AN: Enjoy! :)
It was stupid and a bit naive to say Quinn hadn't been thinking about it, the glorious forty-five minutes she had had with Rachel a few days ago in the bedroom. Every time the thought would cross her mind her blood would begin to pump and her memory would suddenly become fogged with Rachel. Night and day she thought about it, how perfect it was, how Rachel wanted it, she hadn't forced the girl at all and would have stopped completely if asked, but she didn't.
Rachel had continued to be sick from then on. It had been two days since they had forced the deer meat down her throat. She had become terribly ill the first day, throwing up every chance she got, but they kept her hydrated and well fed still no matter how much she refused. She had looked worse than when she was starving a few days back, but at least Quinn had the comfort of knowing this was for the best, and she was confirmed when she saw Rachel finally get up from Kurt's bed.
"Feeling alright?" Finn asked as he sat by her bed, slowly dozing off until the girl got up. Quinn had been parallel to the bed, sitting in a small chair that she rolled in from the guest bedroom. Not once had her eyes gazed away from Rachel, she would get lost in her head a little, but her eyes would continue to stay on the girl.
"A little weak, but better." Rachel said with a smile, stretching her body slightly. "I just need to go to the bathroom."
When Quinn wasn't downstairs preparing food for everyone, (she somehow became the chef of them all) or taking watch outside, she was upstairs with Rachel, watching over the girl to be sure she was okay. Of course things were made difficult as she was never alone with her. Either Finn, Kurt or Sam was there with her giving Quinn zero Rachel time.
They hadn't talked about that night since it happened, a third of the reason being from lack of privacy, another third was Rachel's sickness being in the way and the rest from the both of them avoiding the situation all together. Quinn didn't regret it, why would she, Rachel was beautiful and perfect in every way to her, she just hoped Rachel felt the same.
"You're looking a little sick, Q." Quinn heard the familiar jock's voice in her head. Adjusting her eyes from the bed, she went to stare at him on the chair noticing how her eyes had adjusted to the blueness of the sheets and causing everything around her to turn funky colors.
"Huh?" She asked, the words not making their way to her brain.
"You look tired or something. Are you feeling alright?" Finn asked again.
"Yeah, just a lot on my mind, you know? Just...zombies and...s-stuff."
"Listen, I know we're always fighting and stuff, and I'm sorry, but I just wanted to like apologize for making you angry in any way or whatever. I know Rachel isn't your favorite person either so I'll try to keep her under control when she's bet-"
"You don't have to keep her under control." Quinn snarled, her eyes turning to slits. "You don't own her, she's a grown woman and can take care of herself. I've grown to like Rachel in case you haven't noticed."
"Woah, will you calm down? What's your problem? I try to apologize and you end up blowing up in my face. Not cool."
"Whatever, Finn. I'm here to make sure she's alright."
Suddenly the toilet flushed, warning both of them that the girl would be on her way out. They were both sitting, their arms crossed over their chest identically. It took everything in Quinn not to punch the boy right then and there, if he so much as tried to control Rachel in any way, there would be major hell to pay.
"Well, I feel so much better!" Rachel said, coming from the bathroom with a large smile. "Perhaps I can start eating like normal and helping out now, I've felt quite useless the passed few days to be very honest."
"Only if you're feeling better." Finn said, getting up with a smile and kissing her forehead. Biting her cheek, Quinn got up from her seat quickly and turned on her heel, her body filled with rage.
"I'll tell everyone you're feeling better." Quinn mumbled, walking out of the room and stomping down the stairs. Her body was shaking and her heartbeat furiously against her chest with each quaking memory.
Little had she noticed the small push Rachel had given Finn when he went in for more, but it was too late. Quinn had already made her way downstairs. "Really, Finn." Rachel said, annoyed. "Can you not do that in front of everyone?" And with that she was back in the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
"Rachel's feeling better. I'm going to keep watch." Quinn said to everyone who was in the living room. Taking a gun by the couch, Quinn made her way outside, Santana following soon after. "Sam, Tina, go rest." Quinn said to the two of them who were currently sitting on the grass in the front, hidden by a large bush. "I'll take the next few hours."
"Me too." Santana said from behind her.
"I'm fine, Santana, I need the time alone."
"Quinn, shut up and sit down. You two, go inside and rest up. We go this now."
Both Sam and Tina smiled tiredly, not saying a word, before they got up from their spots and made their way inside, shutting the door quietly. Quinn could only sigh as she went to sit where Sam had been previously, his indent in the dead grass below.
"I said I wanted to be alone." Quinn mumbled out.
"And let another Mercedes incident happen? Yeah, I think not." Santana knew it was still a touchy subject and by the way Quinn winced she could tell the girl hadn't fully accepted the death of their friend. "Q, what's wrong?" Santana asked after a few moments of silence. "You're acting more angsty than usual and that's saying a lot."
