Sooo...This was just sort of a weird dialogue exercise I gave myself because dialogue is a weak spot for me...I could probably write a freakin novel and not use a single line of dialogue and be completely happy with that, but why not try to step out of the safety zone every now and again...If you have the time and/or motivation let me know how it is, if it sucks I'll probably take it down *shrugs* Either way thanks for reading!
Some things are a little off canon, but it's nothing huge. As always I don't own Glee...And Enjoy!
One Week
Monday
"No Way!"
"That's not Fair!"
"You can't be serious!"
"Hell No!"
"Seriously, Mr. Schuester, I don't really think that this is an acceptable use of-"
"That's enough!" Rachel huffed as the choir director cut her off. Quinn, Kurt, Mercedes and Santana crossed their arms over their chests, Puck, Artie and Tina scowled and Mike, Sam and Brittany simply folded back into their seats as all eyes regarded their teacher in furious silence. "I don't care what any of you have to say about this. You guys can never win if you don't pull together. You guys have gotten out of control again and there's really no other way to get through to any of you. So this is the assignment. Anyone who chooses not to participate will not be going to New York for Nationals."
There was a collective groan through the whole room and a sort of shriek from Rachel and then the entire room went silent again. "So here are the pairs: Santana and Artie, Tina and Brittany, Finn and Sam, Puck and Mercedes, Kurt and Mike and Rachel and Quinn." There were scowls all around the room, but when the last pair was announced the scowls turned toward the diva and the cheerleader in a mixture of shocked disbelief and amusement.
"Mr. Schue-" She barely got his name out when Will cut her off again. "Enough, Rachel." He said firmly. "Each of you will spend at least two hours together outside of school everyday until the end of the week. Over the weekend you will choose a duet that best describes how you view your partnership after the week is over and on Monday you will perform your duets during our meeting."
"I suggest that you all take this very seriously. I'll be able to tell if you actually did the assignment by your performance and any pair that does not convince me of it's sincerity will not go to New York. The assignment starts today." With that Will left his club to let it sink in.
Rachel watched him go and then headed over to Quinn, who sighed in irritation. Of course Rachel Berry would take this seriously. "Don't even think about it Treasure Trail. I have Cheerios after school. You'll just have to think of something to sing that will convince Schuester that we're BFFs." Quinn brushed Rachel off as if she were brushing a fly off of her shoulder and followed Santana and Brit toward the gym.
Quinn's smirk faded as she came out of the locker room and Rachel Berry was sitting patiently in the hall putting the finishing touches on her math homework. "Hello, Quinn." She said brightly as she closed her book and stood to give the cheerleader a smile.
Quinn made a show of rolling her eyes at one of the other cheerleaders and then scowled as she grabbed Rachel by the arm and dragged her away. "What do you want stalker?" She hissed when they were somewhat secluded.
"I was just wondering if you were going to be stopping by my house for two hours tonight, or if I should accompany you to yours." Quinn hated the way Rachel made it sound as if the two of them hanging out was and everyday occurrence.
"Didn't you hear me earlier? I am not doing this assignment. Pick a song. I'll learn it and I'll sing it with you." Quinn said shortly and turned back toward the rest of her squad.
"I'm not completing the assignment alone, Quinn. If you're not doing it then I refuse to do it." Rachel crossed her arms over her chest like a petulant child and glared at Quinn.
"I'm not stupid, Rachel. I know you'll do just about anything to get to New York."
"I do agree under normal circumstances you would be correct in assuming that I would complete our assignment by myself in order to get to New York, however I don't need you or the Glee club to realize my dream of performing on a New York City Stage. Not when I have a freshly arrived acceptance letter from Julliard hanging in my kitchen, right where my fathers can beam at it every time they get a beverage." Rachel smiled smugly at the look on Quinn's face. "I will definitely be heading to New York soon. The question is how badly do you want to go."
Quinn's face darkened at Rachel's words. She didn't really need to go on the trip, but she desperately wanted to for a couple of reasons. The first being that she had never been out of Ohio before and the second she owed to a visiting sister that she secretly hated with every bone in her body. "Fine." She ground out through her clenched teeth, "But no way I'm going to the freak show, you can come to my house." Quinn spun around to scare off her friends and then turned back toward Rachel. "Let's go, Man Hands!" Rachel just shook her head and followed the blonde to her car.
