Just as warning, this is going to be second person revolving narrative.

You're bored. Really bored. It was the week before school starts. No one's parents were letting them go out because they want to 'spend time' with their children before they go back to school. No one was really feeling the urge to go out anyway. Everyone was trying to get acclimated to the fact that school was about to start. So you are just sitting in your bed, flipping through the channels on the TV, not really paying attention to what is on.

Your attention is stolen by the house phone ringing. You wait for a moment to see if your mom was going to get it, but when the ringing continued you finally get up and run down the hallway ,snatching it off of the cradle.

"Hello?" you answer.

"Quinn?" a man's voice replied, "It's Tyler, Rachel's dad."

You furrow your eyebrows. Why the hell was Rachel's dad calling you? "Oh, hi."

"May I speak with Rachel?" he asks, "She forgot her inhaler and I wanted to see if she wanted me to bring it to her before you two get too far into your sleepover."

You look at the phone to see if this is Puck and his friends playing a joke on you. But the caller ID says Berry Residence. Before you can tell him that your last sleepover with Rachel was freshman year of high school before you ditched Rachel for the popular kids, he adds, "You know what? I'll just come drop it by."

"No," you state, "She's…in the shower, but I'll come get it for her."

"That's sweet of you," Tyler coos, "I'm glad you two became friends again."

"Uh, yeah," you answer awkwardly, "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Once in your car, you turn on some music. Your motives for doing what you're about to do are less than pure. You figure that if Rachel is using you for some kind of cover, to sleep over with Finn or whatever, that you should at least get something out of it. So you set out to pick up Rachel's inhaler and find her. You'll have something to lord over Rachel, which is pretty much good for any day.

You briefly stop by Rachel's house, dredging up a lot of old memories in doing so. You used to spend every weekend there, trying to escape your dad and sister and the pressures of being a Fabray. Until high school rolled around. There were all these new kids that were so cool and you were taught that you needed that. There was Brittany with her blonde hair, blue eyes, killer dancing skills, and her inability to say no. Then there was Santana who was as exotic and sexy as far as exotic and sexy got in Lima. Santana was also saddled with the inability to say no. All the girls around you started to find their own little niches and you were left, laying awake at night, wondering where you belonged in all that.

Then you found the Cheerios. You found a way to the top. It was hard work, but it paid off. Only to come crashing down a year later, but you don't like to dwell on that now.

Now, a week before the start of your senior year, you're going to find Rachel Berry and you are going to have the best blackmail material of your life because Rachel hates disappointing her dads and they'd be pretty disappointed if they found out that their baby girl has been sneaking off. Especially to be with some boy.

However, after a drive-by of Finn and Kurt's house, one of Puck's house and even one of Sam's house, Rachel's car was nowhere to be found. You bite your lip and think about a different route. This time you drive past Mercedes' house, Tina's house and Brittany's house. The only out of place car you find is Santana's car parked in front of Brittany's house and judging by their recently changed Relationship Statuses on Facebook, the car wasn't really all that out of place.

You pull to a stop at a stop sign and see that there is no one behind you so you pulled out your phone about to text Brittany, asking for Rachel's number when you spot the person you've been looking for. Across the street, is McKinley high and next to the building is the football stadium. Rachel is standing on the top of the bleachers facing the parking lot.

You see Rachel see you as you pull into the parking lot and park next to her car. The brunette disappears from the top of the bleachers as you cut off the engine. You grab Rachel's inhaler and get out of the car. You lean back against it, trying to stay aloof, when you see Rachel walk out of the gate from the field.

"What are you doing here?" Rachel asks, nervously scanning the horizon behind you.

You toss the object in your hand to Rachel who barely catches it, "Your dad called. You forgot your inhaler."

Rachel looks up at you with terror in her eyes. "Did you tell-"

"No," You cut her off, pushing off of the car. "Why do you even need that? Your last asthma attack was when we were six."

"My daddy still likes me to take it with me," Rachel opens the door to her car, tosses it onto the passenger's seat and closes the door, "Just in case."

"Why aren't you at Finn's house?" you look up at the darkening sky. The air outside is still sticky and warm, but the breeze promises rain that is supposed to fall at the end of the week.

"I-," She stops herself, "We've already spent a lot of time together."

"So why are you lying to your dads?" you walk over to Rachel's car and subtly peered inside to make sure Puck isn't hiding in the backseat or something. What you find surprises you even more than if you had found Puck. There is a pillow on one end of the backseat and a blanket sprawled across the rest of the seat. "Wait. Are you sleeping in your car?"

Rachel panics for a moment before sighing. "Fine. I never told my dads that we aren't really friends anymore and lately they've been asking why they never see you and why I never go to your house so I told them that you were on vacation and then finally I just told them that I was going to your house this weekend."

"So you're sleeping in your car?" you ask again.

"I don't want them to worry," Rachel shrugs and sits on the hood of her car, "They're already worried about how they're going to pay for Julliard or wherever I decide to go to school. I have a college fund, but our trip to New York City this summer was a reality check for them…for all of us. They think I don't notice them start to buy generic food and do a lot less clothes shopping, but I do. I don't want them to worry about my lack of a social life."

You feel a little guilty at those words. "What about Finn or Kurt or Mercedes?"

"Kurt's busy with Blaine and I haven't been able to get a hold of Mercedes," Rachel sighs and watches as you walk over to the front of her car, "Like I said, I've already spent a lot of time with Finn and as sweet as he is, there's only so much Finn one person can handle in a week."

