Black Keys

Tagline: "A perfect rainbow never seemed so dull."

Summary: Love and Lust. Determination and Desire. Feelings and Sex. Student and Teacher. Right and Wrong. Those lines just keep blurring for Rachel Berry lately.

Spoilers: None, seeing as how this story is completely, painfully AU

Rated: Mature Audiences Only!

Pairing: Quinn/Rachel. Rachel/Finn

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings and events thereof, are properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

Author's Note: Hi all! I know that it has been a long time since I have wrote for this fic, college is currently kicking my ass. *sigh* But anyways, this chapter has been sitting in my documents for a long time now and I have been weary to post it simply because I don't think it is the best that it could be. But I realize that for this story to continue, I just have to push past my writing insecurities and keep going. This chapter is long and it's really focused on their relationship so hopefully it is not too much of a disappointment. :)

Chapter Eight: All At Once

The only downside to being able to forget every worry the night before is being forced to remember everything the morning after. Quinn Fabray knows this better than anyone. As the dawn of the morning breaks¸ she finds herself being forced to remember every little painful detail about her life, even the details that she wishes she could forget.

She remembers the way that she leaned into Rachel yesterday after rehearsals, the way that her intoxicating scent filled her nose and the hidden giggle echoed in the back of her throat. She remembers the way that her skin felt pressed against hers, the way the rush of desire pulsed through her veins and the passionate fire ached in the pit of her stomach. She remembers the way that her hoarse voice whispered her name, the way their lips met together in a fury of a rush of lust and desire. She remembers how easy it was to forget with her and how it absolutely terrified her.

She also remembers rejecting her; she remembers how she told her she couldn't see her anymore, and the drunken voicemail that must have sounded so desperately stupid to the brunette diva. Quinn remembers all of it, every pain staking detail, no matter how badly she wishes that for one small second in her life, she could forget it all.

New York.

Rachel.

Everything.

Quinn steps out of her red, slightly dingy car with a disgruntled sigh, her joints popping at the forced movement. As the gleaming sun basks over the crowded parking lot of McKinley High, she takes a moment to glance over the crowds of people around her. Some of the fellow teachers stand idly by a white Chevy Impala, sipping on their mugs which she assumes to be filled with coffee. A few feet away, a crowd of students chatter at the entrance of the school, waiting until the last possible second to march themselves into the eight hour prison. She remembers when she felt the same way as they did; hell, she still feels that way.

She brushes her golden mane away from her face with a grumbling curse that she expects no-one to hear. Sometimes she wonders how she ended up here, back at McKinley High. And sometimes, she would give anything to forget the reason that brought her back.

Quinn grabs her bag from the passenger's seat of her car, quickly tossing it over her shoulder and across her chest. Rummaging inside, she grabs the infamous folder of sheet music and closes the door behind her, locking it with a swift turn of the key. She turns around, squinting at the harsh sun as she breathes in the slightly polluted air.

Today is a brand new day.

A new day to avoid the scene that unfolded yesterday in the music room.

A day to try her hardest to ignore any and all feelings that she has for Rachel Berry.

She just wishes it was that easy, she wishes that she could be able to forget anything and everything that the dazzling brunette has ever made her feel. She wishes that she could just ignore the thousands of strings that continuously pull the two of them together; despite the situation.

But forgetting Rachel Berry is a lot like forgetting what happened in New York City.

Impossible.

She enters the school with a disheartening sigh; she wishes this could be so much easier. That she did not have to work in a place that was full of kids so much younger than she, kids that do not understand how good they truly have things. Kids who are reckless and cocky and innocent, kids who have their entire lives before them full of dreams and hopes and chances. She wishes that she did not have to be in a place that is a constant reminder of everything that she has ever lost.

Quinn grumbles a soft curse that just misses every one's ears as she clutches tight to the folder in her arms. Glancing around the slightly crowded hallways, she does not see Rachel and she knows that now is her chance. Now is her chance to make a break for it and avoid all confrontation with the brunette. Now is her chance to pretend like nothing ever happened.

And her plan would have been flawless, truly, if the final bell had not rung at that exact moment.

A rush of crowding adolescents push past her; elbows and feet flying in every direction, shoving and cursing wildly at the realization that they are late once more. She is unable to withstand the rush of bodies and forcefully accidental attacks that are somewhat similar to a stampede of wild bulls and she is sent tumbling in every direction. With another shove, she is sent tumbling into another human body, sending both of them onto the ground, their things flying in every direction but the right one. A disgruntled curse falls from Quinn's lips as her body reacts to the tumble in sharp, shooting pain, wincing at the radiating pain that aches through her right arm.