Rachel stood in awe in the foyer of the Fabray house. It was unnecessarily huge. Quinn rolled her eyes, but seemed a tiny bit more relaxed toward the brunette than she usually was. Rachel raised an eyebrow at the other girl when she held her hand out. "Your jacket, Berry." Quinn said roughly. Rachel shrugged out of her jacket and handed it to Quinn who hung it in the closet.
Rachel followed Quinn silently to her room and watched from the doorway as Quinn put her things neatly away and then headed toward her bathroom. "I have to get out of this. Don't touch anything." Rachel stood in the doorway and waited for Quinn to emerge in a pair of jeans and a McKinley sweatshirt. Quinn looked startled almost as if she had forgotten that Rachel was there while she was in the bathroom and then gestured toward her room.
"I have to finish my homework."
Rachel shrugged, "As do I." Quinn quirked her eyebrow, rolled her eyes and told Rachel to make herself comfortable and neither girl spoke for another hour until Quinn's mother interrupted them.
"Quinnie, I just wanted to know if you were coming down for dinner? Oh. I didn't know you had company." Rachel stood and held her hand out to Quinn's mother.
"I'm Rachel Berry, it's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Fabray." She smiled politely at the older woman who returned her smile.
"Well, Rachel, it's very nice to meet a friend of Quinnie's who comes equipped with manners."
"Mom." Quinn admonished her mother's use of her childhood nickname.
"Sorry, honey. Will you and your friend be coming down for dinner?"
"Rachel's vegan, Mom. A dinner here would probably traumatize her." Quinn managed to mutter, willing her mother to leave. "I'll come down to eat when she goes home."
"That's nice of you, Quinn. Come get me whenever you're ready to eat." Judy kissed her daughters head and left the room. Quinn swallowed her embarrassment turning to find Rachel grinning at her. "What?" she asked in irritation, her gruff tone doing nothing to diminish the smile on Rachel's face.
"Your mothers right, Quinn, that was indeed very sweet of you to think of me."
"Yeah well, just because I was being polite doesn't mean I like you in my house, Berry. How much longer do I have to look at you anyway?" Quinn asked meanly.
Rachel rolled her eyes. "An hour. Are you finished with your homework? I could help you if you'd like."
"I'm in all of the same AP classes as you are, I don't need any help. I have one more Math problem to finish, just sit still until I'm done, then we can go over some music." Quinn's face almost cracked into a smile when Rachel sat down properly on the corner of her bed, folded her hands in her lap and hooked her ankles, her feet barely touching the ground. She turned quickly back to her homework to hide it and when she finished she turned and faced Rachel who had barely moved a muscle and was staring at her intently. "Creepy, much? What are you staring at Berry?"
Rachel shrugged. "Your different outside of school. I mean the same, but different."
"Everybody's different outside of school. Aren't you? I can't imagine you being so...insane at home."
"I'm the same." She said simply.
"Whatever." Quinn sighed. "Do you have any ideas for the song."
"Not at the moment. The assignment was to choose a song only after we've spent the week together so I'll be reserving my selections for the weekend."
Quinn groaned at having to spend an entire week and weekend with Rachel Berry. "Fine. Are you going to need a ride home."
"Not at all. I informed my Fathers of our assignment and one of them will be here to collect me in approximately thirty five minutes."
"Let the count down begin." Quinn muttered.
"You don't have to wait to eat, Quinn. If you're hungry I don't mind. My Dad isn't a vegan, I have seen people consume defenseless animals before."
"Well when you put it that way, it sort of kills my appetite."
"How was Cheerios?"
"Fine."
"Did you and Finn really break up again?"
Quinn paused and narrowed her eyes at the diva. "What do you care? You're not still in love with him are you? Because honestly Rachel he's not good enough for either of us."
"I was simply going to offer my condolences. I don't need Finn to make me happy. I have a Julliard letter and Broadway to do that. I just thought you might want to talk about it. I can listen."
Quinn snorted. "There's something I'll have to see to believe." Quinn felt an irrational amount of triumph when she finally got Rachel to scowl, guilty when the girl didn't say another word to her, and oddly empty when she walked Rachel to the door and the shorter girl didn't bother to say goodnight. Quinn rolled her eyes and tried not to think about it and went to search for her mother so she could finally have some dinner.
Tuesday
Quinn was surprised to find Rachel waiting for her after Cheerios that day, and again oddly discomfited when the girl neglected to greet her. She simply nodded at Quinn and followed her to her car. Just like the day before Quinn took Rachel's jacket and the brunette followed her up to her bedroom where she once again waited in the doorway while Quinn changed and the two of them completed their homework in silence.
