Dizziness May Occur

"Have you decided yet?" Quinn asked, plucking a grape from the basket. Having a picnic in a rooftop greenhouse in late March? It was one the most unique lunch location they'd shared that week. She wondered where Rachel had learned about it.

"Decided?" Rachel asked.

"Are you coming with me tonight?" Quinn asked.

"I don't want to intrude on your Beth time," Rachel said.

"You wouldn't be," Quinn said. "She'd love to see you."

"You stay at their house," Rachel said. "It would be awkward."

"It doesn't make any sense not to," Quinn said. "I could stay at the local inn, now. I can afford it. But I know Shelby wants to see you."

"It's been ten years," Rachel said. "It's too late."

"It's never too late," Quinn said, biting down on an apple.

"How often do you call your mother?" Rachel asked. "How long did it take to forgive her?"

"What does that have to do with seeing your mother?" Quinn asked, dodging the question.

"What That Woman did to me? It was a serious kick in the ego and put me in therapy," Rachel said. "But I still had loving parents to go home to. You were homeless."

Kurt eagerly sipped his mango soy smoothie and waited for Rachel to join him. He couldn't quite pinpoint it but he would figure it out. There was something more going on with Rachel's reluctance to go to Connecticut for a weekend with her mother. He would bet his prized classic Armani suit on it.

"What are you thinking about?" Rachel asked, sliding into their booth.

"Me?" Kurt asked innocently.

"You have that look," she said.

"What look?"

"The one that means you're scheming," she said, sipping her soy latte.

"Scheming? Moi?" Kurt said. "When have I ever schemed?"

"I haven't forgotten high school," Rachel said. "You turned scheming into an art form."

"I am good," Kurt said, smirking.

"Well, some people still haven't realized what you were doing," she said.

Kurt shrugged dismissively. Rachel and Mercedes had known. No one else's opinion mattered, not even her roommate's. And Finn? His dense stepbrother had never noticed his interference.

"You need to be nicer to Quinn," Rachel said.

"I'm always nice to Ms. Fabray," he said.

"Sometimes you push her too hard," Rachel said.

"Why so defensive? She's just your roommate," he said, watching her intently for any of her classic tells.

Quinn observed her roommate through the glass lobby doors for a minute, to the side of traffic moving through the building metal detector. She hadn't seen her acting this excited sober since high school.

"She yours?" Hank, the security guard asked, when it looked like she was just going to watch Rachel dance around outside.

"My roommate," Quinn said, nodding.

"If she isn't coming in, you'll need to go out there," he said. "Someone is going to think she's casing the joint."

"Casing the joint?" Quinn squeaked. He just winked at her and pointed to the door. "I'm going! I'm going." Adjusting her purse, she strode through the door.

"Quinn!" Rachel said excitedly, practically pouncing on her. "Come on," she said grabbing Quinn's hand.

"You're in a good mood," Quinn said, letting Rachel pull her down the street. "What's up?"

"I can't just be happy to see you?" she said, directing them into a small hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant.

"Yes," Quinn said, joining Rachel in a booth. "You can be happy, but you're being Extra-Berry right now."

"Extra-Berry?" Rachel frowned at her, her head tilted slightly.

"Well?" Quinn prodded.

"I got the part!" Rachel said, excitedly.

"Want to talk about it?" Quinn asked half an hour later, when Rachel had stopped crying.

"It was me. And Finn. In high school. We were getting married," Rachel said. "You kept telling me not to."

"Go me!" Quinn said, smirking.

"Something bad happened. I convinced Finn to get married right after Regionals," Rachel said shakily. "But you had an accident on the way to the wedding, and you were in a coma. So I called off it off."

"It didn't happen," Quinn said, hugging her. "No almost wedding, no coma. Just a nightmare."

"But you did have an accident after Regionals, senior year," Rachel insisted.

"Black ice. It was only a scratch," Quinn said. "And really, Rachel, you were underage. Your fathers would never have given you permission to marry Finn in high school."

"We didn't tell them," Rachel said quietly.

"Tell them what?" Quinn asked.

"Finn did propose to me senior year," Rachel said. "But I told him I needed time to think about it. We broke up because I couldn't give him an answer he liked."

"Oh, wow!" Quinn said. "Does anyone else know?"

"Just Kurt," Rachel said, tightening her grip.

"Of course," Quinn muttered.

"Be nice!"

"So, she's a keeper?" Kurt asked.

"No question," Rachel told him. "I haven't had a roommate like her since… ever."

"That's laying it on a little thick, don't you think?" he said.

Rachel shrugged. She hadn't told him about all the little things that made Quinn deserve the 'Best Roommate Ever' award, just the things he would understand. Cuddling, she'd decided, he wouldn't understand, or he would read too much into it. The way Quinn knew exactly what temperature to make her tea or the way Quinn just seemed to know when she needed her feet rubbed. "I'm happy with her," she said.

"I still can't believe you've been cooking for her," Kurt said. "You live on takeout."

"I can cook," she said. "You like my vegan cookies."

"Yes, your vegan cookies are good," he said. "But you'e always said you were raised on takeout. Which does not lead to useful cooking skills."

"I can follow a recipe," Rachel protested. "And I've been watching cooking shows for years."

"If you poison her…" he said.

"You can say 'I told you so'," she said.

"Though that would solve the roommate problem," Kurt said thoughtfully.

"There is no roommate problem," Rachel said.

Rachel didn't want to move. She was just too comfortable. This was turning out to be her favorite way to end her day. A cup of her favorite tea, and then cuddling on the couch with her roommate until one of them, usually Quinn, decided to go to bed.

