Chapter 16

A week has passed and Rachel hadn't heard anything from Quinn. She hadn't even seen her in the hallway at school. She assumed this was Quinn's way of giving her space, giving her time to think.

Presently, she's pacing around her bedroom. She's asking and answering her own questions, while Kurt sits on the bed with his head in his hands. "I should talk to her, right? No, no I can't. It's too soon. I don't want to seem like I haven't given it any real thought…but haven't we been through enough...everything started off so well and then it all just got so….fucked," she finishes clearly frustrated. She plops down on the bed next to Kurt.

"Kurt what should I do?"

"Do you mean Kurt-me or Kurt-you?"

"Sorry, I'm just so confused and I don't know what to do to fix this."

Kurt gets up, "Maybe you should stop fighting it. Just let the chips fall where they may." He gets his bag, "I've got to go, but I'm sure you'll do what's best for you."

Kurt makes his exit. Rachel grabs her phone off of her desk and lays down on her bed. She stares at the ceiling for a moment before whispering to herself "stop fighting it."

She clicks a few keys on her phone, closes it and lays it down next to her. She releases a breath she didn't even realize she was holding.

Quinn is sitting in a booth at RED with Holland. Her phone vibrates on the table in front of her. The message reads: I'm ready to talk. –Rachel

"What is it?" Holland asks curiously, "Is it your human?"

"She's not mine." Quinn says pointedly.

"But you want her to be."

Quinn doesn't answer. She doesn't have to because Holland knows she's right.

"You know it's not a good idea…if you were to hurt her, then this whole treaty we have with the humans could end. And we'd be thrust back into the shadows."

"I won't hurt her." Quinn says firmly.

"You put her in danger just by being what you are, Quinn. As your daughter, as your friend…I'm begging you please be careful. Put the needs of the many before your own."

"As your maker, I'm asking you to trust me…I know how much it means to you and after all I've taken from you…"

Holland reaches across the table and covers Quinn's hand with her own, "You gave me so much more. You saved me."

Quinn nods her head in an attempt to believe Holland, then it occurs to her, "Holland, why exactly are you here? You seemed happy to make London your home. What changed?"

Holland clears her throat and straightens her posture as she leans back into the booth. "Sylvia came to me. She's looking for you."

Quinn's demeanor changes, "Did she say what she wanted?"

"Now that, you already know."

"Did she follow you here?"

"Probably."

There's a knock at the door. Rachel turns the volume down on her television.

"Come in."

Hiram opens the door enough so that Rachel can see him, "Sweetie, someone's here to see you." He opens the door to reveal Quinn standing there. "I'll leave you two alone." He exits leaving Quinn standing in the doorway.

"Hi," Quinn says almost bashfully, "can I come in?"

"Y-yes," Rachel stammers as she moves to the middle of the room. Quinn closes the door and stands in front of Rachel. They stare at each other, neither saying a word.

"Did you really mean what you said," Rachel asks vulnerably.

"Which part?"

"All of it."

"I meant every single word," Quinn says stepping forward until they are breaths apart.

Rachel can't help but to put her hands on Quinn's abdomen. She's not sure if she just wanted the contact or if she's trying to keep Quinn from getting any closer. Her mind is swimming with thoughts. The most present and prolific one is begging her to close the distance between them. But she doesn't surrender to it…not yet.

"I'm tired of fighting what I feel for you…what I've felt for you since the first time I saw you. I look at you and I can't help but feel this sense of…inevitability. No matter how much I push or pull away from you, deep down I know that I could never outrun you, outrun this. We are inevitable…unstoppable. And I'm tired of trying to stop myself," says Rachel. She looks into Quinn's eyes and can see passion burning in them.

"I want to be with you Quinn. I want to be with you in a functioning, healthy relationship."

Quinn chuckles, "Only you can make something so pragmatic sound so sweet and endearing."

"Are you trying to butter me up, Miss Fabray?"

"I prefer the term flatter," Quinn says in a joking manner.

They stand there looking at each other. Quinn reaches over and tucks a strand of hair behind Rachel's ear. She starts to lean in to kiss her, but then she stops herself. She came here with some things of her own to say.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asks.

"You don't know how badly I want to kiss you right now," Quinn says staring intently at Rachel, "but I have some things to tell you. Sit down," she motions towards the bed.

Once they're seated Quinn clears her throat and rubs her hands together, "God, you make me feel so much like a human…it's been a long time since I've been nervous or anxious."

