A/N: just a reminder that this is M rated and contains themes of an adult nature.

xxx

"We should get some sleep." Rachel slowly removed herself from the couch and pulled Quinn to her feet. Puck and Kim had gone back to making out and Jesse was boring them with stories about his awesomeness or some such.

Quinn let Rachel lead her to the bedroom and while the brunette got ready in the bathroom she perched on the end of the bed rubbing her hands together nervously. Confessing some of her secrets was one thing, being able to sleep in the same bed as Rachel was another, when the brunette walked back in wearing just a tight vest and shorts she knew she was going to be tested and figured some of her strict upbringing may actually come in use for once.

"I need something to wear." She stood and motioned to her gown, it had been comfortable enough to see her through the evening but now she needed out.

"Here." Rachel passed her a change of clothes and Quinn smiled shyly, they were both dancing around each other, being together, getting ready to share the same bed, suddenly seemed so difficult.

"I need..." Quinn pointed to her zip and Rachel moved closer, gently brushing Quinn's hair out of the way as she slowly undid the fastener. She let her fingers run down Quinn's back, but quickly moved away when she realized where she wanted it to end up.

"All done." She squeaked and Quinn almost laughed, but instead she ran to the bathroom and quickly changed. At least knowing that tonight was going to be torture for them both. She was half tempted to forget everything and go back into the bedroom and give in to the longing she felt inside, but she knew it'd be too confusing for them both, tonight had been a lesson in trust and now they needed to see if they could handle the boundaries set, well that's what she told herself anyway as she brushed her teeth. Quinn knew she wanted Rachel more than anything. It meant too much to her to give in, she needed to be certain, to make sure they were both in the right place for this to work, because one thing she was sure of, the more time she spent with Rachel the more she knew how much she meant to her. Losing her was not an option, she'd never survive. Everything Rachel had said about being there for her no matter what had been exactly what Quinn had needed to hear. She needed to trust that Rachel could take care of her heart, as much as she wanted that to be instantaneous, she knew she had a little way to go before she could give it over completely again.

xxx

When they woke the next morning it was to the inevitable tangled limbs, Quinn enjoyed the warmth of Rachel's body against her own and didn't rush to get away. It was just hugging really, or so she told herself.

"Mmm best sleep ever." She whispered into Rachel's ear and felt the brunette shudder.

"Me too." Rachel rolled over in Quinn's arms so they were facing each other. "How d'you feel today?"

"Better, like I let a great big weight off last night and I really did. I'm..." she stopped when she heard strange noises coming from the next room, she then figured out exactly what or rather who was making them and her lips formed and O shape as her eyes met Rachel's.

"Do you want to get out and get some breakfast?" Rachel hastily moved out of Quinn's arms, she could just about resist having sex with Quinn, but hearing Puck and Kim was making it difficult.

"Lets go." Quinn jumped up and five minutes later they were sitting in a diner.

"You're like really beautiful," Rachel mused "even at 6am, I mean wow." Rachel couldn't take her eyes off Quinn, it had been a late night, yet she still looked stunning.

"Rach, it's actually more like 10am."

"Still beautiful." Rachel ducked her head, but Quinn could see the smile pulling at her lips.

"There's something else I should tell you." Quinn felt her heart fall into her stomach as she said those words aloud, but knew it was now or never. Rachel looked up at her, worry filling her eyes.

"It's bad?" she asked suddenly aware of how pale Quinn had turned, she hadn't expected more, but tried to pull herself together, she needed to be there for Quinn. "You can tell me, I'm here for you, I promise."

Quinn took a deep breath but it was shaky and didn't fill her with the confidence she needed, so she took another sip of her coffee before meeting Rachel's eyes again. "The day my Dad died. It wasn't quite like people think." She ran her hand through her hair nervously, but Rachel just waited for her to continue. "He did come to the house and he...he attacked my Mom." Rachel nodded she'd heard that from Puck. "It's not what people say though. Fuck." Quinn gulped hard. "I got home, I'd been shopping with Santana. I bought this yellow sundress and it was just the prettiest thing, I remember smiling as I walked in the door, it was such a beautiful day and...it doesn't matter." Quinn shook her head at her own ramblings. "I got inside and it was quiet, too quiet and then I heard a noise. It was blood curdling. I knew it was my Mom. My smile was gone and I felt something surge through me as I tried to find her. She was crying, sobbing and I...I was too late."

"He was dead?" Rachel asked confusedly, her brow creased and then wished she hadn't spoken when she saw Quinn flinch.

