A/N- I just wanna say thank you so much if you're still reading, I know it's slow progress, but I love a good build up. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions on what they like to see happen in the story, feel free to message me. (:

During the weekend, Quinn was unable to talk with Rachel since she no longer goes to the subway station and that's the only place she knew where to look for her. So, she had to wait till Monday to talk with Sam and try to get him lead her to Rachel. Once she saw him by the water fountain, she sprinted towards him and lightly tapped his shoulder. He looked really displeased when he saw who it was "Not now."

"Sam wait, I'm here to talk," He still didn't look at her, but he did stop walking "I wasn't the one who sent those slushies."

He turned and motioned his hands to follow him. They ended up in the auditorium "Then who was it?"

Quinn shrugged her shoulders, it wasn't a definite answer that it was Finn, but he's the second one in power to do that "I don't have a solid answer, but I have a pretty good guess that it was Finn Hudson."

"Of course it was him," Sam scoffed and shook his head "That meat jockey has it out for me ever since I tried out for the football team. He didn't want no one taking his place, so he sent slushies to scare me away."

"And you thought it was me since I snapped at you last week."

Sam nodded "The last thing I wanted to do was upset the both of you."

"I was having a rough time that day and you were unlucky enough to be there," Quinn sighed "I'm sorry."

The smile that formed on his face put Quinn at ease, she no longer feels like a monster "I accept your apology, but someone still thinks you're the evil Ice Queen. If you don't mind me asking, how do you know Rachel?"

"I've bumped into her a couple times," Quinn smiled at the many encounters she had with Rachel "It's a long story. Anyways, do you know where I can find her? I've checked the subway, but she hasn't showed up."

"I don't think she'll be going there anymore, a lot of people paint there now and she likes her privacy."

"I thought she wanted her work to be known?"

"I thought so too, but instead they just took over and not even bother with seeing their stuff."

Quinn bit her lower lip, she wanted to ask where else she can find her, but she didn't want to seem too desperate or clingy "I see."

Sam somehow sensed her unasked question "She does go to an alley way, it's probably ten minutes away from here. I could take you if you want."

"Seriously?" Sam nodded "Great! Let's go."

He was taken aback, they have school right now and its rule breaking to just ditch school "I meant after school."

"And I meant now. Look, I just really want to fix things with her quick. So please, take me to her."

Sam could see that Rachel's way more important than her education, it made him smile that she cared this much for the little brunette. He agreed to take her. They both headed off to the parking lot. Luckily, people were still in class when they left the school. They drove through the streets of Lima into a deeper area, not a safe, but also not a dangerous area of the city.

Finally they came to a stop, they were near a junkyard and Sam pointed out that behind it there's an alley way. Sam got off first then Quinn followed behind him, acting as if Sam is her shield when Rachel snaps at her again. Sam cleared his throat to gain Rachel's attention, she turns and her smile quickly faded when she saw the smaller body behind him "What the hell she doing here?"

"There was a, um, misunderstanding," He gestures to Quinn "She wasn't the one who ordered the slushies on me, it was someone else."

That didn't crease Rachel's anger by much "Then who was it? I'll get Puck and even Santana on their asses."

"We'll talk about that later, I didn't come for myself. Quinn wanted to talk."

Sam patted the smaller blonde on her back and told her that he'll wait in the car. Quinn looked to Rachel and saw that her body poster was less hostile now.

"I'm sorry," Rachel rubbed her wrist, feeling stupid for yelling at Quinn for something she didn't do "For blaming you. I've seen cheerleaders mistreat the 'geeks' just because they were at the bottom of the social ladder."

"And you assumed because I'm head cheerio, right?" Rachel nodded shamefully "And because I'm a bitch?"

Rachel furrowed her brows at the term "You're stubborn, persistent, and incompetent when it comes to defending yourself, but you are not a bitch. You're too mindful to even consider being one."

Quinn did nothing to hide her blush. During her time at school, she would hear students whisper about how cruel and heartless she is because she would pick on people who dared challenged her. That's how she was raised, to defend her title and let no one walk all over you "You probably thought I was one when I first met you, didn't you?"

"I thought you were a bit crazy for following me everywhere, but never assumed you were evil."

"Does this mean you're not mad at me?"

