Author's note: Hey everyone, I'm sorry I haven't posted in such a long time. I've been in my freshman year of college since September and so I've been really busy trying to manage my studies and a part-time job. Because it's been so long since the last chapter and the pace of the story has been rather slow, I decided that this chapter would skip forward a little to allow for friendship development. It will make sense when you read it (I hope!) Anyway, thank you so much for the feedback and the reviews on the last chapter/on the story in general. I really hope you enjoy this one. Don't forget you can ask me questions on Tumblr (URL: diannagronalley), or I've also started a Twitter on which I'll be posting updates/screenshot previews of future chapters ( wrxtings). Sorry again for the long wait! X

"We freaking suck."

It was another Monday evening, and an irritated Rachel was beginning to lose all hope. She had not seen Cheerleader-Quinn all day, which meant it was yet another day in which she had not had the chance to showcase herself as Cheerleader-Quinn's BFF. The blonde had also failed to turn up to Glee Club on time - something that was becoming a regular occurrence due to cheer practice - but this particular time, so had Mr. Schu. It was twenty minutes into the group's session and neither the Cheerio nor the club's mentor were anywhere to be seen.

"M-maybe that's because Mr. Sh-Sh-Sh-Schu isn't here yet?" Tina suggested.

"She's right," Kurt spoke up. "Without him, we lack direction."

"Please. Whether he's here or not, he's useless. New Direction?" Mercedes arched one brow, the other remaining in a straight line. "More like No Direction."

Rachel was glad they could agree on that much. Mr. Schu seemed to think that writing a word on the whiteboard, underlining it once or twice, and coming up with dated choreography was appropriate coaching for a group who hoped to compete in a nationwide competition. The harsh reality was that this was not the case.

"Agreed," Rachel stated, an idea quickly forming in her mind. "I therefore have a proposal."

"Uh oh," she heard Artie mutter under his breath. She continued anyway.

"If this club is going to succeed, it needs a strong leader. Someone who shows up to practice on time. Someone who has years of experience in the performance arts. Someone who has a decent knowledge of our competition..."

Rachel trailed off to allow the others to finish for her, or to at least make a guess. However, the silence that hung in the room forced her to continue herself.

"...Someone like me." She finished with her biggest poster-child smile.

"Nope," Kurt said simply.

"What he said," Artie seconded.

"Absolutely not," Mercedes folded her arms over her chest. Tina merely nodded in agreement.

"What?" Rachel asked with a frown. "Why?"

"Ain't nobody in this club who wants to be overshadowed or bossed around by a Barbra wannabe," Mercedes said. "You ain't no Beyoncé, and I sure as heck ain't gon' be your Kelly Rowland!"

Before Rachel could angrily respond, the choir room door opened a crack and in peeked Quinn's curly-blonde head.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, still not fully entering the room.

"Where the hell were you?" Rachel asked accusingly, but then held her hand up before Quinn could answer. "Actually, never mind. Let me guess. Coach Sylvester kept you back late to practice your group routine with Brittany and Santana."

She couldn't help but say the names with a slight bitterness. Rachel and Quinn had gotten genuinely close over the past few months. Practicing to become fake friends had allowed them to become real ones, and the pair had made an effort to get to know each other properly. Quinn had shown Rachel all her favourite local bookstores - and the café she liked to read books in. In fact, the owner - a kind-faced, white-haired, bearded man whom Quinn had nicknamed 'Hipster Dumbledore' due to his half-moon spectacles and overall quirky nature - had gotten so accustomed to seeing Quinn that he greeted her by name and gave the pair free cookies with the coffees they ordered. Chocolate chip for Quinn, vegan-suitable oatmeal for Rachel.

The pair had also had a number of sleepovers in Rachel's house, in which they sat through Rachel's top ten favourite musicals of all time. Quinn would sometimes complain about the cheesy-ness, or point out that the plots would not have been strong without the musical numbers and dream sequences. Nevertheless, she did admit that she could see why Rachel had so much enthusiasm for theatre, much to the brunette's delight.

