Fabraygron Thank you. I'm glad you liked it. No relationship is completely smooth sailing but yeah, they got a few of the bumps out of the way with this conversation. And this next chapter is pure Faberry fluff, so I hope that you enjoy.

LaurenKnight13 Thank you. Yep, clean slate. I'm looking forward to the progression of their relationship now that the past has been (mostly) tucked away. I have a few ideas regarding Shelby/Beth but haven't actually come to a decision yet. You'll know when I know. :)

wkgreen Yeah. The past is what brought them together but they need to build a foundation in the present.

FaberryOTP I think being naked and in bed makes everything that much sweeter. :) Yep, time to move forward and build something together.

Jaely They have such a history and so much between them that their connection is a little unusual. The pace is quick but at the same time, yeah, it works for them.

LSpatz: Done. And earlier than promised. Happy reading when you get home from work. :)

helly1bradleywyatt :) Thank you.

gllover22 Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it. :) Yeah, for the purposes of this story at least Rachel couldn't be the victim. I wanted them to be on equal ground when it came to their past treatment of each other.

Chapter 16

"Quinn?" Rachel's voice was soft but it carried easily in the stillness. "Are you asleep?"

"Mm, not really." She'd been lying with her eyes closed simply enjoying the act of holding Rachel within the circle of her arms as she let her thoughts wander once again.

"Well, are you tired?"

"Not really." She knew that she probably should be, considering how little sleep she'd gotten the night before and the day that she'd had but she was too wired to sleep.

"Me neither. I know it's late and all but I've gotten so accustomed to sleeping in and staying up-"

"I know what you mean, Rach," Quinn gently interrupted. "I work in the theatre as well, remember?" It had been an adjustment for Quinn, who had gone from early morning Cheerios workouts and practices in high shool to late nights at the theatre when she'd gotten to college but over the years she had gotten used to and even started to enjoy the slightly nocturnal schedule of the stage actor. It hadn't changed much when she's shifted her focus to writing either as she'd had to accomodate the actors and directors and choreographers who were working on shows that kept them out late.

"Oh, yeah." Rachel was silent for a beat. "Did you maybe want to watch a movie or something? I think I have some non-dairy ice cream in the freezer. We never did get dessert."

"I'm pretty sure that's an oxymoron. But I could go for some ice cream."

Rachel smacked her arm lightly at the dig and then rolled off Quinn to land gracefully on her feet beside the bed. "Want to pick out a movie while I-"

Quinn groaned her displeasure at the warmth of Rachel's body leaving her own and immediately rolled onto her side and snaked an arm around the other woman's waist, tugging in an effort to pull her back into bed. "Changed my mind. I don't like that plan at all."

Rachel laughed as she allowed herself to be pulled backwards onto the mattress once again. She half turned in Quinn's grasp and gazed down at her with an affectionate smile on her lips. "You know, I don't remember you ever being so tactile." She brought a hand up to cup Quinn's cheek, stroking the skin lightly with her thumb before leaning down to press a quick kiss against her lips.

"Really?" Because Quinn had always been one to use touch. So much so that it had actually been an issue for her in many of her relationships. Maybe it was due to all those years spent in gymnastics and dancing and Cheerios. She'd gotten so used to being handled, spotting and lifts and stretching each other out that she just didn't think about putting her hands on other people, it was an automatic, and sometimes unconcious decision for her to reach out and lay a hand on an arm, a shoulder. To slide an arm around her partners waist or lean up agains them. It had caused plenty of arguments over the years, from Finn accusing her of putting on a public display of affection to make Rachel jealous to her last girlfriend complaing that she was being territorial and jealous when they went out.

Quinn didn't think that either of those things were true. Okay, well maybe a little bit of trying to make Rachel jealous had been true when she'd been hanging all over Finn in the choir room everyday but mostly it had just been Quinn's natural inclination. She was guarded and didn't open up easily when it came to her emotions. She knew that and was trying to work on it. But a simple touch could connect her so quickly to another person and oftentimes it was the only way she knew how to connect. Even so, she was aware of how clingy that it could make her seem to others.

"Sorry." She pulled her arm back quickly and shifted away, rolling onto her back once again so Rachel could get up.

"Hey." Rachel's brow furrowed slightly and a frown played at her lips as she stared at Quinn, clearly confused by her retreat. "I didn't say it was a bad thing." She reached out to cup Quinn's cheek once again.

"You mean, you don't mind?"

"Mind? Of course not. A beautiful woman wants to put her hands on me. Why would I mind?" Rachel's face lit up with the warmth of her smile as she leaned forward and once again brushed her lips against Quinn's.

Quinn took the invitation for what it was and once again wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist, pulling the other woman to her as she parted her lips and let her tongue dart out, deepening the kiss and drawing a soft moan from Rachel's throat. Rachel sunk slowly into the kiss, leaning forward by inches until she was resting fully against Quinn their lips moving languidly together.

Rachel pulled away a moment later with a soft hum, leaving Quinn feeling lightheaded and a little breathless. "Hi," she said softly as she rested her forehead against Quinn's and stared down into her eyes.

