A/N: First, I wish to apologize for such a long delay between updates. I can't say that it will not happen again. Health wise I am not doing very well. My mind has been jumping from story to story and it is hard to concentrate on just one thing right now. But I promised myself that I would get this update out today for all my readers, because it's a new year and I wanted to start it off right, with the hopes that it will be better than the last one. Second, Thank you to all those who have taken the time to follow, favorite, and most of all review this story. It means the world to me, and I can't thank you enough. Third, No I am not abandoning this story. It might take me longer to get it out, but I will finish it; all I ask is a bit of time and patience with me as I work through my health issues and what is going on in my life and I will keep plugging away at this story. With that, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and that your New Year is bright and amazing!

~Enjoy!

Done Pretending

Chapter 7

by: Jaely

I slap my hand down on the loud buzzing object that's rattling around seemingly right next to my head. Well I thought I did but when my hand connects with the blocky object that has the button that will make the noise go away... nothing happens. So logically I slap the damn thing another three times, which has just as much effect as the first. Groggily, wishing desperately that I could have held onto the, oh so wonderful, dream I was in – before the offending noise ripped me so rudely from it – I open my eyes to glare at my alarm clock because yes my glare is that intimidating that it will make the noise stop. I squint at the glowing red numbers willing them to come into some kind of focus as my fingers – a tad more dexterous now that I'm, unfortunately, conscious – presses once more down on the snooze bar only to finally realize that the clock wasn't the source of the noise at all.

The bright light shining up from my phone right under my folded glasses allow me to realize that someone was calling. Oh the wonders of the just waking mind... I don't bother with putting on my glasses – just slip them to the table's surface – I pick up my phone and swipe at the thing until the sound and buzzing stops, letting me know that I've answered the line. I bring the phone to my ear, more a force of habit then anything else, as I've already let my eyes close again the fading dream images of Rachel snuggling in my arms once more already coming back to me. "Hello? Quinn?" I smile and sigh softly a soft happily contented sigh as I once more hear Rachel's beautiful voice whispering in my ear again, glad to be able to go back to my wonderful dream. "Quinn? Are you there?" My eyes snap open as the worry and confusion in Rachel's voice filtering through my ear letting my still half conscious brain know that I'm not actually back in my dream. Rachel's voice was actually speaking in my ear, well not in my ear, but it was there because I had answered my phone and apparently it was Rachel on the other end.

"Hey, sorry, kind of waking up. Love hearing your voice first thing when I wake up." I mumble happy to have finally figured out that I now had the real deal speaking in my ear and not just my dream Rachel. Though don't get me wrong dream Rachel is wonderful, but I really prefer my real girl. Then the fact that my alarm hadn't gone off filtered through my sleep fogged brain and I sit straight up in bed worried that something was wrong. "Rach? What time is it? Are you alright?" I say, a bit of panic in my voice as I squint again at the glowing numbers, no more able to make them come into any appreciable focus now than I was when I first looked at them. Which leads me to fumble my hand to the bedside table to grab my glasses.

"Oh I'm so sorry Quinn, I thought you would be up by now. It's about ten minutes after five. I'm perfectly alright, Quinn. No need to worry, I was just calling to ask if you were going to have another morning practice today?" Rachel's words calm and rattle me at the same time. The reason my alarm didn't go off was because I had forgot to set it!

"Oh my God! Thank you, Rachel! I forgot to set my alarm! I wake up at five, and yes I do have morning practice." I say in a rush as I jam my glasses on my face and kind of stumble my way out from under my covers trying not to fall in my haste. "Shit!" I gasp as my foot gets slightly tangled in my sheet and nearly fall, face first, to the floor. Thankfully, the sheet gives just enough so that I can get my foot to the floor in time to save myself, with Rachel's voice once again sounding worried while asking me if I was okay in my ear. I am so not very coordinated when I wake up in the morning... Ugh! "Fine... Fine... Just... not exactly the most graceful of people when I'm waking up..." I grumble as I extract my foot from it's imprisonment.

"I would have to disagree, Quinn. I was with you over the weekend and I have to say that you were just as graceful waking up as you always are, but that is neither here nor there. I was calling to see if you would like a ride to practice this morning? I was thinking that we could come to my house after school this afternoon and maybe you could even stay for dinner?" My rush around my room, trying to get everything I needed to get together before I took my shower, stops at her questions and I can't help the beaming smile that crosses my face.

"I would love to, Rachel! Is it possible for you to be here in fifteen minutes, though? I need to be at school by five-thirty." I say as I once more get myself moving to complete everything that needs to be done before I can leave. For the first time since I was a little girl I don't make my bed, figuring one day won't matter and just dump my clothes there before heading into the bathroom.

"Of course Quinn. I will let you get ready now, I can't wait to see you." I smile lovingly down at my sink counter wishing that I could look into Rachel's eyes at that moment. I love her so much and I wish I could just be done with it and tell her, but I can't... Not yet...

