Author's Note: I wanted to have this chapter up by Christmas. But that didn't happen. Then I figured that I could get it done by New Years. But that didn't happen either. I'm sorry for the wait between updates, but it's a pretty long chapter so I hope that, combined with the content of the chapter, will make up for how long it's been since I last posted.

Happy (belated) Holidays. I hope everyone had a good one.

progpoet Thank you. I'm glad that you think that. It's exactly what I'm trying to do with the story, just show a very real and honest portrayal of a relationship and how it develops.

scorpgirl: I'm honored you're that invested in the story but please, girl, get some sleep. :)

simx48 Sorry for the wait. I hope that you still enjoy it.

Harley Quinn Davidson I'm glad you liked it. I hope that you continue to enjoy it.

gllover22 Yeah, it can be hard to be "adult" when emotions come into play or hard issues prop up. I'm sure that there will be times when they can't handle it, but I think they're pretty good at being each other's calming influence. They balance each other out pretty well.

w1cked Thank you. I'm glad that you enjoyed the way they handled themselves and the situation.

icesk8er Yeah, slowly but surely, Judy and Quinn will mend things.I think it very easily could have become a fight, if they had let it. But, they're both trying to keep calmer heads and talk instead of argue. Rachel has her own share of insecurities, which probably gives her an advantage when helping Quinn deal with hers.

Guest Thank you.

LSpatz. Thank you. And,I know. Where has the time gone. 2015 already.

CarmellaD'Winter (re 40)I'm glad you liked it. Thank you. And, I think that Rachel's words could have easily led to an argument, if they hadn't struck Quinn and diffused the situation.

DameonCain :) I don't want to be too predictable. I like to keep you guys guessing just a little.

wkgreen Yep, I think that Quinn's definitely met her match. Or rather, they both have in each other.

DLGleek45 Welcome to the story, I'm glad that you took a chance and started reading it. Though, I'm sorry if staying up until 4 to do so left you tired the next day. :( I still appreciate it though. :) Yeah, I feel like the show never went deep enough into Quinn's issues (or any of the characters, really but she's my favorite) We saw her acting out, but they never really delved into why. I'm honored you feel that way, thank you. :)

Eyghon Welcome. And Thank you for taking the chance on it. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

mutt009 Thank you. I'm glad you liked it. :)

RachelBarbraBerry Yeah, I'm loving writing the dynamic of Rachel's dad's and Quinn. Writing Judy was fun too. They're making progress, next time will defintely be easier.

Chapter 42

Quinn did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen while Rachel showered. She was just finishing up as she heard the water in the other room go off, though she knew that Rachael was still a long ways from actually being ready. For a moment she stood in the middle of the kitchen, at a loss for what to while she waited.

It felt a little weird to be in the apartment while Rachel got ready for their date. For all the times she had been in the apartment and how comfortable she felt here, Quinn had never really been left to her own devices for very long. She wondered briefly if she should leave before dismissing that idea. It would be ridiculous to go and kill time in some coffee shop somewhere. Shaking her head at herself Quinn made her way into the living room and took a seat on the couch, settling in against the overstuffed cushions, her feet tucked up under the edges of the afghan that had been left draped over one arm. She reached for the book that was resting on the coffee table and flipped it over to read the back. It was some Broadway biopic, not something she would normally read but it would do in a pinch.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been reading for when the faint clearing of a throat pulled her out of the pages and back to the world at large. She glanced up to find Rachel leaning against the wall in the entryway, a font smile on her lips as she eyed Quinn.

"Hey. You ready?" Quinn put the book back down ont the table and gave her girlfriend a once over, unable to stop her gaze from wandering appreciatively over Rachel's lithe form. "You look nice," she said, standing and making her way across the room. She was dressed simply, a long burgandy tunic top and dark grey leggings paired with chunky silver jewelry, bangle bracelets that glittered on her slim wrists and long, looping chains. Her hair was long and loose, cascading around her shoulders in natural curls and she wore only the faintest hint of makeup. Her outfit gave away nothing as to where they were going to be spending their day, but she looked beautiful.

"Absolutely breathtaking," she corrected herself as she slipped her arms around Rachel's waist and dipped her head for a soft, chaste kiss. "So, are you going to tell me where we're going now?" Quinn asked as she pulled back from the kiss but kept her arms looped losely around Rachel's waist.

"I'd rather surprise you when we get there."

"You know, I'll be just as surprised now, if you told me, as I would be when we arrived."

Rachel cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips slightly, appearing to think about it, before her lips tugged up in a smirk and she shook her head. "Nope."