And then… silence.

The once hustle and bustle of the hallway is now ceased.

Teenagers are gone.

All, however, expect one.

"I am so sorry about that. I never realized that kids here are so eager to get to class. It is like feeding time at the zoo or something," Quinn apologizes in a husky groan, pulling herself up in a sitting position as she reaches for her folder. She had never been one to believe in fate or destiny but this moment make just actually convince her otherwise.

"I suppose this is some poorly thought out plan to gain my attention to make an apology for the drunken voicemail that you left me last night isn't it?" Immediately, Quinn looks up to find the brunette sitting across from her, her brow furied together in annoyance. Fate had brought Quinn Fabray to Rachel Berry the first time and fate had brought them together now. Quinn groans, raking her nails through her blond hair as she lays the disorganized folder in her lap, studying her now trembling hands.

"I am thinking that types like you do not make apologizes that often but normally they start with I am sorry, not with avoiding eye contact with me like I am some unfortunate leaper of some sort," Rachel states, breaking the sigh and Quinn rolls her eyes in frustration, tugging at the blond curls between her fingers.

"I am sorry that I left you an inappropriate voicemail and I promise that it will not happen anymore. There, is that what you wanted to hear?" Quinn snaps the acid in her voice even surprising herself. Almost instantly, the hardness of Rachel's face falters, her lips become pursed ad she recoils at the sound of the anger in the blonde's voice.

"No. That is not what I wanted to hear. I mean, it was an excellent apology and I graciously accept. But that isn't what I wanted. What I wanted was for you to say that you made you a mistake in saying what you did, that we aren't a mistake. I wanted you to tell me why you left me a drunken voicemail, why you were drinking in the first place when you knew that you had class this morning. I wanted you to tell me why you freaked out so badly at the thought of us being together or even being friends. I know that I am not the most socially beloved at this school but I did not think any of that mattered to you," Rachel explains with a wrinkled brow. Quinn sighs, seemingly annoyed with the statement as she shifts her weight awkwardly, reaching for her bag that is scattered onto the floor.

"Berry, you know why we can't do this," Quinn sighs and Rachel only shakes her head.

"I know that people would talk and I think that is what you are afraid of. I am not saying that you and I have to be romantically involved, because even I am not sure if I am ready for such an emotional commitment. But what I am asking is that you should give us a chance to figure out what we are and where we stand. A chance to figure out what we are, to figure out who we are. I am asking that you give me a chance to be a friend to you. I know that something happened in your past that has put you off with everyone else but I am not like everyone else. I am not someone who is going to just give up because you say so. I care about you and I know that somewhere inside of you, you care about me too." Rachel states in a huff, grabbing her History book and clutching it within her hands. For a moment there is silence, a quiet silence that is enough to stop her heart and make her question everything in her life.

For a moment, there is no amount of words that could be said that could bring the two women closer; because they are already separated by thousands of unspoken words and emotions.

Because now they are separated by the truth that Quinn will do anything to keep her from knowing.

"You are Rachel Barbara Berry. You are the star of the Glee club. You are the one who has these big dreams to be on Broadway and see her name flashing in the bright lights of New York City. You have such big dreams and I am not going to be the one who stands in the way of that. You don't know what happened in my past and you don't know how it has affected me. You know nothing about me. What happened yesterday was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened and it will not happen again. Do you understand me? As for friends? We can't be that. We can't be anything, Rachel. I am your teacher. And our relationship has to stop there for your own sake," Quinn explains, licking her dry lips as she sucks in a long breath. She does not expect her to understand this, because how could she? How could she understand something that even she does not understand herself? She feels the thousands of strings that pull them together, she feels the rush, the want, the desire, but she also knows that she is no good for Rachel. No matter how badly she wishes that she could be.

"You know what I think? I think you are scared. I think you felt something yesterday when we kissed…" She is interrupted however, when Quinn dives on top of her¸ both of their bodies tumbling onto the floor as Rachel mumbles something beneath Quinn's hand that is inaudible. Hazel eyes are glaring into a pair of deep russet brown and for a moment, even if it is a brief moment, the world seems to slow around them. Although they are the only two in the hallway, it is as if they are the only two in the world.

