WARNING: This is the chapter where the M- rating is earned for more than casual swearing. Sexual scene now included. If you don't want to read...skip over the part between the lines just like my Mom skips multiple pages in her romance novels when it "gets too smutty". No offense intended, gentle readers.
New York/Pittsburgh
Nine Years Ago
Things began to change over the short summer hiatus. Quinn was filming a movie in Pittsburgh. It was her first big budget film and the entire SING! cast had been thrilled for her. She loved working with a different crew. It was a new experience. A different cast, a different crew, a different location. She had flown back to LA for a quick weekend to shoot promos for SING! and then dove head first into the film as soon as she returned to Pittsburgh.
Shawn, her main co-star and love interest in the film, was an up-and-coming actor from Australia. He was very sweet and charming. He had been a little smitten when they first met. He quickly realized he didn't have a shot with Quinn. Rather than telling him of her sexuality, he simply assumed she had a boyfriend across the country. She never bothered to correct him.
Still, they spent most of their time together. He was charming in a way that wasn't entirely self-aware. He had moments when he knew that if he smiled a certain way and brushed his hair back from his eyes just so- he knew what he was doing. Then in the most random moments when he tripped over a rock while filming or attempted a back flip to impress the former Cheerio- those were the few moments that endeared Quinn. He was entirely charming…when he least expected it.
Shawn was tall and athletic. He had shaggy blonde hair and tan skin that seemed to glow as if he'd always just come in from the beach. He was exactly the kind of guy High-School Quinn Fabray would have dreamed of dating. Now? He was exactly the kind of guy Lesbian Quinn Fabray wished would fully get the hint. It wasn't as if he was constantly flirting with her. In fact, most of his flirtation was natural and unforced. It was as if he simply couldn't turn it off. He would grin at the costume designer in such a way that made the elderly woman blush. Quinn knew that wasn't intentional. Even their director, who was a heterosexual man, had moments where he seemed charmed.
A small part of Quinn wished that she could fall for her costar. Life was simple in high school when she had dated Sam Evans. Shawn was far more confident and much brighter than Sam had ever been. Despite their rocky end, Sam had been the best boyfriend Quinn ever had. So many things about Shawn took her back to those days with Sam. Plus their off-beat humor was eerily familiar- one more quality that warmed Quinn to the guy.
She just wasn't warm enough. Their onscreen chemistry was phenomenal. Their off-screen friendship clicked almost immediately. Bantering with Shawn was like putting on a worn glove. It was comfortable and easy to slip into. It was also dull like a worn and frayed glove. It didn't quite serve its purpose- too many holes to completely warm her insides.
With Rachel, everything was familiar. Like the perfect glove- lined with fur. Though being compared to fur would surely piss off Rachel- that thought alone made Quinn smile. There were so many things that felt right with the brunette. She was comfortable. She fit perfectly. It was easy to slip into their relationship and simply relax. Warm content, protected from the cold, cruel world- so completely encompassing her entire being in a warmth that rivaled an inferno with even the briefest of glances or touches.
So while she enjoyed spending time with Shawn and was thankful to have such a gracious acting partner- there were so many holes in her heart that could only be filled by one person…the one person who was sequestered away in rehearsals in New York City for a cabaret night that was sure to be the talk of the town.
Quinn knew it would be hard to be separated from her roommate. She knew that Rachel had quickly become her best friend during season one. She recognized now that she had even fallen in love. She knew they wouldn't see each other every day when the blonde was filming across the country. She mentally prepared herself.
But it still hurt. She ached to hear that melodic voice. She loved the few seconds of each day when she could hear the small lift in pitch at the end of Rachel's answering machine message. She loved the breathy tones of excitement when they finally connected after a few days without a real conversation. She lived for those moments when the distance didn't seem quite so far.
