A/N: I'm sorry about the cliffhangers, I hadn't really thought about them being that, just wanted to push the story along. Obviously I have a lot to learn. More on that at the end.

And sorry for mistakes.

xxx

Quinn knocked on the door and waited, it didn't take long for Rachel to answer and pull her inside.

"How did she take it?" Rachel pressed as she led Quinn to the couch.

"She didn't scream and shout."

"But she's not happy?"

"Not so much, she's a bit, you know." Quinn shrugged. "Says she needs some time, still loves me. So it could have been worse. I don't know. She wasn't unhappy. I think it'll be okay, but it really doesn't matter that much."

"It kinda does matter. I know you want to say it doesn't but...sorry I'll shut up. I'm just so proud of you." Rachel wrapped her arms around Quinn's shoulders and held on tight, she'd been so nervous since she left, she knew the Fabrays weren't the most open-minded people, but life had changed, they'd been through so much together, even if they kept their distance now, Rachel knew that Quinn still needed her Mom in her life. She was just pleased that Quinn was opening up. All these issues and secrets weren't good for anyone and Rachel had a feeling that they were going to struggle if the lies kept mounting.

"I told her all about us, well not all about us, but yeah, she knows we're together you and she seemed happy that you made me happy, so I guess that's something." Quinn couldn't help but feel deflated, it hadn't been rough, but it wasn't great either and now she felt a little lost about how she should feel.

"I make you happy?"

"More than you realize, obviously." Quinn broke out of her reverie and cupped Rachel's face rubbing her thumb across her cheek. "I'm sorry it's been an epic journey to get here, but I think we may have...I know the things I feel...it feels right and..." Quinn couldn't find the words, so instead she shifted closer on the couch and pressed her lips tenderly against Rachel's. Her eyes closed as she was met with the pressure of Rachel kissing her back and when a groan escaped her lips, she darted out her tongue and melted as it collided with Rachel's, with that sensation she knew her world had changed for the better. Nothing, not even that first kiss with Rachel, had ever felt more right. She'd wanted this moment for so long and now knew it had been worth the wait, rushing in for a second time would have left her with doubts and worries, this time was right, her doubts were gone, she trusted Rachel and she knew Rachel felt the same. Her hand slid to the back of Rachel's neck pulling her in deeper as their tongues moved together in slow languid strokes, her free hand moved to Rachel's side, gently rubbing up and down, trying to not get lost in the buzz of emotions that were now surging through her body.

Rachel was the one that stopped it, she parted their lips and rested her forehead on Quinn's, a smile adorning her face. "That was...mmm." She sucked her lips together enjoying the taste of Quinn on them. "Quinn Fabray I think you need to win an award for kissing, all the awards."

Quinn grinned and was about to pull her in for another kiss when her cell rang. "Shit." She looked at the number "I'm going to have to take it. It's Rick."

"Yeah." Rachel sat back reluctantly, but a smile still lit up her face and Quinn couldn't not smile back when she saw it. She turned her back in the hope it'd stop her grinning like a fool.

"Hi"

"We've got a problem." Rick said on the other end. "A few problems actually. Can you come to my office? Or I could come to you, it's important."

"I'm not there. I'll come to you." The last thing she wanted was him anywhere near Rachel.

"Urgent?" Rachel asked as Quinn hung up.

"Work. I better go. I'll call you after? Maybe I could come back if he doesn't keep me too long?"

"I'd like that."

Quinn leant in and kissed Rachel again, softly on the lips, she smiled as she pulled away. "I'm glad we're doing this again."

"Me too." Rachel grinned back as she watched Quinn leave.

xxx

"Fabray, take a seat." Rick's boss Eddie was stood in the corner and didn't even turn to look at her as he ordered her around. She knew better than to argue with the man whose stature and presence reminded her unnervingly of her own father. She thought Rick was a sleaze, but she knew Eddie called all the shots, he could make or break a career and the fact that he was in the room should have made her tremble, but somehow she thought of Rachel and stayed strong, whatever they threw at her, she could handle. She could tell from Ricks demeanor that this was trouble. They must have found out about Rachel, she was sure they'd been discreet, hell tonight was the first time she'd kissed her in what felt like forever. The fact that she could have been careless, that maybe her Mom was right made her confidence drain away, her hands shook and she gripped onto the sides of the chair hoping to steady herself, she didn't want them to see her weakness.

"I can explain." Her mouth was dry and the words barely formed, it was then that Eddie faced her.

"The studio is angry and we need to do damage control. I need you to do damage control." He moved around the desk and sat on the edge, just in front of her. "Do you get me Quinn?"

"Anything, I'll...just not...don't touch Rachel."

"Rachel?" Eddie looked confused and that was when Quinn saw Rick shaking his head at her furiously. "I thought her name was Maddie or something? Rick? Fuck it doesn't matter. Chase has screwed up and we need you to save it or the whole show will die and your career could go with it."

