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Erm... nothing to say really, luckily for you. Oh yeah sorry for the wait...

Posted 19/9/12

Freedom

"Are you okay with this?" Quinn asked as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"Okay with what?" Rachel asked as she adjusted the air conditioning to high. They hadn't used the car since the cool late evening when they'd arrived.

"Leaving the city and going out to the desert. I hope you won't be bored" She wanted to sketch, take some photos. The desert presented itself with a landscape she'd never worked with before so she didn't want to let the opportunity pass.

"I won't be bored, even if you're drawing" she turned in her seat and pulled her bag from the back seat onto her lap. She rooted through her bag to find something "I've got this"

"Oh no" Quinn groaned "You've still got that damn book"

"Yes, and I remembered yesterday when we went shopping that I never actually finished. I've been too distracted by the brilliant young woman who wrote it" she pushed the bag back through between the front seats to the back but held onto the, now slightly worn, book.

"Oh please" now it was Quinn's turn to blush "I'm not brilliant"

"So modest" Rachel sighed

"And I haven't been distracting" Quinn continued to defend herself, although it wasn't necessary; there wasn't really anything to defend "you say it as if I've been all over you and I haven't"

Rachel tucked the book into the door and sunk in her seat before muttering "I know"

Quinn was so sure she heard disappointment there. Was she getting it all wrong? It didn't help that she was still shy about simple hand holding in public, which wasn't fair because she'd been dreaming of Rachel as her girlfriend for an un-healthy amount of time. And now, she was just getting used to not feeling that pain from feeling so hollow, thinking she'd never be happy because the only person she'd ever wanted didn't want her back.

Before Quinn's brain could overheat from all these thoughts and worries, they subsided when Rachel reached for the radio dial; Quinn noticed her suddenly pause, mid-reach and look over to her "Do you mind? We haven't had any music on for the entire trip" The pink haired girl could hear the pout in her girlfriend's voice making her smile "and I won't put my CDs on, just the radio" the brunette added, as if that would help.

Quinn chuckled. Rachel didn't need to ask her for permission, and she wouldn't have cared what Rachel wanted to listen to "Go for it"

Rachel didn't hesitate after those words and hit the on button bringing the speakers round the car to life "Whoops" she quickly turned the volume down to a gentler level. Quinn glanced over and noticed Rachel looking a little embarrassed. She imagined Rachel had had the volume up while singing along... or over the CD even with it was turned up loud. She wasn't sure why she'd be embarrassed about that though.

Before she could ask Rachel was changing the radio station, trying to find something she recognised. She stopped on what must have been a classic station. A song Quinn almost recognised was playing; Rachel must have known it as she started singing along confidently.

The music sounded like it was from the 60's, soul music, something she didn't know Rachel listened to. She didn't question it though she liked hearing Rachel's voice. The music itself reminded the driver of happier times.

She had always considered her parents taste in music old for them. They were born in the 60's yet their old LP's consisted of 60's and some 50's songs. They'd listen to them, try and torture their daughters with their 'classic' or 'vintage' music, when they'd have rather listened to the current top 40 hits. But in later years she liked to listen to those old songs again to remember the happy family times, times when she was still allowed to speak to Rachel and before her dad turned into that monster.

.

Rust-coloured mountains dotted the horizon, looming closer with every mile, and it occurred to Quinn how hilly and mountainous the desert really was and not as flat as she might have believed. The colours were amazing-every hue of brown and orange and red imaginable, rich textures that ranged from smooth to jaggedly rough. The highway unfurled before them like a roll of tape along a seam, and with it came a liberating sense of irresponsibly and freedom. She was free. They both were.

And that whole idea felt so silly to Quinn, they were already free, miles from home. But there was something about being with just Rachel. Of course they were alone at night but Quinn didn't feel like she could just relax, now that she and Rachel were more. They'd been alone on their first date, but now they were truly secluded, heading out into the unknown, well the unknown to them, and without the other two.

"Do you know what would be amazing?" Rachel asked once the song finished

"What?"

"To do this drive in a convertible" she said it so simply it was like it wasn't even her talking, more like something that would randomly spill from Brittany's mouth, when Brittany made perfect sense, anyway.