As the weeks dragged on, the skype sessions waned. Instead of seeing each other every few days, they only called instead. Skype took too long to load and Rachel inevitably screwed up the connection somehow. She was the most technologically inept person Quinn had ever met. Texts were short replies fired off in quick breaks on set or between numbers during Rachel's rehearsals. There was a distance that was growing that had nothing to do with miles.
The movie was a great experience. The crew was fantastic. Quinn's costars were wonderful. The director was a dream who believed in letting Quinn try as many different takes as she wanted until they both agreed on what worked for the scene. All of the things going on around her were what she had secretly dreamed of...but somehow felt hollow without someone to share it with. To be more specific, she was miserable not having Rachel to share it with.
It had been raining nonstop for the past day. They had six scenes left to film. Four of those six scenes were outdoor shots. They filmed as much as they could but really need a good day to try to get as much shot as possible. Quinn and Shawn rehearsed, met with wardrobe, and tried to keep busy. Nobody wanted to loose an entire day of shooting on such a tight schedule. Quinn's worst fear was flying back and forth between SING! and the film for the next few months if they fell too far behind schedule. Flying back and forth during that first week for promos and the movie had been exhausting. Not to mention, Quinn wasn't totally in love with flying. She really didn't want to start season two while finishing a different project across the country.
"We're off," Shawn announced with a crooked grin and dancing eyebrows.
Quinn looked up from her book at the unexpected intrusion into her hotel room.
"You hear me?" Shawn asked, flopping down on the edge of the bed.
He kicked off his shoes and stretched across the entire bottom portion of the bed, smacking her foot with his elbow in the process.
"It's kind of hard not to hear you when you barge into someone's room and screech at them," Quinn rolled her eyes.
She sat up higher on the bed so they were no longer touching. She criss-crossed her legs to put a little more distance between them. After marking her page, she carefully placed her book on the stand next to the bed.
"Hey now, Grumpy Pants. No need for the attitude. I just wanted to inform you that we have the weekend off. The weather is shit and they're giving us a break. The next two and a half days belong to us. Go to your bookshop. Go to whatever fine dining you prefer. You're free," Shawn laughed happily.
"Wait, we're seriously free?" Quinn's eyebrows jumped up in disbelief.
"Totally, 100% free for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday."
Quinn picked up her phone and checked the dates again. Rachel's cabaret was opening. The last time they'd actually been able to talk on the phone, they had both been so upset that Quinn was forced to miss it. Her schedule was just too tight and with SING! just around the corner, she didn't want to push it. She was devastated. Rachel had promised that she wasn't truly hurt by Quinn's absence. The blonde knew better. This was her opportunity to fix everything. They could finally be in the same place at the same time. They could close the gap. They could fix her heart.
"New York?" Shawn asked.
Quinn shot him a look that said it all.
Upon arriving at JFK, Quinn was a bundle of nerves. She called Alan and somehow he managed to find two more tickets for the sold-out show. The powers of that man were a complete mystery to Quinn. He had connections everywhere. She was grateful and impressed.
Rachel had no idea. Kurt had no idea. The only people aware of Quinn's plans were Quinn, Shawn, Alan, and Quinn's producer.
She was excited and anxious. She never really loved flying to begin with but the treacherous weather hadn't been forgiving either. Turbulence rocked most of the flight. She felt frazzled- like she was splitting at the seams. She couldn't tell if it was the prospect of seeing Rachel again after weeks apart that played upon her nerves so perfectly or if the flight had truly shaken her to the core. Either way her hands were shaking as she reached for the rail aside the escalator.
Shawn placed a calming hand at the small of her back.
"A 'right there?" Shawn asked with a boyish smirk.
He laughed each time she gripped the seat during the flight. He seemed to take joy whenever he could place his hand upon hers and attempt to ease her fears.
The moment they stepped outside of the Jet Blue terminal, there was a flash. It wasn't until the third flash that Quinn realized it wasn't lightening from the gloomy skies.
