Sorry it's been over a week... but I'm finally sober again O_o

Thanks for reviewing since the previous chapter: ToastedMarshmellow08, Seldomnaughty, agirl002, Anon, Monichanz, FaberryBRA, laylarei, You-Know-Who-I-Is, Guest, GypsySoul05, djsmith10186, boston blue, dsercas4, chev17j, crazyykidd, PantherProtector, sollieus, LoveSKINS94, JPElles, Nightlancer600, General Mac, NZgleek91, Ladyhawk1709, bigbangfan91, cressey, lemon-rind, wkgreen, readnowrite, nickd93, Catrick, PraiseForTheFallen, beachbum2960 and faberryloving.

Also, meant to say at the end of the last chapter; as most of you noted Fury left Storm with 5 files. Quinn and Rachel aren't mutants so they weren't two of the files. That just explains that... if anyone still cared :S

Posted: 1/1/13

Beats only for you

Quinn woke first, gently, until she realised Rachel wasn't in her arms like when they'd fallen asleep. She looked back over her shoulder to find Rachel with her back to her. Quinn smiled softly to herself with some relief. She didn't want Rachel leaving her here alone and going to talk with the others without her.

Quinn knew at least Santana and Brittany were up, she could hear distant voices the other side of Rachel's bedroom window. She doubted Puck Tina or Mike would happily wander out onto the warehouse floor without one of the others there.

She wanted to be in Rachel's life fully, after last night, going to the Purifiers killing countless as she walked down the corridor that took her to St James. He was stupid enough to think words would stall her and save him. As soon as she'd walked into that building their enemies stood no chance, and Quinn had felt that herself, her power was beyond anything they had.

She barely remembered the point between leaving Rachel, or Iron Girl, and finding St James. But the part she most remembered about last night was one she never wanted to repeat. When she saw Leroy crouched over the girl he'd raised. The way Rachel's body had been so still. When she saw him put down the arc reactor and mutter something. The anger that rose and the lightning that she felt though her body and Mjölnira.

No she didn't want to repeat nearly losing Rachel. She shuffled closer to her girlfriend. As she lifted the sheet so it didn't bunch between them she caught a glimpse of Rachel's back, the lower half where her vest top had risen up in her sleep. She saw the scarring and the little electrical burns that dotted the tanned skin.

Quinn felt a sadness and a guilt, despite Rachel having tried to tell her it wasn't her fault and despite trying to convince herself the same thing... Rachel wouldn't have been at her apartment where she got hurt if... if she hadn't been there to try and save her.

She closed the space between them, wanting to hold Rachel again. She stopped when her front barely met Rachel's back and carefully trailed her fingers over Rachel's bare arm, carefully grazing over each burn mark. She wasn't sure why she was doing it, she just wondered if they still hurt, and would they scar that badly, Rachel didn't need anymore scarring, it just told a story of pain across her skin.

Rachel let out a tiny muffled whine then a strained giggle "That tickles" she muttered as she woke up

"Sorry" Quinn murmured softly "... don't they hurt?" she asked, concerned for her girlfriends well fare

She was silent a moment as she blinked herself awake and considered the question "I little... but numb too" she closed her eyes again sleepily and shuffled back, seeking more contact with Quinn "I guess that's why it tickles"

"What about this?" Quinn asked as she propped herself up and kissed burn just at the crook of Rachel's neck

"That feels good" Rachel smiled. She tilted her head leaning into her pillow further as Quinn trailed delicate kisses along her neck to the bottom of her ear

She paused to timidly ask "Do you remember what you said last night?"

"Yeah" Rachel looked back over her shoulder to meet Quinn's gaze above "And I meant it"

"D-did you hear what I said?" Quinn asked, her eyes flickering over Rachel's face

Rachel grinned softly "Yeah, I did" her expression then turned more serious "Did you mean it?"