The girls had also supported each other musically. Over the past three months, the Glee club held three song rallies in which they attempted to recruit by performing to the whole school. All three had failed miserably due to Mr. Schu's horrible song choices, in Rachel's opinion, but before the first one in September, Quinn had expressed nervousness about singing in front of the whole school. She felt she had the weakest voice in the club, so Rachel began vocal training with her as a confidence booster. Rachel had attended such classes as a child, meaning warm-ups and techniques were embedded into her brain from a very young age. She therefore decided to put what she knew to good use and teach her friend. And despite the fact that Glee club still only had its original six members, the training had paid off. Not only could Rachel hear a vast improvement in Quinn's voice - which harmonised with Rachel's own rather beautifully - she also noticed that Quinn looked a lot more...comfortable, if not happy, on stage. Something about this made Rachel smile whenever she thought of it.

Quinn had also done her fair share of helping Rachel prep for performance. There was going to be a WMHS Christmas Ball to fund an upgrade of the canteen facilities, and the committee was looking for a student to sing on the night rather than hiring a band. The chosen kid would win $100, but that wasn't why Rachel had auditioned. A member of Lima's local radio station, Lime FM, would be there on the night to interview the ball's performer. It was a golden opportunity for anyone who wished to put their name out there and get their voice heard. Auditions were held last Friday, with the Ball being held this Friday, but Rachel had been practicing for weeks with Quinn as her musical accomplice. During the sessions - which took place in free music rooms during lunch or after school - Rachel would attempt to match her voice to the notes Quinn hit on the piano, before Quinn played a piano version of the various songs Rachel was thinking of auditioning to. On the day of the actual audition, however, Rachel had - for the first time in her entire life - experienced a case of stage fright when her CD player cut off midway through Beyoncé's Listen. She was so caught off-guard that she merely stood there, frozen in horror. That was until Quinn speedily made her way to the piano backstage and began to play out the rest of the song, allowing Rachel to continue hitting impressive notes and complete the audition. As a result, she was informed today over the intercom that she had gotten the gig as the Ball's performer. She now had $100 more to put towards a dress for the event, which was a plus, considering she planned to go dress shopping later that day.

The thing that really stood out to Rachel about her relationship with Quinn though, was the fact that it was symbiotic. She was painfully aware that her lack of friendships were probably due to the fact that she could be overbearing in her expectations, which led others to view her as selfish. But this didn't put Quinn off. The blonde had met each of Rachel's expectations - if not exceeded them - with grace and without complaint. She also took on any advice Rachel had to give her with gratitude. Their relationship was a two-way street, both girls offering and benefitting equally.

But even apart from that, Quinn was the only real friend that Rachel had ever had, which is why she couldn't help but feel the slightest bit possessive. The amount of time the blonde was spending with Brittany and Santana alarmed Rachel, no matter how much she hated to admit it to herself. Quinn was the only person she could rely on, and if she were to move on with her Cheerio friends, Rachel would be alone again.

Quinn, on the other hand, merely looked amused by Rachel's jealous tone. "You're right," she smirked, fully entering the room to reveal she had been carrying a wide box the whole time. "Coach did make us stay back. But she also gave us doughnuts, which there are still quite a lot of in this box."

She walked closer to her friends until she stood in front of the group and pried the box open. Inside sat a large variety of doughnuts - jam, glazed, sugar-coated, and chocolate flavoured.

"Oh my God," Kurt breathed, lifting a hand to his chest. "Can you smell that? That is what angels smell like at birth."

"What a grossly accurate statement," Quinn smiled, taking a jam one and passing him the box.

Rachel wanted to fill Quinn in on what they had been discussing, considering she would be the only one who would support her idea of becoming group leader. But the group was chatting and chewing so noisily that her throat-clearing attempts were lost in the room. Instead, she marched over to one of the chairs and stood up on it. The action itself caused the others to turn and look at her.

"As I was saying before Quinn arr-"

She was cut off by the sound of the choir room door swinging open again. In walked Mr. Schu with a wide grin on his face.

"Alright, gang," he clasped his hands together. "Sorry I'm late, I had some...uh, something to deal with."

He shifted somewhat guiltily, his smile faltering a little. "But, I've managed to find us a new recruit!"

His grin widened again as he gestured towards the door. "Come on in, Finn Finn Finn!"

Rachel's heart just about stopped upon hearing the name. Even as the door was pushed open and the tall quarterback walked in, she couldn't believe that this was actually happening.

Finn Hudson is joining Glee club, she thought. In real life.

"Uh, hi," Finn nodded awkwardly at the group, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.

The silence that followed was interrupted by a quiet plop. Rachel turned her head to see that Quinn, frozen and unblinking, had dropped her doughnut. Upon realising that everyone was staring at her, she bent down stiffly to pick it up.

