Rachel made her way out of the book store, and in a hurried pace, started to make her way down the busy sidewalk. What was I thinking? that question seemed to be running through her mind a lot lately. She had made it about a block and a half when she heard someone calling after her.
"Rachel! Wait up" the voice called
Rachel turned around, expecting, hoping to see Quinn chasing after her. Instead she saw a familiar brunette, the one who had been standing beside Quinn just moments earlier.
"Gosh, you walk fast" Charlotte said, a little out of breath from running after Rachel. "My name is Charlotte" she said extending a hand out to the shorter brunette.
Rachel was never one to be impolite so she shook Charlotte's hand "Hi."
"I know you must be thinking that this is a bit weird, but I'm Quinn's friend and I know what happened back there was really hard for both of you"
"I don't want to be rude but I don't want to talk about this with you" Rachel said as politely as she could
"I understand" Charlotte said, and reached into her pocket, pulling out a white business card "This is my contact information" she said pulling a pen from the same pocket, and writing on the reverse side of the card, and handing it to Rachel
Rachel took the card, a bit confused but put the card safely into her own pocket "I appreciate you coming after me, I'm sure your intentions are good. I just, after what happened I don't think Quinn wants me in any part of her life. I really messed things up."
"She is just upset, and I know she is in there already regretting how that all went down. She would kill me if I told you this, but, she misses you, and what she said earlier about how she would have done anything to make it work with you..." Rachel cringes at the recent memory but Charlotte continues. "She still feels that way, I know she does, I think the only question she really has is whether you feel the same way"
"I do" was all Rachel managed to say in response
Charlotte smiled knowingly "Good. So I guess the only thing left is to decide what you are going to do about it. You have my card if you need me. It was nice meeting you Rachel. I hope to see you very soon"
With that Charlotte turned around and headed back towards the book store.
"Hey Charlotte!" Rachel called after her causing her to turn back around "Thank you"
All Charlotte did was nod and wave and continue walking away.
The ball had now landed in Rachel's court, the next move was hers.
When Charlotte got back to the Barnes and Noble she gave a quick look around for Quinn, finding her sitting at a table signing books. She made her way over, sat down beside her, and gently asked "Are you okay?"
Quinn gave a bitter laugh "just peachy"
"It will work out Quinn, you just have to give it time"
Quinn signed the last of the books, waiting for the last few people on line to leave before continuing her conversation with Charlotte.
"I don't think so, maybe I should just try to move on" Quinn's voice was shaking, she was desperately trying to hold back tears.
"Have a little faith Quinn"
"Should I have gone after her?" she asked
"No, I think after what happened you both need time to cool off" Charlotte glanced at her watch "We should head out to the airport, our flight leaves in a few hours and traffic is going to be a nightmare"
Quinn nodded, leaving after what had happened seemed wrong, but Charlotte was right, they needed to be apart for a while, neither of them were ready to seriously talk about their situation, their feelings, and even if she were to track Rachel down now it would end in them fighting more.
So Quinn and Charlotte battled NYC traffic, made it to LaGuardia Airport, and boarded their plane home.
Back in the city, Rachel stood by her bedroom window, watching rain shower the tall buildings, the street lights reflecting off the water that was laying in the streets. Thoughts of Quinn invading her head, her tears falling as freely as the rain outside.
The only sounds in her hollow apartment were the beating of rain on her window, and the soft singing she didn't realize she was doing.
I was thinking about her
Thinking bout me
Thinkin bout us
What we gonna be?
Open my eyes,
it was only just a dream...
Making her way over to the piano that sat in the next room, her fingers seemed to move on their own as she continued singing
So I travel back
down that road
Will she come back?
No one knows
I realize
It was only just a dream.
She was playing harder and faster, pouring her hurt into the song.
Now you ain't around, baby I can't think
I shoulda put it down, shoulda got that ring
Cuz I can still feel it in the air
See her pretty face, run my fingers through her hair
My love of my life, My baby, my wife
I left her, Im tied.
Cuz I know that it just ain't right
When I be ridin' man I swear I see your face at every turn
Trying to get my usher on but I can't let it burn
And I just hope she know that she the only one I yearn for
More and more, I miss her, when will I learn?
