A/n: i got a little messed up with where i wanted the story to go. I had the chapters figured out and then the passing of Cory i had to rethink the next few. I'm still greatly affected, as are most.

I'm sorry if the last bit seems rushed, or confusing, i was confused when writing. wasnt sure how to make it move forward tastefully...hence the mess.

Thanks again anyone that is continuing to bare with me. This is my first attempt at writing anything lengthy.

SO.. THANK YOU. BEYOND thank you.

Trez.

Water sprinkles from the hose as Russell stands in the sweltering heat, sweat dripping from his forehead. He watched as Rachel came running from the house, he tries to offer a goodbye only for it to go unheard. "Strange girl" He thinks to himself. From what he has seen of her so far she seems polite and over uses vocabulary. Not a bad thing, just an odd thing for a teenage girl.

Her feet carry her swiftly out of the Blake's house. Those same feet also make it to the car, before stepping on the accelerator allowing her to escape. She's not sure as to why she ran. Well that's a lie. She knows, she just doesn't want to accept it. That the two kisses she has shared with this girl have knocked every other interaction with past boyfriends out of the park.

She loved Finn. Well she thought she had, but know she was questioning everything she thought she knew. A year they had been together. While they had their problems, she loved him. But had she ever been in love with him. And that is why she ran. Love letters written, where they simply ramblings of a naive young girl? Was her profession of "I love you" a misguided interpretation of her feelings? To question everything left her frightened. Unsure. Unsure of things that had past. Of the kisses she had with Quinn. Where they too misguided feelings? Was she repeating past mistakes?

She was beginning to notice a pattern. She was always running when it came to Rachel. Running away from her. Running to find her. Running from her feelings. And now, she was once more running after Rachel. And once again, she was too late in trying to catch her. She arrived at her front door just in time to see Rachel's car disappear out of the street.

I've heard that love was exhausting, but nobody mentioned this kind of exhaustion. You just said love!

She goes pale.

Her mind goes blank.

Her knees give way.

She faints.

Rachel Berry never hid from her emotions, so when she felt the need to cry she pulled the car over to the side and did so. There was no shame in crying. Her revelation called for crying.

I just need time to think. And i need to listen to Barbra.

Tears are wiped, and a deep breath is taken. Ignition is turned and a small blue beetle starts, making its way through traffic and back to the Berry residence, where Rachel would listen to her idol.

She loved her fathers. They where the best parents any girl could ask for, but sometimes she would wish for a mother. To tell her everything would be fine. And to Rachel, she found that in Barbra. When she first listened to "Not while i'm around," she liked to imagine it was her mother, cooing sweet words into her ear. Protecting her in the night. And to this day, when everything seemed too much Barbra would be there and make it that little bit better.

Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around
Nothing's gonna harm you, no sir, not while I'm around
Demons are prowling everywhere nowadays
I'll send them howling
I don't care, I got ways
No one's gonna hurt you,
No one's gonna dare
Others can desert you,
Not to worry, whistle, I'll be there!

She's lying on her bed with the song on repeat; one listen wasn't enough in her crisis.

In the past Russell wasn't a very hands on father. If his children had a problem, one of the "boys" would take of it. So when he saw Quinn faint, he had no idea how to react. He shook her at first, which didn't help. He thought spraying her with the hose would help, it did. However, while it woke Quinn it also caused her to scream, which in turn caused him to drop the hose continuing to spray both of them.

If Russell wasn't so worried because his daughter had just fainted, and if Quinn wasn't in an almost catatonic state due to her admission earlier it would have resulted in laughter. But the atmosphere was one filled with apprehension from both parties. Years down the line it would be a story told by Russell to his grandchildren, in which Quinn will over hear and joke that she has never went near her dad when he was hosing the garden from that day.

Cold water cascades down her body, her forehead leans against colder tiles. She's trying to achieve a literal brain freeze, maybe then she wouldn't have to deal. Trust you to fall for someone in the first week. And a girl. A tiny girl at that. A tiny girl with an amazing voice, and eyes, and lips. Her lips. She bites down on her own lip as her train of thought wonders back to hours earlier. To when she found Rachel in her room.

She read somewhere once, that the French had a saying "avoir l'esprit de l'escalier," which is when you think of a comeback but it's too late. The moment has past. Well if they have a phrase for that, then surely they have one for an action you should have done but it was too late.

She should have pulled Rachel closer. She should have tried to make her stay. She didn't do either of those. She let her run away. The only tangible proof that any of it had actually happened, was the biology book lying open on the floor and a glimpse of a car pulling out of the street.

Rachel ran! Why are you getting so annoyed at yourself for? She came to your room. She kissed you. You should be angry with her. You're right! I am going to find out what her problem is!

She goes to bed another night with Rachel on her mind.

On the other side of town Rachel lies in her bed, tossing and turning. Why did she have to kiss me? Everything was fine until she kissed me. Well in fairness you also kissed her. You're supposed to be helping. That's not helping, it's just being irritating. I know i kissed her. I just need some time to sort my head out. So until then, no talking to Quinn.

Both girls had put their minds to a plan, only their individual plans would be a hindrance to the other girls. Quinn was determined to talk to Rachel, while Rachel was determined to avoid Quinn. Both so used to getting what they wanted, but one of the girls was going to have to lose.

