Sorry for the delay :/

Thanks for the reviews since the previous chapter: Gmac62, Nightlancer600, ConfessedGleek16, yenyankee, LoveSKINS94, mythic-lionheart, NZgleek91, pierce22 and johansson

Also you can thank nighcuddler for asking so nicely if I could update.
This is technically half a chapter, that I've had written for months... maybe it's better than nothing though, you decide :)

Posted: 12/12/12

Q the Question

"Tell me you know how he died Schue?" Quinn asked, disgruntled as she marched into autopsy. The behaviour of a certain two woman and two of her agents had her pissed. So what if it was mildly entertaining, there was no reason for two of the finest agents in the bureau to stand by and watch while recording it on a camera phone. And there was no reason for two grown woman to act like that in a public place. On top of that this case was getting more of a mess.

"As I told you" the doctor said as he looked down through a microscope "When I know, you will know?"

"Know faster" she tried to put the pressure on as she leant over next to him

"Quinn" he ignored the raised eyebrow he got from her and continued "Your mood has us all on edge lately. One minute you're you, the you we've always known, and the next you seem to be someone else. I'm doing my job, at the rate I am capable and the machines are capable of doing, I'm afraid you can't ask any more of me than that"

"What do you mean about my mood?"

"From what I hear this Lance Corporal Finn was two different people to his fiancée's. Even in the simple things like one calling him Jimmy, the other James" he wandered over to the autopsy bench but soon realised Quinn wasn't following him when he heard her voice

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Well it had me wondering. Perhaps adopting Beth has changed you, maybe something else. You sometimes seem a little more vulnerable than the Quinn I've known all these years"

"I'm still me Schue" she assured him

"I know... but never in your 8 years here have you had to assure anyone of anything" he pointed up with a weak shrug "Anyway, I do have something for you" he cut back to normal Schue after dropping a psychological load like that. He went to the light box with some X-rays hung to it.

Quinn shook any thoughts away from her, like cobwebs in the mind and followed "Good, so what have you got"

"I found a potential cause of death but it's by no means air tight" he switched the light box on to highlight the x-rays "You see this fracture" he pointed

"Well yeah" she'd seen enough x-ray in her time already to know a fracture when she saw one

"The brain revealed an epidural haematoma, verified by this CAT scan" and here came the medical drivel again."Though it's far from massive. Statistically it's only fatal in about 17% of cases"

"Blunt force trauma?" Quinn asked to make sure that was the possible thing they were dealing with

"Most likely" the doctor nodded "We're looking at a baseball bat or a golf club... or any blunt object... perhaps wielded by a disgruntled fiancée"

"You tell me how, and I'll figure out who" Quinn knew everyone liked to put their opinions in and of course she had her own, but the evidence would show her the way in the end "You haven't got anything else that can cheer me up then doc"

"...Agent Puck nearly jumped out of his skin when a carrion beetle crawled out the corporal's nose when we got the body yesterday" Mike interrupted chuckling at the memory. He'd been quietly sitting at Schue's desk in the corner going through paper work until now. He looked up to see Quinn staring blankly at him. He awkwardly bowed his head realising he'd spoken out of term.

Quinn left with a smile on her face, at how easy it was to scare people and thinking about how Pucks reaction to the beetle had played out.

...

Quinn visited MTAC to find her boss there already. From there Quinn was able to get in contact with the Lance Corporals CO. There she found out that another Lance corporal, soon to become a private, had been sending out the pre written and addressed letters to the two fiancées from Iraq.

That solved one part of the case then.

...

"Don't you see it yet?"

"Nope" Santana shook her head. She'd been staring at the damn photo she'd taken of the marine that Brittany was infatuated with

"Then keep looking" she told the agent in a whiny voice

"Britt, I've been staring at this thing forever, I don't see anything artistic about it"

"But you took the picture" she whined again

"Just because Schue told me to" she'd tried to explain this major point already "I'm sorry" she said once she saw the pout on Brittany's lips

"It's okay" she sighed, nudging Santana out the way so she could get back to her computer "I'm sure you find other things beautiful" a rotting corpse, beautiful? A lot of things were more beautiful than that.

"Yeah..." she swallowed her sudden nerves, it was stupid but she wanted to say it "Like you"

There was a silent pause in the room, making Santana even more nervous "What?" she slowly turned her head to look at the Latina agent next to her "What do you mean?"