Paparazzi. It wasn't the first time Quinn and Shawn had been photographed together. A friendly dinner in Pittsburgh had already fueled rumors of an impending romance. Getting photographed together outside the JetBlue terminal- things were about to spiral out of control. Rumors would really fly that they were dating. The studio pushed for neither one of them to comment so far. It was great publicity for a movie that hadn't finished filming. A weekend trip together to New York City? That was PR heaven.
Shawn opened the door to the backseat of their town car. Quinn slid in silently. Her carefully plotted surprise was backfiring before it had even begun.
The show was magnificent. From the moment Rachel stepped out under that spotlight, Quinn had been mesmerized. She was truly captivating. Her soul seemed to bleed into each song. The melodies twisted and soared into the deepest recesses of Quinn's being and made her hum with life. She was resurrected after weeks of merely going through the motions.
Rachel hadn't seen her. Alan could work miracles by procuring obscure tickets- but it wasn't as if he could magically produce a front row table to seat Quinn and her costar. She and Shawn had sat in the back surrounded by strangers who either paid no notice to Quinn or simply had the grace to tweet about it after the show ended. Rachel hadn't even been aware that the blonde was there.
Rachel awed the audience with her talent and brought them to tears when she sang of lost loves and missed chances. She was as charming as ever when she rambled on in between numbers about mishaps as a young girl struggling to make it in a challenging and cutthroat industry while navigating her way through college in an unfamiliar city. The audience roared when Kurt joined her on stage and laughed gaily when the two teased each other about their first apartment in Brooklyn.
With each anecdote, each song, each tangled tale in the struggles of a rising star- Quinn was captivated. The entire audience was just as caught up if Quinn had bothered to notice. She couldn't take her eyes of her best friend though. She couldn't peel her eyes away long enough to see if there even was an audience. If everyone else had gotten up and walked away, Quinn wouldn't have noticed a thing. She was completely swept away.
It was only as the lights came up and the man in front of her stood, blocking her view, that Quinn realized the show had ended and the entire place was giving her girl a standing ovation. Quinn leapt to her feet in a mixture of awe and pride. The roar of the audience was deafening and Rachel seemed totally blown away by the immediate and generous feedback.
Quinn and Shawn sat back down in their seats and waited for the small theatre to clear. Alan and a few others remained seated at a table on the floor close to the stage. The men were chuckling when Quinn and Shawn finally made their way down from the back of the house.
"She was brilliant. You certainly found a rare star, Peters," one of the men, clapped Alan on the back.
"She was," Alan beamed proudly.
A loud squeal broke up the conversation when Rachel came sprinting from behind the stage. Peels of laughter filled the room when she dove from the stage into Josh's arms.
Quinn hadn't even noticed the guy….Rachel's boyfriend.
He smothered her with kisses and praises while Rachel giggled. Eventually she wriggled free to attack Alan in a hug. He introduced to the few remaining men who were apparently producers- some Broadway and one film. Rachel politely shook hands with all of them but froze as she met the last one.
Her eyes crinkled as a huge grin broke out across her face.
"Quinn" was the breathless reply.
The tiny brunette barreled into her quickly. Quinn sighed in relief and blinked back sudden tears at the feeling of Rachel in her arms once again.
Rachel breathed in her scent deeply and felt ease seep into her bones. The missing piece clicked into place and that nagging feeling in her stomach- that she had attributed to nerves- untwinged. The brunette was surprised to find herself squeezing tears back from her eyes.
"You came," Rachel's eyes did water then.
She pulled back to see Quinn's face and affirm that the blonde had actually come.
"Of course," Quinn smiled.
The blonde gently reached up and wiped back the tears from Rachel's eyes. She placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Rachel was just the right height for holding and kissing her forehead. It wasn't a stretch it was perfectly easy to place such a gentle reassurance with her lips.
The clearing of a throat behind her reminded her that they were not alone. A blush crept its way unto Quinn's cheeks when she stepped back just enough from Rachel to appear slightly less intimate. She didn't want to entirely disengage. Her body had been craving that contact for weeks and refused to give it up entirely. Her fingers laced with Rachel's lazily, comfortably.
