A/N: I'm baaaack! Just wanted to let you guys know that I really spent some time to outline the plot of this story since it's no longer a one-shot. I think that will also make it easier for me to update this fic sooner because I'll know where I'm going. Anyway, I also wanted to let you know that to get myself in the headspace for writing this story, I created a Quinncedes Fanmix to go along with "Ready". It can be found here: post/51502939636/ready-a-quinncedes-fanmix-listen . It's basically a collection of songs that make me think of Quinn x Mercedes and make a lot of sense lyrically in terms of this story. There's a listen/download link available so you can listen and catch feels and fangirl over our girls with me! You can also maybe speculate about where I'm going with this story… ;) Okay, I'm done rambling! I hope you enjoy chapter 3! Happy Reading lovelies!

I was wondering maybe

Could I make you my baby?

Loving Mercedes was easy; Quinn would soon find this to be true. There were no games with Mercedes. Zero guesswork. Quinn never had to question anything. Mercedes always let her know how she was feeling. Everything Mercedes ever felt was always written right there on her face.

Quinn liked that.

It was a new feeling. Being able to love someone like Mercedes. Mercedes had told her that being with her, in this way, was all new to her. Hell, being with anyone at all was a brand new experience for Mercedes, but in truth what the two girls shared was new for Quinn too.

She didn't have to manipulate Mercedes to get what she wanted from her. She was already there.

Everything came naturally.

Learning to love Finn had been all about status. She was so caught up in trying to be the most popular. The smartest. The most wholesome. A role model and a person in control. She liked the drive she felt when she saw that she could control Finn, especially since nothing else in her life had ever been under her control. She'd had a plan. An outline for how her relationship with him would cement her position in the McKinley high school hierarchy and help her stay within her family's good graces. The good-natured quarterback and the wholesome head cheerleader. It was a match made in heaven!

She had an outline of their life plan. She would marry Finn, her high school sweetheart, and be his successful real estate trophy wife. They'd grow up in the suburbs of Lima, and grow old with their 2.5 children. Even though Quinn knew their happiness together would be questionable, she at least knew they'd be stable. Quinn needed stability. She needed to know that her life was on a steady course. She liked having an idea where things were going.

Loving Noah had been different. Nothing was in control. It was wild. He was the boy her family had always warned her about. The one that would ruin her life if she got too close. Being with him wasn't about status, but about rebellion. If Finn was safety and stability, Puck was danger and unsteadiness. In sacrificing her need for control, she gained another form of power. Being with Noah was "sticking it to the man". He didn't seem intimidated by her the way Finn sometimes did. He knew how to get things done. At the time, Finn felt like just a boy, while Noah gave her a taste of what it was like to be with a man. She felt naughty whenever she was with him. It was scary sometimes, but she liked it. Being unpredictable was fun. The cheerleader and the bad boy, a surprisingly dynamic combination. She liked the idea that they could be exposed, caught at any time. It gave Quinn excitement she never dreamed of. But Quinn soon realized that all of that fun was never meant to last.

Finding out she was pregnant changed everything. She always knew that in playing with fire, she would eventually get burned. In the back of her mind, time was ticking and she knew that the shit was bound to hit the fan. When it finally did and her web of lies (of cheating on Finn and lying about whose baby she was carrying) was finally exposed, she just felt terrible. She felt like the biggest hypocrite. Once her dirty laundry was finally aired, her wall of perfection and innocence had been shattered. Quinn knew then that nothing would ever be the same again. Everyone would see her as a tramp and a cheat. Everything was out of control and it no longer gave her joy.

At the time, Quinn had been very aware that she didn't love Finn, but she honestly never intended to hurt him. Once the thrill of being with Puck was all over, all she felt was guilt and shame.

In the aftermath, Quinn had taken a long hard look at herself. She realized that she'd let herself get out of control and that she needed to reel it back in. So she started going to church more often. She wrote in her journal more. It was a safe outlet for her feelings. She cried herself to sleep so many nights for all the things she'd lost.

Being kicked off the Cheerios.

Losing her status.

Disgracing her family.

Getting kicked out of her house.

Losing herself.

She didn't know who she was anymore.

She no longer felt like the girl she'd convinced herself she was.

She'd lost her quarterback boyfriend, her spot as head cheerleader, her purity, and her family's adoration. What little she had anyway.

Quinn felt invisible.

And all alone.

She was so angry because she'd let this happen. If she had only held on tighter and kept it all together, like a good Fabray, she'd have the life she once had.

Safe.

Secure.

In control.

She yearned for the things she'd lost for such a long time.

But things were different with Mercedes.

