Disclaimer: These characters belong to the creators of Glee, I own nothing. If I did, Faberry would most definitely be a couple.

A/N: Hello, I hope I do Rucy justice as I found it quite difficult. I also hope you enjoy it and all mistakes are mine :)

Lucy kicks her legs aimlessly underneath the kitchen table, accidentally hitting her mother twice in the knee. She apologises quietly before her mother tells her to keep her feet still. She places her feet behind the rung of the chair so she's not tempted to start kicking them again.

She had asked her mom to take her to the playground so she could go on the swings but her mother had regrettably turned her request down stating that a storm was coming and she didn't want them to be caught in it. She understood her mother's reasoning but she had really wanted to go on the swings.

They eat lunch in silence and when they're finished, her mother takes her plate from her and starts washing the dishes in silence.

Her father comes up behind Lucy and kisses her on the top of the head before greeting his wife.

She may only be eight but she can tell that something wrong.

Maybe it's the way her mom shrinks away from his touch or the way he doesn't try to touch her again but she knows something is wrong with her parents.

She thinks something might have been wrong for a while.

She's expecting both of them to sit her down soon and explain the situation to her. That's what they did when her grandma passed away. They had sat her down and explained to her that whereas most people who are ill get better, her nana didn't and was now living in heaven with the angels.

"Looks like the new neighbours are moving in today."

She hears her father tell his wife the little piece of information but he doesn't receive a response. She asks her mother if she can be excused from the table and rushes upstairs to her bedroom. She grabs hold of her curtains and peeks out of her window, pulling herself out of sight when somebody looks in her direction. She counts to five before attempting to look again.

Two men are standing on the sidewalk engaging in conversation whilst several other men carry boxes from the moving van into the house. One of the men on the sidewalk disappears into the house whilst the other one starts carrying boxes from the van to the house.

She observes them for several seconds before her eyes fall to a small brunette skipping across the front yard happily.

Rachel stops skipping as a shiver runs through her. She can't shake the feeling that she's being watched. Scanning the new neighbourhood, her eyes fall on a person standing in one of the front windows in the house opposite her. She can just about make out a blonde girl, who can't be much older than her. Deciding to be friendly, she waves emphatically at the girl. It takes a few seconds before she receives a shy wave back. Rachel giggles as the girl quickly ducks out of view. She waits to see if the blonde girl is going to reappear and when she doesn't, Rachel starts skipping around the house again.

Lucy rests against the wall of her bedroom trying to stop herself from running straight across the street and introducing herself to the other girl. She doesn't want to seem too eager. The previous owners of the house over the street had kept to themselves and never really made an effort to fit into the neighbourhood but Lucy has a feeling this family would be different. In her eyes this new family are already better than the old one because they have a young daughter. Lucy's not very good at ages but the brunette looks about the same age as her and she's thrilled at the prospect of having somebody to play with.

Deciding that she wants to meet the mystery brunette, she dashes downstairs and pops her head around the kitchen door to see her mother with her head in her hands, an empty wine glass beside her. Lucy frowns, her parents only ever use wine glasses late at night when she's gone to bed and it's only early afternoon now. Shaking it off, she creeps towards her front door, opening and closing it as quietly as she can.

Her parents don't like her going too far from the house but surely just going to the house opposite isn't too far. She knows her father has gone to work because his car is gone from the driveway and her mother seems too busy in the kitchen to notice her brief absence.

Besides, it's not like she'll be long.

Staring down the street, Lucy waits to make sure no cars are coming before she runs across the road and halts at the gate of the house. Tentatively she steps inside and a wave of disappointment surges through her when she thinks she might have missed the brunette.

Maybe she's gone inside the house to help her parents or maybe they're having something to eat.

Even though the front door is wide open and Lucy wants to find the brunette, she stays where she is because it would be rude to enter somebody else's house without their permission.

She finds it odd how quiet the house is, especially considering its moving day for the new family.

"Are you looking for something?"

Lucy's head snaps to her left at the voice and she is met by the very same person she's was hoping to find. The brunette is staring at her in awe but her face holds a wide grin.

"I was actually looking for you," Lucy states quietly, embarrassed at just admitting that to a complete stranger, her cheeks flush.

Rachel tilts her head to the side and if possible, her grin broadens. "You found me," she says whilst studying the girl standing before her. The blonde's square, black glasses look too big for her face and hide her hazel eyes which Rachel thinks have golden flecks in them but they suit her in a bizarre way. She watches as the blonde stuffs her hands into the pockets of her dungarees and scuffs her feet nervously.

"I'm Rachel Berry," Rachel pronounces loudly, hoping to make the girl feel more at ease.

"I'm Lucy. Lucy Fabray."

"Nice to meet you Lucy Fabray."

"I live in the house across the street." She points to her house and Rachel's eyes follow.

"I know, I saw you in the window."

"I wasn't spying," Lucy replies instantly because her parents would tell her off if they thought she was being nosey.

