A/N 1: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews, I can't tell you how much they mean :-) Special thanks once again faberrydragon for always reviewing.

Quinn's POV

I still can't believe I almost kissed her. It was just that after the emotional drama of last night and the sweet way that she made me feel better, not to mention the dreams I had and then waking up with her so close. It had all just accumulated and weakened my resolve entirely. As a result our morning so far has been a little tense and weird.

I breathe a small sigh of relief as I hear Rachel let out a giggle. It seems that after several shops and much being a fool on my part has served to relieve the tension between us.

"You're terrible Quinn." Rachel laughed as she nudged me playfully.

"What?" I asked, feigning innocence.

"Come on!" She exclaimed through her laughter. "There is no way that you like that outfit. My taste is terrible and even I know it is bad!" She scoffs as she rolls her eyes at me.

"I'm offended." I hold a hand to my chest dramatically. "Are you insulting my taste?"

"Really?" She smirked. "Well if you really like it, you should try it on." She raised her eyebrows at me and held my gaze challengingly. I stared her down for as long as I could until I finally cracked and burst out into laughter.

"Fine, fine. You win." I concede through giggles as I return the hideous item of clothing to the rack.

"Ha! I knew you didn't like it." She boasts gleefully. "You are such a tease." She admonishes as she pokes my side playfully. I laugh joyfully at our goofing around, glad we have found our way back to some normalcy so easily.

"Oh my God Hell has just frozen over!" A voice exclaimed from behind us. Rachel and I both turned to see Kurt and Blaine behind us. "Quinn Fabray and Rachel Berry in the same vicinity without bloodshed, it must be a miracle." Kurt exclaimed with a small laugh. I frown, a small pout forming as I find myself reigning in the urge to punch him. Even at my worst there wouldn't have been any bloodshed.

"Kurt!" Rachel exclaimed excitedly. "You're back! How was your week away? Tell me everything!"

"It was amazing!" Kurt exclaimed with equal enthusiasm and I felt myself feeling tired from their mutual energy levels. "We have to go to lunch and catch up, are you two free?" He asks as he begins to tug Rachel out of the shop without waiting for a response. Blaine and I share a glance before dutifully following behind.

"First things first, when did this happen and how?" Kurt asked as we took our seats at a table in the food court.

"Umm," Rachel started as she glanced at me uncertainly as if asking me something. I gave her a small nod to go ahead. "We ended up hanging out at Puck's party and have kind of hung out a few times since then."

"So you are BFF's now?" Kurt asked looking partly shocked and partly in awe.

Rachel glanced nervously at me again and that was when it hit me. She wasn't sure if I was okay with people knowing that we were friends. I fought the desire to roll my eyes because really, if I were willing for Santana to know then surely nobody else would matter? Still I couldn't help but feel a slight pang of guilt that Rachel still felt so unsure of my friendship.

"Yes we are." I said firmly as I looked pointedly at Rachel, hoping to get my message across. She flushed slightly but smiled brightly. As she beamed a brilliant smile at me I felt myself warm to my core and couldn't help but smile softly in return. "Do you have a problem with that?" I asked snarkily as I return my attention back to Kurt, raising an eyebrow for maximum effect.

"Not at all, I think it is amazing!" Kurt exclaimed brightly, not even squirming under my gaze.

I must be going soft.

As Kurt and Rachel enthusiastically talk about their holidays so far I end up tuning out of their conversation after trying and failing for the first few minutes to pay attention. Instead of joining their conversation I content myself with simply watching Rachel. She is smiling happily, her eyes bright as she gestures excitedly. I really love watching Rachel when she is talking with such passion and enthusiasm. Actually I just like watching Rachel in general. She is so warm and open. She is so at ease with herself, even the sides that other people label as annoying. She is just so effortlessly herself all the time, something I wish I could be more like myself. I am starting to learn to be more myself, especially with all the time I have been spending with Rachel lately but I know that I still have a long way to go.

"Quinn?" Rachel asks expectantly. I blinked in surprise and I feel myself flush slightly as I wonder if they had all noticed that I was staring. I glance from Kurt who looks confused, Rachel who looks expectant and to Blaine who is wearing a small, knowing smile. I quickly move my gaze from his as I flush further.

"Huh?" I ask dumbly.

"You weren't listening to a word of that were you?" Rachel asks as she gazes at me affectionately and chuckles softly.

"Umm..."

"Kurt was just saying that Puck is having another party tonight and I asked you if you wanted to go?"

"Umm, sure... if you want to." I agree with a noncommittal shrug.

"So you're going to come?" Kurt asked Rachel hopefully.

"You'll look after me?" Rachel asked me softly.

"Of course." I give her a small smile as she gazes at me earnestly.

"Then we will go!" Rachel exclaimed happily before her smile faltered slightly. "Umm, will he be there?" She asked in an anxious tone.