"Of course I did" she said softly before leaning down to capture Rachel's lips

"Wait" Rachel whispered, she placed a hand on Quinn's shoulder to stop her. The blonde just gave her a concerned look "I haven' brushed my teeth yet"

Quinn chuckled softly "I don't care if you don't" she whispered "I just really want to kiss you right now"

Rachel turned to lie on her back, she slipped one of her hands round the back of Quinn's neck as she pulled her down gently, connecting their lips

...

Quinn and Rachel were the last ones down into the warehouse. Rachel wasn't sure why they'd all gathered out there anyway, it should have been more comfortable in the living quarters but they all seemed to be happy sitting on that sofa or Rachel's high back chair, which is what Mike was sitting in right now with Tina on his lap.

"Everyone's here then?" Rachel asked as she released Quinn's hand

Quinn slipped onto the end of the sofa between Puck and the arm and smiled at her daughter in the mohawked boys arms "hey" she grinned as the little girls face lit up at seeing her mommy. Brittany sat the other side of Puck, split between watching Santana and her child like antics of playing with fire half way across the floor, and pulling faces at Beth, keeping the little girl entertained.

"Santana!" Rachel snapped trying to get the Latina's attention. Beth wasn't bothered by the sudden loud noises at her strange new home lately, she had quickly got used to them; both the noises and her new house mates.

Santana absorbed the flames back into the palms of her hand and looked sharply at the shorter brunette "What?"

"We have guests" she gestured to the three new faces around her

"Yeah they're cool" Santana shrugged "They know what's going on"

"Actually" it was Tina who spoke up "We only know our side of the story... and that Santana and Brittany seem to have mutations too"

"What gave it away with Santana?" Quinn asked sarcastically, with a very uncharacteristic giggle. They all, except Rachel, eyed her discretely, something had her in a good mood.

Santana stalked closer, squinting curiously. She pointed between Rachel and Quinn "did you two-"

"No" Rachel cut her off, knowing what she was going to ask. Tina and Mike were the only ones looking lost now. "Back to our guests... who I'm inviting to stay more permanently here, for as long as needed"

"You are?" Puck asked surprised. When Rachel nodded he looked back at Beth in his arms and smiled. He liked the sound of that, if that meant he could spend more time with Beth.

"Yeah I think it would be best to keep everyone here, for safety, at least until we get past..." Rachel sighed "well until we get past whatever is going on"

"With the purifiers?" Mike asked, feeling there was more to the puzzle

"There might be..." Rachel looked to Quinn as she cringed "There might be something bigger heading this way. We don't know what exactly but it's a possibility" That didn't help make anything clearer

So Quinn volunteered to go next "Do you remember something big happened in New York City about 2 years ago?" she asked the three new additions

"it wasn't a hoax was it?" Tina asked from opposite them "I mean, we already knew about the mutants and our own mutations then" she meant her and Mike but it was true of Puck too "So we didn't believe it was a hoax"

"It's pretty small minded to think there's only one type of supernatural life on the planet... or in the universe" Mike added as an after thought "So you know the details?" he looked between the four other girls hoping for an answer

"Well yeah, the leader of the organisation associated with the group that defended... planet earth, I guess, that day in Manhattan, he was here a few weeks ago and he told us all about-"

"A lot of stuff" Santana cut her off before she got too wordy and gave everyone a head ache "like B and I are mutants, we already knew thanks to Fairchild" the others had already been introduced to the computer the night before "But he gave us some details and some code names" she really was like an excited child when it came to these things

"But what is the bigger thing that could come here?" Puck prompted, he wanted to know. He looked at Beth and he needed to know.

"That might be to do with me" Quinn admitted from next to him.

And then when they explained all they already knew. Obviously the new additions were shocked with most of it, but they believed every word, as their minds were already open to generally unbelievable things sometimes hidden in their world.

Quinn told them all she had learnt about her true parents and the weapon her father and his weapon had forged for her. Rachel told them who her true father was. That wasn't as much of a shock as she'd already told them the Iron Girl suit had been an original idea... well in her mind it had been, she had had no knowledge of Iron man when she created her suite of the arc reactor in her chest.

