Author's (for lack of a better word) Note:

First off, this is the first story i have ever "published" to and where it not for a number of factors (the Faberry kick I've been on of late, the amazing work I've read as a result and the unremitting mindworm that set up shop in my head on reading the news that (a fair chunk of) the Glee cast is currently down for the count with tonsillitis) you'd all still be waiting for this to happen.

Well, not waiting, that would imply some sort of expectation on your part, some desire to read what ever pittance I have to offer. But you get my point.

Secondly, this is pretty much a type and post job. 2+ hours of writing, no peer review, no third party editing, nada so please forgive any technical errors that may have made it through (as for artistic merit/content, you're free to comment on that as you see fit) and would have been far harder/taken far longer to do if not for Wikipedia, iTunes previews, and the dictionary/thesaurus included with OS X. My thanks (and perhaps your curses) go out to the people behind those wonderful tools.

Thirdly, I don't own Glee, the characters of Glee, the setting of Glee or anything beyond the plot of what you're about to read and I'm pretty sure i'm not the first or only one to have a crack at said plot so I can't even lay much claim to that.

Oh and lastly, this doesn't take place at any particular point in Glee canon so it should be largely spoiler free but if one or two do leak through (and I forget to come back and change this bit) Mea Culpas all around.

And now, On with the show…

What is this feeling,

So sudden and new?

I felt the moment

I laid eyes on you;

My pulse is rushing;

My head is reeling;

My face is flushing;

What is this feeling?

Fervid as a flame,

Does it have a name?

Yes! Lo-

"Rachel?" rasped the disoriented blonde when she finally pulled her head from concealment under the pile of blessedly warm blankets that, until a song had broken through her cold induced slumber, had separated the cheerio from the world outside

"What the He-"

"Hello Quinn." The diminutive brunette interjected from behind the paper mask fitted securely over the lower half of her face. "I'm sorry to wake you, especially given how important sleep is to recovery from an illness but maintaining your fluid levels is also highly beneficial and warm liquids have been proven to help relive the pain associated with tonsillitis."

Quinn continued to stare at the other teen in a mix of confusion, annoyance and curiosity even as she rubbed sleep from her eyes and watched as Rachel stood from the chair that had not-so-magically appeared beside her bed.

"How did-"

"Your mother let me in." Rachel said, once again cutting off her fellow Glee member. "And you really shouldn't talk until you're better." she added, shifting her focus from the pink thermos covered in gold star stickers that she'd just unscrewed the cap from to the pad and pen that had been waiting beside it.

"Here, if you need to say anything, write it down and I'll read it." Rachel instructed, placing the antiquated communications duet beside her patient.

"Can't stand listening to me outside of Glee?" Quinn taunted and immediately regretted it. Both from the flare of pain from her throat and the flash of hurt that crinkled around a pair of dark brown eyes before their owner could turn her back to the bed's sole occupant.

"Nothing of the sort Quinn," Denied a tone as carefully measured as the soup poured from the thermos into a bowl that, like the pen and pad, had sat waiting to be called into action.

"Vegetable noodle." A fully composed dark haired diva explained a few moments later as she turned back to face the blonde, bowl in one hand, spoon in the other before commanding "Sit up" in a voice back to it's usual insufferably self assured disposition.

Once Rachel was satisfied with Quinn's repositioning, she placed the steaming bowl atop the other girl's quilt covered lap then returned to her seat, legs crossed at the ankle, hands resting on her knee, fingers entwined.

"As I was saying earlier, while my vocal talents far exceed your own, and those of my… our fellow members of Glee, your voice is not unpleasant to listen to." The Brunette dropped her eyes, moving one hand to pick away at some invisible lint clinging to the fabric of her surprisingly short skirt.

"In fact, " Rachel continued softly, almost to softly for Quinn to hear, "I… I find your voice rather… delightful." Almost as soon as the last word was out of her mouth Rachel's head snapped up and she added. "That is, when you're not using it to insult and belittle me."

This time it was Quinn who dropped her gaze, staring into the pale gold broth sitting on her thighs.

"…" The sickly girl opened her mouth to speak, stopped herself, then grabbed the pen and pad. The scratching sound of ball point over wood pulp filled the air for several moments, drowning out the only other sound in the room, their twin breathing until finally, after several frantic scratch-outs and two balled up sheets of paper, the cheerleader held up her note for Rachel to read.

"Why are you being nice to me?" The adoptee read off. "Quinn…?" Rachel said, turning the girl's name into a question. "Isn't it obvious?"

Quinn, shook her head before dropping it down as she tore off the top page and started scribbling again only to look up a moment later when the pen was plucked from her fingers.

"It's a good thing you're pretty because you're as oblivious as Finn." Rachel chided softly as she settled onto the edge of the bed. "I'm nice to you, Quinn, because…" she paused, reaching her empty hand up to tug the mask off. She flashed her patent pending million watt Rachel Berry smile™ "Because, despite everything, despite all the slushies and name calling and catty comments, I know there's someone in there," Rachel took Quinn gently by the chin and locked her gaze with the red rimmed Hazel eyes that peered back while softly brushing a thumb over the smooth and oh-so-incredibly soft skin just below the cheerleader's coral coloured lips, "is worth putting up with all the, pardon my french, bullshit and torment and everything else that one has to wade through to get to."

"Rachel…" Quinn said, the tremor in her voice in no way related to her illness and in every way to the woman within arm's reach.

"Shhh Fabray, eat your soup and then go back to sleep." For the first time since starting her speech, the brunette seemed uncertain but as quickly as it had arrived, it was gone. "Glee needs you to get better." Rachel said before releasing her grip and leaving her perch on the mattress.

"But…"

"No Buts. Eat, Sleep, Better. That's an order." Rachel admonished, chopping short Quinn's protest as she set about gathering her things. "Your mother should be back by the time you wake up, I've left extra soup in your fridge oh and Santanna has texted you 11 times since I arrived, with decreasing politeness I might add, so I've put your phone on mute and, while I won't prohibit you from using it, I strongly advise you do. If it's important she can stop by and see you in person."

With that, Rachel tucked that last of her belongings, minus the thermos still sitting on Quinn's nightstand, into her knapsack which till that moment had been resting out of sight. "Eat! Sleep! Better! Quinn." She repeated, moving over to the bedroom's door. "Don't let me hear anything to the contrary or I'll have no choice but to come back here."

"And we both know how much you'd hate that… don't we?" The future broadway star's lips curled up into another brighter-then-sunshine grin before slipping out of the room.

"Yeah… we do." Quinn whispered, eyes locked on the door through which her self proclaimed nurse nightingale had disappeared as she absent-mindedly traced the tip of a finger along the underside of her lower lip.