"What if I said that I wasn't going to let you go until you told me?" She tightened her grip on Rachel.

"Then you'd be missing out on a pretty amazing date, planned by me." Rachel smiled smugly back at her and Quinn sighed.

"Nice try, but no dice. Now, are you ready to get going?"

Quinn nodded and brushed another kiss against Rachel's lips before releasing her grip, reaching for her hand instead, lacing their fingers together as they started across the room.

She had her hand on the doorknob when Rachel froze in place, causing her to stumble first forward and then backwards before she caught her balance.

"Wait.." Rachel tugged her hand free and hurried back towards her bedroom. "And, close your eyes."

"Rach?"

"One minute. Just do it," she said over her shoulder as she dissapeared down the hallway. "Are they closed?" She called a moment later, her voice muffled and faint.

Quinn rolled her eyes before closing them. "Yes," she called back.

She heard footsteps as Rachel approached her again and her brow furrowed as she felt the other woman move past her.

"Rach?"

"Hold on." Her voice was followed by the click of the apartment door shutting.

Quinn's eyes flew open just as there was a knock on the door. She let out a soft laugh as she realized what Rachel was doing. The grin on her face was wide and insuppressable as Quinn reached for the knob and swung the door open to find Rachel standing in the hallway of her own apartment building, in her own doorway, smiling bashfully at her. A boquet of flowers clutched against her chest in one hand.

"Hi," she said softly as she extended her hand to present the beautiful arrangement of gardenia's and baby's breath to Quinn. "These are for you."

Quinn accepted them and brought them up to her face to sniff deeply of the fragrant scent. "They're beautiful, Rach. Thank you."

"Not nearly as beautiful as you."

The line was pure cheese, but the way Rachel said it, with such sweetness, such sincerity, her eyes shining with affection and her voice soft and warm, Quinn had no choice but to be charmed.

"Also, for you."

Quinn hadn't even noticed that Rachel had kept one arm tucked behind her back until this moment when she drew it forward and presented Quinn with a book. She took it gingerly and turned it over in her hands, discovering that it was a faux-leather bound notebook. It had a thin strap that wrapped around it to keep it closed and thick, rough hewn pages in a rich, cream color. The spine was embossed with an intricate gold-inlay pattern of leaves and vines.

It was the kind of book that just begged to be filled with flowery poetry and loving words.

"Rach, it's...I..." Her breath caught in her throat as she raised her gaze from the beautiful, thoughtful gift to her girlfriend. She was at a loss for words and she only hoped that her eyes, which she could feel stinging with tears, conveyed her feelings.

Rachel smiled softly up at her and reached up to cup Quinn's cheek. She rose up onto her toes and brushed a light kiss against Quinn's lips before stepping back and covering Quinn's hands with her own.

"Why don't you put those on the counter so we can get going?" She suggested.

Quinn nodded, still slightly dazzled by the sweetness of Rachel's gesture. "Right. Yeah. Let me just..." she turned and made her way across the apartment to place the book and the flowers on the kitchen counter and then returned to where Rachel was still standing, just outside the door.

"Thank you," she said as she reached for her girlfriend's hand once again. If this was what being wooed by Rachel felt like...she shook her head slightly at the thought. She wasn't sure how much of it her heart could take. She had always known that Rachel could be a real sweatheart. That underneath the sometimes nearsighted selfishness that she indulged in was a genuinely kind and compassionate person. She'd seen in it action. Had been the recipient of it more times than she was deserving of. But to have it bestowed on her in such a deliberate and concentrated efffort, it made her feel so honored and humbled.

They made the ride down in the elevator in silence. Quinn was still curious as to where they were going, but after that, she was content to let Rachel have her big reveal.

Quinn figured out where they were going just before they got there, only because she caught sight of a flyer stapled to a telephone pole just as Rachel was guiding her around a corner towards where the entrance of the park would lead them to their destination. She saw Rachel follow her gaze and knew that her girlfriend knew that had figured it out

"So, what do you think?" Rachel asked, pulling her to a stop just outside the gates and nodding her head towards the park.

"I think it's perfect," Quinn answered honestly. "But, are you sure that you want to do this?" As much as she appreciated Rachel seeking out something that she knew Quinn would enjoy, she didn't want Rachel to be bored.

"Are you kidding? I've been looking forward to this all week."

Rachel arched an eyebrow.

"Seriously. I come every year. Kurt dated one of the event organizers in college and he got us both involved in it. Kurt did sets and costumes. I posed."

"Wait, you posed for this?"

