Author's Notes: Major thanks go to Mike Ownby for valiantly wading through this emotional minefield of a chapter, discussing story mechanics, and suggesting the Rachel scene. All this on top of his usual duties.

This is the second-last chapter of Shifting Skylines! We'll have an epilogue left before this story comes to an end :)

Despite the open window, there is no sound but the whirr of a solitary fan, providing background harmony for the cicadas outside.

And despite how tranquil it is, Quinn can't sleep.

It feels like the summer has flown past; she leaves for New Haven in less than a week. Her first taste of independence, away from everything she's ever known. She's so excited, but simultaneously terrified; like a baby bird about to take its first solo flight.

Quinn gives up on trying to sleep. She rolls on her side, pillowing her cheek with her hand, staring out the window. Despite her fears, she and Marley have been inseparable for the entire summer, maintaining their status quo – without talking about what the end of summer means for them. So far, she has been successful at pushing her worries to the next day, and then the next…

… until she'd checked her calendar and saw that her flight was exactly one week away.

She'd been tense for a while after that. She's worried Marley's noticed.

The mattress shifts. "Quinn?"

She holds herself still, pretending to be asleep.

"I know you're awake," comes the low, sleepy voice. "I can hear you thinking."

Quinn sighs. "Go back to sleep," she says, shifting to face Marley.

"Same to you." Marley inches closer. "What's wrong?"

"... Nothing."

Marley makes a small scoffing sound. "It's not nothing if you're lying awake in the middle of the night."

"You know me, I'm probably overthinking things."

"No, Rachel overthinks things. If whatever's on your mind is keeping you up, it's probably something major." Marley grunts softly as she pushes herself onto her elbows, brushing tousled hair out of her face. "Do you think talking will help?"

Quinn sighs again. She should have known better than to expect Marley not to notice. "I… I don't know. Probably not."

"It's about college, isn't it?" Marley guesses.

"Yeah." She curls up into a tighter ball.

Marley hums. "I'm worried too, if that's any consolation."

"It really isn't." Quinn doesn't know for sure if Marley has the same concerns as she does; it's more likely than not, given how many times Marley's talked about her life in New York, one which Quinn is part of. Quinn wonders if they can go back to just being friends after this summer ends. But most of all, she wonders if she'll be able to be brave enough to talk to Marley about everything.

About a week after their roadtrip, Quinn had seriously contemplated pushing Marley away and making a clean break of it. It wasn't anything new, driving people away; she's had plenty of experience with it

She'd lasted ten minutes before the guilt got too much to bear, and Quinn had been thoroughly ashamed of herself for days afterward for having even thought about it. Marley hadn't realized then, and Quinn was grateful for that.

But even though she isn't pushing Marley away, Quinn isn't exactly being honest with her either; she has yet to talk to Marley seriously about what happens after the summer, despite her conversation with Santana.

It's for that reason she's been avoiding her friend, knowing that Santana will give her grief for not being brave enough to have one adult conversation. She has no excuse.

But it is so easy to forget all of this whenever she's with Marley. How Marley's face lights up when she sees Quinn. How happy she is when she's with Marley. Marley makes Quinn happy just by being herself, and even though she knows it's selfish of her to postpone the conversation, she does it anyway. It gets easier with every passing day because there's no good time to talk, because they're spending the day at Sandusky. They're going to the mall with their friends. They've got a movie marathon planned.

As each chance she gets to start the conversation comes up, Quinn watches it go. She knows very well that all this will come back to bite her eventually. And seeing the date on her calendar just tells her, in glaring finality, that the day of reckoning has come at last.

A warm hand brushes her cheek, bringing her out of her thoughts. "You spaced out for a while back there," says Marley, laughing softly. "Are you having a major crisis?"

"Sorry." She shuffles closer.

"Do you think you can fall asleep at all?"

"Not really," admits Quinn.

"Then… do you wanna go out? Get some fresh air?"

"Seriously? In the middle of the night?"

Marley laughs. "That wasn't a no."

"Ugh." Quinn rolls over so she's facing away from Marley. "You're so weird."

"There's air conditioning in the car," she says.

"I have air conditioning right here."

"Then turn it on." Even though she can't see Marley's face, she just knows Marley is smirking triumphantly.

"It's expensive. My mom'll see the bill and she'll kill me."

"Oh." Quinn feels the soft and heavy weight of Marley's head settling on her shoulder. "We can't have that."

"Mmhmm." God, it's way too hot to cuddle, but Quinn hasn't got the heart to push Marley away. Despite the stickiness she already feels where their bare skin is touching, she leans back into the other girl.

Marley suddenly tenses. "... I've got an idea."

"Does it involve leaving the house?"

"Yep."

"Oh god."

"It's a good idea, I promise. Trust me?"

And of course, Quinn does.

Quinn has to admit that at the very least, it's more cooling than her stuffy room. Being outside means that there aren't four walls to stop the breeze. In fact, it's a little cold; Quinn is grateful for the blankets they've packed.

"... Why are we here again?"

Marley laughs. "You can't sleep," she says. "And since neither can I, we're gonna do something wild instead."

"How is driving out to Kendrick Woods in the middle of the night wild? Apart from literally, of course."

She gets a muffled snort in response. "You're a riot, Quinn. Honestly, I think some fresh air would be good for us. And it's either here or the local lookout point, which will be packed with frisky teenage couples since it's summer vacation."

"Never use that word again."

"What, vacation?"

Quinn glares. "You're not cute."

Marley cackles at her. "Your vocabulary's better than mine. You suggest a better word to use."

