Prompt from Lima Designs on Tumblr

Monday

Today is the day. I wake up this morning feeling quite ready to take on the world and to finally make Rachel Berry my wife. Or fiancé at least.

We've been dating for quite a while. Longer than I'd like to admit because it would practically reveal how old I am.

No, we aren't high school sweethearts as many friends of ours originally thought. Believe it or not it took us a while to finally put aside our rivalry and realized that it was quite the opposite.

We changed through the years. She's not as big of a diva as she used to be but there are moments where tantrums and storm outs would occur. I'm not as cold as a person Rachel says I used to be. Everything just kind of mellows down when people get older and I quite like it.

It's her birthday today and I thought, hey, why not give her the best present on her birthday and propose to her? It's about time we officially settle down.

Her friends have planned a surprise party for her and rented a place to celebrate her birthday. I told her closest friends about my plan and they gave me a private room to do it. They tried convincing me to do it in public, but that's something I know I won't be able to pull off.

The plan is simple. I pick up Rachel from the theatre and blindfold her before going to her party. Everything is going smoothly in the main room but the prep team aren't done with the candles in the private room I reserved.

My plan was to lead her into the room sometime during her party and sing to her before getting down on my knee. I had a small stage set up in the middle of the smaller room and trails of candles leading up to the centre.

No matter. How hard is it to light candles? Pfft, even I can do it even with my shaking hands. Fuck. I look down and fidget with my hands, trying to calm my anxiety.

Come on, Fabray. Don't be a wuss. It's only a simple question and if she says- no, not if, don't think like that, you're only scaring yourself. So, okay, if she says- crap, Fabray, what did I just tell you?

"Miss Fabray?" Joe the manager breaks my internal conversation. "There's been a slight incident."

"What?" Oh wow, was that my voice?

"I'm really sorry but-"

"Show me." My heart beats so fast that I might as well be dead. I pull Joe towards the private room and saw two guys with a fire extinguisher. "Are you kidding me?" I croak out.

Half the stage is burnt and it reeks of ashes that I just want to crumble to my knees. "I'm really sorry, miss Fabray. We're trying to fix it up as fast as we can."

It didn't happen. I held my tears through the night and tried to be happy for my birthday girl whom, thankfully, had fun.

"Quiiiin!" Rachel's drunk, that much I can tell.

"Yes, love?"

"Are you okay? I didn't seeeeeee you the whole night and you're supposed to be my arm candy." She giggles.

Even drunk she still noticed my disappearance. I love this girl.

I hold her up by the waist and kiss her lips. "I just… I felt crap at some point. It's nothing."

At my comment, Rachel looks a bit sobered up. "Bad? Why? Weren't you having fun?"

"No, no, it's not that. It's just that… it's your birthday and… I had something planned for you as a birthday gift but it… kind of… well, it was a total failure."

"Oh, hon, that's okay. You can still give it to me now."

"No, I want it to be special and the moment's gone now I don't have a different birthday present and-" I check my watch. "It's not your birthday anymore. I'm sorry."

Rachel giggles by my side. "You're silly, baby. You give me gifts everyday." She tries to stand on her tiptoes and kiss me. She misses by a long shot and kisses my ear.

I can't help but laugh.

"No matter!" she declares. "You can still make it up to me, my love." She points her index finger up as if to prove a point. She starts singing, "Making love, girl the things you doooo."

"Rachel, declare it to the whole neighbourhood, why don't you?" I say sarcastically to quiet her down. It does just the opposite.

"Why I will, Quinn. Oooh I love!" she sings louder and misses the look I give her. "Making love to you! Babygirl you mpfh."

I covered her mouth with my hands. It's two in the morning and I know some people would appreciate peace and quiet.

"Rachel, as much as I love your plan for tonight, not only is it embarrassing right now, you've also completely sung the wrong lyrics."

Rachel swats my hand away. "I, Rachel Berry, would never sing wrong lyrics."

"You're singing making love to the tune of Ne-yo's Sexy love."

"Well, you are also sexy, love." She giggles to herself and trips over the apartment steps.

I end up carrying her up to our bedroom and she falls asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow.

I sigh to myself as I try to get her out of her clothes. "Okay, it's fine," I say to myself, "I mean, I didn't totally ruin my plan. At least she didn't find out so it'll still be a surprise." I adjust her body so that her legs wouldn't be dangling off the edge of the bed.

Tomorrow's another day and I'll find another way.

Tuesday

I thought a nice classic 'ring in the champagneÄ move would be nice. I'll take her to a nice restaurant, ask waiters for champagne for a toast and et voilà! We'll be engaged.

She doesn't have a show to do today but I can't pick her up because I have a meeting. I try to close up quickly and miraculously we finish it before I have to be at dinner.

I meet Rachel at the restaurant and she's already sitting at our table, smiling like the perfect angel that she is.

I take a deep breath before joining her. I've told the waiters what my intentions are and the manager said that they've done it a thousand times so I'm quite assured about tonight's plans going smoothly.

"Sorry about running late, darling." I kiss her. "The meeting went quite well though, I think we have them in the palm of our hands." I settle down on my own chair.

She giggles. "I love it when you sound so in-power."