"What are you talking about?" Quinn asked, shoving her head between her propped up legs. "I'm exhausted just like the rest of you."
"You sure as hell do not look exhausted. Puck looks exhausted, Blaine looks exhausted, you look depressed. I'm sure your eyes turned a shade darker since yesterday." Santana noted, slipping back on her forearm and looking out into the distance to ensure their security. They were still good.
"What the hell do you want me to say? I am depressed. Everyone is depressed, our families are dead, all our loved ones are gone or outside the borders of this fucking state. We are trapped here while everyone on the outside is continuing their lives."
"So what you're telling me is we're not family? That's a pretty comforting thought, Quinn." Santana snapped, her eyes dangerous.
"That's not what I meant, you're twisting my words around."
"Maybe I wouldn't have to if you told me what the hell is going on with you, and you cant say it's this family bullshit because you've been fine up until we got here."
Quinn looked up at the girl, her jaw clenched tightly and her hands into fists. "You want to know what's wrong? That's whats wrong." Quinn said, pointing at the window leading to Kurt's bedroom.
"What, the decoration of this place? Quinn, that's really fucking stupid if you ask me." Santana replied, looking up at the wooden frame. "Although I do suppose it would have looked nicer in red." She added, staring intently still.
"No. Her." Quinn said once Rachel had come into view as she fixed the drapes on the window, closing them slightly.
"Look, she's set us back a lot, we all know this, but you can't blame her for -"
"You're not listening to me!" Quinn bursted, running her hands through her hair.
"Then fucking tell me!" Santana shot back.
"I love her!" Quinn huffed out. "I. Love. Her." She said yet again, her breathing increasing.
"Well, yes." Santana replied, looking at her nails as if this were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Wait, what?" Quinn replied, her face fuming with rage.
"I'm your best friend. Do you honestly think you could have hid that from me? I've known since like Sophomore year." Santana chuckled slightly, leaning up. "I just wanted you to tell me before I went off and assumed things. I've learned my lesson in that department. Plus, Britts and I heard you two fucking in the shower over when we got here."
Quinn was sure her heart stopped as her throat suddenly became dry and her hands clammy. "You w-what?" Quinn stuttered, gulping lightly.
"Oh, please. Rachel has a voice, there is no way in hell you can cover that up. Luckily it was very faint. I doubt anyone downstairs heard."
"We weren't fucking." Quinn corrected, picking at some grass below her.
"Quinn, we heard you two. You can't deny it."
"Santana, we didn't fuck. We...it was different."
"You made love to her."
"I wouldn't count it as love making, she loves Finn."
"Doesn't seem like it anymore from the sounds she was making." Santana snickered, looking back behind the bush again. Still clear. "Oh, Quinn. Yes, more. Quinn, Quinn, Quinn!" Santana mimicked in a very annoying Rachel voice which only got her a punch to the arm from a very flustered Quinn.
"Shut up. We promised we wouldn't tell anyone."
"Well, best friends don't necessarily count. I'm almost positive she's told Lady Lips already."
"I just need to talk to her...soon." Quinn finally said. Suddenly the front door opened and both girls turned to see Puck gesture to the both of them. Quietly, they got up and made their way inside the house. Quinn hadn't noticed how long they had been talking until she saw the sun begin to set.
"What's up?" Santana asked, putting her gun on the side while Quinn shut the door softly and locked it.
"Kurt found this in his basement." Puck said, showing the two girls as well as everyone else a very tattered radio. "We're gonna put some batteries in and see how she works." He said, gently petting the thing. "I've also decided that we'll be staying here for a few more days, maybe even a week. It's not exactly safe but it is safer than walking around outside and sleeping in tents, besides, we need to be sure we're going in the right direction." He began fidgeting with the radio as all eyes were on him. "We have enough water to last us until it decides to shut off and even then Kurt says theres a well a few feet into the woods. We can find some stuff to camouflage and barricade us tomorrow. Hopefully if we find someone, we can give them our coordinates and travel in a bigger, more safe group. More of a chance to get out, right?"
No one had objected to his plan, they were all content to living there for a while. Of course ten teenagers living in a house together for some time would get a little hectic, but it was the best they had for the moment. The sleeping arrangements were simple enough, everyone found a spot in the basement, Luckily the floors were carpet and Burt had put two couches and a chair down there. They all slept together. Everything had to be organized in order to live, that was their best plan for the moment. Organization.
They all huddled around the broken radio, some of them biting their nails and others watching closely as Puck began fidgeting with the antenna. A few words would come in from the static but then would be soon lost. They continued to do this in silence fore the next thirty minutes.