"No, I refuse to get into that." Quinn sighs. "I just don't see why we had to come all the way out here in the middle of the night." She gestures at their surroundings.

"It's hot, but at least the sky's clear, and there's a nice breeze," says Marley brightly. "Plus, I thought it could be… a do-over of the stargazing thing we did. Kind of."

"A do-over?" Quinn repeats.

"Yeah, since you wanted to kiss me and didn't get to."

Quinn almost chokes. "That was… Marley, I didn't even know you wanted to!" Despite the chill, her face feels hot.

"Then what's stopping you now?" Marley breathes. Her eyes shine brighter than the stars.

Quinn rolls onto her side. She wants to kiss away that smug smile. One hand cups Marley's cheek; the other girl's grin softens, and she turns her face to drop a kiss on Quinn's palm.

Quinn's heart skips a beat.

Marley scoots forward and kisses her breathless, quickly segueing into a practiced rhythm.

Quinn breaks the kiss to say, "Your mom will wonder why we're going to be so tired tomorrow".

"I'm up for afternoon naps, if you are." Marley's fingertips dance down Quinn's spine. "It's the summer holidays, we should take full advantage of doing nothing while we still can."

And there is that little pang of guilt, that sounds a lot like Santana, telling her you need to talk to her. And again, Quinn pushes it away in favor of pulling Marley closer to her.

Rachel shows up in Quinn's house on a Friday morning (and really, Quinn is a little impressed by Rachel's ability to bribe her mom with baked goods). It's one of the rare days Marley isn't around, and Quinn has allowed herself the luxury of sleeping in, so she stumbles into her kitchen to find Rachel having breakfast with Judy.

"Good morning, Quinn." Rachel glances at the kitchen clock. "Or should I say afternoon?"

"Jesus, Rachel." She isn't surprised to see Rachel; the expletive slips out because she was not expecting to have her sleep habits criticized before she has her coffee.

"Language, Quinnie," Judy admonishes lightly. She sets a mug of coffee in front of Quinn, kissing the top of her head lightly. "Your hair's getting long, dear; perhaps you should get it cut before you leave. Goodness knows how much the salon would charge you over there."

"I'll think about it," Quinn mumbles around her coffee. Her mother deems that an acceptable answer and goes to the stove to make Quinn's breakfast.

Once she considers herself sufficiently caffeinated to deal with Rachel, she asks: "What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you until later."

Rachel beams at Judy. "For your mom's vegan banana pancakes. They're the best I've ever eaten."

Judy beams back. "You're too kind, dear. There are plenty of good recipes online these days." She sets an overflowing plate of breakfast foods in front of Quinn.

Quinn narrows her eyes at them, but her stomach growls, and her attention is quickly absorbed by the food.

"Plus, we're supposed to go to the mall today, remember? You and I have some college dorm shopping left to do."

She doesn't remember agreeing to shopping. In fact, Quinn distinctly remembers making plans with Rachel over text about –

Her mouth twists in realization; she pretends to be very interested in her pancakes. It's too early for all this – especially after the full day of baking she and Marley had yesterday. She appreciates Rachel not actually mentioning the road trip, since a large portion of it isn't suitable for her mother's ears.

But one of Rachel's (many, as she often points out) talents includes the ability to read Quinn's mind. Rachel finishes her coffee and says, brightly: "Thank you again for the lovely breakfast, Mrs Fabray."

"It's no problem at all, Rachel," replies Judy. "You're such a joy to have around; Quinnie has her moments, but she's not the ray of sunshine you are."

"Mom."

Judy just laughs and ruffles Quinn's hair affectionately. "You're leaving for college in a couple of days, dear. I don't have that many chances to enjoy having you around." To Rachel, she says: "Thank you again for the buttermilk biscuits you brought."

"It was no trouble at all, Mrs Fabray."

"Have a good day, girls. Quinnie, you'll be home for dinner, won't you?"

"Yeah, Mom." She makes eye contact with Rachel as she shovels scrambled eggs and bacon into her mouth, eating as sloppily as she can; petty revenge for the ambush, but seeing Rachel scowl is very satisfactory.

"I was promised details on your trip, Quinn, and you've been avoiding me so far," says Rachel the moment they get into the car. "Honestly, given the happily sa – "

"– If you mention the s-word, Rachel, I swear to God I will auction off your Barbra Streisand bobblehead doll on eBay."

" – pphic events that have unfolded on your trip, I believe I am at least owed a thank you," finishes Rachel, crossing her arms over her chest. "And unfortunately for you, Barbra has been moved to a secure and classified location."

Quinn stares at her, choosing to focus on the more unbelievable part of Rachel's words. "A thank you? For what?"

"Ensuring that you would have a pleasant road trip experience, of course! It turned out even better than I'd expected, which is wonderful." Rachel smiles. "I'm so happy that you're happy, Quinn."

"... Thanks, Rachel."

"You're very welcome." Rachel beams at her. "Now, tell me about you and Marley."

Quinn shrugs. "There's really not much to tell," she says, starting the car. "We got to know each other better during the trip, and… she kissed me without warning one day."

Rachel clasps her hands together. "And now you're dating. That sounds incredibly romantic, Quinn."

"Not exactly…"

"You're not dating?"

"We talked about it. It didn't make sense to be together for real; we barely know each other, and we'd be going to different cities for college at the end of the summer."

Rachel's frown deepens progressively as she listens to Quinn talk. "... Quinn Fabray, are you telling me that the both of you are engaged in a summer dalliance?"

"Look, Rach, I don't know what you want me to say," Quinn starts, momentarily distracted when she takes the turn-off to Lima Mall.