"I can't wait to see you either Rach... I always miss you when you are away from me." I say softly, lovingly as I cradle my phone against my face wishing it was Rachel I was holding so closely. I continue to smile like a love sick idiot as she tells me she misses me too and that she would see me soon, before we both hang up so that I can finish getting ready. I sigh when I set my phone down on the counter and look into my mirror. Yep I look like a total sap, but I don't even care anymore at this point. Rachel Berry is my girlfriend and she will be here soon. With that thought in mind I move to my shower.

It's not long before I'm making my way down the stairs, kind of surprised to hear the house phone ringing as I hit the bottom step. The ringing stops right after the second ring so I know mom has gotten it and I move through the house to where I always set my book bag down by the front door and slip my phone into it's side pocket before I head to the kitchen to grab my fruit salad for breakfast and my water bottle for practice. I round the corner and stop to watch my mom looking at the phone in her hand as she lowers it slowly to the cradle a worried expression clearly showing on her face. "Mom? Who was it?" I ask a bit worried about what the call could have been about, but I didn't want to jump to any kind of conclusion without some kind of information.

Mom looks at me and gives me a little shrug, "I don't know, sweetie. It was like last night, just a bit of breathing and then they hung up. I tried to call the number back but who ever called has a block on it." I tilt my head in confusion at the odd occurrence. There is another moment of silence between us as we both wonder about the caller, but soon mom is shaking her head and walking over to me, her arms open for a hug. "Don't worry about it. If it happens again I'll call the phone company to see if I have any options to block, blocked numbers from calling the house. Good morning baby. Did you sleep well?" Mom says as she wraps me in her arms and kisses my forehead gently while she hugs me tightly.

"Morning mom, I slept really well last night... Didn't want to wake-up and if it wasn't for Rachel calling to ask to take me to school today, I would have been late. Forgot to set my alarm." Mom laughs softly and squeezes me a bit before she lets go and heads back over to the counter and spoons some more fruit from the larger bowl into two smaller ones.

"You should set your phone as a back up alarm, but I'm glad you slept well. I was getting worried about your nightmares. Are they going away?" I nod at Mom's suggestion of using my phone as an alarm too. It's something that I can just set and forget about so I can't forget to set it each night before I fall asleep. When she asks about my nightmares though, I sigh and sit down on the island stool as I shrug. I didn't know what was going on with the nightmares really.

"Don't know, mom... I guess they are better... I've not had one since before the funeral... but I don't know if they will come back or not." I tell her as I play with the end of my high pony that is hanging over my shoulder at that moment, thinking about the last nightmare I had last Thursday night. It was horrible and makes me tremble just thinking about it. The worse part about it is that it was mostly made up of a memory not just a nightmare my mind created. Those would be so much easier to deal with, because I can tell myself it's not real. I can't do that with most of my nightmares, they were very very real and I have a hard time remembering that what was happening in my nightmare was in the past and not something I have to worry about when I wake from them. Mom has had to hold me as I've cried a few times over the last year to help me through them when I've woken her because I screamed so loudly. My therapist had warned us that there might be the possibility of nightmares and that it would be something I would have to contend with as I slowly dealt with opening up to my repressed emotions and that of the feelings I have of my father, along with more recent psychological traumas and loses.

I've not told anyone as to why I have so much resentment and fear for my father. It took a number of months worth of sessions just to admit to more than just resenting the fact that he had kicked me out of the house when I was pregnant, which was when the real nightmares began to manifest themselves. I believe that my therapist knows the root of my fear of my father along with the general content of my nightmares, but she has yet to confront me about it, instead letting me set the pace for when and if I want to tell her; which I'm eternally grateful for. I will tell them at some point, or at least mom.

I just don't want them to take him to court. I don't want that to come out... I don't want others to know how weak I was. Or worse blame my mom for not protecting me, because she did. She doesn't know I know about it, but she took much much worse than either my older sister or I ever did at the hands of Russell Fabray to protect us over the years and my asshole of a father made sure my mom was never at home when he would hit me or Frannie. So for now it's just easier to keep it to myself, that way no one could feel like they failed and no one would blame anyone else. Anyway, it's not like Russell Fabray was in our lives anymore so it doesn't even matter now, only thing telling someone about it now would do would hurt the people I love.

Mom setting our breakfast down on island brings me out of my head and I smile at her in genuine thanks. That topic was something I really didn't want to have suck in my head for long. We both eat, mom introducing some mundane goings on at her office until we are both just talking about happy topics while we eat our fruit salad. Mom gives me permission to have dinner at Rachel's house, but reminds me that I still have to go to my appointment after school. It's only an hour long session and it takes only a half an hour each way so it won't take to much time from my time with Rachel.

I have a counseling appointment twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, that I've been going to since about two weeks after I had come home last year after having Beth. I didn't want to at first, and the only way I agreed to go was if my mother agreed to see a therapist too. Little did I know that she had already been seeing one and offered to let me come to one of her sessions to prove that she did indeed go. Even after I went and saw that she was going to therapy I was reluctant to go, but I have to agree that it's helped a lot now and I'm very grateful for all the coping techniques Mrs. Matthews has given me over the last year.