Like her relationship with Noah, Quinn felt so out of control. But in a different way. Nothing ever went exactly the way Quinn expected, but she was surprised to find that she liked that. It was spontaneous. It was thrilling. Loving Mercedes Jones was an adventure.

Some days Mercedes would surprise her with gifts. A pink wool beanie she'd knitted herself. A beautiful bouquet of flowers that she'd bought just because. A slice of strawberry rhubarb pie she'd baked to brighten her day. All for Quinn. In declaration of her love and affection. Quinn never grew tired of it. She enjoyed the surprises. Mercedes was so good to her.

So she made sure she returned the favor. Every night.

It became routine for them to get lost in one another. Mercedes was inside her and all around her. Everything was Mercedes. Mercedes. Mercedes.

Over time, she'd found that she'd wrapped her entire heart around the girl. The idea of being with her. Only her. Forever. She'd never felt so close to anyone in her entire life. Being out of control wasn't scary with Mercedes. It was liberating. She didn't have to control or hide anything when they were together. Mercedes adored and appreciated her every layer.

Making love to Mercedes soon became a necessary part of Quinn's day. She craved her essence. She couldn't go through her day without it. Quinn couldn't sleep without it. She relished the aroma of her best friend. The feel of her. The taste.

She enjoyed exploring Mercedes' body, and letting go completely so that Mercedes could explore her own.

It never got old.

Quinn had never felt so alive.

It was so easy to love her.

And for the first time it felt right.

Being lost.

Lost in her...

Deep inside her.

For the first time, Quinn felt like she was drowning, but she didn't struggle.

She didn't need saving.

Drowning in Mercedes' love was exactly where she wanted to be.

"What are we?" Mercedes blurted out one night while they were cuddled up in bed.

Quinn was nestled on top of Mercedes. The blonde had one hand up her friend's shirt while her other hand was busy working the zipper of her jeans. They had been engaged in one of their routine steamy make out sessions when Mercedes suddenly shifted away from her. Quinn glanced up at Mercedes, flush faced and confused.

"What?"

"What are we?" Mercedes repeated shifting so that she was now sitting up. She adjusted her shirt as she sat face to face with the blonde.

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked, her brows setting into a slight frown.

"You know," Mercedes replied, "Are we together?"

Quinn gave Mercedes a small smirk, before she started inching her fingers closer to her friend.

"Of course we are," she giggled. "At least we were until someone turned away from me..."

Quinn's hands were now rested on Mercedes' waistline, playfully creeping closer to her zipper once more.

Mercedes caught her hand before she could get back to work.

"Quinn..." Mercedes sighed, "We've had sex just about every night since the storm, but ever since then, we haven't really talked about us at all..."

Quinn pulled her hand gently from Mercedes' grasp and folded her arms tightly across her chest. She looked at her friend quizzically.

"What's there to talk about? I love you. You said you loved me. What more is there to say?"

Mercedes chuckled nervously. "I know what I said Quinn and I meant it. But I need to know what this is." Mercedes gestured between the two of them. "You say you love me and I believe you, but I don't know... I need more than that. Are we just friends that like hooking up or are we more serious than that? 'Cause I was kind of hoping that we were..."

"Of course we're serious, Mercedes. I'm in love with you!"

"I know that Quinn...but are we girlfriends? Girlfriend girlfriends?"

Quinn felt her heart pound wildly within her as she opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She locked her lips before she finally replied quietly, "If we know how we feel about each other, then why do we need to put a label on it?"

"Because this", Mercedes gestured between them again,"...is confusing for me," she finished letting out an exasperated sigh.

Quinn regarded her friend considering her words. She knew she loved Mercedes. There was no doubt in her mind about that. What they shared was real. But she couldn't deny the fact that putting a label on what they shared made her uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. Calling Mercedes her girlfriend would make her a lesbian. Wouldn't it? And there was just no way she was one of those...

Quinn Fabray wasn't gay. She couldn't be... What would their friends say? What would her parents think? Her pastor? People would talk! She knew they would. It'd be just like when everyone first found out about her pregnancy. It would mean pain and humiliation and isolation and people debating her life and her life course all over again.

Quinn grew nervous at the mere thought of this exposure. She didn't think she could handle any of that ever again.

No, Quinn finally decided. She wasn't gay at all. Sure, she loved Mercedes, but she was also still very much attracted to boys. She had the biggest crush on Iwan Rheon from E4's Misfits. She still lusted over Channing Tatum. And she still felt very strongly that Shemar Moore could get it any day. She couldn't be a lesbian... Right?

