The idea comes late at night.

This year, they have found themselves in the same position they have found themselves in for several years now. Celebrating Rachel's birthday on a couch, with a cake too large for two in between them and a bottle of wine that goes surprisingly well with their dessert.

They pass the bottle back and forth as they watch Funny Girl and even Quinn manages to recite any line not belonging to Fanny Brice. Fanny Brice is Rachel's part. No questions asked. Quinn has learned this over the past 21 years and she dares not even try to encroach upon what is obviously Rachel's territory.

Rachel takes a long swig and sighs.

"I forgot to make a wish before blowing out my candles this year."

She turns her head towards Quinn who laughs aloud.

"Oh please Rachel. You've made the same wish since you were 6. Always about the same thing. But really, you're so hard working that you don't need to wish on candles or gold stars even," she looks at her best friend and smirks. "You'll be on Broadway soon. I know it and you know it."

"That's true." Of course it is, Quinn thinks to herself. "But Quiiiiiin," she whines, "Think about it. Pretty soon I'll be on Broadway, everyone will know my name, everyone will want my autograph, everyone will want to be with me and yet…I'll have no one to share it with."

Quinn laughs loudly as she takes another forkful of cake and chews it thoughtfully.

"Rach, after you make it on Broadway, like you said, everyone will want to be with you. They'll be falling over themselves to take you out."

Rachel sighs even louder and gulps down more wine.

"Some wine to go with all that whining." Quinn laughs to herself lightly.

"Quiiiin, I'm serious," she intends to throw her head down on Quinn's shoulder but somehow misses entirely and slides down Quinn's chest and into her lap.

Quinn laughs loudly at this and this is when she realizes that both she and Rachel are both well on their way to being drunk. This is their second bottle of wine and that was after the birthday shots that Rachel insisted upon.

"Quinn, seriously, I can't rely on my fame to find me someone because then that means I will have only found someone because of my fame. I want someone who wants me now. Before the fame, before the money, before the adoring fans. Otherwise….." Quinn has to look down to make sure that drunk Rachel is still awake.

She is. And she's looking up at Quinn in a way that tells Quinn exactly what she's thinking.

She understands Rachel's fear because sometimes she feels it herself. She herself is familiar with being kept up late at night paralyzed by the fear of being alone forever. Or worse, only finding someone after receiving her inheritance at 25. Her parents, both co-founders of the multi-billion dollar Fabray Industries, have always wanted the best for her. Their only desire since her birth was to give her everything in their power, yet without realizing it, they had actually taken something away from her. Being born into the Fabray family guaranteed her everything she could ever want.

Everything except true love.

Because even if Quinn found it, or thought she had found it, how would she know? She had always been rich. She had always been "famous". No one would ever not recognize her name. And therefore, she would always have that niggling doubt in the back of her mind that anyone she came across would only stick around for the money.

She reasoned that that was why she had yet to find anyone. Because anyone who even mildly looked into her life would know that she was banned from her inheritance until her mid-twenties. So why even approach her before then?

Boyfriends had come and gone and for a while that had been okay with her. For a while, during high school she had actually liked the spontaneity of dating someone new nearly every month. She enjoyed getting to know someone new. She enjoyed trying new things and her serial dating had actually led to her interest in things like paintball and sporting events though she herself had always strayed away from those sorts of activities. She had even enjoyed the reputation she garnered from tossing each boy to the side after a few months and choosing another.

But now? Now, it had gotten old. Now she was less than a year away from graduating college and she hadn't dated anyone since her sophomore year at NYU. Now, though she would never voice it aloud, she was getting nervous. She was getting worried that she would either be forever searching for someone to love her (and just her) or she would be stuck marrying someone in her same position. Someone who was in the same boat as her, wealthy and skeptical of others' intentions to the point where the only option was to marry each other.

If her parents had it their way, the latter would've already happened. There were several wealthy families with healthy, well-mannered sons that would jump at the opportunity to even take Quinn out. But Quinn didn't want those men. Quinn didn't want to have to second guess the legitimacy of her relationships each night as she got into bed with a stranger, deemed perfect for her by her parents. So for now, she was alone. On Rachel's couch getting drunk and lamenting the state of her life.