"I don't require you to say anything. My opinions are irrelevant to your personal life. I think what you and Marley have is a very rational and practical arrangement which I can appreciate, though I find it remarkable that the both of you are mature enough for it."

"Thanks. I think."

"Though I must ask, are you certain about this, Quinn?"

Quinn lets out the breath she's been holding. "Rachel…"

"I don't mean to pry," Rachel says. "I just want to be sure that you're certain about this. Quinn, I know your sexuality is still a sensitive topic for you, but combined with your general reluctance to trust people – "

"– Rachel, I love you, but you need to shut up now."

Rachel huffs, but complies, remaining silent as they are seated in Quinn's favorite cafe, only speaking to the waiter to give him her lunch order.

Quinn's mouth twists. "… I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted."

"It's just that things have changed a lot for us since we agreed that it would be a summer thing, and we haven't talked about it yet." Quinn takes a deep breath. "Santana thinks I should date her for real."

"Oh."

"I don't know. I'm just… she barely knows me, and there are so many better people for her out there in college, and New York," says Quinn lamely. Her argument sounds progressively worse each time she says it.

Rachel scowls at her. "While I agree that your relationship with Marley progressed remarkably fast, I don't appreciate your low opinion of yourself."

Quinn shrugs a shoulder. "It's the truth, Rach."

"As though you have nothing to offer." Rachel scoffs, folding her arms across her chest. "We've known each other for four years now – with roughly two of those years spent being mortal enemies – and I can safely conclude that you are an attractive and accomplished young woman. In short, you're quite the catch, Quinn Fabray, and any girl would be lucky to have you."

She blushes against her will.

"However, do you want it to be merely a summer dalliance?"

Quinn's eyebrow twitches. "That's what we agreed on."

"And that's not what I asked." Rachel leans forward. "Do you want to be with Marley, Quinn?"

She drops her gaze to the paper napkin in front of her. It is impossible for her to lie to Rachel, who has been there since Lucy became Quinn, the first person to dismantle her emotional walls.

The first girl she liked, and her first real kiss.

"Yes," she mumbles.

A warm hand covers hers, stopping her from completely shredding her napkin. "I'm not going to pressure you into doing anything, Quinn," says Rachel softly. "I believe in you, that you'll know what to do."

"How do you do that?" asks Quinn a little desperately. "How do you and Marley just believe in me so easily?"

Rachel shrugs. "It's not difficult. You just need to learn to see yourself the way we see you." She gives Quinn's hand a pat. "Although I think you should talk to her soon."

"... Yeah."

Rachel smiles. "Now tell me all about your trip. Not the sapphic details, obviously," she adds, laughing at the look Quinn gives her.

The night before Quinn is scheduled to leave, Puck throws a party. It's actually for all the Gleeks who are going away to college, but he makes a point of telling her that she's the guest of honor because she's leaving town first.

She rolls her eyes at him. "Rachel, Santana, Kurt, and I are all taking the same flight to New York tomorrow."

"You're my baby mama, Q. We have something special."

"Seriously, Puckerman? Haven't you picked up a few new tricks yet? It's been years."

"I don't fix what ain't broken," says Puck with a laugh. She slugs him in the shoulder; he groans.

"Ow. Hey, you don't normally punch me a minute into the conversation. Am I losing my touch? Do I need to get out the wine coolers?"

"Pig," she growls, giving him her best icy glare.

"Oink, oink, baby." Unfazed, Puck points at the garden. "Everyone's in the back with the grill." He walks her there, thankfully keeping his hands to himself. "Hey, Quinn?"

Quinn knows the use of her proper name means he's being serious now. "Yeah?"

Puck holds out one arm to her. "I'm proud of you," he says gruffly. "You're getting what you've always dreamed of, what you deserve. I know I haven't always treated you right, but I'm glad we managed to move on past that, and still stay friends."

She smiles, wrapping her arms around Puck's neck, and lets him pull her into his side in a loose hug. It's moments like this when Quinn can look past the dumb kid he was and see the man he's growing into. "Thanks, Puck," she says.

"Anytime, babe." He grins at her and struts away.

She easily spots Marley in the crowd of Glee kids. She is deep in conversation with Sam, likely talking about comics judging from the animated way they're both using their hands to talk.

"Hey," says Quinn.

Marley turns to her, practically brimming with excitement. "Hey! You're here!" She slings her arm around Quinn's. "You're just in time for food." She nods over at the grill, where most of the boys are gathered. "Don't eat the hotdogs, I saw Finn drop one," she adds in a conspiratorial undertone.

"Thanks for the tip." Quinn smiles at Sam. "Hi, Sam."

"Hey, Q," says Sam easily, moving forward to kiss her cheek. "Lookin' good. All excited for leaving this town?"

"Yeah, you know it."

"Awesome." Sam grins at them both and downs his beer. Despite being in their year, Sam has opted to repeat senior year due to his lackluster grades, and save up some money for college while he's at it.

"Evans!" yells Mike.

"Oops, sounds like I'm wanted. Later, ladies. Thanks again for the poster, Fabray. I owe you." He nods at them and heads off. Quinn laughs when flames dart out of the grill and Sam quickens his pace.

Belatedly, Quinn notices a bottle in Marley's hand. "You're drinking?"

Marley makes a face. "No. Puck gave it to me when I got here and I've been holding it ever since. I'm just pretending to drink it so no one will offer me another."

"Smart." Quinn nods her approval. "I should do that too." She reaches for an empty beer bottle from a nearby table.

Marley makes a face. "I can't believe they're drinking. We're all underage; how did they get the alcohol?"