"No. I walked into the kitchen and thats when I saw it, saw him, saw what he was doing. My Mom was...he'd ripped her clothes and beaten her face, her eye was swollen and her lip split, it was sickening, I screamed out her name. When he saw me...fuck Rachel, when he saw me he laughed. He told me to fuck off and my Mom was crying and told me to go. I didn't go. I pulled him off her. I don't know how I managed it, but then he came at me. Just as he was about to hit me he grabbed his chest. His face was so red and there were these sickly beads of sweat racing down his bulging veins, his eyes turned to panic and I knew what was happening, he'd always had a problem and had pills or something. I pushed him and he tried to push me back with all the fight he had left, but then he collapsed and I watched as his body shook and I ignored his gargled pleas for help, his eyes were locked on mine and I couldn't look away, but I couldn't move. I was frozen. My Mom crawled off the floor and wrapped me in her arms, she whispered words of reassurance, but my eyes were still focussed on him, on my own Dad. I watched as he died. My Mom was still crying, but we didn't do anything, we waited. Eventually, when we knew for certain, Mom called the ambulance and the rest..."

"Quinn." Rachel said breathily, the shock of what Quinn was saying was just sinking in, she moved from across the table until she was sitting next to her and pulled her head against her chest as the blonde wept. "I...you...god I wish I'd been there for you. How can anyone cope with all that?"

"You don't hate me?" she asked through her tears.

"I don't, Quinn, he was an evil man, so evil. I can't, I'm just so shocked. If I'd been there I'd probably have stuck a knife in his black heart for good measure."

Quinn laughed a little at that and Rachel stroked her hair gently.

"No one knows, I never...and then I came here. I missed you, I missed my old life and...I drank myself to the brink, you can never tell anyone, please."

"I'll never tell, I swear. You have me now, you always had me."

"I trust you." The words were heavy with meaning and they both knew it, their eyes locked onto each other and both understood that now they were tied together forever. Rachel held Quinn's secrets.

"Is that everything?" Rachel asked shakily, breaking the intensity of their stare off.

"Pretty much." Quinn shrugged as her tears subsided.

"Well, its not much really, personally I was hoping for far more sordid tales...I'm joking, bad joke?" Rachel cringed at her bad timing.

"Maybe you should tell me yours now?" Quinn probed.

"I'm virtuous and boring."

"You sent a girl to a crack house once." Quinn quirked an eyebrow and it made Rachel smile.

"See I knew there was a downside to dating you, you know all my history, what can I really say that you don't know?"

Quinn just gave her a look that said it all "Rachel!"

"Fine, but you can't tell anyone, not ever!"

"Cross my heart."

"I...oh god...do you remember the roommate? The best friend that cheated with my boyfriend?"

"Yeah?"

"I took revenge." Rachel sucked her lips in between her teeth. "um..."

"Oh come on, after what I just told you." Quinn persisted.

"Fine." Rachel huffed but a mischievous grin spread across her face. "Well, she was really and I mean really anal, she'd always label all her stuff and went mad if anyone touched it, so I put laxatives in her milk."

"Thats it?"

"Not quite. I put in a lot. I didn't stick around that morning and was sat in the lecture theatre when she came in. She seemed fine, so I relaxed, but halfway through the lecture I heard a groan and then another. My eyes immediately shot to her and god she looked so sick, she was squirming in her seat. Then I heard another sound and another. It wasn't just her, there was a whole group of them and then it happened."

"What?"

"She couldn't hold it any longer."

"No fucking way? In front of everyone?"

"Yep and then she ran and the others followed. Oh god it was awful."

"It's funny."

"It was evil."

"Surely she guessed you'd go after her?"

"They never found out...they blamed this guy that she'd turned down at a party, he was ridiculed, I may have helped point the finger at him too."

"You did?"

"He'd beat me to a solo, I...It felt like it was justice." Rachel said with conviction.

Quinn burst into a fit of laughter and despite initial resistance Rachel soon joined her.

"You're pretty evil." Quinn said as she caught her breath.

"Just a little. Also this one time I may have told a guy I really liked him just so I could meet his Mom, who just happened to be a casting agent, we went out for dinner five times and he always picked up the bill but never got to first base, I never got anywhere with his Mom though, so i think that's fair and then another time I had a crush on my professor, she was so hot! and I got a little carried away, she had me transferred, not officially, they said it was better I took a different class, but i think the matching cat calendars did it...then this one time I..."

"No more, no more. I want to keep you perfect in my mind."

"I'm not perfect Quinn, I never have been, no one is." Rachel was serious. "You need to stop putting a halo on me. I'm still as weak and venerable and selfish as I ever was, just now I know how to keep myself in check, well almost."

