Chapter 22 – Closer
"Quinn!"
"Hey," the blonde said with a smile.
"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, smiling back.
"I may have asked Kurt if you had a break," Quinn said with a shrug. "I thought maybe I could take you to lunch."
"That sounds wonderful," Rachel replied. "Do you have any place in mind? If not, I know a place nearby."
"Lead the way," Quinn said.
Rachel ducked her head as her smile grew. Quinn being there was a complete surprise, but a welcome one. It may only be her first day back at NYADA, but she was already exhausted from it. Her classes were not going to be easy, and on top of that, she already had her first two classes with a girl she vehemently disliked. The girl found every opportunity to insult her, and when she wasn't saying anything, she usually spent her time giving Rachel dirty looks. Rachel knew she was only jealous because she wasn't very talented by comparison, but it was exhausting being in class with her.
"Is your back feeling better?" Rachel asked, watching Quinn carefully.
"It is," Quinn replied. "I didn't do much yesterday, so that helped.
"Good," Rachel said in relief. "I've been quite concerned about it."
"I told you yesterday it was better," Quinn said, sounding amused.
"I know, but I also know you wouldn't have told me if it wasn't," Rachel commented.
Quinn laughed. "I can't argue with that." She smiled, looking down at Rachel. "How's your first day going?"
Rachel rolled her eyes. "Relatively okay, I guess. That girl I told you about has already been in two of my classes."
"The one who thinks she's better than you?" Quinn asked.
"Yes," Rachel answered.
"Do you want me to tell her how wrong she is?" Quinn asked, holding the door open for Rachel.
"That won't be necessary, but I appreciate the offer," Rachel replied with a smile.
The fact that Quinn was willing to defend her and stand up for her meant a lot. Quinn had spent so many years being the one to tear her down, and it was sometimes hard for Rachel to believe that she was now on the opposite side. She was getting a little more used to it, but anytime Quinn made an offer such as that or complimented her in any way, she still got this strange feeling. She wasn't even sure exactly what the feeling was; it wasn't quite happiness, but it definitely left her feeling uplifted.
"Here we are," Rachel said.
"Well, that was nearby," Quinn remarked.
"Kurt and I come here fairly often; it's convenient and has relatively good food," Rachel said as she held the door open for Quinn.
"Thanks," Quinn said, walking past her.
"It looks like we got here just before it gets busy," Rachel commented. "Half the time Kurt and I have to get takeout. Of course, there's something to be said for eating it in one of the dance studios."
"They let you take food in there?" Quinn asked.
"Not per se," Rachel said with a laugh. "We live on the edge." Rachel grabbed two menus and handed one to Quinn. "They're very relaxed here; if you wait on them to bring your menu, your lunch break is usually over."
"What's good here?" Quinn asked.
"I usually get a salad," Rachel replied. "Kurt loves their pizza and I've been told their hamburgers are good. And Brody swore by their cheesesteak sandwiches."
"Who's Brody?" Quinn asked.
"Oh, he and I dated for a while," Rachel answered, and Quinn nodded, but remained quiet. "It was my freshman year; I met him while I was still living in the dorm rooms, right before Kurt came. I was trying to get over Finn and Brody was—he knew the right things to say. I'm not saying he was a bad guy because he's actually quite nice, but I realized I didn't like who I was when I was with him. I tried to change myself for him; I began dressing differently in an ill-advised attempt to show that I belonged here."
"You seem to do that a lot," Quinn remarked. "You changed for Finn, too."
Rachel sighed. "I know, but I'm done doing that. I realized that if someone doesn't like me for who I am—the real me—they're not the one I'm meant to be with. Unfortunately, it took me several failed relationships and a lot of tears to learn that."
"I guess it's good that I like every part of you," Quinn said, staring into Rachel's eyes.
Rachel ducked her head. "I guess so." Rachel laughed lightly, shaking her head. "Although, I find that hard to believe."
"You shouldn't," Quinn replied.