"It's Puck. No explanation needed." She eyes the bottle in her hand dubiously. "Being underage hasn't stopped him from throwing parties since we were sophomores. At least we've gone from boxed wine to decent beer."

"Wine comes in a box?"

Quinn laughs. "When was the last time you attended a Puckerman party?"

Marley scrunches up her face as she tries to remember. "Uh – halfway through junior year, I think. Jake invited me."

"Figures it would be Jake," says Quinn, shaking her head. "Puckermans and parties don't mix well."

"Is wine in a box any good?"

"What do you think?" Quinn asks, and they both laugh.

By this time, most of the Gleeks have drifted over to the grill. They remain standing on the fringe of the party. Marley smiles at her again; this time, a meltingly warm smile that's reserved for her alone. "I missed you," she whispers.

"It's only been a couple of hours." Quinn spent the afternoon with her mother out of guilt for not having seen much of her over the summer, while Marley was working a catering job with Millie.

"It was most of today."

"We've spent the entire summer together, I can't believe you're not sick of me yet."

Marley scrunches up her face as she attempts to vocalize her indignation. "I don't think I'll get sick of you over a single summer, but check back with me in a couple of years…"

Quinn laughs, even as a small tendril of guilt worms into her gut.

"Fabby!"

She groans softly. She should have remembered that Santana Lopez possesses the uncanny ability to ruin her life.

Santana, pinkie linked with Brittany's, rolls in, fashionably late as always. "Rose," she says briefly, before turning her attention back on Quinn. "You two look cozy."

Quinn glares at her, willing her not to ask any probing questions. She doesn't need this right now, not in front of everyone else.

Santana locks eyes with her; miraculously, she doesn't say anything. She merely raises an eyebrow and squeezes Brittany's arm.

"Marley," says Brittany immediately, "I need you to come with me. My sources say Mercedes has candy on her and I need your help getting us some." She drops her voice. "I have it on good authority that it's cola bottles."

"That's…" Marley starts laughing, then stops when Brittany doesn't join in. "Wait, you're serious?"

"As serious as Lord Tubbington's addiction to online poker," replies Brittany. "Which reminds me, I should cancel his credit card before he loses all our start-up funds." She grabs Marley's wrist and tugs; Marley shoots an apologetic smile at Quinn before letting herself be dragged away.

Quinn takes a deep, calming breath. "San…"

"So, Fabray," says Santana conversationally, "have you talked to her yet?"

Her guilty silence is answer enough. Santana sucks in a breath. "Jesus, Q."

"I know. You don't have to tell me; I know I screwed up."

Santana stares at her incredulously. "Screwed up – Fabray, this is more than just screwing up. You need to talk to her – I know, ironic coming from me, but you don't want it all to fucking implode like it did with me, yeah?"

"We agreed that this – whatever we have – was only gonna last until we left town for college. We're not stupid," says Quinn desperately, fully aware of the irony of what she's saying.

Santana laughs coldly. "I think Yale made a mistake letting you in, if you're giving me that dumb shit and thinking I'll bite."

"Santana, please."

"You know what you need to do. We had a conversation, you and I, that we both know you should have had with her." Santana glares at her. "Fix it, Fabray." And she brushes past Quinn, taking care to bump into her hard.

Quinn sighs. She drops her gaze to the grass underfoot. Santana's right, harsh as it was; she deserved every bit of that dressing-down. She's a coward and a fool, and she's going to ruin one of the best things she's got going for her at the moment by being her usual self.

Distantly, she hears Rachel calling for her. She pushes her mask back into place, wearing her Fabray society smile, and rejoins the party.

Despite Santana giving her the cold shoulder, Quinn does manage to have fun. Rachel, bless her, hasn't said anything apart from a quiet: I trust you, Quinn as the party winds down.

She sits on the temporary stage in Puck's backyard, gathering her courage. Nearby, Puck and Rachel are arguing about said stage; it appears that she talked him into setting it up for the party – something about always being prepared for whenever inspiration strikes. Apparently, he even splurged for a spotlight.

God, her friends are insane, but she's going to miss them so much.

Marley appears at her elbow. "Hey," she says.

"Hey. You look like you're having fun."

Marley laughs. "I am, but I'm also exhausted." She blows her fringe out of her eyes. "I've been up since five this morning making pastry puffs. I really don't mean to sound whiny, but can we go?"

"Sure." Quinn tries not to laugh at Marley's expression.

"I'm staying over at your place tonight, right?"

Quinn laughs. "I don't think I could say no. You've practically lived there all summer."

"Hang on." Marley frowns at the bottle in Quinn's hand. "Is that the same one from earlier?"

"Yeah. I haven't had any alcohol all evening, so I'm good to drive." Quinn starts towards the house – then stops when Marley catches her wrist.

"Quinn, wait. I need to tell you something."

The bottom of Quinn's stomach plummets. She forces a neutral expression on her face as she turns to look at Marley.

"Don't – it's not bad," says Marley. "Please don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" Quinn whispers.

"Like your world is ending." Her expression wavers.

Quinn glances around. "Marley," she says, "I know we have to talk, but let's not do it here."

"Okay. I'm sorry. I just… I let Jake talk me into having one watered-down drink earlier," confesses Marley. "I know I shouldn't have."

"You drank? I thought you didn't approve."

Marley chews on her lower lip. "I needed a little liquid courage."

And Quinn doesn't have anything to say to that. She merely nods and continues walking. Marley follows her out to the car. Quinn drives them back to her house. Her mother is already asleep as they go up to Quinn's bedroom. She locks the door behind them.

