Fabraygron I'm excited. I can't wait to write it. This chapter's a bit of filler but I hope you like it anyway. I thought it important for character development.

Guest: I know you're just trying to help. And I'm really not trying to be a bitch. I swear. And I don't mind being called out when I'm wrong about something. (You'll notice I did actually change the spelling-even if I did still get it screwed up in the last chapter-)

Although, there are a few flaws in your logic. First being, you don't actually see the episode title when it airs on tv. You only see it you have the dvds-which I don't. And even if I did happen to have the dvds, there's no indicator as to which Brit is which.

(Britney 2.0 could just as easily have been Britney Pearce, 2.0 because it was her second episode to emulate Brittany Spears-see what I'm saying)

And as for the glist, the list was flashed on screen for about two seconds and maybe you've got excellent vision but I couldn't make out any of the words from where I was sitting.

SuperGleek18 I know it's my story and I shouldn't, but I really find them adorable together. I love the idea of a Santana/Rachel friendship and there's been some evidence on the show that Santana can actually be really sweet, so I wanted to extend that to her interactions with Rachel. Maybe Tina? I was thinking the other day how she's supposed to end up in NY after graduation and she's not an obvious choice. Although if there's someone else you want to see, let me know and I'll try to work it in.

Jaely Hot and steamy is kinda my specialty. I actually have to work pretty hard on all the emotions and other stuff...so there will definitely be lots of sexy scenes. I'm glad you like the pacing of the relationship.

LaurenKnight13 Again? Still? Dammnit. I think I understand now why most of the fics I read they call her Britt of B. -although in my own defence, I thought that's what I was typing. I have some trouble with letters sometimes- I'm glad that you don't mind, because they'll be like that the rest of the story, unable to keep their hands off each other. And Quinn will definitely woo Rachel.

FaberryOTP Thank you. I'm glad you liked it.

streisand123 :) Thanks. I really thought I was typing that-I get letters mixed up sometimes but usually I can catch it and fix it-but I guess not. I'm pretty sure I got it right in this chapter.

Chapter 12

Quinn knew it was probably to much to ask for but she still found herself hoping that when she got back to the hotel that her friends would not be in the suite they were sharing. They were in New York City after all, they could be out enjoying the sites. But of course they weren't, she realized as she pushed open the heavy wooden door and caught the murmur of voices and soft music playing somewhere inside. She knew that when she made it down the short hallway into the living area of their suite she would find the two of them hard at work, just as she should have been as well. They were going to have to really cram this afternoon and again tomorrow to make up for the hours lost this morning and the ones they were going to have to miss, as she had her date with Rachel tonight.

Not that she could bring herself to regret either instance. Last night and this morning had been amazing. Seeing Rachel again, talking, laughing, getting caught up. Seeing Britt and Santana. Just thinking about it made her feel happy, lighter. And then of course there was the sex. Oh, the hot, passionate amazing sex. She could feel her cheeks flush at the memory and she shook her head, pushing all thoughts of it aside as she kicked off her shoes. The last thing she wanted was to telegraph her thoughts to Olivia, who seemed to have some kind of built in "Quinn-got-laid" meter and could guess by the shade of blush on her cheeks just how salacious her night had been.

She rounded the corner into the suite to the site of Lara stretched out on the low couch, papers strewn about on the coffee table and the floor around her and her laptop open over her knees while Olivia saw perched on the small round table in the room's kitchenette, a sheaf of papers in one hand and a pen tucked in behind her ear.

She must have cast a shadow across Lara's laptop because she craned her neck to glance behind her then offered a wide, sly, smile.

"Well look what the cat dragged in," she drawled, lifting her laptop onto the table and rolling off the couch. She landed on her feet and gave Quinn an appraisive once over as Olivia looked up, her attention caught by the sound of Lara's voice.

"Well, if it ain't Ms. Fabray doing the lamest walk of shame I've ever seen," Olivia said from her perch across the room.

Quinn shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant but she could feel that familiar blush heating her cheeks and she couldn't help but feel a perverse sense of satisfaction when Olivia's jaw dropped open.

"No way."

Again, Quinn just shrugged.

"No fucking way." Olivia slid off the table and strode over to stand in front of Quinn. "Look me in the eye and tell me you're not just playing with me," she demanded, bringing her face close to Quinn's and leveling her with a stare. Quinn held her gaze easily.

