Apologies for - the delay, any errors and the standard of this offering. Thanks to those still reading and for the encouragement :)

Quinn awoke the next morning feeling groggy and disorientated. The gods had been using her eyes for marbles in a sandpit while she slept judging by how gritty and sore they felt. Gradually the events of the previous evening seeped back into her memory. She had to suppress a groan that rather than awaking triumphantly in Rachel's bed after confessing her long suppressed desire, she was in fact in Kurt's room trying to fight back feelings of despair tightly wrapped in a veneer of outrage. She had missed her opportunity to make Rachel hers - again. She should have said something when they had that moment up the Empire State building, or when she'd been in the wheelchair and Rachel had been so solicitous of her welfare to the exclusion of everyone and everything else including her so called fiancé. But no, she'd delayed and procrastinated thinking she had all the time in the world to conquer her fear of rejection and reassured by the misapprehension that Rachel would just wait for her. That Rachel felt the same way too. Quinn sighed, they were meant to be, Rachel was meant to wait. Someone hadn't given Rachel the script so instead Quinn had lain in bed last night listening to Rachel having a murmured conversation interspersed with muffled laughter in her bed on the other side of the apartment. It didn't take a genius to work out whom Rachel would be flirting on the phone with so late at night. Quinn's heart had ached in her chest.

An opportunistic, decidedly unworthy, Ms July had stepped in to her world to crush all her hopes and proving only too willing to capitalise on Rachel's near desperate need to feel loved. Quinn felt the tears form again in her eyes; she'd spent much of the night weeping silently for herself and for what should have been. It was all just so incredibly unfair, some kind of massive cosmic joke at her expense. After surviving teen motherhood, homelessness, parental separation and total rejection by her father because of her lifestyle choices she eventually gets herself to a place where she's finally ready to confess to a long harboured love for Rachel only to find Rachel has moved on, blinded in her naivety by the attentions of an exploitative seedy nobody who had once briefly experienced the fame Rachel craved. Un fucking believable. Quinn should have slapped Ms July when she'd had her cornered in the bathroom. She'd at least feel a little better now - or maybe not, Ms July was the kind of bitch who probably would have slapped her back.

As if Ms July really cared about Rachel anyway - Quinn's snort of derision sounded disproportionately loud in the silent room. That miserable excuse for a teacher was interested in one thing only and it didn't look like Rachel was going to be putting up much of a fight. Quinn wiped away her tears angrily and tried to calm herself. Regrets about not making a move sooner were a waste of energy. Inevitably Ms July wouldn't be around for long once she'd ... Quinn tried to stop that train of thought at the idea of anyone other than her touching Rachel was just too painful. The mere idea of that woman's thin snide lips or wrinkled meddling fingers caressing Rachel was just nausea inducing. More hot tears fell as her imagination conjured up images to torture her with of a rough arrogant Ms July dominating a pliant meek Rachel. She needed to stop thinking like this.

Quinn had two choices - she could either try and stop Rachel from becoming any further involved with Ms July (that "not yet anyway" gave her hope that nothing had happened beyond wistful longing glances on Rachel's part and smug teasing on the old has-been's side) or she just needed to wait the little time it would take for Rachel to be brutally cast aside. Ms July would have no qualms moving on once Rachel's amusement as a plaything faded and the fresh blood of the next unsuspecting victim moved into view. Quinn rolled onto her back to gaze at the ceiling. The problem with the first choice was that Rachel was in that infatuated stage where adversity would play into her rose tinted, romance-sodden view of the world. Any suggestion that her and Ms July were a mismatched unsuited pair would have Rachel imagining herself in a real life version of West Side Story. All that Berry determination and stubbornness would be fixated on proving the entire world wrong - she'd seen it before, with Rachel and Finn as well as Rachel and Jesse. The doomed pairing would last longer than necessary as Rachel insisted on applying CPR to an already long dead relationship; her desperate need to rescue it ironically being the final nail in the coffin of its survival.

Alternatively she just waited patiently like the concerned loyal friend that she was, making absolutely no damning judgments about the creepy cradle snatcher that Ms July was and wait for the whole arrangement to fall apart - like it undoubtedly would. Once Ms July had smarmed her way into Rachel's pants - or should she say leotard? - then Rachel would find herself ungraciously dumped and abandoned. She (Quinn) would selflessly step in to nurse Rachel through the heartache, murmur reassuring words about how she deserved better and gently lead her into seeing what had been obvious all the time - that Rachel and her were meant to be.