Rachel nodded. "Just once. It was fun. Though not an experience I would ever want to repeat."

Quinn couldn't fathom it. Rachel was such a vivacious person. She was all about sound an motion. Quinn just couldn't picture her standing, still as a statue, for hours on end as tourists and art lovers alike strolled through the park and took in an exhibit of life-sized tableaus of famous paintings.

"Please tell me there are pictures."

Rachel laughed. "I'm pretty sure, yeah. Santana came and tried to get me to break character. Heckled me. Threw stuff. I'm sure she took some photos as well."

That did sound like Santana.

"Let's go in, shall we?" Rachel withdrew her hand from Quinn's grasp only to offer her crooked elbow instead.

"Yes. Let's." Quinn curled her hand around Rachel's arm and allowed herself to be led inside.

"Did you like it?" Rachel asked a couple hours later as they made their way out of the park.

Quinn nodded distractedly, her mind still on the sights that she had seen. The sets had been amazing, so intricately designed down to the smallest of details. She wished she had been able to bring her camera. She had taken a few shots on her phone, but she knew that they wouldn't turn out with much precision and clarity as she'd like.

"Are you sure? You were so quiet the whole time. I coiuldn't tell if you were into it. of if you weren't and just didn't want to say anything."

Quinn pulled to a stop and gently swung Rachel around to face her. "There was a lot to take in. And I didn't want to miss a single moment of it. I'm sorry if I made you feel like I wasn't enjoying myself, but I assure you, I was." She watched Rachel's face carefully as she spoke, looking for signs in the other woman's expression that she actually believed her words and wasn't just saying them for Rachel's benefit.

When she saw the furrow in her brow smooth out and her lips start to curve up in a smile, Quinn knew that her words were hitting home.

"It was...amazing Rachel. I loved it," she said, tugging Rachel to her gently via their joined hands. "And I loved getting to share it with you," she added, bringing one hand up to cup Rachel's chin lightly and tip her face up so she could press a kiss against her lips. "It was a perfect date. You are a perfect date. Thoughtful and sincere and so sweet." She kissed Rachel lightly again. "So, thank you. I've had a wonderful time."

Rachel smiled softly up at her. "Me too. But, it's not over yet. Or at least, it doesn't have to be. I have something else planned. If you're hungry, that is."

"Well, aren't you just full of surprises today. And, I could eat."

Rachel nodded once and then stepped back, using their still joined hands to tug Quinn back into motion. They fell in to step as they made their way down the block, conversation ebbing and flowing, the silences just as easy and comfortable as the words they exchanged.

It didn't feel like a second date. It felt like a fiftieth date, where they were past the point of still feeling out the relationship and getting to know each other and had moved on to the point where they were infinitely comfortable and familiar with each other. And yet, it still had that air of excitement and anticipation that the early stages of relationship held. That sense of heightened awareness, the stir of butterflies in the stomach and the shortness of breath when their gazes crossed or they smiled at each other.

She glanced sidelong over at Rachel and caught the other woman peeking back at her. The corners of her lips curled up automatically into a smile and she felt Rachel squeeze her fingers lightly, a smile playing on her lips as well.

A tremour skittered up her arm at the increased pressure and her heart picked its pace up in response to the smile. She couldn't help herself, when they stopped at a red light she gently tugged Rachel to face her and leaned down to brush a light kiss against her lips. She pulled back just as the light turned green, smirking faintly as Rachel leaned forward, chasing Quinn's lips as they pulled away and then growled under her breath as Quinn faced forward, gently towing Rachel along behind as they fell into step with the crowd moving around them.

She knew better than to ask where they were going but she kept glancing around them for clues as to where Rachel might be taking her. The street signs and storefronts gave away nothing, however. Even when they reached their destination, Quinn wasn't sure where they were. She willingly followed Rachel down a set of steps and through a non-descript wooden door, silently wondering what her girlfriend was up to.

They stood blinking into the darkness, waiting for their eyes to adjust to the change in light and once they had, Quinn let out a soft gasp as she glanced around, trying to take everything in.

"Rach, this place is..."

They were standing at the threshold of what looked to be a Parisian cafe, circa the 1920's. The small, square room was a haphazard array of small, round wrought-iron tables and old black and white photos. The menu board was hand painted in french, precise, looping, caligraphy advertising cafe, the and croissants. A gramaphone played old-school jazz quietly from atop the counter.

"How did you ever find this place?"

The outside was so non-descript, if you didn't know this place existed, you'd never find it. She wondered how many people actually ever did find it, because there was nobody else here.

