Authors Note: all I'm going to say is FABERRY!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
I awoke half an hour before the sun was set to rise. My body was used to this; late nights and early mornings. We had to get used to it, what with all the tension surrounding the world nowadays. It was particularly bad this morning though. My body ached from the bruising of the previous day, and the uncomfortable wooden floorboards didn't aid in my recovery either.
I stumbled to the front door and slowly opened it, peeking around the area. Between the trees I could see the boy, Jake, walking on nearby patrol. He looked at me briefly before returning to his duties. It was a cold morning, the wind cutting to my bones and the chill causing mist to appear when I breathed. It was refreshing if I had to admit. It brought me back to my senses though, this tranquillity wouldn't last, I needed to get back to Rachel and the group before they got it into their silly heads to come looking. The thought of them-no, her, being mauled because she went after me. I couldn't bear it.
"Quinn?" a voice spoke behind me, I could have sworn I jumped at least two feet forward, glad I hadn't screamed. Marley stood there with a sleepy look in her eye, her arms holding a blanket around her figure, "Are you doing alright? Heard you walk by our door..."
"I'm fine," I answered, giving her a small smile. There was a tense, silent few moments between us before I finally spoke up again, "So...you and that blonde, hey?"
Marley blushed, the red rising to her cheeks almost instantly at the mention of her friend. She scratched the back of her head shyly, "Yeah I guess. She wasn't always like this. We used to hate each other in school," she paused to smile at whatever memory she was reliving, "What about you? Do you have someone in these darkest days?"
The smile fell from my face instantly. God I missed Rachel. I hated leaving her the way I did. I remembered the look of horror on her face when we left the gates, left the group. She must be so worried. I turned back to the girl, her eyes full of questions, "Maybe. I think it all depends if we get home safe or not," I finally answered, laughing a sad laugh.
Before we could say anything else though a head of frizzed hair appeared in the hallway. Jesse looked as dazed and sleep deprived as the rest of us. He sniffled before indicating out the door, "Flag down Jake would you? Breakfast time. I hope you like beans and spam, it's about all we got."
Marley motioned for me to go the kitchen, murmuring that she would go and collect Jake. I nodded and made my way back down the hall into the tightly packed kitchen, come dining room, come storage room. I sat opposite the earlier mentioned blonde, a fork held lazily in her hand, a piece of spam flopping off the end.
"You look like shit," she motioned at my face with the spam fork.
I raised an eyebrow at her, a cocky look in place as I surveyed her own dishevelled appearance, "Because you look so great yourself."
She smiled, her eyes gleaming with the same look I saw so often in Santana's eyes when we had been high school. She had found a worthy opponent to banter with. A bowl of spam and beans were placed in front of me by a tired Jesse, and a rub on the head by an equally tired Mike signalling he had joined the party.
I turned back to Kitty, watching as she titled her head slightly. She leant in as she spoke quietly, almost accusingly, "You think it's a waste of time. Us sending you back. You know your team's going to say no."
Except her tone held nothing but sadness and disappointment. She had lost people. You could always tell the survivors amongst the survivors that had seen death itself. It wasn't losing her own life that she feared though. I saw her eyes flit to Marley, the girl smiling over the small gas stove at Jake who was eating out of the pot. She didn't give a damn about herself. All she cared about was the brunette. I knew how she felt in that instant.
I gained her attention again, laying a hand over hers, "I promise we'll try as hard as we can. For Marley, and for you," I smiled grimly as I released my hold and returned to my beans, glad for a moment that everyone else was distracted, "But there's bad blood between two of your members and few of mine. Just...just keep that in mind."
Breakfast was over not long after that. Jesse and Jake helped us gather the supplies they took from us the day before. And by the time we were all set the sun was only just starting to warm the land beneath us. Their entire group walked us back to our truck. I stayed particularly close to Jake, his gun making me feel significantly safer.
