So, picking up where we left off...I hope you guys are liking this, really, but honestly as long as Riverkirby's still digging it I'mma keep penning it. : )

I own errors...Katie and Rinoa...not Glee tho...

Enjoy!

"Pregnant, pregnant, pregnant, pregnant, pregnant!" Rachel tossed the pregnancy tests one by one at Artie who had stationed himself outside the bathroom door.

"You're making it seem like a bad thing, Rach." The man grinned.

"No, it's a good thing, a very very good thing. It's what I wanted..."

"...but?" He watched her as she washed her hands and exited the bathroom.

"But, Quinn..."

"Let me guess, " He followed closely behind the diva, "You're finally ready to admit you still love her, but now you've got the baby on the way and you guys'...whatever is already tenuous enough as is...you don't trust her completely and your afraid that if you two start something again she's gonna run again."

"Am I that transparent?" She shrugged opening the refrigerator and pulling out hummus, peanuts, pickles, and kale.

He scrunched his face as he watched the girl spread the hummus on a leaf of kale, pour on a handful of peanuts and wrap that around a pickle. "No...I'm just inside your head at all time, except now, cuz I can't believe you're going to eat that."

She shrugged and took a bite grinning like it was the greatest thing she'd ever eaten.

"Just because you're pregnant, doesn't mean you have to eat disgusting combos." The brown-haired guy smiled.

Rachel shrugged thinking what she'd just eaten had been delicious. She looked into his blue eyes and frowned slightly. "What am I going to do about Quinn?"

"What do you want to do, Rachel? Maybe you just need closure or maybe the reason why none of your other relationships worked is because they really weren't the right one." He shrugged.

"I always knew you were a hopeless romantic." She giggled trying to lighten the mood and not think about the implications of the man's words.

"Don't tell Puck, he'd never let me live it down."

"Like he's not the same way," She laughed at their friend's posturing, "he's the one who married his high school sweetheart straight out of high school."

"True that." He nodded grabbing a juicebox from the fridge. "So, when are we going to the doctor? And don't tell me I don't have to go, I know I'm not Daddy Artie, but I'm still your roommate and friend and I've got your back, girl."

Rachel smiled at the man who had proven himself to be a stalwart friend and confidant. "I-we see Doctor Farley in the morning. You know one of these days you're going to find someone who really deserves you, Artie." She kissed his cheek walking pass the man and into her bedroom.

He watched the door close tightly and slid out his cell phone. He dialed the number quickly eyes not moving from the closed door. When the woman finally picked up she grumbled for a few minutes before finally greeting him with a few harsh words about waking him up.

"Look this is Artie, you don't like me and I'm not the fondest of you either."

"I like you!" He heard Brittany in the background and couldn't help smiling.

"Hey, I don't not like you, Ironsides, high school was high school and sure you tried to steal my girl, but truth be told I was kind of an idiot back then and deserved it, but if you tell anyone I admitted that I'm denying til I die."

"Understood. I called about…"

"Q and Rachie!" Brittany exclaimed.

"Right again, see I think they're still right for each other…"

"Duh, Ironsides, but your little slugger doesn't seem quite ready to pursue that kind of relationship."

"Maybe, maybe not…just don't let Quinn give up, okay…not again." He whispered glancing furtively at the door making sure that it didn't open.

"We make sure she don't quit then you make sure, Rock 'Em-Sock 'Em doesn't keep sending her home with black eyes, cuz as much as anyone likes a little roughness in a relationship she's not as tough as she pretends, ok?" Santana almost mumbled and he was sure the Latina was slightly ashamed to admit that she actually cared.

"Ok, then Operation…"

"There is no operation anything, that's lame, we just have an understanding." Santana grumbled interrupting him and then hanging up without so much as a goodbye.

"Nice talking to you as well, Santana..." He shook his head tossing his phone on the side table and turning on the television.

Quinn rehearsed what she intended to say to Rachel again in her head before finally knocking on the wood door. Brittany had given her Artie and Rachel's apartment number and after reassuring her for the thousandth time that they were not together she urged her to go check on Rachel. After the other morning neither Rachel nor Artie contacted her to tell her everything was okay, and she couldn't blame them she didn't have a right to the information, didn't stop her from wanted to know though.

"Quinn?" Rachel opened the door wearing cowprint pajama bottoms and a black t-shirt that read: No One Likes A Vegetarian.

"Hey Rach, I-uh…I just wanted to make sure you were alright, had me worried." She smiled uneasily.

"Yea-I mean yes, Quinn, nothing to worry about just a mild stomach virus…Come in, as long as you're not worried about me being contagious…." The Jewish woman brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear and opened the door wider so she could step into the apartment.

"No worries here." Quinn's smile widened and she followed the other woman into the apartment.

"Oh, yeah…I brought you these…" She awkwardly handed her ex-girlfriend the flowers she'd picked up on the way.