"So, as it turns out, McKinley's star quarterback can also carry a - Rachel, why are you standing on a chair?"

Mr. Schu's accusing tone and expression didn't faze Rachel, but when she saw Finn follow his gaze, she became self-conscious. She stepped down off the chair silently.

"Anyway," Mr. Schu continued with a dismissive shake of his head, "McKinley's star quarterback can also carry a tune. Would you like to show them what you can do, Finn?"

"No!" Finn said automatically. "I mean, uh, I'm good, like, singin' with the group."

"Okay," Mr. Schu nodded. "I guess you can join your new club mates, then. Everyone, take a seat."

Everyone sat down where they had been sitting at the start of the session. While Quinn normally sat between Mercedes and Rachel, her lateness had caused a slight change in the seating arrangements and so she ended up at the end of the row, at Rachel's right. Finn glanced around the room in somewhat of a panic, until his eyes landed on Quinn. He seemed to register the Cheerios uniform for the first time and, wearing a relieved smile, he sat down beside her.

Both Rachel and Quinn gawped.

"Hey," he said to Quinn while the rest of the club chatted amongst themselves. "You're that freshman Cheerio who keeps causing a stir, right? The one that keeps showing Casey up?"

Rachel's mouth opened a little wider. Quinn was sort of frowning now, and merely answered him with a shrug.

"Yeah, you are. I've heard Sylvester adores you and Casey gets real mad about it. Y'know, not being number one anymore, n' all. What's the name again?" Finn screwed up his face, looking unsure. He then seemed to have a lightbulb moment as his face brightened and he snapped his fingers. "Quinn! That's it. I knew I'd remember, 'cuz it rhymes with Finn."

He knew Quinn's name. God, he knew Quinn's name! The cheerleading idea was somewhat backfiring. He was supposed to know of Quinn, yes, but only in the context of falling in love with Rachel. He wasn't supposed to look at Quinn with shining eyes, as he was now. The two of them were never supposed to be 'the two of them'.

When she snuck a glance at Quinn though, it was hard to picture any sort of relationship developing between the two. Quinn's expression was rather unreadable, but whatever she felt, she certainly wasn't impressed by Finn or his ramblings. He seemed to pick up on this, too, what with her response to his questions being cold silence and a glare. He then awkwardly turned to face Mr. Schu, looking somewhat intimidated.

In the remaining half hour of the group's session, Mr. Schu announced that Glee Club would be taking place after school everyday this week to practice for a performance at the Christmas Ball. He said that while Rachel would be singing for the majority of the night, there would also be a group performance of Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas at the start of the night. They immediately began arranging the performance, working out who would get which lines to sing solo and what the harmonies were for the chorus. In order to spare themselves the humiliation of exercising Mr. Schu's awful dance moves, the club decided they would bring little jingle-bell wreaths to shake while swaying from side-to-side. Since Rachel and Quinn had planned to go dress shopping after Glee anyway, they offered to pick up a wreath for everyone.

The club session finally came to an end with Mr. Schu telling everybody he'd see them at the same time tomorrow. Finn jumped up and practically ran out of the room, looking desperate to leave. Kurt sighed, staring longingly at the door after him as Tina, Artie and Mr. Schu left.

"Isn't he dreamy?" He asked with a wistful expression as the remaining four began walking out.

"Who?" Mercedes wondered as they entered the corridor, walking past rows of lockers.

"Finn," Quinn said, a hard edge to her voice.

"He is," Rachel replied. "Too bad he doesn't play for your team."

Kurt frowned as they reached the exit doors, then pushed one open, walked through, and held it for the girls. "How do you know?"

"I was raised by two gay men," Rachel walked through last, following Quinn. "Therefore, I have an amazing gaydar. And when I look at Finn, my gaydar alerts are as dead as a doh-doh."

"Well, I am a gay man," Kurt pointed out as they walked down the steps to the car park. "Therefore, I have an amazing gaydar. And when I look at Finn, my gaydar beeps like an alarm clock without a snooze button."

"You must be confusing your gaydar with your please-be-gay-dar," Rachel said seriously, flipping her hair back from her face.

Mercedes snorted, prompting a glare from Kurt. "Oh, c'mon," she laughed. "That was a good one. Besides, I actually have to give Rachel this one. Ain't no way Finn is gay. Didn't you see the way he kept looking at how Quinn's skirt fanned out when she swayed too quickly?"