"You love it more in bed," I flirt.

Her eyes go wide as she looks around. "Quinn! Now is not the place," she whispers urgently.

I laugh. "Baby, neither was two in the morning in front of our apartment. At least I have the decency not to sing it out loud."

She blushes under the soft light of the candles. "I don't recall ever being so brash."

"Don't worry, baby, you were under the influence." I signal for a waiter. "I hope you had fun last night."

"Oh, I did. But you didn't, did you?"

"No, no, I did." I lie. "Just that, something I planned didn't go nicely so…" I trail off. That was the truth though. I hope tonight's better.

We eat dinner as we talk about how our days went. Rachel's excited about finishing off her contract because she has another job offer at the end of the month. She tells me that she's offered a role on a television series about high school drama with singing and dancing. I honestly can't picture her on anything else beside being on broadway but that's only because I'm not creative enough. She is the artist in the house and I'm just your average boring suit loving career woman.

I'll save that story for another time but now, seeing the empty plate on our tables, I signal another waiter. It's time.

I smile nervously at her. "We should make a toast. To a bright new future."

"To a bright new future. Now where's champagne to make that official." She grins and I swear, her smile lights up the dim restaurant. "Excuse me," she stops a waiter, "We'd like to have champagne, please."

I fidget with my hands. It's time. Oh my God, it's time. Okay, chill, Fabray. You got this. You're not going to forget your lines. Rachel Barbra Berry. You are the love of my- holy fuck, there it is.

I see the waiter bring out a tray of champagne glasses and was a few tables from us. I take a deep breath as the annoying pounds of my heart begin to encourage my shaking hands.

"Baby." Rachel reaches for one of them. "Are you alright? You look really tense right now, was it something you ate?"

"Huh?" I steal a glance at the waiter. "No, it's nothing. So, what should we do tonight?" I try to change the subject. Quinn, the ring will get here in due time and you can distract your soon-to-be fiancé so that she doesn't think you're having a nervous breakdown while keeping a careful eye on that simple sparkling diamond ring on the bottom of the champagne glass. Okay. Alright. That's the plan.

"Don't you agree with me?" Rachel questions me.

"What?"

Okay, so, I need to revise the plan. Distract Rachel while actually listening to her. Okay, good pla- where'd the waiter go?

I look around as subtly as I can.

"Quinn? Are you expecting someone?" Rachel looks worried.

"No, no. Just. Nervous. Don't mind-"

The waiter stops at our table and puts my glass down first. My heart is doing this little funny dancing or eruption, I can't tell which. I talk myself through another pep talk about steadying my hand.

It's here, Quinn. It's here. Stop your hand from moving too much or just better yet, cut them off so you can't- what the fuck? Chill, Fabray! No cutting hands just calm yourself down. Here we go.

I take a huge gulp of air. Subtly. And pick up my glass.

Rachel sits there patiently with her own glass in her hands. "So." She smiles. "New future?"

I smile nervously and nod. "And speaking of a new future. Rachel-" I choke when I see her glass. "What the-"

She looks taken back. "Quinn, what's wrong?"

Where is it? The ring should be at the bottom of her glass! Holy crap! She didn't swallow it, did she?

I look at my own glass and see nothing either. Are you fucking kidding me?

I spot the waiter again just as he puts down another champagne glass at a table and I see it. The ring. It's in the glass. On that table.

I don't know what to do with my heart. It's all over the place when I see the woman eyeing her drink.

Just then, I hear a scream it draws everyone attention to the young lady around her late twenties holding up a champagne glass. My champagne glass. Rachel's ring.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Quinn, what's going on?"

"Something that's not supposed to." I turn back to Rachel just as she looks over to the other table.

I bury my face in my palms. This is not happening. I quickly shot a look at the manager and he seems to realize what is going on. He looks at me guiltily and mouths the word, 'I'm so sorry.'

I mouth back, 'you're dead.'

"Oh my God! Quinn look." Rachel takes my hand in hers to get my attention. "He's proposing to her."

I take a look at the poor bastard and sure enough, he's gaping in his seat, unsure of what's happening himself.

His lady, however, looks thrilled as she nods and laughs and cries. She tries to slip on the ring but I guess it's too small for her fat finger.

It doesn't seem like she cares so she puts it on her pinky and goes over to kiss the boy. My blood boils when I see my ring on her slimy hand and I clench my fist so that I head up to her and bitchslap her silly.

"Isn't that romantic?" Rachel sips her own champagne.

Baby, that should be your drink over there.

"Hmm…"

"It's a classic proposal. I wonder if they have special memories at this restaurant. Remember our first date, Quinn?" She smiles.

Of course I remember. That's why I picked this place. My heart feels constrained. They don't have memories here. We do. Fucking manager. I'm gonna fucking rip his heart to-

"You were so nervous that you spilled champagne all over your dress." She chuckles quietly. "I still can't believe that day you asked me out though. Even after all these years, you were the one nervous enough to be the clumsy one on our dates."

Even after all these years, she thinks that way.

"I love you, Quinn," she whispers as her big brown eyes sparkle with warmth that devours my current anxieties.

"I-I love you too, Rachel." And this would've been perfect if the ring hadn't gone to the wrong table.