"I'm not playing with you," she said.

"Seriously? You banged the hot chick from the bar?"

Quinn bristled at the phrasing, she'd done more than "bang the hot chick from the bar" but she knew that the finer points of last night's and this mornings love making would be lost on her friends for the moment.

"Holy shit, Quinn. Good for you."

Lara was a little less effusive as she gave Quinn a quick squeeze around the waist. "Good for you, Quinn," she said. "She was...well she was hot. And you gotta tell us how that came about. I thought you said she was just a friend?"

Quinn glanced back and forth between her friends and then over at the mess of paperwork they should be doing and let out a soft sigh. She was never going to be able to get them to focus on work when there was juicy gossip to be had.

They so weren't getting any work done today, she realized ruefully. If only she'd realized this earlier, she could have spent more time with Rachel.

She kicked herself for not having seen this coming. She could have still been at Rachel's, making love and cuddling and getting to know each other more. Instead she was stuck here getting grilled by these two.

She let out another sigh. "Is there any way that we can get some of this taken care of while I fill you in on all the sordid details?"

"Sordid details?" Olivia's grin turned sly and she as she and Lara exchanged a glance. "Now my interest is really piqued."

"Liv, seriously?"

"Okay, okay. Chillax. We'll work, you talk."

It was probably as good an offer as Quinn was going to get and she nodded. She settled on the end of the couch Lara had previously been stretched out on as the other two resumed their seats. She rolled her eyes at the site of them both leaning forward, eager for details and launched into the tale of how her night had unfolded.

She took them through the night, the conversation in the bar, walking to the diner, the light flirting. She was a little surprised that neither of them interrupted her or pushed her to get to the "the good parts" but instead seemed to be listening with rapt attention as she described the walk home, the tension and the romance of it, reaching Rachel's doorstep and the indecision on whether or not to kiss her. And as she described that first kiss, trying to convey the sweetness of it both of them were hanging onto her every word.

It was a litte strange, normally they badgered her through all the romantic stuff, looking for the more steamy details. She had expected more of the same today, especially considering that she hadn't " gotten laid" in what they considered to be an unnaturally long dry spell.

Admittedly, it had been awhile, going on four months now. And taking into account how that had ended she could see why they had been so eager to see her moving on and moving forward lately. They were just looking out for her, trying to ensure that she was happy but they could be a little overbearing about it. Their silence as they listened to Quinn's story unfold was a little unnerving but she pushed on, needing to get this out, to tell it to somebody. Her heart swelled and her stomach fluttered as she replayed her evening.

When she reached the part where Rachel had taken her hand and led her upstairs they both sighed softly

"God, Quinn that is so fucking romantic it's ridiculous," Olivia said. "It's like, The Notebook or some shit like that. Some kinda epic romance tale." She slid off the table and came over to sit on the floor in front of the couch. "I'm serious, Quinn. This is like, the stuff that novels are made of."

Quinn couldn't help but laugh at that because Olivia didn't even know the half of it. She hadn't told her friends many details of her high school days, just glossed over the basics because this was real life now and who cared about high school. They didn't know about the slushying, the bullying, the fighting over the same boy, the wedding-that-wasn't. And if she thought that about her and Rachel's story now, Quinn couldn't even imagine what she'd say about it if she knew all of that.

"You know if we wrote this, it'd be a bangin' play," Lara said softly, her eyes taking on that dazed, faraway expression that told Quinn she was already envisioning it.

"Nu-uh. No way. Our relationship is not fodder for a plot."

Lara rolled her eyes and sighed but didn't push it.

"Okay, so I'm assuming that you guys went upstairs and made sweet, sweet love until all hours of the morning, right?" Olivia said. "And you're not going to tell us any of the details because you're a prude and you suck."

Quinn rolled her eyes and nodded. "You are correct."

Olivia stuck her tongue out at her. "Then I just have one more question for you. What the hell are you doing here?"

Quinn laughed. "You know, I'm been asking myself that same question since I got here," she admitted. Then proceeded to tell them about how their morning had gotten interrupted by the arrival of a few other old friends and ended off with "...But I have a date with her tonight."

"That is so sweet," Lara sighed. "Do you know where you're taking her? What you're going to wear?"