The hard part would be the waiting. Or maybe listening to Rachel gush enthusiastically about finally finding the right person. In fact far worse would be watching smirkface run her hands over Rachel while Quinn needed to pretend to be happy for Rachel. Or maybe the hardest part would be watching Rachel fall apart as she was disappointed in love yet again. This was obviously the better strategy - to wait out the inevitable crash and burn of Rachel imagining herself to have found the love of her life with someone that anyone else with half a brain could tell was unsuitable. Rather than preparing her tear soaked heart- breaking rendition of 'It should have been me', she just needed a little more patience. What would a few more weeks be compared to the years it had taken her to reach this point?

Quinn's resolution to wait lasted longer than her first glimpse of a radiant Rachel wrapped in a cuddly dressing gown humming her way around the kitchen making coffee. Her adorably mussed hair suggested she'd only recently risen and her contented sigh after her first sip of coffee was just too damned cute. Quinn could feel the tug on her heartstrings and stepped silently back into the shadows to compose herself again as Rachel hummed her way to the sofa. Soon Rachel had her knees curled under her, coffee in one hand and phone in the other as she checked her phone for messages. Quinn's appearance was delayed by the sudden beaming smile that lit up Rachel's face as a squeal of pleasure escaped and she hugged her phone momentarily. On the one hand it was endearing to know Rachel behaved in the same slightly dramatic way regardless of whether she had an audience or not - on the other, it was hard not to conclude the text was from Ms July and her seduction plans were obviously well under way.

Rachel was mid text response which required both hands and her tongue peaking out of her lips in concentration when Quinn chose to announce her presence with a quiet 'morning'. Rachel's guilty start and the sudden flare of embarrassment across her cheeks gave Quinn a momentary flash of satisfaction. Rachel's stuttered greeting and then hasty 'nothing important' in reply to her query only served to confirm her suspicions of who the texter was. Rachel was quickly up to make Quinn a coffee even as she finished off her apparently unimportant text. The buzz of a texted reply, Rachel's coy smile as she read it followed by the tell-tale brush of hair behind her ear as she turned away from Quinn were enough for Quinn's earlier decision to just let events take their course to be overturned. Beautiful naive Rachel needed saving from her own too trusting nature and her pathological need for validation through being in a relationship. Quinn just needed the right conversational opening - the potentially tricky conversation about Ms July would need to flow in a seemingly unplanned manner.

"Sleep well?" asked Rachel as she passed a mug of coffee to Quinn. They sat at the dining table.

The first opportunity to broach the subject was too soon and Quinn couldn't find an elegant way to link not being able to sleep to doubts about Ms July's integrity so she managed a " fine thanks and you?" even as her smile failed to make it to her eyes.

Rachel recognised the untruth in Quinn's words even as she joined in with "like a baby." So Quinn had had trouble sleeping, no doubt she'd lain awake worrying about her fall out with Kurt while Rachel had been having a late night conversation with Cassie and then pondering how soon 'soon' could realistically be. Maybe her lack of concern about Kurt made her a bad person.

There was an amicable silence as they sipped on their coffees and Quinn sneaked glances over the edge of her mug at Rachel. She was torn between wanting to engulf Rachel in a tight hug against her as she confessed everything and shaking Rachel by the shoulders whilst screaming ' what the fuck do you think you're doing?'

"Okay Quinn," Rachel said putting her mug down gently on the table," Out with it, why are you looking at me like that?"

Quinn's shocked expression would have been comical if Rachel didn't think she was about to receive a lecture on her selfishness. Quinn had never been good at being upfront about anything and her spluttering now suggested she still struggled with direct questioning.

Quinn's floundering was thankfully interrupted by the buzz of yet another text on Rachel's phone. 'Saved, or at least reprieved, by the buzz' thought Quinn.

Rachel read the message and gave Quinn a wry smile. "It's just a text from Kurt," she paused to see if Quinn wished to venture a damning opinion of her," to remind me that he's so disappointed in my 'selfish betrayal' of him after all he's done for me that he isn't talking to me."

There was a moment's pause as they looked at each other assessing the seriousness of the communication before they bursting into shared laughter. Kurt's idea that texting didn't count as talking allowed him the perfect opportunity to ensure no one was in any doubt as to how he felt. Quinn's phone buzzed in the distance.

