In Cold Blood Lovers

Chapter 2: the funeral

Rachel slowly slid out of the driver's seat of her car, smoothing the edges of her dress. She made it just before they lowered his body.

As Rachel walked closer to the casket, the crowd of people parted for the grieving girl. She decided not to have an open casket funeral because she couldn't cover the funds. So there she stands. Hovering above the shiny gold casket that held the dead body of her father. Rachel clenched her fist as the tears fell hard and fast. She choked back her sobs as the crowd stared at her from behind.

Quinn stood, watching her sympathetically wishing there was something she could do to help. The next thing everyone knew, Rachel sprinted away from the ceremony and into the nearest building. She couldn't take it. Her dad was dead, and that casket made it all too real. And it made her so goddamn angry that everyone accepted his fate, just like that. Not even questioning that there could be more to this. All of this.

Rachel let out a heart-wrenching sob, squeezing her arms around her legs as she huddled in the corner of an empty ballroom.

A pair of arms slid around her from the front.

"It's okay Rachel," Quinn whispered into her ear, "I'm here for you."

Rachel grew upset with everyone saying the same sympathetic stuff to her and pushed Quinn back on the floor.

"God, Quinn, you sound just like everyone else in this shitty town!" Rachel yelled, slamming her hand on the cold tile floor.

Quinn just sat on the ground, shocked by the outburst. Rachel's face morphed from guilt to anger again.

"You all are just so quick to assume that it was some low life homophobic mugger that shot my dads, without even thinking, that there could be something behind this. Who carries around a machine gun, Qui-"

"Hey, hey!" Quinn shook Rachel by her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. Their faces painfully close, "I believe you, Rach."

Rachel's stomach fluttered as a tear slid down her cheek, "You do?"

Quinn chuckled, wiping away the moisture off her face with her thumb, "Of course I do, Rachel. I'm your friend."

"It's just that-'' Rachel stopped herself and sniffled. Quinn dug through her purse and pulled out a pack of tissues, handing it to her. Rachel smiled and wiped her nose, "Kurt's my best friend, and he seemed to just think I was going through some hysterical grieving stage."

Rachel dabbed the tissue under her puffy red eyes.

"Well," Quinn paused to think about what to say next, "Well, Kurt can suck it it."

Quinn looked over to the brunette hoping she didn't just screw this up.

Her fears vanished as she saw Rachel's shoulders shake with a giggle and she looked up with a watery smile.

"I was hoping that would cheer you up." Quinn smiled and pushed herself up from the ground holding out a hand for the brunette.

Rachel looked up and grabbed onto her arm, pulling herself up.

She wiped the dirt off her dress and sniffled, wiping the hair out of her face.

"Well I think I'm gonna head out. I just dont think i can be here any longer." Rachel turned around and began walking out of the ballroom before Quinn grabbed her by the wrist. Rachel jerked her head around and looked at Quinn.

"Let me help you, Rach." Quinn slid her hand from Rachel's wrist to the palm of her hand, "Whatever you're doing you don't have to do it alone."

Rachel turned her whole body facing Quinn and used her other arm to grab her hands.

"You're a really great friend, Quinn. You know that right?"

Quinn threw her shoulders up and smiled, "Yeah."

Rachel giggled again.

Quinn exhaled a long breath and crossed her arms, "Well, why don't you let me take you home and we can figure out what really happened, okay?"

Rachel smiled and held out her hand again, "That sounds nice."

Quinn grabbed a hold of her arm and the two ran out of the ballroom together. Rachel had never thought that Quinn Fabray would be the one at her aid when she needed someone, but here she was. As beautiful as ever.