I hear a slap beside us and the young lady starts packing up her belongings as she takes out her ring and giving it to the waiter. Her date drops his serviette on the table and shoots an evil eye to the manager before rushing off to his girlfriend.

"Huh… do you think that they sent it to the wrong table?" Rachel asks me.

I feel like introducing the manager of this restaurant to a good friend of mine I like to call the brick wall. His head and 'Brick' should definitely meet. Multiple times. They would be such good friends. I would so love to be the one to personally introduce them. Maybe they would even-

"Quinn?"

"Yes, definitely," I answer.

"Quinn, you seem to be really distracted the whole night-"

"I know, I'm sorry. I just. A lot in my mind right now. I'm sorry." I sigh deeply.

Rachel doesn't look too convinced at my reply and actually look a tad bit sad.

I seem to have left my wallet at the office so Rachel pays for the meal.

When she's distracted, I grab the manager by the collar and pull him right in front of my face. "You ruined my dinner. You ruined my proposal. This restaurant held meaning to us and you've ruined it for me. Be glad that she doesn't realize or else she can sue your ass."

I get my ring back and go back to Rachel. She takes me by the arm and we walk home side-by-side. She seems to notice but she doesn't comment on my silence. She only hums different songs or comments on interesting sights that we pass.

I am never going to go back to that restaurant. Ever.

Tomorrow's another day and I'll find another way.

Wednesday

Maybe restaurant isn't the way to do it. Maybe something less public. Something with less chances of it horribly going wrong. That would be great.

Rachel has a show to do today so we're probably going to be home late. Her with her show and me with watching her on stage. She always reserves front seat tickets for me and I love it. I can't get enough of her or that voice. Especially when it screams my name behind closed doors.

I hardly buy her roses because they're my favourite flowers and not hers. I only buy them on special occasions. And I thought that this would be one.

I know I'm not allowed in her dressing room before the performance since it might distract the performers. I called the flower shop to deliver a bouquet of red roses just before the final act. I also asked him to put the engagement ring in the middle of the bouquet.

My plan is to be backstage after the performance is over. Just in time for her to see the already placed roses in her dressing room and when she does find the ring, I'll already be on my knee asking her to marry me.

I leave as soon as the curtain falls and rush my way backstage where everyone is congratulating everyone on a fine performance as always.

I arrive at her door just as she does and she tiptoes to reach my lips. "How'd I do?" she asks.

I laugh. "Perfect as always? Like you need to ask." I smile.

"You, Quinn, out all people should know how I am." Rachel fakes a pout and pulls me by my blouse into her dressing room.

"I know, I know. Under all this façade, people would never guess that you're an insecure," I wrap my arms around her and peck her lips, "amazing," peck, "talented," peck, "beautiful girl."

"Why thank you, baby." She wraps her arms around my shoulder.

"But I have to say though, I'm quite glad that not everyone sees that. I feel special."

"You should be, Lucy Quinn Fabray." She spots something beside me. "Is that from you?"

I widen my eyes. "Y-yes."

Rachel lets go off her embrace and walks over to the roses. She inhales their scent deeply and smiles. Here it goes. Ring in the roses. Seconds before she sees them.

"They're beautiful, Quinn."

"I know." I slowly lower myself on one knee. No, I didn't forget my line. Here it goes. "Rachel."

"Red roses? What's the occasion?" She giggles as she takes one more scent of the roses before putting it in a vase.

"Can you look through the roses?" I steady my voice.

Rachel looks at me suspiciously but I know that there's a hint of realization behind her eyes. I know she suspects. I need the ring to prove it her once and for all.

She picks up the roses once more and studies it. "Well, there's no card."

"Can you check again?"

Rachel smiles amusedly. "There's nothing here, Quinn."

"What?"

I jump back up to my feet and grab the flowers of off her hands. Are you fucking kidding me? I leave the dressing room without explaining and trudged my way to that boy I gave my ring to. How dare he forgets to plant it in the flowers?

No! This isn't how it should be! Where the hell is that stupid ass- if he loses my fucking ring, I'll make sure he-

Someone tells me the delivery boy has already left. I dial up the flower shop and starts shouting at the manager. What is with managers these days? Do they not want their customers to be satisfied? How come it's like that lately? Don't they want money?

The manager promises to send me my ring but I refuse. I'll personally come back to the shop and get the ring. It doesn't seem as if I can trust anyone with it anymore.

I'm half-shouting and half-screaming, so basically making loud noises when Rachel pulls me by my arm and drags me back to her dressing room. I hang up my phone and am about to throw my phone at the wall when she grabs it off of me.

"Quinn, what's going on?"

"Nothing. Bad lunch and just remembered that Claire forgot to reserve lunch for my client," I lie through my gritted teeth, still angry at the flower-planting pansy.

"Baby, it'll be fine. She's a very competent secretary and I know she'll be able to fix that right away." She brushes a loose strand covering my eyes. There's no need to be angry about this."

"But he screwed up something that I've specially planned for this client! I mean, I've waited a long for this and some guy just had to forget to put the bloody-"

"Are we still talking about Claire?"

"What?"