She wasn't sure that her roommate knew that she wasn't actually asleep on the couch most nights. She tried not to think of what Quinn's reaction would be. There was just something comforting about Quinn's natural fragrance, about the way she hummed to herself when she read, glasses daintily perched on her nose. The way she seemed to radiate a deep warmth.

Rachel knew she was pushing the boundaries of their friendship but it'd been years since she'd had someone to cuddle up to like this. Her last boyfriend hadn't been the cuddling type. Back in high school she'd attempted to cuddle with Finn on multiple occasions but he never really understood what she wanted, seeing it as another opportunity to make out.

"Quinn?" she murmured, eyes still closed.

"Yes?" Quinn asked.

"We'll always be friends?" Rachel asked.

"As long as you want," Quinn said.

"Forever sounds nice," Rachel said softly.

"Barbra was robbed!" Rachel groused, as the telecast switched to the post-award analysis. "There was no way that Megan Fox was a better actress. It was fixed!"

"It's a good thing you didn't take that bet then, wasn't it," Quinn said, smirking. "I think you said it was 'like taking candy from a baby'?"

Rachel glared at her roommate. A little bit of sympathy for her idol would have been nice, she thought, but then that wouldn't be her Quinn. She didn't have much patience for the rich and famous. If she ever had an entourage, Rachel decided Quinn would have to be in it. Who else would keep her ego in check?

"So, getting an Oscar for Best Song wasn't good enough?" Quinn asked, poking her.

"Ouch!" Rachel said, poking her back. "That's just a consolation prize," she said. "No true competition."

"If you say so," Quinn said. "I thought Megan Fox deserved that Oscar. She's come a long way from that horror movie she starred in."

"Horror movie? I thought she was in those movies with all the robots," Rachel said.

"You mean her eye candy roles?" Quinn said. "Sure, she looked good, but that's not acting."

Note: Megan Fox? Win a Best Actress Oscar? Why not? She's still young. Plenty of time for her to improve.

"What's that?" Quinn asked, staring at the bowl of something green that Rachel had placed on the table. She really hoped she wasn't going to regret Rachel's offer to make her lunch in thanks for the shooting lessons.

"Creamed spinach and toasted almonds," Rachel said proudly, putting a serving spoon in the dish.

"It's green," Quinn said.

"I think you'll like it," Rachel said. Smiling, she went back into the kitchen and returned with a covered plate.

"I know you really liked that spicy soy lamb Giro, so I made you my famous vegan Reuben," Rachel said, removing the cover. Reaching over, she placed it in front of Quinn

"Umm, thank," Quinn said, staring worriedly down at the large sandwich.

Rachel pushed the spinach dish closer to Quinn. "Don't forget the creamed spinach."

Nodding, Quinn moved the sandwich to one side of her plate to make room for the green stuff. She cautiously spooned some onto her plate. Picking up her fork, she tasted the spinach.

"What do you think?" Rachel asked.

"It's good," Quinn said, surprised. Her worry lessened, she careful picked up the faux-Reuben and took a bite. "Good," she mumbled around a mouthful, to Rachel's delight.

"Quinn."

Quinn clutched her pillow over her head and ignored the voice that seemed to be whispering into her ear.

"Quinn…" the voice said again. When she didn't respond, something started poking her in the ribs. She tried to ignore the poking.

"Quinn, I need a favor," the voice said. "Please wake up."

Quinn groaned and lifted her pillow just enough so she could see her alarm clock. "Rachel?"

"Yes?"

"It's six in the AM," Quinn said, from under her pillow. "This better be good."

"I have an audition next week," Rachel said.

"That's great, Rachel," Quinn said. "But why did you wake me up so early?"

"It's for a villain of the week, on something called 'City Guns'," Rachel said.

"City Guns?" Quinn sat up quickly, causing Rachel to squeak in surprise. "That's Santana's favorite show. Hot cops with guns."

Rachel frowned. "So you know what it's about?"

"Yup," Quinn said. "So, what kind of favor?"

"I need to know how to shoot a gun," Rachel said. "And look natural doing it."

"You've used prop guns, haven't you?" Quinn asked.

"I took a seminar in college," Rachel said, "but that's it."

"Okay," Quinn said, frowning. "Tomorrow afternoon?"

"Thank you!"

Disclaimer: Fox owns the Glee money making machine and RBI came up with the original idea. Not mine.
Pairing/Character: Rachel, Quinn
When/Where: AU.
Word Count: 200 (Double Drabble ) ( 76 of 100 )

Quinn was watching a movie when Rachel got home from the Valentines Day show after party. Without thinking about it, she walked into the living room and kissed Quinn on the nearest cheek.

"What was that for?" Quinn asked.

"The flowers and vegan chocolate in my dressing room tonight," Rachel said, plopping down on the coach next to her.

"Oh, that," Quinn said, blushing. "Everyone deserves flowers on Valentines Day, boyfriend or not."

"You're sweet," Rachel said. "Which can be our little secret," she quickly added, before Quinn could object. "So, what are we watching?"

"Felt the need for something romantic," Quinn said. "Everyone else had plans for tonight."

"You could have come to the show," Rachel reminded her.

"By myself? To a couples thing? Nu uh!"

Rachel nodded sympathetically. Third wheel or spare wheel wasn't her favorite social position either. "So, movie?"

"Classic 50's romance with Cary Grant," Quinn said. "My Nana watched it when I was a kid."

"An Affair to Remember?" Rachel said, reading the title screen. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"You've never seen it?" Quinn said, surprised.

"Wasn't that a Meg Ryan film?"

"She watched it in a film."

"Ah, very meta," Rachel said.