"Gross," Quinn broke her silence with a heavy eye roll as they reached her car.

The others looked at her questioningly.

"What?" She demanded defensively. "Just because you guys think he is the be-all and end-all doesn't mean we all do. It also doesn't give him the right to try sneak a peek at other people's asses."

"Well in that case, you better watch what you're wearing Friday night," Mercedes replied as Quinn began unlocking her car.

The blonde paused, letting go of the handle to look at Mercedes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I'm pretty sure, if he was given the opportunity, he'd do a lot more than sneak a peek."

"He better fucking not," Quinn snapped, yanking the driver door open. "I don't give a shit what I'm wearing. Nobody fucking touches me without my fucking permission."

And with that, she plonked into the driver's seat. She slammed the door shut and stuck the key into the ignition, prompting Rachel to hurry to the passenger's side.

"I guess we better get going," Rachel said to the other two, who looked just as shocked as she felt. "We'll see you tomorrow?"

The others merely nodded a goodbye at her and walked off to find Kurt's Range Rover. She sat in and the usually-cautious-driver Quinn sped off swiftly before Rachel even had the chance to touch her seatbelt.

When she was strapped in, she risked a glance at Quinn. Her jaw was clenched, her eyes were narrowed as they stared ahead, and she was clutching the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles were white. Rachel leaned her head on her hand and stared out the window, but when the car slowed to a stop at a traffic light, she decided she couldn't bear the silence anymore.

"Are we going to talk about what just happened?"

At first, there was no answer. The light went green again before Quinn asked, "What just happened?"

Rachel gave her a look.

"What?" Quinn said, still not looking at Rachel. She hadn't looked at her since she got into the car.

"You know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about you going all...weird, back there."

Silence.

"Even now, you still seem...well..." The brunette couldn't stop staring at those white knuckles. "...tense."

Quinn exhaled deeply as they entered Lima's Main Street, where there was a decent selection of formalwear boutiques. Lima did have a mall, but it didn't really cater for Friday's event.

"Keep your eye out for a parking spot."

Rachel pressed her lips together, frustrated at Quinn's attempt to change the subject. She decided to press on, whether Quinn liked it or not.

"Did something ever...happen...to you?" Rachel asked hesitantly.

Quinn looked at her for the first time and was about to answer, but she noticed a free space and quickly pulled into it. When she turned the engine off, she unstrapped herself to properly face Rachel.

"Did what ever happen to me?" She frowned, looking genuinely puzzled.

Rachel, who had been holding her breath while waiting for Quinn's reply, couldn't really bring herself to say what she meant. "Like, y'know...you know."

"Oh, no! God, no," Quinn said, shaking her head. "No. I just...I don't see why I should be cautious about my outfit in order to ensure my safety."

"I don't think Mercedes meant it like that," Rachel replied, after sighing with relief. "I really doubt Finn is dangerous."

"Maybe not dangerous, but entitled," Quinn reasoned, looking unconvinced. "I've seen him around quite a lot, Rachel. Y'know, we cheer for the football team, so we're usually practicing at the same time. And sometimes, him and that Mohawk dude - what's his name, Puckerman? - they just look at us, the squad, like they're picking lobsters from a tank. Like they're waiting. For what exactly, I don't know, but I don't think I want to. It's creepy as fuck, and they act as if the whole world is theirs for the taking."

Rachel wasn't quite sure of how to respond to that. "I just think Mercedes meant, y'know, if you showed an interest, he sure wouldn't pass you up. And I mean, why would he? You're a very pretty girl, Quinn. The prettiest girl I've ever met."

Quinn's eyes lowered, before she turned her head to watch people outside the window. Her demeanour seemed a little more gentle than it did before.

"Can we just go dress-hunting now?" She asked quietly, and Rachel opened her car door in response.

After three and a half hours - who would have known that Lima had so much to offer? - of trying on dresses, Rachel eventually left a boutique with a beautiful, green, sequenced dress. Originally, she had wanted something red. Being Jewish, Rachel had grown up celebrating Hanukah. Her fathers had only really allowed her to invest into the commercial side of Christmas so that she wouldn't feel left out at school. Therefore, when she heard of the Ball's Christmas theme, she automatically took it to mean 'wear red'. Quinn, however, informed her that if she did, she was guaranteed somebody would show up in the same dress. The majority of people would, like Rachel, associate red with Christmas, but green was a festive colour that most people wouldn't think to wear. With it's unique colour, tight-fitting top and draping bottom, the dress was sure to stun.