I'm in a bad mood and it's hard to get me out once I'm in. I zip up my jacket and cover my neck from the wind. Rachel grabs my arm and we head off for dinner. My mind whirls as I try to find other ways to propose to Rachel.

"Fucking ace." I sigh.

Rachel doesn't comment and neither does she prod me about the matter.

Tomorrow's another fucking day and I'll find another fucking way.

Thursday

No more outdoorsy stuff. Something at home and does not utilize people I don't know and can definitely not trust. The idea comes to me when we are eating breakfast and Luna, our cat, comes up to Rachel purring and meowing for food.

My eyes widen at the idea and my mind starts tick off things that can go wrong. I realize that Luna would always be right at the door when Rachel comes home. Rachel has another show today so I'll probably be picking her up which is great because that means we'll be home at the same time and it'll be cute because it's her lovable demon that's going to bring her the wedding ring. I mean, what can go wrong?

If I secure the ring to the furball tightly and close all windows and doors, where can she go? And if I don't leave her food enough for the day, she'll be extra hungry and therefore extra desperate to find Rachel. It's perfect.

Okay, fuck, I can't say that. I thought the other plans were also perfect.

Fuck it, I'm just going to do this.

It's rather difficult though. I have to wait until just after I finish work and before we leave for dinner tonight. I've had it with restaurants since our last incident and I will never give them another chance with my ring.

I call Brittany to help me distract Rachel for the afternoon and it works after convincing Rachel to go. Brittany manages to occupy her mind until our dinner together. Enough to give me time to go home and choke the cat with a ribbon and the ring.

Brittany and Santana decide to join our evening. I don't really mind since my ring is safe at home and whatever we do won't affect my proposal. Rachel clings on to my arm and they decide to watch a movie first before dinner. As said before, I don't really mind.

We watch a movie but I'm not really concentrating on it. Rachel sits on my left while Brittana on my right doing "I don't really care and I don't actually want to know if I can help it".

Rachel intertwined our fingers but I didn't notice it until she squeezed my hands. I smile and kiss her on the cheek. Tonight's going to be the night I'll make her my wife. I kiss her hand. That fucking cat better not break the window and make an escape while we're at the movies.

I realize that the movie was such a waste of time but I don't care. I just can't wait to have dinner and go home and find that little and precious Luna (I thought by complimenting the cat, even only in my head, it will stay put in the house until we get back). I smile at the thought of my ring around a fat fluffy ball of fur.

However, Rachel seems tired and proposes that she and I leave early for the night. That's even better for me. The faster we get home, the faster I can avoid unwanted failures like it has been the past couple of days.

I wait until Rachel opens the front door and sure enough, there's that little fluffy gorgeous- where the fuck is it?

I pick up Luna even before Rachel does and inspect her. Where's the ribbon?

Where's the ring?

Are you fucking kidding me? I nearly toss the ugly fat and useless item at Rachel before making my way through the apartment.

"Quinn?" Rachel sounds surprised.

"Yea babe?"

"Is everything alright?"

"Yep, can't be better." Unless I throw that spawn of the devil in your arms out the window.

"What are you doing?" Rachel follows me to the bedroom.

"Out!" I push her back. I don't want her seeing the ring before I introduce it to her and right now, I don't even know where it is! That's a double nightmare!

"B-but-"

"Go get started on dinner, sweetie, I'll be right there with you." I kiss her and try to convince her to get out of the, potentially dangerous with the secret of a certain ring, area.

"But I want to change my clothes-"

"True." I drag her back in the bedroom and undress her quickly.

She giggles when I've stripped her down to her matching black lace underwear. "Well someone's in a hurry." She kisses me and pushes me back on the bed.

I chuckle nervously. "Not really, just… desperate."

"Yea? What are you desperate for, baby?" she purrs in my ear as she straddles my waist. I smile when I find my hands on my favourite place in the world.

She smiles against my lips when I she feels my palms on her boobs. Her hands aren't idle either as she rakes her fingernails up my stomach, causing those butterflies to bang uncontrollably against my abs.

I writhe under her when her fingers traces softly downward and I feel something. My eyes widen when I feel something on my back. I flip her over.

"Ah!" she's surprised at the sudden turn of events but wraps legs around me and continues her attack on my neck.

I look at the space I was just occupying a second ago but see nothing. Holy fuck. What if the ring is on the bed somewhere? I stop and untangle her legs from me.

"Where are you going?" she asks with a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"I'm… hungry," I finish lamely. " Go get started on dinner and I'll-" I peck her lips, "I'll help you in a bit." I bring her up and scan the bed. Okay, that's safe.

"I-I uhm, okay, sure." She looks confused but doesn't comment on it as she gets up towards the makeup table.

"W-what are you doing?"

"I'm removing my make up, aren't you?"

"R-r-right." I panic. Is the ring hidden somewhere between our makeup kit? Between the bottles of perfume or under the-

"Hey!" she squeals when I brought her down on my lap.

"Here, let me do it, honey." I kiss her temple and dab a little moisturizer on the cotton. "Close your eyes."

Rachel stares at me as if she's trying to figure me out. "Okay, what is going on with you?"

"Nothing!" I said it a little too loudly. "Just, I'm just jumpy lately-"

"You don't say…" she whispers.