For a moment, there is only Quinn and Rachel. No labels. Just human beings.

"You can't say that here. You never know who might be listening," Quinn scolds and Rachel rolls her eyes, pulling out from beneath the hand.

"Oh, I am sorry. I did not realize that our agreement to show affection would be bad for your name. We did something that people have been doing since the beginning of time. The French do it twice as often as we do. You are the one who was more dominant than I was in the first place and now are hiding from it because of what? A label? What people think? What society thinks? None of that should matter, what should matter is what you think," exclaims Rachel and Quinn looks her, her eyes beginning to droop a little. Her lips move to form words, however, none come out because she does not have the words. She does not have the words to explain to Rachel how someone who seemed so strong before truly isn't, to explain to her that this is not about society but this is about what is best for her, about protecting her. Slowly, Quinn rises up from the brunette, shaking her head softly as she pushes herself up onto her feet. She extends her hand down to Rachel who simply looks up at her, a wrinkled brow in confusion.

"I think that you are already late for class. There is no need to make you any later than you already are. That is not very professional of you to keep someone waiting," Quinn sighs and Rachel shakes her head, placing her palm within Quinn's as she allows the blond to lift her from the floor.

"Mr. Jamison is not going to mind that I am not there on time for his class. I am sure he does not even notice me. He is always too busy staring at Santana's boobs," She explains with a shrug of her shoulders and Quinn chuckles a quiet laugh. The sound quickens Rachel's heart beat and creates butterflies in the pit of her stomach; she never knew that a sound, other than Barbara Streisand's voice, of course, could make her feel so good inside. Quinn reaches down, gathering her folder and her bag within her hand and she gestures for Rachel's History book with a quaint smile and Rachel nods her head softly, placing it within her hands as the two slowly begin their journey to the classroom.

"So…"

"So."

Never has a silence been so awkward! Rachel groans, diverting her attention away from the golden manned blond who walks beside of her. Finally deciding to bite the bullet, Rachel ducks her head with a heavy sigh and swallows the lump in the back of her throat.

"Why were you drinking last night? And why did you decide to call me?" The question is rather blunt and it catches the gorgeous teacher beside of her entirely off guard. The walking halts for a brief moment as Quinn looks at the brunette with shifting eyes as she sways her weight from one side to the other. There are all these truths that Rachel deserves to know and yet, all these truths that Quinn just is not quite ready to share wither. Blowing the question off with a sigh and a roll of her hazel eyes, the blonde once again continues her walk to History class.

"Why do you ask all this annoying questions about my life?" Quinn groans in annoyance and Rachel shrugs, dropping her left shoulder only slightly. She cannot manage to keep her eyes off the woman beside of her; she can't stop staring at the eloquent beauty that makes her who she is. The beautiful frame of her body, the way her golden hair caresses her face in the softest wisps, her unusual and yet entirely perfect style, the way she walks. Everything about Quinn Fabray is beautiful and it is everything about her that leaves the brunette in awe-struck wonderment.

"My dads always told me that even the smartest people in the world ask questions; it is a form of learning. We are constantly learning our entire lives, even if it is small thing such as why one would become intoxicated the night before she knew she had classes. The second that we stop learning is the day that we die. You cannot sue one for simply being curious." Rachel states in her infamous all-knowing tone and Quinn grumbles.

"You did hear what curiosity did to the cat, right?" Quinn shares a glance with Rachel who shrugs with a smirk.

"Good thing I'm not a cat," retorts Rachel playfully and Quinn rolls her eyes with a hasty laugh. Instead of answering the previous question however, the blond just continues to walk, placing one foot in front of the other without so much as a second thought to the girl behind her. Because she knows that's how things have to be now; no more treating Rachel like she is different than anyone else, no matter exactly how special she may be.

"Why were you drinking last night, Ms. Fabray?" Rachel asks again, pushing for the answer. Quinn groans, stopping at the history class with a huff, using her free hand to twist her fingers in her blond curls, tugging at them slightly. The fury and passion within her eyes collide hard with Rachel's and for a moment, both of the girls forget how to breathe entirely.