Quinn steps out of her mind to look down at Rachel and finds her looking off into the distance.

"What are you thinking Rach?" She asks softly, as if anything louder than a whisper would shatter the intimate environment. She unconsciously lifts her right hand to run her fingers through Rachel's hair and Rachel subconsciously moves deeper into Quinn's lap.

The time in between the question and the answer is almost so great that Quinn begins to think she's just not going to answer.

Then she hears it.

"I'm scared Quinn," and Quinn can tell that it has taken every ounce of courage for Rachel to say such a thing, even to her best friend of 21 years. And it seems like this one statement spurs on a slew of concerns within Rachel because before Quinn can ask what all she's scared of, Rachel lets her walls fall in her drunken state. "I'm scared no one will be there when the curtains close and the crowd is gone. I'm scared that I'll be living my dream by day and my nightmare when I come home to an empty house that doesn't feel like a home at all. I'm scared that they'll interview me and ask me when I'm going to settle down and I'll…I'll have nothing to say."

She wants to comfort her and tell her that she'll find someone soon. She wants to pull Rachel into a hug and tell her that she's sweet, and funny, and worthy of all the love in the world. She wants to assure Rachel that she won't have to spend her life alone. But she can't in good conscience say such things because she can't be absolutely sure and she's never said anything to Rachel that she didn't absolutely mean.

So her next sentence surprises her. Not because of its falsity, but actually because of its truth.

"We could get married. You wouldn't have to be alone if you married me, Rach."

Technically, this statement is true. If this were any other time, in any other circumstance, the statement wouldn't change everything. It would be said, laughed about between the two of them, and the subject would be dropped.

But right now, with both women feeling vulnerable and alone, this statement carries a new weight. Now, it appears to be more of a suggestion as opposed to a fact. Right now, in the silence, this statement does change everything.

It's out there and Quinn can't take it back. And if she's honest with herself, she doesn't want to. Because it's true. If she married Rachel, she wouldn't be alone. Even after 21 years of friendship, of knowing every gory detail about Rachel, Quinn had no intention of losing or leaving her.

Rachel Berry. Annoying, loud, rambunctious, self-centered Rachel Berry had been a staple in her life since day one. They had been born six months apart, with Quinn being slightly older. Their fathers had met and immediately hit it off when they were attending a new fathers seminar to ease their nerves and so when she thinks about something as crazy as marrying Rachel, it doesn't seem so crazy at all.

In fact, if Rachel's fathers were rich like the Fabrays. If Rachel had been born a Ryan. This probably would've already come up. Their parents would have pushed them together in an attempt to keep the money in "the family".

But Rachel's dads weren't rich. Though they weren't starving for money, they certainly didn't have Fabray money. And Rachel wasn't born a boy, in fact, she was probably the most feminine girl Quinn had ever met.

Not only that but they were both distinctly heterosexual. They always had been. There had never been any talk of interest in other women. There hadn't even been the casual "I wonder what it's like to kiss a girl?" Not even when all the others girls were experimenting and practicing on each other did Quinn and Rachel think of women in that way. And certainly not each other.

Yet here they were, legitimately discussing marriage. Or…at least Quinn was. Rachel hadn't even responded. Quinn checked back on Rachel to make sure she was in fact, still awake.

"Still with me, Rach?" Her voice comes out soft and low.

"Yeah," Rachel stops and clears her throat because her voice sounds hoarse and almost unrecognizable.

"Yeah, I'm still with you." She says nothing more. Quinn understands. What more can you say to an offer like that?

"I-" she pauses knowing that whatever she says next can change everything. Is she prepared for that? Is she prepared to follow through on what happens next?

Quinn looks down at Rachel and finds Rachel looking back at her with those big brown eyes. Rachel looks scared and vulnerable but…also hopefully and curious about whatever Quinn may say next. She wonders for a second if she could truly be happy with Rachel like this forever? And her answer is so fast and so clear that Quinn Fabray, who is rarely surprised by anything, catches herself completely off guard.

