AN: Guys..I'm really, really sorry for not updating. I can't find time to write and I was a little sad that season 3 of Glee is their senior year. It won't be the same without THEM. Just wish they'd graduate them then make a 2-hour special showing what they'll be doing (their college life or where they'll be). When the original casts are done, I'm gone. Anyways, this'll show what happened before the scene where the girls were asleep in their room then Kurt wakes Rachel up to have 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'.

Chapter 8 'Aftershock' Faberry

INT. INTERCONTINENTAL NY – GIRL'S ROOM – NIGHT

They were in their pajamas with pens and papers at hand, ready to start writing original songs for the competition. Mercedes and Tina seated side by side on the first bed; Santana and Brittany on the second, with the latina laid on her stomach near the edge of the bed while the blonde sat on the corner, her back resting on the headboard; Lauren occupied the folding bed; Rachel sat on the couch, knees tucked in, she was staring in her notepad with the pen unmoving.

"Hey guys where's Quinn?" Tina asked. "Yeah, I thought she was with you two." added Mercedes, looking at Brittany and Santana.

Brittany shrugged while Santana turned to Rachel. "Berry, where's Quinn?"

"Why are you asking Rachel?" Mercedes asked, suddenly interested, eyeing Rachel who hasn't heard anyone; she was still staring at her notepad.

Ignoring Mercedes, Santana asks a little louder this time and tosses her pen at the oblivious Rachel; hits her at the back of her head. "Hey Streisand!"

Rachel turns to look at Santana, "What was that for?" she asked.

"I asked you a question and you didn't hear me." Santana said while sitting up. "Where's Quinn?" she added.

Rachel guiltily bows her head to look at her notepad, "How should I know?"

Santana glared at her, "We saw you and Quinn talking outside the coffee shop, and it was kind of irritating that she left with you without saying a word. It's like she completely forgot that she was there with us."

The other girls were absorbing the conversation; Mercedes and Tina were a hundred percent tuned in; Brittany was chewing on her pen; while Lauren was munching on some chips like she's watching a suspense movie.

Rachel said nothing while lightly tapping her pen on the notepad. Santana was waiting for a reply, looking at Rachel with a raised eyebrow when someone burst into the room.

"Oh my God! I can't believe we almost got lost!" Kurt cried looking over his shoulder, then stopped on his tracks when he saw a room full of audience staring at them; Quinn stood near the door holding some shopping bags, her eyes had a hint that she's been crying but she tries to mask it, she was even wearing a smile trying to convince anyone that she's fine.

"Cedes, I'm telling you I'm never going to roam around New York without a freaking map! Kurt continued, ignoring the puzzled looks, as he placed his shopping bags on the floor then plopped himself beside Mercedes.

"Did you maxed out your credit card Quinn?" Santana asked with a smirk.

Quinn closed the door behind her then walked to where her luggage was and placed the newly bought items beside it. "Just bought a couple of things." she answered softly with a shrug.

"Just a couple? You know your mom's going to kill you."

Quinn gives Santana a meek smile. The latina notices the sadness that flashed on the blonde's eyes; she keeps it to herself, mentally taking a note to talk to her friend-slash-enemy the next time she gets a chance.

"Okay guys let's get back to work." Mercedes instructed.

Quinn takes a pen and a notepad out of her bag and sits herself on the floor with her back resting at the foot of the bed where Mercedes, Kurt and Tina was. She was trying hard not to look at Rachel, who on her part, failed miserably to do the same.

Rachel stared at the side of Quinn's face. "How am I supposed to write a song if I can't stop thinking about what she'd told me? And how do I even feel about it?" Rachel bit her bottom lip as she asked herself; Unbeknownst to her, Quinn had the same dilemma.

"How am I supposed to write a song if I can't stop thinking about her reaction to what I've said? I feel like an idiot. I should'nt have said that. I thought I was ready if she ever rejected me, I guess I'm not. God I can't cry right now, not here-"

Quinn suddenly stood up, clutching her pen and notepad tightly, "I'm just gonna step out for awhile, I need some place else to think." she announced trying not to make her voice break. Everyone looked up from their work.

"But Quinn, Mr. Shue said that-"

"I'm not going to leave the hotel, Mercedes. I just- I want a different setting. There's not an ounce of inspiration I can use in here." Quinn said as she quickly stole a glance Rachel's way, their eyes connect. She feels her eyes starting to tear up, turns on her heel and leaves.

Mercedes was about to say something when Kurt placed a hand on her shoulder, "Mercedes just let her go." he whispered. She shot him a confused look.

Santana turned to look at Brittany, who nodded, they both knew that something's up.

"D'you know something Kurt?" Mercedes asked quietly, Tina was looking at both of them.

Brittany and Santana suddenly stood up and left the room without a word.

"What's with all the drama?" Lauren piped up.

"Let's just finish writing our songs you guys." Kurt said then rested his notebook on his knees and went back to his work.

Tina and Mercedes shared a look then turned to their notepads.

"Berry, you've been oddly quiet throughout all these. And you never do 'quiet'." Lauren said, grabbing the attention of the others again. Rachel stiffened at the mention of her name.

"Zizes just drop it, please." Kurt said firmly. Rachel looks over her shoulder and caught the boy's eyes. They stare at each other for a moment and share a silent understanding.

"Thanks Kurt. I can't deal with this right now." Rachel thought as she looked at Kurt, then finally staring down back at her blank notepad.

They worked for a couple of minutes until they heard Lauren lightly snoring on her bed. Mercedes sighed loudly then crumpled the paper she was writing on.

"Why on earth did we agree on using original songs for Nationals? I have a bad feeling about this guys. Seriously."