It wasn't until they were finished with their homework that Quinn sighed in frustration. "I'm sorry. Alright, Berry? I shouldn't have said that you're incapable of silence. Will you say something?" Quinn felt an overwhelming urge to slap the smugness off of Rachel's face.
"It's flattering that you miss the sound of my voice so much, Quinn." Rachel smiled. Quinn scowled. "So would you like to talk about it?" Rachel asked as if an entire day had not gone by between the last day that they had talked.
"Not with you." Quinn stated shortly.
"How was Cheerios?" Rachel tried.
"Fine." Quinn answered just as shortly as her first reply.
"Quinnie, honey dinner's ready." Judy Fabray breezed into the room and once again forgot her promise never to use her daughters nickname in front of company. "Hello, Rachel. I hope you'll be joining us tonight. Quinn had Sal make a vegan dish for dinner tonight."
Quinn hated the way Rachel was practically glowing at her when she answered her mother. "Of course, Mrs. Fabray. Since Quinn went through all the trouble to request a humane dinner it would be extremely rude of me to decline. Thank you."
Judy smiled brightly back at the girl and swooped out of the room as quickly as she had descended on it. "See you girls in a few minutes."
Quinn dreaded being alone with Rachel armed with the knowledge that Quinn had thought about her. "How did you know I would come back?"
Quinn let her insult die on her tongue as she saw the hopeful look in Rachel's eyes. "It was just in case." Quinn mumbled. "Come on, we don't want to make my mother wait." Rachel smiled and followed her out.
The three women ate silently, until Rachel looked up and smiled at Judy Fabray. "This is amazing, Mrs. Fabray."
"Well I'll let Sal know how much you like it. Are you girls working on a school project. Shall I have her alter the menu for tomorrow as well?"
Quinn rolled her eyes as her mother gave Rachel an opening to talk about her favorite subject. "We're working on a project for Glee Club."
"Oh you're in the club as well. Quinnie rarely talks about it, but I did hear that you guys will be going to New York City for a competition in a couple of weeks."
"Well, let's hope." Rachel smiled conspiratorially at Quinn from across the table. "And thank you for the offer to cook me another meal, but I thought that perhaps tomorrow night I might persuade Quinn to join me at my house."
Quinn looked up to find both her mother and Rachel staring at her expectantly. "No way." She protested quickly.
"Quinn Caroline Fabray. I will not tolerate rudeness." She turned toward Rachel. "Quinn would be delighted to join you tomorrow, Rachel. Isn't that right honey?"
"Delighted." Quinn seethed and finished her dinner in silence watching as Rachel charmed her mother through the rest of the meal.
Wednesday
Quinn and Rachel spent the entire ride to the Berry house in silence. Quinn gripped the steering wheel and Rachel fiddled with the radio each stewing in their own nerves. When Quinn stopped the car Rachel led the way into her house and dropped her bag on the table. "My fathers won't arrive home for another hour, we can do our homework here. Would you like a snack?"
Quinn shrugged as she began pulling her books out of her backpack. Rachel smiled shyly and set a plate of cookies in front of Quinn. "They're vegan cookies, but you can hardly tell the difference. The milk is regular." Quinn watched Rachel watch her expectantly and picked up a cookie.
"You're right, Berry. They're actually pretty good." Quinn washed down the rest of the cookie with her milk and pointed at her books. "I better get started." Rachel smiled and got out her own books.
"Hey, Sweetheart." Both girls looked up startled when one of Rachel's fathers walked in and kissed the top of her head.
"Hi, Daddy." Rachel said sweetly. Quinn tried not to stare at the obvious way the taller man loved his daughter. "Daddy this is Quinn Fabray."
"Hiya, Quinn. Michael Berry. You can call me Michael." Quinn smiled politely. "Will you be joining us for supper tonight?" Quinn nodded with a forced smile. "Well, alright." He smiled back. "Why don't you girls take that homework upstairs and I'll start us some food."
"Okay, Daddy."
"I'll call you down when it's ready." Quinn followed Rachel's example as she gathered her books and went up the stairs.
"So this is the inner sanctum of Rachel Berry." Quinn said as she sat on the corner of Rachel's bed. "Many a MySpace video has been filmed in this very room."
"You don't get to mock me in my own house, Quinn." Rachel said firmly.
