DameonCain Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it. And that I've managed to provide a new twist on a familiar story.

Fabraygron You (and everyone else who reviews) are taking some time out of your day to not only read my story but to also say a few words, offer some encouragement, whatever the case may be. & that means so much to me. I don't want to ever take it for granted, or for you to think that I don't appreciate your comments, so for me, it is neccessary.

I agree. I think that a suave/smooth Quinn would have have been an excellent addition to the show, esp in the later seasons.

LaurenKnight13Thank you. I'm glad you like the dynamic. No, I don't think either of them noticed. I think it was unconcious (but incredibly telling) on both of their parts.

Jaely Yep, poor Quinn. She's still got some reservations and some insecurities that I think being with Rachel is really going to make her face/come to terms with. Yeah, they're already functioning as a couple a few steps ahead of where they think the relationship actually is.

gllover22 Thank you. :) I'm very glad that you're enjoying the story and with each chapter I strive to mainain that.

RachelBarbraBerry Thanks.

Denethion Don't feel bad. I'm just happy that you're reading and enjoying the story. Although I would never discourage any commentary you feel like making. :)

wkgreen lol. Agreed. And I can't imagine that Quinn would take kindly to running into any of Rachel's exes...

SuperGleek18 Yup. I think she knows that. She'd just not ready to acknowledge that she knows it.

Chapter 19

Quinn didn't say anything when Rachel surrepitiously forked the first batch of waffles, a sodden, gooey mess, into the trash can beneath the sink. Nor did she way a word when the second batch the same fate. She did however decide to speak up when she spotted faint tendrils of smoke curling up from the edges of the waffle maker on the third attempt.

"So, how's breakfast coming?" she asked during a momentary lull in Rachel's story about one of her castmates. Rachel drew in a breath, her brow furrowing at the interruption even as she turned to check. Quinn bit back a laugh at Rachel's gasp and muttered curse.

"I think the waffle maker's broken," Rachel said as she turned to face Quinn once again.

"It's broken?"

"It's broken."

"So it's all the waffle maker's fault. And has nothing to do with the fact that you just don't know how to use it?"

"It's my waffle maker of course I know how to use it."

Quinn quirked an eyebrow at her, unable to prevent the corners of her lips from turning up in a smirk. Rachel crossed her arms and stomped her foot.

"What? Did you think that you could do better?"

Quinn hummed non-committaly.

"Fine. You make breakfast. I"m going to go shower."

Rachel turned to stalk from the room but Quinn was on her feet to stop her before she made it more than a few steps.

"Hey now," she said, catching Rachel around the waist and swinging her around. "None of that."

"None of what? Me getting upset when you make fun on me?" Rachel tried to squirm out of Quinn's grip but she held firm.

"No." Quinn tightened her grasp, pulling Rachel flush against her. She wasn't sure if Rachel was genuinely upset or if she was still just playing with her but either way she was determined to make the other woman smile. "No naked activities that don't include me."

Rache's eyes widened and her jaw dropped open. "You can't do that!"

"Do what?"

"Say things like that in the middle of a fight. It's not fair."

"This is a fight. Really?" She cocked her head to the side, studying Rachel with mock-curiosity. "Hmmm. Besides," she continued with a lopsided grin. "All's fair in love and war."

Rachel scowled, or at least she tried to but Quinn could see the corners of her lips curving up into a grin and the amusement sparkling in her eyes. Instead of struggling she drifted closer, her lips hovering just centimeters away from Quinn's.

"Oh yeah, and what's this?"

Quinn's breath caught in her throat as she met Rachel's steady gaze. She knew it wasn't a serious question, that Rachel was just playing along with the comment she'd made but that didn't stop her heart from fluttering or prevent the butterflies from stirring in her stomach as, just for a moment, she got lost in thinking, what that it was? For just a single heartbeat she let herself acknowledge that it was the direction they were heading in.

"Well, it's certainly not war," she said softly as she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against Rachel's.

Rachel sighed softly against her lips and melted into her.

Quinn tightened her grip on Rachel, cradling the other woman's body against her own with one arm as the other snaked up her back, hand splaying out between her shoulder blades as she kissed her, slow and deep.

Rachel clutched tightly at her shoulders for a moment before sliding her arms to loop around Quinn's neck, pulling her impossibly closer with one as her other hand slid up into Quinn's hair, fingers tangling in sleep-mussed locks.

Sparks flashed behind Quinn's closed lids, an array of colors that danced and swirled and then began to flicker and dim as her lungs started to burn at the lack of oxygen. It was only when she felt like her chest might expand and explode that she pulled away. And even then it was with reluctance that she extracted her lips from Rachel's and paused to take in a shaky, shuddering breath.

Panting heavily, Rachel dropped her forehead against Quinn's shoulder and turned her head to nuzzle the side of her neck. Quinn shivered at the feel of Rachel's warm breath against her skin.

She hummed softly at the sensation of Rachel's fingers playing lightly with the fine hairs at the nape of her neck and the gentle scrape of nails against her scalp. More than breathless, she felt winded. Like some entity had stolen the air from her body and no matter how much she laboured she would never be able to replenish it. It was a heady, thrilling feeling and the thought of it dissipating actually made her feel a little panicky.

She knew it was just a reaction to the intensity of the moment, to the question that Rachel hadn't really been asking and the response that Quinn hadn't actually given. And as each heartbeat passed between them, Quinn could feel the moment slipping away. Gradually her heartbeat slowed, the hammering in her ears fading to a dull roar and then dissapearing altogether. With each breath she was able to draw more and more air into her lungs until eventually the hitch was gone and all that remained was a faint rawness in her throat, reminiscent of a tickle.

She could feel the tension as it eeked out of the room, leaving them simply embracing, breathing each other in the way that they had so many times before since this whole romance had started.

