AN: Wow, this must be a record between updates. I've long forgotten about this fic but...as I revisited my docs, I unearthed this chapter left unfinished yearssss ago. It was only barely unfinished. So I figured I might as well finish it. ANd post it. No one probably would even remember or read it but it won't hurt to post anyway, I figured. I mean it's written. Right?

I have an idea why I never posted or finished this- was more than likely unhappy with what was written, - but hey, might as well. Anyway, here you go after a very looooooong time.

BTW, I don't expect to keep writing this. I find it difficult to write these characters I feel so unfamiliar with now. But...who knows, maybe in 5 or more years, another chapter will pop up. ;)

Chapter 7

It takes Quinn at least 10 minutes to prepare two bowls of cherry garcia ice cream, a task she could usually do in half a minute, eyes closed, having done it at least a few hundred times for Beth.

But that's Beth. This is for Rachel.

Rachel Berry, ex-high school nemesis, long-time object of secret - and terribly disguised - affection.

Rachel Berry sitting in her living room, waiting to share a couch and, as she seemed to so easily put it, "catch up."

Resolving to swallow her nerves and make the most of this opportunity, or at the very least the beginnings of one, to make up for all the pain she caused the brunette diva in high school. As much as Rachel claims to and appears to be over the events of high school, Quinn's guilt lingers. She knows full well it would take more than a spoken reassurance to wash away every trace of it. Sure, Rachel's forgiveness eases some of the pain, lighten the stain of guilt somewhat. Ultimately though, she has to be able to forgive herself.

And she will never be able to until...she's not even sure what it would take for her to overcome her guilt. Guilt that taints her feelings for Rachel. Feelings long buried but never dormant. Rachel, if she were to be honest with herself, has been in every girl she has taken a second look at. In every voice she had listened to sing, in every …...14123412412 She has always found herself looking for the "Rachel" in everything and everyone.

And now, having found Rachel, the real one, under the most unexpected of circumstances, her fear multiplies a hundredfold. The ultimate one being that of screwing things up with the brunette and, heaven forbid, hurting her even more than she already has when they were young teenagers.

She would not be Quinn Fabray though if she would let fear get in the way of what she knows she has to do.

And what she's beginning to realize she very much wants.

Have wanted all this time, probably.

Rachel Berry.

Rustling from the living room shakes her from her extended musings. She glances down at the bowls, cursing at herself for the half-melted ice cream. She scrambles to grab the containers from the freezer, adding a fresh and compact scoop on top.

"Sorry, got sidetracked there for a bit," she excuses without going into detail, congratulating herself for not lying. When it comes to Rachel, she vows to stick with the truth as much as she can. At all times even.

She hands one bowl to Rachel who dismisses her apology with a wave, her attention already glued to the delicious looking bowl of ice cream.

Quinn chuckles, once again hit by a sense of deja vu, having observed the same look of excitement from a mere bowl of ice cream on her daughter's face.

"Dig in," she prods, "or slurp, whichever's appropriate. It may have already melted a little bit."

She watches Rachel close her eyes while making quiet delicious noises, spoon tucked securely inside her mouth. She follows suit, filling her mouth with a spoonful of the frozen treat, if only to keep herself from echoing the little sounds emanating from the brunette. Albeit for an entirely different reason.

"I'm guessing we should save the talking till after you finish your ice cream," Quinn comments, teasing smile directed at Rachel. "I've a feeling I'd have to defend myself in front of a judge if I were to try and disturb your little intercourse with Cherry Garcia," she adds, feeling even more compelled to tease as Rachel's cheeks turn a deeper red.

She receives a faint slap on the arm for her teasing, Rachel continuing to surprisingly be able to currently avoid words. Something Quinn had always thought to be an impossibility.

"Or I can just talk to myself," she says while pretending to turn away from the brunette whose hand promptly shoots out, landing on the blonde's forearm.

"No, no. I apologize. While Cherry Garcia usually deserves my full attention, it is not the case this time, obviously," Rachel implores, putting her bowl down on her lap. "I'm all yours," she declares with a smile. Realizing what she had just said, she quickly corrects herself. "I mean, I'm all ears. All ears." The brunette marvels at how active her sympathetic nervous system seems to be around Quinn with all the blushing she's been doing.

A perfectly sculpted eyebrow arches as Quinn chuckles in quiet delight. "I wish," she mutters under her breath.

"What was that?" Rachel inquires.

"Oh, I said, if you're sure. Otherwise, I can give you and your ice cream a few more minutes of privacy," she continues to tease, unable to stop herself. Her playful side seems to have come out in full gear tonight. She blames the glass of wine, or two, she had downed before Rachel arrived. "Seriously, finish your ice cream. I'll put the TV on."

Quinn sits back on the couch, gesturing toward the bowl on the coffee table Rachel appears to be eyeing longingly.

So Beth-like.

"Alright, if you insist."

"I do."

They both look up as the commercials end and Mulder and Scully appear on the TV screen. Quinn shoots Rachel a quick, "Is this ok?" to which the teacher quickly nods in reply.