Quinn was currently sitting on the floor, her jaw locked as Rachel sat parallel to her, Finn locking their hands together as Rachel tried gently to push him off. Rolling her eyes, Quinn turned back to the radio where Puck's ear stayed glued against the speaker. Suddenly a huge smile formed over his face.
"I hear something." He said, taking his ear off and turning the volume up.
"Survivors...here...food...wat...er..." Every other word was cut off as the woman's voice continued to speak. "Cambridge air...port." After the last words, the station had given out completely, leaving nothing but static behind.
"No, no, no!" Puck said, adjusting the knobs until one popped off. "Well, we know where we have to go, I guess. But we have to make sure we're all up for it. Cambridge is about twenty-five miles from here."
"That's about an 8 hour walk." Tina replied.
"We'll have to be up for it if we want to make it there before the sun goes down without camping out." Sam said, running his fingers though his hair.
"I'll give us a week, like I said before." Puck said, obviously still angry at the radio. The living room was quiet yet again, all of them lost in their own heads until Rachel broke it, pushing Finn's hand away.
"Will you stop it?" She bursted out, throwing Finn's hand off her knee. "I told you to quit it twice." With that she got up and left, leaving Finn to sit there, his cheeks turning red. Quinn shot Finn an angry look before quickly getting up and following Rachel up the stairs, her hands clenched tightly in fists.
"Rachel." Quinn called after the girl, climbing the steps two at a time. "Rachel, can you wait for me?" She asked, following her to Kurt's bedroom. "Rachel." Quinn said again once she had stopped at the frame of the door. "You're very fast for a small girl." She said with a smile, slowly walking into the room. Rachel was facing the window, her arms hugging her chest.
"He isn't listening to me." Rachel replied as Quinn approached slowly. "I don't know what his problem is but he feels the need to constantly touch me and I just want him to stop. I want him to leave me alone." Turning, she noticed Quinn, her jaw clenched.
"I know. I kept glancing over and seeing the two of you.." She put a comforting arm around the smaller girl, bringing her in for a small hug.
"I just want him to leave me alone for a while." Rachel replied, leaning her head against the girl's shoulder. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears.
"Hey, don't cry. This thing has changed us all. We're all different people now and I think it's okay that you're not having feelings towards him anymore. Rachel..." Quinn sighed, "you have to tell him." Quinn spoke slowly, more concerned for the girl's wellness than her own. "You can't be trapped in this, it isn't right."
"Are you just saying that to make more room for us?" Rachel asked with a smile, looking up at Quinn with watery eyes.
"No, no. I just...I want you to be happy and, well, you don't ever look happy with him. Yeah, he angers me, but if he makes you happy then whatever, Rach. Be with him. If not then please...do it for yourself." Quinn spoke, looking directly into chocolate brown eyes.
"Quinn." Rachel said in a small voice, looking out the window again.
"Yeah?" She replied, rubbing her hand soothingly against the girl's arm.
"You make me really happy." She spoke softly, looking up at the girl's bright hazel eyes. She saw the small glint in her eye, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she gulped and held her closer. This had to have been the most kiddie thing they had said to each other, but it meant so much more. Quinn knew it meant so much more.
"You make me really happy too, Rachel." She replied in a deep breath. "I've been wanting to talk to you, actually." Before she could finish her thought, a voice interrupted
them from the door.
"We're about to eat dinner." Kurt said, slowly. "Would you two care to join?" He asked, his arms crossing his chest. Quinn and Rachel quickly broke apart, Quinn wiping her clammy hands on her jeans. She nodded before turning to Rachel, a small smile on her face.
"You'll be okay." She whispered before making her way out of the room and passed Kurt. Rachel wiped at a tear before going towards Kurt.
"What was that all about?" Kurt asked, eyeing the girl.
"Believe it or not we've actually gotten close. She was just helping me."
"With what exactly?" Kurt asked, his eyebrow cocked now.
"Kurt, it's not li-"
"It's none of my business, I know." Kurt said, with his hands in the air defensively, "I only wanted to confirm what I saw."
"Please just stop." Rachel said, her hand on her forehead.
"Whatever the case may be, Finn is throwing a tantrum and giving everyone a hard time."
"Well, why are you telling me this?" Rachel snapped. "He isn't my responsibility." She made her way passed him and down the stairs where everyone had served themselves the once again deer meat and were patiently waiting while Finn sat in the corner, picking at his own food.
Rachel saw Quinn next to Tina, both of them talking about something before she walked in the room. Quinn looked towards her and smiled, Rachel smiling back before turning to Tina again. Rachel quickly went to grab a plate.
They all stared at her expectingly as she looked at the meat in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she put a piece in her mouth and swallowed evenly. They all waited a few seconds until they saw her smile and stick another piece in her mouth. Quickly everyone dug in.