Rachel shook her head "You didn't harm my friend and I'm glad you came. I-" Whoop, there it goes again, she almost showed feelings. Not that she wants to, she just doesn't know where she stands with Quinn"I hope your cop skills have improved, you're gonna need it."

"I started carrying around handcuffs so if I were you, I'd be scared."

"Ooo I'm shaking," Rachel teased "Now go on and head to school; don't want you missing class because I'm your number one priority."

Quinn scoffed "You wish you were number one. You're at the bottom of my list."

"But I'm still on your list." Rachel smirked at Quinn's slightly red face.

After saying another unpromising threat to locking her up, Quinn returned to the car where Sam was dozing off to sleep. They headed off back to school and Quinn can already imagine hearing Sue's loud, ear busting voice yelling at her for missing class. Sue keeps track of the cheerios attendance and grades to make sure they are not jeopardizing their right to go to Regionals this year, she doesn't want a repeat of what happen last time when Will literally disqualified the whole team because they failed their classes.

Reaching up to the school's parking lot, Quinn can see Finn and his buddies at the main entrance. Her blood boiled at the sight, he was the reason Rachel was pissed at her for something she didn't know about. Slamming the car door and stomping her way towards the jocks, she can see them shrink the closer she gets "I need to have a word with you. Now."

The jocks oohed and lightly punched Finn's arm as they walked away to give them privacy, they knew that when Quinn came up to him super pissed it means he fucked up..big time. Finn cracked his neck and straightening out his posture "What's up?"

"You better have one hell of a reason to why you slushied Sam." She knew why, all she wanted was confirmation.

"Evans? How do you-"

"Give me a reason why you did it." Quinn said through her gritted teeth, fighting the urge to shout.

Finn shrugged his shoulders like the scared little boy he is "I just had a bad feeling about him then he tried out for my spot as Quarterback. See, there was something bad about him."

Quinn narrowed her eyes "He didn't even have a chance to be on the team. Just leave him alone."

"Why are you protective of him?" This Sam guy barely came into the picture not too long ago and now Quinn is all over that guy?

"He's my friend and he's only trying to help because your team sucks! You're all just a bunch of idiots running through grass."

Finn breathed out his nose to cool himself down before he starts to blurt out insults, too "Whatever, he got what he deserved." He walked away, head full of theories about the strange shielding Quinn was doing. She was never this protective when they were going out. Something's going on and he knows just what to do to stop it.

Quinn's conscious were diminished, Rachel's not mad at her, Sam's protected and is no way in danger.

"Q!" The loud bullhorn rang through the halls and behind the horn was none other than Sue "Fast track your butt to the field and start your five laps!" and she guesses Sue found out about the ditched class. Everyone else is saved, why not her?

The next morning, Quinn woke up sore from all those laps she did yesterday, but the punishment wasn't over. Those suicides aren't gonna do themselves, oh how Quinn wish they did. Dragging her aching legs to the girl's locker room, she noticed a bunch of the hockey guys gathered up at the end of the hall. Quinn was going to ignore it since it's probably their meet ups or something, but then she heard a thick splash. A thick splash she knows very well.

Even though she would rather fall to the floor and sleep there, she had to go see who the victim was this time. Quinn ran to the group to find Sam covered in a sea of rainbow slushies, looked like each member took a shot at him "What the hell is this!"

"I told you he got what he deserved," That irritating, raspy voice was back, she thought Finn would've gotten the message that she will literally kill him if he dared to come near Sam "But this time it's personal."

"Oh and the first one wasn't?"

"He wasn't right for the team!"

"Bullshit! Ever since you became Quarterback, you have done nothing but getting your ass kicked every season."

Finn clenched the Big Gulp he had in his hand, some crushed ice spilling to the floor "Enough Quinn." It may be true that they haven't won as many games as they liked, but he tried his hardest to become a decent player. He tried harder than the whole football team combined.

"Why can't you get through your thick skull that Sam wasn't a threat to you, he was only trying to help. I don't know how people respect you around here when you don't reciprocate."

Quinn teared her daggering eyes away from Finn and kneeled down to Sam, she can see he was visibly shaking from the cold of the slushies. She swears those are like a bitch slap to the face. While she was trying to comfort the drenched blonde, Finn stood next to Quinn "I was saving this one for him, but now I think," Right when she turned to him to ask what the hell he's talking about, Finn tossed the 12 ounce cup right in Quinn's face "It's for you."