Rachel was right though "Yes it sure would" she could just imagine it, blasting these old tunes on the radio out into the dry, endless air. "And wouldn't it be great to have nothing to go back to" No one to answer to, no parents to face, no college to separate them, nothing to rush home to... at some point

"Oh god, yeah, that would be great" she noticed the surprised look her girlfriend gave her, before she returned her eyes to the road "You know I'm looking forward to New York and NYADA and my dreams, but... I would love if we could just drive, and drive; with no agenda. To not even know where we're going to end up or how long we're going to be gone"

She'd taken the words right out of Quinn's mind, how she'd love that too "Maybe next summer, we could take off like that?"

"Without Santana and Brittany?" Rachel quirked an eyebrow so it rose above her sunglasses "I wonder if I'd be too boring for you without Santana's encouragement"

"They'll probably be too busy" Quinn chuckled

"Why?"

"Oh come on" she scoffed "them two will be at it all the time, I just know them" she said shyly

"Oh" Rachel blushed "I see" after a quiet second Rachel added "I guess inviting them to live with me in New York would be a bad idea then"

"You were going to ask them to live with you?" that was some commitment

"Well we are all friends again, and it's a two bedroom apartment, pretty central. I thought it could save them money and I wouldn't feel alone; I know my dad's won't mind. They can have the second room and we'll have the other one... when you visit on the weekends and stuff"

"You've already thought about everything" it wasn't a question, more of a unsurprised realisation on Quinn's behalf

"Would it be crazy to ask them?" she bit her lip with worry "Would it upset you?" she asked in a lower, more concerned tone

"Why would it upset me?" her voice was a little high, with surprise. "I'd feel better knowing you've got them there for company, and even protection. And for when I'm not there to make sure you're okay. I love the idea" she told her honestly

"I was worried you'd be jealous, that I'd have them around me and you'd be alone" she explained, wanting Quinn to see the predicament from all angles

"I won't be jealous, just happy for you all. Besides it means I only have to go to one place to see all of you. And if we want some time alone you could visit me..." she let the suggestion hang there. She knew Rachel was committed to New York City, she just wondered if she could even compete.

"You know I'm happy to visit you too"

"Well I wasn't sure if I'd have to compete with the other woman in your life"

"Other woman?" she scrunched up her face, not that Quinn could see her right now.

"The City you've dreamed of since before birth" she laughed "Can I compete"

"What kind of question is that?" Rachel sounded exasperated yet playful, before turning more timid once again "... I feel more at home in your arms than I do there... and I always thought that city was my true home. I'll be complete where we're there together"

"I can't wait"

"Me neither"

.

It wasn't long before Quinn had started to give the roads ahead more attention again. She'd memorised the directions to where exactly she wanted to go and she knew they were nearly there "I thought we'd find a place along one of the trials to sit"

Rachel looked ahead to see a parking lot ahead "We're here already?" she was obviously surprised

"Yeah, I didn't believe the guide I picked up, when it said it was only 30 miles from Vegas. But here we are" she shrugged

"Almost like another world out here" Rachel's tone made her sound distant as she looked at their immediate surroundings.

Quinn paid the $5 toll and drove past the welcome centre to a parking area near a picnic shelter. Quinn quickly found a place to park. As they got out of the car they looked up at the orangey red jagged mountains, which contrasted beautifully with the clear blue sky.

"You don't mind a little bit of a hike"

"Sure" Rachel smirked confidently "I'm not the one who bought all the heavy drawing stuff"

.

"Is here okay?" Quinn panted; she didn't plan on walking far from the parking lot anyway, just far enough to feel secluded. They walked off the worn walkway for a little more privacy and peace until they found somewhere comfortable enough with a good view of the surrounding area for Quinn.

"Here's fine" Rachel answered as she took the bundled up picnic blanket out from under her arm and laid it out on the ground for her to sit on. She dropped her bag that was full of supplies for any possible event.

They were only slightly sheltered where they settled, it still had good light but the Sun wasn't completely bearing down on them.

They quickly settled. Rachel laying on her front, with Quinn's book laying open in front of her. She'd chosen the denim shorts today and just a curve hugging t-shirt. Quinn covered up a little more with jeans and a similar t-shirt, keeping in mind her skin would burn easily, making her as red as a tomato. Of course she wore sunscreen, factor: 'whatever made your skin look so pale you looked like a snowman', yeah that strength, but she still found she'd burn.