"God damn it, Berry, when are you ever going to fucking learn to mind your own business, huh? If there is a reason someone did not answer the question the first time you asked it when it is very clear they heard you, don't ask it again! I am not hearing impaired, I clearly heard you the first time that you asked the question; I just chose not to reply. For reasons that are my own. You are not my mother or my wife; I do not have to explain every fucking menial detail of my life to you. I am an adult; I don't have to make excuses for myself anymore! I was drunk because I didn't want to think about anything anymore, because for one second in my life I just wanted to forget. And maybe when you are a little older you will understand that concept! And when I'm drunk I do stupid things like call my students, but I insure you that phone call meant nothing . There, is that wanted, huh? An answer. Well now you have one," Quinn blurts in a snapping, harsh tone that sounds like acid when it falls from her lips and her heart cracks inwardly in her chest. Instantly, Rachel recoils, her face attempting to crumble but she keeps the cry in with a hard lined jaw. Yet, the look of hurt on her face is enough to tell Quinn all the things that she needs to know, all the things that she has done to her.

"Maybe because I just care about you," mumbles Rachel, careful to not allow her voice to crack. Quinn sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose as she clutches the books just below her chest. She wonders if Rachel can see it, just how she is falling apart on the inside, how this is literally killing her.

"Well don't. Please just don't. I am no good for you, don't you see that, Berry? I am no good. And I am standing here right now, trying my damnedest to keep you from getting hurt because you don't deserve to hurt. Not like this. And you're making so fucking hard to do this. I am trying to protect you, can't you see that? Don't you get that? I am protecting you. So please just walk away and let me," Quinn chokes back the cry, fighting the tears that are desperately trying to form within her orbs. Rachel shakes her head with a shaky breath, licking her dry lips as she grabs the books from Quinn's arms in a hasty movement.

"Yeah and maybe if you would open your eyes, you would see that I am not a child. I don't need protecting; I can take care of myself. I can judge for myself if you are good for me or if you are not. I'm not helpless," Rachel huffs, clutching her books tight to her chest before her eyes meet Quinn's once more, and both of the girls break more than they ever expected,

"And for the record? This…well this hurts me. A lot more than you probably ever could," The brunette mumbles, her voice breaking before she pushes past her and into the classroom. Quinn watches her for a moment, a brief and quiet moment before she groans, slamming her fist into the wall as she forces to choke back the cry.

How is it possible that doing the right thing for someone could hurt so damn bad?

Rachel Berry has always been good at keeping her emotions hidden; she always said that it is what makes or breaks a good performer. She has grown accustomed to keeping them hidden behind her many walls, faking a smile when she feels like falling apart, laughing when she is so angry that she wants to behead someone and hugging someone when she is actually hurt by them. She has always been the queen of keeping herself together and always staying so professional.

That is, however, until now.

The words of Quinn still ring in her ears, the harsh and acid tone still echoing somewhere deep inside of her, telling her how she needs to learn to mind her own business. She can still hear her, time and time again dismissing her, dismissing her feelings for her, telling her that she shouldn't care about her and she is trying to protect her and take care of her. It is like a broken record on constant replay in her head, breaking her more and more every time.

Does she really think that little of her? Does she really think that she couldn't take care of her own-self? That she was like some child who constantly needs to be babysat and have bubble wrap on every sharp object to keep her from injuring herself? Yet, more importantly, does Quinn really think that little of herself? Does she really think that she is no good for her? Can she not see how much of a difference that she has made in her life in the months that she has been here? Can't she see that she is the good, the only good thing about McKinley High, the only good thing that she really has going for her right now?

She knows better, she knows better than to feel this way. Quinn Fabray is a twenty five year old woman with so much experience in every aspect of her life. She has been on Broadway, a leading starlet who saw her name in lights, she has sang ballads to sold out audience every night and knows exactly how it feels to be on the big stage. She has been away from Lima, Ohio for years; she knows how to live on her own in a big city. Quinn Fabray is better than she could ever be, at least right now. She knows better than to even think that for a second the two of them could remotely be friends and have similarities.

Except, even as illogical as it is, she does think that. Nobody gets her the way that Quinn does and she knows that once Quinn lets down her walls, they will be more alike than she could have ever imagined. If only she would just let those walls down, she could show her just how beautiful she truly is. They could have something; something that only comes along once in a lifetime, a life changing something, even if it is just a friendship.

But Quinn never gave them a chance. Never gave her a chance. And that, even though she will never admit it, is the part that hurts the most.

She sits in the back of her History class, her face crumbling as the hot tears fall freely down her face, a heart wrenching sob sitting in the middle of her chest. She always swore that if she broke down she would not give other people the pleasure of seeing it, but now, well now she just cannot help it. She is breaking.