"Marley…"

"Are we going to stay together?" She wipes at her face with the heel of her hand, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Is there even an us to begin with, Quinn?"

Quinn exhales softly. "You're going to New York, and I'm going to New Haven. We're only just getting started with the rest of our lives, and we deserve a lot more than being each other's baggage." She joins Marley on the bed, together but not touching.

"You're not baggage, Quinn. I don't know how I can make you see that."

"Marley…" Quinn tries again. She's focusing on not letting her voice crack. "We talked about this. We agreed that whatever we have, it would be temporary, but I know things have changed a lot," she adds quickly when she catches the look on Marley's face, "with us."

"I know," Marley whispers.

"Please… don't make this harder than it has to be." Quinn sighs. "I'm sorry it's taken me this long to even have this conversation."

"I know." Marley forces a smile. "But now's our last chance to have this talk, huh?"

"I can't hide anything from you, can I?"

Marley shakes her head. "Quinn, this isn't rocket science. This is something we should've done ages ago, but I'm just as guilty as you for putting it off."

Quinn's hand flexes on top of the comforter. "This summer has been wonderful, Marley," she says. It's inane, but she's fumbling for words right now, and Quinn doesn't want to ruin things more than she already has.

"But?"

"But we said it would end when we leave for college," says Quinn. The words grate on her tongue.

"Why do we have to stick to that?" Marley bursts out. "Things are different, Quinn; you said it yourself." Her mouth compresses into a thin line. "This summer has been the best summer of my life. Quinn, you… I can't imagine the rest of my life without you, now that you're a part of it."

"We both know the distance will be hard. I'm not the best at long-distance relationships."

The ghost of a smile flickers over Marley's face. "Have you ever tried?"

"No," she concedes, "but I don't want to end up hurting you. I don't want to be a burden."

"You could never be a burden. And not hurting me is easy; just don't push me away. Like you're trying to do now." Marley reaches for Quinn's hand; Quinn pulls away at the last second.

"I'm not pushing you away. I just don't think that it's fair to either of us to be hanging on to each other. We'll be busy with school and work and new friends; I don't want to hold you back from your new life. What happens if you've been invited out to a party but we've planned a Skype chat? Are you gonna stay in just to talk to me?" The words tumble out so easily, Quinn wonders how long they've been stored up.

Marley's mouth, already a tight line when Quinn pulled away, slackens as she presses her teeth into her lower lip. "Quinn, those are hypotheticals. Don't you think it's equally as likely I'll be able to schedule my life so I can have everything I want in it? Would it be so bad if the highlight of my week was seeing you?" In a gentler voice, she adds: "Don't you think it's possible we could make it work?"

She has a point, of course, but Quinn is just as stubborn. "It's a lot to be juggling. You've got so much going for you, Marley," says Quinn woodenly. "You deserve more than being a face on a screen."

"What makes you think you can decide what I deserve?" Marley demands. "Quinn, you're not making any sense. We keep coming back to the same thing. There's something else you're not telling me."

"I just… I'm not made that way, Marley."

"Made what way?"

Quinn locks eyes with her. "To be happy."

Marley looks like she's been slapped. "You're not happy?"

"Of course I am. I've never been happier than when I'm with you." Quinn shakes her head. "But it doesn't work that way. People like me – we don't deserve to be happy. It's not something that's meant for us, and I've made my peace with that."

"That's crap," says Marley darkly. It makes Quinn blink. "Who decided you aren't allowed to be happy?"

"Marley, we barely know each other," she tries to say, but Marley interrupts.

"Did this summer mean anything to you Quinn? Anything at all?"

"It meant everything."

Marley throws up her hands in obvious frustration. "Then why are you fighting me? Why are you fighting yourself?"

"You're fighting hard for something that wasn't supposed to happen in the first place." Quinn closes her eyes. "You promised, Marley."

"Quinn," snaps Marley.

"I'm tired of watching people leave me, okay?!" Quinn bursts out angrily.

Marley, mouth open, about to say something else, pauses. She watches Quinn carefully.

"I know I have issues. I'm trying. But it's not good enough, and people get tired of me. Eventually, they leave me behind, and I don't… I can't go through all of that again."

"Is that what you really think I'm going to do, Quinn?" Marley's voice is cold in a way she had never expected to hear; it shatters something inside of Quinn, knowing she did this. "That I'm going to dump you once I find someone better, or when I get tired of you? After everything I've said and done…" Her voice breaks a little, and it makes tears spring to Quinn's eyes. "We just keep coming back to the same damn thing."

Quinn takes a shaky breath. "I'm sorry."

Marley studies her for long moments without speaking. "No one's leaving anyone," she finally says. "Yes, we'll be in different cities but that doesn't mean you're alone, Quinn." Marley's eyes blaze with fiery determination. "I think you're worth the fight."

"Tell me that when we're a few months into college," says Quinn bleakly. "You'll be resenting me for tying you down. I don't understand why you won't let me go, Marley. This will be easier for us in the long run."

"Chasing me away because you're too scared to hold on to this isn't the answer, either!"

"Marley – "

"Okay, can you just – fucking shut up for a minute," says Marley through gritted teeth. "This fake nobility thing you have? That's bullshit."

Quinn's jaw drops. Marley doesn't seem to be fazed.

"Stop running. Quinn, you… I know this is scary. I'm scared too; I never expected to be feeling so much for someone in such a short time. Especially after everything we've talked about, that we said we wouldn't do. But you need to stop running away from everything that scares you." Marley's expression softens a fraction. "I've never been in love before. I'm eighteen years old, Quinn; we're supposed to be worrying about bigger things, like college and leaving home and growing up." Her eyes blaze. "But I do know some things are important and worth fighting for. Like you."