"And there's my personal copy of the same text no doubt," added Quinn, garnering a sympathetic smile from Rachel.

Rachel's hand on Quinn's arm as she leaned forward and asked in a caring soothing tone exactly what had happened with Kurt made Quinn feel like a bit of a heel. Unlike anyone else Quinn knew, there was no accusatory tone, no demand to know exactly what Kurt was accusing her of and no pre-emptive judgement that Quinn must in some way be in the wrong. Rachel was projecting concern for Quinn with a sincerity that only emphasised all the big-heartedness Quinn would be missing out on. As big brown eyes brimming with empathy met Quinn's she gave a highly Disneyfied version of her conversation with Kurt. In essence she had expressed disappointment in him not listening to or believing what Rachel had told him and Kurt had been offended. Rachel translated the Quinn-speak into meaning Quinn had torn a strip off him for daring to have the audacity to suggest Quinn could have a romantic interest in her. So she didn't press for further details and instead wondered aloud if her 'selfish betrayal' was anything more than failing to correct Kurt's misconceptions more forcefully.

"Who knows how or even if Kurt's brain works," offered Quinn. Time to move the conversation on before the accusation of Kurt not being able to see what was right in front of him played on her mind - she'd so nearly dropped Rachel right in it, "In case I didn't mention it, your song performance yesterday was just..well.. Incredible," She started, only to be alarmed at finding tears had sprung to her eyes. Tired and a touch emotional was never a good combination on her. Quinn sought refuge in coffee.

"Oh, er, thanks Quinn," replied Rachel. Her performance must have been quite amazing to move Quinn to tears - maybe Cassie hadn't been exaggerating the effect of Rachel's singing during last night's rather steamy conversation.

"To be fair I was expecting a bit of Babs," prompted Quinn. Maybe song choice would lead into conversation about Ms July.

Rachel mock pouted.

" There's more to me than just Barbra songs," She protested even though a Barbra number had been her first immediate thought when Cassie coerced her into performing. She'd then considered the audience beyond just Cassie and finally settled on a song that most people in the room would be familiar with - whether from Bob Dylan or The Civil Wars - which carried a suitable message to Cassie," So I've moved on from my usual Barbra, Broadway or Britney but stayed in the B's with Bob."

Quinn's smile was still a bit watery so Rachel didn't expand any further on her search for a song. She'd spent time carefully considering songs by flicking through her playlists and laughing at her more outlandish ideas - somehow the choice of the old dance number 'Horny' although accurate, didn't have the required gravitas or subtlety for the occasion. Besides amusement at the imagined shock of her peers there was that delicious thrill of uncertainty over precisely how Cassie would have responded; no doubt by twerking incredibly close to Rachel to raise her temperature yet further.

"You looked stunning by the way," Quinn's remark cut through Rachel's distracted thoughts, "I have a hunch Kurt might have helped choose your rather eye-catching outfit?" Quinn's tone was playful.

"Oh did he mention that?" Rachel's over acted wide-eyed with wonder look had the pain in Quinn's chest intensifying.

"Only the once," downplayed Quinn before adding," continually, throughout your entire performance."

They shared a smile of amusement at Kurt being so typically Kurt. Somethings just never changed.

Rachel ran her finger round the rim of her coffee cup as she tried to think of a way of asking Quinn in more detail about her run-in with Kurt without causing Quinn to retreat into herself as she had the previous evening. Closed down emotionless mute Quinn when her feelings threatened to overwhelm her was also something that definitely hadn't changed. Rachel just didn't understand what was the cause and so tiptoeing through a minefield of potential triggers seemed a daunting task.

Quinn watched Rachel's circling finger and decided to head off whatever query Rachel was building up to.

"Ms July seemed to appreciate your efforts," volunteered Quinn with as neutral a tone as she could muster. At least her chosen topic of conversation was now out there.

Rachel's dopey grin at the voicing of that woman's name meant the distraction from Kurt that Quinn sought was easily achieved. Now Quinn need to find a way to gently challenge Rachel's highly favourable view of Ms July.

Rachel's hand moved from the coffee cup rim to gentle caress the leaf of one of the flowers from a tasteful display on the table as she "hmmmm"ed in agreement with Quinn's remark. Cassie had yet to appreciate Rachel's efforts in the manner she desired - 'soon' was a cruel teasing word.