Rachel shrugs her shoulders. "I don't mind."

"Where did you move from?"

"Seattle, my daddy got a new job so we had to move even though I didn't want to."

"Lima's not too bad," Lucy says, trying to appease the girl in front of her, even if it's not strictly true. "Did you leave a lot of friends in Seattle?"

She knows that she's might start to annoy Rachel by asking questions but she finds it interesting to learn about people. She doesn't have any friends her own age but having no friends can have its advantages too. She watches the other people who live in her neighbourhood and some of them she's befriended.

That's how she knows that Mr Muldrew often invites another woman into his house who isn't his wife. She doesn't really understand why and when she told her mother about it, her mom had whispered 'his poor wife' and mentioned something about Mr Muldrew having his cake and eating it too. She doesn't understand that either because if you have a cake, what else would you do but eat it?

She also knows that Mrs Patterson hasn't been the same since the day a hearse pulled up outside her house. Lucy always liked Mrs Patterson because she would give her glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice during the summer months but since that hearse pulled up, Lucy hasn't received any juice. Her father told her that Mrs Patterson had lost her son like they had lost nana and she shouldn't bother her.

Another thing she knows is that Mrs Winters, the elderly lady who lives down the street from her, spends her retirement baking the nicest apple pies she has ever tasted. Much better than her mom's but she daren't tell her mom that. Most people in her neighbourhood just greet each other briefly in passing, and they never really know each other.

Lucy thinks that everybody else is missing out because Mrs Winter's pies really are delicious.

"I didn't really have many friends," Rachel says quietly. "My dads say that the other children just didn't understand me but I think they just found me annoying."

"I don't find you annoying," Lucy offers gently and receives a grateful smile in return. "Did you say dads?"

The brunette bobs her head in response. "They're inside unpacking boxes. Would you like to come inside?"

Lucy looks over her shoulder at her own house and wonders whether her mother has realised she's gone yet. She knows that she should go back home and at least tell her mom where she'll be but she doesn't want to walk away from Rachel.

There's something about her, a certain warmth radiates from her and it makes Lucy feel at ease.

It makes her feel comforted.

"Yes please," she replies politely.

"I can show you my room although it's just an empty space at the moment," Rachel says, grabbing Lucy's hand with her own and leading her into the house. "You'll have to come over and see it when it's finished. We can have a sleepover."

Lucy's heart swells at that suggestion. She's never been invited to a sleepover before.

"You can come and see mine too one day."

Rachel guides her up a flight of stairs before pushing open the last wooden door on the floor and entering what Lucy presumes is her bedroom. Lucy stares at the room in awe, it's a lot bigger than her own bedroom and whereas she has white carpet, Rachel has hardwood flooring. However, the thing that catches Lucy's attention more than anything else is the window seat.

She had always wanted one of them.

"That's my favourite part too," Rachel says, obviously following the other girl's line of sight. She heads over and sits on it, gesturing for Lucy to mimic her actions. "It's really comfy but I think it needs some cushions to make it even comfier." Lucy walks timidly over to the window seat and sits down, tucking her feet underneath her. Even though Rachel invited her inside and clearly wants her to be there, Lucy still feels like she shouldn't be in Rachel's room. "It overlooks your house," Rachel points out. "I wonder if I can see you when you're in your room."

"If you can we can always say hello to each other from our bedrooms," Lucy proposes and Rachel nods in agreement.

"Is that your dog?" Rachel looks out the window to see an Old English sheepdog running around Lucy's front yard, sniffing the ground before rolling around playfully on it.

Lucy pushes her glasses further up her nose and mentally scolds her dog because now he's going to be dirty and the task of giving him a bath will fall to her and it is no easy feat. "His name is Dusty. My parents bought him for me to keep me company."

"Do your parents not keep you company?"

Lucy shrugs her shoulders and keeps her eyes trained on her dog. "They have their own things to deal with," she explains and her voice holds a certain tone that Rachel recognises.

She's heard the tone in her dad's voice a couple of times and her dad told her once that sometimes people have things they don't really want to talk about so she should let the subject drop. Rachel senses that this is one of those times so she doesn't press any further.

Noticing that Lucy's face has fallen since Rachel asked about her parents, she decides to change the topic and hopes Lucy will smile again because she has a really lovely smile. "He looks really cuddly."

"He is, he's very friendly as well," Lucy tells her, a small smile filling her face and Rachel mentally applauds herself. "You'll have to come over and see him one day, I'm sure he'd love to make a new friend."

"Will he not knock me over?" Rachel asks. "He's really big."

Lucy shakes her head. "You'll be fine, I'm not much taller than you and he doesn't knock me over," she reassures Rachel before they both look out of the window.

"Rachel?"

Both girls bring their attention away from the window and towards Rachel's bedroom door as a male voice reverberates around the house. Lucy presumes that it's one of Rachel's dads.

