"I knew it! I fucking knew it!" Santana yelled as she dropped her back pack to the floor. Quinn and Rachel...as well as Leo, opted to wait until after she returned from her first day of classes to tell her about Jessica and Mark. "I'm going to beat some asses tonight."

"No you're not." Leo corrected her, hooking his arm around her waist and dragging her down onto their sofa. She had no choice but to follow.

"Don't tell me what I am or am not going to do! If you and I are going to work, we need to get that fact straight real quick."

The fact that he was unphased by her warning pissed her off even more. "Just...calm down for a second."

"Don't tell me to calm down either! These are my friends that this bitch is messing with. She almost fucked up what I have spent the last two years trying to protect."

When she started to struggle against his hold he released her. "You can't protect it this time, Santana." He called after her as she made her way towards the door.

"And why the hell not?"

"Because they need to learn to do it." He stood up and met her gaze, just as certain in his decision as she was in hers. "Rachel needs to handle this."

"She should have handled it in the first place. And since she didn't, now I get to."

Leo shook his head and slowly walked forward. "Santana," His was was quiet and calm, easing some of her anger. "We all agree that she should have taken care of it in the beginning, but it is because she didn't, that she needs to now."

"They're my best friends, Leo. I can't just sit back and not do anything."

"I know." He assured her and she stepped into a hug. "I know. And I don't expect you to. All I'm saying is let Rachel do what she needs to. After that, I will drive you to wherever the bitch lives myself." The Latina laughed in acceptance. "Just let Rachel handle it first."

"I can do that. Yeah. I can do that. I still get my personal satisfaction and Rachel can prove herself." Leo nodded his head and smiled as she pulled away to look up at him. "If I beat her ass, do you think she would press charges?"

He answered without hesitation. "Most definitely."

"How much jail time is that?"

"Depends on how badly you mess her up. Probably thirty days if you draw blood. And that's a lot of school to miss seeing as you just started."

"Well," She stood up on her tiptoes and pecked his lips. "They I guess I better have an air tight alibi."

"It's weird." The pair turned to see Rachel standing in the door way. "You two together...it's weird. Is it for real?"

The two looked at each other and Leo sighed. "We're taking it day by day. Right now we are working under the title of friend's with benefits who aren't interested in anyone else."

"But you call each other boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Santana nodded. "Yeah. You have a problem with it?"

The diva held up her hands in surrender, knowing that she was already on thin ice with the Latina. "No. It just sounds a lot like what you had with Brittany, and you weren't happy in that situation."

"It's not the same." Leo assured her as he took a seat at his table and Santana sat down in his lap, smiling as he rubbed his hand up and down her back comfortingly. "I'm interested in a relationship with her, Brittany wasn't. I just want to make sure the feelings are mutual, so we are taking it slow."

Rachel dropped her brow and crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought it was pretty clear that Santana wants to be with you."

"He doesn't believe me."

"I believe you." He corrected her quickly. "I just still feel like you would drop me if Brittany was ever to change her mind. It's an insecurity that I have which fades every day. I'm working on it. I'm just protecting myself while giving you what you want."

"Part of what I want." Santana confessed looking into his eyes. "I'll give you the time you need to see that I'm for real about this, then I want all of you." Their eyes locked and he nodded his head.

"Is this whole bile rising in the back of my throat thing normal in situations such as this?" Rachel asked, breaking the moment. She was so a little Santana.

"Berry, go deal with you vixen like you should have in the first place or I will kick you ass and then hers." The diva winced and slowly backed out of the doorway.

~/~/~/~

When Rachel arrived at the theater, Mark and Jessica were already there, sitting on the stoop waiting. "There's our little heart breaker. Did your rent check keep you up all night screaming at you for Jess-ic...wow..." Mark's words faded as Rachel flipped her hair behind her shoulder to reveal the dark mark Quinn had left in response to Jessica's.

"I so did not do that." Jessica announced, standing to inspect Rachel's neck. "How do you plan on covering that?"

Rachel sharply pulled away as Jessica moved to run her finger over the bruised skin. "With makeup."

"A lot of it." Mark jibed.

The diva turned her attention to the red head and smiled her beaming smile. "Quinn would like me to pass on a few friendly words."

"Yeah?" Jessica straightened her posture and smiled widely in her ignorance.