"Hey." She couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips any more than she could stop her arms from tigthening around Rachel's waist in a gentle hug.

"So, ice cream? A movie?"

"Sounds good to me." Quinn was willing to trade snuggling in bed with Rachel for snuggling on the couch with Rachel, especially if it meant a snack to satisfy her sweet tooth. Not to mention the faint rumblings in her stomach from the small portions of their dinner and the rush to get home before dessert.

"Are you actually going to let me up this time?"

Quinn made a show of considering before releasing her grip and allowing Rachel to slip from the bed once again. She moved across the room and Quinn turned her head to watch her as she reached into her dresser drawers and pulled out a pair of shorts and a tank top. She turned, speaking, saying something to Quinn as she pulled the shirt over her head and then shimmied into the shorts but whatever she said was lost as Quinn let out little whimpers of dissapointment as first those amazing breasts, then those abs and lastly those tantalizing legs were covered by the material of her clothing. Rachel shook her head when she realized she was being blatantly ogled but Quinn caught the faint blush and the way her lips turned up in slightly.

"So, if I borrow something to wear am I going to get jumped again?"

"You say that like it was such a terrible thing to happen to you."

"Oh, no, I'm trying to make sure it happens again."

Rachel let out a laugh as she shook her head. "You really are insatiable, aren't you?"

"You say that like it's such a terrible thing."

"Get dressed, Quinn."

Without waiting for a response Rachel turned and strode from the room. Quinn watched her go and then rolled out of bed and made her way over to Rachel's dresser to once again search for something to wear. A few minutes of searching through a couple of drawers and she found a pair of pj pants and a t-shirt. Once dressed she made her way through the apartment, bypassing the extensive collection of dvd's on display in the cabinet beside the tv and heading straight for the kitchen instead. Rachel was at the counter, her back to the room as she scooped ice cream into two bowls. Quinn slipped up behind her and wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist and pressed in up against her back.

"Need a hand?" she asked, pressing a kiss just below Rachel's ear and smiling into the skin of her neck when she felt the other woman shiver in her arms.

"Nah, I'm just about done here," Rachel said as she leaned back into Quinn's embrace. Her head lolled back slightly as she turned her head to meet Quinn's gaze. "Do you want toppings? I have non-dairy whipped cream. And a bag of mixed-berries in the freezer."

"Depends. Is the ice cream some weird, vegan flavor? Because in that case I definitely want toppings."

Rachel smacked her arm. "It's cappucino."

"Then no, plain is fine."

Rahel huffed lightly. "What movie are we watching?"

"Funny Girl?" Quinn suggested after a moment's hesitation.

"Do you really want to watch that or did you just suggest it because you know that it's my favourite movie?"

Quinn shrugged in answer and Rachel chuckled.

"Did you even look through my movies?"

Again, Quinn just shrugged.

Rachel pressed a quick kiss to the underside of Quinn's jaw and then pulled away. "Okay, fine. I'll pick out a movie," she said as she turned in Quinn's arms. " I put the kettle on, it's a little late for coffee so I was going to make tea. Will you do it?" She didn't wait for a response before she patted Quinn's shoulder lightly and then slipped from her grasp and headed into the living room. Quinn turned, leaning against the counter and watching her as she walked away only turning her attention back to softly rattling kettle when Rachel knelt to examine her movie collection and dissapeared from sight. As the water slowly started to boil Quinn began searching through the cupboards, opening them one by one and trying to familiarize herself with their contents as she sought out mugs, spoons and tea bags. By the time the kettle started it's low whistle she had everything arranged on the counter, the two bowls of ice cream and both mugs on glass cake plate, a makeshift tray along with spoons, napkins a small cup of milk and a handful of sugar cubes. Even a small saucer for their tea bags once they had finished steeping. With a flick of her wrist she turned off the stove and quickly made their tea, black current for Rachel and peach blossom for herself. She had the tray in her hand and had turned to head into the living room when she pulled to a stop quickly to avoid crashing into Rachel who had appeared silently behind her.

"Oop, sorry," Rachel reached out to steady her. "I was just coming in to see if you needed a hand in here but it appears you've got everything under control. The movie's all queued up, ready to go."

She turned and led the way back into the living room. Quinn followed behind her, slow even steps keeping her load balanced until she could lay it on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"So, what are we watching?" she asked as she flopped down into the spot beside Rachel.

"It's one of my favourite movies. It's a little old-fashioned but-"

Quinn cut her off with a quick kiss. "I love all the old classics." It was what she'd grown up on, sweeping romances and thickly plotted mysteries and well crafted dialogue and impeccable costumes. It was storytelling at its finest and one of the reasons that Quinn had gotten into playwriting in the first place. She wanted to write stories that rivaled the ones from the golden age of film.

"Oh. Okay." Rachel looked surprised but pleased as well as she relaxed back against the cushion and pressed play. Quinn eased back into place beside her and didn't even bother biting back a grin when Rachel immediately curled up into her side. She wrapped her arms around Rachel's shoulders as the other woman's arms went around her waist and her head nestled in beneath Quinn's chin.

