A/N: Many thanks to Staph for helping me out with a beta-on-the-fly!

The bells above the cafe door jangled as Rachel pulled it open, the blast of warm air from the inside desperately welcomed by the brunette. Late fall was never warm enough, and while this time of year had been cold in Ohio, she could never quite get used to the bite of the wind as it whipped between the tall buildings of her favourite city. Pulling her knit scarf from tight around her neck, unbuttoning her peacoat, and taking a deep breath to warm her chilled lungs, Rachel looked around the surprisingly-busy-for-mid-afternoon establishment, hoping maybe she would be able to see… someone. She hadn't really gotten a description from Annette, just that apparently the girl she was meeting up with was super hot, confident, and blonde to boot. Apparently her meddlesome neighbour had been too drunk to remember much else, and yet had still been able to set her up on another blind date. Rachel knew she meant well, but it was still incredibly bothersome. She was early, but perhaps whoever she was looking for also had a knack for punctuality.

The door's bells rang out again, and Rachel had to bite back a slight curse at the gust of cold air as it snuck in behind the new patron and wound its way around her ankles.

"Rachel? Rachel… Berry?" The brunette in question turned at the remarkably familiar voice, one that made her heart twinge slightly in regret, to see a certain Quinn Fabray, in a worn-looking leather jacket, tight, dark jeans, and a steadily growing smile.

"Quinn Fabray?" Despite their… dodgy past and the slight flush on her cheeks (that, if brought up, would definitely be attributed to the cold temperatures outside), Rachel couldn't help but grin at the other woman. She'd definitely aged well.

"Oh my god, Rachel! It is you!" The blonde moved in, arms outstretched for a hug that Rachel happily gave, glad for an excuse to be held by the other girl's arms again. She tried not to close her eyes and sigh when she smelled that unforgettable perfume that Quinn had always been too fond of. Things had run their course, even if Quinn was serendipitously standing right in front of her, seemingly much more mature than she had been all those years ago, when distance meant so much more than they both could properly understand. She just had to remember that. "It's been way too long!" After five beats longer than was comfortable for just friends, Quinn leaned back, hands on Rachel's shoulders, to look her over. "You look really good!"

Rachel looked down at her feet, slightly embarrassed at the attention. Her cheeks flushed darker at the offhanded, but entirely sincere, compliment, and she was mildly shocked that Quinn was still able to turn her into that simpering schoolgirl with a crush. "Not as good as you, I mean…" She gestured toward the blonde. "Look at you!" She was still the prettiest girl Rachel had ever met, and that was kind of really annoying, considering Rachel rubbed shoulders now with industry elite.

Quinn rolled her eyes affectionately before sliding her hands down from Rachel's shoulders to hold Rachel's glove-enclosed hands. "What've you been up to?"

Rachel bobbed her head noncommittally, screwing her face up as if in thought. "You know, this and that…" She chuckled. "Singing… Broadway." Quinn laughed at her faux-humility when Rachel suddenly burst. "Oh! I have a cat now!"

Quinn's face fell a little bit, and Rachel was a little perturbed. The other woman had seemed so joyful until she'd mentioned Brando… had something happened?

Squeezing Rachel's hands, Quinn finally let them go in favour of folding in on herself. "Pickwick… passed away last month."

Rachel didn't realize she'd thrown herself around the heartbroken woman until she heard Quinn's surprised intake of breath. "I'm sorry to hear about Pickwick… I know you loved him very deeply." Quinn's arms wormed around her back and squeezed.

Quinn sighed, her voice shaky. "Yeah…" Rachel felt her heart break… She'd held Pickwick first, after all. She'd even named him, and it had broken her heart all those years ago when Pickwick had practically imprinted on the blonde instead of her. She'd technically had visitation rights to the cute Griffon Bruxellois they'd decided to adopt together, but things happened, time passed, and, well, people moved on and lost touch. "I knew it was coming, he was getting kinda old, but it still really hurts…"

Stepping back, Rachel smiled a sympathetic smile at the blonde. "He was a great dog."

Quinn nodded, smiling a little. "He really was…"

"So…" Rachel was desperate to find another topic of conversation for them, and figured small talk would likely work wonders. "What are you doing here, of all places?"

"Well, I live and work here, if you're asking about the city. I've been to your show…" Quinn's sad smile grew a little as she shrugged. Rachel knew Quinn had caught onto her motive, but she was clearly too gracious to point it out. "Believe it or not, I'm… actually here for a blind date."

The blonde grimaced as Rachel's eyebrows flew up in surprise. "You too?" That was a surprising coincidence!

"Wait, what?"

There was an adorably familiar furrow of confusion that always worked its way onto Quinn's face, and at its appearance, Rachel's heart warmed. "What are the odds of that?"

"Well, I'd have thought that the supremely talented, Tony award-winning Broadway singer and actress wouldn't have any issues getting dates." Quinn bumped her shoulder into Rachel's, sniggering as Rachel smirked, her eyebrow raised in challenge.