I smile widely when the door bell rings and I shove the bowl, I had just rinsed out into the dish washer, and sprint out the kitchen – skidding to a halt at the front door – mom's laughter once more following out of the room. I reach up and tighten my ponytail then reach out and flick the lock open and yank the door handle down, pulling the door open in one swift move, to reveal Rachel Barbra Berry smiling up at me in all her beautiful glory. She is in a cute faded blue jean skirt with a light pink scoop neck, cap sleeve shirt, partly tucked in front to show off the really pretty butterfly belt buckle she has on. She's wearing her gold 'R' necklace, which she started to wear again a week or so ago, and she has on simple, but really cute black strap flat saddles to complete her outfit. I find Rachel smirking at me with a knowing smile as my eyes finally find hers and I continue to smile unrepentantly at my ogling. I will never tire of being able to finally look at Rachel openly whenever I'd like. I've spent far too long having to hide behind side glances and scowling glares so that I could look at her so I am in heaven that I can look at her without reservation now.

"I wish I could dress better for you, Rach." I say as I reach out to brush my fingers through Rachel's beautiful mahogany locks. They are of course down and falling around her shoulders lovely as always. I adore Rachel's rich dark hair, I could run my fingers through it for hours and never get bored. I find myself pressed back against the hallway wall behind me and Rachel's lovely little body pressed against my front, our lips once more connected in the ever increasingly familiar dance our lips and tongues now preform together. Unfortunately, it's short lived and Rachel is once more pulling back, but she keeps her body lightly pressed against mine.

"You always look beautiful, Quinn, and I have to admit that there is definitely something about these Cheerio's uniforms that just makes you look that much more... delectable." I shiver as Rachel whispers those words right against my ear as her fingers lightly brush over the outside of my bare left thigh. I can't help the tiny moan of pleasure that escapes my throat when she continues to raise her fingers up under the panels of my skirt so that her fingers slide over the bottom edge of my spanks. "Are you ready to go?" I look at Rachel dazedly as she backs up out of my personal space after she asks her question and it takes my brain a moment to catch up, while I do that Rachel smirks at me while she grabs the handle of my book bag and heads back towards the door.

"And you say I'm the bad one..." I mutter as I finally push myself off the wall much to Rachel's obvious amusement, before I shout out a goodbye to my mom, which my devious little diva repeats and we are heading to her car. I let Rachel know that I can have dinner with her, but I have to go to my therapist appointment after Cheerios practice before I can go over to her house. I was just going to suggest she drop me off at home after practice but she offers to take me to my appointment as well as wait for me so that we can come right back to her house afterwards. Even after I let her know that the doctor wasn't in Lima she was fine with having to drive the distance to and from if I was okay with her taking me. I didn't see a problem with it so I easily agreed. It would mean we could have a lot more time together.

The drive to school is never a long one so we are pulling into the nearly empty parking lot just a minute or two after five-thirty, which is still right on time for me. I don't have to be here right at the five-thirty mark and if Rachel offers to help me get the equipment out like yesterday it won't take even less time, not to mention we are out in the field this morning so there isn't as much to bring out. This time though we stop by our lockers to drop off our bags then head to the Cheerios' locker room, I needed to put on my workout clothes before I go out onto the field.

"Are you sure I should be in here Quinn?" I grin at Rachel's nervousness at coming into the Cheerios' locker room for the first time, as we walk down to the end section that is mostly walled off from the rest of the large comfortable looking locker room. It is the section of the locker room that I get to use and only I can assign who uses lockers in this section, as it's called 'Captain's Row'. It's a bank of the six biggest lockers in the whole locker room. The area provides the most privacy as it has a set of curtains separating it from the rest of the locker room and it's own bank of three private showers. The only people that currently have access to this section is me, Santana, and Brittany; I've never found anyone else I wanted to add to the list of people that can have a locker in the 'Captain's Row'.

I pull back the curtain of the area and wave her in as I respond. "Of course Rachel. Do you think I would have brought you in here if I thought either of us would have gotten into trouble? Please have a little more faith in me than that." I wrap my arms around my girlfriend from behind, letting the curtain fall back into place, once we are both into the area. "Welcome to 'Captain's Row' sweetheart. You are the first non-Cheerio to be here in years." I say softly as I nuzzle her neck while Rachel leans back against me her arms pulling on my arms to hold me closer to her.

I listen to my girl sigh softly before she starts to rock us a little, "I'm sorry Quinn, I don't mean to put doubt on you. I do trust you please believe that. It's other people I don't trust. I know you won't do anything, but that doesn't mean others won't and I can't help feeling like the other shoes will drop at some point and that kind of terrifies me some times. I don't want to lose you Quinn... That is what terrifies me the most." I let out the breath, I was kind of holding as Rachel spoke just then, slowly. I could understand her worry over all of it. I had a lot of history of running and lashing out when things got really rough, so yeah I can see that her fears are valid and will take time and patience to work through, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt to hear still.

I'm not mad or anything, just a bit sad that she thinks I'm going to disappear on her or something. That I might not be completely committed to her and a future with her. I mean I know we are still young, but God, I know I want Rachel in my life for as long as she will want me. Just because I'm young doesn't mean my love isn't just as real or valid as someone that is older. As long as we go into this with our eyes open and know that we have to work together so that we can grow as a couple then there is no reason that we can't make this relationship work out as a long term one.