Dress shopping with Quinn had certainly been an experience. The pair had gone shopping countless of times before, but those trips had basically consisted of aimless browsing. This time though, Quinn was a woman on a mission, and that mission was to find Rachel the perfect dress. Rachel could admit that she wasn't exactly an avid trend-follower where fashion was concerned, and she lost count of the amount of times she would pick up a dress only to put it back on the rail following a disapproving head shake from Quinn. Eventually, in the last boutique they went to, the blonde sat her down and said, "Stay here. You don't know what you want. I'll show you what want." And so, the green dress was presented, bringing Rachel's search to an end.

Yet despite Quinn's enthusiasm to find Rachel a gown, for the first hour she refused to try on any herself. When Rachel did eventually convince her, she would mumble critical comments about whatever she tried, coming up with any excuse not to buy them. Rachel found this odd, but they still had some more time to look around.

"So..." she began as they walked down the street, having exited the latest boutique they were in.

Quinn smiled down at her, looping a button of her festive red coat through its hole. "So?"

"On Fridaaaaaay," Rachel said simply.

Quinn looked amused and held out her gloved left hand for counting. "Alright, let's revise the plan. After school, we have a final Glee club practice for that stupid group -" she saw Rachel's warning look - "I mean, cheerful group performance." She held out her thumb to represent that as number one. "Then," next came the index finger, "We each go home to our respective houses and get our glad rags on."

Rachel giggled as Quinn brought her middle finger up as number three. "After that, I'll swing by your place to pick you up."

She was about to carry on with the next number, but Rachel grabbed the blonde's ring finger instead, stopping the girl in her tracks. "Four," she smiled, prying it out from being tucked into Quinn's palm and joining it with the other numbered ones. "We will pose for the embarrassingly high amount of photographs my dads will insist on taking. And we will obey any photographical orders they give with regards to poses, no matter how cringey they may be."

Quinn laughed, her cheeks red with what Rachel perceived as the cold. "Finally, we drive to the Ball and...care to do the honours?"

Rachel pushed Quinn's baby finger up to join the rest. "We shut the place down!" She half-shouted, causing an elderly lady walking her dog to throw her a concerned glance.

Quinn's laughter grew louder as she gave Rachel a funny look. "Shut the place down? Are you serious? You tiny little nerd." She shoved Rachel's arm playfully.

Rachel rubbed the part she had touched, exaggerating the pain. "First of all, ow. Second," she flicked her hair from her face without even moving her hand, "I'll have you know that phrases which refer to shutting something down can be found in many of today's top hip-hop songs."

"Well, excuse me, Jay-Z," Quinn smiled, shaking her head as the pair began walking again.

The girls stopped into a holiday-themed store and picked up the jingle bell wreaths for two bucks each. By the time they came out, the sky was a navy-purple colour, and the street was fairly empty.

"Thank God the Ball isn't a bring-a-date type of thing," Rachel blurted suddenly, interrupting the comfortable silence between the two.

There was a slight pause before Quinn merely answered, "Mmm."

"I mean, it'd probably be fine for you," Rachel elaborated. "You're a pretty cheerleader. You'd find a date pretty easily, if you needed one. Not me, though. I don't think people even know we're friends yet." She paused, not sure if she should continue, but she did anyway. "This plan isn't really working at all, is it?"

"It is," Quinn said evenly. "I mean, okay, neither of us are in line to become the next Miss Popular or anything. But, I'm a cheerleader, and...people actually know who I am, when they didn't before. That's because of this plan, because of you! You saw Finn talking to me earlier. Do you really think that would've happened before we started this thing?"

Rachel felt slightly irritated by the reminder of Finn's interest in Quinn. The blonde wasn't really understanding where she was coming from. Rachel had meant that the plan wasn't really working for her, not necessarily the both of them.

"Yeah, Finn did show quite an interest in you," Rachel said cooly. "I mean, from what you said earlier, I wouldn't have thought you were all that enthusiastic, but if you think that that's an achievement, then good for you."

Quinn stopped again, frowning. "Wait, what? That's not what I meant. I give you a pep-talk on all your plan has achieved and all you hear is Finn?" She rolled her eyes and began walking again, this time quicker than Rachel, so that the brunette was trailing behind. "Typical."