That did not just happen, she can't move, the ice was dripping and seeping its way into her clothes. Sam was able to stop shaking for he could help Quinn to a nearby bathroom. As he was doing so, he took out his phone and dialed the only person that can help them.

Across town, Santana was catching up on The 100; she had a major soft spot for her otp Clexa and today was the season finale of season three. Puck only took a few peeks to see any girl-on-girl action, ever since the sex scene between Lexa and Clarke he was hooked. As for Rachel, she was still working on a few pieces for Quinn. She still felt horrible when she yelled at her and an apology wasn't enough, so she decided to do what she does best to express how sorry she really is: by painting.

Rachel heard a distinct buzzing coming from the bathroom, it could have been Puck's cell since he's the only one who can afford one "Puck, your phone!"

"Answer for me! Lexa's on TV!"

She rolled her eyes and headed to the bathroom and saw that Sam was calling "Hey, what's up?"

"Something happen," The sour tone made Rachel furrow her brows, she also heard some incoherent talking, but couldn't figure out with who "It's Quinn, she, uh, she got slushied- we both did by the same person. Could you bring me some clothes and maybe talk some sense into Finn, the guy that did this."

All she heard was 'something happen' and 'Quinn'. That phone call brought her anger levels high as hell. Rachel cared deeply about her friends, maybe a little too much since she will literally kill someone if someone laid a finger on them. She told Sam to dry off as much as they can and that she'll be there in ten minutes. Rachel walked to the living room and stood in front of the TV.

"You're covering the best part!" Santana whined "Clarke's about to say I love you and I want to witness it!"

"Sam and-" Rachel once again stopped herself from mentioning Quinn. She keeps forgetting that they don't like her and that they have no idea they've been in contact "Sam got slushied again and he wants us to beat up the guy."

Puck leaned forward "Did he say those exact words?"

"He said talk to him, but that just means to kick his ass."

Puck clapped his hands and shot out his seat "Let's kick some ass."

They were out the apartment in less than five minutes, they caught the bus just in time and waited for their destination. Upon arriving, they wasted no time in searching the halls. The whiff of cheap fruit scented syrup told them they were near and once they found Sam outside the girls bathroom, Puck asked him "Where is he?"

"Check the locker room, he's the tall one," They all nodded and went for it, but Sam stopped Rachel "Not you."

Bewildered, Rachel looked at him with a quizzical look "You called me to kick ass, didn't you?"

"She's in there," Pointing to the girls bathroom "That's why I called you."

A small smile formed and blush colored her cheeks "But you know I can't be supportive..I get awkward when I try."

The shrug of his shoulders told her 'oh well, you gotta try'. Sam went off to find Puck and Santana to make sure they didn't kill him yet. Rachel cleared her throat and went inside, Quinn washing off the sticky residue from inside her shirt "Hey."

Quinn smiled softly while she grabbed more towels "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"To kill the guy that did that to you. Seriously, how can you, the head cheerio, get slushied?"

"Sam got slushied first then I went in for I could help him and Finn didn't like that."

"You helped Sam?" Rachel said in disbelief, Quinn and Sam weren't even friends and here she is protecting him like a big sister would with their little brother. The nod that Quinn gave answered her question "Thank you."

"I would say it was no problem, but look at me. You should go check on your friends, things might be getting worse as we speak."

Rachel didn't want to leave, she wanted to make sure Quinn was fine first "Do you need anything? A-are you okay?" She cursed herself for stuttering, it's just a simple question.

"Yes, can you please go to my locker and bring the clothes that are in there? My combo is 4-30-19 and locker number is 29."

As Rachel was exiting the bathroom, two security guards came to view and with them were Puck and Santana and behind them was Finn with a blood stained cloth held at his nose. Rachel admired the sight; her friends did a great number one him. Since she didn't want to be sucked into that mess, she went back inside to be joined with a topless Quinn.. TOPLESS?

"Rachel!"

"I promise I didn't see anything!" Rachel shouted back and covered her eyes.

"I thought you went to- are you peeking? Turn around!"

"Quinn just- just go in the stall."

Heat surrounded them, Rachel saw everything from the outline of her collarbone to her more defined abdomen. She will admit: fit body. Great breasts, but she won't tell Quinn that. That'll be awkward and inappropriate.