I gently turn my girl around so that I can look into her eyes, and once she is facing me I lightly brush my fingers over her bangs before I cup her cheeks with both my hands. "I won't say that I promise that our relationship will be a prefect, 'Happily Ever After', because I don't believe in them, Rachel." I pause when I see Rachel frown at my words and I lean in and kiss the tip of her nose reverently, she is so adorable and beautiful she just melts my heart. "Listen to me don't just get lost in your head, sweetheart." I tell her softly to gain her full focus again, and once I have it I continue speaking so that she will understand what I was saying.

"What I meant by what I said is that, 'Happily Ever Afters' are fairy tails and aren't real, Rachel. I want something that is real. I want us. The sometimes cracky, bitchy, selfish, obnoxious, annoying, heartless, ruthless, gentle, loving, sweet, goofy, playful, all around messy and real us, Rachel. I can't nor will I promise a 'Happily Ever After', but I will promise you, me, Rach. All of me, every bit of me. I want a future with you, a long very real future with you, Rachel." The soft gasp from Rachel's lips makes my eyes drop to her lush lips and I lower my shaky hand a little from her cheek and lightly trace my thumb just under her quivering lower lip.

I lick my own lips not pausing more than a second before I quickly continue to speak, bringing my eyes back up to gaze lovingly into her vibrant chocolate ones. "I do promise, though, to work at our relationship so that it will last, Rachel. Will we fight, you bet'cha we will, but then we will make-up and it will be okay again. Will people test our resolve and our commitment to each other, I can't help but believe they will, it's already happening. More than likely it will be worse in the future if we both make it in our career fields of choice. I would like to think that by that time we will have had enough experience under our belt to be able to weather those kind of media challenges to our relationship with barely bending under their weight at all." Rachel pulls me into a tight hug, a soft whimper coming from her throat as I talk about us as a couple in the future and I smile softly nuzzling her hair while pulling her even closer to me. I understand how it can be wonderful to have this vision of the future and someone that wants to see and envision it with you in it as much as you do. After all it's all Rachel's ever wanted, to be wanted, chosen, and really, all I've ever wanted was to be loved – and loved without restrictions or conditions. We fit each other so well, because we give the other exactly what the other needs and wants so easily.

I kiss the side of her head just before I finish what I need to tell her so that she fully understands. "Though Sweetheart, to do that, we have to work through these things first, I guess. We have a rocky history and that, I think, is something we have to really face – though you have forgiven me – it's still there, Rachel. It will take time for that 'instinct', or whatever you want to call it, where you believe that something is going to happen to dissipate and that's okay. You don't want to believe that it's me that you are questioning, and it might not even be me that you are questioning, but it is my social sphere I am around most that you fear. I know that it will take time to work through and you shouldn't feel like you are under pressure that you have to be rid of those feelings right away." I lightly brush a few strands of her bangs from her forehead as before I continue on a soft smile on my face as I look into her beautiful rich chocolate eyes.

"That being said, I want you in my life, all of my life and I want to be in your life. To that end those in my social sphere will just have to learn to deal with the fact that you are with me and are not going anywhere or they will find they will no longer be in my social sphere anymore." When Rachel pulls back and looks at me with confusion and slight disbelieve I decide to add bit more to what I was going to say so that she will know that I am for real.

"I'm not like Finn, Rachel, I don't plan on hiding or with holding my protection just to protect my reputation and if people start saying we are dating so be it. I don't care as long as you are not bullied anymore, Rachel. I won't stand by anymore and watch you be bullied by anyone ever again. This is how things will be here at school, and I promise that in time you will come to see that I mean what I'm saying. That I'm not going to run away when the shit hits the fan and my reputation gets threatened. You are far far more important to me." I lean in and kiss the tip of Rachel's nose again as she stares at me with her wide beautiful chocolate eyes.

Rachel finally clears her throat then pulls me back into a near bone crushing hug that I try and return with as much vigor as she, without hurting her. "Thank you," she tells me though her voice is kind of horsed with her emotions and I kiss the side of her her neck gently rubbing my hands over her back soothingly while she clears her throat again, then continues speaking, her voice clearing up more and more. "I believe you Quinn, and I have to say, that was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard in my life. I-I never thought about 'Happily Ever Afters' that way before, but... but now, I want that too... What you talked about I mean. I want us, the real us. Not some fairy tale that we try and live up to, but something real that we build together that is completely and entirely comprised of us. I promise too, Quinn... I promise to work at this, to work to make our relationship last and be the best it can be, and... Quinn..." She pulls back so that our faces are just an inch or so from the other, we can barely see the other clearly we are so close together but it's ok, I wait my breath coming in short little puffs that crash against her lips as she looks up into my eyes before she continues. "I promise you have all of me too." I kiss her as soon as she finishes speaking, because I just couldn't hold back any longer.