"I'm Shawn," the Aussie extended his hand.
Rachel blinked several times as an array of emotion flittered past her eyes. She smiled just as suddenly and shook his hand. Kurt came waltzing up shortly after commandeering Quinn and Shawn's attention while Rachel gathered her things from the dressing room.
After all of the necessary introductions, it was decided that a celebratory drink was mandatory. Alan was buying after all. Two of the men from Alan's circle bowed out politely and wished them a great night.
Two hours later, Quinn was drunk. She felt like that night on tour in the boys' room. The world was pleasantly spinning. It wasn't enough to make her nauseous but just enough to make everything seem a little blurred but beautiful. Like Rachel. Rachel was so beautiful. Rachel was stunning.
"You're stunning," Quinn murmured, slipping a little in the seat to bump Rachel playfully with her shoulder.
They were all crowded in a circular booth in the corner of the small pub. Alan's friend, Timothy- who was a Broadway producer- had grown up in New York and bartended at the establishment long before his days as a producer. It was dirty in the way that was appealing instead of appalling. Like it was just dark enough to have a little mystery but not dark enough to feel unsafe or unsanitary. It felt like a place that a struggling artist would frequent just to have a beer and forget about the world.
Alan and Timothy were across the table in the rounded booth. Josh was next to Alan. Rachel sat between him and Quinn. Quinn swayed back and forth between leaning too close to Rachel to sliding into Shawn's side. The Aussie found it hilarious and the humor of the situation only grew with each beer he guzzled. Kurt encouraged both blondes to drink even more finding their antics amusing. The designer perched at the end of their table upon a stool and kept the waitress busy with drink requests.
"You're drunk," Rachel smirked.
She tapped Quinn on the nose and the blonde went nearly cross-eyed trying to follow that finger. Rachel laughed lightly. She was tired and nursed her second drink. She didn't truly want to drink at all with another show the next night. Alan insisted. Her first drink went down quickly while the excitement from the show buzzed through her system. The combination of alcohol and adrenalin made her dizzy with intoxication of various sorts. She forced herself to slow down on the second drink for fear of a hangover.
Quinn, on the other hand, drank each time Alan, Kurt, or Shawn- or even Josh on one occasion- placed one in front of her. Shawn drank just as greedily. It was becoming apparent that Quinn would not be able to keep up with the actor though.
When the first few notes of "House of the Rising Sun" blared through the speakers, Quinn shoved Shawn out of the seat because she needed to dance. They all watched her drunkenly sway. Shawn smirked as she danced by herself. Somehow despite her intoxication, she was just as intoxicating to watch. She was effortlessly sexy swaying to the beat in the dim lights. Rachel watched her for a moment. Josh chuckled by her side, especially when Quinn crooked her finger and beckoned Rachel to join her.
Rachel found herself slipping out of the booth without really being aware of what she was doing until she was standing awkwardly in front of her best friend. A moment passed as the reality of the moment set in- Rachel realized just how unsexy and out of place she felt in an nearly empty bar standing within a foot of her dancing and undeniably intoxicating best friend.
Quinn smiled at her. For some reason, a shiver danced its way up Rachel's spine when Quinn lazily grinned like that- like she knew exactly how she looked and knew exactly what effect she had on anyone who watched her.
Quinn held out her hand for the brunette. Rachel took it immediately and Quinn twirled her to the beat. It wasn't sexy or putting on a show for anyone else. It especially lost its edge when the song changed into "What About Love" which became an interpretive dance of the song while Rachel and Quinn belted out the lyrics. Quinn twirled her and spun her like a ballroom expert one minute and then dramatically tossed her head back screamed out the chorus the next. They were both breathless and laughing when Kurt charged in to join. The three belted out several songs with some dance moves that Rachel wasn't really sure where appropriate for her level of sobriety. At least Kurt and Quinn had the excuse of inebriation to explain their Fosse moves. Still, she couldn't find it in herself to care when she was dancing with her two best friends. She couldn't find it in herself to care when Josh joined them with a third drink for the brunette.
