AN: Sorry it's been so long. Life won't leave me alone although thankfully it's been more good than bad.

I'm wrapping this up within a few chapters probably. Too many other projects to work on (some of them actually involve writing). If all goes well this should be finished by July at the latest.

Chapter 16

It was the Friday before school started again when their happy bubble got punctured.

The day started off fine. The girls had lazed around, relaxing and trying to do some homework. The house phone rang and Rachel frowned, trying to remember who actually had her home phone number and failing to place the area code.

Once the phone call had ended Rachel had refused to leave her room. After half a day Santana had gotten worried enough to talk about breaking down the door so Rachel let them in. Her eyes were puffy and red, although the tears seem to have been all used up.

The trio spent the rest of the weekend curled up with Rachel in her bed, just being there for the little songstress. It went a long way towards proving that they actually wanted to be with Rachel. To the small brunette the silent support was worth more than anything they could have said.

# SQBR#

Rachel walked into school Monday surrounded by the giggling trio and smiling shyly, a blush painting her face.

They had been trying to see who could turn her the reddest during the car ride to school and Brittany had won with her delivery of a deadpan innuendo that had made Rachel duck her head and turned her whole face red.

Rachel sighed in contentment. She felt peaceful for the first time in forever and it had everything to do with the three girls around her. It was slowly starting to sink in that they might be here to stay but Rachel still couldn't quite bring herself to believe it.

But falling asleep in the middle of the three girls was making her feel much better. And walking down the halls with them surrounding her was in some ways even better. It made her feel as if nothing could touch her when they were around. Unfortunately the Glee club had made it their mission to bring her crashing back down to Earth.

And for the next few weeks she was on a roller coaster. Happiness and excitement exchanging places with exhaustion and sadness what seemed like 20-30 times a day.

As much as Rachel loves Brittany, Santana and Quinn (in her mind she's started to refer to them as 'her' girls) she just can't seem to believe that they would reciprocate. She also can't help but think that she doesn't really know what love is so she can't possibly love these girls as much as she thinks they deserve.

The trio noticed the up and down of emotions and decided to spell everything out for Rachel. Their decision was bolstered by having seen evidence that Rachel liked them as more then friends.

# SQBR#

That Friday the trio got Rachel to agree to a talk after dinner and couldn't help but hug the brunette after seeing her face fall as her mind went to worse case scenarios.

"It's nothing bad. Promise." Brittany said, hugging Rachel tightly as the small singer clung to her.

"Yeah. We just want to talk to you about the past month of emotions and lay all our cards on the table." Santana chimed in.

Rachel nodded into Brittany's shoulder. "Ok." Came her whispered reply.

School was thankfully fairly uneventful, although Finn still hadn't bought a clue and so had tried to talk to Rachel twice. Scared off both times by Santana.

Arriving back at the house the girls congregated in the empty guest bedroom next to the room that the trio had been using.

A heavy silence had descended on the group as they made themselves comfortable. Rachel putting a small amount of space between her and the other girls but still well within touching distance.

Conversation had stopped and started several times, covering school feelings and how they were dealing with different people but no one had brought up a big topic yet. Brittany was the one to quietly but firmly state the reason the trio had wanted to have this conversation in the first place.

"We love you."

The short silence was broken by Rachel.

"No."

Of all the answers Rachel could have given, the trio had not been expecting that one. But then again they probably should have, especially as she continued.

"You can't. I am broken, tainted, why would you possible want me?" Rachel trailed off at the end, the wobble in her voice unmistakable.

Brittany wanted to rush forward and wrap Rachel in a hug, but Rachel had backed herself almost off the bed and held up her hand to stop the blonde's forward movement. Her other hand wiped away the tears that she was trying to fight back.

"You all are perfect. Why would you want someone like me? Broken beyond repair and destined to bleed out. I cannot, I will not, take you down with me."

Santana slowly crept forward until Rachel looked up to meet her eyes.

"We are not perfect."

It was Santana's turn to hold up a hand, forestalling the tirade she knew would be unleashed.

"We aren't. But even if we were we would still love you because you are perfect."

Rachel was shaking her head furiously in denial.

Quinn chimed in.

"Just as we're perfect in your eyes, you are perfect in ours."

Rachel lost her composure and curled in on herself, sobbing.

Brittany quickly crawled over and wrapped her in a hug as Quinn and Santana cuddled up on either side.

They stayed like that. Wrapping Rachel in love as they tried not to cry themselves.

Rachel poked at Brittany's stomach to get her attention, feeling amazingly content within the arms of her girls but starting to feel the nerves that came with being confined.

Brittany loosened her grip and looked down to see Rachel squirming a little bit, trying to wiggle out of the limbs around her. She withdrew her arms from around the tiny singer and used her free hands to poke Santana and Quinn until they did the same.

Rachel crawled up the bed and rested against the headboard. Needing space but also just wanting to look at the girls. She needed to see them, wanted to touch them but was afraid of pushing too far or them not understanding her conflicting needs of contact and space.

Her inner debate was quieted as Brittany laid down on her stomach and started running her fingers up and down the parts of Rachel's arm that she could reach. Quinn pillowed her head almost on top of Rachel's left leg, eyes toward the ceiling. And Santana sat at the end of the bed, her eyes constantly roaming over all the girls, letting her smile grow whenever she and Rachel exchanged glances.

Rachel sighed, content for now.

Slowly they all drifted off, happy to be sharing space with people they cared about.

##RQSB##