"I actually worked here, for awhile. In my...junior year at NYADA," Rachel said as she guided Quinn across the room to an empty table. "I didn't have the job for very long, my boss kept getting mad at me for calling off shift for auditions but I've always thought it was a cool little place."

"Yeah," Quinn breathed, still looking around even as she settled at one of the tables across from Rachel.

"I though of you, the first time I walked in here."

That caught Quinn's attention and she turned her gaze to meet Rachel's, grinning sheepishly when she caught her girlfriend grinning at her in amusement. "You did? Why?"

Rachel nodded and shrugged simultanously. "There's something very...old Hollywood glamour about you. I don't know. I just walked in here and was hit with this vision of you sitting at one of those tables, drinking expresso and reading some obscure French author. I don't know," she repeated. "It just seemed fitting."

"I've always wanted to go to France," Quinn said. There were a lot of places she longed to travel to. England, France, Italy, Spain. So many countires and countries that she'd love to explore. "Visit the Eiffel Tower. The Louvre. See the Arc de Triomphe."

"And sit in a little cafe like this, drinking expresso and reading some obscure French author?"

Quinn couldn't help but laugh, even as she nodded her agreement. "Yes. Definitely. What about you, is there anywhere you'd like to travel to?"

Rachel was prevented from answering as their waiter appeared, a tall, think man dressed all in black who ghosted up to their table seemingly out of nowhere with a smile that looked a bit more like a scowl.

They ordered, soup and sandwhiches for both of them, and their waiter dissapeared just as quickly as he'd appeared.

"I've never really had must interest in travelling." Rachel picked up their thread of conversation seamlessly as she leaned her elbows on the table, peering thoughtfully down at it's surface for a moment before raising her gaze to meet Quinn's. "When I was a kid, it was all about getting to New York. That was as big as the world got, for me. And once I finally made it here, I didn't feel the need to explore anywhere else."

Quinn nodded. In a way she understood that. Most of her life, she'd wanted only one thing, to get of of the small town that she lived in. First Bellville, then Lima. Unlike Rachel, however, her dreams of escpae had been unfocused, uncertain. She hadn't really cared where went, as long as it was away. She'd daydreamed about living in all manner of foreign cities. And she would love to visit any of them. All of them.

"But I could totally picture visiting Paris with you," Rachel continued. "You'd drag me to art galleries and museums. And I'd complain a little, but secretly love watching you get all excited about it. We'd go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and walk along the Seine and take selfies in front of the tourist sites."

It sounded exactly like Quinn had always dreamed, visiting the city of love with her lover. She could easily envision Rachel iin that role, walking hand in hand with her down old city streets, sipping coffee in little cafes and shopping at fancy boutiques.

"It sounds pretty amazing."

Rachel nodded. "We should go there, one day. For our honeymoon, maybe?" she said, shrugging one shoulder. The comment was so casual, so off-hand. And yet so matter-of-fact.

It wasn't the sort of thing someone just tossed out there on a second date. A week into the relationship no less. But, the way it sounded, it just seemed so natural, like it was already a foregone conclusion. And there was that dichotomy that Quinn had been experiencing so much of lately. This odd combination of newness and exploration mixed in with comfort and familiarity.

"Not for our honeymoon. No," she said after she'd had a moment to catch her breath. "I wouldn't want to waste such a beautiful city on a trip where we didn't even make it out of our hotel room."

Rachel's laughter was light and melodic. "I really should have expected you'd say that."

"Yeah, you probbaly should have," Quinn said with a teasing grin.

Rachel just shook her head. "Where else would you like to visit?"

"Anywhere. Everywhere," Quinn said with a laugh. "There are so many countries, so many cities I've dreamed of visiting. Since I was a kid. You had Broadway. I had books and poems and all their romantic, exciting, exotic tales of foreign cities that would take me away from the small town life that felt so ill-fitting."

Rachel reached across the table and took Quinn's hand. "Well, one day, when we're both rich and famous on the stage and screen and money is no object, we'll visit all of those places."

"Sounds like a plan," Quinn said, returning the grin that Rachel shot her.

Their waiter returned with their food, sliding it wordlessly down onto the table in front of them before turning and dissapearing again. They talked as they ate, about trips Quinn had planned in her head as a kid and ones she had actually taken. Family vacations to Arizona and Florida, road trips to visit relatives in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, Cheerios competitions out of state. Less exciting ones that London or Prague but still something different than Belleview, than Lima. A glimpse at the world that was waiting for her outside of the small town's limits. About roles that Rachel dreamed of plaing, of ones that she had managed to land.