Didn't give her all my love
I guess now I got my payback
Now i'm in the club thinking all about my baby
HEY, she was so easy to love
But wait, I guess that love wasn't enough
I'm going through it everytime that I'm alone
And now I'm wishin' wishin' she'd pick up the phone
But she made a decision that she wanted to move on
Cause I was wrong.
She sang the last lines, choking back tears.
f you ever loved somebody put your hands up
If you ever loved somebody put your hands up
And now they're gone and you wish you could give them everything
Taking her hands of the keys and putting them over her face, her body shook as she sobbed.
She reached into her pocket pulling out the card Charlotte had given to her earlier that night, the front had her name and number, flipping it over, was an address scribbled on it.
Quinn:
1828 Cherry Branch
Charlotte, NC
Rachel stared at it for a moment, the gears in her head working full speed, her understudy was ready to take her place if needed on the show, she had just a few interviews lined up, and by the end of the week she could be on her way to fix things with Quinn.
Quinn was glad to be home, the last couple of days alone with her dog and horses had been enough to calm her down and give her some perspective on what had happened with Rachel.
The fact was Quinn couldn't move on, not for a long time anyways, but if what Rachel and Quinn had was going to work, Rachel needed to be the one seek it out. This was the conclusion the blond had come to. She had put herself out there and was shot down, and she wasn't going to beg the diva to be with her, it would have to be something Rachel wanted just as much as she did, or else it wouldn't last.
Now that her book tour was over, and her newest work was #1 on the New York Times Bestseller, she could finally breathe and relax at home. What she thought was time for her to find peace in her oasis, turned out to be time for her to constantly think of Rachel. Every time her phone buzzed or beeped she hoped it was the brunette, every time she checked the mail she hoped to have a letter from her, any kind of indication that she wasn't the only one obsessing over their relationship, or lack there of.
It was early in the morning, around 6, and Quinn was enjoying her coffee on the back porch, letting her pup run around a bit. The sound of tires on her gravel driveway coming from the front of the house interrupted the quiet atmosphere.
It's a bit early for Charlotte to be checking on her she thought, and then heard a car door open and close, and a few seconds later her doorbell sounded. Well, it certianly isn't Charlotte, she usually just walks right through the door
Quinn lifted herself out of her rocking chair, and made her way over to the door, and opened it to find the a very nervous looking Rachel.
"Hi" Rachel said getting more nervous when she noticed the shocked look on Quinn's face "did you know that your house is extremely hard to find?"
"wha... how...hi" she said, unable to contain the smile spreading across her face. The smile was quickly mirrored by Rachel
"Can I come in?"
"Yeah" Quinn was still in a daze, but quickly shook herself out of it "come in, I can't believe you're here"
Rachel made her way inside, Quinn following behind her. She turned around to face the blond "Quinn..." but was interrupted by a set of lips on hers.
Quinn wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist and deepened the kiss, feeling the small brunette kiss her back made her feel more complete than she had in a while.
When they pulled apart they were both sporting matching smiles.
"I came here to talk, but this is much more fun" Rachel laughed, and Quinn just kept smiling at her adoringly.
"Talking is probably a better idea though" Quinn reasoned
"You're right, we should..." and without finishing her sentenced she leaned forward and captured Quinn's lips with hers again and when she pulled away she continued "ok, now we should talk"
Quinn took a couple of steps back, waiting for Rachel to start. She needed to hear Rachel say she was in this relationship.
"I have to admit this is going about a thousand times better than I had thought it would. I was worried you would slam the door in my face"
"Yeah, my mind kind of shut down when I saw you and my body was acting on impulse I guess. I'm glad you're here. I've missed you" Quinn said
"I came here, because I missed you, because I can't stop thinking about you, and being apart feels like the biggest mistake I could ever make. I want you, I want us. Most of all Quinn, I'm sorry that it took me so long to come to this point. I'm sorry we had to wait even longer. I had this whole long speech ready and now I can't remember most of it. I just... I'm in love with you Quinn."
That was all she needed to hear.