Shawn stood up and clapped when they all returned to the table. Quinn pushed her hand against his face to turn his head to the side like a sloppy slow-motion slap.
Quinn wasn't really sure when time stopped making sense or when the night completely got away from her. She knew they had all been drinking and that Rachel's initial reluctance had disappeared. There had been several rounds of drinks and several rounds of dancing. Each time she thought they would stop drinking, another song would come on that promised more dancing. Each time she swore she was done dancing, another drink had been placed in front of her. It all became a blur. One minute she was dancing with Rachel again and thinking about how desperately she wanted to find the hotel to show her new ways to dance with a best friend.
Then she was aware of attempting to do just that. How it escalated was beyond her- the events leading up to this moment were irrelevant. It was like finally having a shot after months of sobriety. It burned her entire body from the inside out and all she was aware of was the small body on top of her stripping off that slinky black top Rachel had thrown on after the show.
Her jeans had disappeared without Quinn's recollection- which was a shame because as much as she'd always loved Rachel Berry in short skirts and dresses, her ass in tight fitting jeans was a thing to behold. She really wanted to remember peeling those jeans from the surprisingly long legs of such a tiny woman. She wanted to burn each touch into her mind but it was all happening so quickly.
Quinn knew she had been clothed at one point in the night. She was sure of it. She knew she had worn clothes in public but couldn't place when they had disappeared. However, there was no denying that she was very much naked. She was very, very naked underneath an equally naked Rachel.
Rachel shifted and everything clicked into place. Not the events of what exactly lead to anything that was happening- just the fact that it was happening.
Quinn moaned and the sound reverberated throughout her entire body. She felt the soft curves of flesh molding into her own. She glanced at the unfamiliar ceiling and briefed wondered if they were in her hotel room or Rachel's. She really didn't remember checking into her own. She didn't remember ditching Shawn or Josh- or any of the others.
Rachel smiled down at her regaining her focus. This beautiful angel- no goddess was actually on top of her looking down at her like she was the center of her universe. Quinn was overwhelmed. She loved her. She was so in love with and somehow was given this chance to prove it.
She wanted to take her time but in the back of her mind knew there wasn't time. She needed to take her. She needed to take her now. She couldn't wait. She'd been holding back for so long. A declaration of love was on the tip of her tongue but somehow she knew it wasn't the time. She would have to show her instead.
She flipped them over.
Rachel was spread out beneath her. Waiting. Ready.
Quinn's eyes fluttered shut in disbelief when she let her hand trace across Rachel's collarbone. Marveling at the impossibly soft skin. She forced her eyes back open. Even if it was quick and rushed, she still wanted to engrain some things into her mind forever- like the feel of Rachel's skin. She traced her hand down to find the steady thumping of the brunette's heart. It seemed to skip just as quickly as Quinn's own- like they were completely in sync.
The feel of her skin, the beating of her heart, the way her breast fit perfectly into Quinn's hand with the nipple pebbled up in a sure sign of pleasure, the sound of Rachel's gasp when Quinn tugged on the peak, and finally the taste of her lips when the blonde finally allowed herself the very contact she had desperately craved for what felt like an eternity. She had waited so long to kiss Rachel's lips. It didn't matter that she didn't know what lead to this moment- what mattered what this feeling.
The things she would never forget- Rachel's lips caressing her own tenderly, reverently.
The way her hand traced down the slim brunette's figure to the place where thighs eagerly parted and the slick arousal that greeted her.
Quinn shifted to squeeze her own thighs together to stifle some of her selfish growing need. It was simply too much and not enough at the same time.