A muffled cry escapes from her lips, inaudible to the rest of the class because of The Gladiator that is being shown with full theatrical sounds, of which Rachel has never been so grateful for. She digs her nails deep within her arms as she sniffles, the tears falling effortlessly from her eyes as her heart breaks deeper in her chest. She hates how alone she feels now, even in a room full of crowded people.

"Rach?" She is startled when Finn places his hand on her shoulder as he takes the seat beside of her. She wants to wipe away the tears and put on a smile, she wants to pretend like everything is okay for him, but she just simply is not strong enough. Her teary eyes met with his dark brown and he wrinkles his brow, a quiet gasp of a sigh escaping from his pursed lips. His grip tightens on her shoulder as she continues to cry, the tears far too strong for her to fight back any longer.

"Hey, what's wrong? Shh. Shh. It's okay," He whispers, reaching his hand forward as he slowly caresses her cheek. This time, unlike all the times before, she does not pull away but simply gives into his gentle caress with a sniffling cry. "God, you are beautiful. Even when you cry." He whispers and she chokes a cry with a breaking smile before she throws herself into his arms, burying her fingers deep within the fabric of his shirt. She hides her face deep within his chest as she cries and Finn sighs, only in partial happiness as he ever so awkwardly wraps his arms around her.

"Shh. Rachel."

"Have you ever wanted something so bad that you could almost die but you know that you can't have it? No matter what you do?" She cries in a mumble into his chest and he chuckles quietly with a nod, even though he knows that she will never see it. He softly caresses her hair in a quiet hum, listening to every breath that she takes.

"Yeah. I know how much that hurts. B-but you're Rachel. Rachel Berry. And when you want something, when you really want something, you find a way to get it," Finn states and she lifts her head slowly, her teary eyes colliding with his russet brown and he smiles a soft dimpling grin at her. Nervously, he reaches down, brushing the tear away from her cheek as he cups her face in his hands, their gaze never breaking.

"You'll find a way," He smiles, placing a chaste kiss upon her forehead. She smiles at him, burying herself deeper into his embrace, her fingers twisted deep within the fabric of his shirt. This time, however, she is not searching for comfort or solace, she is searching for a feeling that she has so long forgot. A feeling that she has only felt with Quinn Fabray.

Today has been hell; first with the confrontation with Rachel, then Sue Sylvester gave her a few rounds, joking about how she is nothing but a Lima Loser as well, then Mr. Figgins informed her they are cutting the Glee budget by twenty five percent and now she has practice. Practice with the one girl that she has so desperately been trying to avoid all day, the girl who makes her feel all those things that she swore that she would never feel again, the girl who she knows better than to want to have any kind of relationship with.

She paces nervously outside of the Glee room, pulling and tugging at her hair in absent nervousness too far lost in her thoughts to make sense of anything else going on around her.

When she first came back to Lima, she never expected any of this to happen. She had come to Lima seeking an escape, a refuge from the tattered and painful life she left behind in Lima. She came to seek shelter, to seek kindness and love and generosity that she remembered the town being like years ago; the town where people grew up together and everybody knew each other by their first names. She came to find a place where she could forget about all the hurt, all the lies, all the abuse and fakeness that New York City possesses. She came home searching for just that, a home. She never, in a million years, could have anticipated anything like this ever happening.

She could have never dreamed of the day that she would be the instructor of the Glee club, the club that she viewed as cliché the entire stint of her fame on Broadway. She could have never dreamed that she would be walking the halls of McKinley High just as insecure as she left it. But, more importantly, she could have never fathomed the mere thought that she would be this drawn to one person, especially when that person is her student.

Why does Rachel have this effect on her? She growls the pondering thought with a fumbling curse. She is no good for her, she is broken and damaged and has far too much baggage for a teenage girl to even begin to handle. She will only hurt her in the end and a beautiful young light like Rachel does not deserve to be extinguished because of someone else's inability to control situations. In fact, she just may perhaps be the worst thing for the young starlet and yet she wants her. Oh God, how she wants nothing more than to be a friend to her, to be more than that with her, to open up, to tell her everything.

But she can't do that, this she knows. Because no matter how hard Quinn tries, she will never be what Rachel deserves, she will never be the one thing that the brunette has been dreaming of her entire life.