"Would you like me if I began wearing animal sweaters again?" Rachel joked.
"Actually, I kind of miss them," Quinn said with a slight grin.
Rachel laughed. "I'll be sure to wear one on our next date, then."
"Our next date, huh?" Quinn asked.
"Well," Rachel shrugged, "if you would like there to be a next date."
"I think I would be okay with that," Quinn replied.
"Actually, I know it's short notice, but would you like to come to dinner tonight?" Rachel asked. "Kurt promised Beth he would cook, but he forget he was working, so I promised I would do it, instead. I'm a terrible cook, but I'm sure I can attempt to make something edible."
"Okay," Quinn said lightly.
"Really?" Rachel asked. "You heard the part about me being a terrible cook, right?"
Quinn laughed. "I heard."
"Come around seven?" Rachel said.
"I'll be there," Quinn said with a smile.
"I'll clean it up," Kurt said before Rachel could even turn around upon entering the apartment.
"What happened?" Rachel asked when she looked over her shoulder and saw the mess.
"We made a pillow fort," Kurt answered. "And then we made a second. And then we had a war between our forts."
Rachel shook her head. She was fairly certain every pillow and blanket in the whole apartment was strewn around the living room. There were also quite a few empty boxes that she didn't even know they had, but they were also now in the living room, along with most of Beth's stuffed animals.
"They were part of the army," Kurt said, following her gaze.
"Well, it certainly looks like you two enjoyed your day," Rachel commented. "Did Zoe say she had any problems with her?"
Kurt shook his head. "She said they played quietly in her room the whole time."
Kurt only had one class that day and Zoe had been nice enough to come over and watch Beth while he was gone. After what Quinn said, Rachel thought about asking if she wanted to instead, but everything had already been set and she knew Beth was looking forward to seeing her friend. Rachel was just thankful she had so many people in her life that were willing to help out; it was definitely going to make the transition easier.
"Is Beth taking a nap?" Rachel asked.
"Yes," Kurt replied. "We were both a little worn out."
When Kurt began picking up the living room, Rachel set her bag down to help him. The room was such a mess and he would probably be late for work if he had to do it all himself. She began folding the blankets and setting them on the coffee table while Kurt piled up the pillows in stacks. Rachel use her foot to move a few of the stuffed animals into their own pile as she carried several more blankets to the table.
"I invited Quinn to dinner," Rachel announced.
"I guess she met you for lunch," Kurt said.
"She did," Rachel confirmed. "It was quite nice. I can't remember the last time someone just surprised me for lunch because they wanted to see me."
"Hey, I've done that," Kurt replied.
Rachel smiled. "Which was nice, but I meant someone I'm dating. Or—going on dates with. I don't know if you would say Quinn and are dating. We haven't really defined our relationship."
"Well, if you're cooking for her, you may not have to," Kurt said with a smirk. "I'm sure she'll run the moment she bites down on the food."
Rachel put her hands on her hips and glared at her best friend. "That is not funny, Kurt Hummel. And I know I'm not great, but that is a bit of an exaggeration."
"I don't know about that," Kurt said with a laugh.
Rachel huffed and tossed the blanket in her hands aside. "I think I will let you clean up your own mess."
Kurt's laughing grew louder. "Come on; you know I'm joking."
"Nevertheless, you can do it yourself," Rachel said with a flip of her hair.
"If anything, Quinn will probably help you cook," Kurt commented. "Which I'm sure you wouldn't mind."
"Why do you say that?" Rachel asked.
"Well, for one, you hate cooking," Kurt replied.
"I don't hate it," Rachel said.
"And for two, you and Quinn in the kitchen together—" He smirked again. "I vaguely remember what it was like cooking in the kitchen with a guy, but I remember it fondly."
"It's not like Beth isn't going to be in the next room," Rachel reminded him.
"True, but there's something intimate about cooking together," Kurt said with a shrug.
"Do you really think so?" Rachel asked.
Kurt sighed wistfully. "I wish I had someone to cook with."