Rachel grabs her hands and holds them in hers, "Quinn, tell me."

Quinn inhales deeply and exhales sharply, "I slept with Piper." Rachel shoots off of the bed. Her eyes are glaring with anger. "It was a mistake…It didn't mean anyth-"

Rachel tries to slap her but Quinn catches her hand, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's a reflex and I really deserved that so go ahead try again."

Rachel unhesitatingly smacks her…hard.

"That really hurt." Quinn rubs her cheek.

"You'll heal." Rachel says bitingly. She walks away from Quinn, who quickly stands up. She grabs her hand to stop her.

"It meant nothing. I was upset and angry and she was just there."

"So what happens when we fight again? Are you going to go fuck the first person available to you?"

Quinn sighs heavily, "I know that what I did was wrong and I will do anything for your forgiveness. I just…I didn't want to keep this from you. It wouldn't have been right. You said it yourself you want a functioning and healthy relationship and I'm trying to give that to you. No lies, no secrets…no other women. Just you and me."

Rachel considers what Quinn said and, though she hates to admit it, Quinn is right. She realizes that she's actually glad that Quinn told her…but also angry. She exhales deeply, "Ok, I understand…I'm glad you told me. But it's going to take some time for me to forgive you."

"Take all the time you need."

"Now," Rachel sits down and Quinn follows suit, "is there anything else that you need to tell me."

"Well-" before Quinn can finish Rachel slaps Quinn in the face again.

"Quinn Fabray!...and thank you for not stopping me."

"I thought I'd be in deeper trouble if I tried. Though I'm not so sure that I deserved that one. I haven't slept with anyone else…there was just a…past situation that may or may not turn into a present event."

"What kind of past situation?"

"Her name was Sylvia," Quinn grabs Rachel's arm this time, "would you please just let me finish before you try to hit me again?"

Rachel raises her hands in surrender and then places them in her lap to show Quinn that she won't try again. "Please, continue."

"I became acquainted with her almost a century ago. We were…to be married."

Rachel shoots off of the bed, but Quinn pulls her back down, "Let me explain. It was an arrangement of sorts that Russell worked out. I had done some terrible things to humans in my day, but I've also done terrible things to my own kind. In order to absolve me of my crimes, I was to marry a woman. To my kind, marriage isn't about affection so much as it is about sharing a blood connection. Normally they would've wanted a pureblood, but they made an exception because of my maker; they acquiesced to his pleas. To marry her would have been to surrender myself, my blood, and it's power, to another. At the time I was not ready for that kind of commitment, I guess you can call it. And I was not so much concerned with vindicating my acts as I was with my own selfish desires. So I, being my rebellious self, did not go through with it. I left the country, stayed under the radar and watched my back ever since. I thought that eventually she'd just give up and find some other…candidate, but she's persistent."

"So what will she do when she finds you?"

"I don't know. Probably drain me of every last drop of blood and burn what's left," Rachel gasps audibly. "I'm no longer in the business of killing my own kind so normally, I would just find a new place to settle, but I have someone keeping me here, don't I?"

"Yes, you do."

Quinn moves closer to Rachel and puts her arm around her, "We'll figure out what to do when she finds me." She can hear Rachel's heartbeat slightly faster, she turns to her, "Don't be afraid, Rachel. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe." And Quinn knows that she means everything, including killing a human…or a vampire.

Rachel absorbs all of what Quinn has told her. She feels less confused but only slightly. She's also somewhat fearful of being in a relationship with Quinn, but it's as if she has no choice; her heart calls out for her.

"I know that I've just piled a lot on you. I wanted to win you back, and obviously I've done a hell of job at that," Quinn adds sarcastically. "I won't be offended if you need time to consider if you want to be with me. Just say the word and I'll go."

Rachel ponders for a moment. "Ask me," she says softly.

Quinn expels a shaky breath, "Rachel Berry, would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend."

Rachel kisses her. Slowly. Passionately. Deliriously. Quinn sees stars, gold stars, even with her eyes closed. Her whole body feels warm and…alive.

"Is that a yes?" Quinn asks.

Rachel gasps when Quinn opens her eyes, "Your eyes…"

"I told you…arousal," Quinn says like she has nothing to hide, " You still haven't answered my question."

"I would love to be yours," she says somewhat shyly.

Quinn puts her hand underneath Rachel's chin and leads her face closer to hers. She claims the lips of the only person, human or otherwise, that she's ever wanted in her entire life.