"I'm in my room daddy." Rachel stands up and heads towards her door, waiting for her dad to appear.

The bedroom door opens and a tall man walks in, his face covered by the two boxes he is carrying. "Me and your dad have been looking for you; we thought you'd probably want us to unpack your room first?"

"Yes please," Rachel replies, eager at the prospect of filling her new room with all her personal items.

Rachel's dad places the box in the middle of the room. Grimacing as his back cracks when he returns to an upright position. "Do you want to go and find your boxes?" He asks his daughter and Lucy is sure that he hasn't even noticed her yet.

"I have company," Rachel tells him, trying to act grown up.

"Company?" He turns around to see what his daughter is staring at and smiles warmly at the blonde girl sitting nervously on his daughter's window seat. She gives him a shy wave and smile. "Hello, I'm Hiram Berry."

"Nice to meet you Mr Berry, I'm Lucy Fabray."

Hiram gushes at Lucy's politeness. "Well it's lovely to meet you too Lucy."

"Lucy lives in the house opposite us daddy, isn't that great. I have somebody to play with now and I didn't have that in Seattle."

Hiram looks at his daughter, silently telling her to calm down because he knows better than anybody how excitable she can become but his heart swells at her happiness.

"You should have told us you had company rather than just sneaking her upstairs. We could have offered her something to eat or drink."

Rachel scrunches her eyes shut quickly before opening them again. Her dads had brought her up with manners and she's mad at herself because she should have already asked that question. "Would you like something to eat or drink?"

Lucy blushes but she's not sure why. "No thank you."

"I'll go and bring the rest of your boxes upstairs and you can show Lucy some of your things if you want," Hiram offers, receiving a 'yes please' from his daughter.

Once Hiram leaves the room, Rachel bounds back over to the window seat and starts talking animatedly to her new friend. "I have so many things I can show you," she gushes.

"I should probably be heading back home," Lucy says despondently. "I didn't tell my mom where I was going, she must be worried."

She's pretty sure that's a lie, Lucy would be surprised if her mom has noticed her absence. She hadn't been gone long, her mom would just think she was playing in her room because that was always what she did but still, she didn't want her mom to worry.

Rachel pouts at her but doesn't try to argue. A low rumble of thunder causes both girls to look up towards the sky. Rachel stiffens at the noise whilst Lucy laughs.

"I love storms," she tells her happily.

"They frighten me," Rachel admits quietly, embarrassed at the confession.

"Don't worry," Lucy offers, "I'll look after you."

"How?"

Lucy thinks about the question for a moment before undoing the home-made bracelet which rests on her wrist. "Hold out your hand," she orders and Rachel complies. Lucy wraps her bracelet around the brunette's wrist. "If you get scared, look at that and think I'm only across the street."

Rachel stares down at the bracelet and trails her fingers across it, a small smile on her face. "I don't have anything to give to you."

"I don't need anything."

"I'll find something when we unpack." Rachel tells her. "You're the first friend I've made here so you have to have something. It's only fair."

"Friend?" Lucy's face lights up at the word. "We're friends."

"Why wouldn't we be?"

"I don't know," Lucy says quietly, embarrassed at the glee which had filled her voice earlier. "I should go."

Rachel stands up alongside her. "Do you want to come over tomorrow?"

"If it's alright with my parents," Lucy tells her. "If it's alright with your parents I can bring Dusty." The brunette nods along with Lucy's suggestion. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

She's heading to bed when she sees the envelope sitting on the door mat. She frowns at it because the mail only comes in the morning and Dusty usually barks to signal the mailman's arrival. In fact he normally barks whenever somebody comes to the front door but he has been silent all night, even though he's been sitting in front of the bay window in their living room.

Curious as to what it could be, she walks slowly towards it and picks it up. She turns the envelope over in her hands and surprise floods through her when she sees that it's addressed to her. Her name is written on the envelope and she immediately knows that it must be from Rachel because the handwriting isn't neat enough to be an adult's.

Excitement flows through her body. She never receives mail, except from the odd birthday card from distant relatives.

She didn't expect Rachel to give her something; she thought the other girl might have forgotten.

After eagerly opening the envelope, she empties the content into her hand and watches as a home-made necklace falls out. Lucy inspects it thoroughly, turning it over and over in her hands. The necklace is made from a large piece of string, knotted at the end, large enough for Lucy to put over her head and at the centre of the necklace is a small gold star

Racing upstairs to her bedroom, she opens her curtains and stares at the house opposite her but is disappointed to see that Rachel's bedroom is clouded in darkness. Putting the necklace on, she fingers the gold star, unsure as to why that's the symbol Rachel chose to give her.

She'll have to ask her tomorrow.

Dusty pads into her bedroom slowly and nuzzles his head against her side. She kneels down so she can stroke his affectionately. "I finally have a friend Dusty."

He barks at her in response and Lucy can't believe how happy she is that her mom never took her to the playground today.