Sorry I wasn't able to update Yesterday. This chapter is mainly around Charlie and her feelings ;) sorry about any mistakes, I'm really tired so I didn't check for any... just wanted to post this before going to bed. next chapter faberry

"I hate being sick" Rachel wined, her voice hoarse, as she blew her nose and tossed the tissue inside the paper trashcan which was already overflowing with discarded used tissues. She looked terrible; her nose was red from constant friction of tissues, her eyes were swollen, her voice was almost impossible to hear and she had spent the last three days in bed, in pyjamas.

Overall, Rachel Berry was not the definition of beautiful at that moment. But, for Charlie Fabray, she still pretty much was it.

"What did I miss? Is everyone okay? Has something scandalous happened?" Rachel interrogated her, as Charlie handed her the antibiotics Leroy had asked her to give her and a cup of water.

"You've only been gone for two days" Charlie chuckled, as the brunette took a sip of the water. She handed her back the glass and the blonde placed it over her nightstand, before circling the bed and crawling to Rachel's side.

"It's seems longer" Rachel complained. "I feel like I'm slowly dying".

"Oh, please, don't be such a drama queen" Charlie rolled her eyes, amusedly, as she nudged her, placing her bag on her lap and taking some things from inside of it. "I brought you History notes from Mike, English notes from Quinn, Science and Spanish notes from yours truly and the rest I couldn't get a hand on, sorry".

"You've been too good, Charlie" Rachel thanked her, squeezing her hand, before reaching for another tissue. "I've just moved here and I'm already falling behind on classes. Great, just what I needed".

"And I've brought you animal crackers".

"Yay!" Rachel managed to cry through her hoarse voice. "Animal crackers".

"I figured you'd like that". Rachel was already opening the bag and greedily stuffing a hand full of crackers into her mouth. "At least it hasn't messed with your appetite, I see".

"I would share it, but I'm afraid that you'll catch my germs and get sick as well and, trust me, I do not wish that to anyone".

"I've been spending every free minute I have in here; if I was to catch your sickness, I would already have" Charlie pointed out.

Rachel halted and, hesitantly, offered Charlie the bag. "Do you want some?"

Charlie smiled affectionately. It felt like stealing a lollypop to a kid. "No, thanks".

Rachel grinned contently, as she continued stuffing her mouth. "Mike and Artie came visiting earlier, but Mike was late for football practice, so they didn't stay for long…"

"That's nice. I wanted to come earlier but my was being a pain in the ass asking me to help her with the preparations for the neighborhood's barbeque".

Something in Rachel's face shined with curiosity, as the brunette sucked the tip of her fingers. "Neighborhood's barbeque?"

"Yeah, it's just a thing they do whenever there's good weather".

"When is it going to be?" Rachel asked.

"I'm not sure, have your dads not- Oh God. I'm so sorry, Rachel" Charlie's expression fell as she realized how insensible she was being, without even noticing. She had a big mouth. Of course the Berry's hadn't been invited; most people didn't even greet them when they walk past them. How stupid of her to bring that up.

Rachel's eyes fell to the bed. "It's alright, Char. It's not your fault. And we're kind of used to thing like that".

"Look, maybe they'll still invite you. They haven't talked to everyone yet…"

"You know they won't and that's- that's okay. We're not blind, Charlie, we see what people think of us here".

"I feel bad-"

"Don't" Rachel stopped her, with a soft smile. "You are amazing, Charlie, I hope you know how much I admire you that, despite your family's beliefs, you seem to be okay with everything. I really admire it".

"I don't agree with many things my dad tried to pass on to us, I have my own mind".

"I know, and I admire that about you."

"I'm really sorry-"

"Stop".

Charlie could feel that Rachel was upset by it; but she had already accepted the fact that Lima was a small, closed-minded town and that her dads were always going to be outsiders in it. But she couldn't help but to feel… guilty about it. Her dad, Russell Fabray, was probably the man with most influence on the neighborhood; he was, incidentally, the one that despised the Berry's the most.

Her mind was suddenly pulled away from the entire barbeque issue, as she wondered what her dad would say or do if he knewthat she was a "supporter" of the Berry's lifestyle, that she spent so many time with Rachel, that she was so many times at their house and that, for last but not, in any way, least, that she was falling for the girl.

Charlie was caught by surprise. Falling for Rachel? It was the first time that she acknowledged it, even to herself. Was that why she felt like that? Like, when she was with Rachel, she never wanted to leave, and when she eventually had to, she couldn't stop thinking about her.