"I just… lack of coffee and sleep and yeah…" I trail off lamely. "Just close your eyes." I kiss her lips.

She looks quite… I don't know how to explain it. A cross between curiosity and anguish? Why would she look anguished?

As I work on removing her make up I scan the table for my ring. Since I'm no expert in multitasking, I keep missing her face and she scolds me for it. "Quinn! My hair!"

"Oh." I giggle, "sorry."

Once I deem the dresser free of ring, I focus all my attention on Rachel. I smile as I trace her beautiful features under my fingertips. I hide my chuckle when I realize a few very light wrinkles they call crow's feet at the edge of her eyes.

"What's so funny?" she asks.

"Nothing."

"You say nothing very often nowadays. Is there something you want to tell me, Quinn?"

"If I did, you'd punch me," I joke.

"Oh…" she looks deflated.

"I'm kidding, baby. But you won't be happy if I tell you."

"Tell me anyway."

"You have grey hair." I tease.

Immediately, I drown in a pile of deep browns as her eyelids shot up in surprise. "I what?" she half shouts.

I can't stop laughing at her distressed reaction and I can't help but fuel her diva tendencies. "Baby, they're nothing compared to these wrinkles that's-" I'm not able to finish my statement because she's already right in front of the mirror checking her eyes.

"No! This is not happening! I'm only twenty-three! Don't even correct me on that Quinn. This is not happening."

We're twenty-nine but you know how women don't like to reveal our real age? Shhhhh.

"Rachel, relax." I pull her on my lap. "It's nothing big."

"Nothing big? Quinn, I had my birthday a couple of days ago and now I find grey hair and wrinkles? I'm getting old!"

"We all are." I bite her shoulder playfully. "And this is only a first of-"

She groans against my temple. "Don't remind me."

In all honesty, it's one of the things I look forward to. "Growing old with you. When you're all wrinkly and demand to use wigs to cover all your white hair."

We look at each other through the mirror. "It's one of things I look forward to. I can look back, past the wrinkles see the life you and I have lived. The marks of smiling too much, laughing too much, crying too much… on your part," I quickly added and smile at her glistening chocolate eyes. "Like what you're about to do right now," I joke.

Sure enough, just as she let out a croaky chuckle, a teardrop falls. "Don't mock me, Fabray."

"I'm not." I kiss her shoulder. "I love living life with you. You really do colour my world. I wouldn't have spilled that champagne on our first date if I hadn't been so nervous about going out with you. The Rachel Barbra Berry whom everyone talked about after high school was over. I wouldn't have tripped over the curtains on my first visit on your stage and cause the whole damn thing to fall down just before opening night."

She chuckles as she remembers that night.

"I wouldn't have known that dancing in the rain could be so liberating. I wouldn't have known that vegan food, though I still try to avoid if I can, can taste as good as real food."

"They are real food," she whispers.

"Not as real as bacon." I kiss her jaw. "The point is, Rachel Barbra Berry, there's just so many things that I wouldn't have done if I hadn't met you. And I'm glad I met you."

She turns towards me. "You really mean that?"

I chuckle as I raise my eyebrow in confusion. "Of course I do."

She has the biggest and warmest eyes I know a person can have. She has life shining through pouring her emotions out to people with only a smile and glance. The only thing that goes through my mind seconds before her lips touch mine again is, "Fucking cat."

"What?"

Rachel's in the kitchen making dinner while I undertake a quest to find my long lost- fucking cat. Where the hell could she have dropped it?

I've looked in our bedroom, under the bed, over the bed, in the closet and nope. It's not in the bedroom.

I move to our bathroom and catch a glimpse of my girlfriend in really short shorts trying to reach for spices I intentionally put on a higher shelf for this specific reason. I tilt my head in appreciation and smile as she stretch her mile long legs. Damn, that ass.

I snap out of it and hear her hum a familiar tune. I narrow my eyebrows in concentration and realize the song.

"But just look at us holding ooooooon." My girlfriend is singing to our spatula. Well that's nice. Let's see if we can change that word to 'wife'. Where's that bloody ring?

On the sink, under the sink, in the sink. Null. On the toilet seat, under the toilet seat, in the toil- not even going there.

Medicine cabinet? Quinn! Luna's a fucking cat! Think of where she might have gone…

Yea sure, bathroom is the correct option since she's a cat and the bathroom is a place with a lot of water sources. Of course this is the place to go-

Use your head, dumbass.

I leave the bathroom and there's not many places to check and I'm getting really- I'm going to kill that cat.

I dive down and look under the sofa.

"You're still the one I kiss, good niiiiiight." Hearing Rachel sing always manages to make me smile.

I crawl along our carpet all the while trying to think like a cat. My eyes home in on a little climbing post and I just have to slap myself on the forehead.

Luna's scratching post!

I get up quickly but trip over the carpet, landing face flat on the floor.

"Quinn?"

"I'm alright." I groan out and see Luna right beside me, bashing her tail against the hardwood floor. "Just tripped, no worries." What are you looking at, you little devil of a spawn? Spawn of a devil.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep." I get up quickly and head over to the makeshift castle toy thing for cats. I put my hand through one of the holes and I feel it.