"Yeah." Rachel mocked her before dropping her smile. "Try anything like that again and she will kick your ass." Jessica dead panned, unaware of Quinn's head bitch in charge side. The blonde had always seemed more like a door mat to her. Love sick and willing to do any command Rachel barked out. Rachel then turned to Mark who seemed to share the red head's shock with the statement. "And I would warn you not to push her. You have met Quinn, my girlfriend. But you haven't been introduced to Quinn Fabray. She will hurt you...in one way or another." The diva smirked and left the two on the stoop to flounder in their silence.

The theater was small, definitely not Broadway, but it would be a start, a paycheck to help Quinn out. Rachel needed this badly. Not just to start her career, but for her relationship. Quinn wasn't complaining about working two jobs and trying to go to school, but Rachel still felt like she was letting her girlfriend down. It didn't help that Mark and Jessica had taken to referring to the blonde as Rachel's rent check or sugar mama. The diva needed to contribute to their relationship more than just adding stress. And she needed something soon.

Rachel stood in the back and watched a few performers sing their pieces and her confidence was shaken. These weren't her peers in high school. These were talented preforms, as driven, as talented, and as experienced as she was. These were people who had also taken lessons in dance and singing since they were old enough to. These were people whose dreams were to be the biggest thing to hit Broadway in decades. These were people who were her. And it shook her. She wished Quinn was here.

Jessica approached Rachel cautiously as they waited to be called for their turn to sing. Rachel tried to ignore her. "So...Quinn never really struck me as the possessive type...or the violent type."

She couldn't help but smirk at the woman's newly installed fear, but refused to make eye contact with her, keeping them fixed on the performer on stage. There was something about seeing her 'friend' cower in fear of her girlfriend that made Rachel feel alive in a way that she hadn't felt lately. She felt...proud.

"Quinn is whatever she needs to be. A sensitive friend, a sweet lover, a protector, an aggressor...a battering ram." She added the last one meeting Jessica's eyes with a glare of seriousness. "Quinn can be your greatest friend of your worst enemy. You crossed a line so now she can either tolerate your existence...or destroy you. That choice is still yours. I suggest you choose wisely."

Jessica nodded her head and attempted a smile to hide her discomfort. "And here I thought I should be worried about Santana."

Rachel let out an evil sounding laugh that knocked the smile from the red head's lips. "Please. I guess I never told you how things worked, did I? Ask anyone that went to school with us and there is no mistake about it. When it comes to being the top dog, Santana is second in line. Quinn was the head bitch in charge and ruled over everyone. Always has, always will."

"You're up." The stage hand tapped Rachel on the shoulder. "Good luck."

Rachel took one more look at the red head and smirked at the fear in her eyes. The diva was back in action. She left Jessica in the wings and when the spot light hit her, she didn't falter for a second. This is where she was suppose to be. The light blinded her from making out any details of the darkened theater but she held her smile.

"You may begin." A booming voice echoed.

"My name is Rachel Berry and I will be preforming On My Own from the Broadway classic Les Mes." She felt like she was back in sophomore year, auditioning for Mr. Schuester. Back when she knew and believed she was the best. Back when there was no pressure to do anything but enjoy that moment. She sang with that emotion, that freedom from judgment. It was just her and that song, everything else blocked out by the blinding lights. Her heart ached and soared with the music and tears formed as she heard her voice echoed back at her with the pain of the lyrics apparent in her words.

Rachel held that moment as the song ended and she was excused off stage. When she faded out of the light, she faded back to what she had started to feel when she first walked in. Small, insignificant, and not quite good enough.

"You were amazing."

Rachel smiled faintly and turned to thank the friendly voice and she froze. "Quinn? Wha-what are you doing here?" She stood up and wrapped her arms around the tall blonde and felt the warmth return to her body.

Quinn held her tight, very much aware that both Mark and Jessica were watching from a distance but she didn't care. She wasn't here for them. "I had an hour for a meal break and this place was only two blocks away, so I thought I would come and see you. I made it in time to see most of the song. You were great, Baby." She gushed as she reluctantly let the smaller girl go.

"I don't know if it was enough."

"It was enough." Quinn assured her. "You had people packing up their bags and leaving, knowing they couldn't compete."