"I've heard she's quite a tough taskmaster so praise from her must have a disproportionately pleasing effect," pronounced Quinn trying not to wince at her clumsy manipulation of the conversation. Rachel cast Quinn a puzzled glance.

"Well I don't think she sugar-coats anything so any praise is hard won," mused Rachel, uncertain of Quinn's point. She smothered a smile as she remembered exactly what praise she had earned from Cassie and not for her dancing. Maybe she should use the opportunity to find out more about that bathroom conversation.

"What impression did you form of Cassie during your chat?" asked name rolled far too easily off of Rachel's tongue for Quinn's liking, "The opinion of a neutral party, unsullied by NYADA gossip, would be refreshing. Oh and where do you think you met her before. In fact what exactly were the pair of you talking about – you both looked so ….serious when I arrived."

Rachel bit her lip to stop all the other questions bursting out of her. She just wanted someone to be able to see what she could. The second opportunity for Quinn to pursue her agenda arose and was in danger of sliding past. Quinn's mumbled explanation of possibly mistaking Ms July for someone else and then fumbling around for an account of what they'd been discussing in the bathroom (beyond her mentioning something about Ms July being a bit unkind to Rachel) was merely to allow her to build up to sharing her real feelings.

Rachel leant forward a little too eagerly for Quinn's liking as she sought clarification on who exactly had said what but Quinn kept her recollections suitably vague. Rachel's instant defence of her teacher and her ludicrous suggestion that giving students a tough time in some way hurt Cassie more than it hurt them stirred Quinn to further action.

"Well you'd think with all her years of experience she'd have found a more effective way of preparing her students for the future other than ridicule," stated Quinn as Rachel yet again attempted to defend the indefensible.

"Look at how many ex-students turned up yesterday. Testament to getting something right when preparing them for the harsh realities of the entertainment business," responded Rachel trying to keep her tone light.

"I'm sure she's passed on all the benefits of her experience - I mean how long did she last on Broadway a couple of weeks?" Quinn retorted unable to control her annoyance that Rachel was defending Ms July.

Rachel took a calming breath. "The length is irrelevant, she wants to stop us making the same errors."

Quinn laughed humourlessly, "Oh Right. She's all about noble self sacrifice rather than cynical.."

She was cut off by Rachel's plaintive,"You don't know what she's really like!"

"And you do?" asked Quinn leaning back in her chair with her arms folded. Rachel was flushed and biting her lip as if struggling to keep words back.

"All I know Rachel is that she made your life so miserable were on the verge of going home.." started Quinn before explaining in response to Rachel's angry glare," Kurt told me. And she.."

"Kurt?" Rachel's voice was dangerously low," Gossip guru Kurt who has a tendency to exaggerate absolutely everything," She drew in a noisy breath before adding in a sarcastic tone," No doubt he was the one who saved me from giving up on all my hopes and dreams."

An awkward silence followed as Rachel glared angrily at Quinn. Kurt's version of events was eerily similar to what Rachel had surmised.

"No-one's saying Ms July hasn't proved an inspirational dance teacher to you - we all know you thrive on adversity..." Quinn's conciliatory smile was weak at best.

"But?" prompted Rachel arms folded across her chest and eyes flashing dangerously.

"But it doesn't make her NYADA's equivalent of Mother Teresa," managed Quinn as she backed away from the confrontation that she had been hurtling towards moments before. There was leading a horse to water and then there was forcibly holding its head underwater. Subtlety was needed.

Whatever Rachel had expected her to say it wasn't that. She laughed at the sudden incongruous image in her mind of Cassie in a nun's habit trying to be humble.

"You're right. Cassie's no saint," grinned Rachel," yet I doubt she's had time to do half the things that the NYADA rumour mill would have you believe."

Quinn seized the moment.

"Hmm true, she'd hardly be so unprofessional as to sleep with her students," mused Quinn noting the instant blush of embarrassment across Rachel's face followed by a mere hint of a pained expression. At least Rachel couldn't claim ignorance about Ms July's reputation as some kind of mitigating factor in the poor choices she was teetering on the edge of making.

Rachel's eyes narrowed as she gazed at Quinn with momentary suspicion before dismissing her paranoia.