"Whatever happened with that guy at work that you thought was flirting with you?" Rachel asked.
"He was definitely flirting with me," Kurt replied. "But then I met his boyfriend. That kind of put an end to that." Kurt crossed his arms. "Why are good men so hard to find?"
"I've always asked myself that very thing," Rachel said with a shrug.
"Well, at least you don't have to worry about it right now," Kurt remarked. "Maybe Quinn will be the one for you and then you will never have to worry about it again."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Rachel said with a laugh. "We've only been on two dates and this is Quinn Fabray we're talking about."
"So?" Kurt asked. "It's obvious she really likes you."
"Yes, but for how long?" Rachel asked.
It was something she worried about. What if Quinn got tired of her? She didn't exactly have the best track record when it came to relationships in high school. As far as Rachel knew, Quinn had cheated on every person she had ever been in a relationship with. Maybe she was different now since she had changed quite a bit since then, but it was definitely a concern of Rachel's if they were to become more serious.
"You think she's going to cheat on you," Kurt stated.
"Can you blame me?" Rachel asked. "I still find it difficult to comprehend that she's interested in me at all. What if I put my heart out there only to have it crushed?"
"It's possible," Kurt replied. "But it's possible with any relationship."
Rachel sighed. "I know. I'm just worried, but what else is new."
"That's true," Kurt said, giving her a smile.
"You should get ready for work," Rachel said, taking some stuffed animals out of his hands. "I'll put everything away."
"Are you sure?" Kurt asked.
Rachel nodded. "Thank you for watching Beth today."
"You know you don't have to thank me," Kurt replied.
"I know, but still—thank you," Rachel said, smiling at him.
"The recipe you asked for is on the fridge," Kurt said as he began walking toward his room. "Try to not burn the kitchen down."
Rachel rolled her eyes as he looked over his shoulder and smirked at her. Although, burning the kitchen down was always a possibility when she was cooking, but she certainly wasn't going to let him know that she thought that. She really hoped she could get through cooking dinner with no mishaps, though.
"Do you know where the green onion is?" Quinn asked as she looked in the refrigerator.
"I think it's in the bottom, right drawer," Rachel answered.
"Got it," Quinn said, standing up.
As Quinn pulled it out and began chopping it, Rachel continued stirring the sauce so it wouldn't burn. Things had begun to go south fairly quickly and the blonde jumped in to help her. Rachel was disappointed at first because she had really wanted to do it herself, but she quickly realized Kurt was right. It wasn't that she had cooked with others before, but being in that kitchen with Quinn was different. There was something intimate about it and they worked well together. Plus, Quinn didn't act like she was incapable of doing everything and actually let her help. Often, Kurt—and Brody the few times he cooked—would banish her from the kitchen.
"The pasta is nearly done," Rachel commented.
"Can you get it?" Quinn asked, grabbing the strainer from the counter, and handing it to Rachel.
Rachel grabbed the pot from the stove just as the timer went off and quickly drained the water out, setting the strainer over the empty pot. "Now what?"
"Now we're done," Quinn said with a smile as she turned around.
Rachel watched as Quinn combined the sauce with the pasta and then put the green onions on top. Grabbing the rolls from the counter, the two walked to the kitchen table, which was already set.
"I'll get Beth," Rachel said.
"I'll get the drinks," Quinn replied.
"Beth," Rachel said as she walked toward the living room. "Dinner is ready."
The little girl immediately turned off the television, jumped off the couch, and began walking toward the table. Dinner was a little late, so she imagined Beth was hungry. It took Rachel longer to clean up the living room than she'd anticipated, and then she tried cleaning up the rest of the house. She had lost track of time, though, and began fixing dinner later than she'd intended.
"I grabbed a bottle of water for you," Quinn said. "I hope that's okay."
"That's perfect," Rachel said, taking a seat.
Quinn smiled. "I never asked, but how were the rest of your classes?"
