A/N 1: Thanks as always for any reviews, favourites and alerts. As usual thank you to those who left reviews that I could not PM: Gleeluver, Kony2012 and especially faberrydragon.

Quinn's POV

I shouldn't be here. This is a mistake.

I take a deep breath as I try to calm myself down but my emotions are literally hanging by a thread right now and I'm not sure that I am willing to be this vulnerable with Rachel yet. New me or not. Still, what other option do I have? I can spend the night in my car, I can go home and face that drama or I can go inside and face one hundred questions from Rachel.

I spot the curtains twitching inside the house and know I have been spotted. Taking a steadying breath I steel myself as I make my way to the front door.

My hand has barely touched the door to form a knock when it flies open to reveal the very concerned expression of one Rachel Berry. She pulls me inside and has her arms wrapped around me before I can even utter a hello.

"Err, hey Rach." I greet awkwardly as she gives me a tight squeeze. She pulls back with a slight blush.

"Hi." She offers me a small smile and I feel myself automatically smile back.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asks softly as she reaches a hand up to gently tuck an errant strand of hair behind my ear. I nod silently, swallowing the lump forming in my throat as her hand cups my face soothingly. Her eyes are searching mine and I have to fight the urge to look away from the intensity of her gaze. The tender, caring expression on her face is almost more than I can take in this moment. I can feel myself beginning to break but I really don't want to talk about this right now.

"You don't have to talk about it." Rachel assures me as though she has read my mind. "We can just watch a movie and drink hot chocolate. But if you ever do want to talk, about anything, I'll be here okay? Whenever you are ready."

I pull Rachel back into my arms and hold her tightly as I try to wordlessly express what it means to me. If I try to form words right now I know I will lose the fight against the tears that are threatening to flow so instead I just hold onto Rachel as though she were my lifeline. In some ways I think perhaps she is.

After we have silently just held each other for a few moments I finally ease my grip and allow Rachel to lead me into the kitchen where her Dads are quietly talking.

"Dad this is Quinn." Rachel introduces me to the Dad I have not yet met.

"Hiram." He introduces as he holds out a welcoming hand.

"Nice to meet you sir." I smile sweetly as I shake the offered hand.

"So polite." He says in a dreamy tone as he grins at his husband.

"I know." Leroy beams back with a slight swoon.

I look down at my feet as I feel my face begin to flush at their playful teasing.

"Dad, Daddy stop it! You are embarrassing Quinn." Rachel admonishes her fathers as they chuckle like a pair of kids.

"It's fine Rach." I whisper awkwardly.

"We apologise Quinn, we are just not used to such impeccable manners. I mean you should have seen that Flynn guy when we met him. Oh dear! Do you know him?"

"Honey I think you mean Flint." Hiram corrected.

"Finn!" Rachel stamps her foot. "His name is Finn."

"Oh that's right, Jim." Leroy smirks and I feel myself fighting back the urge to laugh.

Rachel looks between her fathers and me as we all try to contain our laughter, only to fail miserably when Rachel gives us all a positively scandalised look.

"Dad stop encouraging Daddy." She huffs, "As for you!" She turns to me and I take a step back as my eyes widen as Rachel jabs a finger at me. "You are supposed to be on my side." Rachel pouts cutely as I rub my chest where she has just jabbed me.

"We're sorry honey," Leroy smiles, still failing to hide his mirth. "Peace offering?" He asks as he slides a mug of delicious looking hot chocolate over at her. Rachel continues to look put out but I see a small smile on her lips as she raises the mug to her face.

"Quinn would you like vegan or real hot chocolate?" Leroy offers.

I glance over at Rachel as she rolls her eyes at her Daddy.

"Daddy insists on using dairy." Rachel informs me with obvious distaste.