They also filled the other teens in on what had happened recently, from the destruction of Quinn's apartment, and how it was Rachel who was thrown through the wall that created that mess not water damage from a burst water pipe. They included the involvement of the people who had raised them and how those three had met their ends.

That made Quinn feel sick again, to be reminded that she had killed Judy, the woman she'd called mom. And even though his death wasn't mentioned, she obviously remembered that she killed the man Rachel had once called dad, making her feel sicker still. But she pushed past it, she'd had to have done what she did, otherwise Beth wouldn't have her own mommy, or... her Rachel either.

Santana, not so subtly, included that Fury had assigned Rachel as a team leader and there was a team being... assembled. Puck seemed to sit up slightly straighter at the mention of that. They finished with their version of events from last night, up until they got the three back to the base.

No one other than Quinn and Rachel knew what had happened at the Berry house last night, that Leroy had tried to steal the technology in her chest to get ahead in the purifier ranks once more.

"So what are your powers?" Rachel hadn't had a chance to ask

"Yeah we didn't talk about it last night, what can you three do?" Santana sat down on the arm rest of the sofa next to Brittany.

"Super strength" Puck said immediately, proud and comfortable to have that mutation. When it had first developed when he was 14, it had taken him some time to adapt. His grip had to become more delicate, his anger had to become more verbal. He had been afraid at first, and like he'd told Tina and Mike, his mom still was. But he accepted it, and learnt to appreciate it. He considered himself lucky to have that one as well, once he'd read up on what other mutations people had.

He would have shown off his mutation right now but he had Beth in his hands, so it wasn't a good time... and he really didn't want to give her over to Quinn yet.

"How strong are we talking?" Santana asked

"Um..." he looked around the room "I can probably lift Rachel's car, no probs" he shrugged confidently

"We'll test that later" The short brunette told him, like the others she was intrigued. She was actually the odd one out, her ability wasn't like the others... she'd been able to build a suit, was super smarts her ability... did she have any type of mutation like her mother, could she still develop one or was it too late. Technically Santana and Brittany mutations had developed later than most other mutants.

"What about you Tina?" Quinn asked

"Oh" she decided to show them instead and in front of their eyes anywhere where they could see skin became see through. She only did it for a few seconds before coming back, it wasn't necessary but she said it anyway "I can turn invisible" the Asian girl felt there was some irony in that. She had used a stutter to get people to avoid her because she wished she could be invisible... and now she could be.

"Interesting" Rachel hummed in thought

"What is it?" Tina asked worried

"I might be able to... if I may use your DNA, and isolate the mutated gene-"

"Speak English Berry" the fire queen just loved to jump in like that

With a heavy sigh and an eye roll Rachel continued in Santana preferred language "I might be able to make you a suit that turns invisible with you"

"Really" Tina wasn't sure why she sounded so surprised, probably because Rachel rambled on about music at school, not science. She never sounded that smart. "That would be great, it kinda feels... worthless having this ability but having to...um"

"Be naked when you use it" Brittany said bluntly, at least she wasn't being left behind mentally.

Moving on, Rachel asked "And Mike?"

"I have super speed... that's pretty self explanatory" he shrugged

"Well can you show us?" Santana asked, almost impatiently

"Okay" he didn't move from his seat with Tina on his lap, he just looked round the warehouse floor "Do you want to see me run to the other side of the warehouse floor and back?" he asked, nodding his head towards the far corner

"Yes" Santana seemed most eager out of the 3 voices that answered

"Okay" Mike sat there and blinked before opening his mouth again "You wanna see me do it again?"

"Oh good one" Santana sneered as she folded her arms protectively across her front.

Tina just giggled and nudged Mike playfully, who just smiled back at her, satisfied with his little joke.

Puck, Quinn and Rachel all had little smirks on their face, Mike had got Santana all worked up like a kid with a Christmas present only to take it away at the end. Brittany was patting Santana's knee, consoling the pouting Latina.

"We're joining the cause right?" Mike suddenly asked Tina, getting everyone's attention

"Is that what you want?" she asked

"I want to, but only if you're okay with that" he admitted. They were a good couple, there were no secrets between them, and they were always honest with one another. The other two couples in the room could learn from them.

