A/N: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! It keeps me writing and posting faster.

Santana threw the morning paper on the kitchen table in disgust causing Brittany, Rachel and Quinn to look up from their coffee. She slumped into her chair and Brittany poured her a cup and placed the cream and sugar in front of her. Santana smiled weakly and took a sip.

"So, what's the bad news?" Rachel asked. "How much has been printed?"

"Well, the article does state that Quinn is involved with someone in this house, just not you. According to the article, I have been seen leaving with her on several occasions and I must be cheating on my girlfriend with the twinkie," Santana growled. "Furthermore, as your manager I can control whatever you do and probably had something to do with darling Quinn making it this far. I'm sorry but if you did do everything I said, we wouldn't be in this now."

Santana rose from the table and headed out towards the backyard. She came back quickly and pointed a finger at Rachel and shook her head. "I want a raise for this," and she walked out again.

"Are you her only client?" Quinn asked Rachel.

"Yup, I sure am. She's going to get that raise and then some. She had talked about taking on other people. It's not like she hasn't had the opportunity, but secretly I wished she would decide to get back onstage. Santana has an amazing voice," Rachel said.

"Really?" asked Quinn. "Why doesn't she?"

"The same reason that Brittany here won't take on any dance gigs. They are loyal to me almost to a fault," Rachel said. "They both put their careers on hold to help with mine. I owe them both everything."

"Rae, you don't owe us anything. You gave us jobs and have never treated us as anything but your friends. You take care of us and we take care of you. That's what family does. No one gets left behind or hurt," Brittany said kissing Rachel on the forehead and following the path Santana had taken.

Quinn sat back in her seat and thought about what both Rachel and Brittany had said. This was the most functional family she had ever seen even though it was not traditional. This was the family she had so desperately wanted as a child instead of her overbearing father and absentee mother. She wanted this. She wanted to be a part of this more than anything in her life prior.

"What are you thinking about, Love?" Rachel asked squeezing Quinn's hand.

"You are so lucky to have them in your life, to have this family to come home to everyday. Yeah, you disagree and argue, but there is nothing that you wouldn't do for each other. I can honestly say that I am a little jealous of that," Quinn answered honestly.

"That is something that you don't need to be jealous about, Quinn. These women care about you too. Brittany has attached herself to you and that couldn't make me happier. Santana and I have become so close over the years and Brittany has had to spend a lot of time alone. She loves you and she will be a part of your life forever. I know she favors ducks, but she is more like a penguin in a sense that her relationships are for life," Rachel said. "Santana, well, she is Santana and you may never hear a kind word come from her mouth, but she does care or she wouldn't be doing what she's doing. As for me, I have never cared for anyone in my life as much as I care for you even in this short time."

"I agree," Quinn said bridging the gap between their lips and framing Rachel's face with her free hand. "I should probably get back to the hotel. I have to get ready for the show tonight."

"You were amazing last night," Rachel said holding onto Quinn's hand as the blonde got to her feet.

"You, darling are bias," Quinn said leaning down to kiss the brunette starlet. "But thank you."

Quinn stood on the stage as the semifinalists were being announced. Her mind wandered back to the breakfast table that morning. She wasn't sure she wanted this anymore. They would be enough for her. It wasn't like she was a starving artist. She had a successful photography studio, and she had Rachel. She came to the realization that she would be okay if she didn't move on at the same time as her name was called sending her on in the competition.

She made her way to the center of the stage as highlights from her previous performances were playing. At this point in the competition, she was forced to draw from a fishbowl the type of song she would have to sing. As she reached into the fishbowl, she prayed silently for something she could work with. She looked down at the card she held and smiled.

"Love songs," She read into the microphone.

"Looks like you lucked out on that one, Quinn. You have given us a few amazing love songs during the competition. Keep it up and I'm sure we will see you in the finals," one of the judges said.

Quinn walked off stage and waited in the wings for the final curtain call of the night. The next singer drew 70's classics and walked towards Quinn after her time on stage. The redheaded competitor stopped next to Quinn and glared at her.

"Who did you sleep with to pull that card? Oh wait, I know, it was Rachel Berry's manager," She sneered.

"You do know that Rachel Berry's manager is engaged and that her fiancé is my friend right?" Quinn shot back. "Maybe if you knew your facts, you would keep your mouth shut. It was luck of the draw, nothing more."

Quinn walked to her dressing room quickly after the show wrapped. She was worn out and irritated. She made it this far on her talent alone. No one helped her; no one had given her a free ride. Yet, she was tired of it all. She was just tired.

"Two more weeks, twinkie," came a voice from the doorway. "Do not let anyone get to you. You are better than that," and with that, Santana walked away.

"So what song did you choose?" Brittany asked as she flipped through wedding magazines on Quinn's bed.

"I haven't picked yet," Quinn said flipping through a magazine of which she herself was on the cover with Santana.

"Don't you think you should? I mean you have to sing in two days. Aren't the producers and band people hounding you?" Brittany asked flipping onto her back to look at her friend.