"You want to try your hand at breakfast, huh?" Rachel murmured against the side of her neck, her lips brushing lightly with each word. Quinn shivered at the sensation and let her head loll slightly to the side, giving Rachel more room to maneuver as she began nibbling lightly.

"Depends, are you still planning on going and taking a shower?"

"And if I was?"

"Then I can think of a few better uses for my hands than making breakfast."

Rachel huffed a laugh against her skin and then pulled back to shake her head at Quinn. "You really are insatiable."

"Hey, you can't say that to me right now because we haven't done anything but kiss yet this morning."

"Is that a complaint I hear?"

"Not a complaint. An observation. Maybe a subtle hint."

"That's subtle?"

"More subtle then, hey, want to do it?"

Rachel laughed lightly. "Has anyone ever actually said that to you?"

"Aside from Puck?"

"Aside from Puck."

"Yes."

Rachel stepped back, her arms falling away from Quinn's neck as she pulled away far enough to meet her eye. "What? No way."

Quinn chuckled at her disbelieving expression and nodded.

"When?"

"Frosh week. I went to a party with my roomate and a couple of other girls from our floor. We were hanging out, drinking and dancing and this guy comes up behind me, puts his hands on my hips, leans in and whispers into my ear "Hey. Want to do it? I can get us a room upstairs."

Rachel stared at her for a long moment, aghast and then threw back her head, laughing loudly. Quinn watched, amused at the other woman's obvious enjoyment of her tale.

"Oh, God." Rachel let out a wheezy breath and wiped moisture from the corners of her eyes. "Sorry. I was just...picturing it. What did you do with his testicles after you removed them?"

The question caught Quinn by surprise and a choked, startled laugther made it's way up her throat.

"Jeez, Rachel," she wheezed a little herself and shook her head.

Rachel shrugged unapolagetically. "Please, Quinn. I fully remember the queen bitch stare. That alone could decimate a man. But I doubt you let a comment like that go without some kind of response."

"Well...I did tell him that if he didn't remove his hands from my body, I'd remove them from his," Quinn remembered with a faint chuckle. She didn't miss the bitch she used to be but she was greatful for the ability to intimidate people that it provided her.

Rachel grinned and nodded approvingly. "Yeah, that's about what I expected."

Quinn returned the grin. "What about you, I'm sure that you've heard a million horrible pick up lines?"

"A million? I think you're exaggerating my appeal, just a little."

Quinn shook her head and used the arms still looped loosely around Rachel's waist to squeeze her gently. "Exaggerting? No. Understating, maybe."

Rachel rolled her eyes and gave Quinn a soft smile. "You're sweet," she said, leaning forward to press a soft kiss against Quinn's lips.

Quinn smiled softly into the peck but pulled away before it could deepen into anything more. "I mean it Rach. You're gorgeous. Stunning. And I don't understand how people aren't literally falling at your feet to tell you that on a daily basis."

Rachel's cheeks darkened in a blush and her smile grew bashful as she tipped her head, letting her hair fall in a curtain around her face for a brief moment before she raised her head and met Quinn's gaze. "I don't know what I did to deserve you," she said softly, a hand coming up to cup Quinn's cheek softly. She pressed another light kiss to Quinn's lips and then stepped back.

Reluctantly, Quinn let her go, arms falling to her sides as Rachel eased from within them. She could tell that the other woman was trying to brush past the moment, uncomfortable with both the question and the praise. She considered pressing the issue, hating that there was still a part of Rachel that was insecure about her appearance but decided to let it go, at least for now. If there was one thing Quinn was aware of it was that it didn't matter how many times someone told you something if you didn't believe it about yourself. She could tell Rachel she was pretty, beautiful, gorgeous, any number of glowing compliments a thousand times a day and it wouldn't mean a thing until Rachel saw it as well.

"So, breakfast?" Rachel prompted, drifting backwards to the island and perching on the stool that Quinn had abandoned.

"Coming right up," Quinn turned to the waffle maker and scraped the crispy mass into the garbage can and began wipping up a fourth batch. She felt Rachel's eyes on her, watching her as she measured and poured and adjusted dials on the appliance and she tried not to feel self-conscious under her gaze. "I'm sorry," she said into the silence between them. "For teasing you about your cooking. I..I didn't mean anything by it. I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings." She turned, leaning on the counter behind her and met Rachel's gaze.

"It's okay, Quinn. I wasn't really upset. Just frustrated. I wanted to make you a nice breakfast. After all the wonderful things you've done for me over the past few days I just wanted to do something nice for you."

"It's not a competition, Rach. I'm not keeping a tally of-"

"I know. Neither am I. But, still..."

"S'okay. I get it."

Quinn turned a few minutes later to check on the waffles and bit back a curse when she opened the lid to find burnt, crispy edges and a gooey, almost still raw center. With a sigh she eased them out of the maker and poured another batch. She made another adjustment to the dial and turned her attention back to Rachel, who had one eyebrow raised, watching her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You look like you want to say something?"

"Me? No."

Quinn studied her for a moment, waiting but Rachel pursed her lips and slid of the stool. "Would you like some orange juice with your waffles?" she asked. "Maybe some fruit? I have strawberries."

Without waiting for a reply she crossed the room to the fridge and began pulling things out, syrup, a glass pitcher or orange juice, a bowl of mixed fruits. She hummed softly to herself as she worked, pouring juice and pulling down plates and setting their places opposite each other on the island. Quinn watched her from her place at the counter, just mesmerized by the fluid way in which she moved.

After a few minutes of watching however she shook herself out of her daze and turned to check on the waffles. She pulled up the lid and let out a groan.

"What?"

Biting her lip she turned to face Rachel. "I think the waffle maker's broken."