"Better," Rachel answered. "Laura wasn't in any of my other classes. And I'm really excited about one of the classes. We're actually putting on a musical at the end of the semester. I'm hoping for one of the lead roles, but auditions aren't for another month. At least I have proper time to prepare."
"Can people go watch this musical?" Quinn asked.
"It's open to the public, yes," Rachel said with a nod.
Quinn smiled and then looked at Beth. "Are you excited about starting school soon?"
"No," Beth said with a shrug.
Rachel laughed. "Don't let her fool you. She has been talking about it a lot, so I know she's excited to go."
"I couldn't wait for my first day of kindergarten," Quinn commented. "That quickly wore off, though."
"I know what you mean," Rachel replied. "Once the other students found out I had two fathers, they started picking on me. I think that's one of the worst things about growing up in a small town; so many people also have small minds when it comes to things they deem different."
"At least Beth won't have that to worry about," Quinn said. "You can't get much bigger than New York City."
"I think that's one of the reasons I dreamed of coming here at such an early age," Rachel remarked. "Other than it having Broadway, it was the complete opposite of Lima. The first time I saw it in a movie, I knew that's where I wanted to live. I knew that's where I was meant to be.
"I never thought I would live here," Quinn said, shaking her head. "I actually never wanted to live here, but I wanted to get out of Lima, so when I was accepted into NYU, I decided to give it a chance. It took me a long time to get used to being here." Quinn laughed lightly. "Actually, I think I'm still getting used to it."
"I know exactly what you mean," Rachel replied. "After dreaming about living here for almost my entire life, when I finally moved here, I kind of hated it at first. I didn't know where anything was, I kept taking the wrong subway train, I had no support system, and I absolutely hated my roommate at the time. It wasn't until Kurt finally came that I began enjoying things a little more. We still got lost a lot, but it's not as bad when you have your best friend with you."
"Yeah, you're lucky," Quinn said. "I was completely alone for about six months. Until I got my roommate. Not that she really helped anything."
"Am I ever going to meet this mysterious roommate?" Rachel asked with a smile. "I'm beginning to think she may be a figment of your imagination."
Quinn laughed. "Unfortunately, she is very real. And believe me, you don't want to meet her."
Rachel shrugged. "She's a part of your life and I would like to get to know you better."
"You know you can ask if you want to know something, right?" Quinn asked.
"I'm always afraid of asking the wrong thing," Rachel admitted. "I know you haven't been the most open in the past; I guess I'm afraid you will close yourself off and shut me out."
"You really worry I'm going to do that?" Quinn asked.
"It is a concern of mine, yes," Rachel replied.
Quinn sighed. "How about we make a deal, then? Try to be patient with me and I'll do my best to never shut you out. I'm not saying I'll answer every question, but—"
"Deal," Rachel said with a smile.
When Quinn smiled softly back, Rachel ducked her head. Every time Quinn smiled at her like that, she got a flutter in her stomach that she hadn't felt in a long time.
Rachel looked down at Beth; her breathing had steadied and Rachel knew she was finally asleep. She closed the book in her hands and set in on the nightstand, so the rest could be read the next day. Leaning down, she placed a light kiss on Beth's forehead before turning off the bedside lamp. She made sure Beth's nightlight was on in case she woke up in the middle of the night and then turned, walking through the curtain. With one last look back to make sure she hadn't woken the little girl, Rachel pulled the curtain shut and walked into the living room.
"She's asleep," Rachel announced. "I'm sorry it took so long."
Quinn shrugged. "You don't have to apologize."
"Did you find a movie?" Rachel asked as she sat down next to the blonde.
"No," Quinn answered, handing the remote control to Rachel.
"Oh well," Rachel replied, turning the television off.
"It's probably a little late to start one anyway," Quinn commented as she looked at her phone.
"Oh," Rachel said, slightly disappointed. "Do you need to be going?"
"Not exactly," Quinn said, looking over at her with a slight smile. "I thought maybe you could ask me some of those things you've been wanting to ask me but were too afraid to ask."