"I think I will have a real hot chocolate please Leroy." I say with a sweet smile as he offers me a conspiratorial smile in return. I know that I have an ally in this house and can't help but feel warmed by the thought that Rachel's Dads seem to like me. However I can feel Rachel staring at me incredulously so whilst her Dads busy themselves in the kitchen I turn to her and place a gentle hand on her back.

"I'll let you convert me another day Rach," I promise in a hushed tone so that only she can hear me. "Today just kind of requires the real stuff, you know?"

Rachel's expression softens and she takes my hand in hers.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get all diva on you." She murmurs gently to me and I chuckle softly.

"Never apologise for that Munchkin." I grin at her affectionately as I give her hand a gentle squeeze.

Rachel's POV

"You would make a good Belle." I tell Quinn from my position snuggled into her side on my bed as the movie comes to an end.

"Pfft." Quinn scoffs.

"You would!" I argue adamantly. "You're beautiful, well read, you have a pretty voice."

"No way Munchkin." Quinn argues easily. "You on the other hand."

She grins down at me as I raise my eyebrows at her doubtfully.

"You are beautiful," She starts to count off on her fingers, "You're intelligent, you have the voice of an angel. You are so obviously bigger and better than the town you were born in. Not to mention that you have a crazy forgiving nature. You are Belle short stuff."

"Hmm." I murmur, unable to come up with any sort of retort whilst my heart is busy fluttering like this. I don't think I have ever quite been complimented like this and Quinn says it so easily, as though everything she were saying is the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well then who are you?" I ask as I quickly try to distract her from my losing our argument and distract myself from my stuttering heart. "How about Lumière?"

Quinn gives me a curious quirk of her eyebrow and I grin back.

"What? He is charming and crazy handsome." I laugh as Quinn shakes her head in amusement.

"How about Gaston?" She counters. "Handsome but an arrogant ass?"

"Eww, no way!" I protest as I hit her arm playfully.

"How about Cogsworth?" She suggests with a giggle. "Pompous fuddy duddy."

"Fuddy duddy." I snort as I laugh raucously. "And no, just no!"

"How about the Beast?" Quinn asks more seriously as her giggles quieten down. "Angry, unloved. Hoping to find a way to fight his own nature so that he might someday redeem his past."

"Quinn." I whisper softly at her sad tone. I lift my head from her shoulder and her gaze locks with mine with a sadness and intensity that almost makes me gasp out loud. I have never seen Quinn so vulnerable and open before. It is as breathtaking as it is surprising.

"Do you think people can redeem themselves Rachel?" She asks me in a quiet voice as she looks away. I gaze at her softly. She looks so small and childlike in this moment that I just want to wrap her up in my arms and protect her always. I lift her chin so that her gaze meets mine again and cup her face softly to hold her there.

"Of course Quinn. If a person truly wants it, there is always a chance for redemption."

"You're too forgiving." She tells me sadly as her voice tremors with barely concealed emotion.

"You don't forgive yourself enough." I counter stubbornly as I continue to keep our gazes locked so that she can see the truth of my words. Quinn searches my eyes uncertainly for a few moments before softly smiling.

She settles back down into me and I reach over to get the light. It feels nice to just lie in the dark holding each other like this. It seems so right, so easy with Quinn.

"You know I kind of love you Munchkin." She whispers softly into my hair.

"I kind of love you too Quinn." I smile as I place a soft kiss on her forehead and then settle back down onto her shoulder.

"You may just make my rose bloom." She mutters before sleep claims us both.

Rachel's POV

I wake up to a soft light filtering into my room feeling more warm and content than I can remember ever feeling before. I blink a few times as I slowly wake up and my gaze lands upon the source of my warmth and contentment. As my brain begins to function I suddenly become aware of the position Quinn and I are in and feel the warmth in the room suddenly increase exponentially. Our arms are wrapped around one another and our legs are intricately entwined.

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

I feel myself begin to panic slightly. If Quinn wakes up now whilst we are like this it will mortifying for us both. I carefully try to extract myself from her embrace but somehow make the situation worse. In trying to untangle my legs from hers my thigh somehow presses up against her and I freeze in horror as I desperately try to ignore the tempting heat that is radiating from her.

