The Running Back

Chapter 26

"No."

"But Quinn-"

"I said no."

"You won't even listen to me."

"I did listen," Quinn pointed out as she swiftly spun around to her girlfriend. "And I have been listening for the past few days, and I'm telling you no." Her words were spoken with such finality that any normal person would have just let the topic drop there. But Rachel was no average person. Her lips curled downward and Quinn's eyes narrowed. "Oh, don't even think about using that pout on me. I am not going to set my sister up with Gabrielle." She gave Rachel one last stern look before spinning on heel and going on her way.

"But-"
"I said no, Rachel."

Rachel frowned. She had hoped that this would have gone easier, but Quinn had been quite firm in her stance. Rachel knew that she couldn't, nor wouldn't, assist Gabrielle without Quinn's help and approval so she had to figure out a way to change her mind. Quinn had advanced several feet ahead of her, but apparently she had decided not to go on without her. Rachel walked up beside her and linked her hands together with Quinn's.

"Are we really fighting?" she asked, a few moments after they started walking.

Quinn let out an exasperated sigh. She turned to Rachel, a frown upon her face. "It's not like I want to argue with you, but Gabby... with my sister." She shuddered at the thought and then continued on her way, lightly tugging Rachel along with her. "She's a great girl, I'll admit, but it would just be weird and can you just drop it already?" Rachel opened her mouth to speak but a quick glance from Quinn had her shutting it once more. She pouted again and this time she successfully, although not purposely, managed to break through Quinn's resolve. "I'll think about it," she sighed. Rachel instantly lit up and was about to hug Quinn, but halted when she found a finger pointed right at her face. "But you are not allowed to do that to me anymore."

"Um... okay. I guess I can try." Quinn didn't look fully convinced, and truthfully Rachel was quite sure she'd be able to keep up her side of the agreement. But it was the effort that counted so Rachel put on a big smile and hoped that Quinn would believe her. There was this small, contemplative scowl on Quinn's face as she turned back away. But she wrapped an arm around Rachel's waist and proceeded to walk Rachel the rest of the way to class. She left with a kiss on the cheek as well as a promise that they'd talk later.

For the rest of the day Rachel made sure not to bring up the topic. She was determined to give Quinn the space to think things through and to realize, on her own, that it'd be a great idea to get Frannie and Gabrielle together or that she'd at least not consider it an awful idea. Rachel knew full well that she was getting a little ahead of herself with this whole match-matcher thing but if she could get the girl of her dreams then she didn't see why Gabrielle couldn't do so too. And, if Rachel were being honest, she had to admit that Gabby and Frannie would be quite cute together.

She very much liked the thought of them being happy together, and had just so happened to be picturing said image when she saw Gabrielle across the cafeteria during lunch. She smiled at her funnily, which in turned caused Gabrielle much confusion. She promptly started to look around her in a vain effort to find what it was that Rachel found so amusing. Yeah, she and Frannie would definitely look cute together.

"What the fuck are you doing?" The sound of Santana's voice snapped Rachel out of her thoughts. She jumped back slightly in fright, nearly dropping her tray of food to the floor. Despite everything, Santana still scared her quite a bit.

"Nothing," she answered swiftly.

Santana's gazed drifted over to where a confused Gabrielle stood and then back to Rachel. "Nothing?" she repeated and Rachel nodded. "Well, it better not have been. I hate to say it Berry, but you're actually not half bad. But if you hurt Q I'll-"