She allowed herself a few minutes of exploration. Tracing lips with fingers. Bruising mouths with the intensity of their coupling. Tongues battling while fingers dipped and swirled. The mutual gasp when wandering fingers found the swell of pleasure. Then finally sliding into the warmth she never let her mind dream of but knew she needed.
In and out.
In and out.
Creating a rhythm and a dance all their own. Hips meeting. Fingers pushing. Walls fluttering.
In and out.
In. Deeper.
Surrounded by warmth and wet.
Building to some new peak.
Quinn shifted again allowing her weight to settle into each thrust.
The gasp. A choked off second gasp begging for air, begging for more.
A single moan in perfect pitch as only Rachel Berry could.
Whispered words too rushed and too quiet to be deciphered.
The brush of lips against Quinn's ear, promising so much in tone but having no idea what the actual words were saying.
It was all building to too much and still she knew it would never be enough.
Teeth tugged at her earlobe.
Nails gripped at her back.
She felt her own moisture trickle down her thigh in response.
Sweat glistened on her upper lip. Deep chocolate eyes followed the movement of her tongue swiping at the salty taste. Deep chocolate eyes with pupils completely blown and begging for
Just
A Little
Bit
More.
One hand tangled in blonde tresses to fuse their lips together once again.
Quinn pulled back with a gasp for air as Rachel tensed beneath her.
Push.
Pull.
Push.
Drag back out.
Slide back in.
Lips back to her ear tickling it with the puff of air.
"I love you."
Quinn pulled back to look at the face of the woman underneath her, the woman who was surrounding her, the woman who was squeezing her.
She needed the visual. She needed the confirmation of those words upon those lips- to see it in those eyes.
She needed-
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
-a shower.
Quinn caught her breath as she woke with a start- wishing she could chase the dream for just a few more precious seconds. She was so close. So close to everything.
She sighed in defeat and allowed her body to fully comprehend. The ache in her heart was just as bad as the ache between her legs. She groaned and shut off the alarm.
That had never happened before. She had never had such a vivid dream about Rachel. She had always shut down those thoughts. She fought so hard against being in love. She tried to ignore her attraction that morphed into infatuation and again into a passion and a need to surround herself in everything her best friend could and would offer. Her attraction had seemed secondary to the pangs in her heart.
Arousal was never as overpowering as the need to simply kiss Rachel and somehow make her understand. Suddenly it shifted again. Thoughts she tired to keep at bay, images she never wanted to tease herself with- they were at the forefront of her mind.
Rachel sparked all things within her.
She was throbbing. She wanted to claim the tiny brunette and bring her to peaks she'd only dreamed of. Now Quinn dreamed of them too…in vivid detail.
It was love and lust.
She was completely screwed.
She needed a cold shower.
That day brought little rest for Quinn's racing mind. She couldn't escape the images from her dream. It felt so real. She supposed after repressing her feelings for so long it wasn't shocking that once realized, she fell in love so quickly. The same with her lust. She had never been the type of girl who craved that physical completion. At first, any thought of exploring her own body was quickly expelled by the overpowering fear of eternal damnation. If she'd had needs, she had learned to ignore them and channel them into other outlets- like transforming her body into the fit physique of a Cheerio. Then a couple of wine coolers and eternal damnation suddenly sounded a lot more like an outlet, an escape from her fucked up family and a chance to quell the building thrum that seemed to build with each passing day as high school and hormones compounded.
After that entire mess, she'd learn to listen to her body but vowed to never put herself into that position again. Her hand was the only relief she would allow and even that was only as a last resort when the rising pressures inside her body threatened to drown everything she had worked for in regaining her popularity and retaking her role as a good Christian girl. It was a means to a end-certainly not the release of built up tension caused from lusting over someone in particular for months on end…and certainly not the culmination of loving someone so deeply that you needed to somehow physically manifest that love.
The most she had ever touched herself was during her punk phase. It was all part of the mystique and character of her new look. It wasn't a daily occurrence. It wasn't even really about the need or the release that came from it. It was more about defying all of her old beliefs and proving that letting go of her self-restrictions and religious restrictions meant finding pleasure in all sorts of things- including her own body.