In truth she'd thought about their status many times before Mercedes finally brought it up. She'd gone over all the possible scenarios in her head until she felt dizzy and gave herself a headache. Ultimately, Quinn found that not thinking about it at all was much, much better. They didn't need to put a label on what they had. Labels meant trouble. All they needed was their love right? As long as it was real, why should anything else matter?

When Quinn didn't respond, Mercedes continued, "I know what this is to me,but I need to hear from you. Q, talk to me. What are we?"

Quinn ran her hands over her temples, attempting to organize her thoughts. She made eye contact with Mercedes, and took in the emotions behind her large brown orbs. She saw confusion and worry, but she also detected some urgency. Mercedes seemed to be pleading with her, willing her to answer. Quinn knew exactly what Mercedes wanted to hear from her, but she knew if she said those words to her friend, she wouldn't be able to own them. They were much too expensive.

So she decided to be honest.

"I don't know, Mercedes..."

Quinn's heart clenched within her as she witnessed the brightness in her friend's eyes cloud over.

No, that was not what she'd wanted to hear at all...

"Oh" Mercedes finally replied looking down at her hands. She was fidgeting with them, avoiding Quinn's gaze. She could tell she'd hurt her and when Quinn heard what Mercedes had to say about it, she felt lower than scum.

"Don't you want to be with me?"

Quinn felt her hands clam up and her throat run dry. Mercedes' voice had been painfully soft. Just barely a whisper. Completely vulnerable. Reaching over, she took Mercedes' hands in hers. If she couldn't give her a proper answer, the very least she could do was give her an explanation. Mercedes deserved at least that.

"Hey..." She finally said. "Look at me. Please?"

A small smile spread across her face when Mercedes' chocolate orbs finally connected with her own.

"I do want to be with you. I love you. So much," Quinn brought Mercedes' hands to her lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of them both. Her hazel eyes scanned Mercedes' and her voice wavered as she finally admitted, "...but I'm not... I'm not ready. I don't want to put a label on us."

Mercedes' eyes grew slightly in size as she asked, "Are you embarrassed to be with me?"

Quinn shook her head fiercely. "Never. I'd never be embarrassed to be with you. To be honest, I'm the only embarrassment here..."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm afraid. Of, what people will say. I'm proud to be with you, Mercedes. Really. I am. It's just-" Quinn trailed off and blinked away the tears that had started to fill her eyes. "I can't have people talking behind my back about me. I can't do that again. I can't..."

"Quinn..." Mercedes cooed.

Quinn looked askance up at her friend through her blurred vision.

"Come here," Mercedes patted the spot between her now outstretched legs. Quinn silently obeyed and Mercedes pulled her closer, holding her safely in her arms.

Quinn buried her face in Mercedes' shoulder and sobbed, "I'm so sorry Mercedes. I'm such a coward. I want to be with you. I do. I want us to be together. I do. I do. I do." Her sobs wracked her body and her words started to come out all broken, "...Not ready...I'm scared... Don't tell...So sorry."

"Shhh...," Mercedes whispered, rubbing soft soothing circles into her friend's back. "It's okay, Quinn. I won't tell anyone. As much as I'd like to because we shouldn't have to hide what we have or who we are, I promise I won't tell. Not till you're ready."

Quinn looked up at Mercedes, her eyes shining with fresh tears and mouthed, "Thank you."

Mercedes just nodded and reached her head down to press a soft kiss on Quinn's tear stained cheek, "I love you, Quinn."

"I love you more..."

The following day, Quinn woke up to blinding sunlight. She shielded her eyes from the brightness and squinted around the room before she finally got her bearings right. She turned her body to the side and noticed that as usual, Mercedes was already gone. She'd snuck back to her own room at some point during the early morning. Quinn stretched her arms and let out a yawn. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she slowly made her way to the bathroom to freshen up.

She took a look in the mirror and frowned. Her eyes were puffy from crying last night. Her back was aching and her feet, swollen. It was just one of those days. Being pregnant was no joke.

Quinn felt a tiny kick within her and she smiled. When it happened again and again, she figured her baby girl was having one of those days too.

"Alright, sweetie. Mama's gonna go eat something, okay? Relax please."

The kicking slowed down and Quinn rubbed her stomach gently. "Atta girl"

After a quick shower, she proceeded to waddle down the stairs. Making her way into the kitchen, she smiled when she saw Mercedes already there, preparing breakfast.

She observed her best friend for a moment. Mercedes had her iPod in the dock blasting Beyoncé's Schoolin' Life. All four stove burners were going; one for the kettle, and pans for the remaining three. One pan was filled with sizzling bacon strips, the other with scrambled eggs and the last with what appeared to be pancakes. Mercedes had her back slightly turned towards Quinn and she was singing along to the music with a peaceful smile on her face. Quinn adored how focused but carefree Mercedes seemed while preparing the meal. She knew that cooking and singing were her girl's two favorite things. She appeared to be well within her element.