"Did you think I don't already know that?" Quinn snaps. "Did you think I wouldn't already have had this conversation with myself so many times? In so many sleepless nights? Do you know how many times I've wished I didn't feel so much for you, imagine how much easier my life would be?" She pauses, sucks in a few greedy breaths. "Because I do. I didn't mean to, but I did."

Marley's eyes go wide. "You – wait, Quinn, are you saying…?"

She straightens her back. "I love you," she says. Quinn knows she's not being fair, dropping a bombshell like this right now, but – god, it feels good to set free this weight on her chest. "And I'm sorry. Not for saying that, but for hurting you. I do that a lot."

"That's not an excuse."

"I know."

Marley stares blankly. Her mouth opens, then closes soundlessly. "... I don't understand," she finally manages.

"What's there to understand?" Quinn asks, genuinely confused.

"You say you love me, and still you keep pushing me away?" Anger slowly bleeds into Marley's expression. "What are you trying to do, Quinn?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," she repeats.

"Well, it's a bit late for that," replies Marley coldly.

The tears Quinn has been trying to hold back finally spill over. All of this could have been avoided if only she'd been brave enough to have this conversation earlier, to fight for what makes her happy.

It makes her realize that this entire time, she's never been completely honest with Marley until now. Economical with the truth, maybe. But always holding something back, always keeping that last little layer for self-defense.

She wishes she was braver. People like Santana and Rachel – and even Brittany – weren't afraid to speak their minds, even when they knew it would get them in trouble. They seemed happier that way. But Quinn fears it's too late now.

At least she'll be getting that clean slate she wanted so badly.

A soft pressure on her face draws Quinn's attention back to her surroundings. "Hey," says Marley, tone oddly devoid of inflection. "Talk to me." Her thumb follows the tear track down Quinn's cheek; Marley frowns.

"I'm sorry," says Quinn. "I was scared."

"And so you tried to push me away," Marley says, sighing. "That's so messed up. Quinn, sometimes you're the smartest person I know, but other times, you're just so pig-headed… I really don't understand what goes through your head sometimes."

Quinn feels her face grow hot; she tears her gaze away from Marley before the other girl can see her cry.

But Marley surprises her. "Come here," she says softly, and Quinn lets herself be enfolded in the gentlest hug she's had in a long time.

"Why aren't you mad at me?" Quinn asks, hands tentatively resting on Marley's back, afraid to hold on.

She feels Marley exhale. "I don't know. I should be. But I'm frustrated, and maybe a little disappointed; not mad."

Stung, Quinn pulls away a little. "I can drive you home, if you want."

"Don't be silly," replies Marley curtly. "It's past midnight, I don't want to put you out. I know your flight's in the afternoon, but you should get some sleep, at least." She lets go of Quinn to kick off her sneakers, crawling under the sheets. She holds them open, waiting.

The entire day catches up with Quinn in that moment. She removes her shoes as well, collapsing by Marley's side.

Quinn wakes with a start early the next morning. She doesn't remember dozing off. Marley is curled into her, face buried in Quinn's neck.

There's no snoring.

"Marley?"

No answer.

"I know you're not sleeping," says Quinn softly. Her hand hovers over Marley's head, unsure of whether she's allowed to touch her.

She hears a soft sigh, and Marley blinks up at her. "Hey."

"Hi."

Her eyes slide shut out of habit when soft lips touch her own.

Marley presses into her. The abrupt change of pace draws a startled sound from Quinn. "Marley, what – ?" She is cut off by a harder, sloppier kiss. There's a hand on her waist now, holding her close.

Her eyes snap open when a finger traces the outline of her mouth. Quinn finds herself staring into intense blue eyes. "I want you," Marley says. Quinn watches her mouth shape the words – before the meaning sinks in.

"What…?"

Marley repeats the words before lowering her mouth to Quinn's neck. Quinn shivers when fingernails graze her skin, peeling away her collar so a hot wet mouth can latch on.

"God," she hisses.

There's a pleased hum, then Marley pushes up against her. She swings a leg over Quinn, knees braced on the mattress, bracketing Quinn's hips.

She hasn't stopped kissing Quinn's neck yet.

Her thoughts are racing. This isn't normal – especially after the night they've had – but Marley has always been difficult to resist. Her body is too busy responding to Marley. The hand that was supposed to be pushing Marley away is gripping her shoulder instead, holding on tight. Everything about Marley ignites a fire in Quinn; especially when Marley's taking charge like this.

But this is all wrong, the wrong time and place, after everything they've left out in the open last night. Nothing's been resolved yet, and she needs to stop this now.

She opens her mouth, ready to protest – then notices the hand resting on her stomach.

Marley isn't looking at her. She keeps her eyes trained on her hand – which trembles slightly.

"Marley?"

The hand moves upward with infinite slowness, rucking up Quinn's blouse and exposing a pale strip of skin. Marley still doesn't look at her.

Quinn rests her hand on Marley's, causing it to stop. "Marley," she murmurs, "what are you doing?"

Her mouth moves, but no words come out; until she clears her throat and tries again. "I want you, Quinn," says Marley. There's still a hitch in her voice, almost a sob.

This time, Quinn anticipates the kiss before it happens. Her free hand goes to Marley's chest, stopping her just before she makes contact. "I don't think we should be doing this now," she starts. They've been here before; both poised on the verge of something big. But this time, it's a lot more complicated. Marley's close enough for Quinn to see her throat work as she swallows.