"And I doubt she really supplemented her NYADA income with all those alleged part time jobs ranging from pole dancer to high class escort - never mind having the time to bed the entire cast of Les Mis ... twice," challenged Rachel before softening her tone,"But then I don't need to tell you about the damage idle gossip does to a reputation eh?"

Quinn ignored the refernce to her reputation being decimated on the tongues of high school gossips while Pucks rose exponentially despite being guilty of the 'same crime'.

"Yes but there's no smoke without fire," suggested Quinn, ignoring the nagging voice in her head reminding her she sounded omniously like her father.

"Do you know how many cast members there are in Les Mis?" Rachel's voice rose in outraged disbelief.

"No, I mean, I merely meant that the exaggerated rumours might be based on an under lying truth that Ms July is sexually promiscuous," Quinn rushed through her sentence aware of Rachel positively glowering at her,"as is her right." She added as a weak sop to her feminist conscience.

Rachel struggled to control her temper. Maybe devil's advocate was the chosen conversational style at Yale but she really wasn't appreciating it here in her own home.

"You know Quinn it really sounds like you've taken against Cassie based on nothing other than innuendo and gossip," Rachel's eyes scrutinised Quinn for some clue to her thoughts,"unless something came up in conversation that you haven't yet mentioned?"

"Um no, nothing really, I just," Quinn fumbled around but couldn't bring herself to voice her suspicions about Ms July's motivations. She sighed before deciding to take a different approach,"So what's your opinion about Ms July?"

Rachel weighed up whether Quinn was really interested in her thoughts or just looking to further the argument.

"I think she's harshly judged, much maligned but despite that a gifted teacher...," Rachel caught the hint of a Fabray eye roll so cut her explanation short.

"You're too forgiving and see good in everyone," criticised Quinn.

"And you're one of the many people who has benefitted from that,"replied Rachel. She reached out and placed a hand over Quinn's," Everyone deserves a chance without being dragged down by previous mistakes or others misinformed opinions."

"People will disappoint you Rachel," said Quinn softly,"or even hurt you."

"They have already and that's to be expected,"Rachel laughed gently," All part of life's rich tapestry of learning experiences. Let's agree to disagree because I'm starving - what would you like for breakfast?"

With that Rachel released Quinn's hand and was soon quickly delving in the fridge for food options.

The morning went downhill from there fast. The atmosphere grew tense and yet more awkward between them as they both used vastly contrasting methods to ignore the pogo-ing elephant in the room. Rachel moved to unfailingly-cheerful-and-oblivious-to-any-subtlety mode that had been a familiar feature of her high school years. She easily batted away Quinn's attempts to discuss anything remotely connected to Ms July and countered by pressing Quinn for more details about her conversation with Kurt. So while Quinn retreated into her tried and tested, uncommunicative-and-closed-off-emotionally mode - frustrated and slightly angry that Rachel couldn't see what everyone else could - Rachel became garrulous and frighteningly enthusiastic about the single word responses she managed to wheedle out of Quinn.

Quinn cracked first. Rachel's upbeat telephone conversation with her dads where she downplayed her singing performance from the previous evening, claimed to be focussed on her career in response to a question that had to be about her lovelife and asserted more times than Quinn cared to count that there was no-one 'in the wings or on the horizon' that she was remotely interested in - was just too much for Quinn to swallow. When had Rachel learnt to lie? Rachel might be able to fool her dads but her body language and facial expressions were at odds with her words. Quinn needed to get away so she began gathering her belongings as Rachel trilled happily on the phone in the background.

Rachel wasn't sure quite where things started to go wrong - one minute they were laughing about Kurt and the next Quinn was hurrying out of the apartment with almost indecent haste, suddenly eager to 'return to New Haven as soon as possible as she had copious amounts of assignments to complete before the fast approaching Spring Break'. It was the longest sentence Rachel could extract from Quinn as she rapidly retreated into herself. Surely it couldn't be about her criticising Quinn for being too quick to judge people? Quinn's indifferent shrug when Rachel suggested accompanying her to the station would have deterred anyone with less steely determination than her. Shutdown Quinn indicated strong feelings she didn't want to deal with so Rachel was determined to give her every opportunity to share. She decided Quinn must have been feeling guilty about her run in with Kurt or unduly hurt by her earlier criticism. It had to be about Kurt. So she countered Quinn's stoney silence for the entirety of the journey with her experiences on how quick Kurt was to take offence as well as to forgive. Quinn shouldn't worry about having hurt Kurt because a new drama would soon take centre stage in his life. Quinn had raised an eyebrow until Rachel clarified that rather than having any psychic insight she could be sure 'because one always does'.