"Oh sweetie," Kurt consoled gently. "Are you still avoiding him?"

I tried to hide my sudden interest in their conversation as my head perked up of its own accord.

"Just trying to avoid any awkwardness." Rachel admitted sheepishly.

"I thought that maybe whilst we had been away that the break would have done you guys good?"

"It's not really like that." Rachel tried to explain.

"Well you can't avoid it forever Rachel." Kurt reminded her in a haughty, superior tone that made me want to bitch slap him on Rachel's behalf.

"I know." Rachel slumped in her seat, properly reprimanded. It did nothing to quell my desire to smack Kurt upside the head.

"He said that he will be there tonight but you will have all of us there as a buffer."

Especially me. I thought with a smirk.

"At least until you two figure things out like usual." Kurt smirked and I felt my face fall as I shot a glare at the overly coiffed boy.

Finn Hudson was the one topic we both seemed to have a silent mutual agreement to avoid. As he had been at the centre of all our friction in the past it seemed like a wise move to not bring up the subject. Still I had wondered. Especially with the text message that she had received at the park that day that made her smile so brightly. And I had seen her respond similarly to a few texts since then. I had just assumed that the messages were from him but now I wasn't so sure. I had no clue where the two of them currently stood but perhaps now I would finally get my answers. I perked up and listened attentively only to almost huff out loud with annoyance as I found that the subject had now moved onto the party tonight.

Damn it!

Rachel's POV

"Quinn?" I called out as I peeked out of the changing room door. "Quinn?"

Quinn poked her head out from the cubicle beside mine looking at me with raised eyebrows.

"Could you help me?" I pleaded as I did a little nod to gesture for her to come over. Quinn paused as she gave me an uncertain look before nodding. She grabbed her things and joined me in my cubicle. She busied herself with hanging up her clothes to try on and then finally turned to face me with an apprehensive smile.

"Could you err, do up my dress?" I ask awkwardly as I turn around to indicate the zip behind me. She gave me a silent nod before taking a tentative step towards me.

Quinn's POV

As my hands brushed against the bare skin of Rachel's back I let out a soft shuddering breath. My mind suddenly drifts back to this morning, to how close she had been. I can almost feel the ghost of the almost kiss on my lips and I feel my hands shake slightly. Steadying my hands I quickly pull the zip up and take a hurried step back.

"There you go." I try and fail to keep my voice steady as Rachel turns back to face me.

"Well?" She asks hopefully as she poses expectantly.

I let my eyes slowly travel over her figure, luxuriating in the excuse to really let my gaze linger. She looked good... really good. I felt a flutter in my stomach that I tried desperately to ignore but of course failed miserably.

"You look amazing." I whisper, suddenly hyperaware of how tiny this cubicle is and how close she is. As our gazes connect I hear her breath hitch as I take a step forwards to close what little space there was between us. My hands fall to her hips as I pull her body flush against mine. The warmth of her body is causing my brain to short-circuit, her proximity is intoxicating. It feels as though my entire body is buzzing with electricity as I lean in slowly, holding Rachel's gaze intently. Seeing no resistance I reach a hand out and curl it around the back of her neck, my fingers gently grazing her soft skin as I pull her face ever closer to mine.

"Rachel! What is taking so long?" Kurt yelled from outside the door. We both jumped and I pulled back and backed myself up against the opposite wall as I took deep, calming breaths. I sank back into the wall behind me as I let my head drop back in agitation.

"Damn it." I muttered to myself.

What is it with short little gay men interrupting me today?

My mind is in a whirlwind of confusion right now. I am not really sure what is going on with us or really what I want. All I do know is that I want to kiss Rachel, so much that it is already driving me to the brink of insanity. And I have been so close to those lips today, so painfully close. Twice! I am feeling beyond frustrated at being interrupted once again. I am half tempted to just close the distance between us again and connect our lips ardently but I know realistically that the moment has passed. Venting my pent up frustration I pull the door open harshly and glare at the current thorn in my side. Sadly he doesn't seem to notice my annoyance as he looks beyond me to Rachel.

"Oh my God you look fabulous!" Kurt enthused as he pulled Rachel out of the cubicle and walked around her, eyeing the dress with approval. "That is definitely what you are wearing tonight." He clapped his hands with excitement.

"Don't I get a say in it?" Rachel pouted.

"No." Kurt and I both said together and laughed.

Call me a masochist but I wanted, hell no- I needed Rachel to buy that dress because just wow.

A/N 2: Sorry this part is a tiny bit shorter than usual. It was just the best place to cut between this and the next part. The next part will be a little longer though :-) Please let me know what you thought.

A/N 3: I can hear my wife listening to Pretty/Unpretty upstairs... *dreamy sigh* Which reminds me, how cute is this?: .com/watch?v=-U_jxjHVObs

Even our cats are Faberry fans :-)