Quinn took a quick whiff of the kitchen air. The food smelt heavenly.

"Morning," Quinn smiled, startling the other girl.

Mercedes turned around, eyes wide for a moment before they finally settled into a warm gaze. She smiled brightly at the blonde. "Morning!"

"Need any help?" Quinn asked as she made her way over to the stove.

"No, no, no," Mercedes fussed, shuffling Quinn over to the small table in the kitchen. She pulled out a seat for her friend. "Here, sit down!"

"Okay, okay!" Quinn giggled.

"I'm almost done," Mercedes said as she placed a soft kiss on Quinn's cheek. She winked at her before eventually heading back to the stove.

Quinn shook her head slightly at her friend but made no move to get up again. Her back was still killing her.

After a few minutes, the food was ready and Mercedes made a show of bringing the steaming hot plates to the table. Quinn grinned at the expressions on Mercedes' face. She'd placed a cloth napkin on her arm and adjusted her posture so that her back was completely straight. Mercedes then made sure her movements were graceful as she laid the food in front of her pregnant friend.

"For you, Mademoiselle," she smiled as she twirled her imaginary moustache.

Quinn giggled at her silliness. "Why thank you! Garçon!" Quinn added, playing along with her friend.

"Hoh, hoh, hoh," Mercedes replied, mimicking the French laugh she'd heard in many morning cartoons, making Quinn laugh again.

She completed her act by spreading the napkin on Quinn's lap and presenting her with a full plate and utensils. Quinn's eyes grew wide as she took in the feast set before her.

Mercedes had filled Quinn's plate with all of her homemade specialties. Quinn was simply delighted by the sight and the aromas! Scrambled eggs, hash browns, blueberry pancakes, and best of all, Mercedes had made sure to give her a hearty helping of the bacon. Quinn's favorite. There was also fresh fruit available in the middle of the table along with a large jug of ice-cold orange juice, no pulp.

"Thank you, babe," Quinn smiled reaching up and caressing Mercedes' cheek with her thumb. "Everything looks delicious!"

Mercedes beamed.

Quinn jumped slightly and rubbed her stomach. "Seems like the baby's also ready for us to eat."

Mercedes' eyes grew large again. "Is she kicking?"

Quinn nodded.

"Ooohh! Can I feel?" Mercedes exclaimed.

Quinn smiled warmly, "Of course you can."

Mercedes stooped down beside Quinn and placed her palms on the blonde's large stomach.

When the baby kicked again, Mercedes glanced up at Quinn and grinned. "Oh my gosh! This is so precious!"

Quinn smiled placing her hands on top of Mercedes'. "No, you're precious." Leaning down slightly, she kissed Mercedes' forehead.

Mercedes closed her eyes at the contact before she tilted her head up shyly looking into her friend's piercing hazel eyes. Her mother was upstairs somewhere, but that didn't stop Mercedes from stealing a kiss. Quinn leaned into her lips, placing her hand on Mercedes' jaw line, deepening the kiss. She pulled her closer and ran her tongue along Mercedes' bottom lip. She smiled against her lips when she felt Mercedes shiver. Their innocent kiss was quickly becoming something more until they both jerked back from one another. Baby Fabray was not happy. She was still hungry.

Mercedes chuckled and rubbed Quinn's stomach once more, glancing up at her friend. "You better feed this baby! Let's eat!"

The girls sat down to enjoy their meal. They chatted easily about the little details of their lives. The sleepover they planned to have next week with Tina and Kurt. Quinn's next doctor's appointment. The upcoming Regionals competition. Mercedes made more jokes that made Quinn laugh and Quinn made moves on Mercedes every chance she got just to make her blush. Whether it was brushing her hand against her friend's softly, playing footsies under the table or simply stealing lustful glances at one another, Quinn made sure they always had some type of contact. It was fun. It was comfortable. The two girls enjoyed each other's company, smiling at one another from across the table.

Mercedes still wasn't happy to keep their relationship a secret, but she respected Quinn's wishes. Her secret would be safe with her.

Her lips would be sealed for as long as Quinn needed them to be.

LOVE IT? HATE IT? REVIEW!

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm honestly having way too much fun writing about this pairing. I have no idea why they aren't more popular… They compliment each other so well! Anyway, as always please let me know what you thought about this update and also what you think of the fanmix! I really enjoy hearing your thoughts! Until next time…