Rachel deserves good and that is not her.

Sighing, Quinn shakes her head to fight away the tears before she pushes herself into the room in which the kids sit, sending a soft smile in their direction. She tries desperately not to pay too much attention to them in fear of meeting Rachel's russet eyes, but when she sees the starlet sitting next to the football player, a bright playful smile upon her face, her heart drops into her stomach. They are laughing, smiling, enjoying each other's company and the pain radiates in Quinn's core.

She halts in her journey to the piano and only watches the two of them, playful and happy, with wide, heartbroken eyes. The files that are in her hands fall onto the floor, the papers scattering idly as she stands, stuck in the moment that never seems to end. Rachel glances up at the woman with a bright smile, cuddling into Finn before she returns her attention back to the jock and Quinn snorts, the tears burning within her eyes.

"Ms. Fabray, are you okay?" Kurt asks, but his voice sounds like a muffled as if he was under water or a million miles away. Because they don't matter, nothing matters except for the brunette starlet that is sitting curled up beside of the jock who has been in love with her his entire life. Nothing matters except for Rachel. No matter how badly she wishes that she could deny or ignore the simple fact.

"Ms. Fabray?" This time it is Rachel who calls out her name and Quinn snaps back to reality, like a thousand waves crashing into the shore, like a cannon ball colliding into a brick wall at full force. She chokes back the cry, batting her eyelashes quickly to keep the tears at bay before she laughs briefly, licking her dry and cracked lips.

"Rehearsal is cancelled today. I just… I am not feeling very well. I think I'm coming down with a bug and rather than infect you all with it, I will just send you home or wherever it is that you go after this. I…um… I'm sorry for springing this on you last minute. You'll forgive me, I'm sure. I just… I have to… please excuse me." Quinn chokes back a cry as she turns on her heels, quickly escaping from the room, ignoring the papers that she has left scattered on the floor and the kids that she has left sitting wide eyed and confused behind her.

She dashes half way down the hallway until the tears are too heavy in her eyes for her to able to see and she stops, slumping against the lockers as a heart breaking sob escapes from her. She does not know what hurts so badly, the fact that Rachel blatantly does not care for her or the fact that she had willingly moved on to Finn without so much as a second thought. She had been the one who pushed her away, who pushed her straight into Finn's arms, who told her that she needed to be protected from her. This pain is all self-inflicted and yet this pain is all too much for her to bear.

There is a tapping on her shoulder that creates a loud escape of a cry that startles even the blonde; one that makes her question entirely if she is crying because of Rachel, because of all the things that she shouldn't feel for her, because of what happened in New York or because of all of it just entirely. She doesn't know why she is crying, she just knows that she is and now someone has caught her in the act.

Turning around she finds herself gazing into the most familiar pair of russet brown and her stomach twists in sickening knots at all the things that she feels, all the things that she knows better than to feel. Except she can't fight it, not now, not after the hellacious day she has had. She just isn't strong enough, not today. She can't fight it and honestly, she is not sure that she even wants to anymore.

"Quinn." It's the first time that she ever says her name and it is enough to crack her heart deeper in her chest. She is good; she is so painfully and perfectly good. She is going to hurt her, she is going to break her, she is going to be the one that puts her light out just the way that New York put her light out. She knows she should fight it, she knows that she should protect her from herself, that she should be stronger for her but right now, she just simply cannot.

"I-I'm sorry. I am so sorry." Quinn cries and Rachel shakes her head with a warm, but faint smile.

"No, it's okay. It's fine. I shouldn't have—" However, she does not finish her sentence because, instead, Quinn throws herself into her, wrapping her arms tightly around Rachel's lower back as she buries herself deep within her arms. Rachel stumbles for a moment, unsure of how to react to the sudden connection between the two of them. She stands, dumbstruck for a moment before she quietly wraps her arms around Quinn, slowly rubbing her back.

"It's going to be okay," Rachel nervously whispers as Quinn clings to her. The blond holds her tight, the tears streaming down her face as she fights the sob that wants to escape from her. Instead she only stands with Rachel Berry wrapped her arms, too afraid to let her go.

Because letting her go means that she is alone and she has been alone for far too long.

A/N: Hmm, so does Quinn's break down really have to do with seeing Rachel and Finn all couple-y or is it something else entirely? Well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see. Reviews are always a very important process to the next chapter's production; I look back to you guys for inspirations so please tell me what you think. :)