Quinn swallowed, looking admonished. "I'm sorry, Rachel." Rachel couldn't decide whether to be more surprised at the sincerity in Quinn's voice or the sound of her first name coming from her mouth. "I do that sometimes. When I get nervous."
"Why are you nervous. I should be the one having a breakdown. I have Quinn Fabray sitting on my bed." Rachel sat next to her in silence. "Do you need to finish your homework?"
"Finn slept with Santana again." Quinn was surprised when she didn't feel as hurt as she thought she should. She even laughed a moment later when she looked up and saw the scowl on the little diva's face. "It's fine, Berry. It's not like Finn Hudson was the love of my life." Quinn dismissed him with a wave of her hand.
"Well I'm sorry anyway, Quinn. Whether or not the two of you were in love forever you were in a relationship and Finn is a jerk." Rachel crossed her arms over her chest and scowled for another moment before she heard her fathers voice calling them home for dinner.
"Smells good, Daddy." Rachel pulled out a chair and sat across from Michael. "Have a seat, Quinn." Quinn sat awkwardly next to Rachel and scooped food onto her plate. She looked at it with a raised eyebrow and was just about to spoon some of it into her mouth when a deep voice came from the doorway.
"You could eat that, Quinn or you could have some of this." Quinn fought the urge to stand up and hug the man at the sight of the pizza box in his hands. Rachel tried not to stare at Quinn's smile as she grabbed a slice of the pizza and dropped it onto her plate.
"Thank you." Quinn said.
"Don't thank me, thank the munchkin over there. I'm Brian, by the way." Quinn took his hand and returned to her spot next to Rachel. "Thanks, Munchkin." Quinn teased in a way that lacked her usual bite and made Rachel duck her head and blush.
"Dad, I thought we discussed the fact that you were never going to mention that nickname in the presence of the general public." Brian laughed at his daughter and sat next to his husband, Quinn struggled not to stare and leaned over to once again say thank you to Rachel.
"I was simply repaying the favor, Quinn. It was nice, however that you were willing to try."
"How long have you been eating that stuff?" Quinn gestured toward her plate trying desperately not to offend Rachel in front of her parents.
"Since I was ten and I saw a documentary depicting the awful way that animals are exploited, killed and ripped apart by human teeth." Quinn arched her eyebrow.
"Let the girl eat, Sweetie." Brian said around a mouthful of pizza. He laughed when Quinn looked hesitantly down at her food. "It looses it's punch after you hear it every night for almost seven years."
Quinn smiled and tried the pizza again only to feel guilty and drop it back on her plate. She sighed, shook her head at Rachel's smile and pulled the plate of vegan food back toward her. "Don't worry, Quinn, the guilt will wear off by the time you get home." He winked at her and Rachel stole glances at her as she pushed some of the food into her mouth.
"Not the worst thing I've ever eaten." Quinn shrugged and kept eating and Rachel grinned as if she had just won the lottery.
Quinn helped Rachel with the dishes. "How was Cheerios?"
Quinn nodded. "Fine." She answered.
"Isn't it ever fun?"
"What are you talking about?" Quinn snapped.
Rachel swallowed. "I've asked you how it was for the last three days and you've replied with 'fine'. I was just curious as to whether or not your time spent with your friends, doing something you supposedly love, is ever 'fun'."
"How's your time spent with your many friends?" Quinn said meanly and regretted it as soon as it was out of her mouth.
Rachel took a breath and turned toward Quinn. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, Quinn." She said confidently as she took Quinn's towel from her and turned back to the sink to finish drying the dishes. Quinn gathered her things and tried to ignore the guilty feeling in her stomach, Rachel's father was wrong it didn't go away at all.
Thursday
"Why don't you pick on someone else for a change." Rachel and the rest of the hall stood in shocked silence as Quinn menacingly walked toward one of the only guys left with a cup in his hand and took a grape slushy from him. "She is nowoff limits." She threatened as she threw the contents of the cup at Karofsky. "She gets one. You get one. I don't care who throws it." Quinn barely bothered to look at the girl she was defending and followed Santana and Brittany to their next class, leaving both of her classmates dripping purple corn syrup.
Rachel waited for Quinn outside of the locker room. "Yours or mine?" Quinn asked.
Rachel shrugged, "Mine."
It wasn't until they were done with their homework that Quinn spoke. "I'm sorry about yesterday." She said seriously. "I know what you said about being mocked in your own house."