Yes. She could be happy with Rachel. Because she has been happy with her for over 20 years. So it's unlikely that 20 more would change anything.

That answer propels her.

"I'm serious Rachel. I know it sounds crazy but just listen. How long have we known each other?"

Rachel furrows her brow. "Our whole lives."

"Exactly! Our whole lives! We've been friends since we were born. My parents love your dads and vice versa. No one knows me better than you do and I'm fairly certain I know everything there is to know about you. Unless there's anything you're not telling me?"

Rachel responds immediately, not wanting Quinn to think for a moment that she keeps secrets. "No no! You know everything there is to know. I tell you everything."

"Exactly Rach, you tell me everything. I tell you everything. This all makes sense. I mean, what are you looking for in a guy?"

Rachel sits up to think, as she begins to hear the seriousness in Quinn's voice.

"Umm, well, first and foremost, I want someone to appreciate my talents." Because even slightly drunk, Rachel's first concern is her voice. Quinn smirks but she doesn't notice. "I need someone who respects my space, I also really need someone to understand that my first priority is work. I mean Broadway is my-"

"dream" they both say at the same time.

"See Rachel? This is what I mean! I know you! I know your hopes and your dreams. I appreciate your talents because I was at your very first performance. I was with you the very first time you discovered Funny Girl. I hated it and complained the whole time, but I was there. And I have every intention of being at your Broadway debut. I definitely respect you needing your space Rach, our periods have been on the same cycle since we were 15 so we always want space at the same time. And there is no one that understands work being a priority quite like me. I mean, think about it, as soon as I graduate my dad is going to practically hand me an empire and running a business and managing employees is a 24 hour job. We're perfect for each other because not only did we come from the same place but we're headed in the same direction Rachel."

She pauses realizing that her words are a lot to process. Even to her own ears.

Rachel is silent and staring down at her lap. Suddenly, Quinn feels as sober as ever. Suddenly she feels like every bit of air has been sucked out of the room. She feels warm all over. It takes Quinn a moment to realize that she's nervous. Her body is reacting like this because she's afraid Rachel will say no. Or maybe she's afraid that she'll say yes. She's not really sure which is worse.

"Rach-"

"Quinn-"

They both laugh nervously, but Quinn gestures for Rachel to continue first.

She sighs before continuing.

"Quinn….I…do you….ugh. I'm sorry. This is just all so crazy. Like, are you saying…you're in love with me?"

Quinn opened her mouth to respond. Was she in love with Rachel? No. Not at all. The idea of romantic love never even crossed her mind when it came to Rachel.

But there was love between them. Quinn loved Rachel like she was family. But not like sister family…like, everything she did just made more sense when Rachel was there family. She crinkled her nose realizing that made no sense. Maybe she wasn't as sober as she thought.

"I-I'm not-Look Rachel," Quinn hardly knew where to start. She didn't want to hurt Rachel's feelings by outright telling her she wasn't in love with her, but at the same time she needed Rachel to see this for what it was. She decided to start again.

"Rachel Berry, I can personally guarantee you that no one on this earth that loves you more than I do. I love your drive, I love your passion for Broadway. I love that you don't half ass anything, even the small things. I love that even though you're a vegan, you still let me eat meat and you don't make me feel like shit about it. I love that you need an afternoon nap by 3pm otherwise you get irritable. I love everything there is to love. And I can't wait to see what kind of person you become once you make it to Broadway. I can't wait to see what you accomplish and more than that, I can't wait to experience it with you. And that's what a marriage is about. It's about love, yes, but also about commitment. It's about promises that are intended to last a lifetime. It's about showing up and being there and I've already been here 20 years. So what's a lifetime more?"

Quinn lets that sink in for both herself and Rachel. The fact that this is all falling freely from her mouth is almost frightening to Quinn. Where is all of this coming from? Has it always been burrowing beneath the surface? Has it always been waiting on the tip of her tongue?

"Well Quinn, while I am certainly inclined to agree with you," Rachel was sobering up, "A marriage is more than just love, but….are you really serious about this? Do you really think it's a good idea?"