Quinn decided to sit on one of the rocks, next to where Rachel was laying. She opened her sketch book and looked at her surroundings to try and find the perfect scene to draw. She couldn't help but always turn her attention back to Rachel. She'd found her subject... though it was nothing new.

Eight months later

Roxy groggily woke to an empty bed. She rolled over to check the time, but the digital numbers were blocked by a square of pale blue paper, with the familiar neat calligraphy across it.

Despite Lily giving her the box so long ago she still received these little notes and promises, and she loved getting them. She shuffled to sit up in bed, keeping the bed held sheet close to her bare chest. She took the note and wiped her eyes so she could read it.

Promise #191 I promise to love, honour and obey

She then noticed she was being watched, her lovely girlfriend stood in the doorway, wrapped in her bath robe and holding two cups of coffee.

"Obey?" she furrowed brow questioningly. Lily strolled over, placing the two cups on her bedside table before climbing into bed next to her girlfriend, letting the robe slip away.

"Well maybe that bit is just for the bedroom" she quirked her eyebrow mischievously.

"Ooh someone's getting confident" the brunette smirked. Their relationship had been bumpy in its development. Lily had been surprisingly shy even though she knew what she wanted; which had always been Roxy. But that was the point, she'd never been with anyone else, so she wasn't confident. Roxy on the other hand had been in many unsuccessful relationships. She had always been eager in those relationships; looking for her fairytale ending. However, this time that fairytale was with a woman. And that was the only thing that slowed her down the fact that it was different. Well, that and Lily's hesitance at times.

So that small comment had meant a lot... in many ways

"Well it's about time, right?" she chuckle, keeping her green eyes locked on her girlfriend, sat up next to her "I believe that's what you said the other day" she smiled before glancing at the note still in Roxy's hand. She propped herself up on her elbow while her expression turned more serious "Anyway... what do you think?" she worried her bottom lip between her teeth in anticipation

"Of what, the promise?" she furrowed her brow as she re-read the promise. Lily saw it, the moment it clicked, Roxy's eyes widened "Wait is this-" she shot her gaze to the girl sitting in the bed next to her and bought her hand up over her mouth in sudden shock "Is this you proposing?"

Lily couldn't read the furrowed brow expression on her girlfriends face, so just like that the panic set in, just like it did shortly before their first kiss "I did it wrong didn't I, I knew I should have gone the unoriginal route with the fancy restaurant with your favourite song playing and the ring in your food, or champagne and a long romantic speech-"

"No, no... It's just-"

"It's too early then, I should have known. Eight months isn't long-"

"Will you stop second guessing for five minutes and relax" she chuckled "Eight months isn't long, but..." But she'd been with a certain ex for a less amount of time before he'd popped the question and she'd said yes. That was in the past now, though, all that mattered to Roxy was the green eyed blonde haired beautiful woman, who was staring at her with watery eyes. If she hadn't been already this was the moment where she was sure Lily was the love of her life. How could she say no? "... Lily I love you so much"

"I love you too" she sounded so vulnerable, Roxy both loved and hated when Lily was like this, she liked to be there to comfort her and be the stronger one at times, but she hated Lily feeling like this.

She smiled softly as she cradled the side of the blondes face with a gentle hand "Of course I'll marry you"

"You will?"

"You sound surprised" she giggled "Are you crazy? Of course I'll marry you"

"Good" she leant over and kissed her soundly "Because I don't know what I would have done if you had said no"

Roxy just slipped her arms round Lily's neck to drag her and her lips down onto her own again.

Lily moved herself so she settled over the brunette. Roxy pulled the fold in the bed sheet free from between them so skin could meet skin. Their lips never broke free as they bought themselves closer together.

She pulled away for a moment just to look into her girlfriend- she meant fiancée "I'm sorry I haven't got you a ring"

"That's what you're going to say at a time like this!" she couldn't believe Lily had stopped the intimate moment to apologise for something Roxy was amazed she hadn't even noticed herself yet "Why haven't you got me a ring?" she stopped to ask

"Well I wasn't going to propose for another month or so, until after New Years, just to get everything out of the way and then I got the note idea a couple of days ago and I couldn't hold back any longer"

Roxy didn't won't to hold back any longer either as she surged forward, rolling them over and pinning Lily beneath her...