"Th-that you're beautiful Brittany" obviously that's what she meant

"You really think so?" those blue eyes got shiny, maybe with happy tears or something

"Well duh" that wasn't a word Santana had ever imagined herself using in this moment "I think you're really beautiful Britt, and smart, and funny... in a good way"

"You do?" her voice was surprisingly high pitched

"Yeah, I really do" she nodded then bowed her head shyly, gathering herself for the next question "Would you like to go out, on a date with me?" that could have been messier but it could have been smoother too

"I-I'd love to"

Santana smiled, she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding "good, great. How about after the case, I take you out for dinner?" that way nothing stood in their way, like Special Agent Fabray demanding they return to work.

"Okay" the blue eyed scientist grinned

"Good" Santana nodded nervously again

"Um...we should get back to the evidence" the scientist muttered, not wanting to go back to work at a moment like this but knowing the sooner the case was over the sooner they could go on that date.

"Oh right. Did you get a match on Siri's DNA ff of Finn's clothing?"

"Yeah, but not just her" she turned back to her desk "There was a party in Finn's pants" If Rachel could hear this she'd realise the irony of the case in relation to her ex. "I found genetic material from two distinct females" she opened a file and pulled out a piece of paper with the printed reports on them

"Siri, and?"

"A mystery woman" Brittany supplied

"Well it could be Rebecca... but she said she hasn't seen him for 6 months which is 3 before he died. But we haven't got a sample of her DNA yet... that might be why she refused a cheek swab" Santana reasoned

"Well we won't know until you get that sample and I can run it" Brittany shrugged hopelessly "San?" She asked softly

"Yeah Britt"

"I can't believe I missed Quinn breaking up a cat fight" she said it so innocently Santana couldn't help but laugh

"Well you're in luck" she chuckled as she pulled out her cell phone "Because guess what's playing on Lopez TV" she found the recording and played it for both of them to watch

"Which one's Siri?"

"The one on top" Santana chuckled "Rebecca's sure got a lot of anger in her" Santana chuckled

"Oh I don't think Siri's as innocent as you think" Brittany said as she analysed the mini movie on the screen

"Why not?" Santana furrowed her brow as she looked at the woman she had a date with

"Look at the fight" Brittany said, eyes still on screen "Siri started it... she may not be as sweet as she looks" no but Santana was sure Brittany was

On the little screen Quinn was grabbing Siri, pulling her off Rebecca

"Oh this is my favourite bit" Santana commented

"Which part?" they heard directly behind them. The pair slowly stood up very straight and Santana's cell phone disappeared back into their pocket.

Quinn smirked to herself again.

...

"I was lucky to get out of Rebecca's apartment alive" Puck claimed as she went through the box of the Lance Corporal's things that he'd collected from that fiancée's apartment

Meanwhile Rachel was doing the same thing, while rolling her eyes at Pucks dramatics "She try and beat you Puckerman"

"No she threw this at my head" he held up a book, Moby-Dick, in an evidence bag

"Wow, Finn was reading Moby-Dick?" Rachel had to silently laugh to herself; that was definitely a sentence she thought she'd never hear leave her mouth. She was lucky if, when she was still with her ex husband, if he had ever read his children a bed time story.

"No, she was throwing it. I took it so she couldn't rearm" he explained. So this Finn wasn't a reader either

"Okay, lets see what he had at Siri's place" she took bagged items out of the box "Razor and a toothbrush"

"Razor and a toothbrush" Puck echoed as he too took that out of his box of evidence

"Three pairs of white underwear" she took them out one at a time and put them out on the table next to the box

"Three pairs of... pinkish underwear" obviously Rebecca wasn't as great at playing the 1950's housewife.

"One black sock with a gold toe"

Puck huffed a laugh "Don't you hate it when you leave one sock at one fiancée's house, and the other one at the other's?" he asked as he held up one black sock with a gold toe.

"One pair of blue jeans" Rachel continued

"One black mesh t-shirt" Puck said holding out he black netted vest top. He was confused as he looked at it "Do women really like these?"

"Depends on the woman and who's wearing it" Rachel guessed

"So if I would-"

"No" Rachel cut him off quickly. Puck was nice but not her type and neither were those shirts. "So, we haven't got much to go on" Rachel concluded, turning their attention back to the evidence.

"Just one place left to check" Puck said as he searched the pockets of the jeans with a gloved hand "ah-hah" he said slyly as he pulled a card out the back pocket

Rachel saw Quinn join them so she joked "Puck just put his hand in another man's pocket and it made him very happy" she got a small, what she felt was also approving, smirk from her boss and an un-amused look from the Mohawked agent.

"I found a prepaid calling card boss" he said cockily, as if to wave it in Rachel's face.

"That's it?" Quinn asked, a little disappointed "No engagement rings?"