Jessica had been the first time she could ever recall feeling that physical pull- that tug to touch and be touched. It had been wonderful and earth shattering in the way that finding and owning one's sexuality could be. Jessica had changed everything and most of that was without her really knowing how it happened.
Yet despite all of that, she never understood that lust that so many spoke of.
I have to have you.
For Santana, it was second nature. That girl oozed sex appeal and sexual appetite. Brittany was the same way. In fact, nearly every one she knew had a different approach to their needs than Quinn did.
Wake a sleeping dragon. Now, like the incinerated villages after the dragon swept through, Quinn was a building inferno and the fuel fanning those flames was her own best friend. She understood all to well what it meant to need, to take and claim. It had consumed her thoughts all day. She kept replaying it all….especially…
I love you.
"Yes?" Shawn asked curiously.
Quinn shook her head.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Do you want a coffee? I'm just going to pop over to the stand near the start of the gates," Shawn clarified.
"I'm good. Thanks," Quinn replied.
Shawn watched her for a moment. She had been unusually quiet all morning.
"You sure you're okay?" Shawn questioned cautiously.
Quinn sighed and nodded.
Shawn silently battled with himself before eventually giving up and walking away.
Quinn tried to pull it together. Her shower had clearly her head only momentarily. She tried to push those thoughts to the back of her mind where they had been locked away, lying dormant for so long. It worked briefly. Then they came back just as strong, if not stronger.
When she and Shawn met up with Alan for brunch, she had hoped she could keep it together. She had succeeded in at least joining in part of the conversation. She contributed and grunted. She laughed at a few of the right moments. Then she abruptly panicked when Alan said Rachel had texted him that she was on her way.
Their exchange of hurried goodbyes when Quinn insisted she needed to pack her things for her flight was too short to be awkward. Quinn could barely look the brunette in the eye when they passed in front of the restaurant. Rachel tried to make it before Quinn bolted, while Quinn tried to leave as quickly as possible. If Shawn hadn't insisted on finishing his mimosa, they could've escaped before Rachel had shown up at all.
Rachel hugged her and wished her a safe flight. Quinn didn't know what response she gave or if it was even intelligible. All she knew was the second Rachel's arms wrapped around her and her hands pressed into Quinn's back tightly- Quinn felt nails piercing into her flesh as her best friend gasped in pleasure. Quinn pulled away as if she had been burnt, flashed Rachel an awkward smile, and promised to text when she landed safely in Pittsburgh.
Shawn returned with two coffees despite Quinn's earlier assurance that she didn't need one. He smiled and offered it to her anyway. She rolled her eyes but accepted the steaming beverage. She sipped it quietly, still battling her thoughts until Shawn put his arm around the back of her seat and tugged her closer.
"Just know, whatever crawled up your butt this morning- hangover, embarrassment of drunken behavior, unrequited love, PMS, love/hate relationship with fame, or just got up on the wrong side of the bed- whatever's going on with you, I can always listen," Shawn said softly.
The sincere moments when he wasn't putting on some façade of a super charming guy or attempting to be hilarious or acknowledging his own good looks- just the sincere moments when he offered real friendship…Quinn really did care for him.
"I don't think I really know what's going on," Quinn sighed.
Shawn nodded. They sat in silence sipping coffee until it was time to board. Shawn slept for most of the hour flight back to Pittsburgh. Quinn attempted to shut her eyes as well but was always greeted with images she needed to forget.
It wasn't until two weeks later when they wrapped on the film that Quinn even realized what Shawn had said to her in that airport. He knew her for a little over two months yet he saw right through her. He barely knew her but he read her perfectly and saw something her closest friends didn't see…or refused to see. He knew.
The press went wild with news of Shawn and Quinn's weekend adventure in New York City. It was just the beginning of so many things to come.