"I want to help, plus these guys can also protect us" Tina laughed, it was like the others weren't even in the room, the way they spoke. Tina was only partially joking though, she meant the comment about having the four girls around as protection as well as team mates, but she didn't mind admitting that out loud either. "We're in, if you'll have us" Tina told Rachel

"Then I'm in too" it was one of the easiest decision's he'd had to make. It was up there with 'would you like to be a part of Beth's life'

The four original members of this team smiled at one another, they were willing to let Mike Tina and Puck join them.

...

It wasn't long before Rachel found herself at a work bench, goofy plastic safety glasses over her eyes and she intently worked away at her newest project. When she put the soldering iron down Quinn knew it was safe to approach.

She slipped her hands down over Rachel shoulders and made her hands meet in the middle so her fingers were brushing over the top rim of the arc reactor "Hey" she said softly

Rachel looked straight up at her making Quinn giggle a little at the nerdy goggles "hey" she didn't take them off though, she liked seeing Quinn smile too much

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine" she furrowed her brow slightly "why do you ask?"

"Just..." she bit her lip with worry "After last night... that thing wasn't in your chest your heart... what if it... I don't know, I just wonder if you should see a doctor or something" she kept her voice low not wanting to alert all the others nearby to the scary situation form the night before

"I'll have Fairchild run a diagnostic on the arc reactor" she said to reassure Quinn everything was okay "I can't really go to a doctor with this" she tapped her chest, her fingers brushing Quinn's, who's arms were still round her "This is an upgrade of the thing they gave me, the one I would have had to replace every few weeks" she tried to explain

"It's not the reactor, it's your heart Rach, it slowed right now, while you were paralysed. I worry, what if it's not working as well as it should"

"I'll have Fairchild run a blood test okay" she peeled Quinn's arms off her so she could reach over and pull another stool out for Quinn to sit "She can make sure my oxygen levels are okay, so we know my heart is moving the blood round like it should, okay"

"Okay" Quinn muttered as she bowed her head trying to hide the fear on her face

"Hey" Rachel hooked a finger under Quinn's chin to bring her head up again "What's wrong?"

Quinn hesitated to say... but then she reminded herself that she wanted to be heavily involved in Rachel's life now, so she would share her concern "It's just that, you're always so relaxed about it, I forget how serious your condition really is"

"I'm fine really Quinn" Rachel said with the most sincerity she could. It would have sounded even more serious if she wasn't still wearing the over sized safety glasses.

"You will tell me if there's ever anything wrong"

"Of course I would" She said quickly, hoping it was believable too. She just wondered if something bad did come up could she really admit it to Quinn... only if she couldn't fix it, was her conclusion.

"You better" Quinn said sternly. She didn't want to think about it anymore and she turned her attention quickly to something else "What are you building now?"

"Oh these" she looked at the objects clamped in place at just below Rachel's eye level. The pieces were small and delicate and Rachel had been working on some intricate detail, but it wasn't obvious what the 6 similar devices were "They're just head sets; they'll link us up if we need them"

"When we need them" Quinn muttered "Something's going to happen isn't it?" Quinn asked her girlfriend, worried "It's not going to be that easy... last night was too easy" it had been too easy to wash the blood from her hands, figuratively.

She couldn't reassure Quinn everything would be okay, because she really had no idea what lay ahead for them "Whatever happens we'll face it together" was all she could say as she took Quinn's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze

The blonde nodded "I'm going to go... get Beth, Puck hasn't let go of her yet" she sounded jealous but managed to smile through it "Get those tests done though" she added seriously

"I will" Rachel nodded. Quinn only took a few steps away when she called out "Quinn?"

She stopped and turned back "Yeah Rach?"

She bit her lip to hold back a stupid and shy grin "My heart... it beats only for you" she told her girlfriend.

The line and the safety glasses had Quinn soon grinning like a fool. She stepped back to Rachel and lent down to kiss her fully on the lips. She didn't care that there were spectators.

Sorry its not very long :/

Let us know what you think...