Was it a declaration of love? No, it's too soon for that, but I know she feels love for me, and is more than likely in love with me. I am in love with her and I do love her with all my heart. Though not a declaration of love yet, it is a declaration of an intention to build a future together. We have a shared goal to remain together and work together towards that goal where ever that may lead us. It's amazing really and I can't seem to get enough of Rachel, just all of her in general, she is just intoxicating. I whimper a bit when she pulls back leaving a soft nip on my lower lip before she whispers, "If you don't hurry you aren't going to get the equipment out in time and then you will get in trouble and then I will be forced to never be allowed to come watch you in the mornings." I laugh softly at Rachel's reasoning, but I can't argue or fault her logic either.

"Yeah, yeah.." I mumble before I kiss her quickly again then pick my bag back up and take out my workout clothes before I move over to my locker. It doesn't take me long to get my new set of workout clothes and under garments put into my locker, before I go to the pick-up station and pick up this week's dry cleaned uniforms and then put them in my locker until the afternoon when I will take half the set home. It's amazing how many we go through when we are required to go through afternoon practices in uniform everyday as well as wear a uniform everyday, thankfully, we don't have to wear our uniforms to practice on the days we work in the field in the mornings, otherwise we would go through three times as many. Once I'm done I grab my clothes then move over to one of the private showers to change real quick Rachel and I talking about our song again and how to adjust a bit of the music to better suit the drums now that we had heard them.

I'm glad we are able to get back to easy way we have started to have around each other after the heavy conversation we had. We move out onto the field each of us carrying a bag and a handle of the cooler that held the drinks to keep my squad hydrated. As I start some of my simple stretches Rachel asks me questions about what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. She even helps me again when I get to the part of my warm up that benefits from a bit of extra manipulation so that I can get an extended stretch. Which of course give Rachel the prefect time to demonstrate the motto I was so famous for during my freshmen and sophomore years. All I have to say is that it is a good damn thing that no one is around while I am doing these particular stretches because they are most definitely not the standard set I had been taught or did every other time I did them.

"You know... I think I like helping you do these stretches... I might make sure I'm with you every morning... you know just to help." I snort and hold onto Rachel's smaller form as she is still resting on top of me having just shifted so that she could settle on top of me when I released my leg to put it back down on the grass. If anyone came around at this time there would be nothing we could say to justify why we were laying with each other the way that we are, though I can't say that I was in all that much of a hurry to move either.

"Rach, if you helped me as you did today, everyday, there would be no hope of me being able to concentrate on anything ever again." I moan out softly as I feel Rachel's thigh shift between my legs. I groan and flop my arm over my eyes when Rachel giggles a little through her apology as she works on standing up. I just lay there getting my body to stop thrumming. Once she's off my body she kneels down next to me her fingers lightly brushing over my arm still resting over my face.

"If it's any consolation Quinn, I'm teasing myself just as much as I'm teasing you." Rachel tells me softly, but I can hear the desire and want in her soft husky tones of her voice and I move my arm to look into her normally rich chocolate colored eyes to find a set that were now nearly black from her own barely contained want and desire. It does make me feel better, because it lets me know that I'm not the only one struggling to keep their desires under control. I sit up and scoot closer to her as I reach up and lightly trace my fingers around the contours of her beautiful face.

"You are so beautiful Rachel, I can't believe how hard it is sometimes to contain this desire to touch you... more... It's only ever been you that makes me feel this out of control... I'm not sure what to do with it... but you make me want... want you...want more... I'm not really sure... but I just want so much more with you... It's kind of scary." She smiles her special smile at me as I ramble about what she does to me, and how she makes me want so much more in life as well as so much more of her, than I've ever wanted before. She pulls my fingers from her face and gently places a soft kiss to the tips of each digit and I have to say that I swoon as my heart just raced nearly to the point it escaped from my chest while I watched her.

I chuckle, it coming out a great deal more husky than normal, but that's Rachel's fault and I go with it when my girlfriend's lips curl into a knowing smirk as her tongue peaks out as her lips pull back from my pinky finger. "God Rachel we are so damn bad at this hiding thing... I really don't think we are going to be able to make it until this afternoon let alone Nationals at this rate!" I state before I flop back down onto the grass with a groan. "I hate all this hiding, Rachel. I don't want to hide anymore. I just want to be your girlfriend and be open about it. It's like the only way I know how to hide is to be who I was before, and I don't want to go back to that ever again..." I say bitterly. I don't want Rachel to think I'm mad at her, because I'm not. I'm just mad at the situation and I'm mad at Finn because he's the cause of it all. He's the one that can't take being rejected without being a baby and ruining Nationals for everyone else.

"Okay... then... We won't hide anymore." I shoot up from the grass into a sitting position my eyes wide as I look at Rachel not really sure I heard her right or not. I couldn't have heard her correctly, but I don't really have time to talk with her about it as I see my Cheerios starting to file out of the locker room and onto the field. "We will talk more about it after you finish practice if you want, Quinn. For now just know that I don't ever want you to feel like you have to go back to being like you were before. Finn isn't worth it. You are too important and I never want you to feel the way you felt when you were trapped hiding who you are ever again. No more hiding Quinn, you want to be out, I will follow your lead and be as out as you wish to be from this moment on, Finn be damned." Rachel's declaration made me feel like a fish out of water for a minute, because I wasn't really sure if she was sure about everything yet and I really didn't have the time to find out. All I could do really is stand and get my barrings for a moment before I reach down and help Rachel up too, which she smiles at me as she accepts my hand easily.