We threw all of our gear into the back seats of the jeep, turning back to the group we had spent the last 12 hours with. I headed straight for Marley and Kitty, Mike was 'bro-hugging' Jake and Jesse. The girls looked at me with sad smiles. Marley took no time however in embracing me, her arms locked around in a deadly tight hug.
I patted her back gently before she finally released her grasp and stood back. Kitty on the other hand, jealously flaming in her eyes, just stuck out her hand stubbornly. I shook it with a tight smile and a nod.
Mike was already in the driver-side of the jeep, hanging out the window to talk some final stuff with Jesse, Sebastian listening closely nearby. I jumped in my side, tapping the dashboard to signal him to go. Just as we had started the ignition however, Kitty called out, rushing to my door with an unreadable look on her face.
I saw Sebastian tense up almost instantly as she held out a small star charm, one similar to what Rachel would wear. I took it with a confused gaze at her. She looked around the group, Sebastian had turned from plain sour to a seething glare. She swallowed before she looked back at me, "Listen, I know you're doing a tonne for us already, but take this, show it to a girl named Rachel. Tell her that Harmony is...look just tell her that she's sorry."
I saw Mike next to me crane to look at the star pendant before we both looked at Kitty. She looked nervous and immediately found the ground more appealing to stare at. When she looked back up her facade of being strong and head bitch had returned, "Look just do it okay? We know that the Berry girl is in your group, St. James said so. Harmony told us to give it to Rachel Berry if we ever happen to meet the girl."
When she went to walk away again however, I reached out the door and grabbed hold of her hood of her jacket, effectively stopping her in an unintentional chokehold "What happened to her? This girl, Harmony?"
Kitty shrugged as Marley closed in on her, gently taking the blondes hand. There was silence for a moment before Jesse spoke up beside them, deciding to fill in the unanswered question, "We have no idea. She's probably dead. Haven't heard a word from her in a while. She used to leave us small notes beneath the door, or return to eat after a few days, but it's been well over a month," he frowned as he stared back towards the forest, eyes searching for something not there, "Get us into your group Fabray, then I might tell you the rest of her story."
We had been driving for what felt like forever, the sun having risen far beyond the horizon now. We were exhausted and sore and I knew Mike was suffering from his newfound knowledge that Tina had run because of the group we had somehow made friendly terms with. Finally however, and with an audible sigh of relief on both our parts, our road came into view.
I'm home Rachel, I'm home.
Sam was patrolling the inside of the gate when he heard and then spotted our vehicle, waving frantically as he yelled into his radio. The gates opened without hesitation as he ran to follow the vehicle up the driveway.
We watched our teammates, our friends, crowd out onto the front porch; and by the time we had pulled up, Santana had gotten sick of waiting and had rushed to my door, yanking it open before yanking me out into a frantic hug. I embraced her back, as tight as my injuries would allow and I heard her mutter a barely audible thank god into my ear.
I scanned the rest of our group, standing on my toes to find the one person I couldn't wait to see. And then before I could even register what was happening, a blur of brown flew past the rest of the group and crashed into me. Tiny but remarkably strong arms tightening around me in a hug. I had expected yelling and crying at me, for leaving like I did. Not this. It took me a moment to recover before I dropped my duffle bag and threw my arms around her too.
"You're alright," she sobbed into my shoulder, "You came back, you're alive," she moved back a little, failing to sniffle back her tears, "And you stink," she mentioned, wrinkling her nose, "Where have you been?"
I gave her a half-assed glare before smiling at her, linking our fingers together, "It's a long story," I said, only I wasn't only speaking to her now, the rest of the group was listening just as intently, "And we'll tell you, after we've had showers and gotten into some clean clothes."
The group offered us consoling pats and small laughs. They were just happy to have us back I suppose. Mike and I separated as I made my way up the stairs, Rachel clinging to my side. It was just like when we found her. Only this time she was the frantic one. As we passed her room to the upstairs bath, she grabbed a medical kit, returning yet again to stick to my side. I let her tug me down the hallway, hobbling after her as I let my mind run. Why wasn't she angry or upset? I had hit her boyfriend after all.