I can't help the grin from creeping up my face as I quickly pull my hand out, revealing my ring at the palm of my hand. I smile.

"My prrrecious," I purr.

I'm a dork.

I pocket the ring and head over to the kitchen in time to hear her sing, "you're still the one that I, love, the only one I dream of-"

"Still the one I kiss, good night," I mumble against her skin as I wrap her in my arms.

"Found what you were looking for?" she reaches behind runs her fingers through my hair. I love that feeling. There's just something soothing about that simple motion.

"Hmm…" I kiss her shoulders. "Smells good."

"Your favourite."

"Bacon?"

"Only the best."

"Hmm, I love you."

"Are you talking to me? Or the bacon?"

Rachel's busy in the bedroom and I'm just cleaning the last of our dinner. She said that she was tired earlier when we were out with Brittany and Santana that I figure that we're probably not going to stay up tonight.

I put the ring back in the velvet box and stuff it in my purse. I hear the bathroom door open as I try to cover the box with everything else that is in my bag.

"Bed?"

"Hmm." I nod and follow her into our bedroom.

Just before I fall asleep, I humour myself. 'God, I've already stopped trusting people with my marriage proposal, I didn't know You wanted me to include animals too.'

I turn and see Rachel still awake.

"Hi," I whisper in the dark.

"Hi," she says back.

I sigh. Four attempts. Four failures. Is the universe against me? Is this their way of saying that I'm not supposed to marry her? What else can go wrong?

Maybe I'm supposed to do it myself. Just a simple, on one knee and pop the question. Maybe that's how I'm supposed to do it.

"You've been distracted." She runs her fingers through my hair. I smile and move closer towards her, resting my head on her chest.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

I laugh. I can't help it but laugh. Because there's nothing I can do. I feel like crying but that won't solve anything. It doesn't stop my tears though.

"Baby, what's wrong?" worry laces her words.

"Nothing. I'm so sorry, Rach."

"Hey, there's nothing to be sorry about."

"Yes there is…"

No matter… Tomorrow's another day and I'll find another way…

Friday

Fucking mother of a-

I reach for my phone on the bedside table and turn my alarm off. I turn to the other side and snuggle up against Rachel's petite body.

"Baby?" she traces her fingertips on my arm.

"Hmm?"

"Don't you have work?"

"Hmm… five more min…"

She giggles and I hear her take a long deep breath. I fall asleep again.

Not for long.

My phone starts ringing.

"There's Claire," she says as she moves over me to get my phone.

I groan and bury my head against her chest. What? I need more sleep. I couldn't get enough rest yesterday trying to think of another way to propose to her. This time, some thing foolproof. I still haven't come up with anything good and I really don't want to get out of bed now these soft things are against my face.

"Quinn." She giggles. "Quinn Fabray's phone, how may I help you? Oh, good morning Claire."

I have a ten o'clock meeting then… nothing… of importance. Maybe an idea will fall from the sky, just like it did with Newton. An inspiration of sorts. Something to tell me that I'm doing the right thing.

Yea, I doubt I'll ever be that lucky.

No plans. Call her up, tell her you'll pick her up at home and you'll take her to the park. Just simple. Nothing can go wrong. I mean, you're not going to involve candles, champagne and untrustworthy restaurants, stupid flower boy or an idiotic cat. Nothing can go wrong. You'll have the ring with you all the time and all you need to do is get down on one knee and say those four words.

"Rach?"

"Quinn?"

I'm taken back by her quivering voice. "Rachel, are you okay?"

"W-what? Yes baby, don't worry about me I'm just, I just… watching a movie. I always hate this part."

I roll my eyes. Typical Rachel to cry over a movie. "Well, I hope it's not A Walk To Remember, Rach."

Her wailing and sobbing starts getting louder and I'm too surprised to laugh. "Baby, are you alright?" I ask again. Something's up.

"I am! I am! A Walk To Remember is such a nice movie."

"Well, I can't say the same babe." I try to listen to any other sound that might be an indication of what she's doing right now but I don't hear anything. "Though it's your favourite, it's not mine. Beauty and the beast is a classic."

"You are such a dork."

I smile. "Well, I was just wondering. I know I've been acting strange in the past few days so I just want a day to cool down. I was wondering whether I can take you out tonight."

"Quinn, you've been taking me out every day since Monday-"

"I know, but I like doing it for you. So, will you go out with me tonight?" I ask. Realizing only afterwards that I sound like a teenage girl.

Claire asked me whether I wanted anything for lunch. I wasn't in the mood. I knew I'd regret that decision and now I'm sitting in my office with a growling stomach trying to ignore the boiling hot water that is my heart. It hasn't calmed down since I talked to Rachel.

I rest my head on my palms and eye my purse that's mocking me on the table. I really can't be bothered to get up right now.

Okay come on, why are you nervous? Of course she'll say yes. You've been together for nearly a decade for God's sakes!

First of all, it's not a decade, okay? We're not that old. Second of all, what if she doesn't want to be tied down with me?

Why wouldn't she? She's the one who's been hinting us about having kids! Why not doing it correctly and get married first?