Please don't wake up now. Please, oh please, oh please. I silently beg to every deity I can think of, just to be on the safe side.

She didn't wake up. It was much worse than that. So much worse. She let out a soft moan.

"Mmm, Rach." She moaned softly.

I stared at her wide eyed for a few moments, not daring to move. I then let out a relieved breath as I realised she was still asleep. My relief was short-lived however as Quinn shifted in her sleep. I let out a squeak of surprise as she moved and her thigh nudged against me. I immediately felt warmth flood my lower abdomen at the contact and it took all of my strength to keep my hips still.

Oh. My... God. I'm in hell. That's what this is. I have died and gone to hell. But who knew that hell would feel so... heavenly? Oh God, I have got to move! Now!

I desperately try to wriggle myself free but the movement and resulting not unpleasant friction does nothing to cool down my rapidly heating body. As I try to carefully remove myself from our embrace Quinn lets out a mumble of protest and pulls me in closer. I let out a shuddering breath as her hand squeezes my hip before sneaking under my tank top and agile fingers begin to lightly graze my stomach. I try desperately to regain control of myself and the situation but then Quinn's fingers trail over a particularly sensitive spot on my hip and I am practically panting.

I have to stop this. This is wrong. It's like I am taking advantage... or something.

I reach down and force myself to move her hand away from my all too willing body. Quinn pouts at the loss of contact and immediately wraps an arm back around me.

God she is pouting in her sleep. Must she be so cute? Really not helping the situation! I grumble to myself as I gently shake her.

"Quinn." I say softly as I do my best to get a slither of space between our heated bodies but it proves almost impossible with the light grip she still has on me. "Quinn." I try again, "It's time to wake up."

I watch with an affectionate smile as her eyes flutter open and I let out a soft gasp when I see how dark her gaze is. I wonder if my own eyes are equally dark. Quinn gazes at me dazedly as though still partially in her dreamland. I watch as her eyes flicker from my eyes to my lips and I let out a small gulp as her gaze darkens further. I can feel her breath on my face coming in quick, soft puffs. I feel her hand drop to my hip as she pulls my body back into hers. As her eyes hold my gaze I feel myself becoming lost in those hazel orbs. Quinn leans her head forwards towards mine and now there is barely a breath between us. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as my body trembles in anticipation. Finally I feel her lips ghost over mine in the lightest of barely there touches.

A sudden knock at the door startles us apart.

"Girls are you awake?" My Dad calls through the door.

Quinn and I stare at each other with wide eyes for a few moments. She looks scared and confused, and slightly guilty. I am sure my own expression is more than a little confused too. Shaking myself from our little stare off I head over and open the door, forcing a cheerful smile onto my face.

"Morning Dad." I greet with false cheer.

"Oh good you are awake. Your Daddy and I were just going to have some breakfast before we go to work if you girls would care to join us?"

"Umm," I glance back at Quinn but she is staring resolutely at the wall ahead of her. "Actually I think we were going to grab something at the mall."

I have no idea if our plans to shop today still stand after what just happened, or almost happened. But I know for sure that neither of us can be around my Dads right now and be able to act naturally, especially if the tense expression on Quinn's face is anything to go by.

"Okay honey, well have fun." He smiles brightly at me, "See you again soon Quinn." He calls out over my shoulder and Quinn gives him a forced smile in response.

As my Dad walks away I turn and re-enter my room. Quinn glances up at me and our gazes hold for a few moments as we both try to read the other. Quinn looks away first and I shuffle my feet awkwardly as I feel a ball of tension form in my stomach.

What do we do now?

A/N 2: Spending the day listening to Sarah McLachlan isn't wise when you are randomly having an emotional day. Lesson learned :-p Reviews will cheer me up *cough* hint, hint *cough*