Rachel knew her words had an impact from the fierce prolonged hug Quinn gave her just before she headed off for her train. It was the only sign of the turmoil beneath the icy Fabray facade. It encouraged Rachel to make a point of looking Quinn directly in the eye and using her horse-whisperer voice to ask if she was sure there wasn't anything she wanted to tell or ask her. The Fabray stiff upper lip had wobbled for a fraction of a split second before HBIC Quinn - so reminiscent of high school - had slid back into place. She had matched Rachel's synpathetic gaze with a cold emotionless stare and asked in a far more accusatory tone whether Rachel was sure there wasn't anything she wanted to share or say. Rachel couldn't bring herself to apologise when she didn't feel she'd done anything wrong - even with Quinn so angry with her.

Quinn's "I thought not" cut Rachel deeply. She watched Quinn walk a few steps away before her trembling voice called after her.

Against her better judgment Quinn turned to see a young vulnerable looking Rachel gazing at her with tear filled eyes and trembling lip. She felt a fierce pang of guilt.

"Quinn," Rachel fought to force the words out even as her voice dropped to a whisper,"We are still friends aren't we?"

"Don't be silly Rachel, of course we are," reassured Quinn resisting the urge to hug Rachel again and concentrating instead on her own smile.

Rachel's smile in return was weak and she hastily wiped her eyes even as she muttered an embarrassed "Sorry."

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime looking at each other but neither speaking, Quinn resolutely walked away ignoring the feeling that Rachel was staring at her and probably crying silently. Quinn didn't have the energy to stay. She managed to hold her own tears back until the train pulled out of the station. She'd be back to build bridges when she was more emotionally robust or to pick up the pieces of the devastation Ms July was certain to wreak.

Cassie and Paul enjoyed a far more leisurely start to the day before finally venturing out for brunch. It was Paul's treat for his recently unemployed but hopefully not unemployable sister. From there they had ambled from swish art gallery to art gallery while Paul looked for a classy but inexpensive piece for his office. They were still bickering about style and possibly colour of what would make a suitable choice – his 'I'll know when I see it' was distinctly unhelpful - when Cassie's phone rang. Paul could have guessed who it was just from Cassie's warm tone but her excited breathy "Rachel" confirmed his suspicions. The disapproving looks of the gallery staff did little to deter Cassie from taking the call. It was amusing to watch how Cassie's tough outer shell melted so quickly and to see the smile that danced around her lips just from hearing that voice as she made her way to the exit.

"So how's NYADA's most talented freshman doing this morning?' asked Cassie as she emerged into the sunlight on the street.

"No idea because he still isn't talking to me and is awaiting my apology before he returns to the apartment," grumped Rachel. The sting of the memory of Midnight madness always came back in her low moments.

"Sounds like a good reason never to apologise," grinned Cassie before adding," Besides, I was referring to you not your incredibly self orientated flatmate."

"Well it's hard to apologise when you don't know what you've done," added Rachel, "and Quinn was no help."

"So ask her again what she said to him but this time don't let her off the hook," suggested Cassie, hoping she didn't sound too bossy.

"I will next time I speak to her but she's on the way back to New Haven at the moment," said Rachel. She had to concentrate to keep the wobble out of her voice. It had been hard enough to summon up the courage to actually ring Cassie's number. She'd tried to keep busy in the quiet apartment but everything seemed set to remind her about Cassie, from the songs on the i-pod, to the flowers on the table, to the washing from last night in her room. Once Cassie had answered the phone, all Rachel's doubts about being pathetically needy set in with a vengeance - she should never have called. Just because her flatmate wasn't talking to her and her best friend (were they even friends) wasn't really talking to her either it still didn't make it right for her to interrupt Cassie's quality time with her brother.

"Oh," replied Cassie trying to keep her tone neutral as she cheered internally that Quinn was out of the way.

"She needs to catch up on some college work," added Rachel in the silence that followed.

Cassie was both pleased and surprised that Quinn hadn't stayed around to cause trouble. Maybe she'd misjudged the woman- who in their right mind would choose college work over a weekend in New York with Rachel?

"So what are you and your brother up to?' asked Rachel brightly – the total opposite of what she felt.