But that- you can't be sure of that-

Why are you suddenly getting cold feet? And we're not even at the wedding yet!

I'm not getting cold feet, it's just… don't you think that these failed proposals are trying to tell us something?

…

well?

…

It might as well just be us against the world-

Lalalalalalalalaaaaa I'm going to propose to the love of my life and you're not going to stop me lalalalalalalalalaa

Ha-ha… very mature.

I snap out of my own conversation and grab my purse. I open it and my eyes widen.

"No, don't tell me-"

It's gone! The ring! Where the-

I tip the rest of my purse on my table and scatter the items. The box is not there.

I go behind my desk and search the floor. I might have dropped it when-

"Quinn?"

I bang my head on the way up. "Ow! What Claire?"

"Uhm, nothing. I just got back from lunch and I got you something. What are you doing under the table?"

"Have you seen a black box?"

"Black box?"

It's not in my office, that's for sure. I bury my head in my hands. I feel like crying. It's just perfect. First the failed proposals and now I've lost the ring. Where could I have dropped it?

I'm a hundred percent sure that I put it in my bag last night. A hundred percent sure. So it could have only happened between me leaving the apartment until now. What did I do?

I bought breakfast and went to work. Nothing particular happened. Then I had that meeting. I left my bag in my office. Then… now. What? There's just no chance of the- unless I dropped it when I was trying to find my glasses on my way to work.

My eyes widen and my heart beats like a jungle drum. Can't be, can it?

I pick up my blazer and my damn purse before making my way to trace back my steps.

I feel like crying again. I didn't end up finding the ring. I've looked everywhere. I went home again to check whether it fell on the sofa. I even asked Brittany to bait Rachel out of the house so that I could search for the ring in peace.

"Raindrops keep falling on my head," Rachel quietly sings beside me. "Just like the guy whose feet are too big for his head, nothing seems to fit, those, raindrops keep falling on my head, they keep falling,"

I've been a lousy date all evening. I can't take my mind off the ring. She's been really patient with me, I can tell. She knows something is bothering me but she knows that I'll take my own time to tell her. But I don't want to tell her. Not without a proper ring. Not without a proper declaration. She deserves at least that.

I feel something on the top of my head and realize why Rachel chose that song. I look up and feel a drizzle coming along.

Rachel's attached her arms to mine quite tightly and it gives me the advantage to pull her in the direction I want us to go to.

I pull her faster to avoid the rain that is brewing.

Rachel giggles. "Hey slowdown, long legs."

I smile at her comment. "It's going to rain, Rach."

"It's only water- Ah!"

In a matter of seconds, the drizzle turned into a heavy downpour.

I roll my eyes but can't stop smiling at the sight of her laughing with glee.

"Come on, Rach, we're going to get sick if we don't get out of-" she blocks my words with a kiss.

I don't know why but I feel tears fall out of my eyes. I just… this week's been exhausting and to top it all off, I lost the ring. I grip her around the waist and twirl her. I want to be as close to her as I can because… even after what happened, I still have the most important thing needed for a marriage to happen.

Her.

I pull back and look up at the sky. It was rather difficult battling the heavy rain hitting my eyes but it does feel liberating.

"That doesn't mean your eyes should soon be turning red…" Rachel touches my cheek and I turn back towards her. "Crying's not for you, cause, you're never gonna stop the rain by complaining." She smiles.

I kiss her again and it feels rather salty after tears roll down to my lips. "I love you." I whisper against her lips.

"You've been gone all week and now you're crying." She wraps her arms around my shoulders. "What's going on, Quinn?"

I bite my lips. "I can't tell you."

"Will you tell me soon though?"

"I hope so…"

She pulls back and gazes intently in my eyes. There's a hint of sadness behind her chocolate eyes and I'm the cause of it. That's enough to bring down the dam that are my eyes and the floodwater from pouring out.

"Hey…" she coos when I start sobbing. "But there's one thing," she sings in my ear, "I know, the blues they send to meet you, won't defeat you. It won't be long til happiness steps up to greet you."

I end up crying in the rain while Rachel holds me. "I love you," she whispers.

And for some reason, that made me feel a lot worse.

Saturday

I wake up to a dead feeling on my left arm. I peek out of my eye and see Rachel fiddling with the hem of my sleep shirt. I bring my right arm around her and snuggle closer and close my eye again. It's way too early to be up on a Saturday morning.

"Quinn?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"What time is it?" I groan.

"A bit past four."

I whine. It's not even morning. It's the crack of dawn.

"Rachel honey, can't it wait?" I wrap my arms tighter.

"I can't sleep."

Okay?

I open both of my eyes and adjust them to the darkness. "Why? What's wrong?" My voice is hoarse.

"I've just… I've just been thinking lately. This past week, you've been really, really distracted and I know you're hiding something."

I gulp.

"I know that you don't like it when I ask too many questions, especially when you have something in your mind so I've been trying to contain myself."

She bites her lip.

"I don't know how long it's been going on by I first noticed it on my birthday," she says softly, "you were gone for most of my party and I had intentionally wanted to spend it with you. I just wanted a quiet dinner and you and my friends made it impossible."

I wipe away strands of her hair that cover her eyes.