Rachel's mouth opened, but she closed it before saying anything. She was certain there were numerous things she would like to ask Quinn, but she couldn't think of a single one of them at the moment. This was her opportunity, though, and she didn't want to squander it.
"Well?" Quinn asked.
"I'm thinking," Rachel said, furrowing her brows. "I know there have been many things I have wanted to ask, but now that I've been put on the spot, I'm afraid I can't think of any."
Quinn laughed lightly. "Well, the offer isn't just a one-time thing; if you ever think of anything, just ask, okay?"
"Okay," Rachel said with a nod.
"Can I ask you something?" Quinn said.
"Of course," Rachel replied.
"Do you think you'll ever forgive me for high school?" Quinn asked.
Rachel sighed and leaned back. "I think I've already forgiven you. It's the forgetting that's a little harder for me." Rachel looked at Quinn. "Sometimes I wish I could just forget everything that happened, but at the same time, I feel like it's made me a stronger person in some aspects. At least when I came to the city, no one could say anything to me that I hadn't heard many times before."
Quinn shook her head. "You shouldn't have heard it then and you shouldn't have to hear it now. You're perfect, Rachel."
"I'm not," Rachel said, looking down.
"You are," Quinn said, lifting her chin up. "I was an idiot for not seeing it sooner."
Before Rachel could even think about what she was doing, she leaned forward and captured Quinn's lips. She had wanted to kiss her from the moment she opened the door, but Beth had been there. The little girl was fast asleep now, though, and with Quinn in front of her saying what she was saying, Rachel could no longer stop herself. Quinn didn't seem too surprised by it; within moments, she was kissing Rachel back.
The kiss was broken when Rachel pulled away and turned more toward Quinn, so she was no longer sitting, but kneeling on the couch. Quinn turned as well, moving her legs onto the couch, and Rachel leaned forward. They locked eyes for a moment before Quinn wrapped her hand around the back of Rachel's neck and pulled her forward, bringing their lips together again.
Rachel let Quinn pull her forward until the blonde was lying on her back with Rachel hovering above her. Quinn moved her hands to Rachel's hips, pulling their bodies closer together, and Rachel moaned when Quinn sucked on her tongue. Her hands found their way to Quinn's shoulders and traveled down her sides. Once they reached the hem of Quinn's shirt, Rachel slipped them underneath, touching the blonde's abs.
She pulled back and attached her mouth to Quinn's neck and left a trail of kisses down it. Quinn shifted slightly underneath, bringing her leg up, between Rachel's. Rachel gasped lightly when it made contact with her, but continued her assault on the other woman's neck. When Quinn's hands left her hips and grasped them hem of Rachel's shirt, the brunette set back and lifted her arms up. Quinn wasted no time removing the garment and Rachel quickly captured her lips in a hungry kiss.
When Quinn's hands grazed over Rachel's bra, the brunette let out a low moan and bit Quinn's bottom lip, which only made her do it again. Rachel ran her own hands up Quinn's abdomen, resting just beneath her bra, before lightly scratching her nails down the other woman's stomach. She loved the feel of Quinn's skin beneath her fingers; it was so soft and smooth and she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to run her tongue over it. Just as she was about to duck her head down to find out, she paused and looked up.
"What?" Quinn asked when Rachel suddenly pulled back. "Did I do something wrong?"
"It's Beth," Rachel said as she quickly stood up and looked around for her shirt. "She's having a nightmare."
It was faint, but she heard the little girl's cry. She had been having more nightmares recently and Rachel had no doubt that's what it was. When she finally found her shirt tossed over the arm of the couch, she slipped it over her head, and ran a shaky hand through her hair. Quinn was looking at her with a mixture of confusion and concern, but Rachel had other things to worry about.
"You should probably go," Rachel stated.
"Okay," Quinn said, sitting up.
Without looking back, Rachel turned on her heel and walked into Beth's room. While she held a crying Beth in her arms, Rachel heard the front door close and she breathed a sigh of relief as she closed her eyes and said, "It's okay."