She lead me into the bathroom, closing the door and then turning the lock over before facing me again, "Right, you really do stink," she giggled, motioning at my entire self, "And you look awful, like you wrestled with a bear. Take off your shirt."
"Excuse me?" I said with a teasing eyebrow raise.
"So I can see the extent of your injuries of course Quinn," she turned to look at me with a glint of mischievousness before coughing, blush rising to her cheeks, "I mean, I can look away if you prefer?"
I nod, shyness suddenly overwhelming me. I tugged at my shirt only to realize my ribs hurt like a bitch. I tugged again, bending over in a way that felt most comfortable, groaning as I realized there was no way this was happening without help. Rachel turned around at my uncomfortable sound and placed her hands on her hips, "Could you use a hand perhaps?"
My face was beet red, shirt stuck at an entirely awkward angle. I nodded again, shyness completely disabling my ability to speak. I watched her move toward me, a shy smile gracing her features as she tapped my arms, "Up"
I do as she asks, uncomfortable pain shooting through my body. Her hands are like ice on my hot skin. I feel her fingers barely brush against my stomach as they send a bolt through me; I shivered slightly, glad she didn't see it or simply ignored it. "You have great abs" she said, voice barely above a whisper, as the shirt was discarded behind her. I vaguely feel her fingers scrape along my stomach but everything is a blur.
Then there are hands at my pants, unbuckling the belt and then gently pulling those down too. She's standing far too close and this all too much. In the mirror I can see my body is blotched in purple and blue, my red red underwear sticking out like a sore thumb. It's the first time I've seen myself in days. I looked like shit. Blonde hair matted with blood and dirt and whatever other grime. The bullet wound I suffered two days ago a clotted scar. I felt more naked then I was under Rachel's hard look in the mirror, her eyes surveying every piece of me.
And then she moved. I breathed again. I hadn't even realized I was holding in the breath. In the blur of everything I heard the shower run; the angry pipes of the house groaning in protest. And then Rachel was behind me again, trying hard to stare anywhere but me. Her hands were on me again, carefully removing the makeshift bra of bandages. I could hear her breathing. She was nervous.
I turned to face her, one arm covering my breasts. I motion for her to turn around, she complies but I can't help but notice her bright red cheeks. In barely enough time for her to ask what's wrong, I'm in the shower, my boy shorts discarded somewhere across the small bathroom. The water was nice. It calmed the haze I was in, and I could pretend it was the heat that made my cheeks red rather than her presence.
For only a moment I forgot Rachel was still in the room until I heard a breathy giggle and then hands. Her hands felt like they were everywhere all at once. I risked a look down as she stood in the shower too, her clothes soaked through, a washcloth and soap held tightly in her hands. She moved the soap to my hair, running her fingers through it and despite the sting in my eye I smiled, slowly leaning through the torrent towards her.
I half pressed, she half pulled, until she was up against the wall of the shower, her hands settling behind my neck. I moved a strand of hair from her face as she smiled, her eyes glowing in a way I had never seen before. And then she moved in, closing whatever small gap had existed, pressing her lips to mine.
Oh god. I'm kissing Rachel Berry. I thought as I ran my hands down her sides, gripping at her sopping shirt. Oh fuck and I'm naked. The thought should have jolted me away but her hands and those lips and the small sounds she was making. I inwardly smiled as I ran a hand inside of her shirt, pressing my fingers against her taut stomach and then running a path up her sides again, lifting her shirt only barely. I moved from her mouth to her neck, nipping at it before kissing the stinging wound, pleased to find her fingers dig into my neck.
And that's when I heard it. Above everything. It made the haze and lust disappear in an instant. Mike was screaming from downstairs, heavy footsteps rushing towards the bathroom. And then a bang against the door, "Quinn! Shit we've got a problem, a big one! Get out here, now!"
I looked at Rachel, her eyes full of fear. Whether it was because of whatever Mike was talking about or because of our position, I wasn't sure. All I knew was, she looked terrified. And judging by the tensing of my muscles, so did I.