"I always wanted one of those calendars." Quinn mused.

"You shouldn't tempt me!" Rachel bumped her shoulder.

"I should." Quinn teased.

"Just be sure you know what you are getting yourself into."

"I've never been surer of wanting to get into something or someone in my life."

"That sounds kinda pervy."

"Maybe it was meant to, but I mean it. I want to be the person you need me to be."

"I want you to be you, the person that you were before I bruised your heart. I want her back, because I'm ready now."

"Things are different, this time you get everything, I hope you can handle that?"

"I think thats actually a better deal."

"This is getting a bit intense and the waitress is staring."

Rachel turned to look at the woman and laughed as she quickly turned away. She returned to her own seat and picked up her coat.

"Do you think people can tell?"

"Tell what?"

"That...you know...us?" Rachel tilted her head to one side.

"No idea, but yeah maybe. You are always staring at me like you want to fuck me."

Rachel leant forward across the table so her face was impossibly close to Quinn's. "That's because I do." She whispered and Quinn closed her eyes at the words, her hands gripping firmly to the table as she tried to control her racing heart.

"That's not fair."

"You looking so hot all the time, is not fair."

"Maybe we should..." Quinn nodded towards the door.

"Definitely." Rachel threw some money on the table and winked at the waitress, a good tip would keep her happy and as they made their way back on to the sidewalk she was pleased that somehow they managed to exist in this town without anyone noticing them. Quinn was happy, her smile carefree, as they laughed and joked on their way back to Rachel's.

When she opened the door her breath caught in her mouth and she turned back to look at Quinn in shock.

"We came back too soon." Her alarm not lost on the blonde.

Quinn looked at her strangely and then pushed past and into the apartment.

"Oh for fucks sake." She screamed. "Puckerman put it in your pants and Kim respect your employer."

"Cockblock." Puck called out as he scrambled for his jeans.

"Not from what I heard last night. Jeez. Where's that shit St James? Don't tell me he's involved in this too."

"Ew, no! He left, got some audition or something, anyways I thought he was your bud now that you and Rachy are hot lesbians again?"

"Whatever." Quinn rolled her eyes and turned back to Rachel who was still hiding outside the doorway. "It's safe, come in."

Rachel walked in the room her hand covering her eyes and Quinn couldn't help but smile at the cuteness.

"I've got to get to work." She began to panic when she saw the state of the place, it hadn't looked that bad when she snuck out with Quinn, but then she wasn't really looking, her eyes had been locked on Quinn back then.

"I'll sort it, I've got today off."

"Do you want to do something later?" Rachel asked hopefully.

"How about I'm here when you get home, we can watch a movie, get takeout or I can cook? All these meals out have been a bit much."

"Kim." Rachel reminded Quinn that the woman would also be there.

"She can join us, but not if she's going to do that to Puck..." Quinn grimaced as she watched Kim eating Puck's face yet again.

"Puck?" Rachel called and interrupted the make-out session.

"Yeah baby?"

"Take Kim out tonight, please."

"I'm so up for that." He turned to Kim. "Maybe you could come back to mine, we can be loud there."

"Loud!" Rachel scoffed. "I needed ear plugs."

"No Rach, what you needed was to get down and dirty with the hot blonde stood next to you."

Rachel blushed and when she turned to see Quinn, she saw the blonde was doing the same. Puck just laughed at them and Rachel ran into her room, before getting ready to go to work. Soon she was heading out the door, she had a hangover, but it didn't matter because tonight she knew she had someone to come home to and right now nothing could ruin that feeling or make her happier.

xxx

Quinn stood in the apartment and watched as Kim fawned over Puck, she couldn't wait for them to leave, but neither seemed to be in a hurry now that Rachel had left.

"Maybe you could go out for lunch?" she suggested.

"Oh Q, you don't want rid of us. I think we're cute together." Puck wrapped his arm around Kim's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. Quinn flared her nostrils and tried not to punch him.

"I'm happy for you, now get out."

"You're just jealous that we're carefree and getting some, unlike you. What's that about anyway? You should be satisfying your woman, not tormenting her."

"Don't interfere." She growled and gave Noah a look that she knew would make him back off.

"Fine, I'm gonna take a shower. You ladies try not to miss me too much." Puck said as he left the room, Quinn soon felt the weight of Kim's gaze.

"What?" she snapped. "I just want to clear up."

"I think we need to talk."

"Oh god no." Quinn sighed.

"Rachel is my responsibility."

"She so isn't."