"Why did you come back so quickly?" Quinn's voice pitched, still feeling embarrassed that Rachel walked in on her.

"Security caught my friends and I didn't want them to get me, too."

"Why are you worried? They don't even go to this school."

No, Rachel did not just picture Damian from Mean Girls yelling out 'She doesn't even go here!' when Quinn said that. "Exactly, they don't go here. The school will call the cops for trespassing and beating up a student then you know who'll show up?"

Quinn shut her eyes and rested her forehead against the stall door "My dad."

"Your dad! He's finally going to get his ogre hands on them."

"Watch it. You and I may be..acquaintances, that doesn't give you the right to insult my father." Quinn forgot how much hatred Rachel had for her dad.

Rachel rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose "What do we do?"

Quinn automatically knew the answer. Years of seeing bad teen movies really paid off. First she had to tell Rachel to get her clothes, she can't run out the bathroom half naked. Once she returned and was fully dressed, they walked out the bathroom and found the fire alarm. Rachel's eyes widen with excitement "I've always wanted to pull a fire alarm."

"No, you go to the office and try to get them outta here."

Rachel smacked her lips like a child and ran to the office. Quinn counted to twenty and looked around the area making sure no one was watching her then she pulled the alarm. In a matter of seconds, everyone from each classroom ran out the door, Quinn prayed that Rachel and her friends made it out in time.

The students and faculty ended up at the football field, some at the front of the school. Quinn tried to spot out three teens running out the premises, and once she did, her body felt relaxed. Even though she was so close to finally put them behind bars, she doesn't regret helping them out of trouble and have no intention to capture them anymore. She knows they have good hearts, well, at least Rachel does.

That night, the three misfits kept dreading that evening when they almost got caught. Puck kept glorifying about how he took a few good swings at Finn's face before Santana came in and knocked him down. Rachel was a bit jealous that she never got her fair share of violence, but seeing Quinn's golden globes made up for it.

"Where were you, Rach? I even held him down just in case you came." Puck asked as he chomped down on his BLT sandwich.

"Sam needed to talk to me then I had, uh, major cramps, so I used the bathroom," Santana eyed her very cautiously, Rachel's cheeks began to heat up due to the gaze "What?"

"Just trying to figure out when you started to see us as fools. I know when you're lying."

Rachel gulped and her heart started to race "How?"

"You honestly think I'ma tell you? C'mon Berry, spill."

"...I was with Quinn."

Puck stopped his chewing and Santana showcased her smug grin, making Rachel have the urge to wipe it off. The questions that Rachel wanted to dodge a week ago came hurdling at her at once, it was pissing her off how they make Quinn seem like the bad guy. Sure she thought that too when they first met, but after a while she knew that Quinn wasn't like her dad. At all.

"Just why, Rachel. What on earth possessed you to befriend that bitch?" Santana said bitterly, it always grinds Rachel's gears how she disparages people she doesn't like when Santana doesn't even know the person.

"She's not a bitch," Said through her gritted teeth "She's the reason why you're not in the slammer and she pulled the fire alarm, she saw how I was scared about the both of you and she helped."

Unlike Santana, Puck mildly changed his views about the blonde. Just like the others, he thought she was going to be bad news to them since her dad is a (clueless) policeman. Santana still wasn't budging and Rachel can see that she's heating on the inside. Santana clasped her hands together and showed her best sarcastic smile "Does that mean she's..your friend?"

Rachel and Quinn never specified about their relationship, but just to make things smoother for her she nodded "You can say that."

"Very well, I hope you wouldn't mind inviting her over for dinner this Friday."

Puck and Rachel sharply turned their heads, almost straining their neck "You wanna what!" They said simultaneously.

"Geez, y'all act like I said let's have a foursome. I just wanna see if she's the real deal, I want no nark getting close to us."

Having an understanding to Santana's request, Rachel complied and told them that she'll invite Quinn the next time she sees her. Santana wore the smirk that told her 'yeah you will' and went off to bed. Puck told her to be careful, knowing Santana she might turn the tables a little.

Maybe having Quinn over won't be so bad..

Maybe having her friends know about her will make things easier for them to grow a friendship..

What the hell has she gotten herself into..