"Yes, well, you're certainly still as gorgeous and whip-smart as you used to be, regardless of what your occupation is now, whatever that may be, so I find it difficult to believe that you're here for the same reason as I am!" A false huff and overly dramatic half-turn foot-stomp, reminiscent of the Rachel Quinn once knew and loved, had the beginnings of an ear-splitting grin creep across the blonde's face.

"Well, I have my reasons for being here, Berry." Quinn crossed her arms, struggling to replace her grin with a fake, stern scowl as Rachel peeked playfully over her shoulder at her.

"And I have mine, Quinn, but that is neither here nor there, isn't it?"

They smirked at each other before doubling over in hysterics. Rachel was more than slightly sure that they were making quite a scene, and that her blind date, if she was already here, would definitely think she was daft, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. She'd missed this easy rapport with Quinn, and was glad the two of them hadn't lost it, despite the near-decade since they'd seen each other last.

"It's been way too long, Rach…" Quinn swiped a finger under her eye as she attempted to control her giggles. It felt good to really laugh again.

"Agreed!" Rachel rummaged through her clutch, pulling out a business card for Quinn, who readily accepted it. "...and while tonight may not be the best night to do so, since we're both here for ulterior motives, I'd like to catch up properly?" Rachel found it difficult to keep the hopefulness out of her voice, the flutter out of her heart, and the flush off her cheeks. She found herself extremely pleased to see Quinn smiling warmly at her, something familiar in the twinkle in her eye.

"I'd like that. Coffee sometime? My treat?" Quinn's eyebrow arched at the card, simple in its black background, gold italicized serif font, and star accent. Evidently some things didn't change.

"I know a great place near my condo, you absolutely must try their vegan chocolate cheesecake." Quinn's eyes narrowed at the use of vegan and cheesecake in the same sentence, but Rachel powered on, talking with her hands as much as her mouth. "…It's to die for. And my favourite part is that they use Kona coffee for all their espresso drinks, which… oh my god, have you had it? It's from Hawaii!"

"I don't think I have, so I'm going to have to try it, won't I? I feel like I won't really have a choice in the matter." Quinn winked, and Rachel scoffed, rolling her eyes. Some things evidently hadn't changed.

"Off with you, lady killer. Go find this blind date of yours, and knock her off her feet!" Rachel laughed loudly, and playfully pushed Quinn towards the hostess. "Do you know what she looks like?"

Over compensation worked wonders.

"No clue. Something about short and brunette… and loud, but totally awesome, apparently." Rachel paled, glad Quinn wasn't facing her anymore. That was how Annette had drunkenly described her the last three times she had set her up with random people she'd met. Rachel honestly had no idea how she never had the heart to turn the dates down… Was she that desperate? Or maybe she just really needed a hobby that wasn't work related… that sounded about right.

"But then again, that sounds like more than one person I know, so..." Quinn trailed off, dipping her head back towards Rachel to look at her upside-down, before sticking out her tongue cheekily. "Case in point." Rachel's mock-scowl had Quinn laughing, before righting herself to speak to the hostess, who had been watching their entire exchange with a decidedly amused smirk. "I have a reservation for two, under Luce?" Quinn reached for Rachel's hand without looking, giving it a quick squeeze.

That… was who Rachel was supposed to meet. Her eyes widened as she groaned inwardly. She was going to kill Annette.

"If you'll just follow me?" The hostess, grabbing two menus, walked away, leaving Quinn to follow, but not before winking as she signalled to Rachel that she would call her. Rachel merely croaked in response, which had Quinn chuckling as she stuck her hands into her jacket pockets, jogging slightly to catch up with the hostess that had left her behind.

Rachel took several deep breaths, slowly exhaling each time to find some way of calming herself. Tonight was going to be awkward, there was no doubt about that. But what blind date wasn't? At least they would be able to skip over the 'getting to know each other' stage, and get right into the nitty gritty of things. Like if Quinn still liked that thing she did with her tongue, and if she still slept on the right side of the bed.

She could do this.

Maybe.

When the hostess returned, and Rachel asked for the reservation under 'Luce', she was gracious enough to hide her laughter behind a cough.

At least somebody found the situation amusing.

Fin

A/N: I could totally see myself revisiting this 'verse, because I have head canons about this that I alluded to but didn't go into detail about (like how Quinn's coworker, who introduced Annette to Quinn that fatefully awkward night, called Pickwick "the Ewok", amongst other things). I'd originally intended to write from the very beginning, back in high school, and make yet another long-ass fic that never ends, but then I wrote this little tidbit and it just felt perfect, so this is now a one-shot.

So... that said, Lemme know if you want to see more of this 'verse! Or don't! Your choice!

A/N2: Yes, the title is a really, really bad pun. I'm aware. I'm sorry.