"Then we had dinner and I thought, hey, maybe my birthday wish is coming true. But even then you looked distressed. You didn't even finish your favourite meal so I knew that something must be going on."

Really? That's how she confirms that I have a secret? By noticing that I don't finish my favourite food?

"I don't know who you saw in that restaurant that made you really mad that night. You keep throwing your HBIC looks now and then when we had dinner."

She looks like she's close to tears.

"Rachel, it had nothing to do with anything. I just… someone ruined my night." Fucking restaurant manager who gave someone else my ring.

"I know. I just didn't know who and why."

"It's nothing big."

"Yes it is. Then I don't know what happened at my dressing room. You got really annoyed after you saw the roses you bought for me. I was really, really confused and I couldn't figure out why anything like that would make you mad."

"The delivery boy sent something wrong."

"It wasn't supposed to be roses?"

"No that, he just forgot the card."

"See? I don't even know why you would blow up over something like that. I mean, I know that it was from you."

I can't come up with anything for a reason.

"Then the next night nearly confirmed my suspicions."

I frown.

"What suspicions?"

She hesitates before explaining. "Before I say this next part, I want you to promise that you will listen to everything I say before you say anything."

This is scaring me.

"Okay."

She sighs before continuing. "I thought you were cheating on me."

"WHAT? What would make you- hmmph mpph hmph-"

"You promised to let me finish." She covered my mouth.

I frown and I guess she takes it as a sign.

"I thought you were cheating on me. What else could it explain your behaviour? I mean, you're hiding something from me and whatever or whoever it is you don't want me to know. I thought that maybe you saw your 'secret person' at the restaurant and that's why you got really mad. Then I thought that it was someone that was also at my birthday party-" she chokes and clears her throat, "birthday party and I couldn't help but think that you might be cheating with one of my friends."

"Rachel, I would ne-" Her hand is on my mouth again.

"You promised," she whispers. "Then we came home the next night and you were all over our apartment looking for who knows what, Quinn. What was I supposed to think after you turned me down for sex? You never do that."

I want to laugh at that bit but it's not the time for jokes.

"At one point, I'd feel like you're out of this world and beyond my reach. On the other hand, you'd be so charming to the point where I know that you wouldn't do anything to hurt me. But that was what confused me."

She stops fiddling with my hem and wraps her arms around herself.

"I believe in innocent until proven guilty-" she chokes and tears started rolling down her cheek, "but I couldn't help the way I feel about the whole thing. You usually know when I'm distressed but I guess this time you were concentrating on something else." She sighs. "I was out with Kurt yesterday when you called me. I wasn't watching a anything, I was talking to Kurt about us."

"Rachel, it's not like that-"

"Innocent until proven guilty. Until then, I was determined to love you as much as I possibly can." She starts sobbing.

"Rachel, you don't understand-" I try to sit up but she still has my arm under her; I settle on resting on my elbow. "I'm not cheating on you, I would never cheat on you."

"I know." She nods. "So, imagine how stupid I must have felt when I found a little box in my bag."

My eyes widen. It's HER bag. How could I have been soooo stupid?

She chokes out laughter through her tears. "Everything started to make sense..."

I get off the bed and scan the bedroom.

"It's on the couch." She smiles.

And I can't help but smile either. Even though I stub my toe on the coffee table in my haste to her bag, I can't care less about anything else right now.

I reach deep down in her bag and there it is. I feel a lump in my throat when I realize, this is it.

I rush back to our bedroom and somehow manage to fall face first at the foot of our bed but nothing is going to stop me now.

"Quinn, are you okay?" She's on her knees on our bed, staring down at me with a teary smile.

"Can't be better." I get on one knee and smile.

She starts laughing through her tears as she sits in anticipation.

"Rachel Barbra Berry," I start, "this was not how I first thought I would propose to you."

She gave a watery chuckle.

"That aside, Rachel." I grin. "Will you marry-"

"Yes!"

The answer and tackle was immediate.

"A thousand times yes!"

I can't help but laugh out loud as I hold the love of my life in my arms. I pull back, enough to make space between us.

I open the box and reveal the modest ring that has caused me so much trouble. I take out the sparkling object and put it through her ring finger. I stopped halfway when I realize something.

"Rach?"

"Quinn?"

"What's this?"

I look at my own left hand.

"Oh, uhm… we-well I thought, you know. Since I found out that you know-"

"You bought a ring?"

"It's not technically new. I've had it for a while but I just-"

I stare blankly at the ring on my hand.

"Honey, it's not polite to gape during a marriage proposal." Rachel tips my chin up.

I stare at her.

"Lucy Quinn Fabray, will you marry me?"

A smile creeps up my face as I lift her on the bed. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

"Well, with all your plans not going according to plan, I thought I'd at least give you the chance to ask me. So is that a yes?"

"Yes." I say before kissing her.

We wake up quite late that day, all tangled up and cosy in bed. I guess the proposal could have been better but after a full week of disappointment and frustration, I kind of realize that I didn't actually need all that.

"Looks like we made it," Rachel sings as she traces circles on my stomach. "Look how far we've come my baby."

I smile.

I just need her.

A/N: What do you think? Write in the review section and tell me whether I should do the wedding :)