Quinn looked between the two men, completely lost for words. This wasn't about her and Rachel and that meant she could breathe, but now she'd agreed to something and she didn't know what. "What's he done?" she looked between the two men, but neither seemed to want to speak. Eventually Rick moved towards her.

"Chase is a fool and he followed his dick. Some girl is trying to cash in on a drunken hook up, a kiss and tell kind of nonsense and that doesn't look good for either of you. The press have been holding pictures of you and Rachel, if they get out, well two and two sometimes adds up and Rachel would get recast on that little mini-series."

"How?"

"I know everything." He handed Quinn a set of photos of the two of them at the pier that day, she looked towards Eddie but she couldn't read him at all.

"What do I have to do?"

Eddie nodded at her and Rick sat back down. "The relationship is going to be stepped up. Rick has told me you have reservations and I don't need to know about them, I definitely don't need to hear more about this woman, Rachel. You want to save the show, you do this. Dinner, a walk with paps, that's all great. What we really need is a next morning shot too. This is the big sell and I want you to confirm you're dating, it can be via a source, I understand that you refuse to directly comment on relationships and now they have that in print it'd be strange to change it. The rumors aren't going anywhere, we just need to manage them."

"If I say no?"

"You won't. You're an actor. Theres a bonus in it for you."

"Fuck." She had to resist the urge to vomit, the whole idea made her skin crawl.

"It's for the best. Quinn I've been covering things. The guy at the red carpet, the dinners with a certain Broadway star. The heat is on. If you don't do it for you then you should do it for her. I've heard the rumors and she's going to be big, really big." Rick moved nearer, knowing he'd hit a nerve with her. "There are things on the internet that link all of you, a connection has been made, I've done my best to keep it under control, but it costs and you owe me, Beth is not far from reach now."

"When is this all happening?"

"This weekend. The story will go out Monday. We need it out for the week at least."

"That's it though? Just one time?"

"Just this once, for now. He's on his final warning."

"I don't like it, but..."

"Good girl, see I told you Eddie, we can rely on Quinn." Rick patted Quinn's shoulder but was met with a growl as she pulled away.

"Send me the details." She said as she made her way to the door, she could do it if she stayed in character. Outside the office she made a quick call.

"Hey." Rachel answered after the first ring.

"Can I come back?"

"Yeah sure, you done already?"

"I'll tell you when I get there."

xxx

"I thought she'd walk for a minute there." Eddie poured himself a scotch, glad his work was done. Trouble like this wasn't unheard of, but he didn't need to deal with it.

"The bonus of meeting her when she was young and vulnerable. She told me all her dirt and it's been useful."

"You don't think she needs to know about the girl?"

"No, she'd never do it if she did."

"And Chase?"

"Is trouble, but he's a star, big money. They adore him. He could be the new superman, there's the Gucci ad on the cards too. Quinn is nothing compared to him, so yeah we use her, the girls been paid off and doors are being opened for her, so it's not that big a deal, I just wish we'd got to her before she'd gone to the police."

"Connections come in handy, at least we killed it quick. I should go. Call me if anything changes and for god sake make sure Chase keeps it in his pants, that or get a steady stream of whores to keep him quiet."

"Already done." Rick sneered, he was good at making sure his clients needs were met, that had always been his best asset. He'd hoped Chase had put his past behind him, but now he knew that when the drugs returned, so did his lack of self-control. Rick didn't like what he'd done, but he'd seen and heard of worse, a lot worse. This was Hollywood after all. Quinn's secret sexuality was nothing in this town, that was unless someone wanted to bring you down of course.

xxx

Quinn was glad to be back with Rachel, she knew things weren't as they seemed with work, but she was just trying to hold it together. They spent that night talking about all the things Quinn had done that she hated. She knew it was work, but she was so envious of Rachel and the freedom she'd had on Broadway.

"I don't know why you want to come here? This place is evil."

"You're here." Rachel answered without hesitation, it was Quinn that had made her chase this dream in the end.

"Do you wonder what it'd be like if we'd stayed in Lima? If maybe I did become a realtor."

"And I became a music teacher and ran glee club?"

"Yeah, we could have got married and had babies and..."

"I think it would have been perfect, anywhere with you would have been perfect, but we'd have got bored. We're both the same, we both had to live our dreams. Settling was never an option."

"I know, I always knew. I hated it when I thought you were going to give it all up for a life with Finn. I once thought that was all I was good for and we all know I had low self-esteem."

"Finn wasn't so bad, he made us both realize we liked girls." Rachel joked,

"The lesbian maker? Lesbian whisperer? Lesbian..." Rachel put her hand over Quinn's mouth forcing her to stop, but she pulled it away when Quinn stuck out her tongue.

"Ew."

"Not ew! You want my tongue."

Rachel stopped her protests and stared at Quinn, she knew exactly what Quinn's tongue could do. It had been too long, she grabbed Quinn and they fell into a lustful kiss, only breaking for air.

"When is the date?" Rachel asked, her mind wouldn't shut off, even with Quinn kissing her like that.

"Saturday."

"But Santana and Brittany are coming, I said we'd do something."