They split a slice of peach pie for dessert, lingered over coffee, talking about everything, about nothing, until the mid-day rush hit and the cafe started to fill up, the din of conversation beginning to drown out the jazz playing quietly from the counter and each other.

Rachel paid the bill and they left, hand in hand, winding their way through the maze of tables and back up the stairs to street level, blinking once again at the change in lighting, this time their eyes trying to adjust to the bright sun. They headed down the sidewalk, back towards Rachel's apartment at a leisurely pace, window shopping, people watching, just enjoying the time spent together.

Quinn played lightling with the fingers laced with her own, rubbing her thumb along Rachel's knuckles and pressing the pads of her fingertips against Rachel's. Each stroke, each slide of skin against skin sending a warmth shooting up her am and feeling of contentment coursing through her.

All too soon they were turning down Rachel's street, were closing the distance to her building. The next thing Quinn knew, they were pausing in the hallway outside her door.

"I had a really great time today," Rachel said, turning to face Quinn and reaching out to take her other hand as well, lacing their fingers together and swinging their arms lightly between them.

"I think that's supposed to be my line."

Rachel grinned up at her and used their joined hands to gently tug Quinn closer. She tilted her head up and brushed a light kiss against Quinn's lips.

"Thank you, for today," Quinn murmured against Rachel's lips before capturing them for a slow, sweet kiss. "I had a wonderful time." She felt Rachel smile into the next kiss and felt the corners of her own lips turn up in an answering smile.

Rachel pulled away with a soft sigh and began fishing for her key to unlock her front door. She had it half open and was already starting to step inside when she halted in place and spun around. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't even thinking. I have to leave for my show soon. Should I have taken you back to your hotel? Did you have plans with your friends tonight?"

Quinn shook her head and gently ushered Rachel fully into the apartment, letting the door fall shut behind them with a whoosh. "Lara and Liv are both otherwise engaged tonight. We're going to meet up tomorrow afternoon though. And I'd much rather spend the evening here, waiting for you than my hotel room. Unless, you don't trust me alone for that long in your apartment?" she teased as she followed Rachel through the room to the couch, dropping gracelessly onto it and letting out a soft sigh as she sank into the insanely comfortable cushions. "Afraid I'll steal the silverware? Or un-alphabetize your vinyl collection?"

Rachel narrowed her eyes at her. "You wouldn't."

Quinn grinned back at her.

"You know you're more then welcome to stay here and wait for me. I just didn't mean to presume that's what you'd be doing while I was at work."

"Don't worry about it."

Rachel shifted sideways to face Quinn, tucking her legs up under her and stretching her arm out along the length of the back of the couch and leaning her head against it. Quinn mimicked her position and curled her hand around Rachel's, holding it loosely in her own.

"I wish that I didn't have to go. I'd really have liked to have ended this date by making love to you for hours."

Quinn's throat grew dry and she struggled to swallow. "Rach, you can't just stay stuff like that," she rasped, shaking her head and trying to ignore the way the other woman's wide, fathomless eyes tugged at her insides when she looked at her like that.

"Oh, please. You say stuff like that all the time."

"So that was what, payback?"

"More like a taste of your own medicine."

"Why, so I'll see what it feels like and stop?"

Rachel shook her head. "No. I don't ever want you to stop."

Quinn took a deep, steadying breath and tried to clear the images invoked by Rachel's words from her mind. Rachel merely grinned at her, clearly enjoying the effect her little double entendre had on Quinn.

Ignoring the feeling bubbling up in her chest, Quinn leaned forward, closing the distance between them to kiss Rachel, slowly, reverently, deeply. Her free hand came up to cup the other woman's face, stroking Rachel's cheek gently with her thumb. Rachel moaned into her mouth and kissed her back until both of them were breathless and they had to pull away. Their eyes met and the feeling that passed through Quinn was intense and undefined. She pressed her forehead against Rachel's and let her eyes drift shut, breathing deeply in and out until her heart stopped racing and the constriction in her chest loosened.

"I have to go," Rachel said softly.

Quinn nodded. "I know."

"I'd rather stay here."

Again, Quinn nodded. She knew how monumental of an admission that was for Rachel, who lived to perform, for the stage.

"I'll be here when you get back."

"It'll be late," Rachel said, slowly pulling back. "Don't feel like you need to wait up, if you're tired."

'Okay." Even though Quinn agreed, she knew that she would.

Slowly, as if moving reluctantly or against some great force, Rachel rose from the couch and headed for the door once again. Quinn turned her head, watching her go.