"I think that if your display of camaraderie works, we're pretty much even. However, no matter the outcome I am grateful for your support, Quinn. No one has ever really stood up for me before. I hope your friends were not extremely hard on you." Rachel poured her gratitude into her words and tried not to stare at the blonde.
"It doesn't matter." Quinn shrugged.
"Well, it does to me." Rachel grinned and Quinn tried not to look at her for too long. "So you're really not going to give me any song ideas until the weekend?" Her eyes were getting harder to control and she needed to change the subject so Rachel would quit looking at her like Quinn was her hero or something.
"Nope. I'm sticking to the assignment."
Quinn grinned knowingly. "But I know you have some ideas right?"
Even though Rachel looked as though she was going to burst she managed to reign in her urge to start spewing ideas and made a zipping motion across her mouth. Quinn's tongue darted out and ran over her bottom lip as she stared at Rachel's mouth for a little bit too long. "We should go out."
Rachel had been noticing Quinn noticing her mouth and sputtered at Quinn's statement. "Huh?"
"Out. You know dinner, a movie, the mall, something besides sitting in the house doing homework."
Rachel covered her shock with yet another smile, "That sounds acceptable, however I can't do it tonight. My fathers are taking me out to celebrate Julliard. You're welcome to join us."
"What's wrong, Quinn?" Quinn knew her face had barely changed, but Rachel had noticed that her eyes had darkened.
"It's nothing."
Quinn's shoulder burned when Rachel placed her hand on it and Quinn ripped her body away from the shorter girl. "I have to go, Berry. I'll see you in school tomorrow, have fun celebrating." Rachel could still feel the warmth of Quinn's body on her palm as she watched Quinn practically run for the door.
Friday
Rachel was surprised when Quinn walked out of the locker room an hour early wearing jeans instead of her uniform. "Here." She handed Rachel an envelope. "I know we still have the weekend, but we'll have to spend that working on the song so I thought we could spend our last day of hanging out doing that."
Rachel looked at her questioningly and then opened the envelope that Quinn had handed her. Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Really?" Quinn liked the way Rachel looked like an excited, disbelieving ten year old.
Quinn shrugged. "Why not? I already asked your dads if it was alright to take you. They said to have you home by sunrise. Your dads are pretty trusting guys."
"I'm a pretty trustworthy girl. That will definitely run longer than our two hour limit." Rachel pointed out.
"Friends don't have two hour limits." Quinn turned toward the double doors at the end of the hall, the amount of time Rachel spent smiling at her like that was beginning to unnerve her. "Let's go, Munchkin!" Quinn called playfully.
"Right behind you, Quinnie." Rachel grinned triumphantly when Quinn turned around to glare at her, this time not as steely as Rachel was used to.
"I wouldn't call me that again if you want to live. Your fathers won't be looking for you until sunrise. That's a lot of time to stash a body, Berry." Rachel's retort died on her lips when she felt Quinn's warm hand close around hers and pull her to the car.
"That was Amazing, Quinn. How did you even get those tickets?" Rachel thought she could get used to the way Quinn's hand felt in hers.
Quinn shrugged. "Finn gave them to me before we broke up. Figured I should put them to good use. We still have awhile before the sun comes up, wanna walk around the park?"
"At night?"
"Why not? Me and San and Britt used to do it all the time."
"Okay." Rachel agreed nervously. Quinn pulled the car into an empty lot and when she helped Rachel from the car she didn't drop her hand, only led her to a path and swung their hands between them.
"I'm sorry about jetting yesterday." She said when they had been walking for a little while. "I didn't want to say something mean." Rachel made a questioning face, but didn't speak, not wanting to scare the other girl. "I told you, sometimes when I'm feeling sorry for myself I lash out."
"Actually you said when you were feeling nervous."
"Nervous, sorry for myself, hurt, sad...it's really the only way I have to react." Quinn said apologetically.
"Why were you feeling sorry for yourself?" Rachel asked cautiously.
"Actually I was more jealous." Rachel's eyes narrowed and Quinn answered her silent question. "Of you. Celebrating getting out of this crap hole."
"You can get out too, Quinn." Rachel said seriously.
"And do what? It's so easy for you. You've had the same dream probably since you discovered that you could speak. You know exactly what you want to do and exactly what makes you happy." Quinn's voice was even, but Rachel felt the slight tightening of Quinn's grip on her hand. "I don't have a dream Rachel. For me high school is the rest of my life. After that no one will care what happens to me."
