TITLE: Home

SUMMARY: After Quinn gets kicked out of Finn's house she has no where too go. Rachel offers up her home, and finally Quinn feels like she has a home to go too. But, as Quinn begins to realize that she's in love with Rachel – will she remain at the Berry's or will she run away?

CATEGORY: Family / Friendship/ Hurt/Comfort/ Drama/ Angst/ Romance/ Spiritual/ Suspense/ Crime/ Tragedy

RATING: T

PRELUDE

"Rachel?" Quinn asked in a quiet voice.

Rachel stiffened where she was sitting on the park bench. She tried to halt the silent tears that were rolling down her cheeks. Her hands were shaking slightly as they gripped underneath the brown boards of the bench. Her jaw tightened as she tried to fight the sob that was trying to come out.

"Rachel." Quinn didn't even pose the shorter singing diva's name as a question this time. She sat down on the bench – leaving a modest space between her and her rival. She no longer considered Rachel her enemy – just her rival.

"Go away." Rachel said in a soft quiet voice.

"I can't." Quinn simply said.

"Just go away." Rachel continued to stare in front of her.

"I'm not leaving you." Quinn said keeping her eyes at the side of the brunette's face. "You didn't leave me when the truth that Finn wasn't my baby girl's father came out."

"I told that certain truth, Quinn." Rachel snidely said. "I was responsible for you."

"I see. I'm a responsibility to you." Quinn said taking each word as it's own. "I can live with that." She felt her baby girl move slightly. "Then to be fair – you are my responsibility."

Quinn watched as Rachel's head ever slowly twisted until she met the brown eyes of the short diva. She calmly waited for whatever Rachel had to offer her.

"I don't want to be your responsibility, Quinn. I don't want to be anyone's responsibility." Rachel said in a voice that Quinn knew that was trying so desperately to hold back the sobs.

"Then how about friends?" Quinn asked quietly.

Quinn watched as the hope filled Rachel's eyes – but then it was quickly driven back by …. fear? Before Quin could process that emotion the diva opened her mouth.

"Friends! You want to be friends with me, Quinn." Rachel barked out in dry laughter. "Since when do you want to be friends with me? In all the years that we have known one another. How many has it been now?" Anger in her brown eyes, "Twelve years. We were what two when we first met? How is that at two you decided that I wasn't good enough to be in your world?"

"I'm sorry." Quinn whispered her hands protecting her womb. "I'm so sorry Rachel. For everything."

Rachel wanted to say more – but the picture of Quinn sitting with her arms protecting her daughter inside her softened her. "You really love her don't you."

"More than life itself." Quinn said her eyes on her baby bump. "More than anything."

"You'll make a good mom." Rachel said.

"Not to her I won't." Quinn sadly said.

"Why not?" Rachel couldn't keep from asking.

Quinn looked up, "I'm sixteen years old, Rachel. I'm homeless. My parents don't want me or my little girl. What sort of life can I give my daughter without a home or a job. Raising a baby takes money, Rachel, a lot of it."

"Noah wants her." Rachel said.

"Noah is a sixteen year old boy. He's still in high school. He actually still has a hope of a future. I can't let him be saddled with a baby so early on in his life." Quinn bit her lip. "I have a shot at academical scholarships. Noah only has a hope for a sports scholarship. I can't destroy his only shot on going to college." Her hand rubbed her womb.

"You don't have to give your daughter up, Quinn." Rachel moved over. Reaching out and putting her right hand on the baby bump. "I'll help you in any way that you need me too." She felt the baby move against her hand.

Quinn stared into the brown eyes of the girl whom she had made life miserable for their entire childhood. "Why would you be willing to do that for us?"

"You are family." Rachel said leaning in.

Quinn sat still as a statue as she felt Rachel's fingers trace her facial bones. Her lips twitched as she felt the other girl's fingers traced her lips. Then up to her eyes. Her eyes closed as Rachel repeated, "You are family." She leaned into the offered hug as she felt Rachel pull her tighter against her. Her arms reached up to wrap around the shorter girl's waist.

Rachel tightened her hold on the taller blond girl's body. "You aren't alone any longer, Quinn. I promise you that." Pulling away slightly. "I have your room all prepared at my home." Reaching up and gently catching a falling tear.

"It's not right." Quinn said trying to pull away from the safety of the arms.

Rachel leaned in and kissed the outside of Quinn's right eye. "Come home."

Quinn just silently allowed the shorter girl help her to her feet. She allowed the short diva lead her from the park that was nearest to her home.

Quinn was going home.

END OF PRELUDE