You let out a small smile. She's right. You look around and put your hands in your pockets. After the little story Rachel just told, you feel bad about checking to see if anyone saw you together. You duck your head and kick at the ground, "Look, it's kinda dangerous for you to be sleeping in an empty parking lot in your car."

She nods like she already knows and knowing Rachel she does already know how dangerous it is as well as a few statistics to go along with it.

You can't really believe you are about to say what you are about to say, but before you know it, "Come over to my house," comes out of your mouth.

Her look is questioning, "What?"

"C'mon," you shrug, "You don't have to talk to me or anything and you can sleep in the guest room after my mom goes to bed."

A small smile grows on her face. It's not a full on Rachel Berry smile, but it's still a smile. "Thank you Quinn."

"Well Nationals is my last chance to get out of this Podunk town," you brush it off, "We can't get to Nationals if you get murdered, sleeping in your car."

"What do you mean last chance?" you squints her eyes a bit to study you better.

You shake your head, "Nothing. Let's get going. It's getting dark."

"This is kinda nice you know?" she asks, looking around your room and then shyly back at you, "Certainly nostalgic."

She does look really nervous and you suddenly feel like an asshole for making it this way. You used to practically live at each others' houses before you let your insecurities get the best of you.

You breathe through your nose and nod, "Yeah. I still have my pony princess pajamas if you want me to wear them."

She laughs at your joke and you feel more at ease in your own room than you have for a long time.

You don't remember ever struggling this much for something to say to her or to anyone for that matter, but two years of fighting seems to have built a communication barrier between you.

"We can watch a movie if you want," you offer lamely, "I don't know if I have anything you'll like, but…" You trail off finding that you're just as nervous if not more so than her.

"That's okay," she offers to you with a smile that seems reassuring, "We can watch whatever you want."

You nod and kneel down in front of your TV where your DVDs are stored. Just as you're about to ask her if she wants to watch a comedy or action flick, your door opens.

"Quinn?" your mom sticks her head into the room. When she sees Rachel she pauses before smiling, "Rachel honey, I didn't know you were here. It's been so long." Your mom fully steps into the room, "How are you?"

"I'm great," Rachel shoots your mom her patented Rachel Berry smile. "How are you?"

"I'm fantastic," she puts her hands on her hips with a delighted smile, "I was just coming to see what you girls wanted to do about dinner."

You look around the room. You don't really want to spend the last of your summer at home, watching movies with Rachel Berry. It's definitely not something you're going to write in your 'What I Did This Summer' essay.

"Actually I was hoping to take Rachel out to dinner to celebrate the end of summer," you say.

Rachel looks surprised as you as does your mom, but your mom just smiles and nods, "That's nice. You girls have fun. Don't forget that I have my ballroom dance class tonight and your sister will be here the day after tomorrow so if you two sneak into her room like you used to, please leave it in the same state you found it.."

"Okay," you nod to your mom, "Have fun."

"It's was so nice to see you Rachel," your mom states.

You both get into your car and you quietly drive to the restaurant. Rachel takes a deep breath when you park in the parking lot. "Why are you doing this?"

"I wanted to get out of the damn house," you say with a shrug.

"I mean letting me stay with you and taking me to the only vegan friendly restaurant in town?"

You huff, "Don't cream your pants yet Berry. I didn't know it's vegan friendly." Yes you did. "I'm just tired of Breadstix."

You both walk in and are immediately seated. It's after the aged population's dinner rush, so there are a lot of open tables.

"Where'd Sam move to?" she asks after you get your drinks.

"His family moved back to Tennessee. He seemed relieved though. His dad got his old job back."

"That's good. I'm worried about glee thought. Sam's voice harmonizes well with pretty much everyone."

"Maybe we'll get lucky and some kid will transfer. Hopefully one that doesn't speak Navi."

"I agree. We need more diversified male counterparts. Some sort of bass would be nice."

You just nod. It's a wonder that this whole conversation is normal. No insults. No rants or diva-outs. It's just a conversation.

"I read that you went to Europe this summer," you casually mention.

"I did," her eyes light up, "It was wonderful. All the architecture and the languages and theatres."

"Awesome."

"Did you happen to look at the pictures I posted?"

Yes. "No."

"Oh well some of them are absolutely gorgeous. I think someone who appreciated beautiful things such as you do would appreciate Europe."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I mean you. Your clothes and your hair. Your room. Everything is beautiful."

"Oh. Thanks."

She takes a bite, "What did you do this summer?"

"My mom and I drove to Philadelphia to see my sister for a few days then I've just been hanging out by my pool." You make a disgusted face and she laughs.

"I hope you used the appropriate SPF to safeguard your skin against harmful UV rays."

A smile plays on your lips. Something so Rachel Berry used to make you cringe, but here you are, smiling. "I did."

You spend the night watching movies and sleep until almost noon the next day. When you wake up, she's already awake and straightening your room.

She insists on leaving before breakfast but thanks you profusely before she leaves. At the door, she looks up at you with a bright smile, "I'm going to hug you now okay?"

You laugh and nod. She gently hugs you before stepping away, "I guess I'll see you at school Quinn."

"Yeah," you nod stupidly. You can't really describe the feeling of not waking up completely alone this morning, but right now you're over the moon.

She gives you a wave before walking briskly to her car and driving off. You close the door and walk back toward your room. This is senior year. This is your year and you think that maybe you can stop being so scared. Rachel was and still is a great friend. Maybe you can….

As you walk past your mom's room you hear sobbing. The door is closed, but you open it slowly and the noises get louder. You see your mom laying in a ball on the bed, her body shaking in sobs.