"I have a dress you can borrow, if you need one," Olivia said. "That green one. I bet it would look smokin' on you. And shoes, those little strappy sandals you brought..." she trailed off as she rose from the floor and headed into the bedroom, calling over her shoulder something about earrings. Quinn watched her go and then glanced over at Lara, who was still looking at her expectantly and she resigned herself to the fact that they were never going to get anything done. With a sigh she slumped back against the couch and began to brainstorm date ideas with her friend.

Several hours later found her pacing back and forth across the bedroom floor in her bra and panties, heart pounding loudly in her chest and butterflies fluttering madly in her stomach. She had been doing fine, was getting ready for her date later. She'd showered and done her hair, blowing it out and then curling it carefully before pulling it back into a knot at the nape of her neck. Her dress was hanging up on the back of her closet drawer, the green one that Olivia would suggested she would look "smokin'" in, the sandals the other girl had suggested lying on the floor beneath it. She'd been standing at the mirror, just about to do her makeup when the nerves hit.

And these weren't fun, excited nerves that made her giddy and lightheaded and eager. These were daunted, terrified nerves that scared the hell out of her. . Her hand had started shaking so hard that she'd had to put down her mascara wand or risk poking her eye out.

She would have thought that since they'd already spent most of last night re-connecting and most of this morning getting physical there would be no pressure. The chemistry was evident, they were both clearly drawn to each other, they always had been. The conversation had been easy and engaging. The sex had been utterly amazing. She should be looking forward to tonight. She should be eager to go, spend a few hours dining and talking and simply enjoying Rachel's company before heading back to the other woman's apartment and falling into bed.

Instead she was terrified. Yes, last night's conversation had gone so smoothly but they'd spent the better part of the evening getting caught up, it had been six years since they'd last seen each other. But they couldn't base their relationship on their connection from the past. What happened when they ran out of ground to cover in terms of people they used to know and the things they'd done to get them to this point? What happened if they had nothing to say to each other about now?

She couldn't bear the thought of seeing Rachel again tonight and realizing that their relationship had already gone stagnant.

Olivia and Lara each sat on the end of a bed and stared at her in concern and confusion as she paced. Both had tried to calm her down but she hadn't really been able to focus on their words. Her head was too overrun with nerves and doubts.

The buzz and clamour of her cell phone as it rang and slid across the surface of the dressar made her jump, startled and she strode over to answer it. After two fumbled attempts to pick it up and an accidental almost ending the call she hit speaker and leaned heavily against the dresser, taking slow, deep breaths.

"Hello?"

"Quinn? Hey."

"Santana? Twice in one day? To what do I owe the pleasure. Oh, and you're on speaker, by the way," she cautioned, knowing that the warning would have little effect. Santana would say what she wanted to say, didn't matter who else was in the room with Quinn to hear it.

"You are too. Britt's here with me. We're just grabbing a quick dinner before she has to head back to set."

"Hey, Britt."

"Hey, Quinn." Her voice was muffled, distant.

Santana chuckled and Quinn winced as a couple possibilities for why that might be flashed through her head. Before she could call her on it however, Santana choose to fill her in.

"We're in the park, B's trying to climb a tree."

Quinn didn't ask. It was just so Brittany.

"So I hear you and Berry have a date tonight."

Quinn nodded, even though she knew Santana couldn't see her. "Yeah. We do. Is this the part where you go all protective friend and tell me that if I hurt her, you'll kick my ass."

Santana chuckled. "Make no mistake, if you hurt her I will go all Lima Heights on your ass. That's a fact. But no, this is the part where I tell you to relax."

Quinn stared down at the phone in surprise, there's no way that Santana could know that. They hadn't seen each other in six years, there was no way the other woman could know how she'd react to anything anymore.

"I'm fine."

"Really? So you're not pacing the room in your skivvies, hyperventilating and shaking like a leaf?"

Quinn's lack of an answer was enough for Santana, who laughed lightly on the other end.

"Fuck you, Santana."

"I do believe you've already had that pleasure."

"More like horror."

"Those weren't cries of terror. "Oh, San. Oh, God. Please. San" She pitched her voice low and breathy in a pretty good imitation of how Quinn had sounded.

All Quinn could do was shake her head and laugh. And hope that there weren't any other people within earshot of the other woman at the park.

When Santana spoke again her voice was soft, serious. "I mean it Quinn. It's Berry. She's seen you at your worst. She knows all your crazy. And she still wants you. So stop freaking the fuck out."

