I honestly can't apologize enough for this. I've taken longer than I should have and this final update is one of the shortest chapters I've ever done. Maybe one day I'll go back through it and edit, make it better and longer perhaps. As it is, this was all I had left to give this story. I'm hugely thankful to those of you who have followed, favored and reviewed this story. So a big thank you to you all and I hope this isn't too disappointing.

Chains of Love

Chapter Thirty – The World Has A Way

6 Years Later…

Rachel stood stock still, her chest heaved as her lungs fought for the oxygen that they had been deprived off while Rachel had sustained that final note. She watched as the curtains came across the stage, blocking the applauding crowd from view, a crowd she was currently deaf to as her beating heart filled her ears.

This was her last night on the stage. In the past six years she had played on every major stage available to her and she had loved every second of it, she sang for the types of people of whom she used to work for, she even sang for the young Caesar, although he had been too ignorant to realise who she was.

It was her father's untimely death that was forcing Rachel to exit her life on the stage. She had been privileged to be allowed such a career, her father's only request was that she represented the Corcoran family well at all times.

Now with him gone she was required to take control of the house, and of course marry a fine man to bare the Corcoran name, that was another part of the 'arrangement' that she wasn't too pleased with.

When Rachel had been read her fathers will she calmly reached the news of her forced marriage, she had waited till she was tucked away in her room she let out her frustrated screams into her pillows. The only welcomed condition in the will was that her father requested that Portia be taken care of, and that was something Rachel was willing going to follow through with.

The soft squeezing of her shoulder brought all the sound back into Rachel's world, the volume startled her more than the touch. She turned to see the familiar broad face of her best friend; David. He had remained by her side since the day he had been assigned to her, the day she arrived at her father's house, her house.

"Rachel they want more." David informed with a grin. This was a monumental moment for Rachel it was her last show and the people were finally seeing what they were going to miss and they wanted more because of it.

Rachel bowed her head and closed her eyes, and she let the noise of the people wash over her; the cheering and the applause and the chanting.

"Encore." She whispered, just before she let a breathy chuckle escape her. "Finally."

Roses showered the stage as Rachel finally released her final note, her smile unbreakable as she looked around at amorous crowd.

Her dark eyes scanned quickly over the faces, but surprise froze her sight on a face that she never thought she would see again, the delight she felt actually surprised her.

The exotic face that belonged to none other than the Lopez heiress smirked down at the small brunette on the stage, if Rachel didn't know any better she'd have thought that Santana almost looked proud, but she quickly dropped that idea.

She continued to watch Santana curiously, as the heiress pointed her finger upwards and a gentle smile replaced her slightly un-nerving smirk.

With some apprehension, Rachel looked up in the direction of which Santana had pointed. At first she was a little confused, unable to see anything in the box seats, she had looked back down at Santana, but she only received a more pointed look and the directing finger aggressively point upwards again.

So again she looked up and it was almost as though the lighting changed, just enough so that Rachel could see the one face that she had been dreaming since her lonely nights in Rome. Quinn Cornelia Fabray.

Her heart strained as it tried to keep up with the sudden rapid increase of its thudding beat. She no longer cared for the applauding crowed, who hadn't yet finished singing her praises. Rachel's only care now was getting to Quinn.

While she was reluctant to look away from where the blonde sat looking more regal than ever, only Rachel could see something in Quinn that the blonde had never shown her before. It was the erratic fluttering in her stomach that sent Rachel running into the wings and towards the stone stairs that would take her to Quinn.

She ran passed a startled David and ignored him as he worriedly called out to her, all she could hear was her own thoughts that were telling her to run fast, find Quinn and hold tight.

Reaching the top of the stairs Rachel held her hands to her quivering stomach as she gasped for breath, trying to calm herself down. Her eyes stared fearfully at the royal red curtain that separated her from the box that she had seen Quinn in, from the stage.

Taking one last steadying breathe Rachel moved towards the curtain, but she was stopped from moving it aside, as a delicate pale skinned hand came out and slowly moved it aside.

As the curtain revealed more of the body Rachel coveted, her breathing stopped altogether. Chestnut brown eyes ate up the vision of white and red that stood before her.

The silky blonde hair that used to sit upon her loves shoulders in envious curls was shorter, now the blonde locks gently caressed the strong jaw, which Rachel was unconsciously reaching towards.