"We'll do something. I just have to be seen with him the next morning. I'll go shopping in the morning, they're going to set up a photographer, then I'll be in the same outfit the next day, so they can put two and two together without me having to say anything. It's the best compromise. I don't know what he's done, but they are worried enough to use me, but not to make me too involved."

"I don't like it, you need to fire those guys. Honestly Quinn it can't all be like that here."

"It's not, they have great big gay and lesbian parties where all the super important celebrities hang out in secret."

"It's screwed up."

"And I'm in too deep. I have a choice. I could walk away."

"You can't. Quinn you're so talented and I know you love it, we can get through this. Chase is just a blip okay, we've been through worse already."

"I'm glad I've got you."

"I'm always going to be here, but I'm going to cancel with Santana. You don't need that."

"Probably a good thing, I'd have to make sure I wasn't spotted that night and with Santana and Brittany, well there's just no such thing as going unnoticed."

"You don't have to stay at his place on Saturday?"

"No, god no!"

"Will you stay with me?"

"I'd like that."

"Good. I've got an idea, I'm going to take you somewhere, don't worry, it's discreet."

"I'll wear a wig just to be sure." Quinn joked, but suddenly thought it wasn't such a bad idea after all.

xxx

When Saturday arrived, Quinn woke early and headed out as planned, she saw the photographer poised as soon as she left the shop. A call had been made by another shopper, who Quinn recognized from Rick's office.

Happy that her work was done, she got ready for her night out with Rachel.

"Here?" Quinn looked at the restaurant and laughed.

"I got over it okay! And it was the best meal we had together."

"It was." Quinn smiled and linked her arm with Rachel's as they walked into the same restaurant they visited the night of Rachel's first trip to L.A. Things had changed so much over that time and Quinn was relieved that it was all for the better.

"You're beautiful." She grinned at Rachel.

"I'm so hooked on you Quinn, I can't believe we're really doing this."

Quinn's cell rang and when she saw Ricks name flash on the screen she groaned.

"Hello."

"Quinn, it's Rick."

"What now?"

"Nothing, well something. Tomorrow's off. Chase has been arrested for rape. There's nothing we can do this time."

"This time? Shit is that the secret he was hiding? You make me sick, how could you use me like that?"

"It's Hollywood darling! Grow up. Anyway you should be happy, you're out of your fake romance now and free to bang the Broadway chick, just don't get pictured kissing her and it's all good. You need comfort from a friend at a time like this, yada yada. The press will love it."

"Fuck you Rick."

"Charming."

"I mean it, fuck you. You're fired."

"You won't survive without me, you'll little show is going to get canned now the lead male is going to jail. You have nothing."

"I've got all I need. Goodbye."

She put her phone down and when Rick called back she turned it off.

"You okay?" Rachel put her hand over Quinn's, she could see how much the blonde was shaking. "I'll call Kim, she'll fix things."

"I need some time out anyway Rach, I've done nothing wrong. Chase is sick, I just fell in love."

"You did?" Rachel looked at her hopefully.

"I did, I love you Rachel. I always have."

"God I love you so much Quinn, I've been waiting to tell you. I was worried I'd scare you off."

"You couldn't even if you tried."

"Maybe we could go?"

"Mmm yeah, I like that plan."

Quinn pulled Rachel into a kiss, as soon as they got indoors, it was more heated than the ones they'd been sharing recently and it was clear where they both wanted it to go. Pushing Rachel up against the wall, she attacked her neck.

"I've wanted this for too long."

"We don't have to rush, we have forever."

"Forever." Quinn smiled into Rachel's neck, pulling her closer, she couldn't think of anything better.

xxx

The end

xxx

A/N: I've decided to wrap this up sooner than I'd planned, so I apologize that the ending was a bit rushed, but I didn't want to just abandon it after the last chapter without answering some of the questions etc and giving you a happy faberry ending.

I had a whole epic journey planned, but silence is shouting at me and I think I need to step away. My original idea was to bring them into a world that felt a bit like Achele, but that's not going to happen now.

I'd always planned for this to be a love story based on a sleazy backdrop of dark secrets in their own lives and Hollywood. Making Chase a rapist was a device to compare that there are worse secrets than sexuality. Perhaps that didn't work. I certainly didn't mean to make people feel sad reading this and I was a little oblivious to the cliff hangers, possibly because I always knew how it would end, but yeah I'm sad I won't be sharing the whole thing anymore, but I'm sure I'll forget it and you'll forget me soon enough. It wasn't meant to be so angsty either, but I just feel that epic love stories involve some pain.

A special thank you to those that have kept up the reviews and followed all my stories. I always looked forward to your reactions the most. You know who you are and I'll miss that more than anything.

Maybe I'll return to the fandom one day. Maybe even to this story, but right now I think it's unlikely. Sorry again for ending it like this, I've really tried to power through, but it's not worked and I just can't write something when I don't feel anything. My decision has nothing to do with anything that's been said by any of you. It's is just not fun anymore.

Take care and all the best.

Amy x