"You want those too?" Puck asked, although it didn't really need answering "I'll go and get the rings then and any other gifts Finn might have given them" Puck volunteered, ever the boss pleaser.

Once he left Rachel had to ask "How could they have been so clueless?" she imagined if anyone could answer that it would be Quinn

"We'll he's dead, so maybe they weren't" Quinn suggested. She then turned away to go back to the elevator and up to their office.

As Rachel followed her cell phone rang "Agent Berry" she said as she answered

"This is Jody Carvell. I'm standing outside of the Larson lane house. Are you aware that the police tape is still up?" she heard the agitated estate agent ramble down the phone.

"Yes it's an ongoing investigation" Rachel replied as she held the elevator door so it wouldn't close. Quinn waited surprisingly patiently inside while Rachel gave her an apologetic look. She didn't want to get left behind and she might lose signal if she got in the elevator. She placed the phone down by her leg as she told her boss "It's the real estate agent"

"Okay, for how much longer?" the estate agent asked, still very annoyed "It costs me money every day that I can't show this house"

"Yes but-" Rachel was going to try to explain but the estate agent wasn't having any of it

"This is outrageous, you can't help me"

"No I-" Rachel tried to interject but quickly failed

"I would like to speak to your supervisor, if I could"

Rachel's supervisor? "She wants to have a word with my supervisor" she looked to Quinn, lost at what they were going to do. Quinn offered her hand out, gesturing for Rachel to give her the phone.

Rachel handed it over, stepping into the elevator too so the doors could shut. Right now she didn't care if they lost signal. Luckily for her Quinn didn't seem to care either

She took the phone, hit the disconnect call button and snapped the flip phone shut before handing it back to Rachel. Rachel couldn't help but smile at Quinn at her slight immature behaviour and the way she smirked satisfied at what she'd done without a second thought.

...

Not long later Rachel found just herself with Quinn in the bullpen. She'd just finished up some paper work when she decided now might be an opportunity to talk to Quinn about something. At first she didn't think she was going to say anything but she hated seeing her children upset.

"Matt and Lisa asked about you last night" she went straight for the kill, using her children as a verbal sword and shield.

"Oh yeah? How are they?" Quinn said nonchalantly as her eyes scanned over one of her computer screens on her desk that came between Rachel and her.

"They miss you" her boss just scoffed and shook her head disbelievingly. Rachel was out of her seat and standing at the side of Quinn's desk that faced her own, looking down at the senior agent "No they really do, they liked the time you spent with them. I actually think they enjoyed spending time with you and Beth more than they do with me" Rachel sulked at that idea but Quinn just smirked at her, still disbelieving "They see Beth every day, and they saw you every day when we carpooled during my injury. Now they're lucky to get a hello"

"So you want me to say hello to them?" she looked up from her screen just to raise an eye brow at Rachel.

"What about meeting at the park tomorrow?" Rachel suggested "You were okay with the idea of going to the park on a Saturday the last time I asked, but things got in the way" things meaning her getting shot.

"It's going to rain tomorrow" Quinn turned her seat away from the screens and to the other side, the part that wasn't facing Rachel, to write down some notes.

"Okay then, why don't you and Beth come over?" she asked as she walked round so she was standing in front of Quinn again "I'll make us all lunch or something, the kids can play, they can see you" she suggested, dragging out the 'you' to emphasise it "You've been someone in their lives for 6 weeks, we've only been here just over two months... its been comforting for them"

Quinn leant back in her chair and sized the brunette up "You're really not going to give up are you?"

"Nope" she crossed her arms across her chest defensively

"And if I refuse?" she arched an eyebrow as she looked up at the probie

"Matt and Lisa will be very upset" her lip quivered as if she was about to pout, but her eyes were shiny and doing enough for her already. It just reminded Quinn of Matt and Lisa that was all.

She huffed a silent laugh "Blackmail is it?"

"Not the word I'd use but... yes" she nodded, arms still crossed and feet still firmly planted

"Okay... if we're not still on this case" she haggled

"Okay it's a date" the word made her tingle, she was about to correct herself when Lopez walked into the bullpen

"You got a date Berry? Who's the unlucky guy?" The Latina agent asked. When Rachel swiftly turned round and was about to start defending herself when Santana beat her to it "I was joking Berry, you know I love you really" she then realised how unprofessional that sounded and froze before she pulled her chair out.

"Excuse me" Rachel and Santana were frozen as Quinn slowly rose from her seat, over shadowing Rachel as she did.