"I will." Rachel squeezed her hand. "And I hate to break it to you, but so will many generations of McKinley High girls. You're Quinn Fabray. Inventor of the slushy facial. You've lead the Cheerios to four straight championships, do you really think that Coach Sylvester will let any of her future captains forget that? You have single handedly terrorized an entire school for four years, not to mention your artwork in the bathroom that will live on forever because no matter what I bring to remove it with, it never comes off. And the best part? You've done all of these things walking down the halls looking like an angel."
Quinn swallowed, her brain choosing to zero in on the fact that Rachel had called her an angel. "I'm really sorry about those. Angel?"
Rachel blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and then looked up to meet Hazel eyes. "You're beautiful, Quinn." She said intensely. "You must know that."
Quinn looked away quickly unable to take the heat of Rachel's chocolate eyes, "I know people tell me I am."
"What?" Quinn said off of Rachel's look.
"You are surprisingly modest."
"You're surprisingly easy to talk to." Quinn mimicked Rachel's tone and smiled as they continued down the path.
"I should get you home. I sort of want to stay on your parents good side."
"Just keep being your charming self then." Rachel grinned as they walked back to Quinn's car. "Your house tomorrow?" Quinn nodded and smiled from the drivers seat as she put the car in gear and headed toward Rachel's house.
"Rachel?" Quinn said as an afterthought as she turned back to her and Rachel opened the door to her house.
"Yes, Quinn?"
Quinn met her eyes and held them for a beat before she spoke. "You're the only person beside my mother who made me believe it when they called me beautiful." Quinn's mouth turned up in thanks and she turned back toward her car.
Rachel stared after her with a look of wonder playing over her face. "I just had a date with Quinn Fabray." She whispered to herself as she finally made it to her room.
Saturday
"How was Cheerios?" Rachel asked as she dropped her things on Quinn's floor and flopped onto her bed.
Quinn smirked. "Fine." Rachel rolled her eyes. "I like it when you curl your hair." Quinn observed. "It's pretty." Quinn also liked it when Rachel blushed, but she just barely bit that comment to the back of her throat. "Are you finally going to share some of those ideas?" Rachel pulled out a folder full of sheet music.
"Want to break for dinner?" Quinn asked after a few hours. "Sal has the day off, I thought that we could handle vegan tacos."
"That's really thoughtful, Quinn." She followed the girl down to the kitchen doing her best to keep her eyes above Quinn's waist, blushing every time she failed. "Where's your mother?"
"Shopping with some friends." Quinn started grabbing things out of the fridge and tossing them on the counter. "You're staring at me again, Berry." This time without malice in her voice.
Rachel's face lit up as she spoke. "Quinn Fabray is preparing dinner for me. I'm still somewhat surprised to find myself in this particular situation."
Quinn's face turned down in discomfort for a moment. "I'm sorry for everything I've done to you, Rachel." Quinn used Rachel's first name and both girls knew that it was meant to reinforce the sincerity in Quinn's words. "You never deserved it."
"You're making it up to me." Rachel said with a soft smile.
"Quinn?" Rachel asked later while they were cleaning up the kitchen.
"Yeah, Rach." Quinn absently let the nickname roll off her tongue. Rachel's face glowed at the sound of her name shortened on Quinn Fabray's tongue. "Is it weird for you? Being friends with me?" She asked when the dazzle of Quinn's slip had faded a little bit.
"Not as weird as I thought it might be." Quinn answered honestly. "Who would have guessed that Schuester's assignment would work?" Rachel laughed and Quinn felt her heart speed up at the sound because it was possibly the most adorable sound that she had ever heard.
"Are you okay?" Rachel asked.
"Just thinking that you hardly laugh at school. It's nice to hear." Quinn felt her mouth tug up at the corners as she met Rachel's eyes.
"You hardly smile at school. It's nice to see." Rachel countered. "Will you still cook me vegan tacos when the assignment is complete?" Rachel smiled mischeivously.
"Anything to hear that laugh again." Quinn said with a smirk and left a partially shocked Rachel Berry standing in her kitchen.
When the shock wore off Rachel followed her into the living room and spun the taller girl to face her. "Quinn."
"Rachel." Quinn said as her mouth went a little bit dry at the close proximity of Rachel's body to her own.
"I'm fairly certain that I am about to do something incredibly idiotic, and if it offends you in any way I would like to apologize in advance." And before the blonde could answer or pull away from her Rachel leaned up into the blonde and pressed her lips gently against Quinn's.