When she was standing I slipped my arms around her and give her a hug as I state, "I want you to be sure before I do more than just hug you in front of everyone Rach. So just think about this during practice and afterwords we will talk." I pull back and look at her to find her looking back at me with a soft smile on her lips. She tells me that she understands, but she won't change her mind, though we will talk more after practice. She then turns and heads over to the bleachers to find a seat as my squad gets closer and I have little choice but to turn my attention to them. I ignore the strange looks I get from some of the more vapid girls and move over to where Santana and Brittany are working through their stretches, joining them to keep myself limber though I don't do as an intense stretch as the rest as I have already done mine.

I get everyone started into our run easily and I set a pretty fast pace wanting to not only work up a sweat myself but wanting to impress my girl that is watching too. Normally Santana runs with me at the front but today she is keeping pace with Brittany as our other friend is in charge of motivation in a way. Well both of them are really. Santana is known to motivate those that work better when they are challenged directly while Brittany is good for those that need a bit of gentle guidance or playful coaxing along, while I am the one that normally sets the pace that everyone has to keep up with. So it's a bit of a surprise when I feel and hear someone come up next to me that was much larger than Santana. I really wasn't expecting to see James up here, he normally stays with the rest of the males in the pack, and I can see that the speed it took to catch up to me took a bit out of him but he is gamely keeping pace so I don't say anything wondering why he's decided to change the status quo today.

"Hey Cap..." He's breathing a bit hard but nothing to be worried about so I nod saying a simple hello back to him only flicking my eyes over to him not giving him more of my attention than that as I wait for him to reveal why he came up here. "Um... Cap... I was kind of... wondering... if you were friends with Rachel now?" My head snaps to look, well more glare at James not sure what he had in mind and why he was asking about my relationship with Rachel. It's not like I would lie to him and say we aren't but there has to be a reason as to why he's asking. To that effect I ended up snapping out for him to tell me why he was asking in the first place. Which I can see has him pretty nervous, which in turn gets me rather nervous. I mean I saw the way they were talking yesterday, and it's not like I'm worried that Rachel would leave me for James but I didn't want to have to deal with another pinning guy after my girlfriend. Not that I can't understand the appeal but damn it she's mine and I don't share, at all.

"I... Well... It's... Rachel seems nice you know?" I mentally wince at that opening not liking where he was going with this at all and it took everything I had in me not to pick up the pace to punish him for his obvious interest in my girlfriend, but if I did that I would end up getting an ear full from Santana and Rachel would want to know why I nearly killed my squad before practice even started. So I kept my pace as it is but I grit my teeth together as I nod my head agreeing that Rachel is indeed nice. Which seems to make James more relaxed, much to my irritation, because I really don't want to have him wax on about how he wanted to date my girlfriend. "Right, and she's... like a really amazing singer, right?... I mean... I've heard her sing... at our assemblies and at Prom... her voice is amazing..." I nearly snap at him when he continues, speaking only to bring up Rachel's gorgeous voice not wanting to let him become another Finn.

Before I get the chance to say anything though James is speaking again and what he says has me paying closer attention. "I mean that would mean... she knows a lot about music right? An... And she could help... I mean... Coach told me and my... parents last week that... if I want to get more than just... a partial scholarship to OSU... that I'm going to need to... get involved in more... than just the Cheerios." Now I was just completely confused as to what James was talking about, but I kept quiet and continued to listen as he bumbled his way through explaining how he use to sing in his church choir before he moved to Lima. As well as how he already knew how to dance, obviously, as all Cheerios, male and female, were required to take dance classes to be on the team. Which all boiled down to him finally coming around to him asking if I though Rachel would be willing to help him work on his voice so that he would be good enough to get into Glee Club next year.

Needless to say I was floored and only self preservation and years of training under Sue Sylvester kept me for stopping right there in the middle of the track or tripping over my own feet at his question. I mean I had no idea anyone on my team even had any inclination towards joining the Glee Club at all. Our coach has made her dislike of Glee Club abundantly clear and the rest of the squad has kept their distance mostly because of that reason more than any other. "Let me get this right... You want to join Glee Club?" I finally ask when I find my voice taking the time to glance over at the guy as we round to the far side of the track, to see him nod with determination.

"Look, I know it's not... the cool thing... But... I use to sing in church back... when I lived in Boston... I kind of miss it... and I need something to boost... my application so I can get a better... scholarship, Cap... My mom can't afford to send me to college... even locally. So yes, I want to join Glee Club, Cap." I couldn't see anything bout sincerity in his eyes when he spoke or from what I could hear in his voice, so I figure if he has even a remotely decent voice he could possibly solve all the back lash from Rachel and I being open about our relationship before next year even came around.