As the story moved into more intimate details Rachel began to blush again. She'd read things like this before and not given it a second thought, but now, the fact that Quinn had written these words with her in mind just made her blush.

It was like knowing Quinn's dirtiest thoughts or dirtiest dreams. And they involved the two of them entwined in a most intimate act of love. It excited Rachel, a new feeling for her.

It made her blush more when she realised other people would read this, in fact other people had already read it. But Rachel didn't dislike the idea; it actually made her feel more special, so special to Quinn. Besides no one would know it was about her, and it was based on fantasy if Quinn had based it on any real thoughts or perhaps dreams, not a real moment they had shared.

"You're watching me" Rachel said. She'd noticed the stillness of Quinn sat on the rock next to her for a while; she hadn't been sketching or used her camera yet. She snapped the book shut and looked up at the girl who was now staring at the simple pencil sketch on the page of the book resting in her lap "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" she muttered innocently "Just that book" she sounded almost murderous when making that comment

"Don't you like me reading it?"

"Not now that you know why I wrote it" she rummaged through the tin full of pencils and pastels that sat next to her balanced in a rock crevasse. It helped distract her from the worrying thoughts settling in the pit of her stomach.

"I think it's sweet. Even sweeter than I thought it was before I knew" she peered over the top of her sunglasses "Is this how you see us?" she tapped the book

"It's an alternative that's all" she tried to wave off the book that had taken her a year and a lot of heart ache to write "I knew-" she paused to correct herself "thought I knew things wouldn't ever happen between us, so this was a 'what if'... what if we'd met another time, another place"

Rachel laughed "So you didn't things would be smooth in the alternative either?"

"Well I had to make it an entertaining story" she shrugged "But I guess I didn't imagine it ever being easy, no"

"And now?"

"Now? I'm not really making it easy for either of us by not being able to relax... I guess I'm still finding it hard to believe and-"

"You've known what you've wanted for so long and now you have it, you're unsure of yourself and how to act?"

She nodded but kept her head down "I don't know much more than how to quietly have these feelings for you"

"Kind of like Lily"

"Yes, kind of like Lily"

"You don't need to worry though, just relax. This is different for me too, you know?"

"Yeah I know"

"So if we're both new to this, we just need to relax, right? We shouldn't worry about if we're getting it right every step of the relationship, just do what feels right... don't you think?"

"I'm sorry, I'm just-"

"Shy? I know, but I really don't mind if you hold my hand at least" she chuckled "I wish you were as confident around me outside as you were when we're alone, or like your high school years" she laughed again, that sentence made it feel like high school was so long ago, not a few weeks "You're so like Lily"

"Well she is based on me" Quinn pointed out, though it wasn't necessary "What about Roxy?"

"She's nothing like me; she's a bit too slutty" Rachel brushed her hair back over her shoulder, out of her way. The action made Quinn smile and shake her head to herself.

"That's not fair, she's not meant to come across slutty, she only had 3 boyfriends in the book" she was quick to defended her character, just like she would defend her girlfriend if she needed to, even if she was scared of being so obviously out in public "she's just desperate to find her happy ever after" Quinn explained further

"And is that how you see me?"

"No... I just wanted Lily to be Roxy's knight in shining armour after all the terrible boyfriends. That isn't quite what happened to you, but-"

"Oh, I dunno, I've had a pretty bad experience with guys so far... and there were three of them" she smiled at the coincidence... and it was a coincidence right? Quinn didn't even know about Jesse and Blaine... "So I could consider you my saviour, making me fall in love with you before I went off to New York and tricked myself into thinking I fell for any guy who would spare me some attention... and I couldn't be happier"

"You're such a sappy girly girl Berry" she smirked as she threw one of her pencils at the brunette, it barely tapping her on the shoulder.

"Says the one who wrote a romance novel, dedicated to a girl she fell for when she was 11, Fabray" she rolled her eyes.