Quinn doesn't hesitate this time. The more she thinks about it, the better it all sounds.

"I'm dead serious Rachel. I was serious when I threatened to castrate Joey Anderson for making fun of you having two dads. I was serious when I turned down MIT to be closer to you here at NYU. And I'm serious about this too. I know it sounds crazy. But at the same time it makes so much sense that we would do this. I'm planning on being with you forever already. You practically live at my place, we already share everything anyway, and if we're being completely honest…."

Rachel looks up into Quinn's eyes almost begging her to continue. Quinn stares back and reaches out for Rachel's cold, clammy hands and finds them. She holds Rachel's hands tightly, so tightly in fact, that she can't tell if Rachel is even really holding hers back. But she continues anyway.

"I'm not worried about you finding someone to love you Rachel. I know that you would, even if it wasn't in the time frame you had in mind. But I just don't know if he would love you the way you deserve. I don't know if he would ever be good enough. And, maybe it's not my place, but I worry that someone would try to take advantage of you. Like you said, what if you meet some guy but he's just after the fame and the money? Or I worry that it'll be some actor that tries to extinguish your star to make himself shine brighter and I-God, I don't want that for you. I have always wanted the very best for you Rachel and I know that if you give me a chance, I could be the very best. And that sounds insane, I know, but…." She doesn't know what else to say.

These words tumbling out of her mouth are so foreign. She's thought these things in passing but never once has she said them aloud to Rachel. She's considered the fact that Rachel is too good for every single man that's ever passed her by, but she herself never considered that she might be a good fit for Rachel. Yet everything she was saying was true.

"So, you're…you're doing this just for me? So I'm… not taken advantage of?" Quinn hears something in her voice that she can't quite place. Anger? Desperation? Sadness?

"No but…yes?" Quinn becomes frustrated and goes to pull back her hands from Rachel's lap, but Rachel refuses to let go.

"Just…tell me the truth. You've always been honest with me Quinn. So what are you trying to say?"

The truth? "The truth is that I trust you. I trust you with my life. The truth is that I love you, you're my best friend. The truth is that I don't want to be alone. And I never want you to feel alone either. The truth is that together we could be unstoppable. Broadway meets business. The truth is I could be front row at every show so that everyone knows that you not only accomplished your dreams, but found a beautiful woman to share your life with. The truth is that you can be my date for those boring as fuck galas and we can make the whole scene more progressive. The truth is that we can both save ourselves so much heartbreak this way. And the truth is that this doesn't feel at all like setting for something less because even as just friends, nothing as real as what we have has ever come my way. The truth, Rachel Berry...is that I want to marry the shit out of you."

This makes Rachel lean forward in laughter and she squeezes Quinn's hands.

"Quinn Fabray! Though you make great points, that is not how you ask a girl to marry you!"

Quinn laughs loudly with her, but leans forward so that her forehead is pressed against Rachel's.

She's so close that she can feel the warmth of Rachel's breath. She can smell the wine on her lips.

"Rach…is that a yes?" Rachel closes her eyes as Quinn's soft breath hits her.

Rachel opens her eyes and takes a deep breath and it's when she exhales that Quinn hears it. It's faint and breathy but she hears it.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

Rachel nods, and opens her mouth to repeat herself but Quinn stops the words from coming out by surging forward and pressing her lips firmly against Rachel's.

She doesn't know what causes her to kiss Rachel, but as their lips brush lazily together, Quinn has no regrets.

If Rachel has any doubts if she could go through with something like this, Quinn's lips on hers tell her everything she needs to know.

Yes, she could definitely marry Quinn Fabray.

#####

This is my first time trying out Faberry but this idea popped into my head about a year ago and I was just waiting for someone else to write it. I realized about a week ago that if I wanted to read such a story, I'd have to write it myself, so here you have it, the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it, if so please review! I love feedback and constructive criticism! :) Again, please note, that this is Faberry endgame, but it may be a bit of a slow process until they reveal their feelings.

Alright, thanks again for reading! :)

Title by Us The Duo