"She's right." Both girls turned to a tall man as he approached them. "You have something special and I am hoping that you will get to show it off in our show." Our show. Suddenly Rachel knew who she was talking to, the man whom she needed to impress and apparently had, her potential boss. "So...tomorrow, three pm. Be here and already warmed up."

Rachel could only nod as she watched the composed man vanish back into the darkness of the theater seats. Thankfully, Quinn still had an arm around her waist because Rachel's knees buckled and she nearly fell. "Oh my God."

"Oh my God." Quinn echoed. "You've been cast?"

"I think so, maybe. I don't know. It's a second audition if nothing else. Oh my God." She nearly tackled Quinn in a hug. Even if she didn't get the part and it was just a call back, it was something. It was progress, confirmation that she was able to do this. This was proof to her and to Quinn. "Oh shit. What time did he-"

"Three." Quinn answered with its importance dripping from the word. "Three. Three. Three. Three. So you will be here by two." Rachel nodded. "And call me as soon as you can with any details."

"Call you?" Rachel's smile fell.

"I can't exactly come with you. One, I have to work, and two...it's not very professional to bring your girlfriend until you already have the part in the bag. I don't want to risk anything. I mean, I don't even think I'm suppose to be here right now."

"You're not." Mark stated as he and Jessica approached the couple slowly. "But I wont tell if you don't."

Quinn wasn't amused by his attempt at a joke to lighten the hostility between them. Instead she narrowed her eyes at him and he dropped his gaze. She couldn't stand either of them. "If you're done here then how about you come keep me company at work. Maybe you can talk the boss into investing in a few vegan meals to add to the menu." The blonde suggested to the diva, ignoring the other pair's presence.

"That actually sounds like a really good idea." Rachel answered, cupping the blonde's face and pulling her into a kiss before they started to head for the exit.

"Quinn."

They both turned around to face Jessica and her puppy dog eyes. Even Mark looked annoyed with the expression. "What do you want?" Her words weren't cold, just flippant. This woman wasn't worth her time.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for-"

"No you're not." Quinn cut her off forcefully, dropping the diva's hand and taking a few slow steps closer to the surprised red head. "You aren't in the least bit sorry for anything. I know what you did and what you have been trying to do." Jessica shuffled her feet back slightly as Quinn kept coming, never getting in her face, just closing the distance. "So let me make it very clear right now. Whatever game you are trying to play...it's not going to work. Nothing you ever try is going to work. She's mine and I'm not going anywhere."

Jessica couldn't meet her eyes, shifting them around the theater instead while both Mark and Rachel tried to hide their smiles as Quinn stopped within inches from the other woman's face.

"So back, The fuck, Off. Or I'll do it for you." The red head didn't respond. She just pursed her lips and found a spot to stare at. Quinn smiled and turned around to head back to Rachel but stopped after a few steps. "Don't push me. You really don't want to push me." The diva stepped forward and grabbed her girlfriend's hand, pulling her towards the exit as she stared Jessica down.

The couple burst into laughter as soon as they broke out of the darkness and began their walk to the diner. "I think you got your point across quite well today." Rachel applauded her girlfriend and hooked her arm around her waist as Quinn draped hers over the shorter girl's shoulders.

"I think so too. So...we need to celebrate. The bitch is gone, school has started, and you, my darling, may have just landed your first job. How firckin exciting is that!" Rachel blushed and buried her face in the proud blonde's chest. "This is what we're here for, Rachel." Quinn beamed, pulling her girlfriend closer. "We're here for Broadway."

Rachel nodded her head. She was on her way. "Always remember."

"Always remember." Quinn echoed. "Now just don't forget to call your dads. Otherwise they may disown us both and I really don't want to test the whole 'third time's a charm' saying."

"No." Rachel agreed, pulling herself into the blonde's body. "I love you, Quinn Fabray."

"I love you too, Rachel Berry."

The End!

~/~/~/~

I want to thank all of you who have stuck with it. From the very beginning of LMAL and those of you who jumped in at the middle. You all have been so awesome and supportive. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

So, I'm still undecided if I am going to do a third part. Keep a look out just in case.

And for those of you who aren't already following it, I have another Faberry fic going (and seems to be never ending) called Beautiful When You Don't Try. Check it out. Once again. Thank you all.

Also, if you happen to have any other suggestions for a story, feel free to send me a message.