"Hello Rachel." Quinn sighed, her eyes falling closed as the heat of Rachel's palm softly stroked her cheek. She could feel the subtle shake in the other girls body, through the gently touch of her hand. "I've missed you." Quinn opened her hazel eyes and stared deeply into warm brown orbs that she had missed more than she had realised.

"I've been waiting for you Quinn." Rachel replied quietly, she looked more content now. Dreams were never enough for Rachel; she knew that for her to feel that completeness she needed to have the warmth that came with reality.

"We have a lot to talk about Rachel." Quinn whispered, seemingly afraid to break the quiet that surrounded them.

Smiling softly Rachel nodded, before moving shyly into Quinn's body, wrapping herself around the blonde. When she felt the familiar arms tuck her in, she let her body relax and melted into the embrace.

"Just give me a moment to enjoy this Quinn." Rachel pleaded, burying her face into the sweet lavender smelling hair of her love. She felt Quinn nod, agreeing to her request and just revelled in being with each other again.

There was the slight issue of the after party, which Rachel was required to attend more so than any of the other members in the production. She had explained this to Quinn earlier, and she had seen how reluctant the blonde had been to join the social event, but to Rachel's surprise Quinn agreed to join her.

Santana was of course also at the party, which obviously relaxed Quinn greatly. Apparently a lot had changed in the years that they had been separated. Rachel only hoped that all the changes were for the better. She needed Quinn to be stronger, she knew better now.

The party was in full swing and Rachel was busy making her rounds of all the somebodies who wanted her attention. She played the part that was expected of her very well and they all had something nice to say about her, mostly that they were disappointed that tonight had been her final performance.

From where Rachel was standing, she had a clear view of Quinn and Santana, who had managed to find the darkest corner of the room to plant themselves; occasionally Rachel would look over just to make sure her blonde was still there.

Although much to her irritation, she noted that an unfamiliar brunette was once again moving towards the secluded corner. Rachel had ignored the first couple of times the young girl had approached the pair, but now Rachel was feeling a little agitation growing.

"Excuse me please Ladies." Rachel said bidding her goodbyes to the chattering women; it wasn't like she had been really paying too much attention to them anyway.

For a short woman, Rachel had lengthy legs that were envied by many of the women in the city and admired by many of their individual husbands. It was with these legs that she managed to stride across the room gracefully.

Before she reached Quinn, who was currently talking to this unknown girl, she was halted by a smirking Santana.

"It's nothing to be jealous about Lady Berries. It's completely innocent." Santana revealed, gently touching her hand to Rachel's bared shoulder.

"I wasn't jealous, merely curious." Rachel answered defensively, her body still tense and ready to fire at this new brunette, who was apparently important enough to prevent her Quinn from noticing her arrival.

"Yeah, tell that to your face kiddo." Santana laughed gleefully.

With a huff Rachel ignored the dark haired heiress and put on her show smile, before moving towards Quinn and her apparent friend.

"Hello I'm Rachel." She greeted her smile disguising her immediate dislike of the girl before her. Strangely, the brunette before her, turned to look at Quinn, before answering her.

"Hello Lady Berry, it's a pleasure. My name is Harmony, Lady Fabray's…"

"Friend, this is my friend Harmony." Quinn interrupted her maid, quickly, hoping to avoid a confrontation with Rachel. While Rachel may have adjusted extremely well into her new title, Quinn was sure that some of her old pet's behaviour remained beneath that heart stopping smile and polite pleasantries.

"Hmm pleasure. Quinn I'm ready for that talk now." Rachel stated, turning her attention back to her blond love, her smile automatically changing to her genuine grin, one that was always going to be reserved for the Fabray heiress.

"Of course. Santana I'll leave the coach with you and Harmony, do as you please, but try not to get Harmony into trouble." Quinn said sternly, before turning to Rachel and offering the smaller woman her arm to link and then led her from the room.

"I'd rather have this conversation at my home, if you don't mind Quinn." Rachel stated, looking questioningly at the blonde. Once Quinn nodded her consent, Rachel easily located David and he set out to get the carriage out the front of the building for his mistress.

The ride felt longer than it actually was, mainly because the girls had remain silent whilst inside the carriage, both nervous as to what the other wanted to discuss. Obviously their feelings for each other remained intact, but still it was more about being on the same piece of parchment than their feelings.

David was quick to help both women down from the carriage once it had come to stop outside of the large Corcoran estate. It was no Fabray mansion, but it was appealing in its own right.