"Mercedes, just write anything that comes to your mind. Then we'll see if we can work from it" Kurt said without looking up from his work, scribbling away.

Mercedes rolls her eyes then picks up a crumpled paper and playfully tosses it to Kurt; who then looks up after the ball of paper hits him square on the face. Tina muffles a giggle as the girl beside her smiles.

A couple of hours later..

"I give up." Mercedes says as she yawns. "And I'm tired, let's just continue this in the morning." then settles on the bed grabbing a pillow.

"Yeah me too. I can barely keep my eyes open." Tina added as she laid down on her stomach.

"Me as well, I'm actually behind schedule. I should be half way done with my moisturising routine by now." Kurt said as he hopped off the bed and went to his luggage, rummaged for his paraphernalias for his nightly routines.

"How 'bout you Rachel? Are you staying up?" He said as walked towards the bathroom.

Rachel appeared to be deep in thoughts and didn't reply. He approached her and looked over the brunette's shoulder to sneak a peek on her notepad, expecting to see a brilliantly written song. Only he found none. Kurt placed a hand on Rachel's shoulder, nudging her a little until she looked up.

"Hey." He said softly. Rachel looked around and saw that they're the only people in the room who was wide awake. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, lowers her legs onto the floor, stretching it a bit.

"We decided to call it a night. And by 'We' I meant me, Cedes and Tina. Lauren was long gone hours ago." Kurt explained. Rachel gave him a tiny nod, he noticed that she looked really tired.

"You should get some sleep." He added.

"Yeah, I think I will." Rachel answered as she moved to the vacant bed.

"And Rachel-" Kurt then waited for Rachel to face him. "If you need someone to talk about it. I'm here, okay?" He finished. Rachel stared at him with wide eyes and tried to say something, to ask him how he knew, but decided to give him a weak smile then nodded. The brunette proceeded to sit on the bed while Kurt walked towards the bathroom.

FADE OUT.

INT. INTERCONTINENTAL NY – STAIRCASE – SAME NIGHT

She retraced the lines of the letters that she wrote on her notepad with her pen, she'd been doing that for several minutes now, the ink almost seeping through to the next page. Quinn stills her hand and gloomily looks at the name 'RACHEL'. She looks up as the door of the staircase opens.

"Hey." Santana said softly as she entered, Brittany behind her; they sit on each side of Quinn on the stairs.

"Hey." Quinn said, her voice raspy and her eyes red and glistening. She wiped her moist cheeks with the back of her hand. Brittany runs a hand up and down her back trying to comfort her. Santana takes the notepad on Quinn's lap and glances at it then places it on her own.

"So what's up with you and Berry?" She asked, smiling softly. Quinn hesitates as she stared at Santana.

"Look Quinn, I know that we've had our share of smackdowns and backstabbings, and- I kinda went after all of your boy toys. But, I'm done with that, all in the past now and for that I'm very-" Santana pauses for a second. "Sorry." she admitted in a low voice that Quinn almost missed it.

"And before you make me repeat what I've said, not that I'm going to anyway. We want you to know that we're here if you need us. I can even go all 'Lima Heights' on Berry's ass if you want me to."

"Yeah, I really don't like seeing you all sad Quinn." Brittany said putting her arms around Quinn and pulled her tightly in a hug.

"And Lord Tubbington constantly asks me why you don't hang out with us anymore." She added as she released Quinn.

It made Quinn chuckled. She knows that it's their way of telling her that they've missed her.

"Thank you- both of you. And- I've missed you guys too."

"Who said that we missed you?" Santana said with a grin on her face. Quinn rolled her eyes then Santana hands the notepad back to her. "So go, spill it."

Quinn takes a deep breath, "I told Rachel that I'm in love with her." she said.

Brittany squealed and said 'Finally' while Santana, looked disappointed, asked "That's it?"

"What do you mean 'That's it'?" asked Quinn with her brows knitted in confusion.

"Well, I thought that you, maybe, had a smackdown with Berry about Hudson. Or something worse and interesting." Santana explained casually.

"I just told you that I'm in love with Rachel-"

"-We already knew that. It's old news." Santana said, rolling her eyes and waving a hand.

"Yeah and I'm really, really glad that you told her Quinn." Brittany said with a big smile on her face.

"Wait, old news? How did you-" Quinn asked as she stood up from her seat and faced them.

Santana grins, "Well, I noticed something ages ago but I thought you were just planning on how to strangle her without anyone finding out. But when Brittany told me about your secret stash of Berry's MySpace concerts, it was just- clear as day. Plus you weren't very subtle Quinn. Like you don't know that that word exists."

"But you don't want her dead, you wanted to get her onto your bed." Brittany said nonchalantly.

"What? No! I- I uh- just" Quinn stuttered and blushed.

Santana and Brittany laughed. "Quinn relax. But I have to say Britt's right."

"Was I really that-" Quinn asked frowning.

"Obvious? Definitely." Santana answered, Brittany nodded.

A comfortable silence surrounded them, then Quinn's eyes started to tear up anew. Brittany's smile faded and Santana pulled Quinn to sit back down.

"S-she doesn't feel the same way. So it doesn't matter anymore." Quinn said sobbing quietly, wiping her tears.

Santana sighed, "Maybe she's just not ready or- or you caught her off guard. You've said your piece, so let her absorb it and then maybe she'll come to her senses."

Quinn sniffled and held each of her friends hand. "Yeah, maybe."

FADE OUT.

AN: After I finish this re-write of 'New York' ep. I'm thinking of writing how season 3 should start. But I'm still on the fence about it. Thoughts anyone? P.S So, after this scene, Kurt wakes Rachel up, everyone's in the same position just like in the show but in this case Quinn wasn't in the room.

Faberries jump to- 'Kurchel'