Um…thanks, Quinn…they're lovely…" Rachel walked into the kitchen and she found herself wondering around the living room eyes glancing from picture to picture. There were a lot of her and Artie together laughing and smiling in different locals. They must be close. There were pictures of the other Gleeks, pictures of Mercedes and Kurt flanking Rachel with the Divas, Inc. building in the back ground, and one 8' x 12' of Puck, Zizes and their kids. She stopped wandering as her eyes fell across the door that undoubtedly led to Rachel's room. They might have grown up, but the other woman's affinity for stars hadn't been lost. The door was slightly ajar and tacked to the center was a huge brass star. She smiled slightly and pressed lightly on the door curiosity burning inside of her.

"Quinn?" Rachel snapped her from her thoughts and she turned to face the other woman.

"Sorry, I was just looking at your photos. How long have you and Artie been roommates?" She queried sitting down on the couch.

"Since sophomore year. I didn't realize in high school how much we have in common, but he's been great and he handles my high strung moments very well." She beamed.

"What about Divas? How did that all start? I thought the end game was always Broadway."

Rachel smiled again looking down at the fingers in her lap. "I did a few shows. A bunch off Broadway, a lot to pretty good reviews, but then Mercedes found this R&B singer, Tonio and she couldn't find anyone who would give him a shot so she had an idea for the label and she wanted Kurt and me to go in with her. I love music Quinn, I love introducing people to honest to god good music more than the stage, I didn't know that in high school, but I do now. So, we released Tonio's first album, Lines…"

"Wait! You guys discovered that guy? I love that song, Landmines." The blonde gushed excitedly.

"I wrote that." Rachel grinned.

"Wow, Rachel…I'm—I'm so proud of you."

The brunette shrugged bashfully. "Well, he got picked up by Universal and the rest is history. It's very fulfilling to start people's careers, Quinn."

"Like Rinoa.." Quinn muttered darkly.

Rachel arched an eyebrow. " Yes, Rinoa's one of our most recent artists, we're working on her album right now. You should hear some of her work, you'd probably like it. You're voices are very similar."

Quinn nodded deciding that it was best not to utter any of the comments floating around her head in reference to the singer.

"What about you Quinn…tell me about this Quinn…?" Rachel murmured and Quinn watched her play with the fingers in her lap.

"Me? Well…I worked for a summer in Italy, graduated with honors. I worked at an upscale bakery in Chicago for a few years, nothing grand. Did night work as a sous chef at a restaurant off the loop. It was fast paced and crazy and I loved it. All the while I was perfecting my cooking, making things on my own time with flavors that I liked, so when I got a stack of foods that I knew were unique and would Wow people Santana called me and talked me into moving to new York, she said that people here loved their cafés. That I could find a niche here. I really just started, but the response has been pretty good so far."

"Yes, I've heard. I read a review by Warren Quizare, he's one of the toughest food critics and he gave you one of the highest ratings. You're doing very well, Quinn…I'm glad." Rachel's head bowed again and the pair devolved into silence, both thinking over all the years between them and all the things they'd missed in the other's life.

Quinn didn't know what to say. She couldn't keep apologizing; words did no good in this situation. She'd mess up, Rachel was right about that. She hadn't given them the chance to work things out as a couple. She should have been more sure about Rachel then, more sure that they could have made it, and maybe they wouldn't have, but at least she could have tried.

She knew she couldn't keep dwelling on it, either Rachel was going to allow her a second chance or she wasn't. She hoped that Rachel was as forgiving as she'd always been and she wasn't expecting a miracle, she didn't think that Rachel and her would just fall, back together, she just wanted a chance.

"Rach—" "Quinn—" They both spoke at the same time then Rachel motioned for her to go ahead and speak.

"I—I don't know…maybe…this…" The blonde took a deep breath and began again. "I thought about what I would say to you if I ever got a chance and now I'm messing it all up. I messed up, Rachel and I'm adult enough to admit it, and maybe a lot of people would say I don't deserve a second chance, but you were never like a lot of people. You were always unique and you were always forgiving and big on giving people a second chance and I just hope that you feel like I could be a person who deserves one from you…" Quinn nervously weaved her fingers through her hair.

"Quinn…" Rachel sighed avoiding her eyes.

"Please Rachel, I'm not asking for your hand in marriage although I'm sure if you give me another chance…well, I won't go there, but please just give me this just a couple of dates, I promise we can go as slow as you like, please." She pleaded.

Rachel sighed and Quinn was sure that she was going to deny her again. She looked up at her brown eyes shining with unshed tears. She didn't know what she would do if she said no, if she denied her a second chance.

"Okay, Quinn…"

"Really?" Quinn grinned moving across the couch so that she sat nearer to the brunette.

"Yes, really, but we're going slow." She wrapped her pale fingers in Rachel's tan ones.

"Okay, slow."

Well?

Ink