Then Marley's eyes harden; she is straightening up, both her hands going to her waist –

Quinn watches, dumbstruck, as Marley pulls her shirt over her head. She lets the shirt drop, lowering her gaze to Quinn's.

She can see Marley is breathing hard, see the rise and fall of her chest, where it swells into the gentle curve of her breasts. She straddles Quinn, chin raised defiantly, clearly nervous – Quinn can see it in the way her arms twitch, fighting the urge to cover herself – but she doesn't look away from Quinn.

Quinn keeps her focus on Marley's face. "Marley…" she tries, her mouth dry, pulse racing out of control.

There is just enough time for Quinn to see Marley's mouth tighten, before she leans in again.

Quinn's no fool; she knows this isn't right. Quinn's heart pounds hard. She wants to hold Marley back, to stop her, but she's afraid of how her touch could be misinterpreted as wanting this.

"Marley, stop."

She hesitates into the kiss, but quickly regains her stride. Marley sucks at her lower lip, tongue teasing away at the seam of Quinn's mouth, begging for entry.

It shocks Quinn into action. She grips Marley's shoulders and holds firmly. "Stop," she says, struggling to keep her voice steady. "Marley, please – this isn't like you."

Without warning, Marley's face crumples. "... I'm so sorry."

"Shh," says Quinn, pulling her close. "It's okay." She fumbles on the bed for Marley's discarded shirt, handing it to her; Marley puts it back on with trembling hands.

Without warning, she bursts into tears, shoulders shaking. Quinn fights down her rush of panic, stroking her back and making shushing sounds. She presses a kiss into Marley's hair, hoping it's working somehow; her strengths lie in making people cry and not in comforting them.

The crying scares her more than Marley's uncharacteristic aggressiveness. Marley is strong, stronger than most of the people that Quinn knows; seeing Marley cry terrifies Quinn, knowing that something has finally gotten to her –

– and it was Quinn.

"I'm sorry."

"Whatever for?" Quinn asks gently.

Marley rubs at her face roughly with the heel of her hand. "For – all that," she says, and huffs a small sad laugh. "That was such a mess. I think I scared you."

Quinn shakes her head. "You didn't scare me," she murmurs, and despite the heavy mood, smiles grudgingly at the pointed look Marley gives her. "I'm serious," says Quinn. "I was more worried than anything. I just want to know what happened back there; that wasn't like you at all."

Marley exhales, long and hard enough for Quinn to feel her body shift. "Quinn, you're leaving today," she says, sitting up so she's looking at Quinn, her eyes and nose reddened from crying. "I wanted you to know that I'm serious about this, about us."

She can't believe what she's hearing. "You thought that having sex would prove to me that you're serious about us?"

Marley flushes crimson. "I wanted to give you something important."

Quinn's expression changes. "Marley, if you felt that I was pressuring you into anything – "

"– You didn't pressure me into anything!" She buries her face in her hands. "God, I can't believe I tried to do that; it was such a stupid thing to do. I'm sorry."

Quinn smiles. She reaches up and cups Marley's face, drawing her out of her hands. Quinn's lips brush over the tiny scar on Marley's brow, lingering briefly. She can feel Marley shiver under her touch, but it's nothing like the nervous tremble from earlier. Her fingers thread through Marley's hair, scraping lightly over her scalp; she relishes the soft contented sounds Marley makes in response.

"Marley, you have nothing to be sorry for. I am so lucky to have met you, to have found this – what we have – with you. I'm not gonna lie, that was kinda dumb, but… I understand why you did it, and I'm sorry I made you feel that way." And she pauses, at a loss for what else to say. It's ironic that Quinn considers herself eloquent only when it comes to art and books and things that it's okay for her to like. She has never been good at words when it comes to her feelings – which any therapist might find alarming, given the inverse proportion of emotional trauma to the amount of talking Quinn's done about it.

A smile blooms on Marley's face, and Quinn realizes she may not need to say anything more. "I don't know how you expect me not to want to hold on to you if you're gonna say things like that," whispers Marley. Her voice is fragile, dangerously close to shattering.

Quinn's arms tighten around her. "I'll miss you too."

The sounds of someone in the kitchen filter through the house. Quinn glances at her door. "We should go. My mom will check on us if we don't show up downstairs soon."

Marley's hand on her arm gives her pause. "Quinn, wait."

She does, heart in her throat.

"Last night… you said you love me."

Quinn feels like she's been drenched in cold water. Vaguely, she remembers saying the words – but they'd been caught up in other things, and she'd forgotten.

Clearly, Marley hasn't.

"Marley…"

"Did you mean it?"

Despite everything they've talked about last night, everything that happened in the morning, Quinn knows they haven't actually said anything. She knows that it would be so easy to put this off to another time, like she has done all summer.

And this is it; every inch of her indecision, her procrastination, everything she has built, for better or worse. Every moment has led up to this. Her actions have led her up to this point, but she's not the only one affected now; Marley is offering her a choice, and the rest of her life depends on the answer.

Who is she? Is Quinn the same Quinn Fabray Marley sees?

"... Yes."

Something flickers in Marley's eyes. "I want to believe you; I really do. But it takes two people to make a relationship." Marley looks directly at her. "Are you gonna stop running, Quinn?"

She looks so vulnerable, Quinn just wants to hold her and never let go. Slowly, Quinn reaches for Marley's hand. She lifts it to her face and presses trembling lips to the palm. "Yes," she murmurs, finally meeting Marley's eyes. She is tired, so tired of fighting her insecurities and fears, especially after seeing how they have affected Marley and herself.

"Marley… You're so much. You're… there aren't enough words to describe you, and I'm not gonna try. You mean so much to me, and I wish I could see myself the way you see me."