Rachel led the way to her own personal quarters, where they would not be disturbed by anyone, unless Rachel specifically requested it.

While Quinn took a moment to look around, Rachel found a comfortable place to sit on her bed, her eyes following the blonde as she moved around with curiosity.

"You have a nice room." Quinn stated simply, for the lack of anything better to say to break the silence that had gathered between the pair since leaving the theatre.

"Thank you." Rachel replied, sighing deeply as she gathered her courage and her words.

"Quinn". "Rachel".

Realising that they were about to talk over the other they stopped and chuckled nervously. Quinn gathered her nerves quicker and offered Rachel to chance to get words out first.

"What took you so long Quinn? I've been waiting for you." Rachel questioned, getting up from her place on the bed and moved over to the blonde, her hands reaching up to run through the soft golden locks of her love. "And you've cut your hair." She noted.

"Rachel, I had no business coming for you and keeping you with me until was in a position to give you the life you deserved. And I had a slight breakdown, hence the haircut." Quinn laughed embarrassed at the confession at the end.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Rachel asked slightly panicked as her eyes darted all over her blonde's body looking for anything that could be damaged.

"I just lost myself that's all; I'm okay now though, I've been better for the past two summers. Santana and Harmony helped me a lot." Quinn answered, quickly pulling Rachel into her arms to comfort her before the threatening tears fell, she then reluctantly released her so she could finish.

"It took me a while to get to where I am today Rachel. Once I had gotten better, I set out to make myself into the person I should have been for you all those years ago. I had to upset a few people, but I got here and I'm now free to be whoever I want to be…and if you'll still have me, I'd like to be yours Rachel." Quinn finished, taking a deep breath, bracing herself for any potential rejection.

"If I'll still have you…Quinn Cornelia Fabray, are you kidding me?!" Rachel grounded out through bared teeth, immediately striking fear into the blonde before her. Intense sadness seeped into the blonde's heart, her eyes stung as tears pooled in her hazel eyes. "Of course I'll still have you Quinn. By the gods that was quite possibly the stupid question I've ever been asked." Rachel breathed heavily; her slight over reaction was mainly due to her own fears exploding inside of her.

Quinn still wanted her. Quinn still loved her. Quinn was still hers to love.

Rachel flung herself at the blonde, lips mashing together desperately. It was Quinn's arms coming up and wrapping around her waist that calmed Rachel's frantic kisses. Slowing it down to a more gentle and loving pace.

"I love you Quinn." Rachel whispered breathily against the blondes red kissed lips.

"And I love you Rachel, more than anything." Quinn admitted, her smile appearing as she moved in to lay a quick kiss upon to supple flesh of Rachel's mouth.

"Did you ever think we'd both be free?" Rachel asked quietly so not to break the moment flowing around them.

"The only chains I want are the ones that keep me with you." Quinn answered truthfully, making Rachel squeal with overwhelming happiness.

"Well, love…

…chains us all eventually, said Lady Quinn and then they both lived happily ever after. Right bedtime my little emperor." Ordered Quinn, as she pulled the blankets up and tucked them in under her sons chin, then quickly kissed him upon his head.

"Mama, what happened after?" The young boy asked sleepily, his eyes drooping from fatigue.

"That's a story for another night sweetheart." Said Rachel from the doorway of her sons room, she had been there long enough to her wife's tale; it was certainly an interesting take on their high school romance.

Quinn blushed something fierce as Rachel moved further into the room, to lay a kiss of her own onto their sons head.

"Goodnight Leo. We love you." The brunette whispered quietly as her son drifted off peacefully.

Taking a moment to flick on the little lion night light beside the child's bed, Quinn then stood from her seat on her son's bed and took her wife's hand, leading her from the room, carefully pulling the door behind her to a close.

"You have quite the imagination darling. I wouldn't mind being chained to you." Rachel sassed with a wink, her tongue poking out teasing the pouting blonde before her.

"I'm a writer, kind of comes with the territory." Quinn replied smiling dopily at her wife of five glorious years.

"Hmmm, well speaking of chains, I've got a surprise for you in the bedroom. So hurry along would you." Rachel whispered sweetly, her eyes darkening as she eyed her shocked wife with hunger.

"Best story ever." Quinn groaned, before quickly following Rachel's lead to the bedroom.

Being a slave to love wasn't so bad.

The End