Quinn just let the comment slide, besides; it might have meant Rachel had accepted that she had fallen for her so young. She returned her attention back to her sketch pad and tried to find another pencil

"What were you drawing?" Rachel sat up onto her knees

"Oh, nothing" she flicked the page over to a blank page but not before Rachel caught a glimpse of something on one of the pages

"What was that?" she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face

"Nothing" she failed to sound innocent and dismissive, while trying to hide her face. The blush was too obvious to hide though, even through the curtain of pink and blonde hair that fell across her face.

"Did you draw me?" She asked excited. "Come sit next me" she pouted as she patted the spot next to her, knowing the pout would easily bend Quinn to her will. What she didn't know was that the pout probably wasn't even necessary anyway, Quinn was... what would Santana say? Whipped? yeah Quinn was toally whipped.

.

"I thought you wanted to get some sketches of the landscape" the brunette smirked, as she turned to another yet another drawing of her. They'd both removed their sunglasses to get a better view of the different sketches.

"You distracted me" Quinn mumbled with a pout that threatened to be more dangerous than Rachel's.

To some it might have been creepy, but Rachel always loved attention. The few drawings she'd seen only backed up what she already knew; that she meant just that much to Quinn, dare she think it: she meant the world to Quinn.

The brunette delicately traced her fingers over the page, careful not to smudge the drawing "You're amazing" Rachel sighed in awe

Quinn just blushed yet again "Please don't Rachel, I'm not-"

"No, you really are" she turned her head sharply to look at her "I'm so incredibly lucky to have you" Quinn wasn't sure she'd ever heard Rachel sound that sincere.

With a fingertip Rachel touched Quinn's flushed cheek, then ran it down the side of her face and to her chin, she watched as Quinn let her eyes drift shut. Rachel moved closer until her lips touched Quinn's softly. Like a raindrop on the dry desert ground, that touching of lips evaporated when Rachel pulled away. She just wanted to look at Quinn again, just to try absorb a little more of what she saw, physically and mentally.

When Rachel reclaimed those lips Quinn flinched, as her eyes had remained closed. The softness turned into something bolder, harder, like a rainstorm gathering into a torrential downpour. Rachel wrapped her arms round Quinn, she immediately felt the pink haired teen melt into her arms.

The brunette pulled Quinn with her as she laid down on the blanket. Soft warm lips gave way to hungry mouths, Rachel turned up the heat, pressed harder, opened wider, demanded more. Quinn gave in, matching fervour that never stopped being tender.

The kiss was not unlike many they had already shared in the privacy of one of their rooms; a mix of tenderness and heat and promise blending perfectly together. And yet it was unlike any kiss they'd shared, or ever had, yet. Not a real kiss like this, where time stood still and where no kiss before ones with Quinn ever mattered.

There was no question they wanted more; their bodies were quick to betray them. Rachel began to run her hands up and down her girlfriend's back, nipples hardened and pelvises pressed closer together. 'Forget going slow' Rachel thought. Some things were meant to happen.

"Wait" Quinn pulled her lips away and managed to say the one word, breathlessly. The effort to pull away had been like defying gravity. Quinn made a mental note to not say that aloud, or Rachel might start singing, and that was kinda inappropriate right now. "We can't"

"I know" Rachel was just as breathless and just as disappointed that they'd had to stop "I'm sorry, I just got carried away"

"Me too" the pink and blonde haired girl breathed as she slowly peeled herself further from Rachel and sat up.

"We're not ready for that" Rachel said, waiting for Quinn's agreement. In her own head though she was saying it with heavy reluctance, she'd been so caught up in the moment, it hadn't really left yet so she couldn't help feeling like that.

"Shall we head back now?" Quinn asked timidly. She didn't want to stay there with the tension and stuff

"Yeah sure" Rachel awkwardly turned away from Quinn, regretting how fast she'd let that escalate. She really didn't want to mess anything up ever, not with Quinn.

They packed their things up, Quinn helped Rachel fold up the picnic blanket. They knew they were cutting their day out, short anyway but it was getting hotter as the Sun climbed higher in the sky... so at least they had an excuse

"Anyway, I haven't put any sunscreen on those parts" she added to lighten the mood as they started to walk back down the trail

Rachel laughed, probably louder than she meant to, but at least it calmed the tension around them.

Erm, I had some help from a book I read a while ago, it helped with the surroundings and stuff :S as I obviously have no idea. So yeah...

Let me know what you think, please :/