"Well we're busy scouring high class art galleries for a not too modern, not too traditional, not too large not too small, neither too cheap nor too expensive masterpiece to grace Paul's office wall," responded Cassie before dropping her voice, "I could have painted him something in the time this has taken."

"I didn't know you could paint," said Rachel softly. Cassie just had this power to surprise her.

"I don't, but I think I could have learned in the time this has taken," grumped Cassie, pleased to hear Rachel's surprised bark of laughter down the phone," What about you, what are your plans?"

"I um I'm just looking forward to some sorely needed alone time," replied Rachel. She shouldn't feel snubbed just because Cassie hadn't invited her to join them. She wiped away an errant tear," I intend to fully pamper myself."

"Sounds great," replied Cassie but any further conversation was interrupted by Rachel's abrupt, "Anyway must go, I'm about to get on the subway. Bye"

"Okay let's…" Cassie stopped as she realised her call had been cut off. How odd.

"So how fares loves young dream?" asked Paul as he finally caught up with Cassie.

Her smile had faded and a thoughtful look replaced it.

"Rachel okay?" Paul tried to ask casually as he watched Cassie slide her phone into her pocket.

"She says she is," muttered Cassie and then didn't add anything extra.

"But?" he prompted.

"It's nothing,"replied Cassie quickly because really it wasn't about anything that had been said. Kurt was still annoyed with Rachel - no surprises there from the resident drama queen- Quinn had had to head off to do college work and, after she'd told Rachel that Paul and her were art hunting, Rachel had paused only for a moment when asked her plans and then said brightly that she was looking forward to some alone time to pamper herself. So it was more about what hadn't been said and just an unsettled feeling she had.

"Rachel's part of the texting generation," said Cassie slowly,"I don't think she's ever phoned me before.." She trawled through her memories; no it was always her who rang Rachel, never vice-versa. Then there was that oh-so-telling pause before that overly cheerful enthusiasm for 'alone time' - surely 'me time' was the correct phrase? Maybe she was being over sensitive but….Cassie rang Rachel's phone only to go directly to voicemail. She didn't leave a message and decided to push her misgivings aside. She could always call later.

"Okay one last gallery and then we need to cut our losses," Cassie told Paul," after that it's home to change and my turn to treat you to dinner."

Rachel had switched her phone off after the sound of Cassie's voice only momentarily gave her the lift she needed. She knew realistically she was probably experiencing a delayed post-performance downer emphasised by her now stilted friendships with Kurt and Quinn and her frustration at not being able to monopolise Cassie's time. But understanding where her feelings were coming from didn't make them go away or any easier to deal with. The apartment was spotless from the thorough cleaning she'd tried to distract herself with; there were piles of freshly baked cookies cooling on the side and still hours of the day to kill. She dismissed the idea of a long hot shower, decided against indulging her self-pity with her usual polka dot leggings and large sweater, and began looking through the DVDs for a suitably distracting movie. Nothing was holding her attention. One complicated home made fruit smoothie and time spent flicking critically through the music video channels later and she was almost relieved about the knocking on the door. Maybe it was worth enduring an evening of Kurt's self-important lecturing about her faults just to distract her from her loneliness. At least she could scold him about never remembering his keys.

Cassie's heart was threatening to beat its way out of her chest as she nervously waited to see if she'd made a massive misjudgement and Kurt would open the door. Her nervousness was only slightly lessened as Rachel's "You have keys for a reason Kurt, I could have been in the shower" preceded the opening of the door.

"Well I for one wish you were," drawled Cassie," and then you'd be answering the door clad only in a towel."

Cassie presented Rachel with the bunch of sunflowers - her rather weak excuse for visiting if Kurt had opened the door - and enjoyed watching Rachel's wide-eyed surprise changing into barely contained delight.

"Cassie," breathed Rachel in a tone that quickened Cassie's already speedy pulse,"Where's Paul?"

Rachel had stepped back to let Cassie into the apartment so Cassie took a step forward so they were barely touching but incredibly close. She tossed the sunflowers on to the table behind Rachel. Energy thrummed in the tiny space between them.

"He's downstairs waiting in a cab," purred Cassie, fighting the urge to touch Rachel so she could enjoy the delicious torture of anticipation, "Kurt?"

Rachel moistened her suddenly dry lips, "Still out," she managed to croak. She was determined not to make the first move and hence be seen as weak but her resolve was fast evaporating as a desperate want washed over her.