"Are you of-" Rachel was cut off by Quinn's mouth connecting with hers again and she couldn't really tell if it was her or Quinn who moaned when Rachel's tongue darted into the taller girl's mouth.
"No I'm not offended. Relieved, I couldn't quite figure out how to make the first move." Quinn's voice was breathless when they parted and she leaned her forehead against Rachel's.
A moment later and they were kissing again and this time Rachel was sure she groaned when Quinn's teeth pulled at her bottom lip. When she soothed it with her tongue Rachel's legs nearly gave out from under her and Quinn had to lean her back against her father's old desk. Quinn loved the feel of Rachel snuggled into the crook of her neck and shivered when she felt the diva's mouth move against the bare skin of her neck. "Do you think it's possible to fall in love in a week?" She murmured.
"Yes, but only because I loved you by Wednesday." She said into Rachel's hair. Quinn didn't believe she would ever get tired of seeing the shine in Rachel's eyes when the girl smiled at her.
"What does this mean, Quinn?"
"That since it was his fault, we'll have to invite Schue to the wedding." Quinn quipped. "Or that it's quite possible you are the love of my life." She added seriously.
"Are we going to hide?" Rachel asked, "I just- I- I don't want to pressure you for anything you're not ready for, but I would really like to know what to expect at school on Monday."
"Well, to start with I'll be picking you up on Monday because while I do have a tiny soft spot for him, the thought of you driving into school with the man whore makes me a little bit queasy. I'm not going to run down the hallways shouting that I'm gay for Rachel Berry just yet, but I'm not going to hide." Quinn knew she said the right thing when Rachel smiled up at her like the sun and they only parted again when Rachel heard the sound of the front door opening.
"Hello, girls!" Judy Fabray breezed in and greeted them with a knowing smile as she deposited her coat in the same closet that Quinn always hung Rachel's
"Good evening, Mrs. Fabray." Rachel offered with a polite smile, surprised when Quinn didn't pull away from her.
"Did you girls finish up your project?" She asked as she deposited her bags on the couch.
"Not really, Mom. We got a little distracted." Rachel's heart fluttered when Quinn winked at her behind her mother's back.
"Well, there's always tomorrow. Have you had dinner?"
"Yes, thank you. Quinn made me vegan tacos."
"Lovely. Will you be spending the night, Rachel?"
"Not tonight, but thank you. In fact, I should probably be going I told my fathers that I would be home twenty minutes ago." Rachel pulled her coat out of the closet. "Goodnight, Mrs. Fabray. It was nice talking to you again. See you tomorrow, Quinn."
"Night, Rach."
"Goodnight, Rachel. I know your assignment is coming to an end, but you're welcome here any time." Quinn stood next to her mother as they watched the tiny brunette head to her car and Quinn nearly had a heart attack when her mother turned to her and said, "Well I am completely exhausted. I'm going to head up to bed, Quinnie. In case I don't see you before you leave, have fun at Rachel's tomorrow and don't be home too late. She's very charming, quite a catch, Quinnie. Hold onto that one." Judy kissed her cheek and tried not to laugh at the shock that was plastered on her daughter's face.
Sunday
"I think we should skip the assignment and you should let me take you to the basketball game." Quinn said as she threw her things on Rachel's bed and greeted her with a shy kiss.
Rachel tried not to swoon at the feel of Quinn's lips, choosing instead to focus on the fact that Quinn was actually supposed to be cheering at said game. "I forgot about that. How come you're not cheering?" Rachel looked at her, puzzled.
Quinn shrugged, "We already had championships, we already won. I talked to the coach and we both agreed that it would be good for me to take the rest of the year off. Besides I have other things I want to focus on for a while. You know, like Nationals, college applications, a new girlfriend." Rachel smiled at being called Quinn Fabray's girlfriend. "Besides maybe I can take a minute and find a dream or something."
"You'll find one." Rachel assured her. "I've never really skipped a Glee assignment before."
"We'll just work on it later, we won't skip it completely."
"I don't know, Quinn." Rachel hesitated.
"Come on. We have to make an appearance. It'll soften the blow when I start carrying your books to class and making out with you in the hallways." Quinn smirked.
Rachel blushed. "We've barely made out in private, Quinn."
"We'll get to that after the game." Quinn promised slyly.