"See it how you want Quinn, but I take care of her, so I'm going to tell you to make sure you don't hurt her, because if you do I'll destroy you."

"Whoa, sugar coat it a little."

"No need. I'm direct, you like that about me."

Quinn narrowed her eyes, frustrated that Kim was actually right. "So no big talk about being gay and ruining Rachel's chances?"

"Rachel is a star, you aren't going to change that. Yes, sexuality is an issue. I wish it wasn't, but if you're both happy to play the game, then I'm happy to make sure you win. You aren't going to face opposition from me, I can see that you have something special. I want Rachel happy, I also want her working, so you hurt her and she stops, well that's when you'll face my wrath."

"You're not so bad really." Quinn said as she made them both a coffee.

"No, I'm worse, but I love Rachel, I've known her long enough to know that you matter to her, so that means you matter to me too."

"Almost sounds like you like me."

"I wouldn't go that far." Kim smirked and Quinn returned it.

"Mmm you two would be hot together." Puck joined them.

"Never gonna happen." Quinn sat back in her chair.

"Never." Kim repeated and Puck laughed.

"A boy can dream and I'm so dreaming that. You ready to go?"

"See you Quinn, make sure you get it right this time." Kim took Pucks hand and left Quinn on her own, she sat at the table thinking about how much she wanted to get it right with Rachel. They had a tumultuous past, but she couldn't change that now, some of it defined the people they'd become. This was her chance and she was scared, but she knew that not taking it would be as bad as getting her heart broken, her fears couldn't control her anymore, she was ready.

xxx

When Rachel returned she was met with a set table, a cleaned apartment and a sleeping Quinn. She tiptoed into the living room and went to place a blanket over the sleeping woman, but stopped when hazel eyes opened and locked with hers.

"Hey, I missed you." Quinn said sleepily and Rachel smiled dopily.

"Quinn Fabray, you are going to charm the pants off me."

"I fully intend to, but Rachel Berry...I also intend on taking you out and romancing you."

"It's not necessary."

Quinn sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "That's probably a good thing, because I'd not be able to do it the way I'd want. So how does my speciality vegan lasagna sound?"

"Your what? Is that the smell?"

Quinn served dinner and waited as Rachel took a mouthful and then another. "Wow this is amazing, you need to tell me where you bought it."

"I made it you cheeky..."

"You did? Wow, this is just so, wow."

"I got the recipe from my Mom, she's an awesome cook when she isn't drinking, I had to change it to make it vegan, but yeah, you like?"

"I love! You can cook this for me anytime you want."

"Was today okay? The hangover?"

"Oh god I thought I was going to die, but then I found the sweetest assistant and she brought me coffee after coffee. My scene was all about the characters angst and inner turmoil so I think I nailed it. It's so much fun and everyone is lovely, so yeah."

"Yeah." Quinn repeated, her eyes hadn't left Rachel's and they both were indulging in drinking in the other.

"You want to stay?" Rachel eventually broke the silence.

"I do, but..."

"I know." Rachel stood up and cleared the dishes, she was washing them before Quinn even moved, but then she felt arms wrap around her from behind.

"I'll stay, but I'm going to have to leave early, so if you don't mind being woken?"

"I so don't mind."

Neither was ready for more, yet. So they settled for the night and as Rachel turned onto her side Quinn shifted closer and wrapped her arm over her waist. Their bodies touching and their hearts beating as one. Quinn fell asleep quickly and soundly, her mind free of the troubles that had been plaguing her, for once she was content. She was always content when Rachel was near.

xxx

What neither of them could know was that not ten blocks from where they slept, a man held his hand firmly over a girls mouth, he'd had enough of her protests. She'd been the one rubbing his thigh and fawning over him all night, he was going to take what was his, he always did.

"You wanted this." he repeated over and over as he pushed himself inside her. He ignored her pleas and failed to care when her resistance gave and her body turned limp. "You're all the same." he panted into her neck, quickly finding his own release. Zipping up his pants, he dropped a kiss to the girls cheek. "See that's better, now you know what it feels like to have me." she didn't respond so he shrugged his shoulders and walked back into the club. He didn't know it, but his actions were about to change things for everyone that had any connection to him.

xxx

A/N: Let me know your thoughts. Massive thank you to those that reviewed the last chapter. I was on a downer from writing some of this stuff, but I do intend to tell the story I plotted out, so hopefully you'll stick with me. I've had a good run since the last update and have got a lot of the next chapter together. Hoping that continues. Please review. Thanks.

Up next: Relationship progress and another old face appears that could cause a problem.