Cassie bent her head closer so their foreheads touched. Her warm breath ghosted over Rachel's lips as she murmured," We agreed to wait."

Had they? Things had changed. Weren't they now on soon?

"Hmm wait," croaked Rachel even as her eyes flickered shut and her lips accidentally brushed Cassie's with the lightest of touches and a jolt of intense desire shot through her.

"I don't think," moaned Cassie as she pressed a gentle kiss on Rachel's lips,"I can." The next kiss was slightly firmer.

"Then don't," groaned Rachel before she became too distracted by the sensations Cassie was causing with her tongue to form words. She was light headed, weak kneed and in danger of sliding to the floor in a pool of desire.

Rachel's hands reached up into Cassie's hair to press her face more firmly into Rachel's even as Cassie's arms slid round Rachel's waist to press their bodies closer together. Rachel's last coherent thought was about not shutting the apartment door. Then her brain was overwhelmed with processing the sensations caused by Cassie's teasing lips and tongue. The kisses deepened as the temperature between them rose steadily. One moment their tongues were duelling for dominance and the next they were exchanging softer kisses with gentle lip tugging. Rachel was a little overheated yet a desperate moan from Cassie took her to another level of arousal. Hot. Wet. More.

Cassie was in a sensory haze. Rachel's talented lips. Rachel's flexible strong tongue. That incredibly hot mouth. Cassie pulled Rachel's hips tighter against her. She couldn't resist squeezing the firm buttocks under her hands and Rachel's reflexive gasp into her mouth made Cassie even more turned on. Her need to touch Rachel's skin was alleviated by sliding her hand inside Rachel's shirt and up her smooth warm back. When Rachel's hand lightly brushed the side of Cassie's breast on its journey to her waist she couldn't stop the wanton moan that escaped from her. She was so close. Just from kissing. Cassie was moments away from shamelessly rubbing herself against Rachel in a desperate search for release when a ringtone of Lady Gaga's 'telephone' sliced through the heavy breathing and moans. The lust haze faded. Rachel pressed her flaming face into Cassie's neck as Cassie fumbled for her phone.

"Paul," she muttered, too breathless to manage a full sentence. She gently stroked Rachel's hair with a soothing motion.

"I think I've practically bought the cab now judging by the meter – are we going soon or should I.." Paul's voice was loud in the space. She could hear his amusement and imagined the knowing smirk on his face.

"We're on our way," replied Cassie, willing her heart rate to slow," see you in five." She cut off the call.

"Rachel," she coaxed as Rachel snuggled into her, "I came to ask if you wanted to come out for dinner with us before we..er.. became side tracked."

"I need a cold shower you'd better go without me," replied Rachel in a small voice. She'd just..She'd almost...Anyone could have seen her.

Cassie eased Rachel away from her – the mussed hair, dark eyes and kiss swollen lips left no doubt as to what they'd just been doing. Cassie doubted she looked much different.

"Rachel you look stunning," she placed a gentle kiss on Rachel's nose and tried a little used pleading look," Please?"

Rachel caved quickly in the face of this little seen side of Cassie. It turned out to be a sensible choice as Cassie's next plan had been to insist on takeout with Paul in Rachel's apartment. Instead they scrambled to make themselves more presentable - delayed only be the necessity of touching each other- and as a last minute thought, Rachel took a bag of cookies with her.

Paul's knowing grin was enough to cause Rachel to blush before she was even in the cab. She passed him the cookies avoiding his eye as she took her seat. He ignored Cassie's warning glare.

"So I've been stuck in this cab watching my hard earned money drain away while you've both been upstairs," he swapped to his best Barry White voice," busy making sweet magical," he paused as Rachel blushed an even brighter shade of red and Cassie actually growled at him, "cookies."

"Paul can't help being a bit of an ass sometimes," explained an unamused Cassie as her thumb traced circles on the back of Rachel's hand," but he'll turn into the perfect gentlemen or I'll start on the Missy McFaddon tales.."

Paul's laughter halted abruptly even as his face suddenly flamed red. Cassie wouldn't would she? It was a long time ago and he'd been young, infatuated and foolish.

"You wouldn't?" he gasped.

"Try me," Cassie replied and her solicitous gaze at Rachel changed as she switched to glare at him.

Oh yes, yes she would.