She let out a soft, contented sigh and squeezed Rachel lightly then turned her attention to the images flashing across the screen, trying to guess which movie it was before the opening titlle came up.

"This is one of my favorites too," she murmured softly when she got it, a moment before it scrawled across the screen.

By the time the movie had reached the halfway point, Rachel had slumped down in Quinn's embrace and was now lying with her head in Quinn's lap as Quinn sifted her hands idylly through Rachel's hair.

"Hey, don't fall asleep on me now," Quinn warned.

"I won't," Rachel murmured, even as her eyes fluttered shut momentarily before drifting back open. "My favorite part is coming up."

"Mmmmhmmm." Quinn continued her gentle scratching of Rachel's scalp.

By the end of the movie Rachel was sound asleep, lying on her side with her head pillowed in Quinn's lap, one hand tucked beneath her chin the other wrapped securely around Quinn's knee, her fingers twitching faintly against her skin.

She just looked so adorable that Quinn didn't even mind being fallen asleep on. In fact, staring down at her peacefully sleeping form Quinn wanted nothing more than to freeze this moment and hang in it forever. The faint stirring of affection in the pit of her stomach as she watched the even rise and fall of Rachel's shoulders created a warm, pleasant buzz throughout her entire body.

She was tempted to just close her eyes and drift off into dreamland herself but she knew that doing so in the position she was in right now would do nothing good for her neck and shoulders, not to mention the havoc it would wreak on her back. So it was with a great deal of reluctance that she gently eased out from beneath Rachel's body and stood. She kept her movements slow and flud so as not to wake the sleeping girl. Rachel mewled lightly and curled in on herself but did not wake up, much to Quinn's relief. She smiled down at the sight for a moment wishing she had her camera with her because this was too cute not to have a record of and then shook herself from her thoughts and reached for the tray on the table. The uneaten ice cream had melted into congealing pools in their bowls. The steaming water had cooled and darkened as the tea bags continued to steep and surely the milk had grown warm and unpleasant. Once again they had missed out on dessert. The ice cream had actually looked delicious and the tea had smelled really good but Quinn couldn't bring herself to regret a moment of their cuddling. She'd rather miss out on a treat than a moment of having Rachel in her arms.

She made her way across the room, stepping carefully around table legs and arm chairs so as not to rattle any of the dishes or make any unneccessary noise and wake Rachel. Once in the kitchen she set the tray down on the table and began to clean up. The melted ice cream and warm tea were poured down the sink along with the milk. The sugar cubes went back into their bowl and all of the dirty dishes went into the dishwasher. She was just finishing up wiping down the counter where she'd spilled some ice cream when she heard the faint shuffling of feet behind her. She turned to the sight of Rachel stumbling into the room, eyes heavy lidded and blurry with sleep. Her hair was mussed, her shorts had gotten twisted to the side and her shirt had ridden up slightly, revealing a sliver of abdomen. Quinn didn't understand how someone could look so dishleved and still be so sexy.

"You didn't have to," Rachel mumbled, her voice thick and hoarse as she rubbed a hand over her face and blinked a few times to focus her vision.

"I know."

"But, thank you. It would have been quite disgusting if left until morning."

"Yeah, I know."

"Right. Are you done now? Can we go to bed?" Rachel didn't wait for a response before she wrapped a hand around Quinn's wrist and guided her out of the room.

Quinn didn't offer up any protests. Why would she. She reached out with her free hand and closed it around Rachel's wrist and allowed herself to be led into the bedroom. They made their way into bed without a word, Rachel sliding into the side closest and Quinn circling around to slip in on the other side. As soon as the covers had been pulled up over them they gravitated towards each other. Quinn rolled onto her side and Rachel did the same, sliding over so that her head was resting on the pillow to Quinn's. She slid one leg between Quinn's calves and draped the other over Quinn's knees as she curved a hand around Quinn's ribcage.

"I had a really great time tonight," she said softly, her eyes shinning in the darkness.

"Me too."

"And I'd really like to take you out."

Quinn couldn't help but grin into the space between them, though she doubted that Rachel could see it. "You're asking me out?" she echoed the sentiment that Rachel had expressed the day before when Quinn had suggested a date as they lay on the floor in the aftermath of some pretty intense sex.

"Yes. You showed me an amazing time tonight Quinn," Rachel said. "And while I enjoy being courted and fully expect that to continue I must admit that I would also equally enjoy being your suitor as well."

The pacing of their relationship was insane. Old fashion courting and dates, frantic, frenzied sex, lovemaking and intimacy. It was dizzying in it's variedness. Stages that should be at odds with each other somehow combined together perfectly. The romance of dating, of getting to know each other. The heat and passion of lust and desire. The comfort of familiarity. They could have it all. More importantly, Quinn wanted to have it all. And so, it seemed, did Rachel.

"I'd like that." Quinn's reply was little more than a breathless whisper but she knew that Rachel heard her by the way the other girl shifted subtly towards her.

"Good night, Quinn." Rachel's words were soft and slurred, already halfway to sleep.

"Night, Rach," Quinn said with a soft kiss to the other girl's forehead. "Sweet dreams."