If Charlie was to be honest, she knew it a long time. She probably knew that she was going to fall in love with Rachel from the first moment she met her; who seemed so excited about having a private bathroom?

Rachel noticed Charlie's pensive silenced, and she curled onto her side, examining her expression. She lift her finger and tried to smooth the wrinkles that had created between the blonde girl's eyebrows. "What's wrong?"

"Hum? Nothing".

"Is it something I should worry about?" Rachel asked, carefully.

Charlie dropped her eyes to Rachel's, her expression softening automatically. "No. Definitely not something you should worry about".

"Hey".

Leroy was hurrying around the kitchen, a couple of pots on the stove. He looked absolutely overwhelmed and completely lost and he only spared a gaze up to see Charlie coming down the stairs from Rachel's room. "Hi, Charlie, I seem to be having… God, just for precaution, would you mind warning the fire squad that I'm attempting to cook?"

Charlie giggled as she advanced inside the kitchen, sitting on the balcony. "I'm guessing Mr H usually does the cooking?"

"Yes, Hiram was locked up at work, so I figured, because she's sick, she should be eating a nice, home cooked meal, and not some pizza – which is our back-up plan for when Hiram can't cook. But I seem to be way over my head."

"Do you want some help?" she asked.

"Can you cook?"

"Not really, my mom cooks every night."

"Well, thank you, anyway. So, did she fell asleep again?"

"Yeah she did".

"Well, its really getting to her, isn't it? She sleeps all day long."

"She said she was feeling slightly better" Charlie shrugged.

"Well, that's her trying to be brave. She's afraid that we start thinking she's just a winy brat… her fever is not coming down, so…"

"That sounds like her…" Charlie paused. "Mr Berry?"

"Leroy" he corrected her with a kind smile.

"Can I ask you something?"

He seemed a little surprised and fearful. "Hum… sure"

"Have you heard about the barbeque that neighborhood is organizing?"

Leroy's expression tensed, but then relaxed as he granted her a sad, comforting smile. "No, I don't believe I have, Charlie".

"Yeah, Rachel told me. Would you- would you like to come? I mean, would you enjoy being invited to it?"

"Well, as you certainly know, we're not really welcome in any of those socializing events, unfortunately. So, no, I wouldn't like to go because it would be as uncomfortable for us than for them. But, yes, an invitation would have been nice, but I'm not going to hold my breath wishing for one, I guarantee you".

Charlie nodded thoughtfully. It was a long shot. But she felt like the Berry's deserve it. They were so nice and welcoming, and it pained her that no one paid them back the favor. Maybe she could do something about it. But she was going to need help.

"That's crazy" Quinn stated certainly, as she got out of the shower. Her sister was on her bed.

"What, you don't think they deserve it?" Charlie asked.

"No, that's not it. The Berry's are really nice, and it's sad that they go through what they go through here in Lima, but there's not anything we can do about it" Quinn explained, as she opened her closet and roamed through it for something to wear. "They probably even knew that it was going to be like this, when they moved down here. They're probably even used to it".

"And that makes it okay?" Charlie asked angrily. Honestly, she expected more of her sister.

Quinn stopped, sighing heavily and scratching her temple. "That's not what I meant, Charlie".

"Then what did you mean?"

"I meant that you should accept the fact that we are surrounded by religious people that do not approve of their relationship just like I'm sure Mr and Mr Berry already did" Quinn threw a dress over the bed and put some under wear on. "It would be crazy for you even to bring up the subject to dad, you're already not supposed to even be hanging with her. I don't want you to get into any trouble, because nothing good would come out of that".

"You think that I can not convince dad to invite the Berry's to the barbeque?"

"Char, think about it. It's insane."

"You're right, I can't" Charlie admitted, but her tone was nothing of defeated. "But if you'd help me maybe we could have".

"Charlie, give up. I'm not going to let you get yourself into trouble and I'm certainly not going to be any part of it".

Charlie stormed out of her room, without saying another word to her sister. Quinn sighed again. She knew she should have been less harsh to her sister, but she needed her to understand that what she wanted to do was crazy. Her sister sometimes could be a little irrational about the real word: just because she was accepting, and a genuinely good person, didn't mean that everyone else was or that she could stimulate those qualities in people. She had faith in people. Quinn was more realistic; she knew that some people were helpless and there was no hope for them.

