try and fail to quote the episode so forgive the fact that it's not the right wording, I'm too lazy to try to find the clip.

Read and review :)


Chapter 5

Quinn takes a deep breath before walking down the corridor, multiple heads turn in her direction but she just ignores them and continues walking. As she passes groups of students she hears whispers but keeps her HBIC mask firmly in place and blocks them all out. So what if she's changed personality twice in a few months? It's her life she can do what she wants.

She passes the auditorium and hears Rachel's voice so wanders into the room and hides in the back row as Rachel sings with Shelby. Their voices sound great together and Quinn can't help but smile as she pictures singing with Beth one day.

The girl is so lost in her own thoughts that she doesn't notice that Rachel and Shelby have stopped singing and Rachel was walking up the stairs towards her right now.

"Quinn?"

"Huh?" The blonde jumps. "Oh hey." She blushes.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just lost in thought sorry."

"Penny for your thoughts?" Rachel asks, sitting down a few seats away from Quinn.

"Well I was listening to you sing with Shelby and my mind drifted to thinking about whether I'll sing with Beth one day."

"Of course you will, not only is she being raised by Shelby, but with you and Puck as parents she's going to be beautiful and talented."

"Hmm, I'm not sure whether to blush at you implying I'm beautiful or cringe at you implying Puck is beautiful." Quinn teases.

"You should blush." Rachel winks before standing and walking out of the auditorium, leaving Quinn to decipher whether that was her flirting or not.


Rachel's heart was beating a mile a minute, not only did she just openly flirt with Quinn Fabray but she then just walked away before seeing her reaction. She was dreading having to go to calculus class later that day and was contemplating skipping when she rounded a corner and walked straight into a tall, hard body.

"Oof."

"Oh, hey Rach. I wanted to talk to you, listen…"

Rachel tunes out as Finn begins rambling about wanting to be with her again.

Wow and people think I rant a lot. She thinks, smirking slightly which turns out to be a mistake as Finn thinks she is smiling at him so continues talking.

Tingles suddenly shoot down the diva's spine as she feels the light touch of soft fingertips trail over the back of her hand. She turns her head to the left just in time to see Quinn's hand return to her own side as she passes by.

Rachel watches the blonde walk away down the corridor until she sees Quinn look over her shoulder, causing the brunette to blush at being caught staring. Quinn shoots Rachel a quick wink, who feels her blush deepen.

"See and now you're blushing so will you just be my girlfriend again?" Finn finishes, interrupting the moment between the two girls.

"Wait what?" Rachel asks, wanting clarification.

"Will you be my girlfriend again?"

"Finn, no. We've been through this, you've broken my heart twice why should you get another chance?"

"But Rach, we're meant to be together, I can just feel it."

"If you can 'feel it' why did you break up with me?" She demands.

"Um, well, some of the guys on the team…"

"I'm going to stop you right there Finn Hudson." Rachel interrupts. "If you're about to say you broke my heart for the sake of your reputation."

She was fuming, they'd been over this last year.

For once Finn used his brain and decided to not continue with the reason he broke up with her.

"Good choice." She says before turning away from him.

The diva was slightly disappointed that she could no longer see Quinn but her mood had suddenly changed and she was now excited for their calculus class later today.

What Rachel didn't know was that Quinn was lurking just around the corner and had heard their entire conversation which in turn was causing the blonde to have a panic attack, if she and Rachel ever actually got together, which Quinn thought was a very slim chance, would Rachel make her choose between her popularity and their relationship? She knows that the brunette and Finn went through something similar during Britney week last year.

Quinn shakes her head to rid her brain of the thought.

Rachel doesn't even like you like that so there's no need to think about it. Right?


At the end of the day, the blonde takes another deep breath before walking onto the auditorium stage.

"Quinn, can I help you?" Mr Schuester asks, clearly as shocked as every other teacher and student at her sudden return to her old self.

"I heard this was the best place to go for people who want help with their dancing?"


TWO WEEKS LATER


Rachel rushes down the stairs in her dressing gown as whoever was at the door rang the bell for the fifth time.

She curses her dads for being heavy sleepers as she pulls open the door in a huff but her mood instantly softens as she comes face to face with a teary eyed Quinn.

"Quinn? What's wrong?"

"I've done something terrible." The girl sniffs.

Rachel instantly pulls her into the house but is shocked when Quinn wraps her arms around her and begins sobbing into her neck. After the initial surprise, the brunette starts soothingly running her hands up and down the blonde's back.

The girls had become what Rachel considered friends over the past couple of weeks, sharing stories and laughing at each other's jokes during calculus. But hugging was unprecedented, so she was definitely confused right now.

"Quinn…? What happened?"

"I… I went to Shelby's… you're going to hate me now Rach…" She says between sobs, lifting her head to look Rachel in the eyes.

"I could never hate you Quinn, tell me what you did."

"I planted items to make Shelby look like an unfit mother so I could get Beth back." Quinn reveals all in one breath.

Rachel completely freezes, she just stands there blinking, her mouth slightly open.

Meanwhile, Quinn goes further into her panic at the brunette's silence.

"I knew it, you hate me, I shouldn't have come here."

She attempts to leave but a small soft hand wraps around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

"I'm just… processing, I don't hate you."

"But she's your mother."

"Have you tried telling her that?" Rachel laughs. "Seriously Quinn, yes she may have given birth to me, but she's not my mother because she has never acted like one. She's trying but she's not there yet. Also don't for one second doubt your relationship with Beth because I've said that, you will act like a mother around Beth, even if you're not the one raising her."

Quinn sniffs softly, revelling in the fact that Rachel knew what she was thinking and reassured her. "I think I preferred it when you were silent." She jokes. "But thanks, I guess I needed to hear that."

"Well I am Rachel Berry, I have been known to rant, occasionally."

The blonde smiles slightly. "Yeah, occasionally."

"There's that smile. Now come on, let's get some sleep and we can talk some more in the morning."

Quinn moves to leave but Rachel's hand is still around her wrist.

"No, I'm not letting you drive while you're like this, you're staying here."

"It's fine Rach, I drove here."

"Yes but now you're in my house so it's my rules."

Rachel leads Quinn up the stairs and into her bedroom where she instantly pulls the girl into her bed. Quinn instinctively cuddles up next to the brunette and is soon drifting off into what will be the deepest sleep of her life.