"Yeah, but every time I leave the hotel and go across the street I get hounded by those damn reporters. It's almost as if someone has given out my schedule or something," Quinn said throwing the magazine down. "I don't want to leave. I just don't want to deal with this right now. This is supposed to be fun for me."

"Well, let's have some fun with them then," Brittany said getting up from the bed. "Get your stuff and I will go over there with you so you can pick out something to sing."

"How will that be fun?" Quinn asked getting her stuff together.

"We are going to make them think that what they think they know they don't," Brittany replied grabbing her bridal magazine and holding out her hand for Quinn to take it.

"Oh, I get it, but this will come back on you though," Quinn said.

"Hey, I'm just an assistant," Brittany said. "Besides, you are one of us. We take care of our own."

Brittany stepped out of the hotel first with her magazines face out in one hand and Quinn's in the other. Quinn's eyes hide behind oversized sunglasses and a slight smile on her lips. Flashes exploded around them as photos were taken and questions erupted. Brittany smiled at Quinn and kissed her cheek causing more flashes and a louder ruckus as reporters begged for anything they could print.

Quinn laughed and simply waved them off as they crossed the street and entered the building. Quinn waved to the paparazzi before the door closed behind her. Both Brittany and Quinn fell back on the door laughing.

"It's the small things in life that make it worth it. I wonder what the headline is going to be?" Quinn laughed

"I have no idea, but that was crazy. I remember when Rachel had to deal with this stuff all the time, but I don't remember it being this bad. I hope they are as confused as I am when I look at recipes," Brittany said causing Quinn o look over at her blonde fiend and laugh.

"Britts, is there something you need to share with the family?" Santana asked at the table.

"Lord Tubbington licked all the chocolate off the doughnuts and I replaced it with chocolate syrup," Brittany admitted.

"Eww," Rachel squeezed getting up to throw out the doughnuts on the counter.

"Um, not that," Santana said tilting her head while looking at her girlfriend wondering how many times things like that had happened.

"I put the bleaching strips in the washing machine because we ran out of the liquid and now we're out," Brittany tried again.

"I will call the repair man," Rachel said trying not to smile at her friend's mistake.

"Ok, no none of that. I want to know how my fiancé was caught kissing her best friends girlfriend in the middle of the street," Santana finally said not wanting to know anything else that went on around the house.

"Oh, I came up with that to mess with the reporters. Quinn was so depressed and hadn't even picked out a song yet and so I came up with the idea to mess with them and it worked. Quinn was laughing and she picked out her song. Rachel, you are going to love it," Brittany rattled off.

"So you kissed Quinn in the street?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, yeah, it's on the internet and the entertainment section. Very cute, they tagged he 'Kissable Quinn,' or something like that. She apparently is marrying our dear Brittany as well," Santana said.

"Why would they assume that?" Rachel asked.

"I was carrying my bridal magazines. I really wanted to mess with them," Brittany popped in with a smile.

"You sure did, Britts, just try not kissing anyone else alright?" Santana asked.

"San, you know your lady kisses are the only ones I want," Brittany said climbing into Santana's lap and claiming a kiss for herself.

"Better be," Santana said looking up into her fiancé's big blue eyes.

Rachel sat at the judges' table waiting for the four semi-finalists to perform. She was nervous and kept fidgeting. For the first time, she had no idea what Quinn would be singing. Brittany had kept it a secret from her no matter how hard she had tried to trick it out of her and Quinn had been tight lipped as well.

One after the other, the contestants performed their numbers. Every contestant found a way to showcase their individual strengths and was amazing. Finally, Quinn stepped out to the microphone in a simple knee length white dress giving her an angelic quality which took Rachel's breath away. The music started and Rachel smiled.

Quinn began to sing her love song and made sure not to look at Rachel even when she came to the chorus. Finally at the second verse she sneaked a peek at Rachel before quickly returning her gaze to the crowd.

"I thought that I had everything

I didn't know what life could bring

But now I see, honestly

You're the one thing I got right

The only one I let inside

Now I can breathe 'cause you're here with me."

By the end of the song, Quinn had tears threatening to fall and the crowd exploded in a standing ovation. The judges as well were on their feet with Brittany and Santana yelling out behind them. Quinn took her bow and waved as she exited the stage with the crowd still clapping. She felt exhilarated. She was confident that she would make it to the finals as long as the press she had been receiving didn't affect the publics' view on her.

Quinn stood next to two other semifinalists on the stage. The redheaded crooner that had tormented her with snide comments had made it to the finals and with only one spot left, Quinn was really nervous. She kept looking to her friends who met her gaze with smiles and assurances, even though none of them knew her fate for sure.

As Quinn was announced as the other finalist, an unexpected feeling came over her. Instead of feeling excited and thrilled, she felt sad as if she didn't want the spotlight anymore. She flashed her brightest smile and kept it plastered on her face until she was safely back in her dressing room.

"What is wrong with you?" Quinn asked her reflection with no answer.

A/N: So what do you think? Please review and give me a little feedback. I'm at a crossroads of sorts and can take the story a couple of different ways