"Well then, what did you mean? And where are you rushing off to?" Rachel called, half-jogging to catch up.

"I'm going home," Quinn grumbled.

Rachel rolled her eyes impatiently. "You can't go home. You still haven't gotten your dress."

Quinn slowed. She didn't say anything, but she didn't need to. Her guilty expression said enough.

"What?" Rachel asked anyway.

"I already have my dress."

"Since when?"

"Two weeks ago."

"How?"

There was a pause.

"I bought it while shopping with San and Britt."

San and Britt. Not only had Quinn gotten something of significance with her other friends, but she also had little nicknames for them. They weren't even at that stage yet. Hearing that alone was like a punch in the face for Rachel.

"Huh," she said eventually.

Quinn was silent again. She opened her mouth as if to speak, closed it again, but then frowned and reopened it. "I have other friends, you know," she mumbled quietly.

"Good for you," Rachel snapped, repeating her earlier words.

Quinn went quiet again, but her frown remained. She also folded her arms, probably knowing Rachel wasn't yet finished.

"So, if you already had your dress, why did you agree to go shopping with me today?" Rachel asked, hating how her voice rose whenever she felt defensive.

"I wanted to help you find the perfect one," Quinn said, and though she seemed genuine, Rachel was too angry to care.

"Oh, you wanted to help me? The popular cheerleader helping the peasant loser. How very charitable of you, Quinn."

Quinn threw her arms up in frustration and began moving forward again. "I don't get you," she said, shaking her head. "One minute, you're so wrapped up in your own goals that it seems like you barely notice I'm there with you. The next, you're on a jealous rampage about what I'm doing when I'm not there with you."

"You? Don't get me?" Rachel practically spat out, her anger fuelling a fast march that ensured she no longer fell behind the blonde. "Maybe you should take a look in the mirror. One minute, you don't like Glee club. Next, you want singing lessons."

"That's not fair-"

"One minute, you don't care about being an oh-so-popular cheerleader, the next, you're off doing cheerleader-y things with your cheerleader BFFs."

"Get over yourself. The only reason I joined that damn squad was for-"

"One minute, you think Finn is some sort of creepy perv. The next, you're swooning over the fact that he thought you were worth talking to."

"For crying out loud, Rachel!" Quinn cried, exasperated. "When is it going to register that I don't give a flying fuck about your precious Finn Hudson?"

"Okay, great. I'll be sure to remind you of that when you're off on your first date with him."

Rachel was met with silence again. She decided to take advantage of it as she trudged, watching where her feet were stepping.

"Or maybe on your wedding day," she added, hoping to provoke a response.

She got nothing.

"Hey, who knows. Maybe you guys will make me godmother to your baby," she pressed. "Although I'm sure I'll have to fight off San or Britt for the role."

Since none of those digs garnered any sort of response, Rachel lifted her head and turned to look at Quinn. It was only then that she realised nobody had answered her because she was talking to herself. Quinn had stopped in the middle of the street again, several metres behind Rachel, and was staring across the road at something Rachel couldn't see.

The brunette let out a soft groan and muttered, "what now?" as she began walking towards her friend.

"Quinn?"

Quinn didn't even look. She just continued to stare, unblinking. Rachel grew closer and felt a pang of guilt as she could see tears beginning to fall from the blonde's eyes. They spilled over her bottom lashes and ran down her cheeks, landing on the collar of her coat.

"Quinn," Rachel sighed as she approached, immediately regretting all that she said. "I'm sorry."

Quinn swiped at her tears and took her eyes away from the space she had been staring into to look at Rachel. "That's not why I'm crying."

Rachel frowned in confusion. "But I said- well then, why?"

Quinn's eyes went back to what Rachel had assumed was 'blank space' while she thought their argument through, but when the brunette's eyes travelled to follow Quinn's gaze, she realised she had been wrong. Across the street, a couple was kissing passionately in front of a parked, black car.

"I don't get it?" Rachel said aloud, but then the couple broke apart to get into that car, and the realisation hit Rachel like a brick to the face. She actually had not met the man before, but she instantly recognised him from the endless amount of local newspaper articles that sung his praise. She put a comforting arm around Quinn and, despite her small height, tried to pull the taller girl into her as they watched the oblivious couple drive away.

That man was Quinn's father, and the woman he had driven off with was most certainly not Judy Fabray.