"I, Ah, I had dinner at Berry's the other night" Santana chose to just go for the truth. There was nothing in the rules saying they couldn't be friends with each other "I asked her out for a drink a couple of weeks back but she couldn't because of the kids"

Santana was supposed to ask Brittany out, not Rachel. When the hell had this happened?

"So I invited Santana over, just so we could chat, get to know each other better" Rachel added. Not wanting Santana to have to be interrogated alone.

"Oh, I see" she said lightly "I'm going for a coffee" she took her coat off the back of her chair and slipped it on before heading out.

Santana and Rachel's gaze followed their boss cautiously. Once the elevator doors closed they looked back at one another

"What the heck was that about?" Rachel asked the Latina "I thought she'd be mad for us 'fraternising' outside of work, or something"

As Rachel went back to her seat Santana tried to process Quinn's reaction. There wasn't really much of a reaction to process... Quinn was surprised... and then left.

"Do you think she's jealous?" Rachel asked getting Santana's attention again "I've asked her to lunch tomorrow. But I never asked her round for dinner, I didn't think she'd want to. I mean I asked her if she wanted to stay before but she said no. She never said I couldn't invite people round for dinner" Rachel rambled

"Oh my god... you actually like her" Santana whispered harshly in surprise

"Well..." Rachel bit her lip, afraid to say anything else

Santana grabbed the chair that Rebecca had been sitting on earlier that was still by Pucks desk and wheeled it to Rachel's so she could sit in the gap between Quinn and Rachel's desk "I thought..." she kept her voice low "I thought you might have a little crush on her, and I guess a lot of people have had a crush on Quinn, she's mysterious and, well, hot" she shrugged dismissively as she said it "but... you actually like her like her"

"I don't know..." Rachel whined hesitantly "is it normal to have-" Rachel's eyes widened at what she was about to say. No Santana definitely didn't need to know about those dreams "Never mind"

"What?" She leant forward "If this is about feelings and mush I can handle it. I know we only had one friend dinner and we're not the best of friends yet, but you can talk to me"

"Really?"

"Yeah I'm not that bad... anyway I know what it's like to be somewhere knew and feel stranded, like you've got no one to talk to" she said genuinely

"What changed your tune?"

"I gots a date with Britt" the Latina agent smirked

"You did!" Rachel said excitedly before her expression dropped "How? What about rule 12?"

She just shrugged "Q said I could ignore it"

"But why would she say that... unless she wants to date someone" her eyes brightened at the idea

"Sorry to burst your bubble... but I dunno, I just don't think it's that... maybe she was just jealous that her team mates were spending time together behind her back" she shrugged again "I mean Puck would be upset that you hadn't invited him to dinner"

"But we had prearranged things" Rachel pointed out "I am glad you did come over for dinner"

"Me too... I had fun, and it was nice seeing Matt and Lisa again too" she smiled, she then changed her tone again "As for Q... you're really great Rach, and you like to share" she reminded her, seeing as Rachel had felt it was okay to tell her what she'd only ever told one other person "And any... person would be lucky to be with you... I just don't think that's Q, she's married to her work and she has a kid, and a dog. She's pretty committed to what she's got, and she only got a couple of those things recently. I don't think she's going to be taking more on any time soon"

"I know I was just getting hopeful" Rachel sighed

"You like her that much then?"

"Yeah... but maybe I'm just feeling like this because my kids like her and she spent those few weeks looking out for me" Quinn had made her feel important and she clinged to people when they did that

"Hell its more than she's done for most of us... she normally cares from afar" Santana analysed

"I guess its just the kids... she can't be tough on them, or to me in front of them maybe" Rachel just suggested trying to back track on all that she'd been thinking and feeling. She felt tangled though, no matter how much she tried to tell herself it was impossible she still couldn't help but like her boss like that... see even the reminder that she was her boss didn't deter her feelings

"And maybe the first time she saw you with the kids it threw her... because you have something in common with her" Santana shrugged "Sorry Berry, Q is just one of those insolvable puzzles. I've been here three years and I can't figure her out, Pucks been here as long as she has and he can't figure her out either. All we know is, she's the boss all the time"

"I've got her to come round for lunch though" Rachel's hopefulness shone through again

"You're just some anomaly Berry, some unaccountable factor in the anatomical mess that is Special agent Lucy Quinn Fabray... who knows" she smirked

"Is that a turn on for scientists" Rachel raised an eyebrow

"What?"Santana furrowed her brow

"The 'geek speak' as Noah calls it" Rachel said dismissively "Does it work on Brittany?"

"I-I wouldn't know" She hated herself for stuttering

Now it was Rachel's turn to smirk "You might know soon though"

Let me know what you think...

Sorry again for the time, got caught up in another fic :/