"Scully was hot, " Rachel blurts out after about a minute of watching. "Of course Mulder was handsome and mysterious himself. But Scully…" Rachel trails off, appraising the blonde on the screen. "Scully, I'd switch teams for," she announces, smiling self-indulgently.

Quinn whirls around to face Rachel, undisguised shock on her face.

"Really?"

Rachel nods, pursing her lips in a way that has Quinn's eyes quickly darting down to them. "Wouldn't you?"

The question throws Quinn off but for a second before quickly recovering. She glances at the screen, mimicking Rachel's earlier look.

"Hmmm," she murmurs loudly. "No."

With the spoon midway to her mouth, Rachel shoots Quinn a surprised look of her own.

"Oh. She is very attractive and the intelligence of the character she portrays only adds on to that. That does not appeal to you?"

"I didn't say I don't find Scully appealing," Quinn argues, shifting in her seat to face Rachel. Her right knee goes up while an arm drapes over the back of the couch, hovering over the brunette's back.

Rachel's head angles more fully toward Quinn. "But you just said you wouldn't switch teams for her?" she clarifies.

"Yeah, I wouldn't," Quinn answers readily, shifting her eyes back onto the TV screen. "Because I'm already on that team," she declares with deliberate nonchalance, reaching down to put a spoonful of melted ice cream in her mouth.

"What?" In one quick motion, Rachel turns to mirror Quinn's position on the couch while one hand puts her empty bowl and spoon down on the coffee table. "Since when?"

Quinn smiles, laughing softly at the all-too-familiar - theatrical - expression on Rachel's face. She takes a moment to just look at the other girl, sporting a smirk. In truth, her nerves have just started to kick in. She wonders how much to share with Rachel, ultimately deciding on sticking to the basic details.

For now.

"Probably all my life? But acknowledged to myself, I would say during law school." More of the melted ice cream makes its way into her mouth. The cool sweetness she hopes would settle her insides.

Rachel's eyes stay on her, the brunette appearing to have forgotten that she has been staring at Quinn longer than is good for the blonde's mildly frayed nerves. "Does that bother you?" Quinn asks, hoping to get Rachel to say something.

The question seems to have done the trick. Rachel throws her the patented "Are you serious?" Rachel Berry look.

"Of course not, Quinn. Two gay dads, remember?" it's her turn to raise an eyebrow at the blonde.

Quinn acknowledges it with an eye roll. "I know you're comfortable with homosexuality, Rachel. I knew your dads well," Quinn reminds the brunette. "But...are you comfortable with ME not being straight?"

"Are you gay?"

This earns another eyeroll from the blonde.

"Well, you could be bisexual?" Rachel quickly counters. "You did have a daughter with Puck," she adds unnecessarily, hoping to clarify her question.

"I could be," Quinn concedes. "But I haven't been attracted to any males since high school, to be honest with you," she admits. "Sexuality is fluid, that's what I believe. You love-"

"Who you love," Rachel finishes with her, gracing Quinn with a soft smile. "Indeed. I will not argue with that." With a tilt of her head, she adds, "As for being comfortable with you not being straight...I must admit, it was initially a shock to hear. However, knowing you to be the way you are," she pauses, enjoying the raising of a Quinn eyebrow, "someone who goes after what she wants...it doesn't surprise me. It doesn't surprise me that if it were a girl you wanted instead of a guy, that would be who you would go after." Rachel's smile is meant to be both teasing and reassuring.

Quinn chuckles lightly, briefly touching the shoulder resting next to her fingertips in acknowledgement. "Good to know, Rach. Good to know." The look she gives Rachel is grateful, appreciating the ease with which the brunette appears to have taken her news.

They keep their gazes locked, easy smiles on both their faces as silence once again takes over.

Quinn watches Rachel's face transform into her the-wheels-are-turning-in-my-head look. She mentally prepares for an onslaught of questions.

Interrogation, Rachel Berry style.

An idea, likely borne out of the daring that comes with a little bit of alcohol and the thrill that seems to suffuse her now as she sits in the other girl's presence, comes to mind.

Quinn figures she might as well lay it all out on the table.

Just as Rachel opens her mouth to start firing questions, the blonde lawyer beats her to it.

"So...while we're into revealing deep, dark secrets," she pauses, making sure she has Rachel's full attention. "This may be a good time to tell you one other thing," again, she pauses dramatically, exaggerating the gravity of the moment.

"Will I get slushied at the end of this evening?" Rachel asks from out of the blue, a look of real fear only a broadway actress could pull off on her face.

Quinn laughs out loud, shaking her head in delight.

This funny Rachel Berry delights her so.

"No, I can promise you my house is slushie-free," she swears, holding her right hand up while the left rests on her chest.

Rachel giggles, scrunching her nose in a way that has Quinn's stomach fluttering momentarily.

"Ok, what is it then? I'm not sure how much more shocking revelations I can handle from you tonight."

Quinn tilts her head to the side, resting it on her outstretched arm, eyes glued to Rachel's. The brunette quirks an eyebrow at the blonde when the silence lingers. Playfully, her left hand taps the blonde's stomach, urging her on.

"Ok, so…" Quinn grins up at Rachel as the fingers of her hand resting on the back of the couch unconsciously play with the sleeve of Rachel's blouse, "I've always had a crush on you."