It's Monday morning. Students gather in the car park, all dreading the day ahead. Some more so than others. Fifth period French class have a test. The football team have one last day to prepare for their first game of the season.

A tired looking Rachel Berry makes her way through the halls of McKinley stealthily, flinching at every blonde that turns the corner. She makes it through her first two classes without seeing Quinn. Unfortunately for her, she shares History with her. She will have to manoeuvre herself so that she gets to the room just as the bell rings, that way no time for Quinn to try and interact with her. Luckily seats had been assigned earlier that year, and seeing as Quinn was late to the school year she was assigned a seat on the opposite side of the room to Rachel. Allowing her to be safe for now. She couldn't restrain herself from peering over to look at Quinn's direction several times throughout the hour long class. Every time she did, she was caught.

"You would make a terrible spy. How does she keep catching you?!"

She had everything packed and ready to leave. She saw how Rachel had avoided making eye contact when she entered the room. She noticed every "subtle" glance the diva sent her way. She also noticed the increased tension growing in Rachel's posture the closer it got to the class ending.

"she is going to run again. I'm calling it. You have to get to her before she sneaks away. This is the only class you have with her today."

She would get talking to her. She was ready. Years of running prepared her for this. Well not specifically this moment, but it sure would help.

A loud bell rings, signalling that History was over. She slides out of her chair and runs after the already jogging Rachel.

"Would you stop!" she pretends not to hear and continues to move. Swerving through students left and right, looking for a place to escape. To hide. She notices a bunch of freshman exit a nearby bathroom and jumps between the closing gap.

Phew that was close.

She moves to the sink, looking at her reflection. She has bags under her eyes. Her bangs are slightly askew, tussled by her running.

You look as bad as your head feels.

She watches as Rachel practically throws herself at a bathroom door, disappearing behind the wooden frame. She proceeds to follow the path the smaller girl had taken, pausing briefly at the door before entering. She wasn't sure what she was going to say, she just knew she had to say something.

The door barely makes a sound as she makes her way into the bathroom. Rachel can be seen standing several feet away pondering herself in the mirror. She stares at Rachel staring at herself,

"You're beautiful you know."

"Quinn. What are you doing in here?"

"It's a public bathroom. Didn't think i needed permission."

"Right yes, well, i am just finished, so if you excuse me."

She goes to push past Quinn who had stepped further into the empty room.

"Running away again," the sarcastic tone rolls easily off her tongue.

"Excuse me?" she spits out hastily as she turns to face a crossed armed Quinn.

"You heard me. You have been avoiding me i can tell. Why? You kissed me and you ran. You don't just do that to a person!"

"If i recall, you ran away from me first!" she quips back instantly. What was supposed to be a rational conversation was turning into a heated argument.

"That's...that is beside the point. At least i apologized. You just ran away and left me. What i'm i supposed to think. You try to kiss me in Pucks. You do kiss me in my bedroom. And then you just leave. And now you're ignoring me. Tell me Rachel, what do you want me to do? Just tell me. Want me to leave you alone? I will. I don't want too, but i will."

"I...i..."

"What Rachel? Just say it! It was a mistake wasn't it?! God, forget it. I'm leaving."

That was not at all what she wanted to say. She wanted to beg and plead for Rachel to talk to her. However, she had always been hot headed and said the first thing that came to mind. Statistically speaking the first thing to come to mind was always the wrong thing. So her body moved towards the door, while her brain shouted at her to stop.

While Quinn's body stubbornly continued to move, Rachel's inner struggle was beginning to show.

"Grab her. Stop her. Do it."

Her right hand reaches the door handle, while her left hand is being tugged back towards Rachel.

"It wasn't a mistake. I'm just so scared," She pulls Quinn in so close leaving barely room to speak, "This..." she leans up kissing her lips softly, "scares me. My heart beats faster. I'm at the point where i can't even articulate what im feeling. And i've never been like that. It scares me. Do you understand that?"

She hadn't noticed that she had started crying, she did notice that Quinn had begun to kiss the trail of tears away.

Quinn kisses away tears of fear, of doubt. Kisses away everything.

They say at one point a wave will crash, if she allows that, these feelings will crash, devouring her.

As a Fabray they swipe away any unpleasant feelings. Her feelings for Rachel would be considered unpleasant. Historically, it was her great grandfather that thought this way. Statistically it was a Fabray tradition to not deal with anything unpleasant.

But she had a new start. To not deal in a Fabraic way...to deal in a Blake way.

And so she continued to kiss the tears.

To edge her way to supple lips.

She tried to kiss through all the doubt. To push through all the nerves. In doing so, she bit lightly on Rachel's bottom lips. Tugged firmly on Rachel's hair. Pulled her closer, until no more distance could be closed.

She surrenders fully. Allowing every stroke of Quinn's tongue to untangle her being.

Firstly;she surrenders to being pushed against the bathroom door.

Secondly; ten digits dig into her side, wanting to claim more, pulling her closer.

Thirdly; a leg is slipped between her thigh, sending shock waves to her centre.

Laughs can be heard, making their way through the hall ways. Heading directly towards the bathroom Quinn and Rachel occupy.