"You're leaving very little time for the Glee assignment. It is a school night, I have to be in bed by ten. A healthy sleep schedule is-"
"Essential to achieve perfection in every aspect life." Quinn finished with an affectionate eye roll. "I know, Berry, but tell me," Quinn pulled Rachel into her body and kissed her long and deep. "Would you rather sleep? Or make out with me?" Rachel moaned at the throatiness of Quinn's voice and allowed herself to be pulled back in for another kiss.
Monday
"Don't panic, I'll find us a song." Quinn tried to sooth Rachel as she pulled her laptop out and began scrolling though her iTunes playlist.
"I'm fine. I just can't believe I'm unprepared. This unacceptably tragic."
"Quit being crazy and come sit with me." Quinn smiled as she felt Rachel's body relax as soon as the smaller girl joined her on the bleachers.
Rachel rested her head on Quinn's shoulder and sighed miserably. "It's so unprofessional."
"It's only a high school Glee club, Babe." Quinn reassured her gently. "Just think about how much more we accomplished yesterday. I for one, think that having the honor of taking Rachel Berry's virginity was way more productive and enjoyable than a basketball game or Glee club." Rachel blushed a deep red, but couldn't help the happiness that settled on her face as Quinn leaned in to steal a quick kiss.
"I love you."
Quinn loved the way her heart sped in her chest at the sound of those words coming out of Rachel's mouth. "Well, get ready to love me more because I have the perfect song for us to sing. I've been working on it all weekend." Rachel sputtered and Quinn tried not to laugh as she played the song on her computer and handed Rachel some sheets of music.
"All weekend, Quinn Fabray! And you are just now giving this to me?"
Quinn laughed. "Think of it as a rehearsal exercise for future stardom." Rachel felt her distress die as Quinn imitated her perfectly and laughed along with the blonde. "Let's go, diva. We're late." Quinn gathered her things and helped Rachel down the bleachers.
"Well, everybody knows what today is. I hope you all took this assignment very seriously. Who should we hear from first?" Will saw Quinn Fabray's hand shoot up first and nodded in her direction. "Quinn?"
"Rachel and I would like to go first, Mr. Schue, if that's alright with everyone."
"Of Course." Will nodded enthusiastically and joined the rest of the club as Quinn and Rachel took their places at the front of the choir room.
(Song key: Quinn=italics, Rachel=regular print, Both=bold)
Baby, before you Oh, baby before you
Well, I was bad news
In lettin' me love you
I think I can get through
Well, I was so scared
I was a train wreck waitin' to happen
On the way to nowhere
And now I think it's kind of funny that you say you love me
You tell me that I'm crazy then you smile
And now I think I'll get through
The end of the world
And now I think I'll get through
Bein' a girl
Now I think I'll get through
Anything
And now I think I'll get through
Now honey around you
I'm feelin' so good
Cause you picked me up out of the rough
And you polished me up and made me brand new
And baby before you, ho ho
There was just a black hole
Yeah I was beat down, blacked out
My darling you couldn't even know
But ever since I met you on a cloudy Monday
I can't believe how much I love the rain
And now I think I'll get through
The end of the world
And now I think I'll get through
Life as a girl
Now I think I'll get through
Anything
Now I think I'll get through
Ever since I met you on on a cloudy Monday
I can't believe how much I love the rain
And now I think I'll get through
The end of the world
And now I think I'll get through
Life as a girl
Now I think I'll get through
Anything
Now I think I'll get through
The song ended with Quinn and Rachel smiling into each other's eyes, only noticing each other as Quinn spoke. "I applied to NYU." She admitted.
"We'll be in the same city." Rachel breath happily and hooked her arms around Quinn's neck.
"If I get in."
"They'll be lucky to have you, Quinn."
"It doesn't matter, I'll be going to New York no matter what." Quinn smiled. "I finally found my own dream."
Rachel looked surprised and pleased. "Oh yeah? Are you going to tell me what it is?"
Quinn swallowed, her eyes never straying from Rachel's brown ones. "To be there, when my five foot two inch munchkin of a girlfriend takes the city by storm." Quinn pulled Rachel closer. "You're my dream, Rachel Berry." She said as she leaned forward to capture Rachel's full lips with her own, both girls oblivious to the shocked faces of the entire Glee club.
"Well, I guess Rachel and Quinn will be going to Nationals. Who's next?" Will looked around the room for volunteers as Rachel and Quinn sheepishly broke apart and found their seats, neither girl dropping the other's hand...