"Would you be up to the extra work it would take to join now?" I blurt out quickly not really letting myself over analyze all that I am think about the situation. I continue not looking at him as I allow everything to settle in my head on getting everything put in place. "Because if you are, I will... guarantee you that Rachel will work with you on your voice." He snaps his head my way looking highly confused and unsure, but hopeful as I reach over and grasp his arm before he can stumble or show any kind of weakness that the Coach would be able to pick up on but the insult that blares out a moment later lets me know that she saw at least something but at least it wasn't enough for her to torture the boy.

"Don't you guys have Nationals... in like three weeks or something? Isn't that a bit late... for me to come in and start learning your routines? I mean... Cap, I'm a good dancer, I could learn the routines well enough, sure... but to get them down perfectly... like you all must have them by now... and to be singing as well? I don't want to bring you guys down." I had to laugh at that, because he really had no idea what happened in the Glee Club and how it was ran. It was nothing like the Cheerios, but it was a good option to have to pad his college and scholarship applications. Pairing the arts with athletics and the GPA that I know he has it really could land him a nice chunk of money for school.

"Oh don't you worry about that... Meet me in the Auditorium at lunch today." I tell him easily as I think about speaking to Rachel after our practice this morning. I'm sure Rachel will jump at this chance to have James in Glee that way we don't have to worry about what Finn does. If Finn quits we still have enough people to qualify for Nationals, even if James' is not the best singer right now, it's not like Mike is the most stellar singer either but he can keep up and though big James can dance so he will have no problem there. I still see the look of doubt on James' face and so I speak again "Look, we will let Rachel make the call... Be ready to sing a little during lunch, okay? Rachel will more than likely... have you run through some scales... you do know what those are don't you?" I pause after I ask this question not sure if I was going to have to explain what scales were or not, but he did say he used to sing in his church so I'm hoping that he had to run scales before. Thankfully, he nodded in the positive that he did know what scales were and I continued on speaking. "Good, then you might need to sing a little something... that you already know even if it's from your iPod or something... if she wants you to, and then she will let us know... if you will be able to keep up... and learn the material for Nationals okay?"

That seems to set his mind at ease and allowed him to agree to joining right away if Rachel said he would not hinder their chances at Nationals. I didn't want to tell him that we didn't even have a set list yet for fear that he might back out. I wanted to get him into the group and see if he could find a place within our Glee friends before it became glaringly obvious that we didn't have our National's routine even thought up yet. I think Rachel would agree with me at this point especially with the potential of having a replacement for Finn.

Thankfully, the rest of practice goes by rather uneventfully, as this is the day we go through all of our non stunt related parts of our routine. So a lot of dancing, timing, and staging is worked through as I or Santana count off beats and call out changes and stunt grouping along with staging. Of course there is always the ever present background buzz of our Coach's insults, since she made her presence known this morning. I just ignored it all and kept my focus on my squad and the few glances I snuck from time to time at Rachel that was sitting not to far away and behind Coach. Which kind of surprised me that Coach didn't seem interested in my little diva at all this morning, the only thing I could think of was she had already said her piece and was now just ignoring Rachel, which was very well possible too.

The rest of our morning practice went well and we were left with only a parting potshot from Coach which meant she was rather pleased though she would never grace us with actually saying the words. I send my squad off with a few kind words about their hard work before I start to gather all the left over equipment while my squad heads off to get their showers. "You all really have a lot of talent, Quinn. I have no doubt that you will once more come back with the National's championship trophy in hand." I smile as I turn to look at Rachel when I hear her start to speak to me. I love that she has such things to say about the sport that I love.

"Thank you Rachel. Coming from you, that means a lot." I let her know before I lean down and lightly kiss her cheek, making sure to keep most of my body from touching her at the moment. I'm still rather sweaty and quite frankly nasty I don't want to ruin her lovely clothes. Before I can move back to putting more pom-poms into the bag Rachel grabs my hand and I focus my eyes back onto her again giving her a questioning look.

"I haven't changed my mind Quinn. I don't want to hide anymore. I don't care if Finn quits. We will figure something out, so that we can compete. But if we can't, I don't care. You matter more to me than that. We have next year even if I need to convince me dads to fund the start up of the club, I don't want you to have to feel like you need to become like you were before. That is wholly unfair to you all because of Finn." I can't stop the tears from falling from my eyes as Rachel tells me that I mean more to her than competing, or Finn. I know that sounds dumb but it was a fear that I didn't mean more to her than either of those things, but now I know I do. My breath hitches a little when I feel her fingers lightly brushing away the tears as they fall off my cheek and I lean into her touch.

"Thank you." Is all I'm able to say to her. It's wholly inadequate but I don't know what else to say to express my utter joy and love for her in this moment in time. I finally reach up and lightly grasp both of her hands in mine and light hold them as I kiss the palm of each reverently before I open my eyes and lean in kissing her soft full lips tenderly. There is passion in my kiss, there is no way for me not to kiss Rachel without there being passion in it, but this kiss isn't meant to stir passion just to convey all that I can't seem to convey with meager words. I pour my devotion, my conviction, my solidarity, my joy, my trust, and most of all overwhelming love for Rachel into this singular kiss. The wonderful thing about it all is that I felt every bit of what I was giving to my beautiful Rachel, given back to me in return.