Marley watches her, expression inscrutable.

"You're right. I've been a coward, and it's time to stop running. Especially from us." Quinn covers Marley's hand with her own, holding it to her cheek. "You are important and worth fighting for, Marley… and I hope I haven't ruined everything beyond repair."

Happiness blooms over Marley's face gradually, eyes shining like a sunrise. "You haven't ruined everything, you idiot." Her hand flexes so she's cupping Quinn's cheek, holding it tenderly. "I really like you, Quinn. I think I could love you," she says softly, almost to herself. "Will you let me try?"

Quinn's heart skips a beat. "Yes," she says, looking into Marley's eyes, willing her voice steady.

Beaming, Marley wraps her arms around Quinn, holding her like she is something precious and fragile.

She closes her eyes, burying her face in the crook of Marley's neck, letting herself be held. It feels strange to surrender, to lay herself bare in another person's hands.

"What time's your flight?"

"Five-thirty." She booked a group package flight deal with Rachel, Kurt, and Santana because it was cheap, and the other three are headed for New York anyway; she's the only one with a train ride tacked on afterwards.

"Take me with you?" says Marley, half-jokingly.

Quinn laughs quietly into Marley's neck. "You're way too sensible and responsible to go with me, even if I tried."

"... I can't believe we're here," Marley says, sounding awed, and Quinn knows she's not talking about their physical location. "That you're here with me."

"I don't know where else I would be, given that we're dating," Quinn replies. She's glad her voice holds steady.

It is a joy to watch Marley's reaction. Her eyes sparkle, and she briefly ducks her head, as though embarrassed by her happiness, before she returns that incandescent smile to Quinn. "We're dating," she repeats happily.

Judy's voice echoes through the house. Quinn glances towards her door guiltily, then holds out her hand to Marley. "C'mon," she says. "We should get going."

Quinn is glad she isn't travelling alone. Not only does she get to delay the inevitable parting, she knows she can't say goodbye to Marley properly if she's the center of her mother's attention. But now, Judy chats quietly with one of Rachel's fathers, while the other makes small talk with Kurt's dad.

Marley looks beautiful in her favorite skirt and jumper outfit, but without her pageboy hat.

"You're not wearing your lucky hat," says Quinn.

"I thought of a better use for it," replies Marley. She pulls it out of her bag and puts it on Quinn's head, hands lingering. "I know you won't need luck to get into your first choice of sorority, but it never hurts to have a little extra on standby." Her fingers find the neon green bracelet on Quinn's wrist, giving it a playful tug.

"It's your hat."

Marley's eyes dance with mischief. "You can hang on to it for me until I go over there to get it back."

"I'll hold you to that," says Quinn, mirroring Marley's smile.

Santana marches up to them, an unhappy-looking Rachel in tow. "Congrats, Fabby. Since it's clear you didn't completely fuck things up, Berry and I are going to run interference with the parents so you can give your girlfriend a proper goodbye kiss. You're welcome."

Quinn goes pink, as does Rachel and Marley. "Must you be so crude, Santana?" sighs Rachel.

"I keep it real. You'll thank me for it someday." She turns to Quinn. "You have five minutes." And she leaves.

Rachel just sighs again before turning to Quinn and Marley. "I'd just like to say that I'm happy for you both," she says warmly.

"Thanks, Rach," says Quinn.

Her smile freezes. "But speaking as Quinn's best friend, I am obligated to say that if you hurt her in any way, I will be forced to abandon my principles and hurt you very badly."

Marley's eyes go wide.

"Rachel!"

She just laughs and rejoins Santana. Quinn narrows her eyes at them when they exchange a high-five. God, her friends are insane and she's about to be stuck on a plane with them.

"Suddenly, I'm rather nervous about moving to New York," jokes Marley. "Do you promise to make sure Rachel won't be lying in wait for me?"

"I promise." She can't help the smile that spreads over her face when she looks at Marley. "It's not really a goodbye, you know," she tells her, taking Marley's hands in her own.

"Just a see you later." Marley smiles down at their joined hands. "Text me when you land."

"I will."

Marley's lip quivers. Before Quinn can say anything, she's launched herself forward, throwing her arms around Quinn's neck, burying her face in Quinn's chest.

Quinn clings back just as tightly. A lump forms in her throat, but she fights it down. If she can be strong enough to survive everything life's thrown at her, she can be strong enough to hold on to it for once. To fight for the things worth holding onto.

"I kept my promise."

The words are muffled, barely there. "What?" Quinn asks.

"I promised I wouldn't fall in love with you."

Quinn shakes her head, smiling faintly. "You did. If I recall correctly, your exact words were, I won't fall in love with you if that's what you're so afraid of."

"I make no such promises for the future, though," says Marley, smiling. She kisses Quinn's cheek. "I'll see you soon, Quinn."

She finds that she is eagerly looking forward to what the future holds. While exchanging last hugs with everyone gathered at the airport, she also notices that her excitement means that she is a lot less emotional than she'd anticipated.

As she follows Kurt, Rachel, and Santana to their gate, Quinn turns back for one last look. Marley stands there, hand lifted in farewell, a faint smile on her face. Quinn returns the smile, and then continues walking forward.

In the end, she was right; her summer road trip turned out to be the clean slate she'd wanted. But she hadn't anticipated that would mean leaving behind the old Quinn Fabray, who ran away from things that scared her, who hid behind her emotional walls.

Quinn hopes she can be the person Marley sees, for both their sakes. It's not an easy path she's chosen; they have a lot of obstacles ahead of them, but the future's already looking a lot brighter than it used to, because she was brave.