Quinn actually did feel herself relax a little at the other woman's words. They'd known each other such a long time ago that they were both bound to have changed but as Santana had said, they already knew each other on a fundamental level. Quinn didn't have to worry about making a good impression or be embarrased about her past or worry about what detail would be the one thing to much that scared Rachel away.

It didn't calm her fears completely however. Because even though all of that were true there was no guarantee that it would be enough to bring them closer together now. They'd still have to get to know each other, find common ground and build off of that and there was always the distinct possibility that whatever bond they'd shared in the past did not carry over to the people that they were now.

Santana sighed and Quinn had a feeling the other woman knew that she hadn't managed to completely quell all of Quinn's nerves.

"Look, I'm going to turn you over to Britt now, okay? She wants to say hey."

"All right. Thanks, Santana."

"Anytime. Love you, bitch."

"Love you too."

She couldn't help but smile at the last exchange, so easy, so familiar. And, she realized as she listened to the faint rustle of the phone being transferred from one hand to another, completely true. The words had sprang to her lips more from habit than from conscious thought and yet as she said them she felt that faint tug in her heart, that swell of emotion that made the words an actual feeling not just an automatic response.

"Hey, Quinn."

"Hey, Britt. What's up?"

"I just wanted to tell you not to be nervous about your date tonight. You and Rachel are like me and San. You're meant to be. It's like, God laid a hand. Y'know? So you don't have to worry that she won't like you. Or that you won't like her or that it'll be awkward or weird or anything because it won't be."

Britttany made it sound so easy and she really wanted it to be but she didn't really believe that it could be.

"That's sweet, Britt-"

"I know that you can't see it right now, but it's true. Just trust me okay?"

Trust. Quinn had never had much luck with that. But it was Brittany and she couldn't very well refuse her oldest and best friend.

"I'll try."

"That's all I ask," Brittany said and Quinn could hear the smile in her voice. "Just have fun tonight, okay Quinn? Because Rachel makes you happy and you deserve to be happy. And the two of you look super cute together."

"I will, Britt."

"I have to go now. I need to get back to set and San's gotta head to work. But we'll get together again soon, okay? Coffee? This week."

"Count on it."

"All right. Bye Quinn. I love you."

"Love you too, sweetie."

There was a click then the line went dead. Quinn stared down at the phone with a smile playing across her lips and a warm rush of affection swelling in her chest. God how she'd missed those girls. She was so, so grateful to have them back in her life and looking out for her. And it amazed her how easy it was to slip back into their friendship. Neither one of them seemed to hold any resentment towards her for basically dissapearing from their lives and both were eager to embrace her back into them.

It was with a much steadier hand that she reached for her mascara wand and turned her attention back to her reflection in the mirror. Only to pause with her hand an inch away from her face as she caught site of Lara and Olivia gaping at her from their seats behind her.

"What?"

Lara just shook her head, either unwilling or unable to voice her thoughts. Olivia, predictably, was not so similarly inhibited.

"You slept with her girlfriend and she's that nice to you?"

It was not the reaction she was expecting and Quinn couldn't help it, she burst into laughter. Olivia huffed and crossed her arms and Quinn tried to reign herself in. A minute or two later she had herself under control and turned to face her friends.

"It happened while they were broken up. While she was dating my ex-boyfriend." And Santana's too, for that matter. But she didn't really want to get into all of that. "Besides, she knows that I'm not a threat to their relationship."

"Threat or not, she sat right there while her girlfriend told you that she loved you."

Quinn just shook her head. Olivia wouldn't understand. She couldn't understand the history of the unholy trinity and the intricate ways in which they were bound together, even now after all this time and distance.

"It's complicated," she said with a shrug. It was really all she could say.

Olivia nodded. "I'll say." But she seemed content to let it drop at that as she slid off the bed and approached Quinn. She took the mascara wand from her hand and then gripped her by the shoulders and eased her backwards into the spot she'd just vacated.

"Now, close you're eyes and hold still. I don't want to poke your eye out."

Quinn chuckled soflty and acquiesed, relaxing under her friend's careful minstrations.

She let her mind wander, her thoughts drifting away from their quiet conversations about eyeshadow colors and lipstick shades and instead focusing on the date ahead of her. Her heart once again beat rapidly in her chest and butterflies stirred once again in her stomach but this time, it was excited nerves. It was eager, first date jitters. And once again, Quinn was looking forward to tonight.