Though it felt like it lasted forever it only lasted a for moments and then we were returning back to the here and now, both smiling and leaning our foreheads against each other's. I release one of her hands and lightly run my fingers through her hair as I take a breath my thoughts once more on the issue at hand. "As I said, thank you, Rachel. I think it's best we don't actively hide, as we aren't very good at it, but I don't think we should just announce it either. Maybe we should just let people believe what they wish. We just do what we are comfortable doing, where and when we are comfortable doing it and leave everyone else to their own thoughts and guesses as to what is going on. Those that really matter already know and the rest don't matter at all, so why do we need to out right tell them our business?" I mean why should our lives be anyone else's business but our own and I think Rachel and I should be able to just act like any other couple and let people just figure it out. We don't need to make an announcement that we are together or anything.

Rachel's beaming smile she gives me lets me know that she just might agree with me, which has me smiling just as brightly. "You know Quinn, that sounds like and excellent idea. You're right. We don't need to tell anyone else what we are doing. We can just be us and I'm sure people will figure it out or not over time." I lightly drop another kiss on her lips which brings a soft laugh from Rachel before she lightly tugs on the end of my high pony and saying that I might want to hurry it up if I don't want to be late to my first period class.

Rachel stays with me to help pick up the rest of the equipment and I tell her about my conversation with James and his interest in Glee Club. Then about my suggestion about him joining now and possibly solving our Finn problem if he can somewhat carry a tune. It wasn't much of a surprise when Rachel agreed to meet with him during our lunch period to see how much work the boy would need. Not that it would make much of a difference if he couldn't sing all that well right now he still could dance and that was something that we could really use in the club. With his strength we could even incorporate some complex lifts and tumbles into our routines that just weren't possible before. Though some of the other guys are strong they don't have the dance background to do the lifts safely and Mike isn't strong enough to do some of the more complex high energy lifts that Brittany, Santana, Rachel, and I could do with the right partner.

Once we had situated the cooler between us and were heading back to the Cheerios' looker room I decide to ask about the Coach. "Did the Coach harass you while we on our run?" I look over at her, making sure she knows that I'm listening and want to know what she has to say on the matter. I know how the Coach's comments can dig under your skin when you don't really realize it, if you don't really know her or how she is. People don't really know much about her, but I know under it all, that she does care about those on her squad and a few other people in the world. She just doesn't show it at all though, unless you ate very close to her and then it's in small doses and you'd have to know how to spot it.

So when Rachel shake's her head with a slightly confused expression on her face, I frown not really understanding. "No... Which now that I think about it, is rather odd. All she said to me was 'Mini Streisand' with a nod as a greeting before looking only at the Cheerios and ignoring me for the rest of the practice. I mean as far as insults go, that was really far off the mark as far as I am concerned. In fact I would say referring to me as a miniaturize version of the legendary and iconic Barbra Streisand as highly complimentary." I can't help but smile at my girl's ramble, even as I ponder why my Coach was actually rather 'nice' to Rachel for once, because as Rachel stated the greeting was rather complimentary in nature which for one Sue Sylvester is rather odd.

"I'm not sure Rachel... Only thing I can say is take it while it lasts. You're right though it is rather odd, and a bit unexpected coming from her." I say with a shrug not know what else to say on the matter as I pull open the door to the locker room. We don't speak as she helps me get everything put back where it goes, as I can see it takes a lot for her to keep her head up as the other girl's notice she is in the room and stare at her. Thankfully, no one says anything though and most return to getting ready for the day, though some needed some encouragement from me in the form of a glare. With the eyes off of her, Rachel seems to relax a bit more by the time I lead her back to my locker and we are talking softly about the routine they are working on for final performance in her dance class.

Unfortunately we don't get to talk for much longer as when we get into the 'Captain's Row' Brittany is there and had been waiting for us to arrive. She is the one that will be walking with Rachel to her first period class it seems. I was going to do it and just be late to my Home Ec class but I really wouldn't be able to make a reasonable excuse now that Brittany is here and apparently has a class just a few doors down from where Rachel's Geometry class is. It's for the best that she get's there early, as Finn and most of the other jocks are more than likely either not here yet or just ending their morning practices' so not in the halls quite yet. Though Rachel and I have decided to no longer hide I don't want to chance her getting slushied or have to deal with Finn on her own if I can find a way to limit those chances for now.

To that end Rachel and I give each other a kiss, which has Brittany cooing over us before she just joins in and hugs us both, which has us all laughing softly at her excitement and joy for our relationship. Then they are gone and I start getting myself ready for another day at McKinley High. Just as I step out of the shower my hands working my second towel through my hair I suddenly realize that Santana wasn't still there nor was she with Brittany when she collected Rachel to take her to class. That is highly unusual as she rarely leaves Brittany alone for very long and I would have expected them to have used the extra time in the showers alone to have done something more entertaining than showering, but Brittany had be showered, dressed and ready to go when we had come in. Which once more made me wonder what was going on with Santana.

Thank you for reading this chapter, please take the time to give me your thoughts on it. It's a bit shorter than my other chapters I know, but I wanted to get something out to you all. Hopefully the next one will be longer.

~Jae