You haven't visited me yet… - R

I didn't know you wanted me to visit you – Q

It would have been nice… - R

I've been kind of busy, and I didn't want to impose myself – Q

You can come next time Charlie does – R

Okay – Q

Are you still up? – R

Why are you still up? – Q

I slept all day long. You? – R

I'm waiting. – Q

For what? – R

The new Radiohead album. Comes out tonight in the internet – Q

Oh. I didn't know. Mind if I keep you company until then? – R

Not at all – Q

:) – R

I don't know, I think he just truly dislikes me for some reason… - R

What do you know about Mr Ryerson? – Q

Not much – R

He's a failed Broadway actor. Broadway was his dream, all his life, but he was never good. He's just bitter – Q

Why take it out on me? – R

Because you have talent. He's just jealous, because he sees something in you that he never had. – Q

:) you've never heard me sing – R

Charlie has told me. But anyway, you can't just let him bully you – Q

What choice do I have? He doesn't want me on the show… - R

You have to stand up to him. He only bullys the ones that he thinks are weak. You have to show him otherwise – Q

I don't know, Quinn. Charlie said I should just forget about it – R

Well, trust me on this one – Q

Charlie Fabray was now completely and absolutely aware of her feelings for one Rachel Berry. She had never thought of herself as gay, but she had certainly never ruled out the possible of her falling in love with a girl and that was exactly what was happening.

For now, she was happy with just keeping her feelings to herself and enjoy Rachel's company and getting to know her. Rachel was hard to figure out; on one side, she gave her those heart melting smiles that made Charlie wonder if she meant something else with them; on the other side, that rant of hers about not believing in love at such young age wasn't encouraging.

She didn't even know with what sexual orientation Rachel identified with – if any. It wasn't okay to assume that she was gay or even bisexual just because she had been raised by two gay men. If anything, it was only comforting for Charlie to know that Rachel wouldn't be disgusted by her if she ever chose to reveal her feelings to her.

Her celebrity crushes weren't much help either. She was obsessed with Barbra Streisand, but it wasn't in a sexual-like manner. Charlie had heard Rachel admit that Megan Fox was absolutely hot, but she had also heard her fangirling over Paul Wesley.

Rachel was a complete enigma; every time she said or did something that might suggest that she liked Charlie, it was always overruled by her saying you're my best friend or I'm so glad I have you as a friend.

Charlie was being careful, trying to preserve her heart and her relationship with Rachel at the same time, because she had never felt that way – she had never even felt remotely interested in anyone before Rachel – and she knew, whatever this was, it had the potential of ending up tragically.

"Hey! Indiana Jones called and he wants his hat back!".

Quinn turned around to see Santana leaning out of Quinn's bedroom window with a malicious smirk and she heard, from outside, Charlie's response. "Oh, bite me, Santana!".

"Don't tempt me!" the girl cried back, before letting out her little giggle that always reminded Quinn of a witch.

"Leave her alone, San".

"She's so fun to mess with. She's like a helpless version of you" she continued, as she sat over Quinn's bed, making herself comfortable. "You know - extremely unpopular opinion coming up – but if your sister got a new wardrobe and dropped the geeky attitude, she could actually be hot".

"Careful, Santana, someone might think you are describing me as your hotness ideal" Quinn teased.

Santana grimaced immediately. "Ugh, no. Just, no".

"I'm just saying…" Quinn joked, waving her hands innocently.

"So, are we going to Puck's party this weekend?" Santana asked, exchanging the subject.

Quinn folded her clothes as she re-organized her closet. "And by that are you asking me if I'm going? Because I know you never lose an opportunity to get extremely drunk and make out with someone?"

Santana glared her. "Really funny. Are you going?"

"I don't know, I'll have to ask my mom about it. I'm not sure if I even want to go, anyway…"

"Ohh, stop being an anti-social brat. You're going to turn into her sister".

"Hey" Quinn cried, pointing her a threatening finger. "Quit talking like that about my sister. She's not anti-social. She's just social… in a different way from us."

Santana laughed. "Do you even hear yourself?"

"It's true, she has friends. She has another idea of having fun, there's nothing wrong about that. Hell, sometimes her idea of fun is way better than ours".

"You mean like what?"

"She doesn't think that going out and getting drunk is the best thing in the world, for once".

"Jesus, Quinn, if you agree with her so much why don't you just join her band of geeks?"

Quinn rolled her eyes. "That's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying that I understand why she would rather hang out with people like them than with… most of the people we hang out with."

"You're weird" Santana replied, simply. "You talk as if Charlie is better than you because she doesn't hang out with popular people":

"Well, I think she's better than me because she doesn't sell herself for social status".

.